The nut drivers and the hex keys are Snap-on and the tape measures, putty knives, hammers, mallet, level and utility knives are all Stanley. Most everything else is Craftsman although I’m not sure where I picked up the pry bar. I’m sure it’s a cheaper brand. Craftsman is not a great brand and it’s not as good as it used to be but it’s good enough for home use and they do have a great warranty.
I hope my niece will be doing at least some of work. She’s a pretty handy young woman. She used to work as a part time assistant to a local handyman and she picked up a lot of skills from him. She’s better at drywall patching and painting than I am and she makes some nice extra money by finding cheap, abused furniture and refinishing/reupholstering it.
I would agree but unfortunately, niece and hubby are deep in the smartphone generation. The concept of opening a book to find information is quaint at best. The other day I handed hubby a phone book and he gave me a look as if I asked him to hitch up the oxen and plow the north 40.
I live on the same square footage, and thought you could perhaps also look at some helpful ways of storing the tools? You can get quite good racks to sort everything so it can hang accessibly inside a cupboard. In these fairly small spaces it can be such a hassle if you need one screwdriver and you need to fiddle it out of the bottom of a cupboard that hardly opens because there is something in the way.
I mention it because it took me quite long to work out how to store my tools in such a way that having to do one tiny little job didn’t make think: “oh noooooo not the tool cupboard!!”
(Apologies if this has been addressed, I quickly scanned the thread!)
I did this once…and had forgotten that I had WALKED to the hardware store!! As they knew me well and were just a few blocks away, the guy at the store just told me to take the cart home and back. That was a goofy day. I blame paint stripper fumes.
Awesome gift idea! When my ex-wife and I got married and moved into a new house, my new father-in-law did this, and it was such a great gift. Everyone at the wedding was afraid of how I’d like it, since it’s so utilitarian and didn’t “fit” either me or my wife’s personalities, but I was so thrilled. A starter set of everything I knew I desperately needed, saving me much shopping time and money! (As others have said, how many projects contain multiple trips to a hardware store to get the one thing you need to finish, until you then realize that yet another one thing is needed?)
18 years and a divorce later, I’m still using those tools. And I do still think of his generosity even now, every time I use one.
This was going to be my big suggestion. Not just the tools, but something in which to store/organize. The toolbox my former father-in-law picked out was a sturdy thing that doubled as a stepstool. Very handy, not just for storing the tools. I just used that toolbox to get up to a recalcitrant fluorescent light ballast in the ceiling of my new apartment the other day. A ladder is a bit much for a small place, but everyone needs a stepstool once in a while. And it’s pretty cool that, 18 years after that marriage, I still have all of those tools in one place.
Much like Student Driver’s ex FIL, my dad put together a small tool box for each of us when we became responsible for our homes. Mine has screwdrivers, combo wrenches, two sizes of hammers, a socket set, wire strippers, slip joint pliers and a big tape measure among other things, all in a sturdy toolbox.
I’ve added a couple of items over the last 33 years, but there’s enough there to install a ceiling fan, hang pictures, repair the deck and put together most “some assembly required” furniture that is needed around the house.
Keep an eye out in the paper for an estate sale; go buy up the tool collection from the estate.
The nice thing about old tools is often they were made better than the new tools you buy today, and you can get an entire collection at a fraction of the cost.
I like those kind of tool buckets myself and I do like them for taking care of my stuff around a job site. No worries about making me mad Mooch. You didn’t suggest a tool box so you are spared my wrath.
A decent screwdriver has a separate (hardened steel) tip.
Sears decided (circa 1980) that their future lie in Financial Services - they issued the Discover card and decided that retail would be the cash cow for the financial arm.
They now own K-Mart (or vice-versa).
Those translucent red/blue handled screwdrivers are the DEFINITION of junk tool.
That’s…a **really **good idea, actually. As long as the recipients would understand. I’ve done the same (for myself) with sewing/craft goods and been very pleased.
A visor magnifier, especially a lighted one, is incredibly handy for small repairs, splinters, etc.
Speaking of which, a good headlamp is an absolute must. There are other lighting solutions (I love those weeble-like lights that you can cast inside the dryer to light up the cavity), but nothing beats a headlamp for hands free, direct work on something that’s not sitting on the kitchen table.
Kneepads. From putting together Ikea furniture to crawling around on the bathroom floor swearing about wax seals, a good pair of knee pads will make working much more comfortable.
A magnetic strap is very handy for working on things. Not a magik healing woo wristband, but something like this.
And though I’d hesitate to buy a power saw from Harbor Freight, they are fantastic for a range of cheaper items (like the wrist band, magnetic bowls, etc.).
And to repeat Valgard, safety glasses. If you’re buying them a hammer, you must include a couple pairs of safety glasses.
You beat me to it! Baling wire and twine. I did this for my son when he bought his first house. Every birthday he gets at least one tool from dear ol dad.
I would only add in a couple heavy-duty extension cords, such as a 25 ft and 50 ft to complement the drill and other miscellaneous tools. I agree that a corded drill is important to have, even if only as a back up to the cordless.
One of these will generate unspoken Thanks ATs from the planet every time they don’t have to pour chemicals into the pipes, and from the niece and husband every time they don’t have to call a plumber or dismantle the P-trap themselves – because most tub/shower/bathroom sink bottlenecks are a combination of hair and the gunk that sticks to it. It’s such a simple recent invention and it’s astounding that it didn’t exist centuries ago. Most tool/hardware chains carry them now, they’re definitely at the big box places in the plumbing aisles, and they’re CHEAP!
Oh…and why the 2 wax rings?
–G!
So…how many nieces do – wait, I’m already married!:eek:
Holy frijoles, G! :eek: I wouldn’t go after that clog in the picture without a priest carrying a large vial of Holy Water.
2 wax rings because, unless you’re a plumber, you’re probably going to mess up the first one placing the toilet incorrectly. If Joey P. chimes in, he can probably give you the percentage of times that happens. Or–they ARE wax, I’m sure you can think of a scenario where WR #1 gets screwed-up before you get a chance to use it.
Also two wax rings because they’re absurdly cheap but you absolutely have to have one and you will be pissed if you have to go back to the store for a $2 piece of wax.
