I am an auto guy, so I have a plethora of pneumatic tools and a couple of full mechanic roller tool boxes in my garage, since I have always preferred to turn my own wrenches when possible. However, outside of a drill, a couple of paddle bits, electric sander, sawzall, and circular saw, I have zilch for woodworking tools. I have decided to take on a couple of arcade projects for our theater room/game room and need to make some control panels and do minor cabinet repairs i.e. wood hardener, bondo, etc for some cracks, hole repair, and minor water damage,. I think the cabinet repair is pretty self-explanatory, but I could really use some suggestions for the tools I should purchase for making quality control panels and t-molding cuts.
I prefer to buy quality stuff like Milwaukee, Hitachi, DeWalt, etc but I also don't want to buy something that is overkill and not needed. I am not a brand snob, but I have found those brands to be very reliable with my other tools. My dad has a table saw and a chop saw that I can use, but I need to know what else makes the job easier. I assume a good jigsaw, router, and drill press are in order. I suppose the drill press is optional but it would make it more precise, and I have found times I needed one for other work, so I will add that to the list. Are there any specific brands/models of these items people recommend? What is your go to tools for these types of projects? Help me spend some money