Top 20 Homesteading Tools

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Once limited to six or seven and a half volts, these screwdrivers now come in 22 volts or higher, relative to size and weight. We still relegate heavy rotary-tool jobs to power drills, but get as big and heavy a cordless drill as you can afford and physically manage. You'll also want several Phillips-head or square-head drive bits and a variety of stainless and blue-steel, self-tapping deck screws. These deck screws, incidentally, are replacing nails in all phases of wood construction - they go in straight, fast and effortlessly and hold forever, but are easy to extract if necessary.

7. A CIRCULAR UTILITY SAW

Get a conventional, 112-volt circular saw with a seven-inch or larger blade for zipping through framing lumber. Skilsaw, whose utility model costs about $25, is the brand name for this tool that is second only to a framing hammer in tools most often used by house carpenters. Saws from any familiar tool name, however, will cut just as well and for just as long. For rough carpentry and demolition, get a supply of stamped blue-steel, nonresharpenable blades that will work for along time, then go to the recycling dump. These blades are cheap and won't bankrupt you if they hit a nail. For precision cutting, invest in expensive, resharpenable carbide-tipped blades - and look for nails before you cut. For heavier jobs, you may want to invest in a ball bearing-equipped, worm-drive circular saw. This piece of equipment is heavy, awkward and requires both hands to manage it. It's also rather slow, but with the proper blade and lubricant, this saw will cut through anything, including concrete and bar steel. Expect to pay in excess of $125.

8. A CIRCULAR DETAIL SAW

A lightweight, high-speed, cordless circular saw, such as Makita's sausage-shaped, three-inch blade model, is well-suited to a wide variety of household cutting jobs and is the power cutting tool we use most often. It's perfect for cutting through thin plywood, finish trim and soft metal or plastic sheeting. The circular detail saw comes in a carrying case with a battery or two and plugin charger that can draw energy from your house current or truck's battery. Get extra batteries if you plan to work for more than an hour at a time. Once your house is framed and roofed, you can finish, wire and plumb most of it using this little dandy and a flat-jawed vise on a sawhorse to hold the work. If you're going to be working with long boards, plumbing pipe or lengths of electrical conduit, fit a second sawhorse with a vise to hold the materials in place.

ELECTRICITY AND WIRING

9. A SIMPLE VOLT/AMMETER

This handheld meter features several ranges to measure the strength (voltage) and current flow (amperage) of high and low power, AC and DC electricity. It also displays the resistance to current flow (in ohms) of various electronic parts and materials. You can choose from two styles: a cheaper model with analog needle and dial, or a digital model. (I find the analog model easier to understand for those who are not products of the high-tech, digital era.) Either way, this gizmo can literally be a lifesaver by telling you how much current is on plus a great deal more. If you are new to do-it-yourself electrical work, make sure your volt/ammeter comes with an instruction book. You can find this item at any Radio Shack.

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