Christmas is right around the corner and just like you, I’m scrambling to finish my shopping list. So, I wanted to put together a list for my awesome readers of my top ten Christmas gifts for the DIYer in your life.
Anything on this list is sure to get a smile and make them disappear into the garage to tinker with their new toy. There’s something on here for every budget so don’t fret, I’ve got you covered!
Moisture Meter $24.98
Whether you’re painting, doing carpentry, or looking for leaks, a moisture meter comes in extremely handy. This unit has pins that penetrate into the wood for a more accurate reading. Moisture meters are a necessary part of any good shop.
Window Zipper $8.44
If you have an old house, this inexpensive tool will make short work of painted shut windows. Whether you’re restoring the windows or you just want to get them open again this is one extremely useful tool. And at such a low price, you can’t go wrong.
Starett Combination Square $89.99
Some tools are good to buy cheap and others are meant to last a lifetime. This one is the latter. With a cast iron head, this heirloom quality combination square by Starett will stay true forever. It’s perfect for the woodworker in your life who needs accurate and dependable measurements for their projects. This tool replaces a number of other measuring and marking tools by doing it all. I have this very square and aside from it keeping my projects lined up precisely, it feels incredibly sturdy and perfectly balanced in my hands. A true joy to use!
Living in the Past
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my new eBook about understanding and repairing old houses on my list of best gift ideas for 2013. If you own an old house, this book will be your owner’s manual. I wrote it specifically for homeowners in a way that is easy to understand and apply right away. Save yourself thousands of dollars by doing a lot of the repairs yourself with one of the dozens of picture filled tutorials. I promise, it’s worth the read!
FastCap Tape Measure $13.67
This tape measure is seriously awesome! I am notorious for forgetting measurements (among other things) the minute I get them. With this tape measure I can write the measurements down on the handy white space and then when I don’t need them anymore, I can erase them with a wipe of my thumb. Perfect for the forgetful handyman in your life.
Milwaukee Impact Driver $128.87
If you or your DIYer haven’t used an impact driver yet, you must have been asleep for the last decade. Gone are the days of using a regular old drill for driving screws. Impact drivers, the Milwaukee in particular, are screw driving maniacs. I use this driver almost every day and its incredible screw driving power is like Hercules on steroids. Working on old houses I need something with lots of torque to make it thru the 100+ year old heartwood we run into. This driver doesn’t come with the battery, so don’t forget to add that as well.
Low-Angle Block Plane $99.99
Most of my planing is done with a power planer these days but this little hand plane is a vital part of my operation. Nothing is better for fine tuning the fit of doors, windows, and wood flooring. A low-angle block plane allows you to work very meticulously and lessens the risk of gouging the wood. This plane is a good quality mid-priced place to start your collection.
Hopefully, this has helped you get a couple ideas for that DIYer in your life.
In the interest of full disclosure, the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you do decide to purchase one of these products, I get a small commission at no extra cost you. You get a deal on a great product and help us keep providing you with great content here on The Craftsman Blog.
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance.
What kind of power planer do you recommend
I use an old Hitachi and it works great, but I’ve used a few different brands and rarely had any trouble.