Power Vs hand tools

So what’s better to have, power or hand tools? Okay, that’s a trick question. It’s better to have both.

Let’s face it power tools really save a lot of time and effort. There are darn few jobs where I reach for the non-powered tool first. Once in a while it’s quicker to use a hand tool for a small job than to bother stretching out an extension cord.

In reality there are three major tool categories, not two. There are power tools that have to be plugged into house current. There are hand tools that rely on human power. Then there are battery powered tools. They’ve come a long way, thanks to better battery technology.

Picture this: a hurricane is coming and you are trying to board up your windows. The power goes out ahead of the storm before the job is done. Then you can pull out your battery powered screwdriver and continue putting up plywood. Of course, if the batteries die before the job is done, you’ll be happy to have some hand tools to finish the job.

When it comes to tools it’s not an either or situation. It’s an all the options thing. As a rule of thumb I like to have a least one human powered tool for every job that I’d need a power tool for. Most backup manual tools are pretty straight forward, a hammer for a air nailer or screwdriver for a bit driver. Then there are some tools one might not think of. What do you have for a chainsaw replacement? An ax? Not the best solution. I’ve got a 3.5 foot long German cross cut saw. When sharp it makes pretty quick work of even good sized logs. It’s much cleaner and faster job that a thousand whacks with an ax.

We are tool using animals with opposable thumbs. Embrace your heritage and make sure you have some good tools.

-Sixbears