essiantial tools for building a teardrop camper

[working on it]

Ruler, tape measure, square, reciprocal saw, hammer, BFH, table saw, miter box/saw, angle grinder, Roto-zip, cordless drill, cordless impact, orbital sander, screwdrivers, wrenches, wire cutter, strippers, crimpers, soldering gun, multimeter, welder, paint brushes, sawhorses, ratchet straps, clamps-clamps-clamps, and time-time-time. Don't forget cubic money!

[VijayGupta]

Seems like a lot of people use pocket hole jigs for quick and easy joinery. As little as $40 for a basic two-holer R3, $100 for a K4 and on up.

[ChrisB]

Seems like a lot of people use pocket hole jigs for quick and easy joinery. As little as $40 for a basic two-holer R3, $100 for a K4 and on up.

I have been looking at purchasing one of these jigs. Which one would you suggest and why?

Thanks,
Chris

[dales133]

Hard to find in a store here but there are plenty on ebay

[Gunguy05]

Seems like a lot of people use pocket hole jigs for quick and easy joinery. As little as $40 for a basic two-holer R3, $100 for a K4 and on up.

I have been looking at purchasing one of these jigs. Which one would you suggest and why?

Thanks,
Chris

I bought the two hole mini one when we started our build, and would do the same if I had to do it again. I didn't buy the expensive clamp either, just the jig, I have plenty of other clamps that works just a good. The jig itself was 20 bucks or so,at lowes.

I would also add..

Set of wood bits
Forster bits
Jig saw
Miter saw
Small cross cut saw
Square and Phillips bits
Chisels




Also, depending on the method you use, I really have used my router a lot.

Bits I have used the most are a 1/2 pattern bit, and a 1/4 and 1/8 up cut spiral bits. I also bought brass collars at harbor freight, and a base plate on Amazon. All have worked out great for me. I have purchased most of my tools off of harbor freight and the have all been used at one time or another.

Also I just bought a belt sander last week and it is very useful for removing large amounts of material to true things when needed.

There's more that I am forgetting, but these all came to mind first.

[working on it]

Also, depending on the method you use, I really have used my router a lot.

I would've mentioned a router, but I used them twice, one a table-mounted and the other a hand-held. Each took a turn at trying to injure me, so I cannot recommend them.

[rockinrobin]

[noseoil]

Skil saw (7 1/4"), saber saw, router & 1/2" flush cut bit (the kind with the bearing on the bottom or top), cordless drill, doweling jig (I don't use screws for face frames), pencil & eraser. Most important tool is a brain that works and a bit of manual literacy!

The doweling jig works instead of a biscuit joiner or pocket screw jig, is cheaper ($13 at Harbor Freight), self-centering on any board, and has different size inserts for different bits. Really a handy tool to have for joining materials. I typically use 3/8" X 1 1/2" wood dowel pins for most stuff.

[VijayGupta]

The first one I got was a "one holer" Kreg Mini http://www.rockler.com/mini-kreg-jig-pocket-hole-kit It worked fine, if slow because you had to move and clamp for every hole.

Then I saw an ad for the R3 http://www.rockler.com/kreg-r3-pocket-hole-system The advantages with it are twin holes, but more important to me (and my work), you can use a screw to hold it from one side and dispense with the clamping.

Then I was at one of my favorite machinery dealers and they had a consignment K3 system (no longer sold, but the consensus is that it is better than the K4) with about 1000 screws. It followed me home and resides in my shop (the others go to work in my van). Faster and the ability to vary the spacing of the holes, if that's important. But the trade off is you take the work to the tool, not the tool to the work. If you have extremely large pieces, the latter is better. http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-K3MS-Master- ... roduct_top

You do need the special bit to drill the hole, so get a system with it. And you need to use the proper screws. Flat-head screws will crack the piece when it bottoms out. Drywall screws do the same and are brittle.

So in summary, the R3 seems to be the most cost-effective and with a clamp will work fine. If you want, you can spend a bit more money and buy some vice-grips with the pads and get quick action. http://www.walmart.com/ip/17238129?wmls ... 32&veh=sem So less than $50 for tools and whatever you need for a box of screws.
.

Seems like a lot of people use pocket hole jigs for quick and easy joinery. As little as $40 for a basic two-holer R3, $100 for a K4 and on up.

I have been looking at purchasing one of these jigs. Which one would you suggest and why?

Thanks,
Chris

[VijayGupta]

Dowel joints (over periods of time) are notoriously weak for two reasons.
1. Minimal wood to wood glue surface and most of that is end grain
2. Differential contraction and expansion of the dowel and its mortise (hole), i.e., anisomorphic properties of wood expansion

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/a ... joint.aspx

The doweling jig works instead of a biscuit joiner or pocket screw jig, is cheaper ($13 at Harbor Freight), self-centering on any board, and has different size inserts for different bits. Really a handy tool to have for joining materials. I typically use 3/8" X 1 1/2" wood dowel pins for most stuff.

[noseoil]

Vijay, not to be contrary, but I used butt joints & dowels for my side walls made out of cheap 3/4" plywood, with 3 dowel pins per side. I know these joints can fail, that's understood. I'm relying on the 2 skins of 1/8" Baltic birch to sandwich these panels, and I might even go out and buy some white glue (the original Elmer's glue) just to annoy people on the assembly. Since I did buy a gallon of Titebond 2, I'm afraid I'll have to just keep using it for the build.

While I no longer am a practicing woodworker (I apprenticed in the early 70's), the stuff I built back then is still in use and didn't fall apart (yet). To me all the high tech glues, joints and machinery are all well and good, but a lot of it is used just to stroke people's egos and create a sanctimonious stink about their work. There is still no substitute for proper joints, careful layout & good assembly. Those fancy tools won't make up for poor craftsmanship or a lack of understanding of material strength & properties. What the newer modern machinery can accomplish is the increased production capacity & quality, it was not available when I started as a cabinet maker.

The stuff we used for aircraft interior cabinets was completely different, but so were the engineering requirements for flight & weight, completely different parameters for different needs. Super-light exotic panels, epoxies, veneers and the like were "normal" then, but a galley cabinet cost as much as a modest house did back then (late 70's).

I looked at a tear this weekend from 1947, it was made out of aluminum skins, rivets & "old technology" from WWII. The guys who made it are most likely all dead by now, or have forgotten they ever worked on it. It was made with old tools, technology & built by the guys who made bombers during WWII. It's still nice to look at and the workmanship is first class, even by today's standards. Here are a couple of shots.





My point here is that I'm building with what I have learned from a long time of building things. I don't read the fine woodworking stuff & architectural digests (which are associated with my current job, gives me a headache), although I can appreciate the work and craftsmanship involved. A build is no better than the worker who is building it. The brain is still the most important tool (OK< second most important, but I digress). tim the curmudgeon

[LandCommander]

I do more refurbishing than new construction but, to add a couple thing not mentioned that. Use often:

Oscilating multi tool is priceless for many things, especially plunge cuts
Did we say 1/4 sheet electric hand sander?
Tin snips
7in1 paint tool
Hex wrenches?
Staple gun
Rivet gun
Unibit drill bits
Hmmmm.... A broom?
Ridged trowel?
N95 masks
Ratcheting pvc cutter
DA buffer?
A leather man or equivolant
That's all I can think of right now...

Also I second that a small cordless impact is worth its weight in gold, I have a 12v makita

[migal0412]

A full beer fridge is a must have Down Under.