You guys often ask about our must have tools for DIY projects, and the truth is that it still catches me off guard that I’m The Guy People Ask About Tools. Growing up I remember taking trips to Hechinger (anyone remember those?) thinking “who would ever willingly go to a home improvement store?!?” And when my dad gifted me a set of screwdrivers in high school I wondered what the heck I’d use them for. But here I am today – 32 and the proud owner of more tools than I can count (and still fewer than I’d like) – including some of those same screwdrivers from my dad so many years ago.
Home ownership is what flipped the switch for me. I quickly witnessed how the right tools could make a project go smoother, faster , or just plain better overall. But even still, I’ve been a slow adopter tool-wise. Well, mostly power-tool-wise. Tim Taylor’s mantra was more power *grunt grunt grunt* but mine is probably closer to sufficient power *pretty please*. I still have a healthy fear of tools that could shock me, slice me open, blow me to bits, or poke me full of holes, so in many cases I play it safe and opt for more elbow grease. But my confidence with and reliance on power tools has grown bit by bit over recent years as I’ve tried new ones and realized I can use them successfully… and without maiming myself! And Sherry’s right there next to me grinning and firing them up.
In fact, certain must have power tools have been game changers for us. Some were particularly confidence boosting. Some were the gateway drug (or saw). And most are now things that we can’t do without. So without further ado, I present to you: 5 Power Tools That Changed How We DIY.
#1 – Power drill / driver – I’ll start slow here, because a $40 cordless drill barely registers on the power tool spectrum. But my little 12v battery-operated drill/driver that I bought nearly a decade ago is still one of my best tool purchases. Just putting a little power behind the otherwise tedious task of screwing things together or drilling simple holes (like for picture hanging anchors) has made small DIY tasks much easier and faster. Seriously, just buy yourself a hex screwdriver bit set and see how much faster your next Ikea assembly goes. The 12V Black & Decker model we used to use is no longer available, and we’re currently using this 18V Ryobi ONE+ version because its battery matches some of our other cordless tools.
#2 – Miter saw – Power saws were the most intimidating power tool to me. I mean, c’mon, there’s a whole gory movie franchise bearing their name. But borrowing my dad’s miter saw to install trim in our first bathroom remodel was eye-opening to me. Just making simple 45° cuts turned out to be super easy, fast, and even kinda fun. I got that little rush that you get when you conquer a fear and it triggered a complete 180° in me. I love saws. I own six of them (not counting the manual ones). And becoming confident with them has opened up a whole world of projects we can tackle – whether it’s cutting big sheets of plywood with a circular saw or ripping floorboards on our table saw. Here’s the exact miter saw that we have.
#3 – Kreg jig – Now this one isn’t technically a power tool (although it does involve using a power drill/driver), but it was too significant in my “tool journey” to leave off the list. This was the device that got me interested in building stuff. It took some of the mystery out of joining two pieces of wood together (not that there’s a whole lot of mystery there to begin with). I started small with some shelves for Clara’s nursery and before long we were using it to constructing giant console tables, play kitchens and even real kitchen cabinets (okay, all of those should probably be singular). Although I’ll admit ol’ Kreg and I don’t spend as much time together as we used to thanks to the next item on my list. Here’s the Kreg Jig that we have.
#4 – Nail gun – After “saw”, “gun” is the scariest word in the tool dictionary to me. I was a slow adapter in purchasing a nail gun (we bought ours less than a year ago) and our model is far from heavy duty. But after hours of numb arms thanks to manually hand-nailing some crown molding in our last kitchen, I knew we had to up our game if we wanted projects like adding board and batten to take days instead of weeks to complete. And just like with the miter saw, within one use we were both full converts. Not only has it made projects like adding crown molding and installing our sunroom ceiling possible, but for the most part it (plus wood glue) has replaced a lot of tasks we had previously used the Kreg Jig for (mainly for speed reasons, since glue + nails is much faster than drilling pilot holes and screwing things together – although that’s still the best way to go for certain tasks). Our nail gun is no longer sold, so this is what we use these days instead (it doesn’t require an air compressor either!)
#5 – Paint sprayer – This is the latest power tool to join the Petersik ranks (it’s even newer than the nail gun) and it almost didn’t make the list. Just like numbers one through four, it has been invaluable for speeding up tasks that otherwise would’ve taken us days – namely spraying all of the blue/cream/mauve trim & doors on our house’s second floor before moving in. But it wasn’t a shoe-in for this list because I still have a love/hate relationship with it. While I love its painting speed, there’s a lot that I don’t love – from prepping and protecting against over-spray, to the time it takes to clean it after use – which means using it isn’t a no-brainer for us every time. I’m still glad we have it, and we definitely like to use it strategically (like for painting the kitchen cabinet doors that we could remove and spray in the garage while hand-painting the frames that were still in the kitchen to avoid an over-spray snowstorm), but it hasn’t caused us to ditch our old school brush and roller completely. We’ve since fallen out of love with our old Graeco model, so here’s the one we’ve been using more recently.
So those are our 5 must have tools for DIY projects. What are yours? Are there any others you think I should add to our repertoire?
***This post contains affiliate links***
Christina says
I hated Hechinger’s growing up. My parents would drag me there when they were doing work on their house. I also hated Home Depot and Lowes when they came around. Since I bought my house, I feel like I’m there all the time. Actually when I thought I was in labor, my husband and I headed over to Home Depot to walk instead of the mall.
My husband got a nail gun for Christmas last year from my parents, I think my dad was sick of us constantly borrowing it.
YoungHouseLove says
I love the labor walk around Home Depot story! Priceless!
xo
s
Kate says
I borrowed and used my dad’s scroll saw for the first time this weekend. So much fun and so easy to use! It’s on my wish list for birthday/Christmas. Now I think I have a few more things to add though.
Isabel says
My husband is a total tool junkie too and thanks to our constant estate sale hunting, we have an interesting mix of vintage and modern tools. I got hubs a combo cordless drill/driver a while back and it has been game changing for both of us. Ironically enough, even though he walks around all summer with his beloved chainsaw, he was very reluctant to get a nail gun – “that thing is dangerous!” – and we have yet to use the one we got him for Xmas. We also have a Dremel, which kicked you-know-what when cutting drywall and small pieces of beam recently but my personal favorite is my $10 estate sale power sander; probably because it’s the only one I get to use without my husband hovering and giving me a million instructions!
Tyler says
We have the Graco Sprayer as well. I know what you mean on that love/hate relationship. The finish CAN be amazing. It took me a while to get the hang of it, and I still am always concerned it’s going on too thick and will run. I’d love to see a video demo on how you guys set yours up and use. Great list!
YoungHouseLove says
I keep meaning to shoot a video! Next time we use it I’ll have to make it happen! We did a really short one here, but it wasn’t super descriptive or anything!
xo
s
Cara@theProjectAddict says
You sound exactly like me. I am slowly getting new power tools but some of them scare me! I really want a table saw but am scared of them too. I have all you mentioned except the paint sprayer and it is on my list for this summer. Well I only have the kreg jig jr so I really need the bigger one. Thanks for it by the way. I first saw it here and it is the best little tool ever! I got my staple gun and air compressor for an upholstery class and then got a nail gun. They are so much fun!
Nikki Kelly says
Oh man! I do love me some tools. Let’s see…
1. Air compressor: a must that can open a wonderful world of pneumatic tools. Like my paint sprayer and nail guns.
2. Miter saw, enough said.
3. Table Saw!
4. Belt Sander: makes removing 5 layers of paint from stuff soooo much easier. Also, it’s a little bit of a arm shoulder workout.
5. Kreg Jigg, I also don’t really use mine much, but I would like to build some stuff eventually. I’m also really interested in getting a biscuit joiner.
Oh tools, I love you.
Suesan says
I know it’s not a power tool, but my Werner platform ladder (two steps and then a large platform to stand on) is seriously one of my favorite tools. It’s a must-have for working on any overhead project. The platform is high enough that you can reach things, but not so high that you’re cramped up at the ceiling.
I agree with you about the sprayer. I’m trying to decide if I want to use my for my kitchen cabinets (I would do it the same way you did), but the cleaning the sprayer is annoying at best.
Abby says
I always wish I had a nail gun! It would make things so much easier!
Abby
Thepreppycoxswain.blogspot.com
Meredith says
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, and NO!!!! I own that Graco sprayer after the Bower’s raving about it. I am no power tool slouch. I may be a girl but own all the tools you mentioned and then some. (My husband couldn’t use a miter saw if you paid him.) That Graco is the worst thing I have ever used. It is crazy heavy bcause of the built in compressor, has more overspray than other sprayers, the nozzles cross threaded, sending paint gushing out the front, leaving me in tears. It is a bear to clean. Sprayers use a lot of paint but this thing eats thru paint.
I took Jenny Komeda’s (Little Green Notebook) recommendation and got the Critter Sprayer. Uses my existing compressor, it is tiny, not a gazillion parts, the resevoir is a pint canning jar so I can have additional paint prepped and ready to attach. And it was only $50 on amazon and 4.5 stars with 103 reviews! Have you seen what she paints with it? Now Lowe’s won’t take back the Graco sprayer. Boo. I used it for 3 projects and cried thru each one haha! There went $150 bucks. I have lots of friends wanting sprayers and I tell everyone NOT to get that one.
http://www.amazon.com/Critter-Spray-Products-22032-Siphon/dp/B00006FRPJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390582079&sr=8-1&keywords=critter+spray+gun
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Meredith! We read Jenny’s post about her critter sprayer and it sounds awesome!
xo
s
Jillian L says
Totally remember Hechinger’s!!
For Christmas this year we did a secret santa with my girlfriend’s family. I pulled her brother in law, and was totally stuck on what to get him. He’s recently gotten into woodworking & building though, so I checked out your gift guides and ended up getting him the gyro-moving screwdriver from 2012’s gift guide I believe (“the segway of screwdrivers”… haha). He loves it and it’s really neat how it reacts to the way your wrist moves- and it has a built in light. So thank you, John, for the tool recommendations!
Becky says
Great top 5 list! I’d have a hard time picking my 5 favorites. I love all your picks (and I must be a lucky girl because I have them all) but I’d have to add an oscillating multi-tool to the list. I use mine all the time!
Marla says
Reminds me of my “Do it Herself” toolkit that my dad bought me before I went to college. Everyone laughed at me for the powder blue kit, but as my first year went by, I noticed numerous people came by to borrow it. Even today, almost 20 years later, my husband grabs that kit rather than going out to the garage to dig through his huge tool box.
I also love the pry bar. I’ve used it for every demo project I’ve done.
YoungHouseLove says
Agreed! All hail the prybar!
xo
s
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Brandy! We just like keeping things that make us money restricted to the sidebar and content that’s completely objective in the main part of our blog (so no one ever questions if we’re writing about something to make loot as opposed to because we objectively appreciate it). To us that division of content and sidebar is like a literal line that we can draw to keep things simple :)
xo
s
Sommer says
An impact driver is amazing. We got ours after my uncle (who builds homes) said it was the best tool he’s ever owned. It makes things so much easier. We hardly ever have to drill a pilot hole and it makes removing old screws super fast (even ones that are partially stripped). We got the DeWalt impact driver/drill combo (two separate tools)on sale at lowe’s and we love it. We use it just about ever day for something.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds amazing!
xo
s
Sally says
Hechingers! My best friend’s dad worked there.
I’ve had a cordless drill since college. (I think everyone should have one.) I used to live near my dad and borrow his power tools for other projects. Once I moved away, I asked for a circular saw, but find that I barely use it. I think I actually need a different type. I want to be able to cut trim and make simple pieces of furniture. I also have very little space to store tools.
So, here’s a request for another tool post…which saw do you use for which DIY tasks?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the request Sally! That would be a fun one to tackle. I love my saws…
-John
Jae says
I miss Hechinger’s. We used to go there when I was a kid. Every time my mom goes to Home Depot or Lowes and has bad service or staff that has no idea what they are talking about, she laments the loss of Hechinger’s (and Fischer’s, but that’s another story). I still drive by Hechinger Dr in Springfield quite frequently, but it’s now an international grocery store, I think.
Aida says
My life changing tool is my Gyro screwdriver. Perfect when just driving and screwing, especially putting together ikea items.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008R5259Y
Thanks for your list!!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
Tina says
We bought the table saw you recommended for my husband’s Valentine’s Day, Birthday, Father’s Day and Anniversary gift. :) And we did do it through your link (But it was on a really good sale), but still I figure it can’t hurt. And he also knows you, I’ve made him read a few posts (and he liked them, he’s just not the type to read on his own regularly). I’m eagerly watching your nursery posts, looking to see what you do with the dressers/shelves. LOVE the idea and can’t wait to show him that as an idea for around our fireplace in our family room…when its done, so he can see what I can you doing, but see it in a finished state. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Tina!
xo
s
Sally says
Question to J&S & other readers – how do you overcome your fear of nail guns? What safety precautions do you take while using one? I’ve used one before but I’m still scared of putting a nail through a body part.
YoungHouseLove says
We always wear eye protection (goggles) and usually wear ear plugs since it can be really loud (especially in a small or echoey room). But the great thing about them is that once you get one you realize that pulling the trigger alone doesn’t shoot a nail. So you could never accidentally squeeze it (or drop it) and shoot one across the room into someone’s body or anything. The safety-feature of them is that you have to have the front of the gun depressed against a surface AND pull the trigger for it to fire, meaning unless you have it pressed firmly against something and then pull the trigger, you can’t accidentally fire it at all. Hope that makes sense!
xo
s
carrie says
One thing to be cautious with, especially with the larger nail guns, is that it is possible to have the tip depressed, but be sitting on the edge of the board so that the nail will actually shoot over it. Does that make sense? So be extra cautious that you’re not over the edge (mine has arrows to point out exactly where the nail comes out of the head), and make sure you don’t have hands or coworkers on the other side of the nailing head, as especially with the larger/heavier guns, its easy to bounce a little and end up shooting a nail over the edge. I’ve only seen it happen with the big framing guns and not the small finishing nailers, but it is possible with both.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Carrie!
xo
s
Sally says
Thanks for the input. I like having more info, like the caution carrie shared…if I know how I could get hurt, I feel more in control of preventing it.
Emily @ Life on Food says
We are debating about a miter saw now. I would have put the nail gun ahead on the list. My husband will be so happy to know both are on the list because as we discuss home improvements I always reference you.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s our MVP of saws! We use it the most and love it like a child! Seriously, get one!
xo
s
Kathy says
After a frustrating experience putting trim on our tiny windows on the sides of our fireplace, I declared we needed a nail gun. (While my nails along the top trim went in just fine, the sides were not as cooperative but my husband found a way to use the nail in our power drill to pre-drill holes and get it to work). When my husband scoffed, despite many naked (i.e.trimless) windows left in the house, I retorted that John and Sherry use one! I assume that the nail gun automatically countersinks the nails, or at least there is a setting to do that?
On another note, I love my mitre saw, although I am far from a pro when it comes to angles.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, the nail gun automatically shoots the nails below the surface of the wood. It does leave a couple of dimples that will need patching, but it’s much better than having them stick out! :)
-John
Meg says
What a great list. I really appreciate these posts. We love our nail gun as well, but we went with a battery operated finish nailer by Ryobi. We use it alot, so if yours isn’t for finish brad nails we highly recommend the battery one as a another buddy. I also know our router table gets a pretty good work out in the basement. Those two an a smallish power drill that I feel comfortable handling (similar to yours) are probably our top 3.
LisaOK says
This is one of my favorite posts so far! Looking forward to adding a few more of these tools to my line up.
I got the same nail gun for Xmas (another lady here with tools on her wish list). I’ve been trying to figure out if you can use the air compresser with a nail gun attachment? Did you look into that when you took on the stair runner project?
LisaOK says
Sorry I meant staple gun attachment! Major baby brain going on today!
YoungHouseLove says
I’ve wondered the same thing but haven’t really looked into it. We almost considered it for the stair project, but decided we didn’t need to go too heavy duty on such a thin material. I would imagine a staple gun attachment should work, but you probably just have to make sure that whatever attachment you buy works with the amount of air pressure the compressor delivers.
-John
Lauren says
I LOVED going to Hechinger’s as a kid with my dad. The old Hechinger’s in my hometown has since been demolished, but the commuter parking lot in its space is still called Hechinger’s Lot…
Deana says
Thanks for the post! I’ve been following you for years and this falls into a top 10 post for me. I even sat and read all the comments. (I could have done without the severed finger comments…HA!)
Maggie says
I can’t believe John has six saws! Haha.
Question for Sherry – I’m a petite woman also, and I find a lot of the tools that we’ve “inherited” are uncomfortable for me to use. Small hands and big bulky drill, etc. How do you like the tools you guys use regularly? Did you help pick some out that are easy for you to handle as well? I am the tool-lover in our marriage, ironically.
YoungHouseLove says
Generally I have no issues using any of these tools (the miter saw is on a stand that’s a nice height for me and John, etc) but the paint sprayer does get heavy when you swing it around for hours (since the canister is full of paint, haha) but John assures me that it gets heavy for him too, so that makes me feel less wimpy. Anyone have suggestions for Maggie on tools that are more petite-friendly? Maybe we just got lucky with ours?
xo
s
Sally says
Don’t fear–respect!
But even used correctly accidents happen. My H wants a table saw but after he broke a finger using a drill to cut drywall and after reading about near amputations upthread, I’m nervous.
But I want custom cabinets more ;)
Avone says
Table saw, reciprocating saw, compound miter saw for sure! Belt sander, mouse sander. Of course a drill. Nail gun (with staples for upholstery). I barely remember life without them.
We’ve had a paint sprayer for nine years. I think we’ve used it four times. It sure is nice when you need it, but the prep and clean up is a pain in the butt.
Does a can of spray paint count as a power tool? Because spray paint is definitely a huge high point in the DIY journey.
YoungHouseLove says
Amen! Spray paint is a DIY staple ;)
xo
s
Kimberly says
Multi-Function Oscillating Tool! We bought an inexpensive one at Harbor Freight Tools and used it to cut the bottom of the door casings when we laid our hard wood floor. So easy and can’t imagine how long it would have taken us if we used the dovetail saw that Lowes recommended. We bought the nail gun you recommended last year and ended up getting my brother one too for his housewarming gift last month. We love it! Thanks for posts like these they are so helpful.
YoungHouseLove says
Happy to help!
-John
Amanda says
I’m a single gal who just purchased my first home on my own. My dad owns what seems like 3 of every tool ever made so I tend to borrow rather than purchase. (I also tend to recruit help while borrowing!)
I guess he got tired of me kidnapping his power drill (he lives 2 hours away). In keeping with his own 3 of every tool trend, he gave me his old drill. It was the drill his dad gave him when my parents purchased their first home. This means the drill is approximately 35 years old. It still works great and is a lot smaller than most new drills (9.7v Black&Decker). All of that to ask – does anyone know where I can buy a replacement battery? I could buy a new drill but I kinda love this one. The battery has to be charged before each use as it just won’t hold the charge long term anymore.
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe try amazon? Or the site for that brand for a locator “where to buy” thing?
xo
s
Amanda says
Thank you for the suggestion! I’ll give it a try – I think I may be the only person in the market for a 35 year old replacement battery!
Sally says
I had an old drill that a friend gave me…he’d lost the battery charger. I tried to buy one online, but it didn’t end up not working with what I had. It was the right voltage but the shape was off. During a move I donated the mismatched pieces to HFH for someone else to figure out.
So…I suggest calling the manufacturer’s customer service line (with the model number & serial number in hand) to see if you can buy one from them or at least get the correct part number.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Laura says
I just nominated you guys for the Better Home & Gardens bloggers awards. You are by far the one DIY blog that I must visit every day for inspiration and ideas. Love you guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, thanks so much! You’re too kind!
xo
s
Ann Merry says
I use a HVLP (high volume low pressure) paint gun (Fuji brand). There is very little overspray, so very little wasted paint. The spray can even be cranked down to a small pattern for jobs like spraying chair rungs or the spokes of a chair back. The paint I use is Benjamin Moore’s Regal, in a pearl finish. Because it is latex, it has to be thinned about 25% with water. The key, as you know, is very thin coats which are easily done with the HVLP paint sprayer. I might also mention that the HVLP is really not the tool to use if you want to paint walls, but for furniture and cabinetry, it is very good. The cleanup is simple…just dump the unused paint out of the cup, fill it with water and spray it through. Also, I have left the paint sit in the sprayer over night if I still have more painting to do the next day and it never clogs. It is a nice tool to have.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds really nice!
xo
s
Amanda F says
This post came at a very helpful time. I’ve been researching and reading reviews on nail guns to give my other half for Valentines Day (home renovators give sexy gifts) and this one may have sold me.
Cathy Lane says
I agree with you on life changing tools though I haven’t tried a smaller paint sprayer. We have a huge one the we painted our house with years ago and it takes a week or so to clean! Another tool to think about is a small rechargable impact drill/driver. Our plumber had one and it looked so great that I got a Craftsman one for hubby for Father’s Day. We’re completly redoing a house and this has been the BEST TOOL EVER. Every bit as useful as your drill but lighter and stronger. Recharges quickly but I got another battery so we are never without it. Only cost $80 (the spare battery was over $30) but worth every penny.
laura says
i think the first (or second?) gift my husband gave me when he was still a boyfried was a router with the table attachment!! i was sooo excited! true love that was in 1975!
Pam the Goatherd says
My hubby gave me a deluxe Kreg Jig set for Christmas. I have to wait until the temperature gets up into double digits before I can use it, though, since my workshop isn’t heated. C’mon Spring, hurry up and get here!
He takes me to a hardware show every Fall where we can buy tools at wholesale prices. We alternate years on who gets to choose the tool to buy. Last time it was my turn I bought a second drill/driver so that I don’t have to switch back and forth between drill bits and driver bits when putting together a project.
Makita is my brand of choice. In addition to the drill/drivers I’ve got a compound miter saw, dircular saw, jigsaw, router, palm sander, belt sander, and two different sizes of nail/brad guns. My band saw is from Porter Cable. I got that one second-hand so it wasn’t as expensive as a brand new one would have been.
We didn’t have Hechingers where I grew up in Miami, but I sure loved spending Saturday mornings perusing the tools and lumber at Lindsley Lumber with my Dad when I was a kid. I still just enjoy going into a hardware store or lumber yard to wander and dream of future projects.
Peggy McKee says
What is the miter saw standing on? Is it something you bought? Best, Peg
YoungHouseLove says
The miter saw we bought came with a simple metal stand (which isn’t shown in the little picture in the circle). I highly recommend getting one that has it, because I appreciate the height. Of course, that being said, my table saw came with a similar stand and I never use it. But that’s mainly because I cut bigger boards with that and it’s sometimes harder to support them higher off the ground.
-John
Joe says
My dad has always had tools. Years and years of adding tools to the box. He is a mechanic and growing up I had everything I needed to mess around with. After moving half way across the country from my parents I quickly realized the importance and how spoiled I was to have all those tools at my disposal.
Last year when we bought our house I decided there were things we needed to get things done. Went from 0-a lot of damn tools in no time. I picked up a few tools from craigslist and local forums and groups. Great way to save.
When renovating our kitchen and putting in a new floor we bought a grinder to clean up some tile issues that we had near a door that was installed after the tile was installed. Needless to say the grinder has come in handy man times over. Next purchase is probably the nail gun.
Be good.
Maggie S says
I would like to get a “beginner” Kreg Jig. Ive never built anything before but I’d like to try –but I’m also known for buying all the equipment for things and never doing them so I don’t want to spend a lot of money until I see if the is a “real” thing that I can do–or just another idea that stays an idea.
I was looking online and the smallest Kreg Jig is this one:
Kreg Jig K4 Pocket Hole System on Amazon.
My question is does this have all I need to start?
Since I’ve never used one I don’t know what else I might need
Thanks for all the info you share on your blog–it has inspired me!
Maggie
YoungHouseLove says
That one should do it. I think the main difference is the bigger kit comes with a clamp (which I love, but you can buy later if you think you need) and a vacuum attachment which I’ve never used. So yeah, I think you should be fine with the smaller kit.
-John
Jill says
Has this happened to you yet? You also know that you have evolved DIY-wise, when you’re in Home Depot and fellow customers stop you to ask where things are. Not only do you know the answer but you end up advising them on their project. My husband and I just finished a 2-year whole house reno — apparently now we exude some sort of DIY Jedi Force. It’s scary yet confidence-boosting at same time :)
YoungHouseLove says
So funny you said this. We were just talking about this because the other day someone asked me if I was paint contractor because I wore my “work jeans” in (which are crazy splattered with paint).
-John
HeatherM says
Beware of the saws. Once you start buying them they somehow tend to multiply. When we remodeled our kitchen I walked into the garage one day and counted 16 VISIBLE saws. And that is when I decided we have more than enough tools to last a lifetime. (Granted my super-handy-and-own-every-tool-imaginable inlaws live a mile away & some of the tools were theirs).
My husband does DIY, but he is also a photographer who builds his own frames, mounts his own work, and dabbles in a bit of sculpture. Your list is a great start. Some things I would add are:
1) a small PORTABLE air compressor. Portable is key, so it won’t spill oil. We use this for everything from pneumatic tools (like hanging crown moulding w/ the brad gun this weekend ) to filling car and bike tires to spraying film/photos/framing glass etc so they are dust-free.
2) a wall-mounted portable shop-vac that attaches to all of our saws (especially the table saw and the miter saw). My husband has renamed the garage as his workshop, and I got sick of how I couldn’t store anything in there, because it all got covered in dust from his projects. Well voila.
Also, I’m really surprised you guys don’t have a staple gun yet. I think it is the one thing holding Sherry back from tackling some real reupholstery projects, and I would love to see her try it. (Um. It is the combination of tools and awesome fabric- what’s not to love?). I’ve done a few reupholstery projects over the years including our Ethan Allen camel-backed couch, and they really weren’t hard AT ALL. Just take pictures of the order in which you disassemble everything, use the old fabric as a size template for the new fabric, and then follow your pictures in reverse order to put down the new stuff. But it is a project where the right tool makes all the difference and opens up a world of possibilities.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I have a manual staple gun, but I’d love a power one! We can add staples to our nail gun now that I think about it (we used that to install our runner) so I’ll have to use that more for upholstery projects and stuff!
xo
s
Sheila says
Just wanted to say that I LOVED Hechinger’s. I used to go there at Christmastime just to smell the real trees; my almost-20-year-old faux Christmas tree came from there and still looks perfect! Funny story: I bought my mom some clothes from Hecht’s department store. The next time my parents came up for a visit, we went to Hechinger’s. As we walked in the store, my mom looked around in wonderment and asked, “Did you get my clothes here???” We still laugh about that. Both stores are much-missed!
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
John @ Our Home from Scratch says
You had me at Power Tools. Personally, I couldn’t live without my Table Saw.
Lisa says
LOVE this post. The right tools definitely can make or break a project. I have learned this more from sewing and quilting than home projects.
Would you consider a second post with #6-10?
YoungHouseLove says
That could be fun to revisit in a little while!
-John
Mary Ann says
Those are exactly the same first screwdrivers that my husband and I bought (and still use). Probably got them at Hechingers.
Brandy says
And this is why you two are simply the best!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Brandy!
xo
s
Whitney says
You should take a look at Festool and the whole Festool system of tools. They are amazing and I personally love that they all come with their own “Systainer” case that all stack together neatly and all of the tools can hook up to their super awesome HEPA filter dust extractor/vacuum! They are pricey but once you guys start building your own cabinet doors and doing more intricate wood working projects you will love these tools! I in no way work for Festool we just love them and they helped us build all of our cabinets and built ins in our own kitchen/baths/bedrooms. If you are ever in Southwest Colorado give a shout and check out our house we designed and built from the ground up! I used to blog about it but unlike you I never was dedicated to it, I still have people crying to me about…when are you going to update the blog…but it feels a little too late :( BTW I named my blog designhouselove.blogspot.com and then discovered your blog a few months later and felt kinda silly but hey whatever, great minds think alike?!
YoungHouseLove says
That system sounds awesome! And I love the blog name!
xo
s
Chelsea says
My best power tools would be my drill And also my power sander and staple gun/brad nailer. My husband has this amazing little palm nailer (pmnuematic) that I may have to steal one of these days. It’s a lot lighter than a nail gun and while not as fast, can save your arm for over the head nailing.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
claraellen says
My kreg jig is definitely my favorite tool. It made it possible to make whatever I wanted. I have built some pretty elaborate projects with it including the desk I am sitting at right now.
My miter saw is the next one for me. When I first got my kreg jig I didn’t have a miter saw and tried to cut the wood with a miter box. It was a lost cause and the miter saw soon followed. It is an essential tool if you really want to build anything.
I think my next favorite is probably my router. It takes things to the next level. Things that I have made go from looking standard to wow with the router. I only wish I had a router table.
I think having a power drill goes without saying so I will say my next favorite is having a second power drill. When working on a project it saves so much time and hassle not to constantly have to change back and forth between bits.
My next favorite is my makita power sander. For years and years I have used less expensive power sanders figuring they all work the same. When I got the makita power sander I quickly learned that I had spent far more time and energy than needed sanding. Every time I use it I am reminded how much I love it.
AnnMarie says
I hate to ask for more when you’ve just given us such a great post…but, John, since you professed your love for saws, what do you think about doing a post just about all the different ones – what they do, how you use them, etc.? I must admit, saws intimidate me and it’s one area of DIY I’m reluctant to jump into. Also, there just seem to be so many!
YoungHouseLove says
Someone else requested exactly the same thing, so I’ll have to work that in down the line! Thanks for the suggestion.
-John