Building a Tool Kit

My oldest kid recently graduated from college and moved into his own place with some roommates. I remember this moment from my own life. I was excited (and a little scared) to be finally out on my own in the real world.

But in hindsight, I remember just how woefully unprepared I was to fix anything that would go wrong. In short, I didn’t have a collection of tools that would help me take care of even the most basic of home repairs.

In an effort to help my own offspring be slightly more prepared than I was in this regard, I put together a small tool kit that will help make a wide variety of repairs relatively easy to deal with.

Before we get right into it, quite a few of the links that follow are affiliate links. By using these links, you help keep future issues this reader-supported publication coming at no additional cost to you.

Tool bag. Most people don’t need a full-on job-site tool box. All you really need is something that will store the essential tools in an easily accessible location. Like under the bed or in the back of the closet. And this affordable Craftsman tool bag does just that.

Hammer. I’m partial to the 16-ounce Estwing. It’ll last a lifetime. I’ve had one since 1995. Don’t get the curved claw hammer. Instead, opt for the straight claw hammer (also known as a rip claw hammer). It’s more versatile, especially when used in conjunction with a ...

5-in-1 painter’s tool. This weird-looking tool has a multitude of uses above and beyond painting — prying, cutting, scraping, chiseling, and (when used with the hammer above) surface protection when removing nails. Manufacturers keep adding features, so this can also be called a 9-in-1 or a 14-in-1, but a lot of the additional features aren’t necessary. YouTube carpenter Ethan James has a great tutorial on how to use this tool on his The Honest Carpenter channel.

6-in-1 screwdriver. This handy device includes two Phillips screw heads (No. 1 and No. 2), two slotted screw heads (but never use slot-head screws unless you’re forced to) and two hex drivers (usually 1/4” and 5/16”). Don’t be fooled by the 8-in-1 or 12-in-1 or even greater variants. Those are just complications you don’t really need. The humble 6-in-1 screwdriver will handle most of your immediate screw-based needs.

(Longtime readers will remember my fondness for the 6-in-1 screwdriver from way back in Dispatch No. 3.)

12’ or 16’ tape measure. Unless you’re working as a contractor, you won’t need a full 25’ tape measure. Save money, weight, and frustration with a shorter length tape measure. This FastCap 16’ model has an erasable surface to note down measurements (a built-in pencil sharpener, which isn’t essential but nice to have when you need it). Plus you can read it from both sides, which is more useful than you’d think.

Vise-Grips. 10CR Irwin — the original and still best. Often used as a clamp to hold two things together, but they’re also great at removing rounded or otherwise hard-to-remove bolts and as a temporary support or just holding things that you don’t want your fingers to get next to. Indispensable.

Pliers. A cheap pair of slip-joint pliers is always useful for holding, grabbing, and pulling. Sure, there are better, more expensive variants out there. But this will get you started until you can afford some Knipex groove-joint pliers, the new hotness in pliers that all the toolfluencers are using.

Diagonal cutters. More commonly called wire cutters. And while they do a good job of snipping off 12- and 14-gauge copper wire normally found in home wiring, they also can be used to snip off small nails (also known as brads) in otherwise hard to reach places. But the best use for them these days is cutting through the thick plastic banding on some packages and making short work of zip ties (that’s a little foreshadowing).

Adjustable wrench. Another tool that probably won’t see much use. But it’s nice to have when you need it, especially used in conjunction with a screwdriver or Allen wrench when assembling flat-pack furniture.

Channel-Lock. No. 10. This probably won’t see much use. But at some point, any renter or homeowner will need to remove a large-diameter nut from some plumbing. And when that happens, said individual will be very glad they have this tool. An upgrade to this tool is the Knipex Cobra Water Pump Pliers.

Small hand saw. Sometimes you’ll need to cut through a wall, some pipe, or a thick screw. It won’t happen often, but when it does you’ll be glad you have a saw. What’s nice about this handheld version from Toolan is it takes hacksaw blades, T-shank blades (from jigsaws), and universal shank blades (from reciprocating saws), making it the perfect tool to cut through a wide variety of materials.

Nailset. Useful for knocking down nails, especially on trim. Also useful for marking, drilling holes, and removing door hinges.

Allen wrench set. Named for William G. Allen (who filed a patent for them in 1910), these are also known as hex wrenches. They’ve become quite common. You kind of need two sets — one metric and one SAE (which stands for Society of Automotive Engineers and uses inches). But if you can only afford one set, go with the metric variety. Some hex-head bolts are in inconvenient locations, so get a set with a ball-end so you can turn the bolt from pretty much any angle.

Utility knife. The latest darling is the Milwaukee Fastback (the 48-22-1901). It’s quick to deploy and offers simple and speedy blade changes. I’m also fond of the Fiskars Pro for similar reasons. And If you can find it, upgrade to the Milwaukee 48-22-1501 which includes a fold-out arm to store some extra blades.

Torpedo level. An essential tool for installing shelves or hanging pictures. This little number from Workpro is magnetic.

Milwaukee Inkzall. Superior to the Sharpie. Yeah, I said it.

Zip ties. Buy a pack of 50, but make sure you always have at least 20. The 8-inch length variety will handle most situations. But have a few 10-inch ties on hand for larger jobs.

Rubber bands. These have a multitude of uses. Get Size 64 (and ignore everything else). Put a few in your backpack or briefcase, too. You never know.

Safety glasses. Never hammer, cut, drill, or wrench on anything without a pair of safety glasses over your eyes. I’m fond of the Boutons with the wire side flaps (for that 1950s shop class vibe) or the 3M Virtuas with the foam gasket for a tight fit.

Nitrile coated/dipped gloves. You’ll be glad you’re protecting those digits when you strip a bolt or have to pick up something yucky or greasy.

Mini socket set. When your 6-in-1 screwdriver or Allen key sets just won’t get the job done, this compact collection of common hex drivers and bits will. And when you’re ready to upgrade, look to the Wera Tool-Check Plus.

Bolt cutters. I read somewhere that one of Werner Herzog’s rules of life is to carry bolt cutters everywhere. So I do. And so should you.

Put it all together and you’ve got a solid selection of tools that will help you tackle most simple jobs around the home or apartment.

But please know this is in no way meant to be a definitive tool list. There are a lot of tools that didn’t make the list (speed square, wonder bar, and clamps for instance). But it’s a good place to start for anyone who owns only a handful of tools.

Keep control of your tools. Having the right tools means nothing if you don’t know where they are.

All tools have a place where they live — in the case of this list, it’s the tool bag. When you’re done hanging a picture on the wall, put all the tools back in the tool bag where they belong.

And that means you never lend out your tools, especially if it’s the only one you have. Instead, if someone asks to borrow a tool, offer to bring it to them and help them with whatever project they need it for.

Helping out is always nice.

All right, so that was something a little different for this Dispatch. Let me know what you thought about it. As always, I thank your for gifting me with a little of your time.

I look forward to seeing you again soon. Until then, don’t pass up any opportunity to do something that makes you happy.

Don’t forget to hug someone you love. Until next time.

Please know that some of the links above are affiliate links, the use of which helps me keep writing (at no additional cost to you).