Most toolboxes in farm shops or farm trucks have one or two drawers that end up holding a variety of small tools and gadgets whose size belies their value in making repairs. Here’s a list of tiny tools and accessories that live in the top drawers of my toolbox:
- A supply of single edge razor blades. The perfect tool for slicing wire insulation, peeling off decals and other jobs that require a precise, sharp, thin edge.
- A box of Band-Aids in assorted sizes for situations where the cutting with a razor blade wasn’t as precise as desired. And for other, non-self-inflicted injuries.
- Pocket flashlight(s) that fit in small spaces, or can be held in your teeth when you need both hands for nighttime repairs. Or daytime repairs in the dark end of the machine shed.
- An assortment of batteries, from AAA up through D. Include a few rectangular-bodied 9-volt batteries for oddball controllers and remote controls that require them.
- Black Sharpie markers, silver or white felt tip markers, a soapstone stick (aka, welder’s marking chalk,) a carpenter’s pencil and a spare ball point pen. Better than using a bent, rusty nail to scratch marks in paint to indicate where to cut, weld or drill holes.
- A butane-fueled cigarette lighter, or even better, a small butane-fueled pocket torch. Perfect for heat-shrinking electrical connectors or starting a trash fire.
- A pair of tweezers. For delicate electrical work but more often to remove splinters from fingers.
- An emery board or a small, fine-tooth file. To smooth torn, ragged fingernails or polish electrical contacts.
- A pencil-type, telescoping rare earth magnet. Those little life savers can lift up to five pounds, and save the day by pulling dropped nuts and bolts from the inaccessible bowels of a machine.
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