8 basic tools every adult should have

2021-11-04 03:23:42 By : Ms. Marilyn Gao

Hyde Putty Knife 1 ¼", $5.78 on Amazon

I have always liked tools. Probably because I grew up with my parents, they like DIY home improvement projects-in the house where we grew up, in the apartment and restaurant owned by my family. I know it sounds a bit like my family is rich, but my family is only middle-class and my parents have been working. My three brothers and I are prime examples of generation X key children.

In any case, my brothers and I are always recruited to help my father with renovation and repair work. So, I grew up around tools and know how to use them. As an adult, I have a lot of tools, mainly because even now my father gives me some tools every Christmas. Over the years, I have done a lot of renovations and repairs myself, even when I rent a house, I often use some tools. A few years ago my landlord in Brooklyn told me that my tools were better than his own and he often used them when fixing things for me.

There are a variety of exotic and very specific tools, many of which most people will never need, but there are some basic tools that every adult should have.

A 16-ounce hammer is a good medium-sized general-purpose hammer for hammering and removing nails. As someone who has broken hammers before, I don’t like those with wood or fiberglass handles. This is a one-piece forged hammer, which means that the head and handle are made of a continuous piece of steel. The handle is an ergonomic non-slip version, which means that the possibility of it accidentally slipping out of your handle is low.

The width of the putty knife may be a personal preference. I have used various sizes, and my favorite — and the one I use the most — is a 1 ¼ inch wide Hyde hard putty knife. Putty knives are also equipped with flexible blades, but I have never found them so useful.

I have been using the same 1 ¼ inch putty knife for thirty years-this proves its robustness. I used it to scrape paint, linoleum floor residue, varnish, wax, layer after layer of grease, and all kinds of unrecognizable sticky materials. I use it to pry linoleum floors and wood panelling. It is a very useful tool for all kinds of work.

I have a full set of these, but the size I often use is six inches. Adjustable wrenches are most commonly used for any objects with hexagonal bolts, which can clamp various fasteners on bicycles, toys and furniture. 

Pliers come in many sizes and styles. This set from Channel Lock consists of four pairs of needle nose, tongue and groove, miter knife and sliding joint, and will help you complete a series of home improvement projects.

The miter knife cuts the wire and thin metal. Tongue pliers and slot pliers can be adjusted through a channel that locks them to a specific size in order to firmly clamp items such as pipes (crescent wrenches usually slip off).

Needle-nose pliers are very suitable for pulling out staples, etc. Slip joint pliers are used to clamp pipes, and these pliers also come with wire cutters.

A 12-inch hacksaw that can cut wood, plastic, and laminate is useful-especially if you find electric saws a bit scary (I have, I have a few). You can also buy replacement blades for hacksaws and/or blades designed to cut specific objects such as metal.

Flat head and Philips head screwdriver

Screwdrivers are available in various sizes, and you can purchase 10 sets, 12 sets or more. There are two sizes of flat-head and Philips-head screwdrivers. This small 5-piece set may be enough to meet most people's needs. The fifth member of the kit, the offset screwdriver, allows you to enter narrow and narrow corners where conventional screwdrivers are not suitable.

Not all screwdrivers are the same. I like Craftsman because it has a comfortable and strong handle (the plastic handle of some screwdrivers is cheap, but it breaks). The craftsman also has a lifetime warranty.

20 volt cordless drill/screw gun

A cordless drill/screw gun is not necessarily an essential tool, but it makes many tasks easier. When working with hardwoods, pre-drilling for screws is very useful. Using a screw gun, you can also quickly insert many screws without sweating.

The higher the voltage on the drill bit, the more power it needs to penetrate thicker and/or denser wood. You can also purchase specific drill bits for metals.

Because I am also a pattern maker for clothing, my life is full of measuring equipment. If you need to determine how much paint or flooring you want to buy, or in any other situation where you need to make sure something fits, a good, simple, metallic, self-locking, 25-foot (or longer) tape measure is a must A specific place is indispensable. 

With these tools, you will be able to handle many common and simple home improvement tasks. But please be aware that it is entirely possible to become obsessed with tools, and you will end up thinking like my father you will never have too many tools.