toolbox essentials?

evilmonkee

Hi eveyone,

This is my first post in this forum so I hope i'm in the right place!

I'm about to move out of my apartment and into my first house/home.
As my apartment was managed I never had much use for tools (my contract stipulated any changes to the apartment were not allowed and pretty much anything more than changing a lightbulb was to be done by the management company not the tenant)

Now I have my own home and would like to have some tools for the usual things that come up. Any large items or power tools for specific jobs can be borrowed from my Dad but he lives almost two hours away so I would like to have a small/medium sized kit myself for the odd jobs that come up.

I'm looking for advice or recommendations on what basic tools I should stock my toolkit with?

So far I have written (apologies if some of the names are not the official ones but I hope you know what I mean):

Claw hammer
screwdrivers (flathead + phillips)
assorted screws, nails, nuts, bolts, washers
the plastic things for when you put screws in the wall (name?)
insulating/electrical tape
phase tester
measuring tape
adjustable wrench
pliers
spirit level
torch

Joey the lips

Drill
Sandpaper


and if all else fails remember

Silicone , Masking tape, Duct tape and cable ties will provide a temp fix to everything.

harry21

I know some of these are not really for you 'toolkit' but the following are handy to just name the first couple into my head:

paint brush
shovel
glue
hand saw

I was in your position about 4 years ago. Best thing to do is just buy them as you need them.

zinzan

evilmonkee wrote: »

Hi eveyone,

the plastic things for when you put screws in the wall (name?)

Wallplugs (or Rawlplugs (tm))

If you are going into plasterboard only you are better off with either the metal screw in plugs or the metal ones that expand behind the plasterboard.

Buford T Justice

Build as you go OP. When you're doing you're first job, get what you need, and borrow the expensive bits. It won't take too long before you've built up what you need.


Oh, and a Stanley knife and a scraper.

gregers85

A builders business card at the ready

Just kidding!!!

antiskeptic

evilmonkee wrote: »

Claw hammer
screwdrivers (flathead + phillips)
assorted screws, nails, nuts, bolts, washers
the plastic things for when you put screws in the wall (name?)
insulating/electrical tape
phase tester
measuring tape
adjustable wrench
pliers
spirit level
torch

- tube of Tec7 and a cartridge gun. Sticks everything to everything just about

- a tube of Loctite (for everything else)

- pipe grips. It's like a very strong hand - with far bigger span than a adjustable wrench

- some 13A fuses

- radiator key

- panel pins (nails yes, but great for hanging lightweight pictures and clocks without making mess of your platerwork)

- set of allen keys: hard to work around them if you haven't got them

- stanley knife (by Stanley)

evilmonkee

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate all the advice and some of the recommendations are things which I feel would be a great addition to my toolbox.

I do intend to build my larger toolset as necessary but I am not usually home from work before the shops close so having a few basics on hand would put my mind at rest.

Drake66

Vise-Grips

Feardorca

evilmonkee wrote: »

Hi eveyone,

This is my first post in this forum so I hope i'm in the right place!

I'm about to move out of my apartment and into my first house/home.
As my apartment was managed I never had much use for tools (my contract stipulated any changes to the apartment were not allowed and pretty much anything more than changing a lightbulb was to be done by the management company not the tenant)

Now I have my own home and would like to have some tools for the usual things that come up. Any large items or power tools for specific jobs can be borrowed from my Dad but he lives almost two hours away so I would like to have a small/medium sized kit myself for the odd jobs that come up.

I'm looking for advice or recommendations on what basic tools I should stock my toolkit with?

So far I have written (apologies if some of the names are not the official ones but I hope you know what I mean):

Claw hammer
screwdrivers (flathead + phillips)
assorted screws, nails, nuts, bolts, washers
the plastic things for when you put screws in the wall (name?)
insulating/electrical tape
phase tester
measuring tape
adjustable wrench
pliers
spirit level
torch

Won't fit in the Tool Box but you need a Work Mate ? it's a folding stow- away work bench with clamping ability. Very very useful. Good Luck

Feardorca

Feardorca wrote: »

Won't fit in the Tool Box but you need a Work Mate ? it's a folding stow- away work bench with clamping ability. Very very useful. Good Luck

Rawlplugs, the plastic inserts, also very useful a miners type lamp that goes on your forehead, great for attic stuff.

ronan45

Love my wire strippers

Adjustable wrench too,

jack of all

I would recommend a 1/4" socket set- Halfords have a very useful set that regularly sells on special at around €20. I bought one of these as an emergency toolkit for the car last year and have found it to be indispensable around the house as it comes with some hex, torx, philips and pozi drive bits and a driver in addition to the actual sockets. In addition I would suggest a junior hacksaw, a file (3 square profile), a vise grips, a mains drill with hammer action, a small set of drill bits, one good 3/4" wood chisel, hardpoint handsaw, PVA wood glue and combination pliers. Avoid those boxed "household" toolkits- in my honest opinion they are very poor quality and frustrating to use as a result. Buy what you need as you go along and aim for middle budget tools, look after them and you'll have them for years.

mick121

a small but decent hammer action drill.this should also have a switch for non hammer to drill wood.if it has a slow start trigger the drill can be used as a screwdriver as well.in this case get selection of screwdriver tips and a MAGNETIC holder.happy days.

Sparkpea

tech7

Buford T Justice

ronan45 wrote: »

Love my wire strippers

You mean a snips?

mfceiling

Wd 40 - when it won't move and you want it to move

Duct tape - when it moves and you don't want it to move

paddy147

Electrical insulation tape,so many uses for the stuff.

littlemis

A power screwdriver,you'd be suprised how handy this and a jig saw can be,a tape measure,spirit level and a pencil.and they don't they dont have to be expensive ones either.:)

john t

cordless drill, step laddder, screw driver, u can do lots ..

North West

Hi Take a look in the Argos catalogue. Good tool sets of all description. Good for getting started. No need running here and there for bits,Great selection and sturdy.Reasonably priced as well.
NW

Paul.C

miniature screw driver set, quick repair kit for burst water pipes, A key for your gas mains(this is very important), long nose pliers or a leatherman. Insulated screwdriver set(if you ever have to deal with live stuff).

Basically you will build to it over time. The main thing you need to do is ensure you know how to turn things off in an emergency. Like the mains water feed(under kitchen sink and outside in garden), radiator water feed, gas feed, attic tank feed etc. If you have keychain labels then label your pipes in the hot press for fast identity. If your electricity board is not marked then label each breaker. Usually the lights are top rail on1.5 twin&earth and sockets are second rail 2.5 twin and earth. Know how to turn off gas.

If you do this then your emergencies are covered. For everything else, you can buy as you need it.

oh and a crowbar is handy too.

chuck eastwood

Tea bag's, small bottle of red sauce and a decent stanley knife. I spent thousands on tool's but i'm more in the engineering side of things then when i moved into my house and started doing it up i found i need a whole new tool box. aldi etc had some great cheap bit's and piece's for general house work. But i do have an expensive et of sparks screwdrivers a decent multi meter and wire snip's/wirestripper. A must for any serious DIYer

prospect

C'Mon people, this is 2011, the first items you should have in your kit are:

A hard hat,
Safety Goggles,
A Hi-Vis jacket,
Gloves,
A Dust mask,
Steel toe capped boots,
A risk assessment,
A method statement
and
A Safety Statement.

Magic Beans

A couple of ring spanners 8,10,11,13 will do for a start. Adjustable spanners don't always fit in restricted space.

A half-decent multi-meter is very useful.

A first-aid kit. Seriously...

brightspark

prospect wrote: »

C'Mon people, this is 2011, the first items you should have in your kit are:

A hard hat,
Safety Goggles,
A Hi-Vis jacket,
Gloves,
A Dust mask,
Steel toe capped boots,
A risk assessment,
A method statement
and
A Safety Statement.

Ok I know you were joking but the goggles, dust mask, gloves and at least decent shoes (i.e. not sandles) should be considered essential.

Considering how many accidents happen with lawnmowers etc. I'm surprised that I haven't heard of serious injuries caused by inexperienced people using the equipment now cheaply available from Aldi & Lidl.

jugger

and a [EMAIL="f#@k"]f#@k[/EMAIL] it tool this is a tool you throw across the room and shout [EMAIL="f#@k"]f#@k[/EMAIL] it when ever something does badly wrong....a first aid kit is usually needed shortly afterwards

evilmonkee

I think my toolbox is going to be much larger than anticipated!!!

Sparkpea

evilmonkee wrote: »

I think my toolbox is going to be much larger than anticipated!!!

A mobile phone to call a professional when it all goes pete tong

antiskeptic

Magic Beans wrote: »

A couple of ring spanners 8,10,11,13 will do for a start. Adjustable spanners don't always fit in restricted space.

A half-decent multi-meter is very useful.

A first-aid kit. Seriously...

An 11 spanner? In all my years I can honestly say I've not used one. Not even once.

fergal.b

A pencil you can never find one when you need one.:D