Lou McLeod: Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have for their Homestead

Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have for their Homestead is courtesy of http://ift.tt/1Qfw8v0

Home Projects Crafts Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have for their Homestead

Thinking about your tool collection? Double check your list and make sure you have all of these essential tools every homeowner should have on their self sufficient homestead. These basic will make your life so much easier, and are worth the investment.

Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

Some degree of self reliance obtained through knowledge and abilities, resourcefulness, courage, sense, and tools to do most of the tasks needed to their survival and way of life. When you live away from overpopulated areas, you often develop a “do it yourself” personality than within metro city areas where citizens excellent to have around overall.

One reason I like tools is because I associate them with freedom. The proper tools can help people produce what they need, make necessary repairs to their equipment themselves, and maintain their homes, farms, yards, gear, and machines. The more people can do themselves, the less they rely on others. Of course, having a vast array of tools and hardware alone does not make a person highly capable, it’s learning how to use them. Having a healthy assortment of tools can sure make life a lot easier for anyone who holds a degree of desire and determination can learn how to use them. Think about it: Brushing our teeth; cooking or eating; driving to work; mowing the lawn; typing a letter on a PC or talking to friends on the phone, all involve using some device. You could think of these devices as the tool for that particular task. Modern folks are heirs to thousands of years of technological advancement in the sophistication of the tools we use. We use several of them without thinking much about it, often taking them for granted. However, without any of them where would we be today?

Hammer and Nails | Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

Making a list of the tools you need should keep at the homestead can be a task. Even a self sufficient country home can be expected to require equipment to serve a variety of different functions that are not concerns to most people who live in cities. You could categorize tools into groups according to their main application, and you might want to reserve several pages for your list. Each time I attempt to make a top ten priority list of tools, I often end up making a list of categories. For example, a wilderness backpacker who often explores need several of tools while on a trail or camp; mechanics require an assortment of automotive tools; a carpenter will need building tools, and so on. Listing the categories can get tiring since they might have subcategories. The carpenter may need tools for rough framing, finish carpentry, and cabinet making, tile setting, roofing, etc., where special tools are a must.

BASIC HAND TOOLS

image via www.venturebees.org

There are some basic hand tools that every home should have. Metalworking might include machinist and lathe tools as well as tools for welding, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, and soon. Of course, there are crossover tools as well.

A simple pair of pliers might be just as useful to a mechanic as to an electrician, or to a gunsmith.

For blacksmithing, these are the essentials!

At the front of the list, there may be tools that we could most easily produce into other tools. It was common to see old anvils and coal forges around farm houses and in barns. People would use them for various reasons other than making horseshoes. An anvil, knives, axes, chisels, punches, brackets, hinges, and every other type of tools could be shaped or repaired for various needs. Basic blacksmithing tools are useful in rural environments. I place the forge, anvil, hammer, tongs, and other hot metal working tools at the top of the list for the backwoods home.

Next, we might include popular multifunction tools now that includes the plier type combination tools from Leatherman, Gerber, and Buck, and Swiss Army Knives from Wenger or Victorinox. Although most of these tools have a minor setback regarding their size, they are tools that combine an array of capabilities into a single device, making them quite versatile and useful for small jobs. With a Leatherman, you can slice, carve, scrape, saw, removing bottle caps, dig, file, crimp, and grip, among other things. It’s a wonderful product, and certainly something I would choose over bulkier single function tools.

Before leaving the topic of multifunction tools, the basic fence pliers that have been around for many years in one style or another. Most of these pliers have a hammerhead also used for staple pulling and wire cutting. It’s a four in one tool that is hard to imagine not begin on a farm.Most people would probably put a knife at the top of the list since they have hundreds of different uses, and I would agree with them. A knife is my goto whenever other tools aren’t practical. Drills and drill bits are on the list too. Drilling holes is a common to several categories, and I use my drill press as much as any other tool in my shop. One overlooked category of tools is the tap and die category. Though you won’t find these in every toolbox, or most American homes, wise do it yourselfers keep a few in their shops. It allows you to make their screws, nuts, and bolts. It can be inconvenient when you have to run to town every time you need a tiny machine screw with a specific thread size since you do not have it on you. It is handy to cut your own as needed.

Tools and Supplies | Essential Tools Every Homeowner Should Have

There’s also the usual hand tools, hammers, saws, pliers, screwdrivers, clamps, vises, wrenches, files, rasps, squares, tape measures, levels, and pry bars.

Assemble a list of basic items until you’re confident you could tackle most jobs around the ranch. A little money can go far if you buy something used. It’s a good idea to focus on basic hand tools first then power tools. Power tools, in general, require more care and understanding to operate. They also tend to wear out faster than hand tools and cost more.

Quality tools can be costly, but the good news is that there are bargains everywhere. Thrift stores, pawn shops, flea markets, and garage sales often sell good used tools unbelievably cheap. Some need cleaning, repairing or sharpened in some cases, but most of the things I’ve found you could restore with little or no investment. It is a smart idea to look for the quality of tools you get too. American or European tools are often sturdy and worthwhile, and I will avoid products from China or Taiwan. There’s nothing better than owning a tool shop to deal with so many of the chores around the house. If you do not have a business shop in your home area already, now is a good time to get started. If you are already running, I hope I’ve got you thinking about how to make it better.

Build up your tool collection, and always be prepared!

Want to see the tools you should have in your toolbox? Then watch this video from Silverline ToolsTV: