Top 20 Essential Tools from the This Old House Pros
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Tools of Their Trades
Tools of Their Trades
Sure, they're masters of their respective crafts, but there's one thing that the TOH TV crew has in common with all pros: They rely on a handful of well-made tools for nearly all the projects they tackle. We asked each of them to spill the beans on the five tools they can't live without and the must-have features that make them useful. Whether you're building a tool collection from scratch or just replacing a few items, their time-tested tips will guide you to all the right choices.
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Roger Cook, Landscape Contractor
Roger Cook, Landscape Contractor
Roger relies primarily on top-notch hand tools.
His go-to landscaping shovel has a spade head and a flexible fiberglass handle. "Wood handles can snap when you're prying up rocks and stumps," he explains.
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Norm Abram, Master Carpenter
Norm Abram, Master Carpenter
Follow Norm's lead and pick tools that offer useful features and precision.
Norm keeps a retractable utility knife on hand for opening boxes or other lightweight tasks. "It's safer than using a kitchen knife," he says. He suggests a utility knife that has a lock, a safety guard, and a blade you can change without a screwdriver.
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Norm Abram, Master Carpenter
Norm Abram, Master Carpenter
Norm's go-to cordless drill is a compact, lightweight 12-volt model. "Don't bother with a bulky 18-volt version," he says. "Today's lithium-ion drills have enough power for most projects."
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Richard Trethewey, Plumbing and Heating Expert
Richard Trethewey, Plumbing and Heating Expert
Richard's must-have tools include both specialty and general-purpose items.
If you do your own plumbing (or want to), Richard recommends a long-handled basin wrench for fiddling with impossible-to-reach sink fittings. "It'll save your knuckles from getting scraped up," he says.
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Richard Trethewey, Plumbing and Heating Expert
Richard Trethewey, Plumbing and Heating Expert
No homeowner should be without a pair of water-pump pliers. "The adjustable jaws can fit around pipes of any diameter, and they offer plenty of torque for tough tasks like loosening rusted-on nuts," Richard says. The jaws should have nonslip teeth that grip well.
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Multi-Tip Screwdriver
Multi-Tip Screwdriver
Instead of carrying several screwdrivers, he totes along an 11-in-1 multi-tip screwdriver.
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Tom Silva, General Contractor
Tom Silva, General Contractor
Years of road-testing have helped Tom refine his tool choices.
To save time while working, he always wears a tool belt. "A good belt is easy to adjust, with pockets that are comfortable to reach into," he says. He made his own by grafting the leather pouches from a store-bought belt onto an old seat belt.