(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best handsaws

> The Lathe:

Sounds like you've got this well under control.

> The Tools:

There are very split camps on tools: replaceable carbide tips vs traditional tools. Personally I think both have a place, but I do feel it's best to start with traditional tools to learn the how and why tools work the way they do. My personal opinion is always to spend the real money on good tools. They don't have to be expensive, but the right tool of the right quality (sharp, of course) will make all the difference in the world. Every try to dig a post hole with a hand trowel? :)

Also don't feel bound by just one brand or type of tool...most of us have lots of tools!

You can go with carbide-tipped tools such as Easy Wood Tools, Simple Woodturning Tools, or other brands. You can make your own for a fraction of the cost to buy.

There are a few of good entry-level HSS sets out there for about $80, such as this frequently recommended set of Benjamin's Best. I also like Hurricane brand tools which I feel are excellent entry-level HSS tools for the money. Either of those would serve you well through the learning curve and a good ways into your turning career.

If you wanted to pick just two higher-end tools, I feel Crown's Pro PM are good for the price. I own several, they're nice, but the handles are a bit short for my knuckle-dragging frame! All you really need for the projects you listed is a skew chisel and a spindle gouge.

Lastly, you could buy some of the popular "buy it for life" tools like Thompson Lathe Tools or D-Way Tools. These are widely considered the upper end of turning tools with each tool running between $55-200 (handles sold separately). Many people who get serious about their hobby end up with these tools because the harder tool steels are more durable.


> The Bench Grinder:

The Rikon 80-805 is the most common good deal for a grinder. Occasionally some other Asia-import will pop up on the scene for a little while, but the Rikon is pretty predictable about going on sale. Also, it comes with two decent wheels to get you started; not all import grinders come with decent wheels.

Eventually you might want to invest in CBN wheels to replace the frangible wheels that come on the grinder, but that's probably down the road for you.

Lots of people use that grinder, I've not heard anything outright bad about it (although some people prefer one with more HP).

> Drill Press?

A cheap drill press will get you there just fine.

The most common alternative is to purchase a 4-jaw chuck, such as the Nova G3 (which requires the appropriate insert), and also a set of pen drilling jaws and a drill chuck for the tailstock. That lets you drill blanks entirely on the lathe (and with better accuracy than a drill press IMO).

The downside is that the 4-jaw chuck, insert, jaws, and drill chuck collectively will cost damn near $200, which is a lot more than a cheap drill press. The upside is that the chuck is exactly what you will need if you decide to get deeper into turning and want to try bowls, boxes, and other things. Many of us already owned or planned to own a chuck, so the only real cost addition was the pen drilling jaws and the drill chuck.

> Pen turning attachments

• Mandrel savers are a separate purchase.
  
  
• Be warned that barrel trimmers are not universal, they come in different sizes and some pen kits use a sleeve to up-size the trimmer to fit the larger tube.
  
  
• You can use epoxy or CA glue, whichever you prefer to glue tubes. If using CA glue, make sure you buy a spray bottle of accelerator so that you can zap the ends to prevent a dripping mess!
  
  
• Any general sandpaper from a home improvement store will work fine, don't need anything fancy or expensive. Quite a few of us purchased the $40 box from Klingspor's which is enough sandpaper to last me several years.
  
  
• A P100 filter dust mask is a good investment as well for safety gear.
  
  
• FINISH: If you plan to use CA glue as your finish, you need a different viscosity (thin) than what you use to glue the tubes (thick). This means you need to buy two different bottles of CA and look into a pack of MicroMesh sanding pads for polishing the CA finish.
  
  If you plan on using something else for the finish, make sure you buy what you need.
  
  
• SAW: You need a way to cut pen blanks and trim off excess waste. If you don't own any cutting tools that are sufficient for the job, a cheap miter box will do the job just fine. Make sure you clamp the box and the blank down well before sawing!

Here are the basics, I will edit if I think of any more essential tools, but you can go an awfully long way with these.

Hand Tools:

• Hand saw- I prefer Japanese style pull saws, meaning they cut on the pull stroke. My go to utility saw is a Vaughn bear saw, which is a robust package, with several types of interchangeable blades. There are countless types of saws, for different uses, but a fine toothed Japanese saw will get you by for most things.
  
  
• Combination square- A sliding ruler square, perfect for marking and layout. you will also want a speed square eventually, so you might as well get one.
  
  
• Tape measure- Start with a basic 25' tape, and get more as needed.
  
  
• Basic chisel set- Most of the entry grade chisels are pretty much the same, this Irwin set is a pretty good buy. to start with a set of 1/4", 1/2", and 1" are all you really need, but you can never have enough chisels.
  
  
• Block plane- A low angle block plane will get you a long ways breaking corners and trimming pieces. Stanley makes a great, affordable, option. As time goes by you will need a jack plane, but a block plane will do for now.
  
  
• Sharpening equipment- A fine diamond stone like this will get you a long way keeping your chisels and plane sharp. You should do research into sharpening methods as you use your tools more, and build a system that fits you.
  
  
• Hammer- A cheap smooth face hammer. Build a wooden mallet as a starter project.
  
  
• Clamps- You always need more clamps. Big clamps. Small clamps. Weird clamps. I like bar clamps. Harbour Freight has good deals on fair clamps, but don't expect too much out of them. To start with get a couple with ~8" throat, and a couple with ~18" throat.
  
  Power Tools:
  
  
• Cordless drill- If you're willing to spend the money for a good, reliable, tool I recommend Makita, but a Ryobi or Rigid will serve you well if you're just working on small projects. Everyone has their favourite cordless tool brand, and, for the most part, it really is just preference. I highly recommend adding an impact driver and circular saw to whichever system you choose.
  
  
• Circular Saw- If you want to work with plywood or larger sticks, you will want a circular saw, which is the most basic power saw. Most of the major tool companies make fine starter saws, Skil is the original, and is quite cheap, but there are plenty of others, browse a store and see what takes your fancy.
  
  
• Jig saw- A jig saw is used for cutting curves, and you will eventually need it if you build enough things. I prefer Bosch but there are cheaper options. See what feels right to you.
  
  
• Miter saw- You don't need this right away, but if you start doing more projects you will want one. I recommend going right to a sliding compound miter saw, like this Dewalt. You will never need more miter saw than that, and if you get a small one you will eventually end up buying a the real deal.
  
  
• Table saw- Again, you don't need this right away, but eventually you will feel you need the precision and ease that a table saw brings. The Rigid portable table saw is a great saw if you're working in tight quarters and need to pack up, but you'll appreciate the appreciate the stability of a cast iron topped cabinet saw if you have the cash and space for it.
  
  Misc:
  
  
• Drill bits- Get a cheap twist drill set that goes from 1/16" to 1/2" and a basic spade bit set. Later you will want a set of forstners and hole saws.
  
  
• Utility knife
  
  
• Driver bits
  

Drawers are actually a little bit tricky. They're usually a box with a routed groove about a half inch up from the bottom, all the way around, about 1/4" deep. A thin piece of some composite wood, like ply, or hardboard is cut to fit in that slot, and the sides are glued up, locking that floating floor into the grooves. Then a face board of something more decorative is screwed to the front through the back, and a handle installed by screwing it through both the front of the drawer, and the decorative drawer front. Then you need the runners, which despite my efforts, I still find tricky to get lined up properly.

Do you mean something like a bow saw is what you have, or a hack saw, or maybe more like this one? Those aren't really good for woodworking. The former is more for pruning limbs from small trees, and the latter more for cutting things like metal or plastic rod or pipe. One of the problems is that the bow itself in each case gets in the way, so you can't cut through wider planks, unless you cut across the width of the plank, which is just asking for the project to take several times longer than it should, and for some real pain in your hand. It'll take forever to make a cut.

I've found the Irwin coarse cut saws to be fantastic. I actually did a hands-on study and bought a pile of different brands and styles of saws, and for almost everything, I prefer the 3 lengths of these. In fact, I had only bought the short one - 15" (at the link) - but loved it so much, I bought a second to keep in my truck (after losing the first one, so 3 total), and the 20" and 24" from Amazon. I'd like to try the fine cut models one of these days, but I usually use these for very early stuff, like sawing up logs that I'll later turn into planks or turning blanks for the lathe. The fine cut will give a smoother finish.

If you want to go a lot faster and have an even smoother finish, I've found this little RIDGID circular saw to be pretty great. It makes a nice, square cut. I like smaller circular saws. They're easier to control, and cut just fine. If you're going to be cutting tons of things all day every day, a larger one is probably better, but for the occasional small piece of furniture, this would be my recommendation, though if you're okay with a carpenter's saw, the Irwins are also an okay way to cut things. Just draw square lines and follow them.

If I had to make a recommendation for fastening, I really like the Kreg pocket hole jigs. I have this one, but there's a slightly cheaper one that comes with a few less perks. It makes joining things really easy. The face frame clamp that comes with the Master System in my opinion makes things a lot easier - really flushes things up - and it comes with a box of assorted screws that helps when starting out. Joinery is hard stuff, and if you haven't done any, there's a lot of trial-and-error to ramping up to it. This kind of idiot-proofs most of that. I can be a real idiot in my own joinery, so I turn to it often to great simplify and speed up things like cabinetry and dresser work.

I recommend going slow with hand tools. Buy them one or two at a time, and then learn to use, sharpen, and care for those before buying more. This will help you get the best stuff for you while spending as little as possible. Let your projects guide your tool purchases.

Amazon isn't a great place to buy hand tools. Most people shop at either Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen, or eBay for planes, chisels, saws, rasps, etc. That said, there's a surprising amount of stuff you'll need that's not the tools themselves. Personally, I wouldn't want to saddle myself with an inferior tool just to use a gift certificate.

Anyways. Stuff you SHOULD buy on amazon:

Hand Tools

• A card scraper. Do your research--they're tricky to sharpen, but they're miraculous things. I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Bahco-5-Inch-474-125-0-80-Cabinet-Scraper/dp/B0001P0PHW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859293&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bahco+card+scraper
  
• Baby's first hand saw: http://www.amazon.com/Tajima-Japan-JPR-SET-Rapid-Blades/dp/B0008KLNSA/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859464&sr=1-3&keywords=dozuki
  
  Clamps
  
  
• Amazon is a decent place to buy clamps unless you're into the HD/Lowe's arbitrage thing. There's good advice on what clamps you need here: http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/the-big-squeeze/
  
  Measuring/Marking
  
  
• A solid combination square like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-11H-12-4R-Combination-Square-Wrinkle/dp/B0002CSBNO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407857853&sr=8-2&keywords=starret
  
• An inexpensive marking knife: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002X201/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Your first festool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UKRNG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• I have some crown marking gauges from Amazon, but the jury's still out. I think I'm going to end up deciding that they're junk. They are cheap and will get you going, though.
  
  Sharpening Gear
  
  
• You can easily spend way more than $300 on a sharpening setup. Do your research. Most of the stuff you'll need can be found at Amazon.
  
• A good starting point sharpening stone: http://www.amazon.com/King-47506-1000-Combination-Waterstone/dp/B001DT1X9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407858723&sr=8-1&keywords=king+stone
  
• Training Wheels: http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Larson-800-1800-Honing-Guide/dp/B000CFNCKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407858827&sr=8-1&keywords=honing+guide
  
  Consumables
  
  
• Wood glue--TiteBond II is what "everyone" uses. TiteBond III is more waterproof and gives you a longer open time
  
• Sandpaper
  
• Mineral spirits
  
• Finishing supplies
  
  Safety Gear
  
  
• The best splinter removal tweezers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EMYHA8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Band aids: http://www.amazon.com/Band-Aid-Brand-Adhesive-Bandages-Comfort/dp/B0047ITQ42/ref=sr_1_5?s=hpc&srs=2582875011&ie=UTF8&qid=1407859147&sr=1-5&keywords=band+aid+sheer+strips
  
• Safety Glasses, Hearing protection (if you plan to use power tools), Respirator (if you plan to make dust), etc.
  
• Broom, dustpan, brush.
  

Amazon.

I have:

Generic Hobby Knife - Generic hobby knife kit. Blades were shit so I buy Xacto brand but the knives and case are good.

Needle Files - Extremely useful for polishing off mold lines or smoothing cuts.

Adjustable Jeweler's Saw - Handles a ton of different size blades for cutting metal, plastic, or wood.

Swivel Handle Pin Vice - Probably the best tool you can buy. Great for customizing what your troops are carrying.

Third Hand - Stupidly useful. Mostly for gluing.

Jeweler's Saw Blades - Bought these for my saw. Useful. Others might be better.

Micro Drill Bits - Bought for my pin vice. Useful. Others might be better.

Mini Drill Bits - Bought for my pin vice. Useful. Others might be better.

If you decide to go the hand tool route, money and space are a lot less of a concern. Rather than throw out hypotheticals, I'll give you some examples of tools you can actually buy right now:

Panel saw. Yeah, 10 bucks. It's actually a nice saw too. The only issue is the teeth cannot be sharpened - but it's 10 bucks. Use this for breaking down big stock into smaller stock

Back Saw. Also 10 bucks. Same as above. Disposable but cheap and will last a long time (it's disposable because the teeth have been hardened). This is for precision cross cuts and cutting tenons.

Dovetail/fine joinery saw. 25 bucks plus a 3 dollar xx slim double taper saw file to make it not suck.

Now for some planes. These may seem kind of pricey for "broke" status, but these aren't POS-get-you-by planes. These are lifetime tools. To get something comparable new, you are looking at 150.00 to 300.00 a piece. You can get better deals by bidding on some planes, but these are all "buy it now"

Stanley #4. Needs some love but that's a good user for 30 bucks.

Stanley #5 for 42$

Stanley #7. 90 bucks.

Pick up a 4 dollar card scraper too.

Chisels

Narex $36. Use one of these and a block of wood to make yourself a router plane also.

Combination square 10 bucks.

A cordless drill of some sort and some bits (assuming you have one already)

70 bucks in 2x12's so you can make a knock down Nicholson style workbench which doesn't need vises. When you are done working, break it down and put it in the closet.

35 bucks for a pair of holdfasts from Gramercy

30 bucks worth of F style clamps from harbor freight will get you started there.

14 bucks to get sharp (not at all ideal but completely workable on a budget)

So for 410.00 or the price of a decent sander and miter saw, you can make literally anything in a small space with a small amount of localized dust. The trade off of course it time and labor.

Down the road you are definitely want to get some better saws, maybe some specialty planes, different chisels, some better measuring/marking equipment. But this will more than get you started.

My comments on the functionality of a hawk are based on my personal experience. When someone is selecting gear, I believe it best for them to try options and decide for them self what is best suited for their use.

Where you state "...I don't see that there are ANY advantages over a standard hatchet.", I simply disagree and offer an alternative to consider.

When I first saw the Fasthawk, I pretty much ignored it as being just show and marketing. When I actually got one and tried it out, I was quite surprised at the utility.

I am not one to just take whatever conventional wisdom is out there as absolute fact. I take it into consideration, but prefer to find out for myself. In this situation, after reading all the pundits out there poo-pooing a hawk as a toy, I was glad I tried it myself, rather than just going along with the crowd.

I do like the idea of a folding buck saw. I like the idea carrying only the blade (as Mr. Kochanski does) and making the frame when needed rather than carrying everything along. We have done this a couple of times, but I personally like the functionality of my sliding saw at this point. (The picture in the article you reference shows the size of log that is quickly cut with the [sliding saw] (http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-Blades-22-41773-Sliding-Saw/dp/B0013481TE) I carry.) If nothing else, it is interesting trying new ideas.

Travel safe as well.

• A hacksaw is designed for cutting metal. It can be used for other material, but metal is its strong suit. The blade should be oriented so it cuts on the push stroke.
  
• As for blade choice, it's based on the thickness of the material. Fewer teeth=faster cut, more teeth=smoother cut. You want 2-3 teeth to be in contact with the work at all times, so if you're cutting thin walled pipe, you want more teeth per inch. Thicker bars or rods, fewer teeth (down to a certain point, I wouldn't go below 18tpi for steel use). They sell other blades more appropriate for plastic, aluminum, or whatever.
  
• Carbon steel blades are cheap junk that wears out quickly. High speed steel blades are better, but break more easily. Bi-metal blades combine a hardened cutting edge with a softer, springier back. If you're going to cut much metal, I'd definitely recommend spending the extra few bucks for brand name bi-metal blades.
  
• Any steel blade will wear out eventually. They're disposable. They will wear out almost instantly if you attempt to cut hardened steel.
  
• Blade tension is your friend. Crank 'er up. A tight blade cuts straighter, lasts longer, and requires less effort. A good quality frame will allow you to get the blade much tighter than a cheap one.
  
• PVC cuts far more like a gummy hardwood than like a metal. I'd recommend something like this for PVC. I suppose that if you got a 12 or 14tpi blade for your hacksaw it'd work OK for PVC. What I was referring to earlier was the fine-toothed steel-cutting blades, which will gum up and not work well at all.

I love my Forester Platinum Pro 13" . Coun'dnt be happier. Way better than any $10-$18 one I've had in the past and everyone always comments on how well it cuts.

I've used it for primitive survival for the last 2 months. No issue thus far. I"ve used it to cut fat logs and to cut down bamboo that stood 7 meters long. Like a warm knife through butter.

It's exactly the same as the Silky counterpart but half the price.

My best friend has the Silky and loves it. I checked it out it's nice but almost the exact same.. He is an arborist so maybe its worth it for him.

Loppers really only cut up to maybe 2” diameter there will be times when you really need a saw. If you aren’t a big fan of saws, it’s possible you haven’t had the pleasure of using a good saw. An arborist’s saw is ideal, if you like something you don’t need a sheath for and can carry in your pocket, a folding saw like this one is good (I have this one and love it): ARS Pruning Folding Turbocut Saw with 6-1/2-Inch Curved Blade SA-GR17 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009XAHL0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_aQOyDbM2HN9JG

Bypass, not anvil, if you’re going to get loppers. I have this pair from Fiskars and recommend them highly, they are very good for the money, hold an edge and sharpen up well (the little Corona carbide sharpening tool is super) : https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-2-in-Cut-Capacity-Titanium-Coated-Blade-32-in-Length-PowerGear2-Bypass-Lopper-398542/204705922 if you want to splurge, go with Felco (Felco pruners changed my life and a pair of Felco loppers is on my Christmas list)

$100 should be sufficient for your tools. With that, you should even be able to buy everything you need to dovetail them, should you feel so fancy.

I made this: http://i.imgur.com/KnxeU.jpg with 90% hand tools. I did use my table saw for ripping 1x12 pine into smaller chunks for the sides.

What I used (low-cost alternatives below)

9" Diston backsaw as my dovetail saw. $20 at a garage sale. Probably overpaid, but it was freshly sharpened, which saved me time.

1/4" and 1/2" chisel. I used my Lie-Nielsens (at $55 a pop new, this already blows your budget. Sorry!)

Table saw

Marking gauge

3 hand planes: Vintage Stanley 8 for flattening the pine, 4 for final smoothing, Woodriver block for knocking down the dovetails and chamfering the ends.

How to get that on a budget:

Dovetail Saw: buy a pull say from the local home improvement store. I recommend this one to start. http://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-213102-Extra-Fine-Pull/dp/B0001GLEYY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1314024215&sr=8-5

I generally don't prefer pull saws, but this is the bargain-basement way to cut your dovetails. $20.

Chisels: Narex. pretty cheap, but excellent. http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=67707&cat=1,41504 I'd recommend the 1/4 and 3/8 to start. $21 for the pair.

For ripping and cross cutting your stock, consider this one: http://www.amazon.com/Irwin-213103-2-Inch-Double-Edge/dp/B0001GLEZ8 $21. You can do relatively accurate crosscuts by clamping a 2x4 to your workpiece and using it as a fence.

You don't /need/ planes to get you started. Sandpaper and a sanding block would be sufficient if you have a tight budget. You will, however, have to be much, much more careful of your stock selection. Much, much harder (impossible?) to correct any twists, bows, or other imperfections without hand planes.

A marking gauge. Your choice, any of these will work. http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-mortise-gauge-94645.html $10

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=59455&cat=1,42936 $30

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=50440&cat=1,42936 $25

Grand total is $72-$100 (not including shipping) depending on which marking gauge you buy.

Later, you'll probably get more saws and/or nicer saws. Let me know when you've got a bigger budget and we can talk.

(Also, you'll need a way to sharpen your chisels. I've excluded that for now. Let me know if you'll need that as well.)

If you're looking to do projects just with hand tools, see /u/abnormal_human's post. If you just want hand tools around for when power tools are inappropriate, here's what I recommend:

Chisels: Pick up 4 in 1/4" increments up to 1" wide. The Narex set comes highly recommended. I'm using a set of Irwins, and have no complaints. Both are pretty inexpensive.

Card scraper. You'll want to find instructions on how to create a good burr. When you get shavings, not dust, you've got it tuned well.

Dowel SawReally handy for trimming plugs or squaring out inside corners. The teeth on this saw aren't offset so you won't mar the reference surface. I also use a dozuki saw infrequently. Were I buying again, I'd probably get a ryoba instead since it has the rip teeth as well.

Those are really all the hand tools I use regularly. They mostly augment my power tools, and provide flexibility when dealing with some sort of tricky situation. Have fun shopping!

Yes I know, that's the one thing this thing offers lol, it's the only real tangible benefit you've been able to find to explain why it's 10x as much as an echo dot.

BTW these two tools will give you that same "hidden wires" benefit for a whole lot less money:

https://www.amazon.com/25-Foot-Measuring-Klein-Tools-56005/dp/B0026TBOU8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1538366334&sr=8-5&keywords=fishtape&dpID=51JR4coh8YL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-206-Jab-Wood-Handle/dp/B00002X21P/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1538366405&sr=8-6&keywords=drywall+saw&dpID=21Fk1DkuDxL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

And then here are the actual mounts themselves: https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Built-Google-Home-Mount/dp/B078Z214QX

EDIT Whoops that's the home mini, I'm sure there's an echo dot equivalent though. Frankly if you don't already have these assistants in your home, I would highly recommend the google version, it's a whole lot more useful and intelligent than alexa.

Regarding measuring, i've had good success in just laying things out and marking them rather than trying to measure the space, then measure the wood and then mark. The only thing you have to remember when doing this is how things will come together. If it's an outside joint the trim piece will actually need to be approximately the width of the trim longer than the wall. If it's an inside joint both pieces need to go all the way to the corner.

On the topic of the saw I had the one previously referenced, it worked okay. I recently got a Jorgenson similar to this one, though I seem to recall mine costing only about $20 American. It does better with getting more precision on the cuts which results in tighter joints. It's also able to handle things like cutting a 47 degree angle rather than a 45 degree angle because the walls don't come together perfectly square.

After my trim project I had chatted with a guy who did a lot of that work and he had some really slick tips on how to do joints so that they look good. I can't recall any of his helpful information and probably should have written some of that crap down. Hopefully some folks here have similar useful tid-bits they can share or else you may want to dig up a book on the topic.

EDIT: Didn't read the whole post, looks like oldcarpenter has at least one of those handy tips.

For this kind of thing, if you don't have access to or can't afford power tools, I like a hand scroll or coping saw such as this one ($10 free shipping): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002X222/ because you have a great deal of control, the cuts are thin (less wasted material) and the tool is light weight.

You can also use a standard hack saw ($8 Prime): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5A0T5K/

For manual sawing, I also recommend using a basic miter box. This one includes a clamp too, and can be screwed into something to keep it from moving on ya ($10.75 Prime): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009OYGB/

If you don't have a sander or a dremel for the edge smoothing, you can just use sandpaper by hand, but with all things manual, to make and finish 62 pieces of anything will just take longer.

Do let me know if you make a set for yourself! I'd love to check it out. :)

Edit: fixed a link and added miter box

YouTube is good for tutorials. For dovetails, and mortise-tenon joints, you would need a good set of chisels. I these from Bahco, and I like them. you will also need a 3000/8000 grit sharpening stone, and a sharpening guide for the chisels.

Other than that, a nice tenon saw, like this and a regular crosscut saw like this.

A wooden mallet would be good for the chisels too.

Do you have any tools already? I made a reply a few weeks ago with basic woodworking tools and you can probably find it in my comment history.

Bahco is nice and quality, Stanley, not so much, but saws get more beat up than chisels, and they are much harder to sharpen, so on a hobby level, buying cheap, and replacing frequently, can often be a good choice.

You should be good with any fine toothed hand saw, like this, or more ideally, a Coping Saw

My house was all Cat 3 6 home runs to the exterior. I replaced it all with solid core Cat 6 and added two runs for wireless access points in the ceiling. It was a PITA. I home ran the new stuff to a network enclosure box I added.

Cat 3 is junk I've seen it send 100Mb or more inside a house but if you ever have to troubleshoot issues your wires will always be the unknown.

As others have said you can never plan on just pulling new cat 6 behind the cat 3 it works like 10% of the time thanks to staples. So if you accept that you are cutting drywall and learning to fix those numerous holes then it's a much more realistic job. Basically everytime I got a snag I got the drywall saw out. Transitioning floors can be tricky but not impossible again cut the drywall.

Here are the best tools for the job. Flexibile long drill bit was a major cheat once I started using it. Fishing tape is a waste of the time except for conduit in my opinion use the fiberglass sticks I linked below.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Tool-EA56254-Installer-16-Inch/dp/B00DNEEYFW/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=drill+extension+wire&qid=1564611470&s=gateway&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LW4CFG/ref=psdc_6396129011_t3_B07F2LWVDV

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-556-Jab-Cushion-Grip/dp/B00002X21W/ref=sr_1_4?crid=12ICHMNHKXEGF&keywords=drywall+saw&qid=1564611505&s=gateway&sprefix=drywall+saw%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-4

1. This should work. Pugs are adorable, and silly, and should make you feel good. <3 This is also quite silly.
   
2. A Saw, on my moving list. We have home improvement to do, and really need some tools, this would be a start.
   
3. When I go to the store later I will be sure to try and brighten someones day! I know how much it means.
   
4. Hopefully you feel better, sick is no fun, and slump is worse. That's how I've felt lately, but I'm trying to just stay perky.

You can, just wrap something around the blade. Or get one of these:
Stanley Hand Tools 20-807 Mini-Hack™ Saw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009OYGD

The bolts are brass and cut pretty easily.

ok, call me out about the price...
/u/asilva54 is right, tools are not a use-once-and-toss kind of thing.

[drywall saw] (https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-206-Jab-Wood-Handle/dp/B00002X21P/ref=sr_1_11?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1523040458&sr=1-11&keywords=drywall+saw) - $6.71 US shipped.


wall plates - $9.95 with free prime shipping.

I said it was 'like' $10. In parts it is $10, with ~$7 for a tool. You can likely do it cheaper from a local hardware store - these were Amazon inflated prices...

Cutting the basic shape out of a fence panel or 2x8 is pretty simple. Then clean the edges with a hand-planer then sand it down and finish with linseed oil. Keep it simple. Your local lumber yard will have tons of scrap wood you can mess with (ask for a harder wood like oak, maple or darkwood). needed tools;

• sandpaper
  
• handplaner
  
• hacksaw
  
• Linseed oil

For sanding, I highly recommend you drop $7 $5.47 on a sanding block. For doing much sanding at all, your hands will be sore and the tips of your fingers numb for a couple of days otherwise. Or, if you've got a staple gun, staple the sandpaper to a chunk of wood. The commercial blocks are nice, though, as they're a little more hand-friendly in shape.

For holes, pick up a cheap coping saw. Makes cutting holes not too bad. This could be used for both the open hole for the cat to get through and for helping to mount the PVC. With an appropriately-sized hole, where the pipe will friction-fit it, a bit of epoxy will keep it strong enough that the board will break before the joint does. Just rough up the end of the pipe that goes in the hole so the epoxy has something to grab.

For mounting, L-brackets and screws will be fine, but make sure you drive the screws into the studs. I wouldn't take a chance using molly bolts or expanding anchors. If it fell, your cat would probably leap to safety just fine, but either you're not getting your security deposit back or you're learning to drywall.

You probably want a back saw. Something like this

The tall rigid blade gives you something to ride along your knuckle and helps keep it straight.

I've got a Jorgenson mitersaw and it has clearance so that the blade never touches the jig. I know that's not very helpful but if you wear your current model out this one has been excellent. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002244D/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AQGLB1K?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

It's not the best out there but it's pretty solid.

Specifically, you should be able to slip the fan box up into the hole where the old electrical box was and then crank the arms out, and they'll latch onto the joists. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Arlington-FBRS4200R-1-Adjustable-Construction-16-24-inches/dp/B006N2TVSQ

It'll have a weight rating on the retrofit kit, pay attention to that! Putting in too heavy a fan will dramatically increase the chances the fan will come down unexpectedly. Probably not on install day, maybe not even on install year, but eventually.

They have a rail with spikes on either end and a threaded rod inside. You crank the rod to spread the spikes into the joists, and then you attach the new electrical box to the rail. It's annoying and it will probably take a lot longer than you expect, but you probably won't have to cut the drywall.

And the existing electrical box is probably nailed in to a small cross-piece nailed to the joists (if it's not nailed to the joist itself). The easiest way to get it down is to get a hack saw that has the blade sticking out -- https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-20-807-10-Inch-Mini-Hack-Light-Duty/dp/B00009OYGD -- slipping the blade between the box and the wood, and cutting the nails.

Putting together a beginner hand tools set. If I only want one joinery saw and one panel saw in my toolbox for everything, would this be an okay joinery saw? The second picture shows how the handle is offset to the side. https://www.amazon.com/Tools-ProTouch-Dovetail-10-inch-2014450/dp/B000B3AR0Y

For the op, if you want to do this, get a punch saw, a couple low voltage mounts, and some cable pass through plates:
https://www.amazon.com/KCC-Industries-Recessed-Voltage-Mounting/dp/B07FQP5Y9Z

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-15-556-Jab-Cushion-Grip/dp/B00002X21W

Trace the front (the wide part) of the low voltage mount on the wall, use the punch saw to cut about a quarter inch inside the trace and then screw in the mount. Put one mount behind the pc (won't need the pass through plate that way) and the other about 5 inches above your trim (or match other outlets). Make sure both are on the same side of the closest stud.

As long as you don't have fire blocks, it should be pretty easy. If you do, I'd say just get some of these https://www.amazon.com/Upgrade-Version-Cable-Management-Channel/dp/B07BLQPVFD unless you want to deal with plastering and drilling holes and stuff. Not worth it, imo.

Unless, of course, you're in an apartment and aren't allowed to mutilate your walls.

Looks like you've got a 14.5" for $19.54 before tax if you have amazon prime!

Jamb saw.

Worked quick but semi rough. I kissed it with a belt sander after.

For 100 bucks and you are after bushcrafting... I would recommend this.

Wetterlings Hatchet - 70

Mora 1 - 13

Gerber slide saw - 10

I bought this and was able to tune my grizzly saw nicely.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQGLB1K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_61KFAbJ9QVEB1

You could look into something like a mitre box or the Katz-Moses Jig so you can keep your saw vertical.

Maybe also try a Jewlers Saw if the Razor Saw cant cut deep enough.

How about a hack saw on my under 10 list

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009OYGD/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1EDL9339ZHNQ0&coliid=I2NFJOJUL55NVA

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009CMV9D4

I have a Japanese saw and I love it. It is extremely lightweight and very comfortable to use.

In my honest opinion, pulling a saw to cut instead of pushing it is the only way to go.

Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Tajima-Japan-JPR-SET-Rapid-Blades/dp/B0008KLNSA

Obviously you'll still need a knife for finer work, but I don't use a hatchet or axe because I have the saw instead (also they are too heavy and quite dangerous to use). Also, I don't cut anything larger than 3" in diameter with the saw. If you need to go bigger than that, I'd probably go with a hatchet or axe instead.

cut the jamb so you can slide under it. Harbor freight has a cheap power one but I used manual for years


https://www.amazon.com/Tools-ProTouch-Dovetail-10-inch-2014450/dp/B000B3AR0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469142030&sr=8-1&keywords=undercut+saw+for+door+jam

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009CMV9D4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1454046232&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=hacksaw&dpPl=1&dpID=317Wwjgj7FL&ref=plSrch

Cut it with this.

since you mentioned the B-Witch, I'm assuming you need a 25.4mm clamp. I'm not sure what you mean by a "good" set of risers, but here's a $15.00, a $13.00, and a steel $10.00 option.

Also, here's a nice 25.4mm riser bar. If you need them narrower, I suggest using this product.

You should be able to get 1-1.5 inches of a drywall jab saw into the plastic plug. Once you cut through the plastic, perhaps twice in different areas, it should be easily taken apart and removed. If you see anything other than white plastic on your saw while cutting, stop.

You could also heat a butter knife on the stove, and cut through the plastic a few times, or once flat across the front and pull it apart.

1. Buy a coping saw. Amazon has them for $5.99.
   
2. Layout the cuts
   
3. Cut out the pieces with the coping saw.
   
4. Use a rasp or coarse sandpaper to remove saw marks. Rasp at Amazon for $5.
   

Try a sturdy backsaw. Should do the trick. You don't need a special clamp - anything to hold it still, including your knee. The trick is the right saw. If you have access to a Sawzall as recommended by others, that will work, but I fear a bowsaw will eventually cut straight, but the first 1/2" or so could be wobbly.

Big Magnet ? So we can be lost always. West Marine aka Worst Marine for the lowest quality crap from china. Get them this we use it almost weekly and it cost around3$ https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-20-807-10-Inch-Mini-Hack-Light-Duty/dp/B00009OYGD/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1480780890&sr=1-1&keywords=mini+hacksaw