Are you sick and tired of looking at that wall? Have you dreamed of just ripping it out and making the master bath bigger? Or maybe, you're just ready to add that deck to the back of your house. Your friends are already on board for a weekend of free food and drink in exchange for a little manual labor. Whatever the home improvement task, it will go much faster and easier if you use power tools.

Here are some basics to buy, rent or borrow for any remodeling project, big or small:

> Sanders- The orbital Sander is a hand-held machine that makes short the work of sanding down rough edges. It is great for putting the finishing touches on a project. For more heavy duty work on wood or metal, a belt Sander is probably your best bet. Using Sanders saves you time as well as energy (it is hard work sanding by hand!). For safety purposes, if you don't have a dust bag attached to the machine, make sure to wear a dust mask.

> Saws- There are various saws to choose from, but the job really dictates what is best. First, you have a reciprocating saw. This one looks like a giant electric turkey carver. It's good for jobs like cutting out windows and doing small detailed cutting. Next is the circular saw. This one is hand-held and is good for making quick short cuts that don't have to be perfect, like shortening a 2x4. It's also good for making weird angled cuts on big boards that would be too awkward to hold up to a table saw. Which brings us to the table saw. This is great for running a big board through and making a straight cut. If the board is really long, you will need another person to help. Finally, there is the Miter saw. This is a great tool for making angled cuts that have to be perfect. For instance, cutting crown molding has to be just right for the pieces to fit together in the corners. The last two saws are a bit more expensive and may fall into the rent or borrow category, unless you plan to do a lot of projects.

> Power Drills- There are a lot of different types of electric drills and the one you use depends on the type of job. For most of the work you will probably be doing, a regular cordless drill should have enough power. You can use it to drill through wood, metal and plastic. You may need different types of bits depending on the material you are drilling. Once you have the hole drilled, you can use a screwdriver attachment to finish the job using the drill. An electric drill is a very versatile tool and should be in anyone's collection of power tools.

Just remember to always operate the power tools as recommended in the manual and when you are finished, clean up. A properly maintained machine will last a long time and you want to take care of your investment. Also, make sure you follow the safety guidelines and use some common sense when operating these machines. One false move and you could end up in the back of an ambulance hoping they can reattach your finger! Seriously though, be safe and work smart. That is the best way to get the most out of your power tools and make your home improvement project a success.