“What tools do I need to Build a Skoolie or Convert a Van?”: - We commonly see this question in Skoolie Groups and Forums, and invariably dozens of comments follow, saying things like; “Duct Tape.” “Spit and Bailing Wire.” “JB Weld.” “WD 40.” “Elbow Grease and Patience.” “Beer and Profanity.”, and a whole host of similar suggestions that, while intended to be funny, also happen to be true. Yes. All of those things are actually very useful. Of course, by no means do they represent the full scope of items needed to complete your Demo or your Build.
For some of us, tools are just second nature. - In my case, Construction was the family business. I can remember getting saws and wrenches for Christmas and Birthdays as young as age five (and I actually used them). I spent Summers building houses and working on cars. I was even allowed to skip school from time to time when my dad or grandfather had a big project going and needed an extra set of hands. – I’ve always had access to a Shop full of equipment, and a great deal of my life has been spent building things, with tools in hand, professionally, and as a hobby. - It’s just what I do...
For many people, however, the word “tools” conjures nothing more than the image of a “junk drawer”, containing a screwdriver, hammer, and maybe a set of pliers. - When something breaks, the only tool they reach for is the telephone. – There’s no shame in that. It’s just a different background, a different set of experiences.
Most of you fall somewhere in the middle. You may have a decent set of hand tools, perhaps a drill or Skill Saw, maybe even a respectable wood shop. – In truth, it is possible to do a Skoolie or Van Build with nothing more than that. It will require much more of the elbow grease and patience, mentioned above, but it can be done.
The following is a list of suggested tools and equipment that will make your Demo and your Build easier, better, and more efficient. Some of them are what we would consider absolute necessities, some represent massive savings of time and energy, and some are just really convenient and nice to have. - Click on the images below to link to prices and related options.
Basic Hand Tools: - You might already have some of these, but don’t gloss over the rest. They all serve a vital and important purpose. – At very least you will want a Tape Measure, Level, Wrenches, Sockets, Screwdrivers, Vice Grips, Utility Knife, Metal Shears, a small Sledge Hammer, and a Crow Bar or Pinch Bar. In addition, we strongly suggest a Carpenter Square, and a Speed Square. - All in addition to the Hammer and Pliers from the junk drawer above (not pictured).
You will find Clamps to be extremely useful, not only for glue, but also for holding things in place while you attach or work on them. We suggest you get a few different sizes of Quick Release Clamps, Bar Clamps, and C-Clamps.
Power Tools: - The Angle Grinder will be one of the most versatile tools you ever purchase. It quickly and efficiently cuts wood, metal, and even plastic. It can smooth out welds, de-burr metal, cut heads off bolts and rivets, and, yes, it’s what many of us use to remove the seats.- It makes light work out of many jobs that could otherwise be an all-day affair.
Three more vital power tools to have in your arsenal are a Cordless Drill, Circular Saw (“Skill Saw”), and a Reciprocating Saw (“Sawzall”). *Be sure to get plenty of Blades (wood and metal) for your Sawzall, and Bits for your Drill. You’ll need more of them than you think. – Don’t forget Hex, Allen, Square, and Star / Torx bits.
While not an absolute necessity, an Oscillating Saw will change your life! It allows for precision cuts in crazy tight spaces and will do many things your other tools simply can not accomplish. (Seriously. Get one of these!) Add the Scraper attachments shown below for the best way to remove decals and stickers from your Bus or Shuttle.
Less vital, but very useful, a Jigsaw and a Router will allow for creative and decorative cuts as well as minimize time and potential errors when cutting holes for sinks, and even custom joints. - We’ll add the O’Skool Flexible Curve Template Tool here as well.
You should also consider a Belt Sander, Orbital Sander, and / or Mouse Sander for finishing.
Shop Tools: - A Compound Miter Saw will save you hours of frustration and make your cuts smooth and professional looking. There are a lot of odd angles in Buses and Vans and very few tools are versatile enough to cut all of them. Get one with a “slide” and it acts as a Radial Saw as well. - Additionally, a decent Air Compressor and a few Pneumatic tools can save a ton of time in the Demo, Framing, and Finishing Stage. The one below comes with some small nail and staple guns, suitable for cabinetry and trim. - An Air Hammer / Chisel set will make easy work of rivets and frozen bolts and you’ll find it useful in many other areas as well.
Removing Decals & Stickers: - As noted above, the best way to handle this is with an Oscillating Saw and Scraper attachment, but there are a couple of other ways to remove the decals from your Skoolie or Shuttle if the Oscillating Saw isn’t within your budget. - Our second choice would be an Eraser Wheel and Buffer attachment for your Drill. Alternately, many people simply use a Heat Gun, Goo Gone, and a Plastic Putty Knife.
Electrical, Plumbing, and Propane Tools: - See the Solar Page, Water Page, and HVAC Page for some more suggestions, but here are the tools you will need, specific to each of these systems.
Electrical: Wire Strippers, Multi Meter, Needle Nose Pliers
Plumbing: PEX Crimp & Cutting Tool, Removing Tool, Sink Wrench.
Propane: Tubing Cutter, Tube Bender, Flaring Tool.
Painting: - A lot of people choose to paint their Bus with a brush or a roller and while Your Build is Your Business, we’d be lying if we didn’t admit to cringing a little bit every time we see it. – A Spray Rig is not something you will likely need to purchase, but they can be rented fairly cheaply at just about any equipment rental shop, or even many hardware stores. Here is an example, and some items that will aid in the painting process.
Safety: - We can’t stress this enough. Protect yourself when working around chemicals, debris, noise, and sharp edges! – There’s only one “you”. - The following Safety equipment is a must have.
Oh, and we almost forgot: - It wouldn’t be a Skoolie or Van Build without these:
Full Disclosure: We’ve never actually found JB Weld to be useful for… well… anything. I’m sure there are people who would argue that point, but it’s not something we would typically recommend.
In summary: You certainly don’t need every item listed here, but the more of it you have the easier your Build will be. - For Tool Nerds, such as myself, all of these are well worth having. - You may have noticed that we lean heavily on brand names like DeWalt, Makita, and Skill. There are cheaper options out there, but this is an area where you absolutely “get what you pay for”. Cheap tools don’t last, and who needs another late night trip to the big box store when it breaks?
As my grandad always said, “Good tools are the key to good work.”
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Start The Engine - Establishing a Budget - Making a Living on The Road - Choosing a Rig - Do I Need A CDL? - Designing a Skoolie Build - Step By Step Build Order - Skoolie Toolbox - Doing a Build On The Cheap - 10 Tips to Save Power and Money - Skoolie Build Ideas - Solar 101 - “Inverter/Charger/Switch” or 3 Separate Devices - Simple Solar - Solar Cheat Sheet - Step by Step Solar - Water Setup - Propane Setup - Skoolie, Van, & RV Air Conditioning DE_Mystified! - Skoolie Heating - Insulation - Digital Nomad Connectivity - Choosing a Domicile State - Converting a Commercial Title - Van, Skoolie, and RV Insurance - Camping Clubs, Subscriptions, and Passes - Road-Skool / Home-School - The Simple Skoolie Kitchen
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