WHITBY FREE PRESS Beginner's Tool Box: Basic, Baker's Dozen for Do-It-Yourself Novice assortment of nails and screws, plus a variety of caulks and adhesives. In addition to Elmer's white glue (for wood and other porous materials) and their Cabinetmaker's Contact Cement, you should have an "instant bond" cyanoacry- late adhesive, such as Won- der Bond, on hand for glass, metal, most plastics and just about all other non-porous materials. For caulking jobs, try the all-purpose la- tex caulk you can buy in a tube, thus eliminating the need to purchase a caulking gun. Now, tor your dozen ba- sic tools: Nail hammer: The best "first" hammer is a 16- ouncer with a curved, nail- pulling claw. Simply select the one which feels com- fortable in your hand. Screwdrivers: The begin- ner's toolbox should have at least four screwdrivers in it: stubby standard for close quarters, 3" cabinet tip (nar- row), 4" standard and 4" Phillips (one with an x-slot- ted shaft tip for x-top screws). . Gripping Tale: You can do practically anything with slip-joint pliers - tighten and loosen nuts, pull nails, twist wires together. For maximum comfort, choose a pair with insulated (plastic) handles. Putty knife: A super aid for everything from scrap- ing off to smearing on, not to mention prying off! The kindest cut: Your toolbox is incomplete if it lacks a sharp, easy-to-use knife. The handiest type is the one that accepts irregu- lar-shaped, replaceable razor blades and has space in the handle for spare blades. For measuring: Buy either a tape or a zigzag (exten- sion) rule. If you buy a tape, select the 12-ft. one that per- mits complete removal fron the case so that it can be used like a yardstick. A zig- zag rule should have a slide extension at one end which allows easy and accurate in- side measuring. On the level: For a refrig- erator, the new traverse rod for your drapes, or the pic- ture you'd like to hang straight, you'll find a tor- pedo level an accurate, aïld welcome help. This is for small chores - don't use a torpedo level to lay a new driveway! Adjustable wrench: Buy a medium-size one to tighten or loosen nuts (using pliers could damage a stubborn nut). Push drill: Here's the es- sential tool for boring pilot (starter) holes in hard- woods. It comes with sev- eral sizes of bits to accom- modate different screw sizes. Scratch awl: You'll find this ice-pick-like tool per- fect for punching starter holes for screws and scratch- ing in lines to be cut. Cau- tion - use awl only for soft- woods; it will split hard- woods. Razor blade scraper: This is the tool-of-choice for cleaning paint from win- dows, ceramic tiles and such. For safety's sake, buy a blade scraper that stores with a protective cover. Combination wrench set: Each wrench· has an open head on one side and a cor- responding size socket head on the other end - buy a set that includes five different- size wrenches. One final tip - top qual- ity tools are most econom- ical in the long run. Poor tools wear out rapidly, break and make it difficult to achieve a craftsmanlike result. t THE NON-FICTION STEREO STOREI WHITBY S 400 DUNDAS ST. W., WHITBY-668-0787 OPEN MON., TUES., WED., SAT., 10-6 THURS. & FRI., 10-9 STEREO HEADPHONES allow music buffs to turn up the volume without dis- urbing others. These new, lightweight stereophones provide hi-fi sound with- )ut large, bulky earcups. Photo: Audio-Technica.t