The army moving people lost all my husbands tools! I want to have everything restocked before he gets home from Iraq. What do I need? He does work on cars but he would only need the basics, and he use to have quite a bit of small power tools but none of them were large. Please Help! Thank you!
2007-02-14 14:21:23 · 5 answers · asked by dogs2son1 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Why not wait until he gets home, and explain the situation to him, then present him with a gift card to your local hardware store to go and purchase the ones he wants. The reason I say this is because, he might have purchased tools before that he really did not use that much.
Good Luck~!
2007-02-14 14:29:42 · answer #1 · answered by wormee38 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what he works on. SAE are for older american cars. Metric toold are for newer and european cars. also there are some specialty tools that you would never guess, or he might not use. brake bleeder wrench, valve spring compressors, and compression testers are all tools I once held dear that I will never use again. Also I used to only work of american cars from the 60s and 70s and now only work on european cars where none of my old tools are of any use.
The gift card idea is pretty good, though a small tool box can easily hold $1000 worth of tools. If he had snap-on tools, the sears craftsman won't be the same... like comparing andy warhol to leonardo divinci. (snap-ons being the divinci)
Will the Army cover the cost at all? renters insurance? homeowner's insurance? do you have any photos of what he had? Even a snap shot with the tools in the corner can give someone a pretty good idea of where to start.
My sister gave me the BEST tool as a house warming gift. a black and decker power screw driver that had a hinged angle handle with a set of optional bits from ryobi! may seem silly, but I use the darned thing for EVERYTHING. A good lead light or halogen work light is always useful. a few adjustable wrenches, a pair of vice grips (brand name) and then of course a 3/8" and a 1/2" socket set is alwats useful. I like the screw drivers with interchangable bits. when they wear out, just throw away the old bit and get a new one for a couple bucks. Also I can use torx, phillips, flat, and hex bits of all sizes with the same handle. Yeah, a full set of drivers is nice, but if you are moving a lot and want just the bare bones, a multi-bit driver set is good.
AVOID CHEAP TOOLS! they break and are frustrating and dangeraous. This is one area it pays in the long run to go for the brand names. Did you know that K-Mart sells Craftsman tools now? Could be a place to look for a good deal. If it says Made in China, (even with a lifetime warranty), better pass it over. If he want's to buy that tool, that's OK, but don't get one made in china as a replacement or a gift. Even their chromaloy tools are not made to the standards that hold up over a few years. Not all Made in USA are good either. if in doubt, ask! a few really really good tools are better than a boat load of cheap ones to me.
You are great for getting them for him before he gets back! very nice, very thoughtful. wish you were my wife! lol. you could get just a few, and use a gift card for him to pick out the rest.
2007-02-14 23:12:09 · answer #2 · answered by Truth be Told 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow that's a tall order!
Well, you can go cheap, or you can go expensive. But it's best to buy the tools in a complete set rather than individually. Be sure to do lots of comparison shopping on the net. A good start would be the website I have listed below. Be sure to check Sears, Home Depot, PepBoys, AutoZone, Lowe's, and DON'T FORGET THE BASE EXCHANGE!!
Basically he will want/need/enjoy:
A full rachet set - both metric and standard, deep and shallow sockets. 1/2 and 3/8 socket, or at least an adapter.
A full wrench set - again metric and standard, long and short, box and open end.
A full screwdriver set, long and short.
A full set of vice grips.
A full set of slip-lock and standard pliars, various sizes.
A claw and a ball-peen hammer
A full set of standard and metric nut drivers.
A full set of drill bits and screwdriver bits.
A full set of allen wrenches - metric and standard.
A toolbox or set of tool boxes to fit all this in.
A knife and a box cutter.
A good set of feeler guages.
Don't forget a good extension cord, a drop light or a fluorecent light stick, a dentist-style mirror, a grabber or magnet stick to retrieve those pesky screws that fall into those crevices that the human hand just can't reach.
Jumper cables. Perhaps an electric tire pump.
As for the power tools, he'll really love you if you got him a complete set of the Makita 6934FDX 14.4V 1/2" Impact Wrench, 3/8" Driver-Drill and Flashlight.
A nice touch would be some shop towels and hand cleaner, degreaser, a can of WD-40, a small flashlight he can hold with his teeth - yeah, his teeth serves as a third hand, and the light comes in handy when the drop light just can't shine in around that tight corner, maybe a crawler, and an oil can.
2007-02-14 23:07:43 · answer #3 · answered by scavenger_meat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SEARS
Craftsman SAE and Metric socket set
Craftsman SAE and Metric combination wrenches
Craftsman screwdriver set with various blades
Nut driver set
Hack saw
18V Milwaukee cordless reversible drill (you might get a good deal online)
AUTO PARTS STORE
Trouble light
Volt Ohm meter
Jack stands
Grease gun
Funnel
SOME PLACE THAT SELLS CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
2 gallon Dewalt compressor
this will be a good start. He deserves the best stuff for serving our country. VERY BEST OF LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU
2007-02-14 22:38:27 · answer #4 · answered by sk33t3r 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh lost... NOT they were stolen... I have many friends in the Military... stuff ALWAYS seems to come up missing...... You did claim it all right??? I'd get a decent set form Sears the sell some"started sets" that are reasonable
2007-02-15 11:18:29 · answer #5 · answered by mdlbldrmatt135 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋