Advice on Tools for DIY

Maggie.Moo_2

Thanks everyone, really useful advice here

Just quickly re: Ikea "must be fixed to wall" - I know that's to cover themselves and I originally intended to ignore it while we were looking at private rents but my four year old is now very keen on climbing and I'm sure she'd manage to topple something as she's not exactly dainty :rotfl:

AlexMac

While you're in IKEA, buy one of their rechargeable cordless screwdrivers for about a tenner; just as good as branded ones at three times the price, and if it comes with a hex bit (or do I mean a little six sided thingy?) as one of the attachments, it really speeds up flatpack assembly. Best cheap bit of kit I've got, and lighter to use than a more powerful drill/driver.

And I agree 'fix to wall'; if you've ever seen a kid use a Billy Bookcase as a climbing frame ... !

wymondham

Whatever you initially buy, I'd buy cheap. Firstly you don't really know how often you'll use them or what exactly you'll use more than others. As time goes on and you use X more than Y then you may need to up it a bit and buy a better X....


I still use pliars from my woodwork kit when I was kid! They are not great, but they do the job....

robatwork

Crikey are we still talking about tools?

I would say one thing about cheap.

Spend money on decent screwdrivers - especially the phillips one. It will last you forever and be well worth it. Sometimes you have to use a screwdriver rather than a cordless drill/driver to get more control eg the final few turns or starting off unscrewing an old stuck screw. The cordless or a cheap screwdriver may just round the grooves on the screw and put you in a world of pain.

If you're decorating too, I always buy a box of 100 disposable medical gloves from amazon - cheaper than the sheds or wilko and saves having to clean paint etc from your non-builder hands.

Cornucopia

Ikea do several toolkits, they are all good VFM and come in useful cases.

I would agree that a cordless drill is much more useful than corded, though I've managed with a heavyweight no-brand one for about 15 years, so buying from an expensive brand isn't necessarily the way to go for light use.

Poundland have just re-done their tools range, and have added Tommy Walsh's grinning rictus to their packaging. As with the old range, some of the items are good, and some not so good. Something basic, like a complete set of allen keys for £1 is a no-brainer. But some of the screwdrivers I've had in the past have been useless (don't know about the new range). They also sell packs of the screw-in plasterboard fixings which can be quite expensive elsewhere. The pliers they have at the moment look quite good.

For screws, nails, etc. Screwfix is by far the best value - though only because you get a vast quantity (usually 250) for what you would pay for a dozen items in a little plastic bag elsewhere. Pick a decent multi-purpose/chipboard screw that is a compatible size with the screw-in plasterboard fixings.

Ikea *are* covering themselves with the "must be attached to the wall" message - however some of the tall items really must be fixed to the wall. But the strap they provide is pretty feeble, and lends itself to being inadequately fastened at the wall end. Screwfix sell cheap packs of metal brackets that are much more suitable.

designbyrj

When it comes to power tools, the shopping strategy is a little different. Consider whether you need to buy the tool at all. If, for example, you don't expect to do much trimwork after you remodel the den, consider renting a power miter box instead of buying one.
If you do decide to purchase a power tool, you probably don't need the top-of-the-line contractor's model. These tools are worth the money to pros who use them day after day. For your purposes, a lighter-duty saber saw will do a fine job, for example, of notching wainscot boards around electrical boxes.
Although you don't need the most heavy-duty power tools, you do need tools that are well made. Check that parts are well finished. Look for knobs that are hefty enough to tighten and loosen easily -- stamped-steel wing nuts are a sign of a cheap tool. Inevitably you will dangle a power tool by its cord as you lower it from a ladder to the ground, so make sure the cord is sturdy and reinforced where it enters the housing.