Countdown to Preparedness by Jim Cobb

Author:Jim Cobb [Cobb, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781612433271
Publisher: Ulysses Press

WEEK 26

Hand Tools

Two common elements of most moderate to severe disasters are

1. No electricity will be available.

2. Immediate repairs and debris removal will have to be done by you.

While improvising is the hallmark of any good prepper, whenever possible you should use the right tool for the job. Naturally, it’s difficult to do that if your tools consist of a butter knife for a screwdriver and a rock for a hammer. Having a cordless drill is a great idea, but without power it’ll be difficult to charge the battery.

These are the basic tools that everyone should have.

BASIC TOOLS

Hammer

Bow saw

Set of wrenches (SAE and metric)

Channel lock pliers

Screwdriver set (slotted and Phillips)

Duct tape

WD-40 or equivalent

Pry bar

Wire cutters

Electrical tape

These basics will take care of most simple repair work as well as help you remove brush and the like if need be. A collection of nails and screws will also be useful for many jobs.

Once the basics are taken care of, you can move on to the intermediate level. These are tools that, while not critical, make many jobs easier.

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL TOOLS

Socket set (SAE and metric)

Needle-nose pliers Hacksaw (with extra blades)

Extendable magnet (great for picking up dropped screws and nails)

Loppers

Sledgehammer

Crowbar

More duct tape (honestly, you can never have enough)

Come-along

Safety is always important, but during and after a disaster, it becomes even more critical. So make sure you have safety equipment like heavy-duty work gloves and eye protection. Thick-soled work boots are important as well.

Tools like chain saws are, of course, excellent additions to the tool collection, as long as you have fuel, oil, and sharp chains.

The idea here isn’t to amass an entire hardware store in your garage, though if you have the means to do so, more power to you! Instead, you’ll want to put together a set of basic hand tools that will help you with any emergency repairs and also take care of blown-down trees, branches, and other debris.

You need not go out and purchase all these tools at once at your local Sears store or other retailer. But, with tools as much as anything else, you get what you pay for. A set of wrenches purchased at your local dollar store will likely bend all over the place the first time you try to loosen a stubborn bolt or nut. I’m all about buying on the cheap when possible, but tools are not the place to get stingy. Spend the money to get quality items.

Quite often, you can find inexpensive hand tools at rummage sales. Pick up a wrench here for a quarter, a couple of screwdrivers there for a dollar, and you’ll soon have a decent set of tools without breaking the bank. I haven’t had much luck finding tools at thrift stores, but your experience might be different. Watch for quality name brands like Craftsman and Stanley. Older tools in particular are usually well made. If they look rusty, that doesn’t mean they’re worthless. A little elbow grease, some WD-40, and a nylon scrubbing sponge and they’ll likely clean up well and last you a lifetime if you take care of them.

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