Join the fun at the Saint John Tool Library
How many months does it take to hang curtains at your new apartment in Saint John? Well, if you’re anything like me, it’ll take weeks to block your neighbours from looking into your living room.
When you finally do find some nice curtains at Value Village, you’ll take another few days to gather the tools you need to hang them, and a ladder. Even though I’m a member of The Saint John Tool Library & DIY Workshop, and we’re neighbours on Princess Street, there are some things about DIY projects that will never be fun for me. Carrying heavy, awkward tools from point A to point B is one of them. Still, I eventually got around to it. The nice young man at the counter offered to carry the ladder to my door, but I refused. My dog, who was with me at the time, wouldn’t make it extra difficult, I assured him.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: DISCOVER NEW BRUNSWICK GEMS AT RHODA'S FLEA MARKET
The Saint John Tool Library is a community-based organization that provides members access to over 800 tools and resources for help people with various DIY and repair projects. Members of the library can borrow tools, attend workshops and classes, and connect with others in the community who share an interest in repairing, building, and creating. The idea behind the tool library in Saint John is to make tools and resources available to those who may not have the means or space to purchase or store their own, and to promote the sharing of resources for the betterment of the community. It operates like a traditional library, where members can check out tools for a certain period of time and return them when they're done using them. Here are nine essential home repair tools at the Saint John Tool Library that can be used for a variety of DIY projects:
9 Essentials at Saint John Tool Library
- Hand tools: such as hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and wire strippers.
- Power tools: such as drill, saws (circular saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw), sanders, and cordless power tools.
- Measuring tools: such as measuring tape, laser levels, and rule.
- Cutting tools: such as utility knives, handsaws, and hacksaws.
- Painting tools: such as paint brushes, rollers, trays, and sprayers.
- Carpenter's tools: such as chisels, hand planes, and squares.
- Plumbing tools: such as adjustable wrenches, basin wrenches, plumbers' snakes, and Teflon tape.
- Electrical tools: such as wire strippers, voltmeters, and multimeters.
- Ladders: such as step ladders, extension ladders, and multi-position ladders.
Besides borrowing a ladder and electric drill, I have yet to experience the Saint John Tool Library & DIY Workshop but definitely plan to spend more time there this year. The workshop is a fully-equipped woodworking shop and tinker space that allows members to construct a range of products. Membership is $125 for the year and worth every dollar. It gives homeowners, and renters access to tools that so many of us pay a fortune to acquire and seldom use. This is good for both our wallet and the planet. It’s also good for my neighbours who never again need to look at me looking at them wondering when I’ll ever hang some curtains.
