As a mechanic/homeowner/fix it guy, I always suggest a starter kit they can build on. There are some good ideas here, but buying them separately will cost a bundle.
Peruse these kits, and add what you like; Craftsman tools are guaranteed for life, and indeed, I still have all of the starter kit tools my dad gave me 40 years ago.
Also, please don’t saddle anyone with a 3/8 drill. Get a 1/2 inch. Moar Power! Cordless is fine these days; batteries sit in the charger until they’re needed, and today’s lithium batteries are much better than anything else, plus they’re calmer and less excitable than ni-cads. Combo kits are all the rage these days, but frankly I think power tools are a personal decision, and I may suggest a gift card rather than the kit.
And on a personal note, did I mention I’m moving into a new home?
You forgot that by this time it’s 6PM and time for dinner and then after-dinner stuff, so this becomes a NEXT WEEKEND project. Rinse and repeat. :eek:
Off the wall, but essential–the thinnest, longest pair of forceps you can find; that nut/tiny screw IS going to fall into something you can’t turn upside down. Good for getting hair out of the tub drain if the needle nose don’t fit.
I have a plastic handsaw from Stanley for cutting tree branches; the teeth on the blade point TOWARD you so the cut is when you pull it instead of push. You can’t believe the difference it makes!
My ex-MIL is a nurse and I somehow managed to acquire a handful of hemostats. They’ve come in handy more then a few times over the years. Nice for getting things that have been dropped into toilets or pulling toilet paper out of that little hole at the bottom of it. Then, since they’re stainless steel, they go right into the dishwasher.
Into the dishwasher!! :smack: I never would have thought of that. I knew there was a reason I kept you around.
I don’t know what it’s called, but I’ve been trying to get my Dad’s for 30+ years: dentists use this instrument to scrape behind your teeth. Nifty hook on one end, pick on the other. Not quite as essential as hemostats, but nice to have.
And of course the stubout will be corroded, requiring you to open up the wall to replace it before you can install a new shutoff valve.
Something like this happened when I was replacing my ancient kitchen faucet. Wall was tile over grout over metal lath over two layers of buttonboard. Once I chopped through that I still had to desolder the 90 degree joint inside the wall cavity which of course set fire to a stud. Since the water was turned off I’d had the good sense to keep a spray bottle and fire extinguisher handy.
All on a Sunday afternoon/evening, I’d told my wife that the faucet would be replaced by the time she got back.
I only have a 25’er but I imagine for some jobs where everything is under 12’ it’s just lighter and smaller so a little easier to handle. Or like the multi-bit drivers, you can stash the shorter one in a kitchen utility drawer to have handy and keep the big one in the main bag or bench.
Very nice.
The hammer is, of course, the basic 16 oz. claw.
You’re absolutely right on the corded drill - I have gone through 4 cordless while my (pre-junk) Black and Decker 1/2" needs nothing but a new key (1983).
Hope this doesn’t need to be said, but: better a few QUALITY tools than one of those “50 tools for $39.99” grade. I learned that when a club member stopped by my pathetic project and spent 2 minutes doing what would have taken me half a day.
I’d add a pair (#2 slotted and #2 phillips) “Stubby” or “Knuckle buster” screwdrivers - sometimes, they’re the only ones which will fit.
As to quality: 20 years ago, I started (never finished) a project requiring precise and good work. I got to know the real tool stores. I bought S&K - I heard that one store was dropping them - they were silent as to reason, but I have never had a problem.
Please go to real tool stores - the crap at the big box stores is embarrassing - drop one of their “steel” items on the floor - hear the “thud”. Real steel will ring.
And lookout with the electrics - the big-box will have something that looks exactly like that Delta 123 - but its model will be something like “123a” - that “a” denotes a cheapened version made just for the “mass market” (big box) stores.
When somebody tells you they will take 20% of your capacity IF you can meet their price, you find a way to meet their price.
I would add a good book on doing general repairs of things like appliances and some how-to on things like repairing a broken toilet or changing out an electrical outlet.
That’s an awesome gift, but I do have a question: do you think your niece will be using them too, not just her husband? I ask, because if you do think she’s going to be doing home improvement herself too, I recommend a smaller hammer (heavy but stubby handled, not one of those slender deals) and ratcheting screw driver. Husky makes a line of them, and Harbor Freight has their own hammers at least. I do a lot of small projects and have my own of each, and they’re a lot better for leverage if you have smaller hands. Really, so much better.
I rent my house so I don’t do much repairwork. But I got a cordless drill for stuff like putting up curtain rods & assembling cheapo Ikea bookcases. (Even I figured the silly little enclosed tool was crap.)
After my landlady had some work done, my drill disappeared. I inquired, she inquired & the repairman returned it. He’d only carried it off by mistake, honest! He had a big, macho, professional corded model, but mine was so handy.…
Having owned and rented a variety of houses and apartments over the years, the proposed collection is rather ambitious.
Aside from inserting or removing the shipping pins for my front-load washer, I can’t really think of a time I’ve wanted a socket set and ratchet inside the house. Likewise open end/box wrenches. These are more “Work on the car” or “Rebuild the lawnmower” items.
Sears usually has good collections of tools. Just be sure to get the Craftsman brand. They have some other cheaper brands that aren’t backed for life. Apparently it’s been a while since I’ve needed to buy anything, but this set or this one, will be an excellent starting point for screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers. Add an awl, utility knife, tape measure, “toolbox size” saw, hacksaw, hammer and a hex key set, and they’re set for probably 97% of anything they’ll need to do.
If you get a hacksaw, don’t cheap out. “Good blades, cheap frame” doesn’t work. “High tension” is where you want to be. Leave the old wingnut style in Grandpa’s barn - those things come loose after about five strokes and you spend more time fighting the saw than using it. The newer tension style snaps closed with a lever and is worth the slight extra cost.
As several others have said above, half the fun for them will be the journey of discovery where they find that they need something else and have to go get it. Unless they start to mess with electricity or plumbing, they’ll probably never need much more.
They’ll definitely need a large toolbox to contain it all with some room to hold new acquisitions, boxes of screws, rolls of tape, etc. I’ve got a “rollaway” tool chest that’s nearly as tall as I am, plus a couple small boxes for the weird specialty things, and am getting close to running out of room.
