A Basic Tool Kit I

When renting an apartment or owning your own home it is inevitable that you will need to manually repair or assemble something. In order to fix broken items or put together structures in your dwelling space you will need tools to assist you in achieving your goal. Being able to fix things around your place lightens the load for property owners as well as your wallet. The basic tools that will be discussed in today's article are necessary for all renters and home owners to possess in their home tool kit. Knowing the structures and functions of these tolls will assist you in determining what tool will serve you best when fixing and building at your home.

The Hammer and Mallet 

A nail is a metal slinder material with a pointed end commonly used in construction and carpentry. A nail can be used around the home to secure wood in place, to ensure that carpeting remains on the floors or to hold pictures in place on your walls. The hammer can be used to complete these tasks quickly. There are up to 40 types of hammers however I will discuss 2 main types the claw hammer and the mallet. 

☆A claw hammer is composed of both metal and wood and has the following parts:

1. Claw- used to remove nails from a surface 

2. Face- the part that is in direct contact with the nail

3. Handle- used to grip/hold when delivering a strike 

4. Head- the metal portion of the hammer that is attached to the wooden portion

☆A mallet is a type of hammer containing a rubber head and wooden handle, it can be used to deliver soft impacts leaving the surface free of marks. The mallet is commonly used to drive chisels, a tool used to carve wood, stone or metal by hand. 

The Flat-head and Phillips Screwdrivers 

A screw is a basic machine that rotates around a fixed point. Often times we purchase a bookshelf, end table, basic appliances or entertainment centers that require assembly. The main structure pieces are packed in a box enclosed with instructions and a bag filled with screws of different sizes. To successfully build these structures you will need a screwdriver and a lot of patience. 

There are 21 types of screwdrivers but for your basic tool kit the flat-head and phillips screwdriver will be discussed. The basic parts of a screwdriver are: 

1. Ferrule- the space between the handle and shank

2. Handle- the area that you grip/hold

3. Head- the tip of the screwdriver 

4. Shank- the thin rod between the handle and head

☆ The flat-head/single-slot screwdriver,  is the common screwdriver that was designed for the slotted screw. A slotted screw is a common type of screw containing a single slot for the flat-head screwdriver to attach when fastening a screw in place. It differs from the phillips screwdriver because its head is a flat blade that is non-magnetic and corrosion resistant.

☆ The phillips screwdriver has a head designed to fit the phillips screw. The phillips screw has a cross at the top, can vary in length and has either a pointed or blunted end. The phillips screwdriver was engineered so that the head of the screwdriver fits the head of the phillips screw.