Speaking as a mentor: what I would recommend to young folks starting out

[bonneyman]

Electric drill

For occasional home use an inexpensive corded drill can be had most anywhere. I prefer corded drills because I've gone through so many batteries on cordless ones - or they die at THE worst time - I just stick with corded drills. One with a 3/8" keyless chuck will do most everything you want to do. 1/4" is a bit underpowered for some jobs, 1/2" is way too big for DIY use.

I don't know if any corded drills are still USA made, but I could be mistaken. If you don't need the drill TODAY, buy and older used USA one at a pawn shop or off of ebay.

I just want to note that hex shank drills are a great when you have a keyless chuck, you won't have to worry about how tight yuove got it not that you can get them very tight anyways.

So true! I got my first keyless chucks about two years ago after using the old fashioned kind for decades. With round drill bits the keyless ones just wouldn't get tight enough. But with hex shafted drill and driver bits, a keyless chuck really speeds up the job.

[bonneyman]

Tekton is stepping up their game. I bout a set of the USA made screw drivers for use around the house and I love them. Great feel in my hand and they dont seem to be stripping screws.

I also saw on channel 3 they have just introduced a new angle wrench design, USA made in Mi. Looks like instead of drop forging the are cutting the blanks out on a cnc plasma table then doing the finish work with cnc machine. I am very interested in this as they are selling a set (3/8-1) for $140 and USA made!! With those prices we might just have a craftsman replacement for Joe homeowner who supports the USA economy. I asked the Tekton rep on the site about future plans, he hinted that more wrench designs would be coming stateside!

https://www.tekton.com/wrenches/open-end-wrenches

Yeah I saw those talked about over at GJ. Those angle wrenches are the bomb!

Someone mentioned that maybe Tekton should start making zero offset high-performance DBE's.   

[bonneyman]

Adjustable wrenches

Since I don't have many open end options I depend more heavily on adjustables. A 6" and 10" are the ones I use the most by far, though an 8" has become more used. (Little 4"ers are collectibles only, and 12" rarely get used by me). But get the wide-opening variety. That little extra bit of widening sure seems to come in handy.

Hex bit driver

There are so many different sizes and types of fasteners out there one would go broke trying to assemble a set of screwdrivers to fit them all. better to get a solid drive handle and then grab a nice set of 1/4" hex bits. How varied a set you get depends on your needs, but this way you can get Torx sizes, square for license plates, and hex to square adaptors for use with sockets. (I already frowned upon sockets in 1/4" drive as not as necessary as 3/8", but - with a bit driver - a sockets only 1/4" set would fill a big part of the bill for small fasteners.
Almost everybody makes a bit driver - I prefer ratcheting types.

[bonneyman]

Sheet metal tools

A pair of snips both left and right, an ear bender, a couple of scratch awls, and a good tinners hammer. Everybody does a little sheet metal now and then, especially if you're a home owner. These tools combined with other stuff you have around the shop will get you through most jobs.

And while we're on the subject, grab a 16 foot measuring tape. I've found shorter ones are too small for all-around use and longer are too big and bulky and not that necessary for most home jobs. And I never thought about it much till I got my first one, but a blade that's in both SAE and metric is almost a necessity these days.

[DeadNutz]

Most of the time my selection of screwdrivers just take up space in the drawers. But a couple months ago I encountered Reed & Prince screws on a carburetor on a golf cart. I also encounter #3 Phillips screws once in a while along with Torx. My tools have been acquired over a lifetime and I didn't start out fully equipped. It does help to start out with sets so you have things covered. If a person is entering a trade the tools required could be vastly different between trades.

When I started out in steel fabrication I was issued a 4lb hammer, leather gloves, welding helmet and safety glasses while I had to bring a 25' tape measure and boots. Don't ever show up to work on an airplane with adjustable wrenches. You will hear some evil language.

[bonneyman]

Wood tools

I could sure use help from you carpenters out there on this one. I can list the items I have but I'm not as experienced at wood-working as many of you. What a beginner should have in the way of saw and stuff is not my specialty so please chime in.

[bonneyman]

Don't ever show up to work on an airplane with adjustable wrenches. You will hear some evil language.

Oh yeah, I've been the recipient of such special English at times myself. 

[walrus]

Electric drill

For occasional home use an inexpensive corded drill can be had most anywhere. I prefer corded drills because I've gone through so many batteries on cordless ones - or they die at THE worst time - I just stick with corded drills. One with a 3/8" keyless chuck will do most everything you want to do. 1/4" is a bit underpowered for some jobs, 1/2" is way too big for DIY use.

I don't know if any corded drills are still USA made, but I could be mistaken. If you don't need the drill TODAY, buy and older used USA one at a pawn shop or off of ebay.

I don't have a corded tool in my truck.  And my cordless stuff is used each and every day

[bonneyman]

Electric drill

For occasional home use an inexpensive corded drill can be had most anywhere. I prefer corded drills because I've gone through so many batteries on cordless ones - or they die at THE worst time - I just stick with corded drills. One with a 3/8" keyless chuck will do most everything you want to do. 1/4" is a bit underpowered for some jobs, 1/2" is way too big for DIY use.

I don't know if any corded drills are still USA made, but I could be mistaken. If you don't need the drill TODAY, buy and older used USA one at a pawn shop or off of ebay.

I don't have a corded tool in my truck.  And my cordless stuff is used each and every day

What brand/voltage do you use?

[bonneyman]

Allen wrenches

A set of quality L-wrenches. I have a few T-handles in sizes I use often (and have several of the sets inside a folding handle), but I do keep a set of regular ole L-wrenches which have done me well for a long time.
Not a fan of the ball style, nor do I use hex sockets, though the enhanced profile sold by WERA look and sound awesome. Have not yet sprung for them as they are a bit pricey, but they are on my to get list.

https://www-de.wera.de/en/great-tools/hex-plus/

Flare wrenches

For plumbers or those who work with soft flare fittings, a set of flare wrenches are very helpful. But I think of them as a step-up kind of tool.

[strik9]

Allen wrenches are not a heavy use thing at work and near never at home.  A pair of folders kept at home and work anyway.

    Torx get heavy use at work on GM or German cars but at home only when I use the loose fasteners from work. 

   Again folders and all but dollar store specials have been great.  The Eklind are longest lasting.

   And I do have to disagree a bit on double open end wrenches.   I found several sets with good solid feel and excellent fit.  I use some near daily. Poor fit on them is crap but only a few I found were too springy or just off on size.
     Don't throw them all under the bus yet!

[bmwrd0]

When I did commercial AC I found that a set of flair/combos was the best thing to use. I had to haul everything up on my back or by hand line, so I tended to dual-use things whenever I could. Those and the 1/4 hex impact along with a driver were the absolute essentials.

[bonneyman]

Allen wrenches are not a heavy use thing at work and near never at home.  A pair of folders kept at home and work anyway.

    Torx get heavy use at work on GM or German cars but at home only when I use the loose fasteners from work. 

   Again folders and all but dollar store specials have been great.  The Eklind are longest lasting.

   And I do have to disagree a bit on double open end wrenches.   I found several sets with good solid feel and excellent fit.  I use some near daily. Poor fit on them is crap but only a few I found were too springy or just off on size.
     Don't throw them all under the bus yet!

Well, I have a set of Gear Wrench ratcheting combos that I love so I'll tolerate the one side being an open end. 

[J.A.F.E.]

Interesting you bring up the ratcheting GW wrenches. I have a set or two and honestly don't think they are much better than the Harbor Freight offerings except GW has more sizes. But in full disclosure I am not a GW fan and would buy what I see as basically the same quality from HF at less cost if I'm buying Taiwan/China.

[slip knot]

I've got a couple of gearwrench socket sets and they are great. a couple of 1/4 in swivel sets and some midi 1/4 and 3/8 metrics.  Cant say anything about the wrenches but I've been impressed with these sockets.