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Tools every man should own

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
I picked up a flat bar and a nice long crow bar at a garage sale this weekend, $2 and $3 each. I love hitting up the nice yuppie neighborhoods and scored some nice stuff last summer.

When I put them away, I realized I am due for an inventory of my hand tools. See what I have, see what I need to add.

So what are the tools every man needs...

Plier set. Channel locks. Ratchet set. Regular and framing hammers. Misc screw drivers. Squares. Hack saw...all the Standards.

Cordless drill. Circular saw.

What is next?
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Definitely a yes on the circular saw. I have 3. I have bought 4 in my life. The most I have paid was $7. Garage sales and auctions. Nice shopping Huck!

If you want a well rounded electric saw assortment, I would recommend a reciprocating saw next and a jig saw third.

While shopping the garage sales or auctions, keep your eye open for a spud bar. Might seem like a waste, but it will be one of the best $10-15 garage sale purchases your back will ever thank you for. When it comes to leverage to pick things up a bit or shift heavy objects a little bit, they help imensely.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Slide hammer with various attachments. I can't tell you the number of times something needed the shit beat out if it but there wasn't enough room to get a good swing.

Porta power kit. Worth it's weight in gold when you need to separate or clamp something with power but precision. Makes compressing calipers a cinch.

Cutoff torch. Heat is your best friend. Rusted nuts, exhaust flanges, and the list goes on. I've seen nuts rusted to bolts so bad they look welded. Heat those suckers cherry red and let them cool. Hit them with PB blaster while still warm and they come off like a bar whores panties.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
A good tool box. That way you can find the tool needed when needed.

One of my favorite hand tools is a set of fencing pliers.

My most often used power tool is probably my air compressor.

These are of coarse things not listed yet. Very good things listed so far and it's taken me many many years to build up what I have. No rush and I like your way of shopping!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Yes to all the above.

A few more... Electrical tools. Every man should own at least one 12V tester. You know, the one that looks like a screwdriver with a light bulb inside it. A digital volt meter is handy too. Wire strippers, assorted splices and terminals, and plenty of heat shrink tubing. All the basic shit you need to fix trailer lights or troubleshoot.

Chalk line, a good wire brush, mechanics wire, caulk gun, various bastard files, anything remotely related to a 3/8" drive ratchet, copper pipe cutter... All common garage sale or auction items, and usually cheap but worth their weight in gold.

Also, not exactly tools, but start a jar or two (or three or four or...) for random parts, pieces and fasteners. Any time you find a screw or bolt or nail, throw it in a jar. Extra pieces that came in the hardware bag for that new grill or workout machine or desk... Throw em in a jar. Grommets, shelving brackets, drywall anchors... Throw em in a jar. This jar will eventually lead to a eureka moment where you look like a fuckin genius for fixing some random shit no one thought could be fixed. I call them my hail mary jars.
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
I use the shit out of my Dewalt cordless set. Drill, impact, sawsall, and flashlight.

At work, I keep a pair of channel locks, an adjustable wrench and a tape measure on me at all times.

The shelf right inside my shed door has a set of end wrenches, (standard and metric) a socket set (standard and metric. Shorties and deep wells). A framing hammer and a couple screw drivers.

phil suggestion of a spud bar is good, you have no idea how many uses you will find for that sucker.
if I had the cash, a cutting torch and a mig welder would be nice.
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
Oh.... and a tire plug kit. ...I finally convinced my boys to get a tire pressure Guage and a plug kit. They were amazed at how easy it is to plug a tire, and how much money you save by fixing that yourself.


Funny... as I type this, I keep thinking of other things too... a good 100 foot rope, a chain come along, a floor jack, a couple nice big c-clamps...
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I'm a short little bastard, so my 4' ladder is my best friend. I need it to check the fluids in my truck! Lol.

My diagnostic reader has more than paid itself off over the years also. If you like to fix your own vehicle, it'll pay for itself in time. You don't need the $20,000 SnapOn one either. You can find $500 ones used for around $100 usually.
 
To add to stuff not yet mentioned.
Bullnose nippers, a good 1 pound sledge hammer, a decent tap and die set, belt sander and a versa ladder.
If your working on cars rachet wobble extensions and universals are nice to have.
Im picky about vises find a old columbia or wilton vise with pipe jaws. If it has an anvil back even better.
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
I can't imagine living without my workbench and vises. every man that cares to fix things or make things needs these. also an air compressor, bench grinder and good selection of sharpening stones, diamond hones, etc. lots of stuff needs sharpening besides your pocket knife and skinner. spring clamps come in pretty handy pretty often, too. a good hardware organizer is nice. allows you to keep screws, nuts, bolts, washers, wire nuts, and other such small things organized. is a nice compliment to the "hail mary jar". a good set of hex keys in standard and metric sizes.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
It will be difficult, but I will try not to add anymore. I will second the ones which have been recommended that I do use a ton.

Good vice on the bench. +1
Good tape measure. +1
Multimeter. (Doesn't have to be $500. A $100 or less Craftsman would work fine. +1
C Clamps. Definitely a +1.
Not limiting it to a 1# sledge. Assortment of 1#/8# and rubber mallets should be in your stable with your hammers. +1
In adding to ladders, whenever you buy a house, then make your ladder decision. 8' step and a 16' extension will suit 'most' people unless you buy a 2 story. 8' step ladder fits in most places a 6' will reach but you get just a touch more room. You are tall. Where most need a 6' step ladder, an over turned 5 gal bucket will work for you. lol

One note on clamps, vise grips, and a bench vise- If you have something with a delicate finish you don't want to ruin, wrap it in shop rags before clamping it. Will lose some gripping ability but might save the finish.

One item I haven't seen or overlooked. Cordless drill. If you don't already have one, they are handy as heck.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
I'm not as handy as most, but I can tell you the tools that I have used the most after becoming a homeowner, besides the basic hammer, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.

Cordless drill
Stud finder
Oil filter wrench (adjustable)
Carpenter knife
Copper pipe cutter (and shark bite fitting remover if you go that route)
Staple Gun
Wire strippers, nuts, tubing, etc.
Air Compressor

Those are probably a part of the "basics" to most, but those are the items in my garage that I use the most.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Good list guys. I have them all except the welder and that's next door. Spud bars 2 with flat ends and 1 with a point. A good heavy dead head plastic sledge hammer and hand dead head hammers are nice additions.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
I was happy to see Phil and Kevin and Frank call out the good ol' spud bar - my favorite thing.
The flat end is a must when setting poles in a hole.

I love mine so much I'll post a picture tonite.

Tool love. It's real.
 
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