Helpful tools and supply for DIY home improvement

By no means do I have a full array of tools for construction but the ones I have, I LOVE!

For Christmas one year, Hubby bought a Craftsman kit for me. It contained battery operated tools – this drill & skill saw along with a reciprocating saw – I have used them all! They are just the right size for me and I love that they are battery operated….AND they come in a nice, zippered bag for storage.

The Porter Cable sander has been a lifesaver when working on my almost yearly deck project. It’s just the right size (I tried a band saw but it felt too big and bulky for what I needed) and … easy to replace the sandpaper pad when time for a new one. I did buy the little Black & Decker mouse sander for small places, like corners, where my PC sander didn’t go.

Can you have too many clamps? I know, crazy question since all of us know the answer is NO 🙂 Here are the two sizes of the DeWalt ones that I have for a total of 6. I have several other clamps also but these are my go-to ones. This little crow bar has been well used, as you can see. A friend of mine turned me onto it when I fussed about how hard it was to remove baseboards (an activity I seem to do a lot of). It’s great for getting in behind the baseboard without messing up the wall and each end has a notch that works well to remove finish nails – better even than a hammer.

I know I’ve raved about this little compound miter saw in other posts but I’ll do that here too! For many years, I used a miter box and saw and, for the most part, that item worked just fine for my needs. However, when I decided to replace what I called our ‘crown’ molding, it was time to upgrade. I drove to Lowe’s and saw this baby – barely over $100 – and bought it on the spot. With the very first cut, I fell in love! Seriously – that first cut was worth way more than the $100 I spent on the saw. I have used it for many, many, many cuts since then and I have been overjoyed each and every time!

Elmers wood glue – is there a better wood glue out there?! Not that I’ve tried anyway. Holds tight and dries quickly…both important qualities in a wood glue.

When you just HAVE to saw down some drywall and you don’t want drywall dust everywhere, this little saw is the ticket! The handle is comfortable and easy to grip and the blade cuts through the drywall like a champ.

Blue Max – what can I say?! LOVE this product. You can read all about it in my post on the front porch makeover – once I have it all written that is 🙂 In the meantime, it is a water seal made for cinder block basements or to keep water in or out of a container. It can also be used to glue together cinder block and once dried (also a quick-dry product), it has quite the bond – I’m not certain you can break it so make sure you really want the two items together.