Starting a tool box for my boy

[HanShotFirst]

Been hitting garage sales to get tools to build a tool box for my 12 year old boy and I'm having a lot of fun. Yesterday I scored a set of 6 USA made Craftsman metric wrenches and an older portable Craftsman made in USA steel tool box for $10.00; I was happy.

I also found an original 3/8" wrench for one of my Atlas Lathes, and an 8" Craftsman 1/2" extension that he threw in.

I've never been a big fan of Craftsman's ratchets but I'll grab them when I find them for him. I wish 6 point sockets were more common, I'm not a big fan of 12 point.

 

[LordPsychon]

A boy's first tool set hmm? Well, for starters he will need two hammers - a ripclaw hammer and a deadblow hammer. He will also need a set of dedicated screwdrivers - flathead with and without cabinet tip, Phillips head (#1-3), Torx head (T15-25), Robertson/Square head (#1-2). He will need a set of tape measures, a level, a combination square, and a scribe for layout work. He will also need several saws - a hacksaw for metal, a Western or Japanese saw for wood, and a drywall jab saw. He will need a set of wrenches, several ratchets, and multiple sockets which it looks like you're well on the way with at the moment.

Happy hunting!

 

[Tdo]

Oh man it is a blast to do. Good way to spend time with him too. I am starting the exact same thing with my 13 year old son. I have a craftsman top and bottom box that I am starting to fill up for him. Garage sales have been amazing, and now the question is what to do with the duplicates

 

[dr_clyde]

My dad started me with a socket set, wrenches, screwdrivers, a hammer, and a pair of slip joint pliers.

I would look for those plus an adjustable wrench or two, some more pliers, maybe some prybars, and some specific tools depending on what you guys work on.

 

[HanShotFirst]

A boy's first tool set hmm? Well, for starters he will need two hammers - a ripclaw hammer and a deadblow hammer. He will also need a set of dedicated screwdrivers - flathead with and without cabinet tip, Phillips head (#1-3), Torx head (T15-25), Robertson/Square head (#1-2). He will need a set of tape measures, a level, a combination square, and a scribe for layout work. He will also need several saws - a hacksaw for metal, a Western or Japanese saw for wood, and a drywall jab saw. He will need a set of wrenches, several ratchets, and multiple sockets which it looks like you're well on the way with at the moment.

Happy hunting!

This particular tool set is specifically mechanics oriented; he rides dirt bikes. And at some point that boy needs to be his own support crew, if you know what I mean. He's a GREAT kid and although he'd much rather ride than work on a bike, he also knows that dad already has his hands full and he's willing to learn.

But yeah, he's going to need all that and more, that's for darned sure. I'll be teaching him the around the home repairs as well. That's just knowledge that pays HUGE dividends in the future.

 

[HanShotFirst]

Oh man it is a blast to do. Good way to spend time with him too. I am starting the exact same thing with my 13 year old son. I have a craftsman top and bottom box that I am starting to fill up for him. Garage sales have been amazing, and now the question is what to do with the duplicates

Where mechanics tools are concerned, I'm a firm believer in have at least two of all the most common things you use. So I have 4 full sets of wrenches, 2 in English, and 2 in metric. Then my portable tool box that we take to the track has an English and metric set in there; so 6 total.

For now I'm starting him off with just a portable tool box like I started with. Need to get him everything he needs to maintain his dirt bike. This is going to be fun, and I'll do my best to keep the quality high. At some point I'll just give him all my stuff, but for now just want to get him a damn good start. So full set of English and metric combination wrenches. I'll begin with just metric sockets and then trickle in the English stuff later. We're a Japanese motorcycle house, Yamaha and Kawasaki so there's not much call for English. I've managed to scrape up some decent screwdrivers, about 50% Craftsman and some Harbor Freight. I have a couple sets of the HF screwdrivers and despite being a bit on the ugly side, they seem to have it where I need it.

 

[firworks]

Do you have any auctions nearby you? One Saturday at a tool auction and you could have the whole kit formed and it'd be a fun time to boot. http://www.auctionzip.com has some listings. You might come home with a lot of good quality tools and cardboard flats of used motor oil or china dolls or a couple hundred dishes you don't want though... (From this last weekend's experience)