Tools for the DIYer

BASIC TOOLS for the home:

• TAPE MEASURE: one that is 3/4-inch wide and 16 feet long is best for most around-the-house jobs.


• STUD FINDER: locates studs behind finished walls, for anchoring purposes (such as hanging a mirror).


• PLIERS: Get several types, including slip-joint pliers for gripping large items and pipes, lineman pliers for snipping wires as well as gripping, and needle-nose pliers for bending wires and gripping in tight spaces.


• SCREWDRIVER: various sizes and heads or a single screwdriver with a variety of interchangeable heads.


• C-CLAMP:  Two or three clamps of various sizes are recommended.


• HANDSAW: There are two basic types - a crosscut saw, which cuts across the grain, and a ripsaw, which cuts with the grain. If you have to go with one, get the crosscut; 22-inch, 10- to 12-tooth size.


• HAMMER: with a claw, a 16-inch handle and weighing about a pound.


• LEVEL: a 9-inch tapered one; or two, a 6-inch and an 18-inch.


• ADJUSTABLE WRENCH: A medium size will do for the vast majority of jobs.


• UTILITY KNIFE: The blade should retract into the handle.

IN ADDITION to the tools listed, these tools and supplies also come in handy:

• Allen wrenches of various sizes.


• Bevel gauge for making accurate angle cuts in wood.


• Wood Chisel for chipping out cuts in wood.


• Circular saw.


• Cordless drill.


• Electrical extension cords.


• Glues and tapes.


• Plumb bob.


• Plunger.


• Pry bar.


• Rubber mallet.


• Sander (manual or electric).


• Screws and nails of various sizes.


• Staple gun.


• Stilson wrench for turning pipes (aka pipe wrench).


• Carpenters square.

MOVE UP from the basic level of do-it-yourselfing with:

• Heavy-duty corded electric drill for work that is too big for a cordless drill.


• Jigsaw.


• Portable table saw.


• Nut driver for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts (works like a screwdriver).


• Reciprocating saw (i.e. Sawzall) for rough cutting.


• Router.


• Set of open-end wrenches.


• Set of socket wrenches.


• Spiral saw (i.e. RotoZip).