10 Essential Tools for Men
March 29, 2010, By Greg Hoard 10 comments
First of all, let’s assume you are not a master craftsman – just a guy who needs to get things done around the house. Given that, here’s a basic list of tools and such that prove indispensable.
After all, the right tool, sometimes the simplest, can make a lot of things easier in life and save you whole lot of money. Here are some things everyone should have at hand and preferably together in a toolbox. A good tool you can’t find is no tool at all.
- A Good Hammer: Try a 16-ounce claw hammer with a fiberglass handle. Fiberglass is lighter and usually well balanced. It’s two tools in one. You can pound nails, pull nails or just beat on something if you are having a bad day.
- A Set of Screwdrivers: You need a straight slot, one-point and two-point and a Phillip’s head one-point and two-point. That should cover you. There are screwdrivers with interchangeable heads that will meet almost all purposes, but for heavy jobs you might want to go with single purpose tools.
- A Cordless Drill: They have come a long way since they first came on the market. Spend the money and get a 14-volt drill, at least. (Ryobi, DeWalt and Makita make very good ones, though DeWalt is regarded as the leader in the field.) This will give you enough power to work through wood and some concrete and can run screws. If you like big and think you need more power, chose the 24-volt drill. They run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
- A Swell Vise-Grip: A multi-purpose tool: pliers, wire cutter, adjustable wrench. You can lock it down on a nut for optimum torque. Try the Vise-Grip brand. There are a lot of imitators out there that are junk. Good bet, model 10WR.
- Tape measure: You can go with a 16-footer or a 25-footer. Get the automatic recoil and make sure it is an epoxy-coated blade at least three-quarters inches wide so if you are measuring something above your head the blade doesn’t collapse and fall all over you. A Stanley or a Lufkin is a good bet.
- Retractable Utility Knife: It’s not a big tool but it has many uses, like removing and cutting up carpeting. Stanley makes a good one. Or, if you like, you can go with a Buck Knife. If so, get yourself a good whetstone and go to work on the blade. What the utility knife will handle over and over will quickly dull the edge of your knife.
- Level and Stud-Finder: Okay, we all think we can determine a straight line. No. Not true. That’s why you need a level and a stud-finder which eliminates all that time tapping around with your hammer and guessing where to pound that nail. Even if you are not a handy person, you will probably hang pictures and put up bookshelves or curtain rods. All those jobs will require a level and a stud-finder. What the stud-finder does is detect the density behind the wall. There are even electronic ones that beep. So, no more tapping and no more 20 holes in the wall and they are under 20 bucks.
- Hacksaw: Got to have a hacksaw and one with a 24-tooth blade, which will probably come with it. You never know when you might have to deal with a nasty, rusted screw. You might also want to get a 20-inch, eight-point handsaw, that’s if you don’t want to invest in a circular saw or a jigsaw. The 20-inch will do if you are willing to expend the sweat.
- Adjustable Pliers: This tool has a bigger opening than your vice-grip. Go with a 10-inch adjustable. It will help you with plumbing chores.
- WD-40 and Duct Tape: You can’t have enough. They are great for emergency repairs – miracle products, truthfully. WD-40 is good for everything from rusted bolts to reluctant locks, removing contact paper from shelving and oil stains from your concrete driveway. Of course, we can do anything with duct tape. Anything!
Other Musts: CLR cleans calcium, lime and rust. Poly Seam Seal, which will work as caulking, patch or glue, it’s an all round good adhesive sealant. And, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This thing cleans everything from counter tops to tennis shoes.
And Finally: Stock up on batteries – AAs, AAAs, Ds and Nine-Volts. What’s more annoying than the smoke alarm that beeps and peeps all day and all night, or all those flashlights around the house with dead batteries.
Greg Hoard is the senior writer and former editor of Cincinnati Profile magazine. He is a featured contributor to ManoftheHouse.com.
The above story refers to products made by Procter & Gamble Company, the parent company of Procter & Gamble Productions, which owns ManoftheHouse.com. The creator of this content received either direct or indirect remuneration from Procter & Gamble Productions.
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