A-Z Tool Guide for Homeowners (con''t.)

If you are a homeowner and intend to do all or most of your own home maintenance chores, you'll need a fairly extensive tool chest. Here is the continuation of the list of standard tools you will need :

RAZOR KNIFE -- One tool that is included on most tool lists, whatever job you're doing, is the razor knife. Use it to cut wallboard, floor covering, wallcovering, vapor barriers, insulation, building paper, and to sharpen your pencil. The problem is that cutting abrasive material such as the core in wallboard panels, or asphalt shingles, tends to dull the blade very quickly, and many people just will not throw those old blades away. You will work faster, be less tired, do a better job, and avoid tearing expensive materials such as wallcovering if you change the blade when dull, or at least at each coffee break. If you're doing a large project, you can buy replacement razor blades in packages of 100 blades. Or, if throwing the blades away seems poor economy, carry a pocket whetstone in your tool bag and sharpen the blade a few times before you discard it. Tip: Wallcovering, wet with glue, resists cutting and is easy to tear. To be sure you avoid damaging the covering, buy the knife with breakaway razor blades, and break off the blade after every cut to be sure you always have a sharp blade tip.

ROUTER -- The router is a high-speed machine used for shaping molding or edging on furniture. It can also be used for cutting plastic laminates, using a laminate blade. A variety of bits permits you to choose any shape for the cut. Tip: The laminate adhesive can stick in the laminate trimmer bit, pulling the blade into the edge of the laminate and damaging it. Spray your laminate trimmer bit with WD-40, so laminate adhesive will not stick to the bit.

SABER (JIG) SAW -- This tool, using a variety of specialty blades, can replace a host of other sawing tools. Fitted with a metal-cutting or hacksaw blade, it will cut any metal; with grit blades you can cut ceramic tile, glass or most metals; with wood-cutting blades it can be used as a keyhole saw and those with scrolling features can replace a coping saw.

SAW, HACK -- Use the hacksaw for cutting any kind of metal.

SAW, HAND-- A hand saw or carpenter's saw will do most wood cutting jobs. A good all-purpose saw might be the 12-tooth, 15 in. or 20 in. Shortcut saws.

SAW, HOLE -- The hole saw can be chucked into a drill for cutting holes of various diameters in wood. The hole saw has a center mandrel or bit that serves as a pilot guide.

SANDERS -- Your sanding needs may vary from using a small sanding block up to large power sanders used for shop projects. Small power sanders that will do most homeowner chores include half-sheet, orbital and palm sanders that can be purchased for $30 or so.

SANDER/GRINDER -- This tool is highly portable and can be equipped with any grade of sanding disk or grinding disk to grind rough concrete, stucco, plaster, or rusty metal or auto bodywork.

SCREWDRIVERS -- Buy a variety of screwdrivers to cover all types and sizes of screws. At least three slot screwdrivers and three Phillips screwdrivers are necessary for ordinary household maintenance and repair. Don't try to drive Phillips-head screws with a slot screwdriver: the screwdriver may slip and injure you, or damage the screw or the workpiece. The big advance in screwdrivers is the development of wallboard screw guns and wallboard (drywall) screws. The screws are available in many sizes and can be used for building and hanging cabinets, installing door hinges, or for building almost any project from shelves to storage sheds. Be careful when working in damp places, you might get a dangerous shock; be careful also when you are using power tools on ladders or scaffolds, where tool power cords can tangle underfoot and cause a fall. TIP: Choose a cordless, battery-powered screw gun or drill to eliminate any danger from shock in damp work places, and to eliminate dragging electrical cords up ladders. Cordless tools are a good investment in safety.

SQUARE, CARPENTER (RAFTER) -- A carpenter or rafter square can be used to check lumber and other materials to see if they are square. Quality squares will have rules with 1/16 in. and 1/8 in. gradations on the face, 1/12 in. and 1/16 in. gradations on the back. The tongue or small leg of the square is 16 in. long and 1 in. wide, while the body or long leg of the square is 24" long and 2" wide. This makes the square a handy layout tool for framing either in 24 in. on center (o.c.) or 16 in. on center spacings. If you are really serious about learning to use the square, it is about as handy as a calculator, after you know how to use the rafter tables, brace measure, octagon scale, and board measure.

SQUARE, COMBINATION-- A combination or machinist's square combines a one-foot steel ruler plus an adjustable base that lets you mark either square (90 degree) or 45 degree miters. The base contains a level, plus a metal scribe pin that can be used for marking wood or metal.

T-SQUARE -- Sometimes referred to as a wallboard T-square, this is one of the most useful tools you can own. If you do any cutting on wallboard, plywood, paneling or any panel that is 4 ft. wide, this tool is indispensable. The only warning is that you must avoid getting your free hand in the way when cutting along the T-square: If the razor knife slips you can get a nasty injury. TIP: When cutting wallboard or any material with a razor knife, with the material leaning against a wall, hold the top of the T with your free hand, keeping the free hand well out of the line (to the side) of the knife cut. Place the toe of your work shoe against the bottom end of the T-square to keep it from slipping sideways. Cut from the top down, halfway across the width of the panel. Now reverse the knife and cut from the bottom edge of the panel up, so you are pulling the knife away from, not toward, your foot. When using the T-square as a cutting guide for power tools, use clamps to hold the T-square in place. This way, if the T-square or the saw or other cutting tool slips, you won't have a hand in the way.

Tool bags -- If you do major remodeling work, invest in the pro-type leather tool bags. Some come already riveted to a web belt; some you will find loose in bins at cut rates. Buy a web canvas-type military belt, a bag for holding nails or screws, and a tool holder. Rivet the two leather bags on the belt so they won't slip; the two bags should be worn so they are off the hip, not worn in front of your belly. Nail and tool bags carried in your middle so they wont get in the way when you bend over. You can also injure yourself if you bend over with sharp tools carried in the range of your midsection. Don't overload the belt with extra nails, screws or tools: you'll have to carry that weight. TIP: If you are slim-hipped and the tool bags won't stay put around your waist, attach a pair of canvas carpenter's suspenders to the belt to help support the weight and keep the belt around your waist.

WALLPAPER STEAMER -- Small, hand-held steamers can replace the bulky rental units for removing wallpaper quickly.

WRENCHES-- Wrenches are needed to assemble/dismantle objects that are held together by nuts and bolts, or for separating threaded pipes. At least, you should have a 6-in. adjustable wrench. Also useful is a small kit containing a 1/4 in. socket drive and sets. If you will be doing any plumbing on threaded pipes you will need a pair of pipe wrenches (you have to use two: one wrench to hold the fitting or pipe from turning, while you unscrew the other fitting or pipe). A pair of 10-in. pipe wrenches will let you do most plumbing maintenance jobs.

Written by Gary Branson
Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.