Buy this nine-item bench if you can measure, mark, fasten, and make a short cut, and you still need the drill that runs it. Wait on the impact driver, the shop vac, and a circular saw. Those show up when this bench is the thing you are actually using.
House work that is mostly hanging and reaching is the first-home tool kit. The same drill, plus dust collection and an impact driver, is the workshop toolset under $750. Why this drill, in detail: cordless drill kit.
What this bench covers
| Tool | Use it for | Leave it for later | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drill kit | Pilot holes and household screws, with a battery and charger | A second brand of batteries | View Drill kit (affiliate) |
| Bit set | Phillips, square, and slotted screws | Masonry bits | View Bit set (affiliate) |
| Tape, square, level | Length, a square line, and a short level check | A 4 foot level for a long wall | View Tape, square, level (affiliate) |
| Claw hammer | Nails and pulling nails | A ball peen for striking metal | View Claw hammer (affiliate) |
| Glasses, knife, handsaw | Eyes, boxes and drywall, short cuts in boards | A circular saw and earmuffs | View Glasses, knife, handsaw (affiliate) |
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The drill and the bits
Layout, fastening, and a short cut
The tape is a Stanley 33-425, 25 feet by 1 inch, with a Tru-Zero hook so inside and outside measurements start at the right face of the hook. The hammer is an Estwing E3-16C, 16 oz, curved claw, smooth face, one-piece steel. Use the claw for nails. A ball-peen hammer is a different tool.
The square is a Swanson S0101, 7 inches, the one with the diamond cutout. Use it as a try square and as a guide for the handsaw. The booklet in the box is for roof layout. You do not need it to square a shelf. The level is an Empire 9 inch magnetic torpedo, with a top window. It checks a shelf, a bracket, and a short line. A long wall still wants a longer level later.
Glasses are 3M Virtua CCS, clear anti-fog lenses, high-impact ANSI Z87.1. Wear them for the drill and the saw. The cord on the temples is for earplugs, which are not in the box. Hearing protection shows up with the louder tools on the $750 toolset.
The knife is a Stanley 10-499 retractable utility knife with three blades in the handle. The saw is an IRWIN 15 inch handsaw, model 1773465. It cuts a board you can hold on a table. It does not break down a sheet of plywood. A circular saw is the next power tool, and it is not in this cart.
What $350 does not buy
A sturdy table is the bench until a real workbench is the bottleneck. Clamps, a wet/dry vac, earmuffs, and a tool-only impact driver are the step up, on the same batteries: full workshop toolset for under $750.