Beginners Tool Kit!

Important Information and Stickies...
(Threads with essential information about building teardrops)

Teardrop time...

Postby Krashdragon » Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:26 pm

..love how you guys just keep on posting.... as in..
time ceases to exist! <g>
Anyway.... I have a decent (DeWalt) skillsaw... would that be good enuf?
no garage and no driveway where i rent (this should be interesting, have to go to my friend's house about 60 miles away to work on the trailer)
I think I have everything else except a router (gave it to the ex cause it was a cheapo, but so was he! <LOL)

Now to find some cheap expanded steel mesh for the floor, 1/2 in ply and some epoxy painh, or something... has to be strong enuf to carry my Harley. Guess I'll go and play with the how to design your own trailer software..... 1x2's, foam and aluminum shouldnt' weigh more than the 2x4's, 4x4 pegboard (it was free) and a bunch or rotten 2x6's that it came with cause the idiot that built it used common lumber. The guy it was built for used wall enamel on the floor to keep it from rotting. Didn't work and it's very slippery when it's wet!

Thanks for all the designs and help here. Way fun and informative reading.
mary
Krashdragon
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:45 pm
Location: Ft Worth

Postby mccjeff » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:51 pm

I would add a nail set to recess your nails if not using a brad gun. Also a good at least 4' level and a torpedo level.
The wheel is turning and you can't slow down.
User avatar
mccjeff
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:43 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Postby Krashdragon » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:27 pm

Hmmmm. I have those too...
found out my skill saw is still in storage in Ohio..nde a bunch of other tools are still there... good thing it's way too hot to work outside here in Dallas...<G>
Mary
Krashdragon
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:45 pm
Location: Ft Worth
Top

tools

Postby cowboy at heart » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:20 pm

i found a tool i would not like to be without. a 10" surform, have used it to shape my hatch spars, to shave down 1/8" plywood to fit, shave down the door. just one heck of a handy little tool, harbor frieght has them for about $6.00, they call it a multirasp. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
measure twice, and cut a little long, you can always sand it down, rather than finding the tool that is never in your tool box( the imfamous board strecher)
User avatar
cowboy at heart
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:32 pm
Location: East Texas
Top

Postby Lawnjockey » Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:16 am

Beer cooler and a well broken in thinking chair. I understand Lazy Boy makes a chair with a built in cooler. Don't buy a new one, it is important that it is well broken in. The best often have a name like "Ole Brownie".

Jocko
Lawnjockey
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 166
Images: 43
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:08 am
Location: front yard
Top

link to circular saw guide

Postby Kelleyaynn » Sat Jan 23, 2010 5:40 pm

The link on the first page to making a circular saw guide is no longer working. I Googled and found another one:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_jo ... 83497.html
User avatar
Kelleyaynn
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 154
Images: 1
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:12 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Top

My thoughts

Postby Dragonryder » Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:57 pm

My most useful tools were a tape measure and a pen/pencil. I used the following on all my build:

FireStorm cordless 16volt drill/screwdriver
Tape measure
Jig Saw
Rip Saw
Square
Dremel
Clamps-Both c-clamps and clip on clamps
Air Brad/Nailer

Things that would have been real handy to have for my build:
Tablesaw

The thing that would have helped me the most would have been an extra pair of hands. I built the camper in the middle of the back yard with nothing to help hold the sides up. Tying it all together by myself made for some interesting moments.
Have a great day and hoping the weather is great no matter where you are!!!

Signed, Me
User avatar
Dragonryder
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 203
Images: 19
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:30 am
Location: Ohio
Top

Postby afreegreek » Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:08 am

OK, first I'll tell you that I'm a professional cabinetmaker with over 25 years in the trade. I have all the tools there is that are worth having and then some. I also have knowledge and ways of doing things that your average person does not. that being said, the way I would build a TD is likely to be very different to how 99% of people would do it. because of that, it's hard for me to go back in time to a place where I was just starting to do woodwork and had few if any tools to do it with but I will give it a shot.

I'm going to assume some things..

1) you have little to no previous woodworking experience and none building something as large and complex as a TD

2) you have no tools.

3) you will only be building the trailer cabin because you already have your trailer frame.

4) you have a limited budget for tools and would rather spend extra time doing things than money on tools you may not use again.

5) you are building a warm, dry, functional trailer, not 5 star Hotel on wheels.


Layout tools

25' tape measure... get one with only imperial markings on it. that way you can get a measurement on either side of the tape.

12" combination square... gives you a square and a mitre as well as a blade that can be slid in and out to draw lines parallel to an edge (and a million other things) avoid the cheap $20 ones at the hardware store, they are real garbage and will break the little retaining pin if you drop it on concrete, they are not usually very square and the adjustment if finicky. if you break the little pin you need to get a new square and then you're already at the price +- of the good one from Rockler. this is a tool that you'll use for almost every other project you'll do in the future so cheaping out on this item is no bargain. my Starrett is the first tool I bought and it'll last as long as I do... longer!

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,42936

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10345

48" drywall square... makes layout on sheet stock quick and accurate. also serves as a straight edge and with a couple of clamps, a cutting guide to run a circular saw, jigsaw and router against. I recommend the heavy duty ones. 3/16" thick blade vs, 1/8 and the adjustable ones such as the one made by Johnson Level co. if you can afford it. this one will do angles like a bevel gauge and the blade slides along the stock and can be locked in place like a giant combination square. worth the money IMO

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 42944&ap=1

pencils... carpenter pencils are good but most people can't sharpen them well. a regular pencil and a good pencil sharpener will give you better results. clear thin lines are easy to follow, fat smudgy ones are not. 0.5mm mechanical pencils are good too but break too easily for layout on plywood etc. consider them an extra item worth having to compliment your arsenal. accurate layout lines are one of the most important things in woodwork. keep your pencils sharp and consider buying a box of a dozen and have them sharpened and ready to use. the best sharpener it the X-acto. it's the mountable, hand crank one just like the one you used in school only it's better. it will sharpen a pencil to a very fine point and not crumble it like the other brand.

http://www.xacto.com/Product/1031

compass... a pencil compass is good for marking out holes for plumbing pipe, vents, speakers, lights, round corners on plywood sheets, and stepping out equal spaces between screw holes etc.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,42936

awl... a round pointed awl (not a triangular or bladed awl) for poking holes to start drilling screw holes and holding the end of your chalk line in place etc.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,42936

chalk line... for marking lines on things such as the roof panel, hatch panel to indicate where to drill or staple into wood below without missing, snapping lines on the floor for tile, T&G flooring etc., finding a point between two other points when you can't use a square or straight edge and many other things. chalk comes is permanent and non permanent, careful not to get the permanent stuff. consider getting two chalk lines and leave one without chalk in it to use as a string line for times when you need a line but don't want to make marks on your material.

utility knife... snap-off olfa blade knives are the best IMO. get one that will lock the blade firmly in place not one of those cheap $1.00 plastic ones, and a package of blades. you will use this to score your material before you cut. it will prevent chipping of the veneer on your plywood etc. and give you a guide that you can sand, grind, or file up to. mark first, then score using your square/straight edge/fairing batten to guide the knife, then use a sharp pencil to fill in the cut and make it easier to see.

fairing batten... you'll need something to draw out smooth curves on your stock. there's no such thing you can get at a store called a fairing batten, it's something you'll have to make. all it is is a long strip of material that you can bend into a curve. I make mine out of 1/8" lexan about an inch wide. however you could buy a strip of 1/8 x 1" aluminum or something of that sort. have a look around and see what you can find. all it has to do is bend into a nice curve with no kinks or bumps in it and be stiff enough it won't squirm around as you draw a line along it. perhaps a strip of MDF moulding from the lumber yard will work for you.. ???

Cutting tools

circular saw... if you can, get one that is opposite to the "normal" hand you use. meaning a left blade saw if you're right handed. a normal one, right bladed if you're left handed. I have no idea why they chose to name the saws the way they do because if your right handed and use a right bladed saw you have to look over the saw to see the line you are cutting to. very awkward and difficult to do unless you have tons of practice, which you don't or you wouldn't be reading my BS.. most of you are right handed so get a left bladed saw. only some companies make them but it is totally worth the extra money to buy a quality brand anyway. a 7-1/4" 40 tooth Freud Diablo blade is the blade you want. I'd splurge here and get a 60 tooth one too. you're basically building a cabinet not framing a house so toss the blade that came with the saw to the side or see if they'll trade it for the one I recommended at the time you buy the saw.

left blade http://www.milwaukeetool.com:80/Product ... cular+Saws

right blade http://www.milwaukeetool.com:80/Product ... cular+Saws

saw blade http://www.diablotools.com/blades-7.html

jigsaw... a good jigsaw with the wrong, cheap or dull blade is not going to do a better job than a cheap saw with the correct, good, sharp blade. most any jigsaw will do a good job with the right blade so get a selection of good quality blades (a few of each style) for the materials you're going to use. for cutting wood and plywood 'taper ground' blade leave a cleaner cut with less chipping than 'set tooth' blades. for cutting where you're going to see the edge use the taper ground blades. for cutting holes for windows, vents, or speakers and things that have a flange that will cover the cut edge, a set tooth blade will do.

handsaw... a hand saw will do a lot of things quicker and more accurately than any power saw will do and many things a power saw can't. the Japanese pull style saws are head and shoulders above western push style saws, they have thin blades that cut on the pull stroke and fleam cut teeth that eat wood for breakfast. you can get cheap ones with replaceable blades for about $20.00. if you don't know what I mean just ask at the hardware store. the ones that are sold for cutting PVC pipe are excellent for cutting wood. if all you've ever used is that dull rusty western style piece of crap saw in your Daddy's garage, you're in for a wonderful surprise.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 42924&ap=1

hacksaw... for cutting aluminum trim and other things like bolts. a jigsaw will work but it's much harder to cut thin metal with a jigsaw than you might think and a hacksaw is cheaper than replacing a piece of ruined trim.

file... yup, a file is a cutting tool. a 10" mill cut file will do a lot of stuff like filing the ends of your aluminum trim, cleaning up and softening the edges of wood etc. and a cabinet rasp for tuning up wood here and there when you want to remove material a little faster than a file will do it.

chisels... I have about 30 different chisels and found over the years that 90% of the things I need a chisel for can be done with two sizes. a 1/4" or 3/8" for getting in those tight narrow spots and a 1-1/4" for almost everything else. you don't need to buy good chisels to do a TD, any hardware store chisel will do and because they're cheap steel you can sharpen a lot of them reasonably well with a fresh file or a piece of 220 grit wet/dry paper glued a stick.

block plane... a very handy tool BUT, unless you know how to sharpen and have some good stones to do it with they are probably something I wouldn't recommend for a beginner. by the time you buy the plane and a couple of stones you'll have spent $100.00 and since a TD is mostly plywood there isn't the value for the dollar you could get with that money elsewhere. this says nothing about learning to sharpen, set the blade and use the tool to good effect. this factor alone makes me think it's more of a curse than a blessing for a beginner.

Drilling tools

3/8" variable speed drill... cordless drills are great, convenient tools. the good ones (read:expensive) are fantastic. the cheap ones are garbage. for the same price as a good cordless you can buy a plug in model, an entire collection of drill bits, accessories, and take the family out for dinner. my 1/2" 18v Milwaukee cordless was nearly $300.00. my 1/2" corded Milwaukee was $120, will torque your arm off and last the rest of my career. the cordless will not and the batteries will be shot in a year or two. (professional use)

drill bits... a box of 13 (up to 1/4") twist drills will do most of the things you need to do building your trailer. add to this a 3/8" and a 1/2" and most of your bases will be covered as far as twist drills go.

spade bits... spade bits are cheap and easy to keep sharp. a file and a vise to hold them in is all it takes. a set of these up to 1-1/2" will give you the sizes you need to drill holes for gas lines and wiring as well as counter bores for bolts and washers in the floor attaching your cabin to the frame and stuff like that.

screw bit/countersink... these bits drill the pilot hole and countersink it in one shot for screws. you don't need a whole set as #6 and #8 are all you're likely to use anyway.. both of these bits countersink a 3/8" hole for the screw head if you go deep enough or just enough to fit the screw head if you limit the depth you drill. a 3/8" plug cutter will make nice plugs for covering screw heads in places you see and want to look good. they are supposed to be used in a drill press but a block of wood with the appropriate size hole in it clamped to the stock you use will work just fine.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 42281&ap=1

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 42288&ap=1

pocket hole guide and drill bit... one of the best bangs for the buck. they will do most of the drilling you need to do to build and attach your cabinets, face frames, and shelves if you want to hide the screw from view..KREG makes a good jig but is fairly expensive and a lot more jig than you really need. Lee Valley sells one that is just a single aluminum block with a steel guide bushing inserted in it. this will do exactly the same thing as the KREG jig will just a little slower. remember, you need the special drill bit for all the pocket hole guides.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... ,180,42311

driver bits... you need a few of these to drive screws with a drill. the sets are cheap, might as well get one rather than buy individual sizes. some sets come with a few nut drivers too.

Sanding tools

Random orbit sander... these are probably the best bet for power sanding. they can shape and sand wood for finishing as well as the finish itself (paint, varnish, epoxy etc) between coats. they are much faster that the 1/4 sheet sanders (junk) and a lot more controllable than a belt sander is for sanding wood. you're not as likely to gouge or sand through your veneer with one either and they do an excellent job where the wood grain goes in two directions like on face frames etc. this is the tool I'd buy if I could only afford one sanding machine. RO sanders come with a choice in pads. one is for PSA and the other is for VELCRO paper. get the PSA. it's better and it's cheaper too. generally, you can get a roll of 50 PSA for the same price +- as a box of 10 VELCRO plus you can stick it to your hand block or other little sanding block you need to make to fit in curves and tight spots.

sanding block... you can't do a good job just folding a piece of paper and rubbing with your hand. you need a block. there's a million kinds out there but most of them are garbage or gimmicky. I suggest going to an automotive store and get a block from there. the good ones are nothing more than dense foam. they come in various sizes but you only need one that is about 2-3/4" wide by 5" long.. auto shops carry K-block and Dura-block and are 10 time better that the crap they sell at hardware stores.

http://www.dura-block.com/durablockline.html

http://www.tcpglobal.com/kustomshop/kskblock.aspx

sandpaper... for wood and paint, power or hand, the only paper worth getting is Aluminum Oxide. for metal and plastic it's Silicon Carbide. (that's the black wet/dry paper) you'll need wet/dry for metal and plastic because you need to lube it with water or soapy water so it doesn't plug up. buy good paper too. it may seem more expensive but it is not. cheap abrasive is not worth the paper it's bonded to. Klingspor is one of the best and it's available almost everywhere.

http://www.klingspor.com/

SANDPAPER isn't a tool you say.. yes it is, it's one of the most important tools too. the difference between good and great is the finish. the better job you do sanding, the better you and your project will look. 8)

this is a basic tool kit that will do most of what you're going to do building your TD and of course this list is far from complete. you'll need some other items like clamps and what not but, I'm not going to go that far because the list could go on forever and it all depends on the way you're going to build you rig. you can buy these things as you need them based on how you're going to build various items, the materials you choose, and what you're going to install in it. just think before you spend your money on something you can get by without. one person suggested buying a level. :thinking:
Last edited by afreegreek on Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:59 am, edited 3 times in total.
afreegreek
500 Club
 
Posts: 723
Images: 0
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:35 pm
Top

Postby Geron » Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:31 am

Thanks Geek,

The voice of experience :thumbsup: I'd never even heard of a left handed saw :oops:
If it's not broken, you're not trying hard enough.
User avatar
Geron
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1522
Images: 173
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 6:23 am
Location: Georgia, Cherrylog
Top

Postby afreegreek » Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:12 am

looped wrote:Question about flush cut router bits.


In cutting the sides i will be using a thin (~1/4") board material pattern for a guide and plan to cut the sides using this and a top bearing flush cut router bit. i have found one that has a 2inch cutting surface. i realise that this is about 1/2" longer than i will need. is there any reason why a top bearing would be a bad idea? i am noticing there is alot more variety of the end bearing models and i am thinking that having the pattern on top would be a better idea. thoughts?


you can if you look find shorter length "pattern bits" (flush trim with bearing on top) but there is no need to look if you have one already. the 2" cutting length won't cause you any grief if you make sure it's not going to hit your sawhorse- bench- whatever your material is laying on. what you need to make sure of is you're not going to have to remove too much material. cut as close to the line as you dare so you'll have only 1/8" or less to remove. the problem is your pattern material. if it's 1/4" ply, it's fairly soft and trying to remove a lot of stock can cause your bearing to crush into your pattern making a less than perfect cut.. when I do patterns I use 1/4" MDF because it is harder than 1/4" ply and has no voids or soft spots in it. if you look you'll see a little space between the bearing and the cutters (1/16" approx) this means.. even if you set the top of the cutter right at the height of your material you will not have the full 1/4" of your pattern to run against you'll only have 3/16"

it's better to use the pattern bit than the flush trim bit because you don't have to flip the material after you attach the pattern and you can see the bearing ride along the pattern too. both will work as well as each other, it's just the pattern bit will be a little easier... especially on big parts like trailer sides. the only case in which I'd say the flush trim bit would be the better choice is when routing parts with a table mounted router. in this case the pattern will be seen as will the bearing. plus it's a little safer because the rest of the bit is not sticking up in the air above the stock (little chance of shaving skin off you hand)

I would suggest that you rout only one panel with the pattern and then use the panel you just made as the pattern for the second. it's not a great idea to try and rout both 3/4" pieces (1-1/2" total) at once with such a thin pattern.

also... a pattern bit has it's bearing held in place with a little collar. these collars can come loose and the bearing can ride up the shank of the bit. it's best to insert the bit until the collar almost touches the collet on you router. that way if the collar loosens it and the bearing can't and move up, ride off the pattern and ruin your stock.. :x
afreegreek
500 Club
 
Posts: 723
Images: 0
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:35 pm
Top

Postby artwebb » Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:21 am

Verry informative post, geek, and I never thought of it but as soon as you mention it, you're right, my circular saw (regular) DOES suck to use if you're right handed. I have to improvise guides becuase, like my saw, I suck at making straight cuts, too, and never realized that's part of the reason (other part being lack of practice) Only reason I can think of for this is sawdust being spit out on the other side being safer for eyes maybe, but anyone who's all that worried about that is wearing eye protection, anyway. If they're smart.
I'm not old, I'm Vintage!
artwebb
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 320
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:01 am
Location: Columbus, Texas
Top

Postby afreegreek » Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:47 am

artwebb wrote:Verry informative post, geek, and I never thought of it but as soon as you mention it, you're right, my circular saw (regular) DOES suck to use if you're right handed. I have to improvise guides becuase, like my saw, I suck at making straight cuts, too, and never realized that's part of the reason (other part being lack of practice) Only reason I can think of for this is sawdust being spit out on the other side being safer for eyes maybe, but anyone who's all that worried about that is wearing eye protection, anyway. If they're smart.
here you go bud.. the answer is in the middle of the "sidewinder" section but the whole article is a good read too.. :thumbsup:

http://www.asktooltalk.com/articles/too ... divide.php
afreegreek
500 Club
 
Posts: 723
Images: 0
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:35 pm
Top

Postby artwebb » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:25 am

Verry interesting and an exelent read for someone like me, who can spend hours checking out old machine shops, totaly facinated with how they did things before electric power tools, and getting a feel for how that old stuff must have evolved into what we use today.
many thanks, Art
I'm not old, I'm Vintage!
artwebb
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 320
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:01 am
Location: Columbus, Texas
Top

Postby sharpknives » Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:57 am

in my tool kit my knife is always there. i never forget also some safety kit.
sharpknives
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:55 am
Top

Postby pete.wilson » Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:58 pm

Hey

Some years ago my wife gave me a nice router but I never used it and sold it in a yard sale. Now I could have used it. Question: What are the reasons for using a plunge router versus a standard base and which is most useful for building a teardrop? I also need suggestions on bits such as flush trimming bits, with or w/o the bearing?

Pete Wilson
Why hasn't anyone found a dead bigfoot? When was the last time you found a dead deer, bear, coyote, fox, squirrel, etc. that died in the woods.........Hmmm.
pete.wilson
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 317
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:32 pm
Location: Billings, MT.
Top

PreviousNext

Return to Essential Information about building teardrops

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest