apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I would agree with the cordless drill. I didn't think I would need one in the beginning..........BUT, since I got one, I use it for everything that involves screwing and drilling!!! So convenient!!!

I've never used one. There are tons of things to hang, but I don't know ANYONE local who can give me a lesson.

My shop vac (nicknamed R2D2) is my favorite! I'm doing a pretty extensive rehab on my house and it's the only thing that keeps me sane. It will pick up practically anything. Thanks for the photo on this post, it reminded me to pick up more hooks at the hardware store on my way home. I'm using my scarf collection as art in my room, i'll send in a photo if it turns out nicely!
M

I would have to agree on the shop vac! It is magic. Definitely a must if you're living through a rehab.

I know I sound like a weekend warrior (cus I am) but the Ryobi 18v. renovator's kit are my favorite tools. It's got a little circular saw, drill, sawzall, jigsaw, electric stapler, hammer drill.

I am currently in the market for a cordless drill - and I've found there's a pretty big range in price. Anyone want to offer insight into how to pick a good one (esp about how many volts?) and/or specific recommendations?

My brother passed his Ryobi cordless drill on to me when he upgraded to a better one and I love it! That drill is unstoppable, even with my rock hard walls. And the battery keeps a decent charge in-between uses, which is good for those spur of the moment drill emergencies!

#1: SHOP VAC. I would die without it.

#2: Bosch drill (cordless).

Any suggestions on a good shop vac that can be lifted with one hand? I had a Dirt Devil (I think), which finally died, and then a Dust Buster (I think) which is really badly designed (almost impossible to get the cover on & off to clean the filter) -- or else it was the other way around. Anyway, the heavy duty shop vacs at Home Depot are too cumbersome, but I do need something reliable, I resent having something die after only a year.

I definitely have to agree with the cordless drill. It certainly makes life easier, but I think there's still a lot that could be done to improve upon them. How about making them out of all recycled materials, making them look better, and making them more efficient? Check out this post http://fivenonblondes.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/the-savvy-drill/ from the Savvy Tools company that's looking to do just that.
-Rebecca

I bought a super small shop vac at Lowes its blue i'm sorry i can't remember the name. It's so small they didn't put wheels on it. I think its a 2.5 gal capacity. It's fantastic. House sized suction, apartment sized storage.

My drill is the bestest, but my mallet has got to come in close. I have lots of vintage furniture that needs to be whacked back into shape on occasion w/o dents. Super for ikea assembly too.

So funny, I was thinking my cordless drill was one of the most useless things I ever bought. You always have to charge it up before you can use it, so forget spur of the moment projects. I'd rather just have a drill I can plug in and use right away. Mine's a Black and Decker. It definitely doesn't hold a charge between uses. And who wants to dedicate an outlet to something this unsightly? It's bad enough I have to use one outlet for my carbon monoxide detector.

CourtneyInTampa --

My boyfriend is a carpenter and teaches technical theater at a performing arts high school. For most of his personal tools -- definitely including drills, impact drivers, etc -- he prefers Makita. But for his students, who throw things on the floor or use them as hammers or just plain steal them sometimes, he buys Ryobi. He says it's the best quality of the lower price range tools, and that for casual or educational use it's probably your best value.

I know that most of his tools and the tools he buys for the students tend to be 18v, but I think that if you're just doing stuff around the house a 14.4v or 12v will probably be more than enough. I mean, one thing you need to take into account is that more voltage generally means more weight, so it's a balance between power and comfort.

I do some light carpentry myself, and I usually just use his tools for that, but for around-the-house stuff one of my absolute favorite things ever is this cute little embarrassment. He made fun of me when I bought it, but now it's our go-to for small projects because it's just so easy to use. If most of your projects are small, you really don't need a big tool. But if you do a range of projects and are looking to buy just one tool, I'd suggest going with a moderately-sized Ryobi.

power tools are a very romantic gift, in my opinion. i heart my drill.

Definately!! cordless drill which is also a power screw-driver.

thanks peanut!

laure, love your hooks. where did you buy them?

When I had one, I also used it for bookbinding. Useful things all around.

Ryobi is really one of my favorite cordless drills! It's compact, comfortable and very powerful. Very useful! I strongly recommend it!