Tools

[Squirtgunsquirter]

I know this has come up before, and there are other threads on the subject, but rather than resurrect...

I have non power tools, I'm trying to build up a (big) duffel, it's gonna be heavy, with some hand tools.

I have brace drills and bits, a couple hand saws, one small one large, hammers , some common taps and dies, wrenches, spanners, chisels metal and wood, some other stuff.

I'm not looking for a massive, comprehensive list of tools, this has to go in the trailer.

But. Has anyone used something, and been really impressed by it's utility? Something maybe not easy to find, or something common but not in use enough now that it would be on my mind?

Prepping stuff. Useful hand tools.

For instance, I'm not taking a conduit bender. I am taking an engineers hammer and star drill. Because I have found them useful.

Stuff like that.

 

[Danil54grl]

a planer is nice to have on hand along with the regular tools

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

You know, I do not have a planer. I had a small, palm size red one, but it was cheap junk. That's a good idea. Even just the blades would be good, but I have room for a planer.

Man, I used to make puddle boats with a planer, a chest drill, a chunk of 4x4 and some turtle wax when I was a kid. Lol. I drilled holes in the work bench with the electric drill motor, so my dad handed me a chest drill. Good times.

 

[Danil54grl]

Glad I was able to bring back some fond memories. . .

 

[jimLE]

How about a 12-Point Reversible Ratchet Bit Brace Hand Drill with 4-Jaw Chuck.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

Hmm I have a speed handle for sockets that mounts a chuck, but only goes up to a quarter inch shank.

I got a brace with a 4 jaw chuck, but it's a chest drill, no ratchet.

I'll look online, see if it's similar.

I'll tell you what, old style drills with the little screw thing on the end go through hard wood like nobody's business when they are sharp. Way nicer than a paddle bit.

 

[user 5745]

A screwdriver set of handle and interchangable heads. Not as sound as solids, but useful. Combination and needle-nose pliers. Hex socket and allen key sets. Sharpening gear for saws and bladed tools. A wee headtorch kept just for the toolbox is handy.

Though unsuitable for a vehicle, a mitre saw, or block and tenon saw, is a satisfying tool.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

Got all that except the miter saw, and if I could figure out a place in the trailer, I'd have that.

I might have to choose a small chainsaw over some other similar sized item.

If I have the tools, I can make a miter box... Maybe just a miter saw?

 

[user 5745]

Got all that except the miter saw, and if I could figure out a place in the trailer, I'd have that.

I might have to choose a small chainsaw over some other similar sized item.

If I have the tools, I can make a miter box... Maybe just a miter saw?

Yeah, whip up a box and add a tenon saw. It would pack away much smaller than a manual mitre affair with the guide posts, which make it a faff to store.

 

[jimLE]

What?no saws of any type to do that already?

 

[bigpaul]

I have been building up a tool kit of hand tools for use both now and after SHTF, every time I go to a market or a car boot sale(flea market sort of thing)I am looking for hand tools of one sort or another.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

I have multiple handsaws. When I move into the trailer in April I will have to choose 2, maybe 3.

But the saws that go with those little boxes have the handle up higher, and at a different angle. Easier to use for that.

 

[bigpaul]

I usually use a general purpose saw which has a handle that can be moved to a different position, not so easy to get hold of these days, I probably have over 6 in my stockpile.

 

[user 5745]

What?no saws of any type to do that already?

I guess any kind of saw and reasonable hand-eye co-ordination will cut mitres, but the right tools will make them better and quicker. A box doesn't have to take up much space, and other stuff can store inside it, and a tenon saw is handy for all sorts of things

 

[brandx]

I am not sure of the need to miter a corner in a shtf situation. Just butt joint. Assuming you have lumber to cut, if you don't have lumber then don't worry about it. Or scavenge for lumber? If not you will more or less need a way to cut wood, buck saw, 2 man saw, axe. However, if you are not looking to settle down somewhere and rebuild, then I would say just concentrate on survival tools and there are lots of them. Perhaps more substantial than what you would put in a bug out back pack. How much would you need? Surely not everything that would be found on a 19th century farmstead. What would you come into contact with that you would need tools for? Metal? A pair of tin snips and a rasp. Something to cut leather or plastic? Awls for punching holes in stuff? Wood? I guess a plane would be useful for smoothing out newly created handles for tools. Just some thoughts. You could do some research and see what the Oregon trail folks took with them.

 

[jontte]

though I'm quite good in this lingo,there still comes times when I have to google up meanings and find out I do have some these saws

 

[DrHenley]

Ditto to what BlueJoy said. I used a small mitre box and tenon saw for many years before getting a power mitre saw. No reason you could not use a regular crosscut saw with a mitre box, but the tenon saw (or backsaw as it's sometimes called) makes a cleaner cut, and the spine helps keep the blade perfectly straight.

There were some angles, however, that I was never able to get quite right with the mitre box, especially steep angles, and my mitre box would not work well at all with a 2x4 on edge instead of lying flat. But I can make those cuts perfectly with a power mitre saw. The sliding power mitre saws are a lot less expensive than they used to be, and can do most of the functions of a radial arm saw and chop saw too with the right blades. Now if they only had one powered by a squirrel cage for post SHTF use

 

[bigpaul]

there wont be any power after SHTF you'll have to use "elbow grease"

 

[DrHenley]

Or maybe ankle grease?

 

[bigpaul]

another thing you might want to acquire is a decent Drawknife, I got one brand new last year with rosewood handles, cost me £20 and it was well worth the price.
a spokeshave would also be a handy addition. better than a plane .