Being somewhat of a "handyman" myself, I have collected a number of tools to work with over the years, from basic hand tools to portable table-saws to cordless drill/drivers, and many others.
I've found many of my tools at tag-sales, others I've received as gifts, and I've even BOUGHT a few new ones.

Here's a basic list of tools I've collected. And, quite frankly, I wouldn't want to be without most of them, now that I have them at my disposal and have proven their usefulness.

SAFETY, CLEANING & BASICS:
>Safety glasses
>Gloves
>Dust masks
>Caution-tape
>First-aid kit
>Rags, paper towels
>Beverage bottle(s)
>Pencils, markers
>Pad of paper (or clip board with paper)
>Dustpan & brush, whisk-broom, garbage bags
>Shopvac or hand-vac (and bags, if needed)
>Kneepads or kneeling pads
>"Headlamp", flashlights (penlight, standard & high-candlepower) >Magnifying lenses or glasses
>Magnetic grabbers, reach-extender tools
>Sitting stool, step stool
>Saw horses
>Scissors
>Duct-tape

HAND TOOLS & RELATED ITEMS:
>Hammers-(claw, ball-pein, tacking)
>Screwdrivers (phillips, flat)
>Measuring tapes-(25', 12')
>Squares (combination and/or carpenter's)
>Chalkline & chalk
>Wood chisels
>Metal chisels
>Clamps ("C" clamps, bar clamps, squeeze-clamps)
>Levels-(24", "torpedo" & "line")
>Hacksaw
>Hand saws
>Miter saw
>Coping saw
>Wood planes
>Files
>Rasps
>Sanding blocks
>Diagonal wire cutters
>Pliers: needle-nose, standard, vise-grips
>Wire strippers
>Wood cutting drill bits
>Metal cutting drill bits
>Router bits
>Saber-saw blades
>Circular saw blades
>Step-ladders
>Extension ladders
>Paint brushes, rollers & covers, paint pans, tarps, mineral spirits
>Putty knives-(1" thru 6")
>Trowels (masons, floor mastic, wallboard)
>Propane torches
>Tubing cutters
>Fitting brushes
>Emery paper
>Sandpaper
>Steelwool
>Solder
>Flux
>Tin-snips
>Bull-snips
>Pop-rivet gun & rivets

POWER TOOLS:
>Cordless: Drill/drivers (3/8", 18Volt min.)
>Circular saw (18Volt min.)
>Corded: Drill/drivers (1/2", 3/8")
>Circular saw
>Router
>Portable table-saw
>Bench-grinder
>Bench belt/disk grinder
>Oscillating sander
>Finishing sander
>Soldering irons

Again...these are MY collection of "handyman tools"...your collection will vary, of course. But, this collection has served me quite well through numerous projects, large and small!

Good luck.........and remember, "SAFETY FIRST".

Learn more about this author, Charlie H..
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