Your First 5 Tools for Building Fame, Money, & Respect
Published February 24, 2022 · 5:42 · 377,700 views
About This Video
Van Neistat's essential first 5 tools: Leatherman or Swiss Champ, 12-volt cordless drill, Japanese pull saw, combo square, and Dremel 200. The rule is buy expensive and buy individual. Never a 100-piece set. This is the starter kit for building, organized by a man who has spent his career inside workshops.
The specifics matter. Tool 1 is a multi-tool, Leatherman or Swiss Champ, plus standalone pliers and vise grips. Tool 2 is a 12-volt cordless drill, not 18-volt. Van gave away all his 18-volt tools because they were too big. He names four acceptable brands: DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee. Add a small bit set for wood and metal, Phillips #1, #2, and #3 screwdriver bits. Flat head screws are forbidden. Tool 3 is a Japanese pull saw, which cuts on the pull stroke and "should seem too flimsy," and optionally a corded Bosch jigsaw with T-shank blades, barrel grip preferred. Tool 4 is a 12-inch combo square, a level, and a tape measure, minimum 12-foot. Tool 5 is a Dremel 200, the first power tool Van ever bought. Easy-lock mandrel with reinforced cut-off discs. Eye and ear protection required.
The video ends with two instructions. First, your first project should be building storage for each tool. Harbor Freight magnets, $5 for two. Second, the gift from Tom Sachs: the nicest tool Van owns, one of 100 in the world, number 25, and it never leaves the property. He does not say what it is. 377,700 views in four years. Five minutes and forty-two seconds of purchase advice from a man who gave away every 18-volt tool he owned because they were too big.
What Van Uses: Leatherman multi-tool, 12-volt cordless drill (DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, or Milwaukee), Japanese pull saw, corded Bosch jigsaw (T-shank, barrel grip), 12-inch combo square, Dremel 200 with easy-lock mandrel. Harbor Freight magnets for tool storage ($5 for two). More from Van's workshops on the things Van loves.
Related: Van Neistat's Essential Tools, The Tool Van Neistat Can't Live Without, Van Neistat's Tool Kits, Tiny Tool Storage Build, Tools and Craft, Ranked List.
FAQ
What drill does Van Neistat recommend for beginners?
A 12-volt cordless drill, not 18-volt. He gave away all his 18-volt tools because they were too big. The four brands he names as acceptable are DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, and Milwaukee. He says to resist the upsell to 18 volts.
Why does Van Neistat say flat head screws are forbidden?
He states it as a rule without much elaboration. The practical reason is that Phillips drive provides better torque and is less likely to strip or slip. His recommended bit set is Phillips #1, #2, and #3.
What is the Tom Sachs gift Van mentions?
Van says it is the nicest tool he owns, one of 100 in the world, number 25 of that 100, and it never leaves his property. He does not name it or show it in full. Tom Sachs is Van's longtime collaborator from the Sachs studio in New York.
Transcript
[Music] buy expensive tools compared to your phone or computer tools are cheap even expensive tools are cheap much cheaper than camera equipment select these tools individually do not buy some hundred piece tool set first tool to buy leatherman multi-tool or swiss champ eventually buy yourself the stand-alone tools that your multi-tool contains number one number two number three phillips head screwdrivers flat head screwdriver needle nose pliers and a pair of vise grips multi-tooling got no vice grips buy some second tool you should buy cordless drill only buy brands that you see good contractors use dewalt makita bosh or my choice milwaukee to name a
[Music] few get the 12 volt model they'll try to talk you into the 18 or 20 volt models resist i gave away all of my 18 volt tools they're just too big when you buy the drill treat yourself to a small bit set the kind for wood and metal i cannot stress quality enough don't get the big one just because it's the same price as the little one spend 20 maybe 30 bucks also get yourself a good screwdriver bit holder and a few phillips number two bits a few phillips number one bits and a few phillips number three bits you'll use the number twos the most don't bother with flat head bits flat head screws are forbidden third tool you should buy a good saw for cutting wood not the kind from bugs bunny you're looking for what i call a
japanese pole saw it cuts on the pull stroke should seem too flimsy and a bit small or but probably and and or a good electric jigsaw corded or cordless but cordless are way way more expensive i have a corded bosch you want one that uses t-shank blades i prefer a barrel grip but top grip or top handle or d-grip they all mean the same thing works just as well barrel grip keeps your hand closer to the cut so i prefer barrel grip again contractor brands only dewalt makita bosh my choice or milwaukee to name a few get yourself a box of assorted blades get the good ones bosh etc fourth tool combo square level tape measure okay it's three tools
i'm counting it as one but you need all three they're cheap and you can buy the relatively cheap ones but not too cheap and get the 12 inch combo square not the dinky one don't go shorter than the 12 foot tape measure and the fifth tool your home kit needs at some point you're going to want to cut steel or aluminum and a hacksaw is not worth it a dremel 200 will start you off the first power tool i ever bought was a dremel just get the 43 one and splurge for an easy lock mandrel and reinforce cut off discs they're kind of expensive but the cut-off discs the dremel comes with are pretty bad and useless and you go through them very fast you got to use eye protection with this tool and i recommend ear protection you can buy the cheap version of both for cutting metal you'll eventually work your way up to an angle grinder but they're potentially pretty dangerous so start out with the
dremel your first project should be building storage for each tool i love these harbor freight magnets two for five bucks dremel my multi-tool combo square jigsaw drill okay this is a rivet gun you don't need it but it's so the magnet doesn't come unscrewed you can use a number eight sheet metal screw instead of a rivet drill with bit holder and number two phillips bit and level [Music] nicest tool i own gift from tom sachs does not leave my property so i don't
lose it it's the tool kit for my house no you can't buy one there are only 100 in the world this one is number 25 and it lives here this week on the patreon a live stream answering your questions the link is right there
Products & Tools Mentioned
- Leatherman essential
- Swiss Champ essential
- DeWalt recommends
- Makita recommends
- Bosch recommends
- Milwaukee recommends
- Dremel 200 recommends
- Harbor Freight magnets recommends
- vise grips essential
- combo square (12-inch) recommends
- tape measure (12-foot) recommends
- level recommends
- Japanese pull saw recommends
- Bosch jigsaw (corded, barrel grip, T-shank) recommends
People Referenced
Tom Sachs