Home Improvement

Thoughts & Stuff I Like When We Redid Our House

Allen Hex

Essential Tools For DIY Carpentry And Home Improvement

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Do It Yourself, otherwise known as DIY home improvement projects have been steadily gaining popularity in the past few decades. Many would say that this is due to the fact that information and tools necessary to complete the job are now readily accessible, and also because of the high cost of labor. Because of this, skilled individuals, as well as those who have the flair for building and following instructions have found that this is a very good way to translate their know-how into considerable savings, opening up a new demographic for manufacturers to cater to.

 

This does not mean that DIY furniture remains exclusive to a particular market. Even though most manufacturers of Ready-To-Assemble furniture, also known as "flat packs" or "knock-down" furniture constantly innovate on their products to minimize the assembly effort passed onto the end user, bigger projects like walk in closets, wall racks and mounts, or outdoor patio sets will still require some tools and a bit of expertise.

 

Nowadays, a tool virtually exists even for the most specific of tasks. While it is good to have the correct tool for the job, it might be more practical to purchase the bare essentials first. Tools, after all, are an investment: some can be very expensive, but are a worthwhile purchase should you decide to venture into the construction business. However, for common DIY tasks, the tools listed below should suffice.

 

Hammer – Hammers come in different forms and sizes, but you'll be able to do most hammering tasks with a good claw hammer made out of forged steel. The side of the head used for pounding should have a straight, smooth or textured surface, as opposed to a ball-peen hammer that has side with a rounded surface and is used mostly for metalwork.

 

Screwdrivers or Drills – Although there's quite a number of head shapes out in the market, the flat and Philips heads are the most popular. Since screws come in different sizes as well, you will need to get a screwdriver set, or an electric screwdriver with interchangeable bits.

 

A cordless drill is also a good option if it is within your budget. Some cordless drills come with both drill and screwdriver bits which makes it a very versatile tool.

 

Wrench set – A lot of ready to assemble furniture like racks and computer tables come with bolts and nuts that can only be screwed in using a "hex key" or Allen wrench. An hex key set is a good investment since hex screws are very popular.

 

Owning a set of chrome vanadium wrench set is ideal, but for general purposes, an adjustable spanner/wrench will be enough.

 

Tape measure – This is an indispensable tool no carpenter can be without. Interior decoration and home improvement projects thrive on exact measurements, and a retractable tape measure which has both metric and imperial units is the best fit for the job.

 

Wood saw – This is the ideal cutting tool for any piece of wood. Very rarely will a product require you to saw off anything, but as long as you're planning to improve your home, it'll be good to keep a saw around the house, whether it be a hand saw or an electric power saw.

 

Levels – This is an apparatus which tells you how parallel to the ground a particular surface is.

 

Pliers – A pair of lineman's pliers and needle-nose pliers is a great all-purpose tool you can use for cutting wires and small nails. Needle-nose pliers is a great tool for prying out from small or very tight spaces.

 

With these tools, you'll be able to accomplish a whole range of home improvement projects, from something as simple as assembling an Ikea chair to contractor level jobs like installing RTA kitchen cabinets. These tools are also built to last and since their design has hardly changed overtime, you'll be able to use them for many more years to come.

About the Author

Harry Mason is a writer and a home improvement enthusiast who specializes in kitchen cabinets.

Help removing shower handle?

I have a single handle shower faucet. I am trying to remove the shower handle. When the shower handle is in the off position, there is a hole pointing downwards on the shower handle. It appears to have a hex nut in it, but it almost looks like there isn't a hex nut in there at all. I tried using an allen wrecnch to remove it, but no such luck. It's either striped out or there is nothing there. Any ideas on how I can remove this pesky handle?
The brand of the faucet is Moen

Do you know what brand? It makes a difference.

There is a very small hex head screw in the handle. The screw has a locking thread sealant on it. Holds very tightly. If the screw is stripped then drill the head off of the screw. the handle will come off. A plastic adapter holds the handle to the stem. If you damage the adapter then the adapter and the handle will need to be replaced. Otherwise just the handle must be replaced.

Any more questions just contact me thru my avatar.

Hex keys, hex wrenches, L wrenches and Allen wrenches