Friday, December 09, 2005
Multi-tools
A Harry-Homeowner Lesson
Tool boxes on each floor, basement and in the garage... still not enough.... seems I always find myself having to go get another tool, and there is a good chance it isn't on the floor with me, but in the basement.
Tool belts are great, but mine started weighing about 25 pounds if you include the adjustable-wrenches, drill, drill bits and hammer, along with needle-nosed pliers, gas pliers, a roll of duct tape, electrical tape, an assortment of nails and screws, a pocket level, an awl, a small hacksaw, several punches, a knife.... well you get the picture... I was loaded down, and soon tired of being dragged to the floor by all of this very necessary stuff.
Much as I planned my forays into typical jobs around the house, it was certain that besides at least two trips to the hardware store, I would have to go up or down two flights of stairs to retrieve a tool or so. This likelihood was increased severalfold if I went up the ladder to address something near the ceiling, so multiple ascents and descents of the ladder were inevitable. Then too, on the first ascent, it was virtually certain that I could not reach the offending place, and had to go get the taller ladder from the garage. By the time I had done all of this running around, I was usually too tired to climb the ladder again and do the actual task I was assigned.
So I would let it all sit there and go watch a ballgame while my weary muscles rested a bit... After a while, I was usually awakened by screams from my better half saying “You can't leave all of this junk in the hall or living room or wherever, it ruins the whole décor. What if we had people come over? Did you finish the whizit?” Somewhat rested, and a lot more motivated now, I would climb the ladder and look at the whizbang seriously...
Oh, I said, this wall is plaster over the brick inner wall. I will need my hammer drill.
Ten to one when I got the hammer drill, I couldn't find the right sized drill bit. Back to the hardware store, with the wife's words echoing in my head.... ! “Why don't you have the tools you need already? You have them all over the house now, and in the garage. When will you EVER finish a job ? You have been at this all day, and it's just a little whizbang?”
So I began to think about how to cut down on all of this running after tools, ladders and hardware items. The ladder problem was solved by buying a Little Giant ladder, from the TV ad, There is now only the LGL to worry about, so if I need one at all, LGL will meet the need. Why, it was only $350 or so, and my two other ladders were quite serviceable still, so they count as a net loss of perhaps $100. But, for the net cost of $450, the ladder problem was solved.
When I discovered Leatherman tools, I thought it was a gift from the Tool God! One thing to carry, and it had 14 or 15 little tools I would need! But it did not have a hammer attachment. Then I found a different multi tool that was basically a hammer with pliers and other gizmos as well. Two tools to carry, and quite a few of my tool needs were answered. So what if they were a little awkward to use at times, they were available almost immediately. And no problem to carry.
Not long after this discovery, I found myself roaming through the hardware stores and perusing the ads for tools to see whether yet another multi tool was on the market to complement the two basic ones I had settled upon for my standard kit. Obviously, I didn't need my hammer drill all that often, nor my 18-volt power drill, but I did need a small battery-powered drill that could do most of the simple hole-making and screw-driving that I was faced with, and one that didn't weigh as much as the others by far! So I bought one. Then I found the 5-in-1, that was a scraper, a can opener, a knife and such, and was very light and easy to carry. The 5-in-1 was added to the kit.
I couldn't resist buying a multi screwdriver, that had two sizes of blade drivers, and two phillips head drivers in it and two sizes of hex bolt drivers as well. Easier to use than the Leatherman, so I added it to the kit. OK, so I threw in my insulated pliers and and wire strippers to be able to handle electrical problems, but they weren't too heavy. The belt was now only 5 ½ lbs, and the range of tools I could now carry was extraordinary! I could confidently grab my tool belt and be sure of handling a large percentage of the little household jobs that came up without running all over the house to get tools... Or so I thought!
First of all, the tool belt had to reside somewhere. There were three choices blessed by the Commander of House. The basement, my den/office on the second floor, or the garage. I chose the basement, and cheated a little by finding a place just four steps down inside a cabinet. The super ladder was a harder storage problem, but I finally agreed that it belonged in the garage, even if the TV ad showed it going into a closet! Thus, if I were on the first or second floor when I began a task, I had at least a trip to the basement or the garage or both-- and back-- to contend with.
Except for the ladder, I could solve this problem by duplicating the tool belt and storing it in the den. This seemed to be a good idea, so I went to the store and purchased all of the multi tools again. Costs were mounting fast!
But I fretted over the need for a good ladder upstairs as well. I broke down and bought a cheaper version of the super ladder (a Four-in-One) that would reach the ceilings and could be stored in a 5- foot high space in my den's closet. Now I was set! Light multi tools for light tasks on each floor. Ladders within easy reach too. And heavier, single-use toolkits on each floor also, just in case.
After some serious thought, I zeroed in on the remaining major problem: having to make multiple trips to the store for every job. This should have a good solution, I thought, and it did! I found some multiple-drawer plastic parts cases and filled them up with an assortment of screws and nails, curtain-rod holders, hooks, picture hanging gizmos of several strengths, and so on. One case per floor, including the basement. This had the desired effect immediately! No scrounging around for nails or screws, or running to the store for the right ones.
However! One thing. One does need raw materials such as shelving boards, or brackets, or perhaps a 2 x 4 that wasn't in the basement stock. So I took to buying more of these items than needed as they came up, on the off chance that I would need some later on.
They had to be stored somewhere, so I bought more plastic boxes with drawers.
Now I have a fairly well-stocked supply of hardware gizmos in the basement and on the second floor, and a growing pile of bits of lumber in the basement. I was feeling very good about my investment in “prepositioning” of supplies, ladders and tools!
Watching me try to cope with some fairly simple problem one day, my wife got a disgusted look on her face and stomped away muttering something. The next day, a brightly colored van showed up at the front of the house, and a real tool man came out of it and approached the door. Bob, “The Honey Do Man,” had arrived, together with a truckload of his own tools and hardware to do just about anything we wanted, and professionally at that.
Dejectedly, I looked at the bills: I could have had this guy here for a third of what I spent on tools, ladders and parts, and without the stress and strain on me! And the wife was very happy to have all of her fixit projects on all floors done well and fast.
The lesson, my friends, is simple: swallow your masculine pride and call the fixit man first!
A Harry-Homeowner Lesson
Tool boxes on each floor, basement and in the garage... still not enough.... seems I always find myself having to go get another tool, and there is a good chance it isn't on the floor with me, but in the basement.
Tool belts are great, but mine started weighing about 25 pounds if you include the adjustable-wrenches, drill, drill bits and hammer, along with needle-nosed pliers, gas pliers, a roll of duct tape, electrical tape, an assortment of nails and screws, a pocket level, an awl, a small hacksaw, several punches, a knife.... well you get the picture... I was loaded down, and soon tired of being dragged to the floor by all of this very necessary stuff.
Much as I planned my forays into typical jobs around the house, it was certain that besides at least two trips to the hardware store, I would have to go up or down two flights of stairs to retrieve a tool or so. This likelihood was increased severalfold if I went up the ladder to address something near the ceiling, so multiple ascents and descents of the ladder were inevitable. Then too, on the first ascent, it was virtually certain that I could not reach the offending place, and had to go get the taller ladder from the garage. By the time I had done all of this running around, I was usually too tired to climb the ladder again and do the actual task I was assigned.
So I would let it all sit there and go watch a ballgame while my weary muscles rested a bit... After a while, I was usually awakened by screams from my better half saying “You can't leave all of this junk in the hall or living room or wherever, it ruins the whole décor. What if we had people come over? Did you finish the whizit?” Somewhat rested, and a lot more motivated now, I would climb the ladder and look at the whizbang seriously...
Oh, I said, this wall is plaster over the brick inner wall. I will need my hammer drill.
Ten to one when I got the hammer drill, I couldn't find the right sized drill bit. Back to the hardware store, with the wife's words echoing in my head.... ! “Why don't you have the tools you need already? You have them all over the house now, and in the garage. When will you EVER finish a job ? You have been at this all day, and it's just a little whizbang?”
So I began to think about how to cut down on all of this running after tools, ladders and hardware items. The ladder problem was solved by buying a Little Giant ladder, from the TV ad, There is now only the LGL to worry about, so if I need one at all, LGL will meet the need. Why, it was only $350 or so, and my two other ladders were quite serviceable still, so they count as a net loss of perhaps $100. But, for the net cost of $450, the ladder problem was solved.
When I discovered Leatherman tools, I thought it was a gift from the Tool God! One thing to carry, and it had 14 or 15 little tools I would need! But it did not have a hammer attachment. Then I found a different multi tool that was basically a hammer with pliers and other gizmos as well. Two tools to carry, and quite a few of my tool needs were answered. So what if they were a little awkward to use at times, they were available almost immediately. And no problem to carry.
Not long after this discovery, I found myself roaming through the hardware stores and perusing the ads for tools to see whether yet another multi tool was on the market to complement the two basic ones I had settled upon for my standard kit. Obviously, I didn't need my hammer drill all that often, nor my 18-volt power drill, but I did need a small battery-powered drill that could do most of the simple hole-making and screw-driving that I was faced with, and one that didn't weigh as much as the others by far! So I bought one. Then I found the 5-in-1, that was a scraper, a can opener, a knife and such, and was very light and easy to carry. The 5-in-1 was added to the kit.
I couldn't resist buying a multi screwdriver, that had two sizes of blade drivers, and two phillips head drivers in it and two sizes of hex bolt drivers as well. Easier to use than the Leatherman, so I added it to the kit. OK, so I threw in my insulated pliers and and wire strippers to be able to handle electrical problems, but they weren't too heavy. The belt was now only 5 ½ lbs, and the range of tools I could now carry was extraordinary! I could confidently grab my tool belt and be sure of handling a large percentage of the little household jobs that came up without running all over the house to get tools... Or so I thought!
First of all, the tool belt had to reside somewhere. There were three choices blessed by the Commander of House. The basement, my den/office on the second floor, or the garage. I chose the basement, and cheated a little by finding a place just four steps down inside a cabinet. The super ladder was a harder storage problem, but I finally agreed that it belonged in the garage, even if the TV ad showed it going into a closet! Thus, if I were on the first or second floor when I began a task, I had at least a trip to the basement or the garage or both-- and back-- to contend with.
Except for the ladder, I could solve this problem by duplicating the tool belt and storing it in the den. This seemed to be a good idea, so I went to the store and purchased all of the multi tools again. Costs were mounting fast!
But I fretted over the need for a good ladder upstairs as well. I broke down and bought a cheaper version of the super ladder (a Four-in-One) that would reach the ceilings and could be stored in a 5- foot high space in my den's closet. Now I was set! Light multi tools for light tasks on each floor. Ladders within easy reach too. And heavier, single-use toolkits on each floor also, just in case.
After some serious thought, I zeroed in on the remaining major problem: having to make multiple trips to the store for every job. This should have a good solution, I thought, and it did! I found some multiple-drawer plastic parts cases and filled them up with an assortment of screws and nails, curtain-rod holders, hooks, picture hanging gizmos of several strengths, and so on. One case per floor, including the basement. This had the desired effect immediately! No scrounging around for nails or screws, or running to the store for the right ones.
However! One thing. One does need raw materials such as shelving boards, or brackets, or perhaps a 2 x 4 that wasn't in the basement stock. So I took to buying more of these items than needed as they came up, on the off chance that I would need some later on.
They had to be stored somewhere, so I bought more plastic boxes with drawers.
Now I have a fairly well-stocked supply of hardware gizmos in the basement and on the second floor, and a growing pile of bits of lumber in the basement. I was feeling very good about my investment in “prepositioning” of supplies, ladders and tools!
Watching me try to cope with some fairly simple problem one day, my wife got a disgusted look on her face and stomped away muttering something. The next day, a brightly colored van showed up at the front of the house, and a real tool man came out of it and approached the door. Bob, “The Honey Do Man,” had arrived, together with a truckload of his own tools and hardware to do just about anything we wanted, and professionally at that.
Dejectedly, I looked at the bills: I could have had this guy here for a third of what I spent on tools, ladders and parts, and without the stress and strain on me! And the wife was very happy to have all of her fixit projects on all floors done well and fast.
The lesson, my friends, is simple: swallow your masculine pride and call the fixit man first!
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