Homestead Tool List

...................(1) large (the largest) Jug of ..Gorilla Glue....for bonding anything to anything . (1) 300 ~~ foot roll of stainless (1\4 inch) aircraft wire cable and some 12 inch long threaded rods(3/8's or 1/2 inch if available) with an eyelet for bringing timber frame(s) into conformity as well as 40 or so ubolts to secure cable to short lengths of chain as well as anything else as necessary . 5 pound hammer and 16 pound sledge . Also , laser leveling device and tripod to shot in corners of all buildings....this maybe on the list and I over looked IT......fordy....

 

One thing I didn't notice or may have over looked is power? You have a few power tools but I didin't see a generator? Are these tools all gas powered? Do you have the powere lines out there. I was thinking you didn't have any around your property. Also, how about gloves? Don't want to deal with blisters if you don't have to. You might want to think about making a first aid kit for deep cuts and such. Just in case one of the tools slips. Thats' about all I could think of for now. Have a good time and don't overwork yourselves.

 

Hmmm.

The only axe I see is:

Medium Stihl Carpenters Axe

I've found the need for many *very* high quality and tough axes on my homestead in Willow. Power is uncertain, and a good axe can do a lot of things besides cut down trees. During the deep freeze, I used it to chip supplies out of the ice and free the door to the cabin. I'd recommend with my dying breath you get yourself some of these pups:

http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/index.html

These axes are better than any others I've seen. Frankly even the best American axes are designed for backup work--light to medium duty. These guys are a whole different breed of axe. The steel is of the highest quality, and can be made sharp enough to slice through a car door. The balance is perfect. I have a felling axe, a double bit and a smaller carpenter's axe. All see a lot of use, particularly when it's too cold for the chainsaw to start.

Also, I'd suggest LIBERAL amounts of household/gun oil for the tools as well as grease.

Are your come-alongs the thin steel type or the heavy aluminum? I went through three of the 2 ton steel types and they all bent themselves to pieces, sending things flying when they finally failed. The big aluminum number cost quite a bit but has done far more serious work. One really good come-along is worth ten cruddy ones.

Also, I don't know if you have your iron listed elsewhere. I'd highly recommend picking up a CZ 452 trainer with the tangent sights. They are highly accurate and have put a great deal of ptarmigan and hare on my table.

 

Is the land already cleared? What about shovels, rakes, hoes, and loppers?

 

Not nearly enough duct tape. No baling wire. I'm only half joking. You really can fix just about anything with duct tape and baling wire.

More pliers, in more varieties. Channel locks and the like. They keep on working when the wrenchs break or are lost.

Extra handles for things like hammers and extra shims (is that what they are called???? The slivers you stick in to fix a loose hammer head).

Shovels, picks...anything to dig with?

ONE 5-gallon bucket????? Can't ever have enough of those.

Got a chain with hooks on the ends? Not too long, but long enough? I use mine all the time.

How about spare parts for the generator?

Jena

 

How bout some tarps or heavy duty plastic to cover stuff up just in case and some tie down straps or clamps to hold it down. After you get your equipment set up you sure aren't going to want to set it up and tear it down every day.

And Jena is right! If we didn't have some buckets or wood crates to store stuff in by the end of the day stuff would be lost.

Also ladders or those thingies that act as scaffolding?

 

I looked the list over again - what about some kind of cart/wagon for hauling stuff around? I see ear protection - what about eye protection?

This is interesting. It's not a long way to a store for me, but I always wonder if I have enough tools.

 

Has anyone mentioned baling wire?? I'm serious, a good supply of baling wire will do as much to hold a homestead together as anything you could have other than MONEY. Now there is a tool that really works!

 

I have a ? Maybe I missed an explanation somewhere but here goes...

Did you buy that entire list as some kinda package deal or put it together yourself? What is your best guesstimate of total cost of the list?

Just wondering. Thanks

 

I didn't see "enough" chain saw blades... I'd take more and sharpen them during the winter, instead of spending valuable daylight sharpening as needed.

And duct tape... way more duct tape!

 

If you are going to use power saws, you need extra parts to be available, identical saws are preffered by any prudent sawyer, as one can be canibalized to fix another when 2 or more break down at one time, and as a professional sawyer at one time i can tell you for sure that i always took 3 saws into the woods, cause when murphy finds you 2 generally go KAPUT the same day, and i never hadd all 3 down, I was however closer to town and parts were availbel by driving to the saw shop.... fuel filters, air filters, a full carburator, plugs, spare oil and fuel caps, clutch parts... are the ones that are easy to replace.

If you are buying rolls of powersaw chain, do not forget a chain breaker, spinner, and rivets.

A log tape is also valuable as well as as repair kit for them, again as a a one time sawyer i can say the teeth on a saw will catch the tape and render it useless at least once a season, and more over probably several times, since i used more than one tape on the landings at times.

add a motorcycle muffler to the list..... for replacing the small enigne muffler on the genset.... make it quieter.....

air compressors add life to your equipment.... blow the sawdust out daily....also works as an air shower for clothes.

I see you have "blue" chalk, I prefer da-glo orange chalk, which can be used in conjunction with blue, and can be seen way better in all conditions.... I have several chalk boxes of the 2 colors on all jobs.

If you intend to use the recipicating saw very much you do not have enough blades for it at all, Ive seen more blades than you list broke in a week on some jobs.

Long drill bits, 3/8, 5/16, 5/8 installer bits are VERY useful in many applications, and used with a brace as well as an electric drill, i would have at least 2 of each cause they do break or bend if pryed on..... 18 inch is fine.

Forstner bits are better than paddle/spade bits for lasting, auger bits can and should be sharpening with use, a small diamond pocket stone works for me, and i carry it daily even when not building.....

I keep looking at your planer list, I use a small jack plane, 6 inch, more than any other and keep it sharp, I have 2 that i keep on the job, and carry one in my tool bag at all times [my tool bags weigh more than they should, but the 6 foot rule applies] I even use it to sharpen my carpentar pencils with to keep a proper sharp angle on the tip..... I go thru more pencils but my lines are never off.

Suspenders for your tool bags, get the ones that dont have much elastic, it helps keep the weight off your hips and up on top.....

Stair gauges, Starret model 110, they attach to your large carpentar square, if you understand what a 7/11 stair is you can make good use of a set of REAL stair gauges, and if you plan to cut your own rafters, stir gauges work for that as well. I would also recomend my friend Marshall Gross's book on roofs titled Roof Framing, which explains the use of the gauges in a couple of applications.

A veritas scribe tool, it will aidyou in scribing any linethat needs a custom fit, I use one for full scribe log house building, and for cabinet installing in any type of house. a very handy tool to have.

I would also get a second framing square, myself i have 4 so one is never far away on a jobsite, I also use the sawanson speedsquare, in the 6 inch and 12 inch models for roofing, but the big one can also serve in logs walls as well.

The cable you have is small for skidding anything with, and will wear out considerably fast, you may want a second roll of it on hand, depending upon how often you can get out or another roll brought in easily.

Does you plumbbob have a replacable tip? if so get a spare tip, cause ineveitable things happen....

utility knives and blades, many uses.

framing hammers are good, I use a Vaughn 28 ounce, but in log building ifyou need to drive a spike, a blacksmith hammer works better, 3 pound head, or 2 pounder. I am a firm believer of having the right hammer for the job, and have several different weights, 16, 20, 28 that are in the tool box, along with the blacksmith hammers, and the heavier mauls.

If you want i can go thru my tool kits, and email you list of what i usually carry on every job, but not needed on all of the jobs just those tools never leave my boxes, everything has a place and stays there except when in use, and gets returned there...... and i know where a tool is when i need one...... "film at eleven"

William

 

Extra tires/tubes for the ATV and trailer. I have a trailer and it's awful...the tires were worthless and had to totally be replaced. It could not stand up to other than very light use.

Jena

 

Thank you, Anataq. The experience you are sharing with procuring tools is invaluable. And everyone's input too!