Tools of the Trade...

I just ordered some tools, not only for speaker & cabinet building, but as an investment for some other DIY house projects. I did research on brands like Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Porter Cable & all are pretty reliable. Some brands seem to be more popular or have specific features, depending on which tool you're looking for. So here's what I ordered recently:


Porter Cable 694VK variable speed 1 3/4 Peak HP Router Kit

Porter-Cable 42690 Edge Guide

Practical Technologies Base Plate Circle Jig

Practical Technologies 12†dial calipers

JasperAudio circle jigs - Model 300 7-52 3/4†- 1/8†increments


Bosch 1590EVSK Top Handle Jigsaw

Bosch Circular & Parallel Cutting Guide Model JA1003

Bosch T123X Progressor Metal Blade (5-Pack)

Bosch 101A0 3" 20-Tooth Jig Saw Blades (5-Pack)

Bosch T101B 4" 10-Tooth T-Shank Jig Saw Blades (5-Pack)

Bosch T101D 4" 6-Tooth T-Shank Jig Saw Blades (5-Pack)


Milwaukee 6391-21 15 Amp Tilt-Lok 7-1/4" Circular Saw, left handed blade

Other lighter duty tools:


RotoZip RZ20-4000 Pro Cutoff Kit with Jig Saw Handle and Worklight

Dremel 3956-02 Variable Speed MultiPro Super Kit

Dremel 335-01 Rotary Tool Plunge Router Attachment

Proxxon Professional grinder IB/E (recommended, but got the Dremel for now)

There's also some links for making a DIY circle jig for your router:


Wood circle jig example - http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_485.shtml

Cutting, Shaping and Scraping: Cutting Perfect Circles - http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hi_too...912802,00.html

How to create MDF rings - http://web.njit.edu/~cas1383/proj/mdf/

How to make circular rings http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...ID=58139&TPN=1

MAKING SUBWOOFER RINGS - http://chris.pfharlock.com/glass/makerings.htm

Router Circle-Cutting Jig - http://woodworking.about.com/b/a/117866.htm


As for a router or workbench table, it's just 3 sawhorses & 2 4x8 sheets of sacrificial 1/2" particle board (for now anyway).

Any other Members favorite tools or recommendations?



PS - The Milwaukee circular saw is "left-handed", which means better visibility of the cut (I'm actually right-handed). There's also a Milwaukee 49-22-1001 (for model above) Rip Fence Kit to help guide thru straight cuts... Forrest also makes some real nice but expensive circular saw blades, but a crosscut blade like the Freud TKR303 7-1/4" 40-Tooth Thin Kerf Perma-SHIELD Coated Finishing Blade should easily suffice for MDF.... If you're cutting any resin type boards w/the smaller tools - a carbide bit is basically a necessity.