Joshua Palin loves that so many people are starting to turn to DIY projects for their homes. In the DIY communities he has joined on social media, Joshua Palin has seen many beginners ask what tools they need to have in their personal collection to get started. There are few things more discouraging to launching a project than realizing that you don’t have the tools to succeed. Today, Joshua Palin will touch on some tools every DIY enthusiast needs in their tool kit.
A utility knife or cutter is a simple tool to have in the arsenal that will make many jobs easier. You will often see these tools at your local grocery store as employees use them to open cardboard boxes. Joshua Palin believes he uses his cutter more than any other tool in his arsenal. When a blade loses its sharpness, it’s easy to replace it with a new one. Using traditional scissors rarely works as effectively and has led to an injury. The utility knife is a great, affordable tool.
Long before people become DIY enthusiasts, they typically will have a screwdriver at home. The screwdriver is a must when it comes to assembling furniture or a kid’s new toy kitchen. Ideally, a screwdriver should have the ability to deal with flat-head screws and crosshead screws. However, if you can’t find a reliable screwdriver that can easily switch out heads, it is important to have both forms of a screwdriver. Another classic tool that is a must for DIY enthusiasts is the hammer. Countless projects call for nails to be pushed through a surface. Apart from nailing, the curved claw on the backside of a hammer is invaluable to removing old nails from a wall or frame.
Joshua Palin recommends that everyone owns a wrench that can be easily adjusted. Whether bolts need to be loosened or tightened, the wrench needs to be able to clamp down on the bolt correctly. An adjustable wrench can handle nuts and bolts of different shapes and sizes. The adjustable wrench is one piece of equipment where the brand name matters a bit more. Joshua Palin has found that some wrenches aren’t made of material that produces the strong grip needed to get the job done properly. Fortunately, spending more on a wrench upfront can lead to cost savings on issues down the line.
Many new DIY enthusiasts get caught up with power tools and forget about the essentials. Two of the biggest essentials are measuring tape and durable work gloves. Measuring tape will be a necessity for just about any project, so it’s important to find one that is durable and reliable. Work gloves are vital to those looking to avoid injuries. Gloves not only protect the hands from unnecessary injuries, they also help people maintain a firm grip on whatever tool they are utilizing. Joshua Palin recommends looking for a glove that is resistant to heat as many different projects will cause a person to work with hot objects that can easily burn an exposed hand.
Finally, Joshua Palin recommends investing in a good mask. Woodworking jobs will lead to the inhalation of harmful wood particles if a mask is not worn. The danger only amplifies when people start to work with chemicals. For instance, painting jobs require a mask resistant to some toxins that the painter can otherwise ingest. A high-quality mask means fewer health risks and more fun for DIY enthusiasts.