Do It Yourself

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New to DIY. Are multi tools recommended? (mander.xyz)

submitted 1 year ago by Pandoras_Can_Opener@mander.xyz to c/diy

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See title. I have only very little tools so far, screwdriver with plenty of bits, hammer, drill. I've been thinking of buying more tools for general purpose home improvement. I like to work with wood, unsure what I will expand into later. Is a multitool a good fit for me?

If yes any recommendations what I want to look out for when buying one? If no any alternate recommendations?

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[–] abhibeckert 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They are never the best tool for any job, but they make up for that by being a "good enough" tool for a thousand jobs.

I consider mine indispensable. Instead of carting a toolbox around to every task, and walking back to the shed a hundred times over I forgot some tool or other, I can simply grab two tools I know I need and a multitool for the things I might need. Usually that's good enough.

For example, a good pair of heavy duty scissors is the best way to cut a cable tie, but the pliers or knife blade on a multi tool will get it done. You never know when you might need to cut a cable tie.

A good multitool can turn a 45 minute job into a 30 minute job. And every now and then they'll allow you to do a job that otherwise wouldn't be possible (good luck cutting a cable tie if you don't have any kind of blade at all for example - nearly impossible)

Most multitools are designed for camping. Forget those, you don't need a wine bottle opener/toothpick/fire starter/whistle... I recommend the Gerber Center Drive. It has a proper screw driver, a proper pair of spring loaded pliers that work in both directions (you can force them open, not just closed), a tungsten carbine wire cutter*, a good knife, an excellent awl for poking things, a basic lever, etc.

(* careful with the wire cutter - tungsten carbine cuts thin wires like a hot knife though butter but it will shatter like glass with thick wire. Fortunately it is a replaceable cutting blade if that happens)