My first real power tool was a (fill in the blank) when I was (?) years old.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
My grandson is 7 years old. I'm thinking it's about time to get him involved with doing something with his hands (LOL! Other than video games ).

Thinking back to when I was a little squirt - ~ 7 or 8, my first power tool was an ancient 1/4" electric drill my grandfather passed on to me. It wasn't much of a drill as electric drills go, but I used it for quite a while before I picked up a B&D 1/4".

Now, coming full circle, I'm wodering if my old 3/8" B&D, would be a good one to start off a 7 year old with?
It isn't much of a drill as electric drills go,,,but it works...kinda like I'm keeping the tradition alive I guess.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I had a modified Springfield when I was rather young maybe 16 or 17. That was a fine tool. Could drive nails at near a mile.

[Nancy Laird]

In the late 40s and early 50s, my dad had a tabletop saw he called a jigsaw--would be known today as a scroll saw, but it looked like a small bandsaw. It had a fine blade and I don't remember what he used it for, but he taught me to cut small jigsaw puzzles on it. I was still about 5 or 6. Then I graduated to using his electric drill.

Nancy

[Jay Sharp]

My First real power tool was a Craftsman 7.5" portable tablesaw. It was given by my parents for my 14th birthday.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My first power tool...I was age 29.....volunteered to build a 75' fence for a woman out of pine in return for a 7 1/2" Skillsaw. That was in 1978. Just retired that rascal 2 years ago and replaced it with a PC.

[Michael Schwartz]

When I was 2 I got a Little tykes battery powerd toy drill complete with plastic drill and screwdriver bits. I actualy used this thing to drill a few holes in my bedroom wall When I was 3 or something I also had a hammer from the same set that whas heavy enough that My mother would take it and use it to drive smal nails etc... and My brother decided to whack me on the head with it and it left a nice bump for a week or two. They just don't make toys the way they used to Fourtionatly the toy skillsaw was rather harmless.


First real power tool, 12 volt dewalt drill I bought when I was 16 with my first paycheck. First saw was a cheapo skillsaw jigsaw I got as a gift from a family friend for my 17th birthday. When I got this thing I had visions of making a shaker table with it or something, at least without serious handplaning, but I leared the hard way when I tried to pull that off


First real power tool I ever used was probably when I was 12 or 13 was probably my Dads single speed non reversible fraction of an amp corded drill, that he stood by nevorusly making sure I didn't figure out a way to mangle a finger or something

[Jack Ferrell]

In 1971 bought a Black & Decker electric drill. I was 21.

[Randy Redding]

I think mine was a McCulloch "mini-mac" chainsaw. I think I was about 12 and it was needed to help out with the annual firewood prep.

[Don Taylor]

It is the most fondly remembered Christmas present I ever received. I was somewhere around 7 or 8 years old. We had already opened all of our gifts and my Dad still had a silly grin on his face.

He reached behind the Christmas tree, back in the corner behind the tree skirt and the mess we had made with the wrappings and came out with a black metal box. When he sat it down in front of me I was more interested in the box than what was in it. (I was thinking of all the cool stuff I could hide in it. ) He told me to open it and when I did, my eyes popped out of my head. Inside was a Craftsman steel bodied electric drill and drill bits!!!

By the time I was 9 and our house collapsed to the ground, the authorities thought it was termites. But "I" knew where all those holes came from.
That drill was either lost by military movers, or one of two EX's has it. I would give a pretty penny to have it today. I'll bet it's still working.

DT

[Jude Kingery]

Hi Don, it's hard to remember as we had full run of the shop by the time we were about 7-8 years old, including table saw, band saw, drill press, lathe, grinder, welder. I guess just from watching Dad. My first interest and always my enjoyment, however, is the lathe. Jude

[Chris Barton]

Hi Rich,

I think Nancy hit it on the head; go with a scroll saw. A Ryobi comes in at around $100 and can provide unlimited project possibilities for a youngster. My first actual power tool was a hand held jig saw but, a scroll saw would have been a better choice. My 9yo daughter has made many things using a scroll saw and they are very safe.

[Henry Cavanaugh]

First Power tool was a skill saw when i was 26. I built my 1 year old son a table and chair out of Pine. I didnt get into furniture making untill that same son came home with a used delta TS 24 years later. Now Iam hooked buying everything else.

[John Shuk]

A Porter Cable random orbit sander so I could polyurethane some unfinished pine furniture we bought for our bedroom. It's still in use with no complaints.

[Jesse Espe]

My first real power tools were a Craftsman 1hp router, a Craftsman circular saw, and a Craftsman jigsaw when I was 26 (not that long ago).

Since then, I ended up mounting the router to a Craftsman benchtop table and giving it to my stepfather, who gets great use out of it. Still use the jigsaw and circular saw for construction-type stuff.

[Adam Burgess]

craftsman worm drive and a ryobie 18v 4 pc combo. when i was 23, both where stolen off a job a year later. replaced with a skill mag and dewalt 18v combo, still have both and watch then much closer.