I was reading through volume 3 of Make Magazine the
other day, which has an article with The
Ultimate Tool Buying Guide [Note that the link points to a narrative, not the actual
list]. They rate the tools according to necessity, and I found it interesting that I had
never been in want of some of the ones they ranked highly. So I thought about my short
list, and thought I'd share it:
| 4-in-1 Screwdriver | Don't dismiss it as a novelty, these things work and are
really useful. I have a nice Grove City College one that I've used for years, and just
picked up a generic one on the cheap from the local discount store. |
| Needlenose Pliers | Reach more places than bullnose pliers, and most have a
wire cutter built in. |
| Wire Stripper | A nice one, with different slots for different wire
sizes. |
| Multimeter | How did I ever get by without a multimeter? |
| Leatherman
Micra | Not always the best tool for the job, but will be the best tool you'll
have with you all the time. It's small enough to fit in a watch pocket, and has a very nice
pair of scissors, as well as a knife, flat screwdriver, flat Phillips screwdriver, tweezers,
and more. |
| Cordless Drill | For drilling or driving screws. |
| Soldering Iron | For projects or repairs, this is a necessity |
| Electrical Tape | Versatile |
| Gaffer's Tape | Almost as strong as duct tape, but doesn't leave residue |
Of course, there are others I use often: Compound Miter Saw, Dremel, Drill Press, Sawzall, Hammer, etc... but the ones in the table above are the ones I find myself reaching for the most.
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