How do I learn how to use tools?

Original post by Anonymous

My parents are very proud of me because I have gotten accepted into a university, but I'm not sure how I will fare living alone. I have no idea how to use a hammer, a saw, or screwdrivers. I know how to use things like a wrench, and a shovel, and basic things like that. I'd rather learn how to use them now so I don't need to scramble to find someone else to fix something the minute something goes wrong at university. Any advice?

YouTube

Reply 2

gjd800

You shouldn't need to do any of this in uni accom.

Mind you, I say this. when at my Oxford accom, I variously fixed a leaking loo, a water pump, and a dodgy radiator.

Reply 3

I never once had to use any of those while at uni. In any case something like a hammer is pretty self explanatory, you just stick a screw into something and whack it with hammer again and again and again. And a screwdriver you just slot into the screw slit and then twist, simples.

Reply 4

Original post by Anonymous

My parents are very proud of me because I have gotten accepted into a university, but I'm not sure how I will fare living alone. I have no idea how to use a hammer, a saw, or screwdrivers. I know how to use things like a wrench, and a shovel, and basic things like that. I'd rather learn how to use them now so I don't need to scramble to find someone else to fix something the minute something goes wrong at university. Any advice?

If you're renting any repairs requiring those kind of tools are the responsibility of the landlord, not the tenant - and in fact you quite possibly shouldn't undertake them as a tenant as then if anything subsequently goes wrong as a result of those repairs, not only will you not be entitled to any kind of compensation for damage to your belongings, but you are likely to be liable for any damage to the property.

If you can screw in a lightbulb you'll be fine. Obviously developing those skills isn't a bad idea in of itself, but I wouldn't use them for the purpose you are suggesting.

Also to be perfectly frank, if you can't figure out how to use a hammer you have some bigger problems.

Reply 5

Original post by Sorcerer of Old

I never once had to use any of those while at uni. In any case something like a hammer is pretty self explanatory, you just stick a screw into something and whack it with hammer again and again and again. And a screwdriver you just slot into the screw slit and then twist, simples.

To be fair there are different types of screwdrivers and screw heads (even just beyond philips and flathead) and using the wrong one will mess up the screw and potentially make things much harder.

But yes a hammer is possibly the most straightforward tool you could use :wink:

Reply 6

Original post by artful_lounger

To be fair there are different types of screwdrivers and screw heads (even just beyond philips and flathead) and using the wrong one will mess up the screw and potentially make things much harder.

But yes a hammer is possibly the most straightforward tool you could use :wink:

Ooh, what if it's a claw hammer??? 😆

Reply 7

Original post by ageshallnot

Ooh, what if it's a claw hammer??? 😆

I would really hope it was obvious which end of a claw hammer to hit things with :tongue:

Spoiler

Reply 8

Original post by ageshallnot

Ooh, what if it's a claw hammer??? 😆

Well virtually all hammers are claw hammers these days. I would pay to see a confused student try and knock the screws in with the claw end and wonder why the screws were either not going in or ending up lodged pointing in every direction, like bed hair.

Reply 9

Original post by artful_lounger

To be fair there are different types of screwdrivers and screw heads (even just beyond philips and flathead) and using the wrong one will mess up the screw and potentially make things much harder.

But yes a hammer is possibly the most straightforward tool you could use :wink:

Please, artful. OP doesn’t even know how to use a hammer so let’s not even bring up stuff beyond philips and flathead. Let a baby gurgle before teaching it the alphabet.

Reply 10

Original post by Sorcerer of Old

Well virtually all hammers are claw hammers these days. I would pay to see a confused student try and knock the screws in with the claw end and wonder why the screws were either not going in or ending up lodged pointing in every direction, like bed hair.

Personally, I'd use a screwdriver...

Reply 11

Original post by ageshallnot

Personally, I'd use a screwdriver...

Well depending how hard the surface is you may need to use at least one good bash of the hammer to get it in before then twisting to go deeper.

Reply 12

Original post by Sorcerer of Old

Well depending how hard the surface is you may need to use at least one good bash of the hammer to get it in before then twisting to go deeper.

Is that a quote from the Ann Summers DIY manual??? 😆😳😆

^ 😉🫢

Volunteer Section Leader

Hey, I'm sure you will be fine :tongue:

as @gjd800 mentioned you will be unlikely to need them. The only time I've needed a screwdriver for example was to change the batteries in my kitchen scales :smile:

Reply 15

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by artful_lounger

If you're renting any repairs requiring those kind of tools are the responsibility of the landlord, not the tenant - and in fact you quite possibly shouldn't undertake them as a tenant as then if anything subsequently goes wrong as a result of those repairs, not only will you not be entitled to any kind of compensation for damage to your belongings, but you are likely to be liable for any damage to the property.

If you can screw in a lightbulb you'll be fine. Obviously developing those skills isn't a bad idea in of itself, but I wouldn't use them for the purpose you are suggesting.

Also to be perfectly frank, if you can't figure out how to use a hammer you have some bigger problems.

I know how to use a hammer but with very little experience. The problem I have is I have a lingering fear that anything I try to "fix" gets even more broken. I don't want to be one of those men who doesn't know how to do anything requiring manual labour. Thank you for the advice, though. I have watched a video on how to reliably use a screwdriver, and as someone said, a hammer is self-explanatory.

Thanks for the advice, all I need now is practice.

Reply 16