Kit Stansley AKA DIY Diva, is legit. She walks the walk when it comes to building stuff and never shies away from sharing her true feelings about power tools (which she loves).
She’s spent the last 10 years tearing houses apart and putting them back together again and has shared her adventures on her website, DIYDiva.net. She’s currently building, working and living on a farm which adds even more challenges to the life of a DIYer. But one of my favorite posts from her site has nothing to do with tools, but rather these cuddly guys.
Here’s Kit in her own words.
Who introduced you to making and building things?
Probably LEGO. Although my mom bought me some building blocks make of polished 2×4’s when I was just a little tyke and I built some epic structures with those things, so she gets a lot of the credit. When it comes to using tools though, I mostly taught myself.
What feature of your workshop do you love the most?
I love the space. At my other houses the tools were always stored in a “shared” area, but my current workshop is its own dedicated space in my garage. I’ve got plenty of room for my tools inside, and a garage door that means I can extend my work area outside when the weather is nice.
What tool(s) always stay in your toolbox and never go in storage?
My “tool situation” is probably a little unique. I keep 4 toolboxes for various tools around my property (drill & bits, electrical tools, levels & wall hangars, and pliers & screwdrivers) and they just float around as needed. I’m pretty sure the drill and bits toolbox has been in my bedroom for the last week, actually. I consider a nice toolbox decoration… I’m a girl who lives to use her tools, not to have them tucked away somewhere. Some of my specialty tools–like my dovetail jig, or the framing nailer—stay on the shelf in the workshop more than others though.
In a fire, what tool(s) would you save above all others?
My hammer and Makita drill, mostly for sentimental reasons. I could replace the rest but those have been with me through 3 houses worth of building and remodeling in the last decade and have the battle scars to prove it. Those are tools I would pass down to my kids (as long as Makita keeps making compatible batteries…)
What task do you enjoy the most in your workshop?
Most of all I enjoy having the space and ability to solve almost any issue I come across with my old farm house and property. If I decide I need a new table in the house, I can whip one up in an afternoon. If a window pane breaks and I need to cut some glass and re-glaze it, same thing. For the most part I don’t have to clear a spot or haul my tools around to work on something which is awesome.
What tool do you covet that you currently do not have?
Oh, my shop won’t be complete until I own a panel saw. I mean, I can get by without one, but who would want to? That’s the next (and maybe last) really big tool purchase on my list.
