Yvon Chouinard used to say that the best ice climbers are ambidextrous carpenters. Lotta' truth there.

Maybe I should take that up, as I am relatively ambidextrous (slightly worse with my left).

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Really how much hammer swinging are you doing? Dont you run an air gun most of the time?

Personally I don't use one much (that's what employees are for) but when framing a house, you use it constantly. Air nailers do the bulk of the wood-on-wood nailing work, but there are frequently times when hand nails are needed. Generally reload the pouch a couple/few times a day with hand nails, depending on what you're doing.

Changes to the last two sets of building codes introduced the need for a lot of metal brackets, tie-downs and connectors that must be nailed with hand spikes. You can use a pnumatic palm nailer, but they're noisey as hell, malfunction frequently, and vibrate the crap out of your hands.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Also, I think I actually use the hammer more for tapping wood in to position/alignment then hammering nails.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

A good plier set,
Vice Grips - blunt & needle nose
Socket set 1/4 & 3/8 drive at a minimum, should have a 1/2" drive also
Machinist's hammer
claw hammer
18 or 24 oz rubber mallet
Tape measure, if you have kids - the $5 one not the $20 black max ;)
18" Pipewrench
24" Pipewrench
Water Pump pliers - 12"
Open end / box end wrenches SAE & Metric
Screw driver set.
Jewellers screw driver set
Multi bit screw driver (MegaPro is one design)
Battery power LED trouble lamp
Head lamp
Adjustable square
Rafter square
3' bubble level
Torpedo level
Plumb line & bob
Cross cut handsaw
Hack saw
coping saw
C-Clamps
Quick Grip or some other sort of bar clamp

Basically what you have now +1 more...

Everyone is mentioning a socket set and box wrenches. How often does the average homeowner need these? I'm pretty damn handy, have been renovating my house myself over the last year, and do my own basic mechanic work on my truck. I have yet to touch my box wrenches I got last year, and have used the sockets maybe a couple of times. And to be honest, those times I did, I could have made due with a crescent wrench.

I think for a starter tool box for your average joe, with limited space, and funds, to fill, I would leave out a socket and wrench set, and aim for tools that have more general purpose then those that fill very specific needs. If the tool box with be used more for mechanical purposes, then sure, but for most people to just have around the house, I would say skip it.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

yeah. that's why I went with a vice grip instead of a pipe wrench. dual purpose. I use my box wrenches a lot but I restore cars and stuff. most people could get by with a vice grip, a screwdriver and a hammer.

Try using a crescent wrench to adjust a garage door! Basic sets aren't much money and come in handy...

A pipe wrench is another tool I've only ever used once in my life in 40 year old plumbing in an 75 year old barn. Who uses black pipe anymore?

My +1 has moved on to things like a plasma cutter or tig welder. It never ends.

I'd just smack it with one of my $250 hammers. Problem solved! ;-)

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Long Chile was a silly place.

I have a $10 sledge for that.

That's professional wisdom, right there. Genius.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

I have done this a number of times for family members just starting out. I like to break it out by function.
Measuring and marking
Tape measure (I like 16')
Square of some sort
Stud finder (don't skimp on quality here)
Torpedo level
Awl or center punch
Electrical
Wire cutter, crimper, stripper tool
Needle nose pliers
Plumbing
Channel lock pliers
Small and medium pipe wrenches
Basin wrench (luxury item but oh so useful)
Saws
Back saw
Hack saw
Keyhole saw
(Won't fit in a box, but a cheap plastic miter box is a great addition, most people can't cut square, let alone 45)
Attachment/removal tools
Regular hammer
Finish or tack hammer
Good quality ratcheting screwdriver (should have slot, Philips, hex and torx bits these days supplement as required)
Small and medium adjustable wrenches
Vice grips
If possible a 1/4 &3/8 inch drive socket set
Cats paw
Supplemental (useful but not totally necessary)
A couple of chisels (half and three quarter inch should handle most butt hinge issues)
Block plane
Sanding block
Putty knife
Utility knife

Also, everyone needs a drill/driver for home repair. Add a basic set of twist drill and maybe some masonry bits.
I think a decent jig saw can also get you a long way with cutting sheet stock (easy to make a cheap fence with a 2x4, and you can still cut angles or curves. Not the best specific tool, but very flexible).

Add to that some accessories - sand paper assorted wall plugs and screws, picture hangers etc and you can probably do most basic home repairs.
There are lots of ways to go fancier, but this will handle almost everything a new homeowner will need.

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Jim
"In dog beers, I've only had one"
http://www.shakercolonial.com/
Creating custom made furnishing to your requirements

It really is the construction version of "have you tried turning it off and on again?"

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Long Chile was a silly place.

Kniplex pliers. German made and when in doubt can be used as a hammer..........

http://knipex-tools.com/index.php?id=1023&page=art_detail&isMobile=&parentID=1368&groupID=1500&artID=2939

Do you have a lawnmower or a car? Then use sockets and wrenches and not a vise grip or crescent wrench..
Ever assemble any furniture, shelves or anything that uses the locknuts with nylon inserts? You need a wrench on one end and a ratchet on the other.

For me it is the difference between cursing and cruising through the job.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

You have a $250 hammer? Didn't know you worked for the Department of Defense? Snap on wrench sets don't even cost that much / tool.

my basic conclusions are a) I need a bigger box b) I need more tools c) you folks are a lot handier than me