There’s a lot of satisfaction to be gained from working on DIY projects at home. Seeing a concept evolve into a finished project and knowing you’re responsible for it can be highly satisfying. While not everyone fancies DIY tasks, those who do get the satisfaction of building something with their hands. Of course, some don’t carry out DIY tasks because they consider doing something else and letting the professionals do what they’re great at. This, too, is okay, but if you’re a DIY enthusiast, you’ll find the following ten tools invaluable for carrying out modern DIY projects
1. Pipe Wrench
A pipe wrench is usually used to loosen and tighten bolts and nuts. They are convenient for holding small, slippery bolts and nuts. Wrenches are in two types: non-adjustable and adjustable. An adjustable wrench helps loosen or tighten regularly or oddly shaped nuts.
You can use it to loosen or tighten flexible pipes, geysers, cocks, and valves, among other adjustable units. It’s one maintenance tool plumbers must have when repairing pumps, cocks, valves and others. A pipe wrench has a handle, a fixed jaw, and a square-toothed screw.
The screw supports the movement of the flat jaw as it slides through the fixed jaw. The resulting gap holds the unit that must be twisted to screw or unscrew. A pipe wrench is crucial, especially in modern DIY projects.
2. Bucket
You might be asking, what does a bucket do with modern DIY projects? Well, a lot. If you’re retiling your floor or redoing a backsplash, a bucket is ideal for mixing caulk, sealant, or messy cement. Besides, the fact that it’s portable means you can use one batch of mix to replace tiles in several areas, as it’s easy to lug around.
You can also use a bucket to carry out several tasks in your garden, and when it rains, you can use it to cover your tools by closing them in with a lid. The same bucket with a lid provides a practical portable stool you can stand on when pruning your fence. You can also use a bucket for cooking oil disposal.
Start by pouring a quart of cooking oil into a sand-filled bucket and then store your garden tools inside to keep them rust-free so you can use them any time you want. A bucket is also a great portable tool kit; most electricians love it. You can turn your 5-gallon bucket into a toolkit by poking holes around it to store screwdrivers and other tools. It’s easy to carry around from one work area to another. It’s an excellent tool for modern DIY projects.
3. Edge Trimmer
Also known as a lawn edger, an edge trimmer is used for landscaping and gardening. It creates defined, clean edges on the borders of sidewalks, driveways, flower beds, and lawns. Its function is to make a clear delineation between plants or grass from adjacent areas to make your space look well-maintained and neat.
Most edge trimmers are adjustable to factor in the angle and depth of a cut, which is a great feature for customizing your lawn appearance. Some of those neatly manicured lawns and hedges result from using edge trimmers, making this tool a must-have for your modern DIY projects. Besides using them to trim lawns, hedges, and other landscaping features, you can also use them for land clearing so that weeds and grass don’t spill into your home’s paved and other hardscape areas.
4. Phillips-Head Screwdriver
This is a crucial tool when doing AC repair, but first, here’s a short history of a Phillips-head screwdriver. It was invented in the 1930s by Henry Phillips for use on the 1936 Cadillac. What sets this screwdriver apart from the others is that it’s self-centering. It overcomes the limitations of the flat head screw that features a single ridge.
The Phillips screwdriver’s ‘X’ design doesn’t slide out of X-slotted screws easily as long as a screw is the right size. A Phillips screwdriver features pointed edges shaped like a cross. It enters neatly and firmly into a Phillips screw’s cross slot.
For best results, always match the size and type of screws with the appropriate screwdriver based on your DIY task. For instance, you’ll need crosshead screws for power-driving tasks and single-slot screws for joinery and carpentry. If unsure about the right screwdriver to use, start driving it slowly, and if it slips or wobbles, you have the wrong size or screwdriver type.
5. Car Jack
Ask any mechanic or a towing company, and they’ll tell you that a car jack is a crucial tool in their trade and one of the most critical tools for modern DIY projects. If a mechanic finds you stranded on the road, they’ll first ask if you have a jack. Jacks are used to raise vehicles to a certain height off the ground to carry out maintenance and repair work, which requires one to access the car’s underside.
There are several car jacks: the scissor, bottle, and trolley jacks. Technically, they all lift cars. However, they operate differently; some are more stable and durable than others. To use a car jack, ensure it’s on a solid, level surface, such as concrete or tarmac. Avoid using it on turf or gravel, as these surfaces aren’t stable enough.
To raise your car using a scissor jack, place it under the jacking section of your car and wind it clockwise until the vehicle is sufficiently off the ground. To lower it back down, wind it in the anti-clockwise direction. If you’re looking for a quicker, stabler, and safer car jack, go for the trolley jack. It’s the one most mechanics use as one can easily roll the wheels into position.
However, first, ensure the relief valve is closed before using this jack. Once it’s in position, insert a handle and pump to the jacking point. To lower the vehicle, remove the handle and turn the relief valve in the clockwise direction, but do it steadily so the car comes down slowly.
A bottle jack functions the same way as a trolley jack. It uses hydraulic force to push the car upwards. Its main advantage is that, unlike a trolley jack, it’s smaller and easy to store, so you can easily carry it in the trunk of your car.
To operate it, ensure the relief valve is shut, then unscrew the jack’s top to the appropriate length. The instructions with your jack should indicate how far you should extend it. To raise the car, place it under the jacking point, then insert the pump and start pumping. Use the same procedure as the trolley jack to lower it back down.
6. Wheelbarrow
The wheelbarrow is an essential tool if you’re an ardent fan of modern DIY projects, especially garden projects. You can turn a wheelbarrow into a practical tool for use as a firepit, coffee table, fairy garden, water fountain, fall decor, portable planter, wheelbarrow sign, or recycled yard art piece. You can also repurpose a wheelbarrow as a pallet or firewood hauler or turn it into a water fountain, a mud pit, a chair, or a carrier for all your DIY tools.
Mulch suppliers use wheelbarrows to carry mulch or compost to gardens. Other things you can carry using wheelbarrows include moving rocks, hauling bricks, disposing of garden debris, or mixing fertilizers or concrete. A wheelbarrow is an excellent tool for turning your garden into an oasis of beauty.
7. Allen Wrench Set
An Allen wrench doesn’t look like much at first glance. However, don’t let this small L-shaped tool fool you. It’s a highly effective hand tool with a lot of torque. If you’re an electrician into modern DIY projects, your toolbox is incomplete without an Allen wrench set. Also known as hex-key wrenches, Allen wrenches feature a hexagonal cross-section that fits several set and machine screws with recessed, hexagonal-shaped holes. You can get hex fasteners in various machines and devices, such as on Ikea furniture, motorcycle engines, and bicycles.
While you can buy the wrenches one at a time, it’s advisable to purchase them as a set, which is more economical, and you get all the most popular sizes. Choose wrenches linked to a metal split ring depending on your preference and style, although this arrangement makes it awkward to use them in hard-to-reach places unless you detach the wrench you want to use first from the ring.
The folding Allen wrenches are stored in a compact, convenient casing akin to a pocketknife’s. Maneuvering tight spaces using a folding Allen wrench is challenging since they are attached permanently. Individually packed wrenches are more practical.
While losing an individual wrench is easy, having access to both ends of the wrench is a fair tradeoff. In any case, they are stored in a snap-close case for safety, and should you lose a wrench, replacing it is easy and inexpensive. If you’re a technician or a mechanic who often works with hex screws, you’ll find the T-handle Allen wrench very practical. The wrenches are attached to the long handle for comfort and to enhance torque, making them more efficient.
8. Hammer Set
A hammer kit for modern DIY projects usually contains several types of hammers and other relevant tools for various purposes. The claw hammer, which is the most common, is ideal for driving nails into wood and removing them using their curved claw. On the other hand, the ball-peen hammer has a rounded end opposite the flat striking face. You can use it to set rivets, shape metal, and close tiny gaps.
To hit something without damaging it, use a rubber mallet. It features a rubber head and is usually used to assemble furniture, flooring, or woodworking. Or you can use the dead blow hammer with a hollow head filled with sand or shot. A sledgehammer, on the other hand, has a long handle. Use it to demolish structures, remove big objects, and drive stakes.
Every technician, from roofers to mechanics, needs one type of hammer or another. Whether it’s to drive nails or flatten surfaces, a hammer is a crucial tool modern DIY projects can’t do without. How one uses a hammer depends on the DIY project type. Choose the right hammer for the right job.
9. Electric Drill
A power or electric drill punctures holes into plastic, metal, wood, and other materials. You can use it on modern DIY projects like a wooden fence. It’s ideal for large and small tasks, and you can choose from those that perform light-duty tasks to heavy-duty tasks depending on their voltage. Among the most common uses of an electric drill is to drill holes, drive screws, sand, polish, grind, stir, and sew holes. Electric drills are versatile tools every DIY enthusiast must have in their tool kit.
10. Drain Snake
You need a drain snake to clear a drain line effectively. It’s one of those tools a drain cleaning company uses to unclog drains to keep the fluids flowing. You can use them on drains measuring between 1.25 to 2 inches wide.
Augers and drain snakes feature a long cable to clear soap scum buildup and hair clogs. Due to its flexibility, the drain snake can move, twist, and turn through a drain without damaging the pipes. The head of the cable features a special attachment or tip for breaking and snagging past the clog.
A drain snake is also an effective tool for modern DIY projects that can save you the cost of hiring a plumber to clear clogs in your drains. Besides, it’s convenient, efficient, and affordable. However, if you would rather spend your time doing something else, contact a drain cleaning company to carry out this task for you.
There are a host of tools you can use for your DIY projects. The goal is to choose high-quality ones designed for the specific modern DIY projects you’re interested in. When investing in DIY tools, choose those you can use effectively; the best ones lend themselves to multiple applications. Safety is a critical consideration since some tools, such as power tools, if inappropriately used, could end up causing more damage or injury. A tool in the hands of a professional makes work easy, but in the wrong hands, it could be a weapon of destruction.
