Diy emergancy kit

katesheet

Do you have a kit in the cupboard for emergency diy ?

such as a screwdriver set, tape, plyers, what else should be included ?

zaax

None or a shed full. Just know where the main switches, RCD board; off taps are etc. and have a good torch by the bed etc. If you don't know what you are do you can make it worse, or kill someone if not yourself.

Self amalgamating tape can stop most leaks for a while.

Small easy DIY jobs like changing the motor or solenoid on the heating diverter valve can be done by the less competent DIYer also with the right tools putting up a six foot fence is easy.


Watch a few DIY videos on Youtube

~Beanie~

I've just got a small toolbox. Contains pliers, a small hammer, tape measure, screwdrivers and various nuts/bolts/screws/nails accumulated over the years.

27col

I've got at least 4 large tool boxes. absolutely jammed with tools. So many that I don't know what to do with them all. A box of plumbing tools plus a tote tray for the larger spanners, a tool box for electrical tools, a large cabinet for wood working tools, boxes of spanners from when I had a couple of classic motorbikes, buckets of tools for bricklaying, a tool box for metal work tools. The list just goes on and on. At least 3 different drills, (sds mains, sds concrete breaker, large portable drill), power plane, small disc cutter, jig saw, circular saw and many more. The amazing thing is, that no matter what project I start, before many minutes have passed there will always be at least 15 tools spread around.
As a self-builder, you need to accumulate tools for each of the trades that you are going to have a go at. I will have to have a clear out at some stage, the other day I was idly counting screwdrivers and found at least 25, admittedly, not all were usable. Of course, I also have a ready use tool bag for household emergency work. Non of the above includes a large garden shed, which is literally full of gardening tools.

Yorkie1

I have a number of screwdrivers (3 types of screws) of different sizes, including tiny for those minute screws on plugs. I also have a ratchet one with removable heads that store in the handle.

Tape measure. Hammer. Pliers. Spirit level. Spanners - I use a set of those small, double ended ones which go up in mm increments.

Plus a drill and drill bits.

Nilrem

Basics for a tool kit imo

One decent mid sized screwdriver of the following types:
Flat, Phillips and Pozi.
A small, half decent flat bladed screw driver.
A hammer.
A roll of self amalgamating tape.
2x adjustable spanners.
A set of fuses for plugs in the 3/5/13 amp varieties.
A torch (preferably LED, otherwise make sure you have spar bulbs), with batteries! (preferably reasonable quality with a good shelf life, and kept out of the torch but next to it).
Tape measure
Spirit level.
A selection of screws - general wood screws, and it's handy to have some spare electrical screws (they're a slightly odd size/thread compared to pretty much anything else you'll find around the house).


You can probably get that lot, plus a case for about £20 or less.


That will see you through most basic things.
To that I would add a screwdriver set with interchangeable bits, a set of spanners (you can get basic ones cheap enough), a second torch (a wearable one is very handy), corded drill with masonry and wood bits, handsaw and hack saw.

Basically start of with the basics, then add to it as you go on and find you need additional tools, or see them cheap - I have a habit of buying all sorts of odd tools cheap/as I see them, as it can be really annoying to have to hunt round the local stores when you need a particular tool in a hurry.

I have a fairly well equipped toolbox in the house with the basics, but then we've also got a garage with pretty much every diy tool you can imagine (often duplicated or triplicated, as I keep a "ready" kit for plumbing, and a "ready" kit for electrical stuff with the basic, specific tools and spares), and it's handy having even the odd tools, because you never know when you'll need them
It's a bit of a joke with some of our friends that whatever tool they need, we'll either have it, or something that will do the job (although to be fair, as the saying goes all you need is duct tape and wd40 - if it's loose and it shouldn't be, duct tape it, and if it's stuck but should be loose, wd40 it ).

One thing I would really strongly recommend, always keep a couple of torches to hand, along with the spares (batteries and bulbs), it's amazing how often you find you need them doing DIY jobs, and if a fuse goes/breaker trips it's really handy to have a working torch in the kitchen or near the fuse box (and one upstairs is a good idea for safety).

cattie

I see nobody has mentioned a Stanley knife, which I find indispensable. Wirecutters are very useful and I always have a can of WD40 to hand.

Ebe_Scrooge

You could always take the "Land Rover Owner's" approach :

1. WD40, for things that are supposed to move but don't.
2. Duct tape, for things that move but aren't supposed to.

:beer:

missprice

Its a bit how long is a piece of string question.

However looking in my toolbox ( OH has van full, downstairs cupboard full and attic half full, oh and quite a few under the kitchen table )

3 sets if screwdrivers
1 chisel
1 tile cutter
1 glass cutter
2 hammers
1 bradawl
1 drill, rechargeable battery type.
1000 rawlplugs
5000 assorted screws
6 tape measures
4 wallpaper scrapers
2 dozen various brackets
100s nails
7 tubes silicon, all col ours
4 pliers
1 plasters float
2 sockets sets, 1 normal, 1 huge
Various hooks and keys
2 Stanley knives
6000 alen keys
Duct tape
Sandpaper
Half dozen plugs
2 giant spanners, bought only for taps.
Uncountable washers.

I cope with the everyday stuff.

Yorkie1

6000 allen keys :eek: Crumbs, you must have put together a lot of Ikea furniture in your time

I forgot to mention the Stanley knife and rawlplugs

DigForVictory

Duct tape
Head torch
Stubby screwdriver with exchangeable bits
Long screwdrivers as needed (eg to open battery panel on light & sound toys)
Araldite
Map of where fuse box, meters, & cold water inlet are.
Grow it yourself phone book of people who've helped, plus known vulnerabilities (eg Jim, electrician, local, Jaffa cake fiend...)