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Home Tips Article Series
10
Tools You MUST Have In Your Toolbox
Every time I hang a picture or measure a window,
I carefully place my toolbox back in its place: an inconvenient
corner in the back of the closet, next to the ironing board,
underneath the winter coats, and behind a cabinet. Because
I can’t actually see in the closet, the next time I go to take
out my toolbox, I have to squat down and reach blindly past
the ironing board, beneath the coats, and around the cabinet
to lug it out. When am I going to learn that I use my toolbox
on an almost daily basis?
A well-stocked—and easily accessible—toolbox can make anyone’s
life a little, be she a homeowner, renter, or college student.
The ten most basic tools listed below will put you in the right
direction on the path toward complete tool sufficiency.
Toolbox
Not one to overlook the obvious, I would like to point out
that the toolbox itself is an essential element of a well-equipped
toolbox. My first toolbox was actually a plastic tackle box
with a removable tray. It worked like a charm, holding my claw
hammer, Phillips head screwdriver and a random assortment of
nails and screws. Now I’ve graduated to a fancy toolkit made
of molded plastic where all the various tools and accessories
snap into a particular place. If, like me, there are certain
tools you use once a decade, the molded plastic option at least
gives you a clue of whether the missing tool is long and skinny
or short and square.
Home Repair Manual
Although technically not a tool, a good home-repair manual
can open doors—literally! Peruse the selection in your local
bookstore or check out some online reviews of the most popular
ones. All repair manuals will have the same basic information,
so base your decision on the wording that makes the most sense
to you and the pictures that you find the most helpful.
Hammer
Most often used for driving nails and breaking things apart,
the hammer typically consists of a handle and a head. The most
essential hammer to have in your toolbox is the claw hammer,
which is useful in both driving in and removing nails. Other
implements in the “hammer” category include: framing hammer,
upholstery hammer, ball-peen hammer, rubber mallet, wooden
mallet, and sledgehammer.
Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers tighten or loosen screws by applying torque.
The typical hand-held screwdriver has a head that engages the
screw, a shaft, and a handle. Screwdrivers vary in both size
and head shape, and are identified by the screw heads they
are used to tighten or loosen. The most basic screwdrivers
are the slotted and Phillips—every toolbox should have a couple
of each in varying sizes. Additional screwdrivers include:
PoziDriv, Robertson, crosspoint, Torx, and Hex.
Pliers
Pliers are used to increase gripping ability and leverage.
However, within this category, pliers can perform slightly
different functions. Cutting pliers sever or pinch off materials.
Gripping pliers, as described above, are pretty self explanatory
and include flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, and needle
nose pliers. Gripping pliers are the most common variety, and
are a tool no toolbox is complete without. Finally, crimping
pliers are used in electrical work to crimp electrical terminals
and connectors.
Tape Measure
Although tape measures can be made of cloth, ribbon, or metal,
most toolbox tape measures consist of a stiff metallic ribbon,
housed in a plastic case, which is self-retracting but can
also be locked into place. Twenty-five feet is a good, all-purpose
length.
Saw
A saw is used for cutting—the type of material to be cut varies
with the saw. A saw consists of a serrated blade, handle, and
can be powered by hand, steam, water, or electricity. For your
basic toolbox, a relatively small hand saw may be all that
is required for minor projects around the home. In addition
to the hand saw, back saws have a thinner blade that is reinforced
by a steel or brass back. Frame saws stiffen the blade by placing
it in a frame. For example, a hacksaw is a frame saw.
Putty Knife
A putty knife has a flat, flexible blade. Rather than being
used for cutting, a putty knife is useful for—you guessed it!—scraping
and applying putty. Not too much to describe about this simple
tool, but I can tell you that it’s handy in many different
situations, and one of the most inexpensive tools on the list.
Why not get it?
Wrenches
A wrench is used to create additional leverage in turning
nuts, bolts, or other stubborn items. The most basic wrench
is an open-end wrench, which is a solid piece of metal with
a U-shaped opening at one end that grips the sides of a nut
or bolt. More advanced wrenches include: a box-end wrench,
which features an enclosed opening and is typically used with
nuts or bolts that are hexagonal in shape; an adjustable end
wrench or Crescent wrench (so called after the original patent
holder’s brand name, Crescent Tool and Horseshoe Company);
a socket wrench, and the Hex key or Allen wrench.
Awl
An awl is a woodworking tool, very useful for starting holes
before drilling. Quite simply, the scratch awl is a steel spike
with a sharpened tip at one end and a handle on the other.
In actual woodworking, a scratch awl is used for scribing a
line to be followed by a hand saw or chisel. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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