What You Need In Your Toolbox

By: Eric Slarkowski

What do you need in your toolbox? The answer really depends on what you need to use your tools for - are you a weekend DIY enthusiast, or do you use your tools for your job? However, there are a few basics that everyone should have in their toolbox that will come in handy in many everyday DIY situations.

Toolbox Essentials

- The toolbox. OK, sounds obvious, but it pays to invest in a dedicated toolbox with places for all of your tools. You'll appreciate the organization when you need to put your hands on something fast.

- A home repair guide. If you're not very handy around the house, this book will help guide you through the steps to complete simple home repair projects. Cheaper than just guessing and cheaper than calling in the pros.

- A Hammer - Another easy one that surely has occurred to everyone. There are all sorts of fancy hammer models in the stores, but there is no need to make things complicated. A claw hammer with a head for hammering in those nails and a claw for pulling them out when you discover you have put them in the wrong place should work out just fine.

- Screwdrivers - Screwdrivers are where things start getting a little more tricky for the home repair novice. There are many different kinds of screwdrivers and a well stocked toolbox needs to have a few. A slotted head, Phillips head, and crosspoint head should be adequate to meet most basic needs.

- Pliers - Pliers are for grabbing, pure and simple. But there are lots of different kinds of grabbing to be done, and you'll need different pliers for each of these jobs. For instance, cutting pliers pinch hard enough to cut through whatever you are grabbing. Gripping pliers do exactly when the name implied (look for flat nose, round nose, and needle nose). These kinds of pliers should be plenty for a starter tool kit - leave the crimping electrical pliers to the pros.

- Tape Measure - Comes in handy for lots of different reasons - measuring the size of the hole in your wall, measuring furniture, measuring where you're going to put the picture on the wall - the list goes on and on.

- Putty Knife - Putty knifes help spread all of the gobbly-gook that comes along with home improvement projects. They're easier and more suitable than ruining a kitchen knife.

- Wrenches - Last but not least, stock up on wrenches. The open end wrench is the most common and the most useful - it will fit most bolts if you stock up on these wrenches in a few different sizes. If you want to impress your friends, toss in a crescent wrench as well.

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