Posted: 6/27/2009 7:36:59 AM EDT
The Yard-Sale find post got me to thinking about what tools to look for at yard sales. For around the house, what's a good list of hand-tools that would come in handy after a crisis where you've lost power? Yeah, I know the genny, solar panels and other methods are good backup power sources, but I'm thinking simple "old-school" hand tools to have on hand (pun intented ) for minor repairs, fixes and other projects...
Of course, yard work (repairing fences, making defensive preparations, building an outhouse/digging sanitation dumps), minor metal/sheet metal work, wood work and projects, home repairs such as sealing windows, basic roof repairs, etc., basic vehicle/small engine repair, maybe basic masonry work??...here's a small list off the top of my head: Shovel (a couple different varieties) Hammers (various, mallet, ball-peens, etc.) Framing hammer Crowbar Vice grip pliers Pipe wrench Pliers (needle nose, fencing, wire cutters, adjust. etc.) Pipe cutters Open/box end wrench set Socket set (metric/standard) Heavy duty bolt cutters Sheet metal shears/cutters Screw driver sets (standard and small gun smithing sets) Heavy duty vice Post-hole digger Steel rake Hoe Mattock Axe/splitting maul and wedges Hack saw (extra blades!) Wood saws (small coping saw, key-hole saw)/Cross cut saws(2-man?) Chisels Tape measure/square Bar/pipe clamps Files/rasps Hand plane Draw knife Sharpening stones Hand drill (with augers drills) Hand Brace and bits Brush clearing tools (machetes, pruning shears/saws etc.) I know a good supply of various nails, wood screws and nuts/bolts/washers have always come in handy...also plastic sheeting, duct tape, electrical tape, JB Weld, silicone tape, wood glue, various sandpaper, Tung oil, super glue, silicone adhesive/sealant, plywood, 2X4's and other scrap wood pieces for projects, etc. I'm just trying to develop a list...some I have and some are on the "to find" list. What other recommendations do you all have out there? ROCK6 ETA... Other handy items I forgot to add that would make power-less life a little easier... Jacks/stands Come-alongs Tie-downs/ratchet-straps Utlility rope, webbing 550-cord, jute twine, bungees Various pulleys Maybe a good anvil and tools for basic blacksmithing? |
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Good list you have going there. A couple things caught my eye:
Cross cut saw: My dad got one of these from the sportsmansguide. I believe it was Swedish surplus. He has a lot of wooded property and we would use it instead of a chainsaw to cut up fallen trees while I was home. It is surprising how much work you can do with one. Blacksmithing: I did this for my senior project in high school. It would make a fun, low investment hobby. I made several chisels, a griddle, and some decorative ironwork. It is tough, but rewarding. Some other useful tools I would add are center punches, a spud bar, and sledge. Make sure you have plenty of handles for your splitting maul. I have broken several while tired. |
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Chainsaw, fuel, oil, files.
Couple 100' 1/2" or better rope. Guess you already got that. Couple heavy 25' chains w/ hooks. I don't know about the hand brace and bits or the chisels, plane, etc. Are you building a cabin/fine furniture or just trying to put up plywood? They might be handy, but I don't know how hard I would try to get ahold of them unless you are looking for equipping a business after the end of the world. If you have cordless tools, you could probably run the charger off a small inverter hooked to your car battery or similiar. They could be much faster when you need them than hand tools. Cutting plywood, driving screws, etc. Obviously the chainsaw is the ultimate cordless tool. It doesn't have to be that big, either. I have done a lot w/ an old XL12 w/ a 20" bar. That being said, just having a lot of that stuff around the house would be nice, and could come in useful even if the power wasn't out. You might do a nice gun cleaning bench w/ no power tools, if that is what floats your boat. |
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Quoted:
Chainsaw, fuel, oil, files. Couple 100' 1/2" or better rope. Guess you already got that. Couple heavy 25' chains w/ hooks. I don't know about the hand brace and bits or the chisels, plane, etc. Are you building a cabin/fine furniture or just trying to put up plywood? They might be handy, but I don't know how hard I would try to get ahold of them unless you are looking for equipping a business after the end of the world. If you have cordless tools, you could probably run the charger off a small inverter hooked to your car battery or similiar. They could be much faster when you need them than hand tools. Cutting plywood, driving screws, etc. Obviously the chainsaw is the ultimate cordless tool. It doesn't have to be that big, either. I have done a lot w/ an old XL12 w/ a 20" bar. That being said, just having a lot of that stuff around the house would be nice, and could come in useful even if the power wasn't out. You might do a nice gun cleaning bench w/ no power tools, if that is what floats your boat. Thanks guys for the replies. Yeah, a chainsaw is still a must considering how much work it can do in such a short time. I still think a good crosscut saw as nihilsum mentioned is a good back up or even "quite" tool for larger logs, but a chainsaw will last with a small amount of fuel, oil and sharpener. I like the idea of the 25 foot chains/hooks. I also forgot bailing wire which is another excellent repair-all item. I think the generator and inverters are must-have resources in most areas (common snow/ice power outages or hurricane areas) where power does go out seasonally and everybody can use an inverter for short term. That's probably the best way to get many of your cordless batteries charged up for the cordless tools...I was just thinking about conserving some of that power with the hand brace/drill or for the worst case and exteneded outages. The spud bar is a pretty good idea as is a decent sledge...not too mention the spare handles! I have a decent hand cart, but a heavy duty furniture dolly might be a good device to move around heavy furniture and those 55 gallon drums of water 
ROCK6 |
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this––-http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=MITRE+BOX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=20-800&SDesc=Clamping+Mitre+Box
IIRC, I got mine at Homer Depot for less than $40; cuts wood trim, light metal, tubing etc. Get several extra blades. Unfortunatly they don't make special metal cutting blades, but for light aluminum window screen material this worked great. I'd also get an anvil or 3-5' section of railroad rail for bending, shaping and generally working metal. |
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Quoted:
this––-http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp?CATEGORY=MITRE+BOX&TYPE=PRODUCT&PARTNUMBER=20-800&SDesc=Clamping+Mitre+Box IIRC, I got mine at Homer Depot for less than $40; cuts wood trim, light metal, tubing etc. Get several extra blades. Unfortunatly they don't make special metal cutting blades, but for light aluminum window screen material this worked great. I'd also get an anvil or 3-5' section of railroad rail for bending, shaping and generally working metal. Yeah, I need to get an anvil, I'll keep an eye out for some rail-road sections locally. That manual mitre saw is another great idea...thanks! ROCK6 |
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Just a couple things:
Shovels. The more the better. not just types but have at least two of each type––––as some one who used one for a living part of a couple summers moving dirt by hand takes lots of time or lots of bodies. Picks. break up the ground etc. Also, as far as black smithing don't forget your hardy. If I remember I will look up the title of the blacksmithing book I have at home. And I agree practice with the tools. There are tricks to everything no matter how simple it appears. Even digging a ditch. For those interested in blacksmithing you might check your local SCA and see if there is anyone doing it locally. |
| Source for brace We use these to drill mounting holes in phone poles. You can drill an attachment hole faster with these than with a gas powered drill. |
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Quoted:
Bottle jacks Hi-lift jack with post puller Yankee screwdriver? 5' sleve/crow bar Bailing wire I'll 2nd the high lift jack idea. I use mine all the time on the farm. Another thing I use alot in my shop/barn is a chain hoist. But you have to have somewhere sturdy to hang it from. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Chainsaw, fuel, oil, files. Couple 100' 1/2" or better rope. Guess you already got that. Couple heavy 25' chains w/ hooks. I don't know about the hand brace and bits or the chisels, plane, etc. Are you building a cabin/fine furniture or just trying to put up plywood? They might be handy, but I don't know how hard I would try to get ahold of them unless you are looking for equipping a business after the end of the world. If you have cordless tools, you could probably run the charger off a small inverter hooked to your car battery or similiar. They could be much faster when you need them than hand tools. Cutting plywood, driving screws, etc. Obviously the chainsaw is the ultimate cordless tool. It doesn't have to be that big, either. I have done a lot w/ an old XL12 w/ a 20" bar. That being said, just having a lot of that stuff around the house would be nice, and could come in useful even if the power wasn't out. You might do a nice gun cleaning bench w/ no power tools, if that is what floats your boat. Thanks guys for the replies. Yeah, a chainsaw is still a must considering how much work it can do in such a short time. I still think a good crosscut saw as nihilsum mentioned is a good back up or even "quite" tool for larger logs, but a chainsaw will last with a small amount of fuel, oil and sharpener. I like the idea of the 25 foot chains/hooks. I also forgot bailing wire which is another excellent repair-all item. I think the generator and inverters are must-have resources in most areas (common snow/ice power outages or hurricane areas) where power does go out seasonally and everybody can use an inverter for short term. That's probably the best way to get many of your cordless batteries charged up for the cordless tools...I was just thinking about conserving some of that power with the hand brace/drill or for the worst case and exteneded outages. The spud bar is a pretty good idea as is a decent sledge...not too mention the spare handles! I have a decent hand cart, but a heavy duty furniture dolly might be a good device to move around heavy furniture and those 55 gallon drums of water
ROCK6 Personally I don't trust chain and hooks. Good chain costs good money. Most of the crap you see in auto parts stores/walmart etc is plain junk and easily breaks. The chain and cheap hooks become projectiles. I have seen this while four wheeling. Go with synthetic tie down straps like the kind truckers use to synch down loads. You can even buy tow straps for winchs with looped ends. |