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Essential Tools for Your Toolbox Learn which tools are vital to have in your toolbox. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-102

Guest Allergra Bennett, editor of Renovating Woman Magazine, joins host Stephanie Lydecker to reveal which essential tools you need for your toolbox--and there are a few surprising suggestions.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Essential Tools for Your Toolbox

• First of all, you need an extremely sturdy toolbox. One with a tray in the middle (figure A) so you can place your tools in it that you need for your current task and can carry the tray with you.

• A hammer is an essential--16 to 20 ounce is best. The curved claw is the most common hammer. It is good for working with wood and driving and pulling nails and other fasteners. It is also really light which will keep the weight of your tool box down.

• You need varying lengths and types of nails and screws on hand.

• The same thing goes for screwdrivers--you should have an array in different styles and sizes. There are a few which are important to have--a spiral ratchet screwdriver is wonderful (figure B). For it to work, you push down on the handle and it spins the blade which relieves your wrist of the hard work of driving the screws. A flat or slotted head screwdriver has a standard blade with a straight, flat tip for general use. A Phillips or cross head has an "X" design on its tip and is used to drive screws with the same design.

• Adjustable pliers (figure C) are designed for gripping and pinching. Also, needle nose pliers are good to have and channel lock pliers.

• A 10" adjustable wrench is another item you should have--you never know when you might need one of these. They are great because they are versatile and can be opened to fit many sizes of nuts, bolts or pipes.

• You need a utility knife, and make sure you have extra blades.

• Also needed are pair of scissors, a carpenter's pencil, and a 25-foot tape measure.

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