To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

5 Essential tools for a new home owner -

L

LSU

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
705
My son's guy friends (kids who grew up in/around our house) - all to seem to be getting married about now.

We get the standard wedding invite that directs you to "The Knot" website which lists the mandatory "rice cooker", "cheese tray with knife", etc.

Most/all of these guys will be buying a home in the very near future so I'm compiling a list of garage/tool stuff I have now but I didn't have when i bought my first house 40+ years ago. I don't have a "shop" - I have 3 tool closets off my carport.

So I'm not looking to buy these guys a 4 post lift or a S.O. rolling tool chest. Stuff that most of us have (and have had a long time) that would make a good "groom gift".

I'm trying to stay away from the "Dewalt Drill/Driver" set because i suspect most of these guys have a basic set of tools.

So - here are my initial thoughts - I'd like to hear everyone else's on this:

1. Air compressor with good hose. I love mine and use it all the time.

2. Stand up rolling tool box - I didn't get one of these for the first 15 years of my marriage. Mine is an older Kobalt about 5' high. I love it.

3. A 110v 50'+ extension cord on a self retracting reel (I got mine at NT on sale and love it.)

4. Multi-Meter - basic one. Or some basic electrical meters/tools so light switches/sockets can be change.

What else can you recommend/suggest?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
M

mike93lx

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Dec 9, 2013
Messages
37,869
Location
Richmond, VA
I have never owned a self retracting reel, so I'd hardly call it essential. A multimeter is nice to have, but not critical. With how common cordless inflaters are, I'd suggest that before a compressor.

If I had a buddy buying a first house after maybe renting all along, I'd buy a mechanics tool set to cover all the sockets, ratchets, wrenches, and Allen keys that are needed around the house, a Klein 11 in 1 driver, a half decent set of needle nose pliers/cutters, a non contact voltage detector, a 5-6 ft ladder, and an organizer case with misc electrical, basic plumbing, wall anchors and some fasteners.
 
B

Bubba Fett

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
1,517
Location
Eastern NC
Claw Hammer - 16 oz. Will be suitable for most household duty. Vaughan or Estwing if you want one that will last forever.
Adjustable Wrench - Great for plumbing fixtures, etc. Channellock has the best ones that are readily available.
Combination Pliers - Similar to Linesman pliers, but more useful for household duty. Knipex has some that are surprisingly affordable.
Screwdriver - Klein 11-in-1, or something similar. A Megapro Automotive magnetic ratcheting will be the most versatile.
Flashlight - A high-quality flashlight is essential. Mag-lite ML series or XL200. Both use commonly available batteries and have multiple power levels and modes, and a good warranty. But any flashlight with a modern LED will work.

This will cover a majority of household repairs, and will be a good starting point.
 
Last edited:
I

IndyGarage

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
9,738
Location
Indy
GeoBruin said:
I've been coveting a jaw horse for a long time because it seems useful but I can't actually think of a reason it would be better than a couple sawhorses and some clamps. Please enlighten me.
Click to expand...
It's not really comparable to sawhorses. More comparable to a Black and Decker Workmate, with a much more powerful clamp.

Think of it as a huge capacity bench vise with it's own built in bench.

And the best part of it is the clamping power comes from stepping down on it - leaving both hands to hold and position something in the jaws, which ratchet shut with the foot lever. And because you are using your foot - there is a ton of clamping power. It's also super quick to clamp something in and release it.

Anything you can clamp in it, it will hold. Clamp a 12 foot board in it and saw it to length. Clamp a door in it standing up or on edge. Need a small workspace? Attach a short piece of 4x4 to the back of a piece of 3/4 inch plywood - up to 4'x4' and clamp it into the Jawhorse and you have an instant workbench.

I have my kreg jig setup on a piece of plywood like this and my buffer/polisher set up on another. Swap them into the Jawhorse and start working.

It will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the jaw extension kit. I also have the welding kit, which includes an adjustable third arm clamp - a large C clamp that can be positioned almost anywhere.

It's strong enough to hold up hundreds of pounds. You can stand on it easily.

And it all folds up into a pretty compact size for transport and storage. It's easy to take it to the work, rather than bring the work to it.

Honestly it's one of my most used tools around the shop - I was a little skeptical because they first introduced it on an infomercial, but they are awesome.
 
S

subroc

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
781
Location
Dover, NH
Ladders: a 2 or 3 step ladder for in the house and a ladder good enough to get on the roof.
Power tools, drill, circular saw and a reciprocating saw.
Yard tools, lawnmower, string trimmer, if you have hedges a hedge trimmer, if you have a lot of trees a chain saw. Maybe a blower
 
M

mikedodge

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
2,839
LSU said:
My son's guy friends (kids who grew up in/around our house) - all to seem to be getting married about now.

We get the standard wedding invite that directs you to "The Knot" website which lists the mandatory "rice cooker", "cheese tray with knife", etc.

Most/all of these guys will be buying a home in the very near future so I'm compiling a list of garage/tool stuff I have now but I didn't have when i bought my first house 40+ years ago. I don't have a "shop" - I have 3 tool closets off my carport.

So I'm not looking to buy these guys a 4 post lift or a S.O. rolling tool chest. Stuff that most of us have (and have had a long time) that would make a good "groom gift".

I'm trying to stay away from the "Dewalt Drill/Driver" set because i suspect most of these guys have a basic set of tools.

So - here are my initial thoughts - I'd like to hear everyone else's on this:

1. Air compressor with good hose. I love mine and use it all the time.

2. Stand up rolling tool box - I didn't get one of these for the first 15 years of my marriage. Mine is an older Kobalt about 5' high. I love it.

3. A 110v 50'+ extension cord on a self retracting reel (I got mine at NT on sale and love it.)

4. Multi-Meter - basic one. Or some basic electrical meters/tools so light switches/sockets can be change.

What else can you recommend/suggest?
Click to expand...

If they're in to tools they already have what they need and they might like a small tool box or compressor, if they aren't into tools the only thing on that list I've seen people use is the multi meter. It really depends on what kind of person they are.

When someone I know got their first place they were proud of the basic tool kit they bought and a cordless drill set.

I think a workmate would be a good gift depending on the person especially if they don't have a work bench.
 
M

mwalsh9152

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
349
any and all outdoor lawn / home maintenance pieces add up fast, and are things you would never think of. Shovels, rakes, weed whacker, etc.
 
S

Signing off

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 16, 2022
Messages
111
One or two high quality paint brushes. Purdy or similar.
Cause the sooner you have experience with a decent one, the sooner you can concentrate on painting.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
D

dr_clyde

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
6,463
Location
Holland, MI
My shop is a 10 minute drive from my house, so I keep a set of basic tools and it has shown me how few tools I actually need to maintain my house day to day. If I didn’t have my shop and had to keep everything at home my list would probably be a bit different, but as it sits I only keep the bare essentials at home so I don’t need to have so many duplicate tools.

I just have a basic 5 drawer roller and top chest, nothing fancy. It’s a craftsman base roller and an old Cornwell top chest.

A basic 6 pc screwdriver set is my most used tool at my house.

Close second is a 16oz claw hammer.

Basic pliers like needle nose, slip joint, tongue and groove, as well as diagonal cutters are used often enough.

I use a Vaughan Wonderbar pretty often, as well as regular crowbars and prying tools.

A basin wrench is surprisingly useful on most plumbing jobs as well as a couple pipe wrenches.

A 6” torpedo level, a 2’ level and a 4’ level are all I need at home, used occasionally but not every day.

I use a pair of 10 or 12” adjustable wrenches far more frequently than a combo wrench, although I have combo wrench sets for more involved work.

Picks, small files and an assortment of delicate pokers, scrapers and precision prodders are really useful.

I have 1/4, 3/8” and 1/2” socket sets but I RARELY use them. The 1/4 gets used the most. And that may only be once or twice a year.

If you want to get into power tools I use a drill and impact driver way way more than anything else. I do have a sawzall, angle grinder and oscillating saw in the box as well.
 
N

nadogail

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
32,041
Location
Coronado, CA
Years ago Mrs Nadogail and I were invited to a Bar Mitzvah.

The young man was now being recognized as a man, and a man needs a Tool Box.

We put together a Stanley box on wheels with screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench, torpedo level, Allen Wrenches and cordless drill with a set of bits.
 
D

dscheidt

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
2,909
GeoBruin said:
I've been coveting a jaw horse for a long time because it seems useful but I can't actually think of a reason it would be better than a couple sawhorses and some clamps. Please enlighten me.
Click to expand...
I bought the jawhorse a few years ago, when they were heavily promoted by youtubers, because ebay gave me 25% at the same time Rockwell had it on a real sale. For what it cost, if it had been 1/4 as handy as their advertising made it seem, it would have been a waste, but not a big enough one to annoy me for more that little bit. I'd gladly pay the urrent retail price if I had to replace it, but I'd also look at the clones that are now available. I've used it for pretty much all the things IndyGarage said, plus a bunch more. I've used it as pipe vise to thread pipe, for instance. It's got stirrups on the legs, so you can use your body weight (and/or a helper's) as resistance.

Anything it can do can be done better in other ways (a real bench vise is better for stuff you'd use a bench vise for, so much so I have a 3" vise mounted to a hunk of 4x4 that I clamp in jawhorse's vise on occaision), but the combination and portability are what makes it a winner. If you usually have an assistant around when you need a spare set of hands, it's probably not as game changing. I don't, so there have been jobs I might not have been able to do without it, or would have taken much longer.

I also have a Rockwell jawstand, which isn't as good. The clamp *****, and it only closes to 3/4". It's very good at holding a door on edge while your work on it, and I use it to hold a mud board when plastering, but it's not worth the money.

Edit: I have the 'sheetmaster' version of the jawhorse, which has a reversable jaw so it can clamp 50". That's worth it, too.
 
D

d.mcfarland

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 18, 2012
Messages
6,581
Location
Western PA
Would it just be easier to get a big Lowe's / Home Depot gift card and put it in a card and write "Go get yourself some tools you've always wanted!"
 
  • Like
Reactions: LSU
D

Dig Doug

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
Messages
1,124
A good

flashlight
garden hose
shovel
broom dust pan / leaf blower
shop vac
PVC cutters
BBQ
Smoker
Garage beer fridge
garage / patio TV
swamp cooler / fan

I almost used all of this stuff this weekend!


Thinking spring is here need to get the yard in shape before it gets to hot
 
D

Dave455

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
5,829
Location
Sussex, England
You reckoned most of the guys have the basics already, but of what quality? I’ve regularly helped with simple tasks that became impossible because the tools were such poor quality. I use the tools below - bit driver, pliers, hex / torx keys on an almost daily basis when I’m a home, so making sure of those is a good start.

Don’t have to be top end, but a good / serviceable “mid grade” are perfect. I use Knipex / Wera, but substitute Channellock / Bondhus in the U.S.
3D4D722B-12F0-42A3-90BF-9996646F1F71.jpeg

After that, you start getting into more specialist tools. For house maintenance / carpentry you’re pretty soon into power tools. Drill, saw, impact driver, sander are all useable. Again, if the guys have these, what quality? I’d rather gift one good quality tool, than a wall full of short lifespan stuff.

Don’t forget the accessories. My Bosch 12v impact driver (superb tool) was relatively inexpensive, but I probably spent the same again on bits to make it useful.
5A5A2EDE-AA55-4E87-BD7C-82CDAE986F66.jpeg
 
K

kaymccampbell

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
29,605
Location
Upstate New York
GeoBruin said:
I've been coveting a jaw horse for a long time because it seems useful but I can't actually think of a reason it would be better than a couple sawhorses and some clamps. Please enlighten me.
Click to expand...
I love mine. It's great for clamping biggish/unwieldy things, like SIPs for the bay windows, old sheet goods for chainsawing, logulettes for power carving. Also have little auxiliary tables for it. Welding table, upside down sabre saw table, extra grinder table, other-folks-junk-I'm-fixing hold down table.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LSU
G

gleman

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
Michigan And Florida too!
I have two workmates that I got garage sailing. They are one of the 'where have you been all my life' tools. Easily worth the retail price.

An articulated ladder like a Little Giant.
Sketchy laddering is a recipe for disaster to a new homeowner.

Quality shelving for the garage.

A starter kit for garage organization like Fast Track or Rubbermaid. Gotta get them started on organizing early or they won't enjoy their time in the garage.
 
T

tripplejl

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
335
Location
Mainer
Wet Vac
Pipe wrench
Propane Torch, get a good torch head, TS8000 or equivalent
Circular Saw
Chop Saw
Caulk gun
Wire strippers (Everybody likes strippers)
Wire nuts or wago connectors


There are so many, and if you have soft spot for tools like I do and a majority of the forum members here, its easy, you need them all!

If I was just starting out, I would pick a task, do some research to see what it takes to perform said task and get the tools you need to get that task done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LSU
M

m6z

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 13, 2019
Messages
2,325
Location
Missouri
LSU said:
I'm trying to stay away from the "Dewalt Drill/Driver" set because i suspect most of these guys have a basic set of tools.
Click to expand...

6' or 8' step ladder

2' level, 3' would be better, but for whatever reason nobody makes those..

bench vise

bit driver ratchet set

soft face dead blow hammer

decent pocket knife/folding utility knife
 
  • Like
Reactions: LSU
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom