Tools
Feb 19th 2008 | 9:54 am
#31
live free or die
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,967
From: Valhalla
Re: Tools
It was a wicked day, in the afternoon me and my mate hightailed it Koln and watched the free REM concert in a square that has this awesome gothic cathedral as a back drop....ahhh such a great day...until we got smashed, she had to go for a jimmy riddle and couldn't fight back through the crowd...I saw it all right at the front and she missed the whole damn thing!
Last edited by welshviking; Feb 19th 2008 at 9:55 am. Reason: sp
Feb 19th 2008 | 10:04 am
#32
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2
Feb 20th 2008 | 12:51 am
#33
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,162
From: it's still too dark to tell
Re: Tools
I have separate toolboxes for everything... Home electric, auto electric, plumbing, welding/metalwork and a box for my wrenches and socket sets. I don't have very many wood working/carpentry type tools, just the basics and some old stuff I inherited. My recommendation for a basic homeowners kit that could be added to as the need arose would be as follows:
A good cordless drill, BritguyTN's "quality" list was good, I have a Dewalt 14v (I think) that's getting near to ten years old and other than replacing the battery a couple years ago it's been great. Get an extra battery if it doesn't come with one. Along with the drill get a set of accessories that includes various sizes of phillips and straight screwdriver bits, allen head bits, hex bits, an extension, and an adapter so that it will accept 1/4" sockets.
A corded drill for when you run the batteries down on the cordless or when it's handy to have two drills, like when pre-drilling holes for screws.
A circular saw. I have a Makita and have had no trouble with it.
A set of folding sawhorses make all kinds of jobs so much easier.
A big set of screwdrivers for the situations where the cordless won't work. The Craftsman standard line (clear/red and blue handles) seem to have pretty soft tips, I have bent some of the smaller flathead and rounded off some of the Phillips on sticky screws. I have had much better luck with the black handled "professional" line, but they do cost quite a bit more. It's up to you wether you want to make the investment.
A 3/8" drive socket set with both metric and standard sockets. A set of 1/4" drive sockets. A basic set of combination wrenches in metric and one in standard. Needle nose and standard pliers. Two retractable tape measures. One to clip on your belt and the second to leave out in the garage by the lumber and saw for when you left the one that you should have clipped back on your belt on the floor in the basement when you finished measuring. A small adjustable square and a small level. A stud finder. A hammer is handy when you need one, but honestly I rarely use one. I find I use screws much more than nails.
A lot of the hand tools are available in "Homeowner's" or "Automotive" kits from Sears, but you might have to add some things. The stuff I've posted above is stuff that I find I use most often for home maintenence.
A good cordless drill, BritguyTN's "quality" list was good, I have a Dewalt 14v (I think) that's getting near to ten years old and other than replacing the battery a couple years ago it's been great. Get an extra battery if it doesn't come with one. Along with the drill get a set of accessories that includes various sizes of phillips and straight screwdriver bits, allen head bits, hex bits, an extension, and an adapter so that it will accept 1/4" sockets.
A corded drill for when you run the batteries down on the cordless or when it's handy to have two drills, like when pre-drilling holes for screws.
A circular saw. I have a Makita and have had no trouble with it.
A set of folding sawhorses make all kinds of jobs so much easier.
A big set of screwdrivers for the situations where the cordless won't work. The Craftsman standard line (clear/red and blue handles) seem to have pretty soft tips, I have bent some of the smaller flathead and rounded off some of the Phillips on sticky screws. I have had much better luck with the black handled "professional" line, but they do cost quite a bit more. It's up to you wether you want to make the investment.
A 3/8" drive socket set with both metric and standard sockets. A set of 1/4" drive sockets. A basic set of combination wrenches in metric and one in standard. Needle nose and standard pliers. Two retractable tape measures. One to clip on your belt and the second to leave out in the garage by the lumber and saw for when you left the one that you should have clipped back on your belt on the floor in the basement when you finished measuring. A small adjustable square and a small level. A stud finder. A hammer is handy when you need one, but honestly I rarely use one. I find I use screws much more than nails.
A lot of the hand tools are available in "Homeowner's" or "Automotive" kits from Sears, but you might have to add some things. The stuff I've posted above is stuff that I find I use most often for home maintenence.
Last edited by another bloody yank; Feb 20th 2008 at 1:37 am.
Feb 20th 2008 | 1:22 am
#34
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,270
From: Avon Lake, OH
Re: Tools
In the words of James May, a hammer "is the tool of a pikey"
This has all been good stuff. I did take a wander round Home Depot yesterday because I needed some stuff. I did look at some of the tools. It seems, not surprisingly, that all their "job lot" packages which would be great as a foundation are all their Husky brand. I did pick up 2 ultra mini Husky clamps to clamp a chair strut and although they felt like a toy, they did the job. Lowes seem to have some good sets of power tools for reasonable prices so I'll have a look at them next time I'm there.
This has all been good stuff. I did take a wander round Home Depot yesterday because I needed some stuff. I did look at some of the tools. It seems, not surprisingly, that all their "job lot" packages which would be great as a foundation are all their Husky brand. I did pick up 2 ultra mini Husky clamps to clamp a chair strut and although they felt like a toy, they did the job. Lowes seem to have some good sets of power tools for reasonable prices so I'll have a look at them next time I'm there.
Feb 20th 2008 | 1:45 am
#35
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,059
Re: Tools
In the words of James May, a hammer "is the tool of a pikey"
This has all been good stuff. I did take a wander round Home Depot yesterday because I needed some stuff. I did look at some of the tools. It seems, not surprisingly, that all their "job lot" packages which would be great as a foundation are all their Husky brand. I did pick up 2 ultra mini Husky clamps to clamp a chair strut and although they felt like a toy, they did the job. Lowes seem to have some good sets of power tools for reasonable prices so I'll have a look at them next time I'm there.
This has all been good stuff. I did take a wander round Home Depot yesterday because I needed some stuff. I did look at some of the tools. It seems, not surprisingly, that all their "job lot" packages which would be great as a foundation are all their Husky brand. I did pick up 2 ultra mini Husky clamps to clamp a chair strut and although they felt like a toy, they did the job. Lowes seem to have some good sets of power tools for reasonable prices so I'll have a look at them next time I'm there.
IMHO, Lowes has a far better selection of power tools than HD. Lowes house brand of hand tools (Kobalt) seems to be decent value. For bench chisels, the Marples Blue Chip set available various places is a good choice at a reasonable price. They do need some final honing, though.
Feb 20th 2008 | 1:51 am
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,059
Re: Tools
A corded drill for when you run the batteries down on the cordless or when it's handy to have two drills, like when pre-drilling holes for screws.
Two retractable tape measures. One to clip on your belt and the second to leave out in the garage by the lumber and saw for when you left the one that you should have clipped back on your belt on the floor in the basement when you finished measuring.
Two retractable tape measures. One to clip on your belt and the second to leave out in the garage by the lumber and saw for when you left the one that you should have clipped back on your belt on the floor in the basement when you finished measuring.
LOL about the tape measures... done that many times.
Feb 20th 2008 | 4:59 am
#37
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,065
From: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Re: Tools
'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse.
Instructions were studied and we were inspired,
in hopes we could manage "Some Assembly Required." ....
Feb 20th 2008 | 5:42 am
#38
Riding on silver wings
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,543
Re: Tools
Feb 20th 2008 | 5:50 am
#39
The Unmod
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,870
From: Glen Mills, PA
Re: Tools
My dad used to call his hammer, "An American screwdriver".
Feb 20th 2008 | 6:11 am
#42
Greatly Missed. RIP
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,521
From: Middle of the Mountains
Feb 20th 2008 | 6:14 am
#44
Greatly Missed. RIP
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,521
From: Middle of the Mountains
