Tool Kit for non tool users

[Tom Bender]

On two occasions I have made up simple tool kits for girls/women who had maybe 1 screwdriver and were living alone, apartment, dorm room whatever. My wife still prizes hers, it's a kitchen resource. Though she is welcome to borrow from my shop she often uses her own tools. Anyway, it makes a fine gift. Deciding on the contents is a fun exercise. Parameters; it must fit in a small steel box, not larger than 2" x 6" x 12" so it stores and travels easily (a hammer can be separate), it must be inexpensive.

flat and phillips screwdrivers, one each - multi-bit tools are too fussy

pliers, 1 ordinary, 1 needle nose with wire cutter

utility knife with retractable blade

2" putty knife

a kit of picture hangers

a smallish claw hammer

a piece of crocus cloth

small tape measure


What would you add?

[jeff norris 2011]

I go with the multi head screw driver as Robertson and Torx and hex keys come in handy as do various sizes. It it is most efficient solution to cover a wide range of application. I also like a few jewellers screw drivers - Phillips and common, does not take up space and come in handy (fixing glasses etc).

As for other stuff:

-painters tape
-mini Level
-some screws and drywall plugs
-Crescent Wrench
-mini flashlight

....and never forget these - safety glasses!

[Bill Dufour]

I take 1/2 roll of toilet paper. and flatten it. Put it in a baggie and place it under the seat of a car. Good for emergencies like dirty hands from fixing car stuff, wrapping little specimans and it's original use.
I have upgraded the car tool kits into laptop computer bags. The school threw them away at the end of the year so I swiped some clean ones.
Bill D.

PS: Add a lighter and some heatshrink. Maybe little vise grips. I needed a new outdoor faucet handle in the garden. A mini vise grip tool from horrible fright was cheaper then a simple handle!
Bill D

[Gary Ragatz]

Another vote for the multi-bit screwdriver.

Duct tape.

Pencil.

[mike stenson]

I'd get one of the small screwdriver tool-rolls (or multi-bit kits, although I dislike those a lot) from someplace like ifixit as well. Modern electronics are filled with tamper-resistant fasteners, it's really handy to have them hanging around. Even if all you want to do is tighten one of them that's loosened.

[Mike Cutler]

Tom

I think you're underestimating the multi bit screwdriver set. My wife loves hers. It does need to be a good one though.
My wife has her own kits, but she's not the atypical stereotype. The car battery died on a Sunday in South Philly many years ago ,250 miles from home. She went into a store, bought a battery, the only one that would fit in the space, and all the tools necessary to put it in. It wasn't the exact replacement battery for a Saab, but it fit, and she was on her way. She bought a nice kit too. Still have it here at home.

[Doug Garson]

+1 on the multi bit screwdriver and also a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman. Add some Crazy Glue, duct tape (if you can't fix it with duct tape it ain't fixable (I think Red Green said that)) and 5 min epoxy. Why a metal box? Perfect chance to personalize the gift by making a wooden tool box.

[Jim Koepke]

What would you add?

Another vote for a Crescent wrench.

The "house tool kit" resides in my old aluminum lunchbox from my working days. It is approximately 5X7X14".

Some other items include:

An old Altoids container to hold some allen wrenches. My old office chair has a couple of bolts that work themselves loose.

A pair of water pump pliers. Most often these are used for cracking nuts.

A box cutter.

A 10" torpedo leval.

An old toothbrush and a paint brush. These come in handy often.

There are a few other odds & ends like electrical tape, bolts, nails and a hunk of wax.

Candy uses these when she wants.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

I feel a need to suggest that this need isn't limited to girls/women. Plenty of men don't have an appropriate tool box and contents to handle basic needs around an apartment or home. In some cases, I'd say that might even approach "most men"... wink, wink...nod, nod...

[Edwin Santos]

Consider adding a small flashlight, the kind Harbor freight gives away, or you can find them in dollar stores. Maybe some extra batteries too.

Or spend $16.99 and get this 39 piece kit on Amazon which has most of the items mentioned so far:

https://tinyurl.com/rt2f3t5

[Rod Sheridan]

I bought each of my kids a "toolkit for dummies" or some such thing.

It's a blow molded plastic case with pliers, screwdrivers, a utility knife, a torpedo level and a tape measure.

It covers most of their needs and is compact.........Rod.

[Stephen Tashiro]

flat and phillips screwdrivers, one each - multi-bit tools are too fussy

I don't like the multi-bit drivers that use bits that are only an inch long and hold them magnetically because the bits pull out. A good alternative is the type of diver that uses longer bits of the type that lock in place. On this type, the whole shaft can be pulled out of the handle and reversed. So without carrying loose bits around, you have 4 different bit heads available, 2 from each reversible bit on each end of the reversible shaft. Klein tools makes such screwdrivers. Cheaper versions are made by Kobalt and Craftsman.

[Jerome Stanek]

You can get a four way screw driver from Harbor Freight for free that works very well I keep one in each of my vehicles but mine are Wright tools that I got free

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Don't forget the proper safety warnings. Like, "Not for internal use" (I actually saw that on a box of steel wool soap pads from Dollar General)

[Tom Bender]

Yes on the 'Me Too' movement for men

And yes on alternate box materials (I was stuck in my own memory rut)

I guess safety glasses and bandaids could make the list, but I'm drawing the line at an emergency supply of toilet paper

A tooth brush and a 2" paint brush are good, and electrical tape

A pair of AA batteries plus a $20 bill will get used for sure