by Al Heavens
Even if you aren’t handy, there are everyday situations that require a hammer, a screwdriver, a tape measure, or a saw.
Jennifer Hunter didn’t have a toolbox when she moved into her first Philadelphia apartment. But she soon found that, even in places with landlords and maintenance staff, one stocked with the basics was necessary.
“Every apartment required more tools ,” said Hunter. “When you have plaster walls, and need to put up shelves, you move into drill territory.
“I need a bigger toolbox now because this one is overflowing,” she said.
Although Hunter is heading into advanced territory, there are basic tools that should be in every house, whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or all thumbs.
“At least have a hammer, screwdriver, and a tape measure,” said Pam Price, spokeswoman for the PBS series Hometime. “Many manufacturers are coming up with toolboxes that fit in kitchen drawers” because the kitchen is an ideal place for tools to be easily accessible.
“It’s better to have the tools at hand where they are needed than having to run to the basement looking for them,” she said.
Building Products magazine editor Jean Dimeo polled her staff, and this what she and they came up with:
- WD-40 oil
- duct tape
- locking pliers
- a flashlight or work light
- gloves
- tape measure
- utility knife
- wire cutters
- sandpaper of assorted grits
- putty knife
- speed square
- straight edge with right angle
- small level
- wire
- string
- screws and nails in various sizes
- wood glue and rags.
Although it doesn’t fit in most toolboxes, a plunger (maybe two) should be standard in every house. Keep it under the kitchen sink or in the bathroom so you can get to the blockage before it starts doing real damage. A 12-ounce hammer is ideal for banging in nails to hang pictures.
Contractor John Burke is a big fan of pry bars, and carries two or three different kinds. He also carries a small crowbar that provides the right amount of leverage for removing stubborn nails from lumber.
The tape measure he uses is 30 feet by 1 inch. Burke said he preferred the newer tape measures that lock automatically and are released by squeezing the bottom.
While he admitted that his toolbox is appropriately stocked for a professional, he said he thinks that people should have basic tools for the basic tasks that come up every day. “The two most important things in a toolbox are ear protectors for using power tools and safety glasses,” Burke said. “I won’t let my kids help me unless they are wearing safety glasses.”
Mike Mangan, who travels the country as a spokesman for Sears Craftsman tools , agrees. Although his toolbox is better stocked than those of the average homeowner or apartment dweller, Mangan said the most important advice he could offer was to spend money for quality, even if you were buying only a few essential tools .
“When you buy a 99-cent screwdriver, you get a 99-cent screwdriver,” Mangan said. He suggests a claw hammer weighing 18 to 20 ounces and a rubber mallet that at least can be used to bang a hubcap back on a wheel without denting it. And, Mangan said, “When you buy that tape measure, get one that can be read on both sides.”
Burke also recommends chalk because it is easier to remove than pencil marks, and a sea sponge, which is useful for smoothing joint compound in minor drywall repairs. The level can be a small as 9 inches, but Mangan said he thinks a 48-inch level is more useful for getting pictures straight when you hang them. Buy a set of screwdrivers with different sizes of Phillips and slotted heads, he said.
Matt Schultz, a preservationist, said he believes that the toolbox should include a corded drill with screwdriver bits because the number of small jobs around any house or apartment will pay back the investment quickly. Because most inexpensive furniture – Ikea’s, for example – needs to be assembled, Schultz suggests putting Allen wrenches of various sizes in the toolbox, too.
The popularity of computers has created a need for precision screwdrivers – both Phillips and slotted-head – to remove tiny screws that hold screen covers. These tools, once used exclusively by hobbyists, watch-repair people, and jewelers, are useful also for tightening screws that hold eyeglass frames together.
Finally, “no matter what you decide to keep in the toolbox, don’t forget a first-aid kit or Band-Aids,” Schultz recommended
William Bronchick
www.legalwiz.com