Piles of cheap tools

Anybody who's handy should have a good set of hand tools. They should be kept clean, organized, and stored in the same place. When you need a tool, you'll know where to find it. Quality hand tools last a lifetime, so it's a good investment. The bulk of my good hand tools come from my dad.

That being said, if you are anything like me, a lot of cheap, random tools end up in your possession. Some are yard sale specials. Others are from friends and relatives. At this point in my life, the only way to not end up with more cheap tools is to actively discourage people from giving them to me. That's not going to happen.

Okay, so you've got a good set for the house, then what? I've put together some moderately decent tool kits for the van and my wife's car. My boat has a good enough kit. That marine enviornment is tough on tools, so I check that kit often and keep them well oiled.

But wait, there's more . . . tools that is. I've still got things like random wrenches lying around, homeless. Today I used one of those random wrenches to work on my backup oil furnace. When the fuel tank runs out, a wrench is needed to bleed the air out of the system. After I was done, the wrench was hung on the side of the furnace. Next time I have to do that job, the right tool will be where it's needed.

If you are doing serious work, use a serious tool. However, often a cheap tool will do plenty of lighter duty jobs. If you've got them anyway, might as well put them where they'll be of use. Sure beats having them rust away in a box somewhere.

-Sixbears