The Daddy will you fix my....Tool Kit

[MarkH]

As I said both daughters got tool kits when they started school. They were used and borrowed. Taught them how to handle loaning out and getting objects back as a huge lesson. The one thing is the kits had a huge amount of saw blades. I put the whole pack in vs just a blade or two. They always got comments on why so many blades. Without a missing a beat they would answer, in our family we have times we need to hide a body. It is easier if it is in small parts. They did get the loan tools back.

 

[KnurledNut]

@hdv32

 

[4x4Pete]

Looks like a good assortment of tools to me. Are you aware of what you might be doing before heading there? If so bring any extras you may think you need. I carry a well stocked tool pouch in my truck everywhere I go. It has taken years to have (for me) the best selection of tools for the repairs and work I do. It's the go to for odd jobs, even at home. I'll grab it rather than rifling through the tool box to assemble the needed tools for the odd repair or light fixture replacement etc. But when I know I'll be getting into something a bit more involved, I grab what's called for and put it in the truck.

 

[bobg03]

Fortunate my children knows how to use tools and they have their own but OP that is a nice tool kit to help daughter I do the same. Looking forward to offloading my tools to them when I no longer can do it myself as I get older they can visit me to help, THE FATHER WILL YOU FIX....TOOL KIT

Now that's the smartest thing that has been said here so far, bunch of rocket scientists here belittling young folks who may not have the skills and or the confidence to do home or even simple auto repairs.

Yeah I know all the guys here saying that were swinging a hammer and wrenches when they came out of the womb, right?

The guys bashing should remember someday we all get older and things start to wear out like mobility, eyesight, coordination and other things. I was a firefighter for 30 years, professional and volunteer, today anything involving a step stool with two steps is a win..

Bet you guys born with the wrenches in your hand, belittle customers that bring you work too, right?

 

[RAS61]

I learned how to fix stuff by not having anyone else to fix it for me.

I learned to fix my car because I couldn't afford to pay anyone else to fix it

 

[toolmiser]

A few thoughts: My Father in Law used to have me do jobs for him, but it was frustrating because I never knew ahead of time what the job was so I didn't bring the right tools-got that fixed.

I always lined up a couple jobs for my Dad when he would visit. He liked to be needed and then would have something to talk about when he got home.

If our school system didn't minimize or eliminate "shop classes" there would be a lot more people who weren't dangerous with tools. My sister took a woodworking class in High School. She went on to school to become a Dental Hygienist. She took a class where they had to use a disk sander for something, and most of the students had never seen one before. She said it wasn't a big deal using it.

I have accumulated a lot of tools over the years. In my mind, I say that it is because I will need to someday outfit my kids with them. My daughters have minimum interest, and I am sure their maybe someday husbands will probably be not real handy either. Wouldn't it be something if one of them was handy?

 

[hdv32]

@hdv32

Thanks for the suggestions. I meant to include a tubing cutter and forgot, in there now. I’m still on the bubble for tin snips, but really like the ones you posted. I have a tube of lithium grease and nail sets that weren’t posted before. I will probably add a small crows foot / pry bar as soon as I can find the one I want. Thanks for chiming in.

 

[KnurledNut]

Thanks for the suggestions. I meant to include a tubing cutter and forgot, in there now. I’m still on the bubble for tin snips, but really like the ones you posted. I have a tube of lithium grease and nail sets that weren’t posted before. I will probably add a small crows foot / pry bar as soon as I can find the one I want. Thanks for chiming in.

1. The Malco minis are a good compromise between size/weight and performance. However, I keep both full-size L&R offset Max2000s as I'm using them a lot. The minis are plenty capable and will do just fine in a DIY kit.
2. You'll want silicone grease, not lithium, for any potable water sources.
3. If you havent used Spring Tools nailsets, give them a try. Its two sizes in one tool so it'll save some weight. I havent used a regular nailset in probably a decade, since finding these.

Nice setup you got going there. I like the bag.

 

[grant00]

Swap your small 12V Milwaukee battery for a 3.0ah at least! Other than that pretty nice kit. Good call on the Knipex. Love those things.

 

[Grokew]

Please explain to them that they should never put the 1 inch bits in the Malco handle, because they will then have to use pliers to get them out.

 

[gahrajmahal]

To the OP, thanks for the comprehensive list along with photos. I have a similar bag I take to my friends/relatives when I am asked to lend a hand. It’s been a while since I emptied it out and I may print your photo lists to see if I want any improvements.

In my bag I have a U.S./metric socket set as I also toss the bag in my vintage vehicles when I take them out. The tool bag has come in very handy for that. I made sure I had the correct spark plug sockets for each of the cars.

Oh, and my hammer is my old eastwing so I can really wail or pry with it if necessary.

 

[RAS61]

Thanks for the suggestions. I meant to include a tubing cutter and forgot, in there now. I’m still on the bubble for tin snips, but really like the ones you posted. I have a tube of lithium grease and nail sets that weren’t posted before. I will probably add a small crows foot / pry bar as soon as I can find the one I want. Thanks for chiming in.

Please report back on the final weight of this "portable" tool bag. I think you were at 35 lbs before all the suggestions and additions. I'm thinking you're gonna need at least a hand truck and maybe a trailer . Would your wife mind road trips in a used service van?

 

[Jgaz]

I was following this when thread when it first started. I unfollowed it after all the “ you know what you ought to do” comments that had nothing to do with tools.

I take a travel tool bag almost anytime I go to my son’s place.

Before you all start, let me say two things.
After 3 generations of blue collar workers the DIY gene skipped my son.
There was a time he tried but…. That said he is a very hard worker and is capable of things I could never dream of doing.
Second, in 2015, my son was diagnosed with MS.

The last 9 years have been a roller coaster of symptoms. As I write this, he is doing remarkably well.
I still try to keep him off more than a step stool (balance issues) and his dexterity is still, and probably will always be, an issue.
But he is fiercely independent and me trying to teach or force him to do many things would only make him shut me out and pay for things I will gladly do.
Enough said.

OP, your kit looks very good for the most part. You can’t take everything .

I use two tool bags. One is basic tools with some 1/4” and 3/8” drive sockets, extensions etc.
The second bag has more mechanics tools and the heavy work stuff.
3 lb. mini sledge, std. and metric end wrenches, pipe wrench, large channel locks, more drill related bits, etc.
The two bags are much more portable and easier to work out of than one larger bag.

I got disgusted with this tread and didn’t really read everything in detail but are you packing a step drill bit or two?
Ive found these to be very handy.
I also don’t always take a drill. A few years back I bough him a corded, 1/2” chuck, electric drill to leave at his place.
Never have to worry if the battery is dead.

It’s your family, just keep helping them in whatever way you (and they) are comfortable with.
If the SILs are taking good care of your daughters and treating them well then they are way ahead of a lot of couples today

Edit: I see your step bit.

 

[tool_scrounge]

I have on multiple occasions had to deal with stripped out wood screws in door hinges, etc.

Lately I have been carrying a few sizes of hardwood fluted dowels. I just drill the hole out and glue a dowel in That is larger than the screw. Next morning I re-drill the hole for the screw and then screw it back together.

 

[Mallen]

We live over six hours away from our two adult daughters. While visiting I'm always asked if I can fix something and more often than not I don't have the tools I need to do it easily. When I know what I'll be working on I was always gathering what tools I might need into a small bag and normally forgot something. Unfortunately, neither of them have much more than basic tools on hand.

The things I tend to do are hanging ceiling fans and lights or light fixtures; changing faucets, unclogging drains, fixing Barbie Jeeps for the granddaughters, painting or flooring etc etc etc.....

After the holidays I decided to put together a bag to handle most things except painting and heavy carpentry.

Please take a look at what I have put together and let me know what I need to add or can eliminate. And yes, I took this as an opportunity to buy a few new tools.

Electrical Tools
Plug tester, Multi tester, Non contact voltage tester
Channelock lineman pliers
Channelock needle nose pliers
Channelock diagonal
Multi purpose wire strippers


General Hand Tools
Sockets - Makita 1/4” socket sets - metric & SAE, 1/4” breaker bar, 1/4” extensions, 1/4” flex ratchet
8” Crescent wrench
Ball end hex key sets - metric & SAE
Pliers - Knipex Cobra 8 inch water pump pliers, Knipex 8 inch pliers wrench and 10 inch Doyle “cobra” water pump pliers
Precision screwdriver
Klein 11 in 1 multi screwdriver
Klein 6 in 1 stubby screwdriver
Demo screwdriver
Vice grips - 6 inch needle nose and 7” standard
Combination double box end wrenches - metric & SAE
8 ounce hammer

Drill and Driver Tools
Milwaukee 1/4” impact driver
Railer Bit holders with both 1 inch and 2 inch bits selection
Countersink bit
Stepped drill bit
Malco impact / nut driver quick change handle
1/4 inch ratcheting bit wrench
1/4” impact drill bits - up to 3/8”

Measuring & Marking Tools
Center punch
Swanson speed square & small combination square
Fascap 16 foot tape measure & Bosch laser tape measure
Empire 9” level
Sharpie, Mechanical carpenter pencil

Cutting & Scraping Tools
Titan blade holder - uses metal, plastic and razor blades
Folding multi saw - uses t shank jigsaw, hacksaw and sawzall blades
Disposable large and small box cutters
Pocket Knife


Miscellaneous Tools
Small metal file and 4 way wood rasp
Hanson stud finder
Small pry bar
Paint can opener
Magnetic pickup tool
Cleaning brushes
8 ounce hammer
Wood chisel
2' metal putty knife
Pick & hook set
Chisel - 1/2 inch
Nail punches
Punch / alignment tool
Rechargeable flashlight
Pony 2 inch spring clamp


Large Consumable Items
Small spray bottle for Simple Green
WD 40 3 ounce can
Small roll of Gorilla duct tape
Masking tape
Teflon tape
Electrical tape
Shop rags and microfiber cloths
Thin mechanics gloves
Disposable gloves

Small Consumable Items
Wago wire connectors
Screws
Roll of soft wire
2 part epoxy - small tubes
Small picture hanging assortment
Superglue
Zip ties
Crimp on electrical connectors
Wire nuts
Lighter for shrinking shrink wrap
Shrink wrap

And the bag


I've got thick skin, please let me know what I'm missing or what I need to leave home.
Thanks

Certainly optional, but I'll throw out investigating a different container. While that's a fine tool.bag, I don't know your daughters, and I know I'm risking making broad general assumptions and ascribing traits based on gender alone, generally women are more concerned with asthetics than we are. A tooxbox or bag in a favorite color or that leans heavily on styling that we might consider "overkill" might be appreciated. Particular tools that just look really nice might play into this as well. If you have or know someone with a laser cutter, or just have way to much time on your hands, and are a wizard with an exacto knife color coordinated kaizen foam made from a bottom layer in one color and a top layer in another looks pretty sharp. The theory being, that when you have a particular tool (or tools) that you particularly like you find more excuses to use it. Id expect this to apply to women as well as men.



On the subject of what to add:

Milwaukee M12 tire inflator. It uses the same batteries as the impact. It's great for basketballs, bicycle tires and car tires. They come on sale from time to time, often in a bundle with extra batteries. It's not going to fully inflated four load range E truck tires without a extra battery and a rest between, but it's great for topping up or putting some air in to get to the tire shop. It could also be a nice gift later when one comes up on sale.

While I'm on the subject of Milwaukee power tools, a flashlight that uses the M12 battery would be nice. I find that in power outages the run time of flashlights that use those batteries is amazing. My mother actually claimed one of my Hitachi flashlights after I loaned it to her when the power went out for two days. I used to think the flashlights were just a useless cheap thing they crammed in a lot so they can say there are 5 pieces instead of 4. But I've found them to be quite valuable.

An Xacto knife (or your favorite brand) and a a package of spare blades could be good.

A pipe wrench large enough to tighten or remove a drain trap and a second smallrr pipe wrench (like a 6") Probably aluminum ones.

One of those bit sets will all the security bits. Not exactly high quality stuff, but it solves most of those problems when you need to loosen or tighten something and you just don't have the right screwdriver. While most of the sets that don't cost 100 dollars are made in mainland China, there are a few sets I found made in Taiwan, and In those cases, where a choice is readily available I find it an easy decision to support their economy so they can buy weapons to defend themselves from China with.

A strap wrench.

The one possible problem I see is how strong your daughters are. Is 30 some odd lbs something they feel is "heavy" my fiance is 5' tall and she often says things are really heavy that I feel are just fine. Actually happened with a tool bag the other day. To me it was fully loaded up and felt a bit on the heavy side but was something I would have taken to the wrecking yard without a second thought. She felt it was very difficult to even life and move. So 30lbs might be ok, or if might be way to heavy. I think the weight is really important. If she finds it exceedingly difficult to move, she may become irritated with it and it will probably get stuffed in the back of a closet or under stuff on a shelf in the garage and forgotten about.




And of course last but not least, any sort of large bulky and very expensive machine tool or what not, like a full sized milling machine, a gigantic drill press, a huge bandsaw or whatever else you might have always wanted but that you could never get your wife to let you buy, such that it is so big and obtrusive that rather just bring polite and stashing it in her garage, your daughter will send it back to you so you can tell your wife you bought it for your daughter and she didn't want it.

 

[Houdini5150]

standard needle nose pliers