First, personally I prefer corded over cordless. I don't use my tools that often so corded means I'm not having to try to keep the batteries charged (without killing the batteries). Some of my tools I've had for over 20 years and they still work as well as they did when I bought them.
To make my bartop prototype I used:
- circular saw for simple straight cuts
- hand drill for pilot holes & button holes
- jigsaw to cut out the hole for the joystick body
- router to cut the recess for the joystick mounting plate
- mitre chop saw to cut the angle for the control panel (easier than trying to set up a fence for the circular saw)
I'd love to have a drill press as it it would make it much easier to drill the pilot holes straight. (For the pilot holes for the buttons I used a bushing jig, but for screw pilot holes I'm going by eye & feel.)
Then there's all of the other stuff like a work bench, clamps, eye & hearing protection, square, etc - and a work space where you don't have to try to clean up the sawdust!