tools -- the basic set

Of course, the tools.

A handy husband tends to have just enough tools to do a wide range of basic jobs. I have collected more tools over time when I needed something specific to do rare or one-time jobs (who really needs a screen spline tool more than once in their life?); I have also happened upon tools while shopping that just... spoke to me, somehow. I did not realize how badly I needed a drilling hammer until I saw it hanging on the rack at Home Depot. “Boy,” I thought; “I would use that a LOT.” Instant sale. And very useful, as it turns out. The more home projects you do, the more you find yourself gravitating toward tools that would have helped if you’d had it during a previous project, and you buy new tools knowing you’ll need them again someday. What you’re really doing is expanding your capability for new projects as you acquire experience and the right tools for the job.

I have compiled a basic list of tools that I find myself using on almost every project. Keep this set in a portable configuration, either a tool belt or a relatively small toolbox, no matter how big your collection is otherwise. You will find yourself running out to the garage over and over again if you don’t just take your portable set with you from the start. Some of these things are “duh” items; bear with me for all the beginners out there.

Basic handy tools
Hammer
Screwdrivers:
One large and one small standard
One #2 and one #1 Phillips
One each “stubby” -- very short screwdrivers to get into tight spaces
Offset screwdrivers (kind of a sideways screwdriver -- see pic)
Pliers
Needlenose Pliers
Channel Lock Pliers
ViseGrip Pliers
Diagonal Cutter aka Wire Cutters aka "dykes"
Tape Measure 25 feet is enough
Stud Finder
Utility Knife
Hacksaw for the portable tool kit, find a mini-hack
Utility Saw the bigger collection should have a wide range of saws
Small Prybar
Small Flashlight I personally LOVE Mag lights, but the darn things don’t have one-handed operation (on the AA-size ones, anyway). I use a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp mostly
Rubber Mallet semi-optional but handy
Small (Torpedo) Level
Crescent Wrench
Monkey Wrench also optional due to size and weight, but have one in the bigger collection for sure

Finally, you NEED a couple of things that are indispensable but don’t count as part of the portable kit:

1) You must get a fairly powerful variable-speed portable drill with a comprehensive set of drill bits and driver bits. I advise a 12 volt model with a keyless chuck as well as interchangeable batteries and a separate charging setup so you can BUY TWO BATTERIES. This is critical to your success and happiness as a home handyman. As I mentioned previously, I don’t invest in super-heavy duty power tools, but a minor investment to get these features in a portable drill will be totally worth it.

2) A fairly decent ratchet and socket wrench set will serve you well. It’s something that can expand over time and will be more useful as you add components.

That’s about it for the basic tool set. I’ll get into the larger collection in a future post.

to do list

New gate for the other side

Install new bathroom light fixture

Build cabinets for garage (from a kit; I’m not a carpenter)

Run Ethernet cables under the house
I know, in this day and age of wireless, what’s the point? The point is: I have cables, spade bits bit for my drill, and the intestinal fortitude to go under the house. Besides, the TiVo is too slow via wireless and the kid’s computer is old and needs wires or it’s not happy. OK?

Get rid of old closet doors and hang... something. We put IKEA curtains in our bedroom closet instead of new doors because the old ones are a custom size that you can’t just buy at Home Depot. The curtains are cool because they hang on a wire instead of a rod and hide better behind the existing fascia.

Paint master bedroom

Remodel master bath

Finish planting new landscaping

Redo previously mentioned irrigation to accommodate new planting (I miscalculated on the original plan; all part of doin’ it yourself)

Repair the barbecue

completed projects

Here’s a list of some of the things I have done myself over the last four years of owning this house:

Installed garage door opener

Painted entire exterior

Installed dishwasher

Installed rangetop

Installed oven

Installed Pergo in entryway

Painted and hung front door

Texturized walls, even ON TOP OF old wallpaper (it can be done)

Installed motorized SunSetter awning

Put in new vanity, sink and faucets

Installed whole-house fan

Built new side gate

Installed garbage disposal

Installed irrigation in new landscaping

Built small retaining wall and moved 8.5 cubic yards of dirt behind it with a shovel and a wheelbarrow

Assembled large wooden playset in backyard for the kids

Built a ton of do-it-yourself furniture (does that count?)

Lots of shelving

Installed light fixtures in dining room and kid's bathroom

Hung bi-fold doors on pantry

Changed out all door handles and locksets

Many curtain rods

Repainted and refinished much furniture (you have not lived until you’ve tried pickling stain)

the definition

Some people are “handy”, right? You ask them if they can fix or build something, and they probably can, or at least figure it out. Actually, the key to being handy is not necessarily knowing how to do a particular thing, but knowing enough to be confident that whatever might happen, you can get the job done one way or another. Folks who are “handy” tend to collect tools over the course of their lives, generally only buying them as it becomes evident that they need a specific item for a particular project. A large number of us inherited tools from our dads (the VPs of Handy Husband Operations) though not nearly enough to be able to do what we really want, so often we have an intense interest in buying tools anyway.

We tend to be Craftsman Tools fans, since they tend to be decent tools, are reasonably priced and you can’t beat the warranty. I also have a lot of Stanley, Ryobi, and Irwin stuff since that's what they sell at Home Depot. I also have one DeWalt item, a compund miter saw that I love dearly. Everybody needs a Dremel tool and lots of bits (not necessarily attachments). Keep in mind: I am not a professional! I admire awesome power tools from heavy duty manufacturers but can't afford them and don't need them.

Turns out the internet is a remarkably handy tool itself -- seems like anyone who has ever successfully completed a project has written about it and made it available online. Lucky for us, the “handy”.

I only write this from the point of view of a handy husband because that is where I have discovered my particular niche. My wife was not overly impressed with my ability to fix or build things until she realized that some of her friend’s husbands cannot fix or build anything and they have to pay for a professional to do just about everything. Of course, there are benefits to paying for work to be done; mainly that it spares you the time and effort. In my case, I weigh every challenge against what I am confident doing, how much time I have, and how much I am going to hate paying someone to do it for me. Being handy is also a function of being a cheapskate, to a certain extent; I can’t stand watching a professional come into my house, spend 10 minutes with 2 tools, and walk away with 159 of my dollars. However, it is important to know your limits. Everybody knows a blowhard who claims to be handy and leaves the family with no working electricity or makes it impossible to use the front door. I myself have almost left the family stranded the day before a vacation trip because I stripped the drain valve of the radiator on the Family Truckster and then it wouldn’t hold fluid. On a Sunday, no auto mechanics open. Thank goodness for Prestone Super Radiator Sealer and Bar’s Leaks Heavy Duty Stop Leak. My radiator probably holds half the fluid that it used to, but it sure as hell doesn’t leak!

Being a handy husband is a lot like having a straight job. Of course, a handy husband has a slightly different responsibility than the average handy... um, person. We answer to the Boss, who provides us with our project list and must review all other projects for approval. Projects are prioritized based on benefit to the family. And, as everybody knows, if the Boss ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. So, a project benefits the family if it keeps the Boss happy. The Boss will also consider the input of the HH in order to keep the peace; as anyone who has ever supervised other people with unique talents knows, the help will go on strike if not shown the proper respect. So, the Boss and the HH become partners in most endeavors, negotiating time and cost as well as impact to the harmony of the household during the course of the project. The HH must lay out the basic plan for the Boss, but not to the extent that the Boss becomes impatient with the lengthy explanations. This can be a negotiation tool for the experienced HH: throw a bunch af jargon and detailed explanations at her and she will rubber-stamp your proposal just to get you to shut up and go away.

My goal: discuss my experience as a Handy Husband, evaluate tools and products that a Handy Husband might use, and explain where I got the info I needed to complete my projects. I did a lot of work on the house over the last 2 years, so I have enough topics to keep me busy on this blog for a while. I’ll post as often as I get a chance; let me know what you think if you get a chance:
handyhusbandblog@gmail.com