I always, invariably, am missing 1 or 2 tools to complete a job

[jd_1138]

My friend bought a fish camp next to a lake near here (well, 20 miles away). It came with a trailer and a small cabin. The door to the cabin wouldn't shut, so he couldn't lock it. Guy he bought it off of said it was like that for years. He just closed it as much as it'd go, which is like 4 inches short of closing.

I finally had a day off today, so I gathered up my small general box of tools, my long level, my Rockwell compact circular saw. I removed the door and marked about 1.5 inches to be cut off the top of the wooden door and cut it off. I got the door on and I tried to put the top pin in first but that doesn't work (I know now), so I did the bottom pin first, then the top.

The door closed but kinda tight on the side, and I didn't bring my electric sander. Doh. Then I figure well I will bring it next time. I then removed the old doorknob to install the new one with a lock/new key. The assembly won't fit in. Looks like the person who installed the door didn't have a jigsaw, so all they did was use a drill to drill out a lot of holes, but left a lot of material. The newer style of lockset now is beefier and has too much material to fit in.

I didn't have a rasp or jigsaw with me of course. I tried using a utility knife to cut some wood out, but it wasn't working. I put the old doorknob back in. My friend who just bought the camp once asked me why I needed like 20 tools to build a small gate at his house on the deck. I replied if you built/repaired stuff, you'd understand. As a non-pro, I respect the amount of tools pro's have to carry around.

The door frame was level and plumb/square, so I guess the roof just settled.

 

[toolmiser]

That is one of the reasons I do much better (and more) work at home. Whenever I have an "away" job, I always miss a few of the tools that really would help me. I would be terrible at it professionally.

 

[Ton ton]

It always takes more than you expected.

 

[Dave455]

This often seems to be the case, whatever the job is. As toolmiser says, much better to work at home if you can.

Things get better with experience, but there is always something unexpected.

Pretty much the reason I hardly ever carry just the tools I think I need. I have a “road box” of basic mechanics tools (SAE and Metric wrenches and sockets, hex and torx bits, screwdriver bits in all flavours etc) and a similar box of carpentry / maintenance tools. I will generally take one or the other box, PLUS anything else I know I will need.

 

[RTM]

I have been hinted at to go to a friends cabin to help with a few small repairs, 4 hours away, an hour to a hardware store. I am terrified at the number of tools I think I’ll need. I would always carry more carpentry tools than you did, as I prefer hand tools over power, so I’d have rasps etc, but my circ saw would not have all accessories . Thinking of asking for a video visit first.

 

[Shiftless]

I have been hinted at to go to a friends cabin to help with a few small repairs, 4 hours away, an hour to a hardware store. I am terrified at the number of tools I think I’ll need. I would always carry more carpentry tools than you did, as I prefer hand tools over power, so I’d have rasps etc, but my circ saw would not have all accessories . Thinking of asking for a video visit first.

Thats just about exactly my situation. Friend’s cabin is 3 1/2 hours away and hardware store is maybe half an hour away.
The owner is the antithesis of a tool guy. Up there he has a fishing tackle box with one rusty flat blade screwdriver and an old wooden handled claw hammer, a pair of slip joint pliers, a couple of ten penny nails and that’s about it.
When I volunteered to fix his deck railing I took lots of tools and fasteners and still had to make one trip to the hardware store.

 

[subroc]

The more you work at remote sites the better you get at "tooling up" to work remotely. Also, if it is a one off job or something you have little to no experience at but figure your skill set is enough to muscle through the job still might not help with the preparation.

 

[jd_1138]

Yep, I should've brought more tools, to account for lazy hacks who didn't bring enough tools when the door was originally installed. But that's part of the process when fixing things. I get to use the fish camp and the boat that he is about to get, so I did the repair for free. I will have the lock installed this week.

I also mowed when I was there. He has a Sears Craftsman electric mower there. I must say electric is nice for small areas, and this certainly is a small space.

Here's a pic looking out from the cabin. His neighbor's boat is in the shot. It has a Tohatsu outboard. I had never heard of that brand before; I guess it's Japanese? The blue SUV is my new Hyundai Venue which I am loving.

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

Even when working at home, it seems like there is always one or two tools that I don't have that could have made thing easier / better / more efficient (at least on complex jobs).

I usually make notes as I go along on a job so I can remember what to put on the want list. Recently did a nasty blower motor job on a Ford Escape. New additions to the want list:

1. Better, more modern work light. I never realized how much heat my Bayco fluorescent work light put out until spending a lot of time with it near my face under a dash.

2. Long screwdriver bit holders. Like 10" or so.

3. Milwaukee stubby impact.

3. Milwaukee long neck 1/2 ratchet.

4. Zero offset ratcheting wrenches.

5. 1-1/2" socket extension.

 

[M6erfan]

His neighbor's boat is in the shot. It has a Tohatsu outboard. I had never heard of that brand before; I guess it's Japanese? The blue SUV is my new Hyundai Venue which I am loving.

Sure is. . .

History of Tohatsu Since 1922 | TOHATSU CORPORATION

Working remote is a PIA. I've got my 'track box' down pretty good to the point to if I can't fix it I'm either done for the day or get the spare bike out.

I have a friend that wanted me to restore 2 Honda CT70s but at his place, in his garage (my friend isn't really a "tool guy"). Nope, been there done that. I brought them back to my place. Much faster and less grief.

 

[Ton ton]

I agree with you guys that working a long ways from a hardware store struggles. Thankfully I have 2 hardware stores plus a TSC within 11 miles of my work. I can't complain.

 

[lardy1]

My road box is now so heavy I have to be careful lifting it. And I still put things in other boxes, Bucket Boss, etc.

 

[RoundedNut]

Ya, being the DIYer or handyman friend can be challenging as there can be an insane amount of tools needed, more than many professions. And a cottage is just like a house and would require similar types of tools.

 

[Ton ton]

I have had the chance to work with lazy hacks that don't bring their own tools. Then they complain about how worn out my dad's tools are. I definitely feel the pain.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Oh, yes,repairing doors. You can find with both use and the building shifting, a multitude of problems. Having just fixed two doors at a 1932 country community hall, I can give you a list of tools I used. A full set of chisels, since the locksets and striker plates were old ones, they took odd ball sizes like 5/8" and 7/8" . The chisels were also used to chisel out the door jams. Then they smoothed out with a #75 Stanley bullnose plane. That is what it was designed and made for . To trim old doors, I like a disc sander,not a too fast grinder, it's considered a body work tool, it's just the tool for the edges. Unless you are really into sharpening, avoid old paint with edge tools. Of course a drill motor and drills. You need a hinge centering punch . I love my 1/4" impact driver, those long #10 screws for the hinges into studs are easy work. I used JB Weld, wood glue, and the old fashioned, messy, sticky, stinky, solvent based wood filler. And 2 or 3 clamps.

From that list you were missing more than one or two tools.

 

[Meursault74]

Getting a wooden door to fit............... first tool that comes to my mind is a block plane. Glad I had one last time a made a door.

 

[RTM]

Getting a wooden door to fit............... first tool that comes to my mind is a block plane. Glad I had one last time a made a door.

Last one I did I needed a bench plane. Had to take off WAAYYYY to much for a block plane. At least it wasn't a scrub plane.

Standing on a ladder working with my favorite LA Bench plane due to the end grain at the edge of the top. Much easier than taking it off and on the hinges 5 times.

 

[jrb2]

I do most of the maintenance on our 16 rental houses and have accumulated a large number of tools just for that purpose. Most are duplicates of things I have in the shop, but these rental are 40 miles from where we live so running home to get something is not real convenient. My wife occasionally asks me what tools I will need for a particular job, my answer is always the same..."all of them"

 

[Meursault74]

Last one I did I needed a bench plane. Had to take off WAAYYYY to much for a block plane. At least it wasn't a scrub plane.

Standing on a ladder working with my favorite LA Bench plane due to the end grain at the edge of the top. Much easier than taking it off and on the hinges 5 times.

Yes. I was shaving the door in place. One hand for the plane, and one hand to hold the door still. Sometimes a non-power tool is the right one for the job.

 

[rmdoherty]

My road box is now so heavy I have to be careful lifting it. And I still put things in other boxes, Bucket Boss, etc.

I WISH that were my problem - going mobile. Other than the bag I keep to work on my most likely breakdowns, I don't try to take more (less room for found objects)... NO..., word seems to be out that I have more tools than any 5' female ever dreamed of and they seem to think they should be available to "friends" as well as my garage. It always starts with, "Can I borrow your jack?" My standard answer NOW is, "It was drawing riff-raff" so I got rid of it."
The last and worst case just got pushed out after ELEVEN WEEKS of an uninvited guest, his gf, and his broken down DeVille. It was obvious to me and his sister, my roommate, after the first week he had no clue what he was doing, (understatement). My sweet disposition and inherent Southern hospitality ran thin about week 4 or 5... I'm as patient as anyone can be, but even I have a limit. This fiasco would have been comical if not so damned infuriating. Ever seen a Cadillac stripped down to the bare interior? Me, either, but I know what came out can go back in, in no particular order, and pushed into easy reach of a tow truck.

Sorry - still venting. My point is, it could be worse than not having all the tools you need.

 

[jd_1138]

I WISH that were my problem - going mobile. Other than the bag I keep to work on my most likely breakdowns, I don't try to take more (less room for found objects)... NO..., word seems to be out that I have more tools than any 5' female ever dreamed of and they seem to think they should be available to "friends" as well as my garage. It always starts with, "Can I borrow your jack?" My standard answer NOW is, "It was drawing riff-raff" so I got rid of it."
The last and worst case just got pushed out after ELEVEN WEEKS of an uninvited guest, his gf, and his broken down DeVille. It was obvious to me and his sister, my roommate, after the first week he had no clue what he was doing, (understatement). My sweet disposition and inherent Southern hospitality ran thin about week 4 or 5... I'm as patient as anyone can be, but even I have a limit. This fiasco would have been comical if not so damned infuriating. Ever seen a Cadillac stripped down to the bare interior? Me, either, but I know what came out can go back in, in no particular order, and pushed into easy reach of a tow truck.

Sorry - still venting. My point is, it could be worse than not having all the tools you need.

The dude oughta buy a 1985 Ford F150 with a 300ci inline 6 if he expects to be wrenching on his own stuff. Wow, 11 weeks of that nonsense. Ben Franklin said, "guests and fish stink after 3 days".

I went to my mother's soon-to-be new apartment to put together some furniture she ordered. I just took my small general set of tools (hammer, tape measure, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.). The furniture came with stamped steel flat wrenches. Ugh. Would've been 5 times easier with a socket set. I am going to toss a small cheapie set (Tekton or such) or such into my smallest general toolbox (one I took). There's barely enough room. HF has some in their basic line and Quinn. They have both SAE and metric in them.

 

[minke]

I have enough trouble working at home!

I hate plumbing and I don't know what I am doing. No matter how hard my geriatric little mind works I can't finish anything without three (yes,,, THREE) trips to the store. My delicate little ego can't handle that.

I get help. Hows that for an ambiguous statement?

 

[KnurledNut]

Honing your skills to be more productive with less, takes years of experience.
These guys are a special breed and often some of the most unappreciated.

 

[bscman]

I feel your pain.
We have a family mountain cabin about 3.5hrs away. Just remote enough to be secluded, but just close enough to towns to still have some tweaker theft activity. I WONT leave any tools.
Many one day projects turn into "we'll finish that NEXT weekend" type projects.

And yes, my to "to go" tool boxes are both too heavy to carry--even if I did trust the latches would hold (which I don't!).