My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

Books ( Priceless, get the wisdom of others.)
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor (for blow gun, or for what? Power nailer?)
Drill & Bits (These will come in handy. Corded is good. Cordless is more
expensive, but more convenient.)
Extension Cord (And some outlet strips to plug in multiple devices.)
Gun, Nail (May not be needed. I've never owned one.)
Gun, Staple (Really useful.)
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ??? (Need at least half dozen, different sizes and
types.)
Ladder (Step ladders and extension ladders, each have their purposes.)
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating (Maybe. I've never owned one.)
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip (The name brand ones work much better than Harbor
Freeight ones, I find.)
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain (only for outdoor tree wood.)
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester (Good one! Free ones from HF do a reasonable job.)
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

CY: Will you be my daddy?

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

What nice Mom you are!

A couple a quick thoughts would be a framing square, a combination
square and a speed square.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books

Buy them as needed.

Chisel Set

Not needed for most repairs. They'll likely go unused, or worse.

Clamps

A few 'C' clamps, perhaps. unless he's going to get into woodworking, a
minimum is really necessary.

Compressor

Important. A small pancake compressor is all that's needed. PC has a nice
unit with two or three nailers for a couple hundred.

Drill & Bits

Cordless. A *good* one. Bosch is my fav but some like Makita. An impact
driver is also recommended.

Extension Cord

For what? ;-)

Gun, Nail

See above.

Gun, Staple

See above.

Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???

A good straight and curved claw hammer is handy, though with a compressor,
less so. Add a good cat's paw and lever.

Ladder

6' class-1A is always useful. Buy any others as the need arises.

Level

Sure.

Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating

Yes, the first one should be from HF. If it gets a lot of use, buy a good
one, later.

Pliers, Assorted

Sure, but don't go overboard.

Pliers, Vise Grip

A few.

Sander (Air, Electric)

Not needed for most "repairs".

Saw Horse

I like the folding plastic ones. They're light and pretty strong. A "Work
Mate" is also a good idea.

Saw, Circular

Probably the most important power tool, behind a drill.

Saw, Chain

Not needed. One of the few tools I don't own.

Saw, Miter

Later. HF sells a slider good enough for a deck for $100, or so.

Screwdriver Set

Billions and billions.

Shop Vac

Sure. SWMBO get tight-jawed when their Electrolux gets used on sawdust. ;-)

Socket Set

Handy for driving lag screws but otherwise, not so much. Wait until they're
needed.

Tool Box

I have a 5gal pail and canvas liner with pockets. It works great for
organizing tools for a project.

Tool Chest

Expensive. Nice. Not first priority/

Trouble light

I prefer the halogen stand lights. Trouble lights aren't bright enough.

Voltmeter, Tester

Again, HF, $5-$10. If it gets used a lot, buy a better one.

Wire Cutter, Stripper

Diagonal pliers, sure. Stripper, buy when needed.

Wrenches, Allen

Sure. Lots. The needed one is always lost.

Wrenches, Box

Not generally needed.

Wrenches, Pipe

*Rarely* needed.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Best you can afford battery operated screw gun.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

On 04/08/2012 02:45 PM, Metspitzer wrote:
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Best you can afford battery operated screw gun.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill& Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

I'd add a good strap wrench and a basin wrench to the list. I've had to
use both. As an aside, most socket sets seem to be 12 points whereas 6
points are much better for working on old rusty stuff. Same goes for
combination wrenches I don't know that the socket set is that useful
for a homeowner although for working on vehicles they are key. I'd
probably buy him a set of combination wrenches in both metric and SAE
and skip the socket set. Also a couple Crescent wrenches are handy for
home repair type stuff (maybe a 6" and a 10" or 12",) and also a keyhole
saw for cutting drywall. If he doesn't have them, he might also
appreciate a utility knife, a small carpenter's square, a framing
square, stuff like that. Also where you say "level" I'd get one small
level for installing switches and receptacles, and also a longer one for
bigger stuff like framing, kitchen cabinets, etc.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Apr 8, 2:45*pm, Metspitzer
Best you can afford battery operated screw gun.

If by that you mean a cordless driver/drill, I agree.
A ratchet/socket set.
I'd put a stud finder on the list too. A couple of good
levels, one about 12", another about 3ft. A line level.

I'd also put a sabre saw and a circular saw on the list,
given the deck and enclosing part of the open room projects.
But, I have to say. If he has no tools, he probably has no
experience either. And those two projects are among the
very best classics for doing a lot of work, spending a lot on
materials, and screwing it up royally. Then you wind up
with something that doesn't look like it should and has all sorts
of problems eg leaks in the former non-enclosed room.
I've seen decks that had to be torn out and started all over.
There are lots of projects you can do around the house and
save a lot of money. But for bigger projects where you don't
have the experience, often it's best to just contract it out.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:48:45 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

On 04/08/2012 02:45 PM, Metspitzer wrote:
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.


(Stepping in here Nate because I don't have the original post.)


Here's my hand. All corded electric except the guns, geared to what
you said will be the major projects.
They'll help with minor stuff too.
None of the many hand tools he'll eventually need.
Not in any particular order.
Close to or way over $1000 depending on your brand selection.

1. Compressor w/framing nail and finish nail guns.
(picking a compressor will be your hardest task.)
2. Chop saw.
3. Circular saw.
4. Jig/scroll saw.
5. Shop vac.
6. 3/8" variable reversible drill.
7. 1/2" impact drill. (HD use like deck screws, mixing, hole sawing.)
8. Orbital sander.
9. Multi-tool.
10. Sawzall.

You can throw in some good extension cords, workbenches, locking and
other sawhorses, driver and drill bit sets, or not, as you see fit.

--Vic

On 4/8/2012 10:50 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

The time to determine what it takes to fix up a house is before you buy it.

The next best thing to having tools is to live next door to someone who has
tools.

He should get to know his new neighbors.

You have a competent friend in the biz...why not ask him?

Start with a hammer.
Then go buy a Chinese ratchet wrench set.
And a Chinese screwdriver set with interchangeable bits.
The above two have lots of sizes, but the bits are crap.
So go to sears or snap-on or somewhere you can get good tools
and buy GOOD sockets in 1/4" to 5/8" range plus the few screwdriver bits
you'll use frequently.
FORGET BATTERY POWERED TOOLS.
Get a cheaper AC drill/driver.

For each project, you have to decide what materials to get.
Same for tools. Buy what you need. Get cheap stuff if it's
specific to the task. Buy better tools if they'll be needed again
and again.
If you plan projects ahead, you can take advantage of tool sales
as they happen.

Did I mention
FORGET BATTERY POWERED TOOLS.!! Occasional users find the
battery is always dead when you need it. Or you can leave
them on continuous charge and kill the battery permanently.
They're a bad investment for the typical homeowner.
Buy 'em later, when you can afford expensive toys.

Your strategy is:
Ask a bunch of unknown people on the web for advice.
Have an inexperienced person, you, decipher all the input and
spend a bunch of bucks on stuff for another inexperienced
person with unspecified tasks.
RETHINK THAT STRATEGY.

A better strategy: $1000 prepaid credit card and a library card.

Most tasks are much easier the second...or third time you do 'em.
Home improvement is no exception.






I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill& Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:56:35 -0700, mike wrote:

On 4/8/2012 10:50 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

Start with a hammer.
And a hammer. Good choice.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house.

Books
Maybe, but only if you know enough to pick out good ones. Between online
sources and the library, he shouldn't need to purchase any.

Chisel Set
Only buy as needed.

Clamps
Start with a basic set. Add more and more and more and more and more
when needed. This would be a good start:
http://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-SET150-6...3916998&sr=1-1

Compressor
Not necessary. He's not doing production work. If he can't swing a
hammer, now is the time to learn.

Drill & Bits
A decent 3/8" _corded_ drill would be good. Make sure it has a keyless
chuck. Cordless are nice, but let him buy his own if and when he feels
the need.

As for bits, you can get a 120 piece drill/drive set for $25.

Extension Cord
A 25', 50', and a tri-tap
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Tap-Ext.../dp/B002RBCJLI


Gun, Nail
Nope. He has a hammer. If he ends up doing a lot of trim work, he can
get a compressor/nailgun combo.

Gun, Staple
Nope.

Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
16oz claw hammer. If he's going to be doing any demolition, a large rip
hammer would be good. Also, for demolition:
- mini flat pry bar
- medium flat pry bar (12")
- wrecking/ripping bar (18-24")

Ladder
2' and 6' would be nice.

Level
2' and torpedo

Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
They can be handy, but I'd wait to see if he needs one.

Pliers, Assorted
Yep.
Pliers, Vise Grip
Yep.
Sander (Air, Electric)
electric 5" random orbit sander. Hook and loop (velcro) is good. Small
assortment of hook and loop sanding disks.

Saw Horse
One pair. Plastic ones are OK. He can buy or make others if needed.

Saw, Circular
Yep. A good one. Sturdy base, good sight line to blade. Plan on $80-$120.

Saw, Chain
Nope. It's cheaper to rent than buy unless he has acres of woods to
manage or plans on cutting his own firewood. A cheap chain saw will be
nothing but a headache, and you'll feel bad when he cuts his leg wide open.

Saw, Miter
10" compound miter saw.

Screwdriver Set
Yep.

Shop Vac
Wet/dry shop vac.

Socket Set
Perhaps. It's one of those things he can easily buy if he needs to.

Tool Box
One tool box for small hand tools.

Tool Chest
Nope. Storage tubs/totes work fine. He'll want to be able to take the
tools with him around the house, not have to run to the garage every 5
minutes.

Trouble light
A 300 or 500 watt halogen work light and a led flashlight should do it.

Voltmeter, Tester
$5 for a receptacle tester.

Wire Cutter, Stripper
Buy only if needed. Don't encourage people to mess with house wiring
unless they know what they're doing or have a mentor who does.

Wrenches, Allen
Metric and standard sets.

Wrenches, Box
Sure.

Wrenches, Pipe
Buy as needed.

Not mentioned:
- Tool belt. Remember that more pockets is not always better.
- A good 25' tape measure.
- Carpenter pencils
- Chalk line with blue chalk. (red is permanent)
- 2' and 4' aluminum straight edges.
- 7" speed square/rafter square
- Jig saw.
- safety glasses.
- dust masks. Get a box of N95 masks with valves. The valve helps keep
safety glasses from fogging. (If his glasses fog up, he'll remove the
glasses or the respirator.)
http://www.amazon.com/3M-8511-Partic.../dp/B0002YKBV2
- Utility knife. There's only one worth owning, and it's the Stanley 199:
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-10-209...dp/B00002X209/

- If he's going to be doing demolition, he'll want a sawzall (aka
reciprocating saw) Can't go wrong with a Milwaukee.

If you've covered the basics and still feel like you haven't spent
enough, get him a gift card to the local hardware store so he can get
what he needs when he needs it rather than having a tool sit unused.

On 04/08/12 1:50 PM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.


Rather than buying him the tools that you (or we) think he needs, give
him a pre-paid credit card and let him get his own tools as he needs
them for the projects as they come along. Make it a stipulation that he
use the card for tools, not for dinner or ball games.

Sure, you can buy him a few small things so he has some gifts to open,
but make one of those gifts a pre-paid card and let him choose his own
tools.

My family knows that tools are very personal so when they ask what I
want for my birthday or Christmas, I tell them that I need a new this or
an accessory for that. They say how much, and then give me the cash or a
credit card number. The "rule" is that I buy what I said I wanted, but I
get to choose what brand/model.

I wouldn't expect my wife to actually *buy* me a dado blade for my table
saw and new tires for my band saw, but that's basically what she did by
giving me her credit card number when I placed the order.

On Sun, 8 Apr 2012 13:05:41 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Apr 8, 2:45*pm, Metspitzer
Best you can afford battery operated screw gun.

If by that you mean a cordless driver/drill, I agree.
A ratchet/socket set.
I'd put a stud finder on the list too. A couple of good
levels, one about 12", another about 3ft. A line level.

I'd also put a sabre saw and a circular saw on the list,
given the deck and enclosing part of the open room projects.
But, I have to say. If he has no tools, he probably has no
experience either. And those two projects are among the
very best classics for doing a lot of work, spending a lot on
materials, and screwing it up royally. Then you wind up
with something that doesn't look like it should and has all sorts
of problems eg leaks in the former non-enclosed room.
I've seen decks that had to be torn out and started all over.
There are lots of projects you can do around the house and
save a lot of money. But for bigger projects where you don't
have the experience, often it's best to just contract it out.

He does not have a lot of experience, but his father in law has skills
and a good friend of mine who is a retired cabinetmaker lives nearby, so
I expect he'll get help on the more complicated projects.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:56:35 -0700, mike wrote:




Start with a hammer.
Then go buy a Chinese ratchet wrench set.
And a Chinese screwdriver set with interchangeable bits.

The last thing you need is a cheap tool. One that will frustrate you
and damage your project. Good screwdrivers have a comfortable handle
that allows for a good grip. They will last decades. Some of mine
are over 45 years old.

Buy good tools and only cry once.




FORGET BATTERY POWERED TOOLS.
Get a cheaper AC drill/driver.

Mostly agree here. Unless you use them frequently or far away from
power, the battery will be dead when you need to use it. Dead too
often, they will die forever and have to be replaced.





Did I mention
FORGET BATTERY POWERED TOOLS.!! Occasional users find the
battery is always dead when you need it. Or you can leave
them on continuous charge and kill the battery permanently.


Oh, I said that too. Worth repeating though.

Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a
housewarming gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox,
but not much in the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger
tools and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to
have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

One category left off your list is a set of rulers. In order, I'd suggest:
* Two tape measures, one six foot, the other twenty-five.
* A yardstick
* A builder's square

Forget the nail gun. Get a brad nailer and a pneumatic stapler. The former
will shoot a nail up to 1.5" which is sufficient for most repair and trim
needs. The stapler is used to secure flimsy material: insulation, fabrics or
upholstery, cardboard, etc.

Also the chain saw and miter saw should move down the list below a modest
table saw. In fact, I'd substitute a reciprocating saw for the chain saw. It
will do most of what a chain saw will do but is more versitle.

Don't forget a supply of WD40 and a couple of rolls of duct tape. Those,
along with vice-grips and about three screwdrivers, can fix most everything.

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote:


My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

Here ya go......
Begin he
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM5936848107P
There are lots of other tools in the series that will mate with this
one. These will fix any house!

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:50:06 -0700, Jennifer Murphy
wrote Re Recommended tool list for new owner of
a fixer-upper:

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Nice gesture, but I suggest that you just give him the $1k and let him
buy tools as the need arises. That allows his actual work situation
to dictate the tools.
--
Work is the curse of the drinking class.

My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe


*Those are all good suggestions if he will need those particular tools.
However there is no telling what tools will actually be needed until he
starts a project. After years of buying tools in anticipation of need and
then having them sit unused, I now only buy a tool when I need it for a
certain job.

I suggest a gift card to Lowes, Home Depot, Sears or perhaps a local supply
company. That way he can get what he really needs whether it is tools or
materials.

I'd been thinkign some thing along these lines. It's not possible to predict
in advance, what tools are needed. And, if the new home owner has the
skills, or interest. Best to leave it a bit vague.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...


Rather than buying him the tools that you (or we) think he needs, give
him a pre-paid credit card and let him get his own tools as he needs
them for the projects as they come along. Make it a stipulation that he
use the card for tools, not for dinner or ball games.

Sure, you can buy him a few small things so he has some gifts to open,
but make one of those gifts a pre-paid card and let him choose his own
tools.

Metspitzer wrote in
:

On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:56:35 -0700, mike wrote:

On 4/8/2012 10:50 AM, Jennifer Murphy wrote:
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

Start with a hammer.
And a hammer. Good choice.


Flashlight,good LED type.
claw hammer
good set of screwdrivers
good sets of wrenches,3/8" socket set and combination open/box.
Channel-lock pliers,maybe two sizes.
set of pliers incl needlenose.
hacksaw,10" rapid-cut pull saw.
pry bar
cordless drill-driver,preferably Li-ion. 18V
drill bits
maybe also an 18v impact driver if you can get a set with a cordless circ
saw.
tape measure,aluminum yardstick.(straightedge)

stepladder. maybe a B&D Workmate foldng workbench/vise.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

Rather than buying him the tools that you (or we) think he needs, give
him a pre-paid credit card and let him get his own tools as he needs
them for the projects as they come along. Make it a stipulation that he
use the card for tools, not for dinner or ball games.

Right! You haven't said what needs to be done, so how can we say what tool is needed. Let the job(s) dictate what tool is to be purchased.

Also, if he has little carpentry experience, let him start by building some saw horses, rather than buying. If he rarely does carpentry jobs and will unlikely do more, later, then most tools he buys will only be used once, for this one (albeit overall large) project. If he can't build a set of saw horses, he shouldn't be doing home repairs. Saw horses are cheap to build with scrap lumber, i.e., they are essentially free. I've known folks who wanted to do their own home repairs, but can't build a set of saw horses, hence their home repairs were a disaster.

Your question simply can't be answered appropriately, IMO, with an off-the-cuff listing of tools.

"Jennifer Murphy" wrote in message
...
My son just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. There
are a lot of small to medium projects and a couple of major ones, such
as a new deck and enclosing part of an open room.

We thought we would give them a set of homeowner tools as a housewarming
gift. He's lived in apartments and has a small toolbox, but not much in
the way of power tools.

He is not an expert handyman, but I believe he will want to do as much
of it himself as he can. A good friend of mine who is a professional
cabinetmaker lives nearby and will help him.

I would appreciate suggestions for your "Top Ten" lists of the most
valuable tools for a new homeowner. I am mainly looking for larger tools
and tools that he might not think he needs but would be glad to have.

I plan to spend about $1,000 or so. I would like to get good quality
tools that will last.

I did a little research and came up with this list.

Books
Chisel Set
Clamps
Compressor
Drill & Bits
Extension Cord
Gun, Nail
Gun, Staple
Hammers: Claw, Rubber, ???
Ladder
Level
Multi-Function Tool, Oscillating
Pliers, Assorted
Pliers, Vise Grip
Sander (Air, Electric)
Saw Horse
Saw, Circular
Saw, Chain
Saw, Miter
Screwdriver Set
Shop Vac
Socket Set
Tool Box
Tool Chest
Trouble light
Voltmeter, Tester
Wire Cutter, Stripper
Wrenches, Allen
Wrenches, Box
Wrenches, Pipe

Thanks

I will post the results.

All good ideas except maybe the chisels. I would certainly add a prybar
such as this:
http://www.zorotools.com/g/00058576/k-G1517853?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc &utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gc lid=CNiv4pbIqq8CFWeFQAod7FZhYQ

Having remodeled several homes, I couldn't live w/o this, but get a corded
one.
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/tools/s...procating-saws

Also don't forget a good pair of safety glasses. Having to go to the
emergency room to get something removed from the eye is no fun!!

wrote in
news:20049571.342.1333982279038.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@ynku11:


Your question simply can't be answered appropriately, IMO, with an
off-the-cuff listing of tools.


I disagree;there's a BASIC set of tools that every homeowner should have.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com