9 Tools we can all use.

As a design-construction industry professional, I often am called upon to render advice - and even service - to repair or install. Many of my clients have the desire but not the know-how for specific projects, but are willing to tackle them. At worst, they have wasted their time, at best, the satisfaction of doing a job right. To help my handy homeowners, I've compiled this list of new tools that are JUST right for specific jobs. Need to borrow versus buy? Come on over!

 Love this one. It's great for demo, leverage, pulling nails and easy to swing with one hand.






 
Door jack. Ok, so not many of you will use this. Need to remove a door to replace an appliance or bring in new furniture....voila.  When I needed to take the doors from my lower level off to re-do the tile, I wanted to put them back.  This makes it easy and I didn't need a helper. 

Metric hex set! Awesome for specialty screws in many appliances, cabinet pulls and knobs, and there are 15 bits here.There are also eight standard bit sizes, which store inside the retractable handle.

Another -many in one screwdriver. Having added dimmers, swapped receptacles for an upgraded style and adding GFCI, this is handy.  This one has 11 bits and is great for screws found on switches, receptacles; conduit fittings have special head sockets that can be driven with Phillips, square-drive, or flat screwdrivers.This is like reverse-engineering a screw by making a bit that fills the entire socket!

Nail puller. Used when you need to get into a tight spot or need specific leverage that a claw hammer can't give. Also good for more 'delicate' nail removal so you don't dent your surfaces.
 
As one who measures, designs and drafts custom rooms, showers, furniture, etc..this tool is great. It's a true square, marking gauge, and saddle square all in one. The pencil-holding marking gauge is removable, and can be used as a giant compass. A wing below the body of the tool lets you mark around outside corners.

Finally a long stand-out tape (truly 13 feet) with an end that actually hooks a wall and stays there. I dislike asking clients to hold one end of a tape - even in a long room - and certainly despise having mine fall off the wall and bend and twist awkwardly. Problem solved!

Again, for more specialized jobs. These vise-grip pliers have a “self-energizing” jaw design that shifts under load and self-tightens, similar to the action of a pipe wrench. This means that the grip strength of the tool isn’t determined solely by the crushing force of the jaws, which may prevent the deformation of some materials the pliers are used on. They have curved jaws that are more V-shaped than standard curved jaws, to better lock on round shapes and hex nuts.

Who doesn't love a good set?  This is a seven-piece Universal Design ratcheting wrench set whose 12-tooth ratcheting ends fit four-, six-, and 12-sided bolts. The teeth even grip partially rounded-off bolt heads. Wrenches are from 5/16- to 11/16-inch sizes.