Other General Purpose Cutting Tools

The band saw is a fantastic cutting tool – just make sure to have the appropriate blade for the type of material being cut. I use the band saw for wood, plexiglass, aluminum and some steel. It is great for cutting small parts or jigs from wood. For plexiglass and metals you will need a fine tooth blade. For hard metals like steel you will want to run the blade at a very slow speed.

Air grinders are really a must have tool. For the most useful set you will want a straight and a 90 degree head angle grinder that turns around 12,000 RPM. Generally the 12,000 will give the most torque (power) for grinding, sanding, polishing, and de-burring. Get a high-quality grinder as the cheap ones do not have the torque needed.

Razor blades or utility knives are good for everything from opening boxes to cutting and scraping all kinds of items.

A hacksaw is a required item which works great for almost every material you will need to cut. Have extra blades on hand.