Trying to stick with Amazon...

General: do not get no-name generic Chinese tools. These will fail in no time.

Cheap tools are the more expensive. Partly through the damage they cause and the time they waste, and partly because you're going to throw them away and get the good ones anyway eventually.

Get some good screwdrivers. Yellow plastic handles with rubber grips. Stanley used to be good, but apparently not any more. Most screwdriver sets contain more screwdrivers than you need. Klein seems to be the brand to get now, but they're quite expensive. I'm not a fan of multi-bit drivers, but this one looks pretty good and you can't beat the price: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-32477-Screwdriver-Driver/dp/B0002RI5EY/

This looks like a superb set, but at $60 it really eats into your budget: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-85078-Cushion-Grip-Screwdriver/dp/B000ABADXI/

Saws: Get the Japanese pull saws. I like my Ryoba. There's a plastic-handled version at http://www.amazon.com/Shark-Corp-10-2440-Fine-Cut/dp/B0000224U3/ that's pretty good. The one that abnormal_human linked to is an excellent choice. I would go with that. In fact, it's going on my wish list.

Power tools: You won't regret getting a 14 or 18-volt DeWalt electric drill. There are a couple of 18-volt tools on sale at Amazon right now. Don't argue; just get one. Don't forget drill bits. I like the cobalt, but Titanium is good.

I wouldn't bother with any other power tools; the good ones cost money and the cheap ones will only bring you grief.

Do this: buy a cheap but complete set of HSS bits. As they wear out, replace them one by one with cobalt. I got mine at Costco. I didn't see any on Amazon.

Get a tape measure. I wouldn't spend $25 if money is an object. This is probably the single-most important purchase.

Get as many clamps as you can afford. Not metal C-clamps; those are for metal working. Irwin quick-grip or clone and Jorgensen or Bessey bar clamps are your best value here.

Chisels: I'm not sure you need these for a minimalist wood shop, but if you get them, get a 1/4" and 1/2" chisel. That's all you really need. abnormal_human linked to a pretty good sharpening stone. Japanese chisels are the best, but they'll bust your budget, and until you learn to sharpen them well, they'll be a waste of money. Just get a cheap Stanley or DeWalt set. Expensive chisels will come pre-honed. Cheap ones you should hone for best results. You need to learn to hone them anyway.

Don't spend $50 on tweezers. But get a good pair at your local drug store and get a pair with the longest, sharpest, pointiest working end you can find. And a magnifying glass so you can see the splinters.

Get a 12" combination square. Don't get an expensive one, but don't get a no-name tool either. Some of them have a built-in level which you will never use.

Get a large carpenter's square. They're cheap.

I wouldn't get a card scraper. They're nice, but hard to sharpen and you really need a burnisher ($22) to do it properly.

Consider buying the hardware to build a good workbench. And by that, I mean a good bench vise. A very good one can run you around $200, but this one looks pretty good for $21: http://www.amazon.com/Olympia-Tools-38-736-Hobby-WoodworkerS/dp/B002I2KFMG/ and $66 will get you this very decent one: http://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-D4026-Cabinet-Makers-Vise/dp/B005W16LVE/

ETA: If you still have budget left for power tools, a random orbital sander is nice and not too expensive. I'm using a borrowed Ryobi and I have had zero issues with it. (I'm not normally a fan of Ryobi, but this one is pretty good. http://www.amazon.com/Factory-Reconditioned-Ryobi-ZRRS290-5-Inch-Random/dp/B001HTPSKK/

Finally: a cheap Wixley or iGuaging digital caliper is a good investment. Within a week of buying one, I was wondering how I'd survived so long without it.

Oy vey. I drank the Festool Kool-Aid a few years ago and it's a very polarizing brand in some parts (largely due to the price tag; think Apple products). I own a pretty sizable chunk of Festool tools and they all have their pros and cons. I don't swear by them as the end-all be-all tool but as a tradesman and someone that both works in the field and is short on time, they fit my "process" quite nicely. Anyways, without further adieu:

I own the Domino DF 500 Q and love it. That said I think if your dad is drooling for a Domino you should consider the Domino XL DF 700. It's a lot of cash ($1,400) but it'll do pretty much anything your dad needs (and they also make an adapter that lets him use all of the DF 500's bits to make it that much more versatile)

So assuming you do spring for that there's over half your budget right there (gotta love the green kool-aid) but there's literally no other tool like it on the market and I think it's truly worth its weight in gold.

With that taken care of and assuming you're not sick of riding the Festool wave I'd highly consider a dust extractor. They make numerous sizes but I'd offer up the CT36 as a recommendation or even the CT26. I own the CT48 and it's a bit cumbersome and if I had to do it over again I'd opt for a smaller one. If you go for the Festool CT26 you're looking at $650 but I do think the dust extractors are great tools.

Okay, so you've got your Domino and your CT26 and are $2,075 of your slotted $2,500. Now it really gets to personal preference. At this point I think I'd suggest the ETS EC125 with the 150mm Hard Sanding Pad.

I love the EC125 and a reason is because you can put the larger 6" pad onto it and have both the 5" / 6" sander (they both use the same motor). Lots of bang for your buck there and I personally feel the EC125 is the best sander I've ever used (save for some of the pneumatic sanders).

So of your $2500 you're $4 over budget should you opt for all those tools. BUT WAIT - most places will let you "bundle" the Domino w/ a dust extractor and take off 10%. Just go to a place like Hartville Tools and look for "package deals" and you can find them for the packaged price. Here you go: Festool Package

Anyways, hope that helps you out. If you have any questions just let me know about any of their tools. I don't own all their tools but I do own a handful and I'd be happy to give you any knowledge I might have that can help you.

I'm a professional carpenter and general contractor, and from my personal experience and the anecdotal evidence from the guys I regularly see, Bosch is of the best you can get for cordless tools nowadays. DeWalt used to be the go-to, but their quality has dropped considerably over the last 5-10 years. They still have some decent products, but I know of a lot of people who have had major issues with their drill chucks being off center.

This said, you kind of need a grab bag to get the best of each tool.

Here's my current setup, which is the same as quite a few contractors I work with:

• Bosch 18V impact driver/drill set. I've dropped my driver with a 6" bit attached directly onto the bit from 10' up, on concrete, and the entire thing was unscathed. Batteries last forever and charge very quickly.
  
  
• Festool jigsaw. Festool makes AMAZING products, but it's probably way overkill for most, and this Bosch model is a great second option I've seen used by many guys with a ton of success.
  
  
• Skil Mag 77 circular saw. This is the be all end all saw. It has enough torque to change the rotation of the earth. It's heavy, though, so a decent sidewinder might be your best bet. I would never use anything else, personally, though.
  
  
• Bosch compound sliding miter saw. I love this thing. You can put it flat up against a wall and still use the slider, which is a feature unique to them.
  
  
• DeWalt table saw. The major plus of this saw is that the rip fence is on a track, so both sides move together. I still never trust their gauges, but to know that both the front and back are equidistant from the blade 100% of the time is worth its weight in gold.
  
  
• DeWalt thickness planer. Never thought I'd buy one, and now I wouldn't be without one. With the combination of the above 3, you can pretty much make anything out of anything. Have a 5/4 board at the house but you need a 1x? 2 passes through the planer and you're set.
  
  
• Bosch Rotary Hammer. The demo master. It can hammer drill massive holes in concrete, or switch to hammer only mode to remove tile or glued on drywall particles. These are bulletproof.
  
  
• DeWalt orbital sander. Nothing fancy, as I don't do a ton of heavy sanding. Something to look for in these is the variable speed; makes jobs much easier.
  
  
• Bosch oscillating tool. Most brands are similar, and depending on your uses a corded model may be better. I have a second tool that uses these batteries so I have lots of backups (and they charge very quickly), and I often use it in places that running a cord would be a pain in the ass. This is great for trimming things that are immovable and can't be sawed: think door frame bottoms for new floors, baseboard trim to accommodate a new vent, drywall patching, anything. Love this thing.
  
  
• RotoZip spiral saw. Great for drywall, and there's a masonry style bit that works good for cutting pieces of tile (like around a faucet or control).
  
  
• Bosch planer. Again, nothing fancy and I definitely don't use it daily...but when you need a planer, there's not much else you can use.
  
  
  So there you go. Those are the ones that have gone through the ringer on a construction crew and have survived heavy abuse and regular moving/dropping without any signs of letting go. Some may be overkill for your situation, but they're what I've found to be best. I'm probably missing a few loose ends so look out for edits.

As someone working through this but a few years ahead of you, I'll pass along the list of stuff I've bought and/or wish to buy...

Hand Tools

1. You say you have screwdrivers, but ifs worthwhile to have a full complement of them. You might consider getting a hand tool set like this one. Also, diagonals. Can't stress that enough. Eventually, you might upgrade a lot of these, but it'll get you started.
   
   
2. Ratcheting wrenches, along these lines. Conventional wrenches are functional, but these are much more so.
   
   
3. Ratcheting hex key set. In fact, this one looks good. If you have any Ikea furniture in your future, these will be worth their weight in guld.
   
   
4. Maybe a vise. That particular vice is mid-priced, but you can find well-reviewed vises at just about any price point.
   
   
5. A good range of sand paper grits: 80, 100, 120, 150, 180. You might also pick up a sanding sponge.
   
   Power Tools
   
   
6. A Dremel
   
   
7. Maybe an electric circular saw or a jigsaw. I really don't know which I'd prioritize, but you should probably have at least one of them.
   
   
8. If there's money left over in your budget, I'd suggest a random orbit sander.
   
   
9. A drill press
   
   Also, there are fluids to consider
   
   
10. Simple Green
    
    
11. Penetrating oil
    
    
12. Wood Glue
    
    
13. Mineral Spirits
    
    
14. Linseed Oil
    
    Of these, I'd focus on the hand tools, fluids, and the Dremel. You can always ask someone to buy you a saw for Christmas. If you have these things on hand, there probably won't be a job come along that you can't handle at some basic level. I'm assuming you don't need yard grooming tools, because that's an entirely different list.

Yes, owned the sander ahead of time, but seriously, it is so so much better than the little ones that look like this. By better, I mean 'faster' and more efficient.

I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to spend tons of time on a project. I apply that to everything, like buying a mower with a wider cutting surface, a bigger washer/dryer, etc.

IMHO people underestimate how much time they lose by trying to save $20 here and there.

We got the white goods on sale at a big box store that was moving older inventory, so only paid $110. The cabinet was only about $40 on Overstock, and the floor tile was also in the sale section at the big box store, and only ran about $30...add a can of latex paint, spackle, grout and caulking for another $30...I guess it was about $210. We were just lucky with the sale, I guess...it is probably still do-able for $300 if you don't need to have the newest/latest and are happy to buy odd lots.

I've heard good things about Habitat for Humanity stores as well for finding bargains, but I've never been to one...perhaps someone can share?

Hands down the dewalt variable speed ROS
is your best bet. It's about $75 and for the money it is a work horse. I've literally have 100's of hours on mine and it is still running strong.

Granted Dewalt has some lemons, but if it works out of the box, you should be set. There are a number of positive reviews floating around the internet of the dewalt from people in the business that have put a lot of hours on it..

That's going to cover 95% or more of your sanding needs. The one trouble spot is corners; Your best bet is to avoid corners by disassembling the furniture. If you can't avoid them; I'd next recommend using some paint stripper and a scraper; or just a card scraper.

You could also get a 1/4 sheet sander which will get you closer to the corner, but it's not a great investment unless you are doing a lot of corner work. Also, it's not as quick as the ROS.

I have both models posted; I got the 1/4 sheet sander specifically to do corners/edges, and probably have less than 2 hours on it for that purpose; compared to 100's on the ROS.

Lastly; if you are painting it; I wouldn't worry too much about the corners; hit them up with some paper by hand to get through any layer of poly or laquer. The paint should cover the color difference pretty well.

Looks pretty easy. The basic steps are Sand, Seal, Stain, Finish

1. Sand - Get a Random Orbit Sander and some 100 and 220 grit pads for it. Use the 100 grit to sand everything down until it looks like new again, then use the 220 to sand it all nice and smooth. Do a good job here, because poor sanding will show up in the finished product. You don't need the random orbit sander for this and could do it by hand with a sanding block, but the machine will do a better job of sanding and do it in about 1/20 of the time.
   
   
2. Seal - I've used Minwax pre-stain conditioner. There are instructions for how to use it at the link
   
   
3. Stain - Get a nice oil based stain and apply it. I use a foam brush to apply the stain, wait about 30 seconds, then wipe it off with a cotton rag (old t-shirts work great). Wait a couple of days after staining before proceeding to step 4
   
   
4. Finish - This is always the hardest part, because it's the part that will show/bring out any imperfections that were left in the previous steps. You'll need to find a dust free room (floating dust in the air will land on the finish as its drying and become embedded in it). My favorite finish is wipe on poly because it applies easily with a rag (another old t-shirt, cut into strips), and doesn't leave runs or brush marks. I typically wipe on one coat a day, applying each coat on top of the previous one. I'll normally do three or four coats. Some people say you need to sand between coats but from my experience I don't see any difference between sanding and not sanding, except that sanding takes off some of the finish, requiring more coats and also requires cleaning the piece between coats.

I've had this dewalt for about a year and it's great. I'm not sure what the difference is to the one you linked but it's $20 cheaper. The speed control gives you a nice range between some pretty serious material removal and legitimately delicate work that I really ought to hand sand. In addition I've found the onboard dust management to be excellent, to the point where I've actually used it to clean up after other tools.

Thank you! Yes, lots of sanding. I made this one a couple months ago and hand sanded the whole thing. Took hours.

I've made a few larger ones since then and used this which sped things up considerably:
https://www.amazon.com/Arbortech-PRTAZ11A-Contour-Random-Sander/dp/B00R1JQ8KO

That thing is awesome but it can chew through the sanding discs pretty fast. You can order more replacements online or Woodcraft sells some that work well with it. Totally worth the cost of the attachment and sanding discs if you're wanting to make something like this!

Looking to buy a random orbit sander. Currently have my eye on the Bosch 3727DEVS and the Bosch 3725DEVS. I can't decide on whether the 5" or 6" will be better for my needs. Just curious on opinion here between 5" and 6" and what you guys use most or prefer. I realize a 6" would probably be better for big tables or slabs, which i don't really plan on doing too much of. But curious if there's any benefits of 6" on smaller work too.

The 2 sanders look pretty much identical, aside from the 5"/6" pads, so i thought maybe i could buy the 6" sander and a 5" replacement pad and be able to swap them out for my needs. Turns out there are a few more differences with the assembly than just that. It looks like I could still buy all the 5" parts for about $50-60, but i don't know if it's worth the hassle.

I think i'm currently leaning slightly toward the 5" model, but just curious if you guys have any input.

EDIT: I ended up buying the 5” 3725DEVSN, which I believe is the newer model(?). There’s a $20 coupon on amazon so I came out a little cheaper than the 2 I linked. We’ll see how it goes. Thanks for the input.

Buy the best tools you can afford and buy them as you need them. When it comes to power stationary tools many times the older the better, they don't make them like they used to. All projects require hand tools of some kind, not all projects need power tools at all. The quality of your wood matters and so does wood movement. Above all else keep a positive attitude remember don't look at a project and say these are the mistakes I have made look at a project and say these are the thing I learned and now I can improve this. I will assure you that if every person in the subreddit compared their chairs to Sam and their tables to George we all would of gave up a long time ago.

The only power tools I used on almost every project.

Table saw Mine is a 1983 Craftsman 113.xxx runs like a top. I use Diablo thin kerf 40 tooth blades.

Bosch & Dewalt random orbital sanders - both used at auction both for under $20.

Craftsman #921400 10 inch Bandsaw - I have a small one that does reasonable work for what I ask of it.

*edit formatting

It completely depends on your financial situation, but I would recommend just buying your own tools. You will get more than your moneys worth if you hang on to them for 5-10 years. Which is very easy with proper care.

Here are some cheaper yet not terrible options on Amazon. These should get most jobs done around the house.

• Orbit Sander $28
  
• Assorted Sanding Disks $20
  
  
  Total of $48
  
  
  
  If you want to go with another method outlined here you can use a regular drill. Tons of uses for a drill other than sanding down your skillet.
  
  
• Drill $30
  
• Coarse Wire Brush attatchment $9
  
• Fine Wire Brush attatchment $6
  
  Total of $45
  

I bought this one, but there are several listed and they all look like they're made by the same company in China. It works well, you just have to keep an eye on the air hose. I also bought some flat pads from amazon that do ok. They aren't nearly as good as what you'd get from a good name brand in something like a 5" size, but for small areas they get the job done.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076KQLGL9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pgjUDbYMG223F

Two different applications between the tools, generally it sounds like you can get by with a ROS. If you really want the best:

https://www.amazon.com/Mirka-MID55020CAUS-Direct-Electric-Orbital/dp/B00RZSVBEY

Otherwise, the Bosch ROS is good. Should you need a belt sander, the Hitachi or PC are both great options for a lot less.

So this one?

I am going to take your word for it but I don't see the triangle you're talking about. If I wanted to get a Dewalt, which one would you recommend. I suppose a kit would be ideal, no?

Thank you for all your help.

The one I have was ~60 when I got it, but it's 79 right now. Its got variable speed, but that doesn't matter to everyone. I've seen people go for dewalt, makita, bosch, and ridgid random orbit sanders most often.

On the topic of sanding/dust, does he have a shop vac or any form of dust collection? I linked the one I have below that I got from home depot for $99, but there are smaller ones you can get. It's less sexy of a gift but it's something that's important to have.

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-120-Volt-Variable-Random/dp/B0018Z8D64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448994791&sr=8-1&keywords=Bosch+ROS20VSK

http://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-WD1450-14-Gallon-6-Horsepower-Vacuum/dp/B001MBADFI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1448994876&sr=8-2&keywords=rigid+shop+vac

I don't have any experience with the Dewalt, but I reviewed the Bosch and its bigger brother earlier in the year. I really liked the bigger version, though the small guy isn't too bad.

The other 5" ROS I have experience with is the Makita BO5041, which the ROS20VSC blows out of the water in terms of dust collection/vibration.

Both the Bosch and Dewalt have small orbits (2.5mm/2.4mm), so they'll be "slower" sanders than those with a 5mm orbit. I think either would be a fine option, though I don't know if the D26453K is worth almost twice the price of the ROS20VSC.

I really like this Bosch: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS65VC-6-Rear-Handle-Vibration-Control/dp/B005NZ6EGQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1420003933&sr=8-5&keywords=bosch+6+sander

Compared to the 5" Bosch I had before the dust collection is far superior and the "anti-vibration" thing is not a gimmick. Each to use, even with one hand.

Also, it seems to me there is a big difference between big box sanding discs and the ones made by Klingspor.

i recently went through this and did a lot of research and comparison. Comes down to either the Dewalt mentioned below or the Bosch ROS20.
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-120-Volt-Variable-Random/dp/B0018Z8D64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373305781&sr=8-1&keywords=bosch+orbital+sander
i ended up going with the bosch, only because it was on a great sale. Both are tops for sanding finish, but Bosch excels a little in dust collection.

Check out the Makita BO5041K. It's a well rated sander and is a pretty good price. Makita BO5041K 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander Kit

It's not a grinder but a right angle sander(random orbit) and yes it's its good for rough sanding but a little too aggressive for finish sanding. I've owned one for years and usually use it for paint stripping(with 60grit) or sanding sculptures to prep for finish sanding with a palm random orbit sanders. this is the one I have.

http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7345-5-Inch-Random-Sander/dp/B002EQ96O4

This is a great random orbital sand I have. I highly recommend it.

Fyi the first one is variable speed. You can see the speed dial in the 2nd picture and here’s the Amazon link for the same model.

I have this one and with limited experience I'd say it's a good buy. The variable speed is quite helpful.

I researched a lot of them based on reviews. I think overall for price and how happy people are with the product, this stood out to me: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-120-Volt-Variable-Random/dp/B0018Z8D64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333586647&sr=8-1

It's even back down to a very good price. I bought one, which was my first Bosch tool(I'm brand agnostic), and it really exudes quality. Comes with a case, vacuum adapter, and has variable speeds for $60 shipped. Hard to beat that.

I am beginner woodworking and have only used the Bosch ROS20VSK. So my opinion might be a little "naive" per se. As far as ROS goes, it's great on dust collection and generate only moderate humming noises. It's also not too hard on your hands. Here's a link to it on amazon review: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ROS20VSK-120-Volt-Variable-Random/dp/B0018Z8D64

I absolutely love this random orbit sander from DeWalt.

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-D26451K-Corded-5-Inch-Random/dp/B0007XXHGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373295371&sr=8-1&keywords=dewalt+random+orbital+sander

I use my cheap random orbital sander plugged into my shop vac, I know the drywall dust is really bad for the sander but it's only $40 and it works better for dust collection than the vacuum attachment.
https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-382-5-Inch-Random-Sander/dp/B004CRSNCO

If he doesn't have a powered handheld sander, he would be certain to appreciate and get a lot of use out of a random orbit sander and you can get a decent one for under $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Random-Polisher-ROS20VSC-Carrying/dp/B00BD5G9VA/

Prices aren't shown on the Home Depot site, but on amazon it is more than twice the price of the 5in B&D.

Though, the B&D doesn't say it's variable speed. Maybe that's the difference? Is it important?


http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-RO100-5-Inch-Random/dp/B0000302V3/ref=sr_1_2/175-1871714-6992552?ie=UTF8&qid=1427466816&sr=8-2&keywords=Random+orbit+sander

Yup. Not the best sander, but good for smoothing out a finish on smaller items. For general everyday sanding I use One of these.

For final finish buffing, I prefer a half sheet sander and use this one

The circular random orbit sanders are good all purpose sanders, if you really get into wood working you'll likely need a few different sanders for different use cases.

The difference between the two Dewalts is variable speed.

I own the Bosch ROS20VSK Which is the variable speed version of the Bosch one you listed, and its been good for me, its fairly quiet and has low felt vibration.

I've also used both of the Dewalt ones you listed and they are on par with the Bosch one I own.

Joe I'll direct this at you as you seem knowledgable on the subject. I see that bosch also makes some 6 inch models such as the 1250DEVS and 3727DEVS and
ROS65VCL which seem to be built differently and seem to be quite a bit more expensive. Is this just to support the larger pads or is there more to this?

For woodworking, the two big power tools you need are a router and a tablesaw. You can duplicate other functions of tools with those two. I would suggest high quality on both.

For a sander, the Festool seems interesting, but I can't imagine spending that much on a sander. Instead, I went with this Bosch which if you take the bag off, has a tube connection that fits a standard shop vac. Much cheaper on all fronts, does the job just as well.

Someone mentioned you wanted to build a deck, and that is one of the few places I think a miter saw is really warranted. In a woodworking shop setting, you could simply use a crosscut sled for the tablesaw, but for more construction style work, a miter saw would be invaluable.

Save yourself $10 and get the same exact kit only with a soft case.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD5G9VA/

Amazon also has $25 off of $100 on Makita tools as well. I got [this sander] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003M5IWM8/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1417035823&sr=1&keywords=makita) for $75 yesterday:

There's nothing you can do with a power sander you can't do with your hands really, it's just a matter of time and patience. I do mine in about ten minutes with a 6" random orbital sander and a couple of different grits. It will take longer by hand but you can do it-- just use a sanding block so you don't sand divots into the wood. Else drop $75 on a decent 5" sander then sell it on Craigslist or Ebay for $50 when you're done with the job. If you're doing entire countertops you'll probably thank yourself for the savings in time and likely increase in quality anyway.

I say cancel those orders and do a bit more research first. Figure out the project first, then the tools.

Your most expensive item is a pair of sawhorses. Better idea: build yourself a couple. Great first project. Doesn't even matter if they look like shit, which is the most important determining factor in what makes a good first project.

Those B+D tools are junk. They are not a good brand. Better to buy decent brands used on CL over new B+D tools.

1/4 sheet sanders are basically good for making ugly scratches in your project. Bosch makes an RO sander for $70 that will take you a long way. Take the $40 you would have spent on the sawhorses and redirect it towards a decent sander.

0% chance my first saw would have been a jig saw. Figure this out based on your project. If you're cutting more straight lines than curves, a circular saw will take you much further.

Assorted nails/assorted wood screws...no. Amazon is a terrible place to buy that stuff, and you're getting a lot of useless sizes. Also, can't remember the last time I used nails in a project. Finally, that hillman hardware is junk and the screw heads will break off when you try to use them. Many projects employ no metal fasteners at all. Those that do, usually 1, maybe 2 sizes of screw. Figure out what those sizes are for your project, and buy quality screws in a 100 pack. For the price of that assortment, you can buy 200 quality screws in two sizes.

You probably need more med/fine paper than coarse. The assortment is probably fine for now for hand sanding. Skip the extra pack of "Coarse" and add some paper that goes with the sander-that-doesn't-suck.

The Elmers glue will work, but TiteBond-II is a higher quality product, and less expensive than the thing you bought.

Oh, this is the one I got, but without the case.

https://www.amazon.ca/Makita-BO5041K-5-Inch-Random-Sander/dp/B003M5IWM8/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1472848145&sr=1-1&keywords=makita+random+orbit+sander

In the US, it was the same price as the DWE6421.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M5IWM8

I always feel the same way about every time saving tool I buy. My latest "How did I ever get by without this is?" tool is my Bosch Orbital Sander

I've got a a Bosch random orbital sander and I've been really pleased with it. I did a table for my child out of palletwood and it worked as advertised and took mall the weathering off each board in a couple minutes (w/ 40 grit sand paper).

I also have this piece of shit. The worst part is that the belt sand paper keeps wanting to wander off the tool, so you have to keep stopping and push it back on to the sander. Eventually the sand paper just disintegrates into a nasty mess because the inner edge of the paper will touch the tool while it operates. That and it feels like a flimsy piece of crap.

Anyway,

FEELTHESMOOTHNESS