This is a somewhat misleading title, as anyone who has attempted to assemble a basic tool kit will testify. It is perfectly possible to put together an impressive array of expensive tools, and still find that your door handle undoes with an alien key that you do not possess, instead of the screwdriver bit that you have in the basic tool box.
This is an unfortunate fact of life, and you must inevitably add items to your kit every time you take on a job around the house. Don't be tempted to 'make do' with what is in the tool kit, either, because DIY disaster lurks just around the corner. Using the wrong tool for the job can result in an accident; at best it can make the problem you are trying to solve considerably worse. Buying the correct tool for the job allows your basic tool kit to grow with your experience and become a comprehensive tool kit, and before too long you will have a kit that you are confident of using.
For starters
A few basic items will be found in all domestic tool kits: measuring and marking tools, cutting tools, a drill and set of screwdrivers, a hammer, pincers or pliers, tools for making good and basic painting equipment.
Measuring and marking
•A retractable steel tape that measures to 5m/16ft is a real asset; measuring shorter distances is simple with smaller tapes, but they won't run the length of a room. This forces you to add dimensions together, which can lead to miscalculations.
•A small spirit level can fit comfortably in an overall pocket.
•An engineer's square is essential for checking right-angles.
•A soft pencil should be included in your basic toolkit for use on timber surfaces.
•Waterproof pen offers a very useful way of marking gloss-painted surfaces.
Cutting tools
•A craft or general-purpose knife.
•A small saw: pick a medium-sized tenon saw to start with; it can be identified by a heavy-duty brass or steel strip on the top edge of the blade, keeping it straight. It is a simple saw to use, and can cut across large timbers as well as make smaller, more intricate cuts for joints. Always use the protective teeth guard.
Drills and drivers
These are needed for plugging walls and driving screws:
•Drills: Whether your choice is mains powered or cordless is
entirely personal, but in either case, don't buy cheap. DIY superstores are full of 'bargains', but don't be tempted. Cheap, badly made, noisy, inaccurate equipment is no investment; it will not last and will prevent you from doing a good job. Try to find a tool that will satisfy all requirements - wood, masonry, and screw driving - and which has variable speed control.
•Bits: An extensive range of bits is available for power driving, but consider a quality manual tool as well, such as a small spiral ratchet driver with interchangeable blades.
•An electrician's screwdriver.
•Hammer: its role is self-explanatory, but there are several types.
A claw hammer would be the most useful starter, the claw able to extract nails and pins. In confined spaces, a pair of princers will do the job of the claw.
Gripping work
•A pair of combination pliers and an adjustable wrench are called for in gripping work, but it is worth including long-nosed pliers because they can sometimes reach where conventional pliers cannot, and are useful when undertaking electrical work.
Tools for making good
Decorating tasks inevitably need tools for making good such as:
•a scraper
•a flexible filling knife
•a roller and tray combination
•a selection of quality small and medium size brushes
•Boxing cleverereas some items are replaceable because they simply wear out, the majority of your tools will be with you a long time, particularly if you buy quality ones.
Whereas some items are replaceable because they simply wear out, the majority of your tools will be with you a long time, particularly if you buy quality ones.
Invest in a tool box that will protect your equipment, and secure it with a padlock. There is no worse start to any job than a search party attempting to locate lost, borrowed or broken tools. If you store them in a protected, secure enviroment you will minimize the risk of damage.