For the woodworking beginner, there are two essential power tools that can make most projects possible. These are a good hand drill and a good router. More than any other two tools, a drill and router are the foundation of a woodworker’s tool arsenal because of their versatility.

The Hand Drill
A drill is designed to (obviously) drill into things. A good, reliable hand drill can be used for drilling holes for screws, making decorative holes, and it can even replace biscuit joinery when necessary.

With a drill you can create dowel joinery, which is less sophisticated but certainly just as effective and definitely less expensive.

When it comes to choosing a good hand drill, there are two basic choices to start with - cordless or plug-in. The kind with a plug-in cord is beneficial because you never have to wait for the battery to recharge or deal with weak drilling capabilities when the battery is low.

However, cordless drill are obviously more portable and most come with two battery packs. That way as long as you keep one plugged in at all times, you will not have to do much waiting.

So if you decide on the very popular cordless model, you then have several other choices to make. First, you need to consider the battery power. You can find drills with voltage from 9.6 volts to 24 volts. The higher the voltage the more power and torque you will get as well as longer battery life after each charge.

The disadvantage of higher voltage though, is that the drills are quite heavy and can make it more difficult to use for long periods of time. How the drill feels in your hands may be one of the most important factors in your decision. Regardless of voltage a good hand drill should have a dual speed motor, a reverse motor function, and an adjustable clutch.

The Router
A good router is the other important tool because it can perform so many different functions. For instance, with some practice, a router can help you create decorative edges, make cross-cuts, and cut mortises and create grooves. If you mount the router in a table, your options expand to include making moldings, edge joints, frames, box joints, and even panel doors. The professional quality of a good router will make it well worth the purchase.

There are a few key elements to consider when choosing a good router. First, the power of the motor is important. A 2-horsepower motor will handle most jobs, but a more powerful one will be need for bulk professional work. Another nice feature to have is a plunge feature. This provides versatility within very detailed work. You should also look for a collet-locking button. This will make it possible to adjust the collet with just one wrench rather than several.

So, as you start to create your perfect workshop, the best place to start is with a quality hand drill and router. Once you have those in place and have fully mastered their functions, you will be able to move on to other tools with ease and with expertise.

Learning how to tile a floor is one of those tasks that with good planning and proper instruction can be completed very successfully. This article will guide you and provide you with some essential tips on how to tile a floor.Fein MultiMaster

Surface preparation is paramount to your success. Your surface must be smooth and level and any excess adhesive should be scraped off before you start, to leave a level and smooth surface. Beginning to tile on an uneven surface is a recipe for disaster right from the start.

Adhesive. One of the most common mistakes of the DIY tiler is using the wrong type of adhesive. If you are tiling a shower room or bathroom you must use waterproof adhesive. If you use any other type of adhesive you will find that after a short period of time the moisture in the bathroom will find its way under the tiles and cause crumbling which will eventually lead to your tiles lifting. The price of adhesive varies greatly, and I don’t need to point out here that it is best not to take the cheapest brand you find.use fein multimaster 250q

Battens. When beginning a tiling job it is advisable to use a batten. The batten acts as your guide and keeps your tiles in a straight line. When positioning your batten you must remember to use a spirit level to ensure that your first row of tiles is completely straight. Make sure that your walls are not running off. This can be a problem in older houses and it makes sense to check this first.Fein is Best

Fix Mistakes Immediately . As you continue to learn. It is inevitable that you will make mistakes. Mistakes are part of learning when learning how to tile a floor. It is vitally important to fix your mistakes quickly. If you don’t immediately react to your mistakes you may end up with more waste than you would want. Adhesive can set quickly, so the quicker you react, the better. For this reason when you are just learning how to tile a floor I would suggest that you do not use quick drying adhesive.

Grouting. When grouting your tiles it is very important to get rid of the excess grout quickly. Grout dries very quickly and can be difficult to remove. By removing the excess immediately you are cutting down on work that you will have to do later. Do not wash the tiles until the grout has dried. Wait until they are dry and dusty before you wash. You will probably have to wash them a few times.

Bad Planning. Bad planning inevitably leads to disaster. Before starting any tiling job it is important to have everything you need on hand. You need to have the correct amount of tiles, the correct adhesive, tile spacers and grout. Bad planning will cost you money and leave you very frustrated. Needless to say, you need to ensure that you have the right tools for the job. As a starting point, you will need a spreader, a floating sponge, and a good quality tile cutter.

Waste. No matter how good you are at tiling, there will inevitably be waste. You should however not see any more than 15% waste. This means that when you are ordering your tiles you need to order 15% more than the amount you will need to cover your floor. After finishing the job, if you have any tiles left over, It is always a good idea to keep a couple of spares . If you have more than that it is not uncommon for your supplier to take back unused tiles. I have even known suppliers to take back and refund on single tiles.

This is another of my articles on How to Tile. Floor tiling is fast becoming one of the many DIY tasks that the average DIY handyman can I feel confident about undertaking. Like any DIY task it is prudent before you start to have a plan. You need to know exactly what process to follow or your attempt at saving money by doing it yourself could end up costing you money by having to get a professional in to fix your mess.

What I will attempt to show you in this article is how to tile. Floor tiling does not have to be difficult so here are some easy steps to follow.Fein MultiMaster

• The first thing you must ensure is that the surface is completely flat. If you have removed the old tiles all of the cement should be removed. Because a tile is not flexible it cannot accommodate even the slightest hump or bump. Take note that it is not advisable to tile on top of a wooden floor. By their very nature floorboards tend to move as weight is applied,which means that every time you step on it the boards beneath the tiles will move, which will in turn will cause the tiles to shift and it is highly likely that over time they will crack.
• Next mark the centre point of each wall approximately 1 inch above floor level. At these marks tap in a small nail and tie two chalk line tightly between the Nails on opposite walls. Snap the chalk lines by pulling them upwards one at a time and letting them go. They should snap against the floor and leave at chalk impression on the floor. This should leave you with a chalk intersection in the middle of the floor, this point where the two lines cross is the centre point of your floor. This is where your tiling will begin.
• It is now a good idea to lay out your tiles loosely and decide carefully what pattern you want to follow, after all you will be looking at this handiwork for a long time to come.
• When you have decided what pattern to follow, begin at the centre point and apply your adhesive. You will laying tiles in opposite directions from each other so if you can imagine yourself in the middle of the floor you will lay one at your right hand, and then one at your left hand and so on until you reach the wall on your right and the wall on your left. Only apply enough adhesive to lay about four or six tiles at a time. As you are just learning how to tile, floor tiling can be time-consuming and my advice is not to use a quick setting adhesive as it sometimes does not allow you much time to fix mistakes. Make sure to use tile spacers at the corner of each tile, as this will keep each tile the same distance apart.
• When you reach the walls it is likely that you will need to cut tiles. Carefully measure the depth of cut you require and mark the tile with a sharpie. Place the tile in your tile cutter and mark the tile with the blade. Snap the tile gently and it should easily break. When you have cut your tile place the cut side of the tile against the wall leaving the finished side outward.
• Continue with this process until your floor is complete. Do not underestimate the importance of finding the exact centre. Just to be sure you have definitely got it right, measure it twice. Get this wrong and everything else will also be wrong.
• When your tiles have set you will now be in a position to apply your grout. Mix your grout according to the instructions on the packet and apply with a floating sponge taking care to ensure that every joint is filled. After about 45 minutes begin to wipe the tiles in a circular motion to remove excess grout. It is likely that you will need to do this several times. When you’re happy with your grout leave it to set for at least 24 hours.
• When learning how to tile, floor tiling is a good place to begin because everything is flat in front of you, whereas with wall tiling you have the added issues with tires slipping etc. Go-ahead and give it a go, the satisfaction you will get when you stand back and look at your handiwork will be worth the time and effort and of course, money saved.