My last “lesson” post talked about Snap On Tools, so this one we’ll talk about other tools.

Every home should have some basic tools and, no matter how femme you are, darlings, you should know how to use them. I’m not talking about sanders or planers or chainsaws, but simple tools that will help you will all kinds of things around your house or your apartment.

You don’t want to necessarily buy cheap tools. There are good things at all price levels, so get what appeals to you. I wouldn’t buy the pre-packaged kits because they always have things I don’t want and won’t use. If you buy your own individual pieces, you can also buy a cute container to keep them in. Or, a totally practical, butch toolbox. Whatever.

So here are the basics:

  • A hammer. You can’t put up pictures without a hammer. Okay, you *can* but if you’re going to use nails to hang things, hammers are much easier to manage than your stilettos or Doc Martens.
  • Screwdrivers: flat tip, Phillips head and a hex.
  • Cordless screwdriver.
  • Measuring tape.
  • Channel locks – I’m sure they have many uses but the one I’ve seen them used for is in plumbing.
  • A ruler.
  • A level, if you’re gonna get all anal about hanging pictures straight.
  • Pliers. My friend Tyler tells me that you can use needle noses pliers to reach into places your hand won’t fit to grab cables and wires. Lelia agrees, but adds that you can also use needle nose pliers to fix jewelry.
  • You might want locking pliers, or vice grips. They are good for pluming (or working on cars) or if you are trying to get two pieces of wood to stick together for some reason. Put ‘em in the vice grip and there you are!
  • Nails and screws.
  • Adhesive. Sometimes you don’t really need a nail or a screw – or they just wouldn’t work. There are a number of adhesives on the market that work well. Just do you research and don’t buy based on what the label claims.
  • Hot glue gun. Not just for crafts anymore, darlings. You can use this to do all kinds of things from reattaching the little dealies on the faucet that tells if you the water is hot or cold to reupholstering furninture. Once you get one, I’ll bet you find tons of uses for it.
  • Wrenches – I have never once used a wrench but there are those who swear that they can’t live without them.
  • Duct tape. With duct tape, a dyke can fix anything from a hole in her jeans to a leaky roof!
  • A utility knife. For those less schooled in home repair, that’s basically a razor blade in a safety tube.

If you have these basic tools, you should be able to manage the everyday tasks that might confront you.
Now, the second half of that story is where do you go if you have something that needs to be, don’t want to spend a bundle to get it fixed and want to know how to do it yourself? You could ask my brother in law, but given how frequently *I* ask my brother in law to help me with things, who knows if he’ll have time to return your call, let alone come fix your plumbing.

The Home Maintenance site at BellaOnline.com has some good information, to get you started. Home Repair at About.comalso has good information.

I can also highly recommnend this book: Dare to Repair: A Do-it-Herself Guide to Fixing (Almost) Anything in the Home. The Ex and I referred to our copy all the time when we lived in the old farmhouse. It explains things so that a regular person who no idea how to do anything can do what needs to be done. Even me. So, I KNOW you can do it!

ADDITION: My e-pal Jess has this to say about tools, which I think is great advice:

Vice grips! They come in several sizes. Unless you have three hands, they’re essential. Duct tape, yes. Also bailing wire. It also comes in a few thicknesses, just get a small roll that you can bend till it breaks. A light weight sledge hammer (2 pounds). A mid-price extension cord. 100′ if you have a yard, 50 or 75′ if not. Make sure it’s orange and has 3 prong ends. An inexpensive (Black & Decker) Sabre saw. Good enough for most projects.

There is no reason to pay top dollar for a tool you’re going to use twice a year. If you’re a mechanic (which I used to be) get Snap-On <HA HA HA! Jess means the brand Snap On, not the sort in my previoust post) if you’re going to do one or two things, go to the dollar store. Ditto work around the house. Check the sale bin at Home Depot or Lowe’s and junk stores. I have found some of my best tools for next to nothing at yard sales and junk stores. Nor would I advise buying battery operated tools. They are much heavier, larger and batteries are expensive. I’ve built everything from small buildings to bookcases to dog houses with the above.”

So there you have it. Now, what things do you consider vital for the at home tool kit? And what brands? Leave comments here so that everyone can benefit from your brilliance!