First Tool Set
On occasion I get asked by some people what I think a good set of tools would be for someone starting out? Part of the answer is of course how much money do you have to spend. If you are like I was many years the answer is not much.
One benefit that people have these days is tools are cheaper and in some areas have improved, ratcheting spanners comes to mind. So knowing what I know now what would I get to start with and then build on? Here is my list off the top of my head.
- A basic socket set with metric and imperial
- Ratcheting spanners if the budget goes that far, otherwise a basic set of spanners
- A set of screw drivers
- A set of Allan keys
- Pliers x2, (one needle nose)
- One Vice grip
- A stanley knife/box cutter
- A small LED torch
- A multimeter
The above list probably equate to less than one hundred and fifty pieces all up, and that is generous with the number of sockets, spanners, etc. Yes you can get a pre-configured sets in a nice carry case which can be handy, but the carry case is not essential. You can always buy a bigger box and fill it up over time. See below for a picture of a few items to give you an idea of some essentials.
Anything beyond the above starts to fall into nice to have (e.g. wire strippers), or if your needs are more specific. Do I have any brand preference, no not really, just not something really cheap. There is a reason that they are cheap.