10 Tools For the Old Folks’ Home

This video resonated with me as it has been an area of contemplation for quite some time.  A couple years ago Mrs. Barn attended an Eldercare event and they recommended that spouses discuss in detail their preferences for life in an assisted living arrangement or similar.  When we were having this discussion about that far off day, she was astounded that my top ranked “deal breaker” was not what she expected — my pocket tool.  My “deal breaker” was I would never willingly go into a care facility where I could not have my pocket knife/utility tool.

While the choices made in this video are thought provoking, they are probably not mine.  For starters, the question arises, “Exactly what kind of work would I be doing in the old folks’ home?”  A second attendant question would be, “Exactly what are the facilities and space available to me?”

Regardless of the second answer, the odds of me doing large scale woodworking or furniture making in an old folks’ home are pretty slim and my tool choices reflect that.  It is more likely that I would be doing puttering and repairing, making very small things or fixing stuff for other folks.  Plus, I’m thinking it would be a pretty rare circumstance where I would have access to a real workshop so my space would be my bedroom/sitting room and the furniture therein. (Obviously this assumes a transition from my own domicile to another facility).  Hence, my choices would be very different than those in the video.

Of course, the list begins with my Victorinox Spirit multi-tool.  Second would be a multi-screwdriver of the Stanley, Craftsman or Milwaukee variety, followed immediately by a pair of pliers or more likely small channel lock and adjustable wrench. Though these are not “woodworking tools” per se, they do provide a foundation for almost everything downstream.  The scene with Walt and Toad regarding WD40 and channel locks in the movie Grand Torino summarizes the situation perfectly.

After that, again since my scenario is built on a premise of having only my bedroom or sitting room to work in, I would need a work holding set-up.  For me that means either a Zyliss vise or a wood screw clamp.  Add a block plane with two irons — one flat, the other cambered — a small Japanese saw, a small eggbeater drill or Yankee drill or similar, and a 3/8″ chisel and I would surprise myself at how much I could accomplish.

Though not the “5 Tools” as addressed by the video, I think these 10 Tools (combined with a nice plywood for a work surface, and some ultra fine wet-or-dry sandpaper in lieu of a sharpening stone) are the ones I would want in hand as I head to the geezer farm.  In the meantime, I’ve still got the barn and its 7000 s.f of work and storage space, along with another barn just for lumber.

If your choices would be different, let me know.