# What are your Top 5 beginnner DIY tools?



## jeffsw6 (Oct 28, 2012)

Chop saw? Not a miter saw?

Let me tell you, I didn't even understand the value of a miter saw until I watched some videos. When I was a kid, my "miter saw" was a box made of wood with some slots in it for common angles, and the saw was powered by my arm.

When I saw what you can do with a power miter saw, especially the compound kind like I then bought, I was like ... wow. I thought I was going to call all my friends in valley girl speak and tell them about this groovy saw I bumped into at the mall and I just had to meet it and see where our relationship would go. We would be sawing things on a hillside overlooking the city. Soon we'd be sawing things for our dog and 2.3 kids.

Seriously, I was amazed. I still am. Modern tools are unbelievable.


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## WildmanProject (Dec 31, 2012)

Ha. I have always called a "miter" saw a chop saw. Its a beautiful thing isn't it?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

#1 tool....shop vac......
#2 Cordless Drill
#3 Cordless Sawzall
#4 Sliding Compound Miter Saw
#5 Leaf Blower


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

There is no perfect list other than your first tools should be whatever you actually need to finish your first project(s). As your projects expand your need for different tools will too and your arsenal should grow accordingly.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I thought I had them all but now I'm looking for an instruction manual that tells how much muckey puck sealer type stuff to smear on compression fittings. :laughing::laughing::laughing: But I do have about 7 hammers if I could find them all.


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

A "good", tape-measure
A good pencil
A good cordless drill
A "Saw-Z-All" (corded or cordless)
A "sledge-hammer"

"RF"

Happy New Year!


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## bbo (Feb 28, 2010)

carpenter's hammer would be a must I would think.
multi screwdriver
socket/rachet set
adjustable pliers
drill

I'd think with the tools above, most any fix could be accomplished. I know when I started DIY, most things are of a fix it nature rather than a build it nature.

crap, I just remembered tape measure. now I'm at six.

kwik is right though. If I could recommend to someone what to buy, it would be "buy the best tool you can afford for the project at hand"


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

Somebody else moved into the realm of "6".
#6 - Somebody to use all the tools - so you can relax!


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## bbo (Feb 28, 2010)

rossfingal said:


> Somebody else moved into the realm of "6".
> #6 - Somebody to use all the tools - so you can relax!


I could stop at one if I needed to.


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## terry603 (Mar 12, 2012)

hammer
tape measure
set of screw drivers
wrenches
socket set
the power tools mentioned are for as you get more advanced or as a hobby 
a drill,i know this is # 6


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## WildmanProject (Dec 31, 2012)

I just realized I didnt say power tools. I think power tools and hand tools can each be their own topic.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

circ saw 
cordless drill driver
work light
shop vac
orbital sander


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

honesytly the meaning of diy varies so much from one person to the next.. i have a client base that diy means taking out hte garbage but they cant boil water to cook noodles, let lone cut a piece of wood

start out simple,, 

1)hammer
2) tape measure
3) multi tip screwdriver
4) adjustable wrench or vise grip
5)common sense


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

My top 5 tools would be in the neighbors garage....


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

woodworkbykirk said:


> start out simple,,
> 1)hammer
> 2) tape measure
> 3) multi tip screwdriver
> ...


To bad the box stores are "out of stock" of #5. :wink:


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

kwik. #5 was replaced by lawyers 30 years ago.... sad but true:whistling2:


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## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

or you can just implement my husbands rule......

"2 Tools for every job and the 2 tools are not necessarily required for the said job"

....as she looks around at all the tools :laughing: if you can't beat em then join em...I started growing my own set of tools. :thumbsup:

I can't really speak to power tools because I grew up with them so pretty much always had what we needed but for the non power category.

Good tape measure (and if you are like me you need a few of them because they keep walking - apparently mine are "better" because they are newer)
Good set of screwdrivers
Good set of pliers
Hammer
And most important....A bloody good level.

Dont even get me started on his fishing gear "Rules"


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

If I could only really have 5 tools (which is a ridiculous premise anyway) I wouldn't have one of these, but of the tools that I find most useful besides the obvious hammer and screwdriver, I gotta mention the impact driver. Once you've used one of these, you'll never want a drill/driver again for the things the impact driver is good at.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

jeffnc said:


> If I could only really have 5 tools (which is a ridiculous premise anyway) I wouldn't have one of these, but of the tools that I find most useful besides the obvious hammer and screwdriver, I gotta mention the impact driver. Once you've used one of these, you'll never want a drill/driver again for the things the impact driver is good at.


But also be aware there are some things an impact driver sucks at
such as hanging drywall-tends to sink screws to deep and tears paper
mixing things such as paint or grout or hot mud
driving small screws- tends to overdrive them
drilling holes.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

ToolSeeker said:


> But also be aware there are some things an impact driver sucks at
> such as hanging drywall-tends to sink screws to deep and tears paper
> mixing things such as paint or grout or hot mud
> driving small screws- tends to overdrive them
> drilling holes.


Absolutely. Note I said "the things it's good at". But if you've got to drive long-ish screws into wood, like putting in structural screws for studs and joists, or putting down subfloor, or decking, it's just great. What it's doing mechanically is just so much better than what a regular drill/driver is doing that you get easy-as-pie driving (easier on the hands and arms), easier on the battery (longer between charges, works better on a low charge), and faster jobs.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

if your using a impact to hang drywall there are dimpler tips you can get from dewalt.. a 3 pack runs $6.. i use them all the time and they work perfect


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

woodworkbykirk said:


> if your using a impact to hang drywall there are dimpler tips you can get from dewalt.. a 3 pack runs $6.. i use them all the time and they work perfect


A 6-pack cost me about $7....but I find my work looks worse and worse after each one.....after I've finished the 6-pack.....I'm pretty much done for the night.....


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

ddawg16 said:


> A 6-pack cost me about $7....but I find my work looks worse and worse after each one.....after I've finished the 6-pack.....I'm pretty much done for the night.....


im talking about dimpler tips. not beer.. if your drinking while working of course your works going to look terrible. and you risk injuring yourself

not to mention id hate to see what kind of crap beer your buying a 6 pack for at $7,.. budweiser?


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

1. Good cordless drill driver - fer drillin' stuff
2. Framing hammer - fer poundin' stuff
3. Circular saw - fer cuttin' stuff
4. Tape Measure - fer measurin' stuff
5. A good pair of Channel Locks - fer twistin' stuff

You can get pretty much anything done with these five.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Mort said:


> 1. Good cordless drill driver - fer drillin' stuff


Maybe we could count as one tool nowadays a drill/driver and impact driver set, that comes with a battery and charger. There are quite a few of these out there, and without getting into a discussion of which are best, let's just say that they are worlds ahead of what we had 30-40 years ago.


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## HandiMandy (May 30, 2010)

#1 band-aids
#2 antibacterial cream
#3 snacks
#4 cold beer
#5 DIY chatroom app on my phone


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## c-low (Dec 14, 2012)

MissKat said:


> #1 band-aids
> #2 antibacterial cream
> #3 snacks
> #4 cold beer
> #5 DIY chatroom app on my phone


Love it...and the most useful tools for me when I moved into my house (didn't have any power tools at all) were the following:

-compound miter saw: chopping 2x4's, molding of all types (base/crown/quarter round), and just chopping dog bones in half for my Lab
-cordless drill: something always needs to be screwed, removed, or holes need to be drilled
-circular saw: always found things to rip
-orbital sander: removal, prep, finishing...nice tool to have
-credit card: to get all the other things you need or think you need


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Woodworkbykirk's list is by far the best start. But you can do what my brother in law does....everytime he does a project he miraculously needs a new tool....and his wife just says "ok honey" Can anyone tel me why a homeowner needs 12 cordless drills, 3 chop saws, 2 table saws, 3 cordless circular saws, 4 corded circular saws, 3 reciprocal saws, (one cordless) two Dremels, 4 routers.......you get the picture. I'm a tool guy also, but I don't buy a new drill for each project.


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

Missouri Bound said:


> Woodworkbykirk's list is by far the best start. But you can do what my brother in law does....everytime he does a project he miraculously needs a new tool....and his wife just says "ok honey" Can anyone tel me why a homeowner needs 12 cordless drills, 3 chop saws, 2 table saws, 3 cordless circular saws, 4 corded circular saws, 3 reciprocal saws, (one cordless) two Dremels, 4 routers.......you get the picture. I'm a tool guy also, but I don't buy a new drill for each project.


It's nice to have multiple routers. I got the big fixed base milwaukee 5625 in the table. I have the bosch 1617 plunge/fixed base kit and a bosch 1618evs d handle. I'd like one of the new mini/trim fixed base/plunge kits. I thought woodbykirk was a contractor. I'm a homeowner with a lot of drills! LOL


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

im carpenter by trade, and went through a registered apprenticeship so i hold my license as a chippy.. i was always told.. every paycheque buy a tool no matter what. it can be a chalk line. a wrench.. a level. slowly build up your tool collection as you need tools and as you can afford them

i still do that but its not so much a matter of need. its a matter of want.

6 cordless drill, 3 circ saws, 1 corded drill, 1 recip.. 1 mitre saw and table saw. 2 trim routers, 1 combo router, 1 compressor. 7 nail guns. 1 router table.. 4 toolbelts one of which is occidental leather. 2 stiletto hammers. and countless hand tools.. and counting... 

for a homeowner just get what you need, if you need a pricey tool just get to know the tradesman on your street. we always have extras of things you wont get to borrow the new tool typically the older banged up one that hardly gets used ..


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## toolaholic (Jul 31, 2011)

woodworkbykirk said:


> im carpenter by trade, and went through a registered apprenticeship so i hold my license as a chippy.. i was always told.. every paycheque buy a tool no matter what. it can be a chalk line. a wrench.. a level. slowly build up your tool collection as you need tools and as you can afford them
> 
> i still do that but its not so much a matter of need. its a matter of want.
> 
> ...


Only 1 corded drill! I got about 10. Right angles(RAD head older japanese ryobi,mini t and a bosch 3/8 angle) spades, pistol grip 3/8 snd 1/2 inch. Most bought for a song on eBay. Corded doesn't hold value like cordless. Most were bought new. I even have a skil 543 heavy duty 3/4 inch drill new old stock from 1976. It was a want not a need. I kinda have a drill collection.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

yah. only 1 corded, it hardly ever gets used, when i do bring it out its only for drilling a very high number of pilot holes for lag bolts or for days where im in production trim mode where im drilling 2 1/8 holes in doors. i almost never hang prehung door do to quality issues compared to building my own jambs

the other thing is on jobsites more often than not power outlets are a minimum so they are left for big tools that draw the most power such as table saws, mitre saws, compressors.. you start adding power bars and breakers trip constantly


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## WildmanProject (Dec 31, 2012)

Good stuff guys. Kinda interesting to see what people think.


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## VanillaEps (Jan 8, 2013)

If I was going to build my list in the order in which I needed the tools, it would go in this order:

Power Tools

Cordless Drill
Cordless Impact Driver
Cordless Cicular Saw
Cordless Sander
Cordless Recip Saw

Hand Tools

Hammer
Level
Measuring Tape
Pliers
Racheting screwdriver set


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## federer (Aug 20, 2010)

why is orbital sander so useful?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

federer said:


> why is orbital sander so useful?


You have to see it from his perspective.....must be into woodworking....

For just the fine woodworking.....the tools of choice are

Table Saw
Router
Pocket Hole Cutter
Drill
Orbital Sander.....to sand down all the cutting marks left from the above tools.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

federer said:


> why is orbital sander so useful?


Those are the greatest improvement in sanding ever---great tools--fast --swirl free--long lasting paper---


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

A friend/family member who knows how to do "stuff" -
so, they can guide through the "pitfalls", surprises -
That await you!! 

"RF"

(All the tools in the world - ain't worth nothing - unless, you know what to do with them!)


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## federer (Aug 20, 2010)

now you guys make me wanna buy a orbital sander haha!


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## Arsinek (Aug 13, 2012)

One of my favorites is my respirator. There were times Ive left it on even when I didnt need it, just liked breathing the filtered air, lol.


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## federer (Aug 20, 2010)

Arsinek said:


> One of my favorites is my respirator. There were times Ive left it on even when I didnt need it, just liked breathing the filtered air, lol.


lol funny. doesnt it get uncomfrotable?


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## RAUL HIDALGO (Nov 19, 2012)

Mine are .......600volts or less digital voltmeter ....lineman pliers ..
19.2 cordless drill .... as long as I have these I'm all set


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## rossfingal (Mar 20, 2011)

Ok! -
Sledge-hammer and a cordless Saw-Z-All (with extra batteries!)
(Maybe a charger, too!)
(Someone to wield the sledge-hammer?!?)
"RF"


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## Arsinek (Aug 13, 2012)

federer said:


> lol funny. doesnt it get uncomfrotable?


Not really. Its surprisingly comfortable. I highly recommend it. This is it, except my filters are different... http://www.3m.com/product/information/Organic-Vapor-Respirator.html


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