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What Every Handyman Should Have In His Toolbox

By Bobby Buys

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Published: 31Jul2011
Word count: 457
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Every home handyman dreams of having the world's best toolbox, with a tool for every occasion. But apart from those once-off tools, what are the basic essentials necessary to tackle the majority of home improvements?

Here's a handy list:

Hammer: A good quality carpenter's hammer with a comfortable handle is a must.

Assorted screwdrivers: Make sure you have a good selection of plain, cross-head and torx screwdrivers in various sizes.

Awl: Also known as a bradawl, it is a useful tool for making small holes in wood for starting screw holes.

Pencils: Carpenters' pencils have flattened sides, (to stop them rolling away), and a broad lead to give highly visible markings.

Pliers: Generally useful for holding, gripping and removing nails or other items.

Vice Grip: The vice grip acts as a third hand to hold items together.

Hacksaw: A must if your need to cut metal items. You should have a good selection of blades to fit, aimed at various types and thicknesses of metal.

Putty Knife: Necessary when repairing windows to apply and smooth out the putty around the new pane of glass.

Tapers Knife: Used to apply spackle to joints, for example, a gyprock wall. A 5 - 6 inch knife is a good size if you only have room for one.

Utility Knife: Use this to cut string, tape, and sharpen your pencil or used for any cutting job. A knife with replaceable blades is best.

Wood Chisel: Ideally you will have various sizes of wood chisels in your toolbox, but a good compromise is a 1-inch wide chisel. Make sure it's kept sharp!

Measuring Tape: Most traditional carpenters would opt for a folding ruler, but a good quality 25-foot measuring tape with imperial and metric markings will do nicely.

Spirit Level: Nothing looks worse than a set of drunken shelves. Use a good quality spirit level which is at least 24 inches long to keep things horizontal and vertical.

Small square: A square makes sure that all your cuts are made at right angles, essential for good carpentry.

Combination electric drill/screwdriver: A variable speed drill is best, with a chuck capacity of at least 3/8 inch.

Set of drill bits/screw bits: As with the hand screwdrivers, go for a good assortment of normal, cross-headed and torx bits of various sizes.

Key Hole Saw: Also know as a jig saw, this enables you to cut out intricate curves. An electric one is best, but hand saws will do the job just as well.

With these must haves in your toolbox, you should feel confident in tackling most jobs around the home.

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