Tools Recommendation

[WooHooNomad]

Thanks for this, will work my way through the suggestions. Appreciate it.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Torque wrench?

Last time I used any of mine?

Gosh.

40 years ago working on a Ford Essex engine.

Damn, those cast iron cylinder heads are heavy.

Oh, and the rear hub nuts on one side of the Granada were left hand thread, who'd have thunk?

I'm not sure there's much call for torque wrenches any more, though some use them for wheel nuts.

I think I have 3: 10 to 110, one that goes to 300 (for Granada hub nuts 3/4" drive), and a titchy one that I've never used for anything that does ounces up to about 10lbft.

Oh.

Sharpening stone & the wit & skill to use it (which I lack despite having several of varying vintage).

[WTFH]

On top of what others have said, a 16lb gentle persuader is useful.

I’m more into gardening tools than house ones, but I’d agree with others that some of the Lidl Parkside stuff is very good.
Also worthwhile investing in a multimeter to work out what is live that shouldn’t be, or what isn;t live that should be.

[sadkingbilly]

a sonic screwdriver is a must have.

[Protagoras]

Torque wrench?
I'm not sure there's much call for torque wrenches any more, though some use them for wheel nuts.

Not much at home, although car wheel nuts still have torque settings and last time I looked were supposed to be torqued when replaced and re-torqued again after a short period.
Of course mostly people tighten these with air guns making them almost impossible to remove!

I use my torque wrench to avoid over-tightening. But it's not something needed in most domestic toolboxes.

My sonic screwdriver doesn't work any more; either that or I'm now too old to hear it.

[ladymuck]

Not to teach you to suck eggs but knowing the difference between wood and masonry drill bits is useful. Buy a set that comprises both of varying sizes and they'll see you out if you look after them.

A claw hammer is always useful. As is a wooden mallet. And a hacksaw.

If you're going to do minor plasterwork patching, small holes etc, then a broad scraper type thing always comes in handy. Add a sanding block and a few grades of sandpaper too (ultra-fine, fine, coarse, ultra-coarse).

Plumbing? Tap spanners, a couple of adjustable wrenches, PTFE tape.

And a screwdriver that detects if a wire is live.

[Protagoras]

And a screwdriver that detects if a wire is live.

I'm not keen on the screwdriver live wire detectors, and prefer a non-contact one, with the caveat that before use it should always be tested against a known live source.

I'm of the view that one shouldn't work on anything that may be live and if in doubt I switch off at the customer's isolator.

I'll add that I've never managed to find one of those 'live wire and stud detector' devices that was usefully reliable enough for my needs.

Another suggestion for the toolbox is a mini USB camera. Sold online as 'drain cameras' these are handy for seeing inside stud walls, down pipes and other inaccessible places.

Oh, and some kneeling mats always come in handy in the house and the garden.

[jamesbrown]

I'm not keen on the screwdriver live wire detectors, and prefer a non-contact one, with the caveat that before use it should always be tested against a known live source.

Tbh, you can't rely on either of them. Both produce false negatives. They are fine as a sense check and for tracking/tracing (e.g., troubleshooting zone valves or other situations where you've got a bunch of switched lives), but you shouldn't rely on them prior to working on electrical systems. For that, you need a multimeter that registers a true 0.0V. That said, most DIYers should stick well clear of electrics and plumbing and, for electrics, know what you can and cannot do legally, i.e., what work is notifiable under part P.

[jamesbrown]

One reason to stay away from non-trivial plumbing and electrical work and to be careful about any work that is in a designated high risk area or otherwise covered by building regs (e.g., work around a fireplace/chimney, kitchen, bathroom) is that you will struggle to claim on insurance if something goes very wrong, either when the work is being carried out or afterwards. Strictly speaking, even when you are paying a trade for compliant work that is covered by building regs, you need to inform your home insurance provider several weeks in advance. Very few people do, of course. Smaller jobs that are notifiable are simply not financially viable as a DIYer because you will be paying the council hundreds of pounds to check your work when a competent person can sign it off themselves. In other words, you should know what you're getting into.

[sadkingbilly]

pro tradesman - £300/day
contractor - £750/day
why DIY??