POWER & HAND TOOLS
Grab Your Tool or Use Your Hand !
Power Tools
You can buy these tools if you plan to use them often or to re-gift them. You may also consider renting tools from your local hardware store. Many places have a rental program in place. I do a lot of shopping at ACE Hardware, in Baltimore. They rent tools for 24 hours for $20. If you return the tool on time you get $10 refunded. Awesome!
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This right angle grinder is great for cutting through metal for example, cutting the heads off bolts that have rusted beyond being able to use a socket and ratchet to remove. Check out my video "Grind on Me" to see this tool in action and to learn how to use it safely. I like the DeWalt brand. Quality, affordable tools.
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When building your Tiny Home, it's almost guaranteed that you'll need a good power hand drill. Drill bits sold separately. Get them as needed depending on what you need to drill. Check out my video on "Build A Bed" to see me use this sort of drill and learn how to use it safely. Again, I like DeWalt power tools as they embody a great balance of quality and affordability.
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I used this jigsaw to cut out the platform for my bunk bed, to cut the wood for my sink cabinet and also to cut a 14" x 14" hole in the roof of my Stealth Van when it was time to install the Fantastic Fan. I used a combo blade that cut through both wood and sheetmetal. I rented this DeWalt jigsaw from my local Ace Hardware for $10 for 24 hours. Actually I rented it 3 or 4 times. LOL. An excellent tool. I also used this tool during my video "Build A Bed". Check it out!
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I bought this inexpensive, Top Rated multi-meter at the beginning of my Tiny Home build. I used this tool to measure the charge level of my V-Max Solar Batteries. I also used it to trace the power in the pre-existing wiring in my Stealth Van. I needed to know the polarity and voltage in the Van's wiring so that I could correctly splice in the wiring for the back up camera and the b.u.cam monitor. I've also used it to measure the voltage of my car battery and also the van battery. It's so handy. I watched about 3 YouTube "How To" videos to learn how to use the multimeter properly.
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Hand Tools
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This handy wire cutter and crimper is great. I got one from the "under $5.00 bin" at my local hardware store. It strips wires from 10 gauge to 22 gauge. It crimps small gauge ring terminals in a flash. It also cuts wires easily.
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Get a good hammer and it will last you for life. It's the type of purchase that only needs to be made once, so long as you pick a good one. I like Stanley and Craftsman hand tools. Affordable and great quality. Even better if you can borrow some tools from a friend, especially if you are on a construction budget!
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Craftsman screwdriver assortment. I grew up using this brand. We lived near a Sears and that was the house brand. They had a 100% guarantee lifetime return policy on every Craftsman tool back then. If a tool ever broke just take it in and exchange it for a brand new one. Amazon is the new Sears these days.
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It's nice to have a dependable ratchet and socket set that has at least 30 to 40 different sockets / pieces -- it generally covers all English and Metric sizes. Stanley is a quality affordable brand that gets the job done.
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An adjustable wrench is another necessity. It can handle any type of hex bolt AND it works well as an impromptu hammer. LOL
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I discovered the joy of having a pair of robo-grip pliers several years ago. I knew this design was a keeper. The amount of leverage and grip power these pliers have is enormous. Gets even the most stubborn rusted, jammed or frozen bolt to turn. You will love them!
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A basic pair of needle nose pliers is a must for delicate work and hard to reach items that fall between the cracks. This pair also works as a wire cutter.
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This lug crimping tool allows me to crimp ring terminals onto the ends of thicker gauge wire. The crimp jaws are adjustable to handle different size gauges of wire & different size ring terminals. This is a big intimidating tool until you get to use it and understand how it works, after which it seems handly and manageable.
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Dependable box cutter, enough said ! Cardboard beware !!!!
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SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Let's have a grown up talk...use PROTECTION. Nobody wants to get hurt. They call them accidents for a reason. It's always the unprepared person who takes the most damage....so use your PPE (personal protective equipment) every time you use ANY type of tool or chemical.
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Protect your hands. Tiny Home construction involves handling wood, metal, chemicals, and tools. Every one of these items can have a sharp edge or irritant qualities. Work safe, be safe.
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Chemicals can splash, wood can splinter and power tools can send metal shards and hot slag flying. Protect your eyes with shatter-proof glasses. No joke! Protect your eyes during your Tiny Home build.
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This is a good quality affordable respirator. Using certain tools on certain materials creates airborne dust and smoke. Do you really want to breathe that stuff ? Of course not...Wear a respirator to keep your lungs clean and pristine.
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It's the saying of everyone over age 40. I wish I had protected my hearing from all those concerts in my 20's. Well, the same thing applies to your knees and back. Take care of them when you're young so they don't wear out early. Anyways, when using power tools--drilling, grinding, hammering, etc...wear ear protection. These ear plugs also work if your bedroom partner snores. Believe me!
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