We started out with very few tools so most of the things needed to do this project had to be purchased. There's a lot to be said about nice quality tools. There's also a lot to be said about saving a buck. With that said, a lot of the things that I would consider ancillary were inexpensive tools purchased from Harbor Freight. I think most of them will be fine.
Here's a list of what we bought and the rough cost. These prices were as of 2010 and of course would change over time. Take this for what its worth. It's just to give a general starting idea of what tools were needed and roughly how much someone could spend on the cheap side (with the exception of the Isham tool kit). We got the more expensive tool kit from Isham that included the pneumatic squeezer and other nice goodies.
| Needed |
From |
Cost |
| Air Compressor |
Harbor Freight |
$137.00 |
| Isham Tool Kit |
PlaneTools.com |
$2,550.00 |
| Bench Grinder |
Harbor Freight |
$34.00 |
| Scotch-Brite 6" Wheels |
|
$48.00 |
| Drill Press - 12 speed |
Harbor Freight |
$124.00 |
| Circular Saw |
Harbor Freight |
$34.00 |
| Folding Saw Horses (2) |
Harbor Freight |
$20.00 |
| Rolling cart |
Harbor Freight |
$55.00 |
| Air Hose Reel/filters/adapters |
Harbor Freight/Home Depot |
$125.00 |
| Toolbox |
Harbor Freight |
$140.00 |
| Misc |
Harbor Freight |
$100.00 |
| Clamps (various size and types) |
Harbor Freight |
$40.00 |
| Adjustable Set Holder for Squeezer |
Avery |
$60.00 |
| Rivet Spacer & #30/#40 Reamers |
Aircraft Spruce |
$35.00 |
| Digital Caliper |
Harbor Freight |
$10.00 |
| Torque wrench (in lbs) |
Harbor Freight |
$20.00 |
| Total |
$3,532.00 |