The Shop Expands

Table saw, miter saws, reciprocating saws, circular saw, oh my! There are a ton of products in this category, and I have a few favorites. 

I have never been disappointed with Diablo blades. They are generally all I will recommend to people.  I'm sure there are others that are just as good, but I don't go through them fast enough to merit experimenting with other brands.  
Saw Blades 101  -Tooth count and material matters.  Low tooth count - 18-40 is fine for rough cutting lumber - framing, demolition, decking, etc. It will move fast through softwoods like pine and fir.
General purpose - 40-60, good for most work with a balance between speed and finish. I use a 50-tooth general-purpose saw for most projects. 

High Tooth Count - 60-100+ - Very smooth but also slow. Great for hardwoods. You have to find the balance with these blades, its easy to burn the wood if you are feeding to slowly. 

The 10" blades are for the jobsite tablesaw and the 12" are for the miter saw.

 

Nailers 101
23 Gauge (Pin Nailer) Fastener size: Very thin headless pins, usually ½"–2" long. Use case: Delicate trim, small molding, cabinet work, and light craft projects where you don’t want visible nail holes. 

21–23 Gauge (Brad Pinner / Slight Head) Fastener size: Similar to pin nailers but may have a tiny head for more hold. Use case: Decorative work needing slightly more grip than headless pins, still minimal surface damage. 

18 Gauge (Brad Nailer) Fastener size: 5/8"–2" brads with small heads. Use case: Baseboards, quarter-round, shoe molding, chair rail, light trim, and cabinetry where you want small holes and minimal splitting. 

16 Gauge (Finish Nailer) Fastener size: 1"–3 ½" finish nails, larger head than brads. Use case: Door and window casings, crown molding, baseboards, furniture assembly — stronger hold than 18-gauge but still fairly clean. 

15 Gauge (Finish Nailer, Angled or Straight) Fastener size: 1 ¼"–2 ½" nails, slightly thicker than 16-gauge. Use case: Heavy trim, staircases, exterior trim, larger moldings — better holding power for thicker wood. 

14 Gauge and Lower (Framing Nailer) Fastener size: Full-head or clipped-head nails, 2"–3 ½". Use case: Structural framing, decking, fencing, sheathing — maximum strength where appearance isn’t critical. 

Staplers (Narrow to Wide Crown) Gauge varies: Often 16–22 gauge. Use case: Upholstery, cabinet backs, paneling, flooring underlayment — more holding power in thin material without splitting.
 

What is a router? 
A router is a woodworking tool used to shape, hollow out, or cut precise edges and grooves in wood (and sometimes other materials). Think of it as a way to “sculpt” the surface or edge of your project. You can use a router to add decorative profiles ...
Routers take ¼ or ½ inch bits. The compact router in this list is ¼", like nearly all compact routers. The plunge router/fixed base router is also ¼"
The router is a great tool, but please be very careful and check out some tutorials on YouTube before you started.

This is a spot for all of the one off purchases that don't really fit into another category.