Tools: Hacksaw

You're going to need a hacksaw eventually.  A lot of DIY projects here will involve cutting PVC pipe, which is easy to do with a hacksaw.  When you buy a new stick, you'll have to cut it to your preferred length - with a hacksaw.

You might already have one, or have a power miter saw which will do the same job.  That's great if you do, but if you don't, get a decent quality hacksaw.  It should cost around $15.00, and will last a lifetime.  Blades are pretty cheap too.

Oh, and get this kind:

There's another kind that looks like this:

This kind works for a lot of things, but the top one will make things much easier down the road.  You'll see.

An 18 TPI (teeth per inch) blade works well for what we'll need to cut.  You can go higher - more TPI - but I wouldn't go less than that or the edges of the cut will be torn up.  Speaking of the edges, to clean and smooth them a piece of medium grit sandpaper does the job.  A pack of a few sheets is inexpensive and will last a long time.