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The Tools You Really Need to Maintain Your Home

55 points by robg 16y ago

Vivtek 16y ago
Aww, how cute, recommendations for people with new houses. I note they don't include the tuck-pointing trowel or a plaster skim, but you people in houses built last century probably don't need those. (Mine was built century before last, and I can't live without my trowels and many, many bags of mortar and plaster.) Also: no paintbrushes?
skorgu 16y ago
A cordless drill won't last you a 'lifetime' it'll last until the battery pack dies and you discover they no longer make compatible ones. Buy a good corded drill and extension cords and it really will last a lifetime.
- tcdent 16y ago
  I don't know how often you drive/remove screws with a drill, but a cordless model is far superior. All of the corded drills I've used put out far too much power and have limited throttle control. A DeWalt drill, like the article recommends, and like the one I have in my toolbox, will give you adjustments for torque (so you don't over-tighten screws or drive them too deep) and power output (so you don't strip the heads). They also stop spinning as soon as you remove your finger from the trigger, unlike a corded drill which can continue driving the screw in with the built-up inertia. The torque setting really is what makes it so versatile; I regularly use mine to assemble furniture and work on the car, both applications where a corded drill would either damage the part I'm working on, or wreck my wrist when the fastener tightens.
  - jtbigwoo 16y ago
    If you're serious about home improvement and can afford it, I'd suggest getting both a nicer cordless and a medium-priced corded drill. The cordless drill will get used ten times as often as the corded drill because it's so much easier to use and easier to control. The corded drill will do a better job on the heavy duty jobs like drilling through floor joists, plus the corded drill will be lighter, smaller, and more powerful. One other note: we just replaced our Makita 12 volt drill with a Dewalt 18 volt drill. The added power and battery life are nice, but my wrists definitely feel the weight difference after a day of work. If you're shopping around, consider the weight of the cordless drill and what it would feel like to lift that weight a hundred times over the course of a project.
    - Vivtek 16y ago
      A corded drill is also useful when you go to make an Afghan lathe.
    - tesseract 16y ago
      And if you need a hammer drill but only occasionally, make it the corded one and get a non-hammering cordless drill, as the latter will be quite a bit lighter which is an advantage for everyday use, the hammer drill will be more powerful, and you will probably come out ahead on cost to boot.
    - mturmon 16y ago
      This is good advice. A not-too-heavy, high-quality cordless drill is excellent for driving screws, turning bolts, etc., as well as drilling small holes. If you ever have to get into tight spaces or work in attics, crawl spaces, or outdoors far from an outlet, it's great. And often, especially in tight quarters, you don't even want all the torque a good-quality plug-in drill develops -- it can smash your hand if it catches on something. And having a plug-in, high-power drill (preferably with a hammer feature if you might be going thru block, stucco, or concrete) is an excellent complement.
- MicahWedemeyer 16y ago
  Cordless drills are one of the few purchases in life that bring real happiness. They're not perfect, but drilling a small hole or driving a screw in seconds as opposed to fiddling with extension cords is bliss.
  - spydez 16y ago
    They also work well as a freshly-ground pepper gun as opposed to fiddling with manually grinding your pepper. :)
  - cullenking 16y ago
    I am still to this day happy with my $300 18v cordless dewalt with an easy self locking chuck. I thought I'd have buyers remorse with that price tag, but I tell you, when you end up needing to frame a basement, put up sheetrock or basically do anything past a simple job, it's money well spent.
- camiller 16y ago
  When I wore out a battery and found out how expensive replacements were I just bought individual cells and rebuilt the battery pack myself. I don't know if it is still the case but my 14.4v DeWalt packs are screwed together rather than glued so I can easily disassemble and rebuild.
  - cullenking 16y ago
    I lucked out and have a handy dad (he is an elevator mechanic). Those replacements dewalt battery packs are spendy, more than half the cost of some of their drills. As a result he just buys a new drill when they start to wear out. My first dewalt had like 6 25% battery packs that came with it :)
- dangravell 16y ago
  Personally I suggest a corded hammer drill and a cordless drill without hammer action. This makes the cordless much lighter and it become aa joy working with plasterboard or wood.
- lsc 16y ago
  I agree... and I keep a corded drill around. But, I also own a cheap cordless drill. Because I know that the thing will only last 5 years because of the battery pack issue, I buy a cheap cordless drill... I got mine at the local "Lowe's" for around forty bucks. I mean, I wouldn't use it for heavy work, but like I said, I have a reasonable corded drill and an extension cord for that. The cordless, though, is great for 90% of the jobs.
ars 16y ago
If your hammer is delivering shock to your elbow you are using it wrong. And I don't believe that wood vs. metal makes any difference anyway. Also, one drawback to jigsaws is that they don't cut straight lines. This is a benefit if you want a curve, but if you are trying to make a 2 foot cut in wood it will wander all over with a jigsaw. You can get a fence to help, but I think the goal is reducing tools not adding more. I personally would have both.
- geuis 16y ago
  Jigsaws are perfectly capable of doing straight lines. I remember helping my dad and uncle build a picnic table back in the 80s with little more than a heavy duty jigsaw, a sturdy work bench, and lots of 2x4s. Its a matter of making sure that whatever you're cutting is secured.
  - camiller 16y ago
    yes and no. The jigsaw I have has a little support wheel with a groove in it down near the work surface that helps support the blade. Also a certain amount of proficiency helps. The first time I used a jigsaw I found that it was real easy to unintentionally cause a bit of twisting in the blade. Using an edge guide helps a lot as well.
- bhickey 16y ago
  You're spot on with your hammer comments. In my experience, people who have trouble with hammers are swinging from the elbow or wrist, rather than the shoulder. For optimal hammering, hold the handle as far down as you can, and put your index finger along the spine. It's satisfying to drive 12d nails! I highly recommend Estwing hammers. (http://www.estwing.com/product.php?product_id=400 http://www.estwing.com/product.php?product_id=400) The 16" 22oz. drives like a 2x4 was built of butter!
Zak 16y ago
if you have teenagers, add a combination lock. If your children don't know how to respect your stuff and use hand tools properly by the time they're teenagers, you have failed as a parent. I have to disagree with the recommendation for the DeWalt drill as well. Black and Decker makes a comparable drill that's half the price. The DeWalt is better - perhaps twice as good, but you don't need it if you're reading this article.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- Zak 16y ago
  I emailed a similar comment about teenagers to the author. This was his reply (greeting and signature omitted)[0]: If you've been able to raise teenagers who never forget to put things back where they found them, you have achieved a level of parenting that I absolutely have failed to reach. Congratulations on that! [0] I know it's generally bad netiquette to post personal emails in a public forum, but I think it's appropriate given the nature of the conversation.
- cullenking 16y ago
  Sorry, but I was raised in a very tool-friendly house where this was instilled in me. However, when I was a teenager I still managed to lose tools in the trunk of my car or wherever for a few months. Long enough to need replacing. I don't think this is in any way an indication that my dad failed as a parent. I think it's just an indication that sometimes life can get busy and cleaning up after yourself everytime doesn't always happen.
  - Zak 16y ago
    I've done that with my own tools, as an adult. I have not observed that being a specific age makes this sort of thing more likely. To avoid losing your tools, make anyone who uses them agree to put them away immediately after use (yourself included).
kraftwerk 16y ago
That list comes up a little short IMO. These are the tools I've had to buy since owning a house: table saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, circular saw, cordless 18v drill/driver, cordless 18v impact driver, corded hammer drill, compound miter saw, dremel, air compressor, nail guns, wet/dry vac, clamps, levels, squares, plumb bob, pry bars, hammers, drill/driver bits, screwdrivers, chisels, torque wrench, pipe cutter, drywall saw, drywall sander, tape measures, stud finder, hack saw, coping saw, post hole digger, pliers (many kinds), wrenches (many kinds), drywall pan and drywall knives, putty knife, voltage tester, GFCI tester, caulking gun, respirator, work lights, tin snips, 12v battery charger, 20 ton bottle jacks.
- pmcginn 16y ago
  We had an excellent discussion on another (private, sorry) forum with regards to a member who wanted to put together a toolbox for his daughter before she went to college. The general consensus tended to sway towards the smaller, less glamorous items, and your list would have fit right in. Yes, everyone should have a drill, but it's hard to hang shelves with that drill when you don't have a studfinder or a level. Anyone who's working with a saw is going to need those clamps you mentioned, and probably a ruler or tape measure. As a geek, my personal toolbox favorite is a headlamp. (And in my age bracket, having a really comfortable allen wrench set is great for moving IKEA furniture.)
- duck 16y ago
  I agree, but sadly most people just pay someone else to do even little jobs around their house (or just don't do them at all).
- nhebb 16y ago
  That looks a lot like my list. In additional to the clamps you list, a set of saw horses make one-man jobs possible that would be very difficult otherwise. Ladders are essential as well. The longer you own a home, the longer the list grows. Lastly, I gotta say, I love my Sawzall.
holychiz 16y ago
for most people, a Black and Decker cordless screwdriver is enough, really. For big-job drills, instead of deWalt, get Makita impact driver 18v Lithium, compact, light, better grip, and a ton of power. Hammer: article is spot on. Most under-rated tool. Get used all the time and yet most people buy the cheapest type.
- Vivtek 16y ago
  I buy the cheapest type because I lose them constantly. I subscribe to the "saturation" model of losing things - keep buying the item until it saturates your environment and you starting finding hammers as fast as you lose them. (In my defense, I have a big house and it's still mostly uninhabited - I just found a hammer in the master bathroom that I'd left there three months ago. I hadn't been there for three months; there's no working plumbing yet.)
pbhjpbhj 16y ago
I need a plane. I've a door that sticks, the hinges haven't moved, it seems the door has swelled or warped somehow. I can't trim it with the jigsaw, it's too fine a cut. Hammer and chisel is too rough, I'm not a carpenter by a long stretch. I could sand it for a couple of hours but again it wouldn't be straight and even. Any suggestions that avoid me buying a plane for this one job?
- cullenking 16y ago
  Electric sander, or a good sanding block. But really, $25 for a decent planer is worth not having a sticking door!
bbuffone 16y ago
I think list varies with the phase of home ownership - Buying a new house - his list is probably good - Renting an apartment - his list is probably good - Buying a pre-owned house - I needed way more tools - ladder, tool belt is essential, box saw, hand saw, wire cutters, safety glasses, circular saw, mini vans (fold down seats) are as "good" as truck for carrying stuff, hand sander, saw horses, outlet tester As time has gone on we have needed less and less tools, but having them around makes everything easier.
WalterBright 16y ago
I can fix anything with a hammer.
- pjscott 16y ago
  I accidentally melted a diode by hooking it up directly to an electrical outlet. Can you fix it with a hammer? Bear in mind that it has melted. Fixing a broken heart with a hammer would probably be easier.
Avshalom 16y ago
I'd add a pair of channel locks to cover %50-%70 of your DIY plumbing needs.
davidj 16y ago
you could probably buy all this stuff for under $100 a harbor freight. Lame article
- davidj 16y ago
  actually I just added it up, $60

55 points by robg 16y ago

Aww, how cute, recommendations for people with new houses. I note they don't include the tuck-pointing trowel or a plaster skim, but you people in houses built last century probably don't need those. (Mine was built century before last, and I can't live without my trowels and many, many bags of mortar and plaster.) Also: no paintbrushes?

skorgu 16y ago

A cordless drill won't last you a 'lifetime' it'll last until the battery pack dies and you discover they no longer make compatible ones. Buy a good corded drill and extension cords and it really will last a lifetime.

tcdent 16y ago
I don't know how often you drive/remove screws with a drill, but a cordless model is far superior. All of the corded drills I've used put out far too much power and have limited throttle control. A DeWalt drill, like the article recommends, and like the one I have in my toolbox, will give you adjustments for torque (so you don't over-tighten screws or drive them too deep) and power output (so you don't strip the heads). They also stop spinning as soon as you remove your finger from the trigger, unlike a corded drill which can continue driving the screw in with the built-up inertia. The torque setting really is what makes it so versatile; I regularly use mine to assemble furniture and work on the car, both applications where a corded drill would either damage the part I'm working on, or wreck my wrist when the fastener tightens.
- jtbigwoo 16y ago
  If you're serious about home improvement and can afford it, I'd suggest getting both a nicer cordless and a medium-priced corded drill. The cordless drill will get used ten times as often as the corded drill because it's so much easier to use and easier to control. The corded drill will do a better job on the heavy duty jobs like drilling through floor joists, plus the corded drill will be lighter, smaller, and more powerful. One other note: we just replaced our Makita 12 volt drill with a Dewalt 18 volt drill. The added power and battery life are nice, but my wrists definitely feel the weight difference after a day of work. If you're shopping around, consider the weight of the cordless drill and what it would feel like to lift that weight a hundred times over the course of a project.
  - Vivtek 16y ago
    A corded drill is also useful when you go to make an Afghan lathe.
  - tesseract 16y ago
    And if you need a hammer drill but only occasionally, make it the corded one and get a non-hammering cordless drill, as the latter will be quite a bit lighter which is an advantage for everyday use, the hammer drill will be more powerful, and you will probably come out ahead on cost to boot.
  - mturmon 16y ago
    This is good advice. A not-too-heavy, high-quality cordless drill is excellent for driving screws, turning bolts, etc., as well as drilling small holes. If you ever have to get into tight spaces or work in attics, crawl spaces, or outdoors far from an outlet, it's great. And often, especially in tight quarters, you don't even want all the torque a good-quality plug-in drill develops -- it can smash your hand if it catches on something. And having a plug-in, high-power drill (preferably with a hammer feature if you might be going thru block, stucco, or concrete) is an excellent complement.
MicahWedemeyer 16y ago
Cordless drills are one of the few purchases in life that bring real happiness. They're not perfect, but drilling a small hole or driving a screw in seconds as opposed to fiddling with extension cords is bliss.
- spydez 16y ago
  They also work well as a freshly-ground pepper gun as opposed to fiddling with manually grinding your pepper. :)
- cullenking 16y ago
  I am still to this day happy with my $300 18v cordless dewalt with an easy self locking chuck. I thought I'd have buyers remorse with that price tag, but I tell you, when you end up needing to frame a basement, put up sheetrock or basically do anything past a simple job, it's money well spent.
camiller 16y ago
When I wore out a battery and found out how expensive replacements were I just bought individual cells and rebuilt the battery pack myself. I don't know if it is still the case but my 14.4v DeWalt packs are screwed together rather than glued so I can easily disassemble and rebuild.
- cullenking 16y ago
  I lucked out and have a handy dad (he is an elevator mechanic). Those replacements dewalt battery packs are spendy, more than half the cost of some of their drills. As a result he just buys a new drill when they start to wear out. My first dewalt had like 6 25% battery packs that came with it :)
dangravell 16y ago
Personally I suggest a corded hammer drill and a cordless drill without hammer action. This makes the cordless much lighter and it become aa joy working with plasterboard or wood.
lsc 16y ago
I agree... and I keep a corded drill around. But, I also own a cheap cordless drill. Because I know that the thing will only last 5 years because of the battery pack issue, I buy a cheap cordless drill... I got mine at the local "Lowe's" for around forty bucks. I mean, I wouldn't use it for heavy work, but like I said, I have a reasonable corded drill and an extension cord for that. The cordless, though, is great for 90% of the jobs.

ars 16y ago

If your hammer is delivering shock to your elbow you are using it wrong. And I don't believe that wood vs. metal makes any difference anyway. Also, one drawback to jigsaws is that they don't cut straight lines. This is a benefit if you want a curve, but if you are trying to make a 2 foot cut in wood it will wander all over with a jigsaw. You can get a fence to help, but I think the goal is reducing tools not adding more. I personally would have both.

geuis 16y ago
Jigsaws are perfectly capable of doing straight lines. I remember helping my dad and uncle build a picnic table back in the 80s with little more than a heavy duty jigsaw, a sturdy work bench, and lots of 2x4s. Its a matter of making sure that whatever you're cutting is secured.
- camiller 16y ago
  yes and no. The jigsaw I have has a little support wheel with a groove in it down near the work surface that helps support the blade. Also a certain amount of proficiency helps. The first time I used a jigsaw I found that it was real easy to unintentionally cause a bit of twisting in the blade. Using an edge guide helps a lot as well.
bhickey 16y ago
You're spot on with your hammer comments. In my experience, people who have trouble with hammers are swinging from the elbow or wrist, rather than the shoulder. For optimal hammering, hold the handle as far down as you can, and put your index finger along the spine. It's satisfying to drive 12d nails! I highly recommend Estwing hammers. (http://www.estwing.com/product.php?product_id=400 http://www.estwing.com/product.php?product_id=400) The 16" 22oz. drives like a 2x4 was built of butter!

Zak 16y ago

if you have teenagers, add a combination lock. If your children don't know how to respect your stuff and use hand tools properly by the time they're teenagers, you have failed as a parent. I have to disagree with the recommendation for the DeWalt drill as well. Black and Decker makes a comparable drill that's half the price. The DeWalt is better - perhaps twice as good, but you don't need it if you're reading this article.

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
Zak 16y ago
I emailed a similar comment about teenagers to the author. This was his reply (greeting and signature omitted)[0]: If you've been able to raise teenagers who never forget to put things back where they found them, you have achieved a level of parenting that I absolutely have failed to reach. Congratulations on that! [0] I know it's generally bad netiquette to post personal emails in a public forum, but I think it's appropriate given the nature of the conversation.
cullenking 16y ago
Sorry, but I was raised in a very tool-friendly house where this was instilled in me. However, when I was a teenager I still managed to lose tools in the trunk of my car or wherever for a few months. Long enough to need replacing. I don't think this is in any way an indication that my dad failed as a parent. I think it's just an indication that sometimes life can get busy and cleaning up after yourself everytime doesn't always happen.
- Zak 16y ago
  I've done that with my own tools, as an adult. I have not observed that being a specific age makes this sort of thing more likely. To avoid losing your tools, make anyone who uses them agree to put them away immediately after use (yourself included).

kraftwerk 16y ago

That list comes up a little short IMO. These are the tools I've had to buy since owning a house: table saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw, circular saw, cordless 18v drill/driver, cordless 18v impact driver, corded hammer drill, compound miter saw, dremel, air compressor, nail guns, wet/dry vac, clamps, levels, squares, plumb bob, pry bars, hammers, drill/driver bits, screwdrivers, chisels, torque wrench, pipe cutter, drywall saw, drywall sander, tape measures, stud finder, hack saw, coping saw, post hole digger, pliers (many kinds), wrenches (many kinds), drywall pan and drywall knives, putty knife, voltage tester, GFCI tester, caulking gun, respirator, work lights, tin snips, 12v battery charger, 20 ton bottle jacks.

pmcginn 16y ago
We had an excellent discussion on another (private, sorry) forum with regards to a member who wanted to put together a toolbox for his daughter before she went to college. The general consensus tended to sway towards the smaller, less glamorous items, and your list would have fit right in. Yes, everyone should have a drill, but it's hard to hang shelves with that drill when you don't have a studfinder or a level. Anyone who's working with a saw is going to need those clamps you mentioned, and probably a ruler or tape measure. As a geek, my personal toolbox favorite is a headlamp. (And in my age bracket, having a really comfortable allen wrench set is great for moving IKEA furniture.)
duck 16y ago
I agree, but sadly most people just pay someone else to do even little jobs around their house (or just don't do them at all).
nhebb 16y ago
That looks a lot like my list. In additional to the clamps you list, a set of saw horses make one-man jobs possible that would be very difficult otherwise. Ladders are essential as well. The longer you own a home, the longer the list grows. Lastly, I gotta say, I love my Sawzall.

holychiz 16y ago

for most people, a Black and Decker cordless screwdriver is enough, really. For big-job drills, instead of deWalt, get Makita impact driver 18v Lithium, compact, light, better grip, and a ton of power. Hammer: article is spot on. Most under-rated tool. Get used all the time and yet most people buy the cheapest type.

Vivtek 16y ago
I buy the cheapest type because I lose them constantly. I subscribe to the "saturation" model of losing things - keep buying the item until it saturates your environment and you starting finding hammers as fast as you lose them. (In my defense, I have a big house and it's still mostly uninhabited - I just found a hammer in the master bathroom that I'd left there three months ago. I hadn't been there for three months; there's no working plumbing yet.)

pbhjpbhj 16y ago

I need a plane. I've a door that sticks, the hinges haven't moved, it seems the door has swelled or warped somehow. I can't trim it with the jigsaw, it's too fine a cut. Hammer and chisel is too rough, I'm not a carpenter by a long stretch. I could sand it for a couple of hours but again it wouldn't be straight and even. Any suggestions that avoid me buying a plane for this one job?

cullenking 16y ago
Electric sander, or a good sanding block. But really, $25 for a decent planer is worth not having a sticking door!

bbuffone 16y ago

I think list varies with the phase of home ownership - Buying a new house - his list is probably good - Renting an apartment - his list is probably good - Buying a pre-owned house - I needed way more tools - ladder, tool belt is essential, box saw, hand saw, wire cutters, safety glasses, circular saw, mini vans (fold down seats) are as "good" as truck for carrying stuff, hand sander, saw horses, outlet tester As time has gone on we have needed less and less tools, but having them around makes everything easier.

WalterBright 16y ago

I can fix anything with a hammer.

pjscott 16y ago
I accidentally melted a diode by hooking it up directly to an electrical outlet. Can you fix it with a hammer? Bear in mind that it has melted. Fixing a broken heart with a hammer would probably be easier.

Avshalom 16y ago

I'd add a pair of channel locks to cover %50-%70 of your DIY plumbing needs.

davidj 16y ago

you could probably buy all this stuff for under $100 a harbor freight. Lame article

davidj 16y ago
actually I just added it up, $60