Select your trade
You’ll see the tools your trade actually requires — add them as you go.
UNIT CONVERTER
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INCH FRACTIONS
+
/
″
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Tape measures read in 16ths — this turns "7 and 3/8" into decimals and metric instantly.
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REQUIRED LIST{{ completionLabel }}
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LIST BASIS
{{ sourceNote }} Lists vary by local and by province — check the one your training centre or employer hands you before you spend money.
Every tool in the database — all brands, no recommendations. Add anything to build a checklist.
EMPLOYER LIST
Name it, add the tools your crew actually needs, then share one link.
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WHEN TO BUY
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Picked up where you left off - your list is saved on this device.
⚠ COMPATIBILITY — {{ compatCount }} BATTERY PLATFORMS ON YOUR LIST
Your cordless tools span {{ compatList }}. Batteries and chargers are not interchangeable between platforms - pick one, and every cordless tool, battery and charger on the list should match it.
✓ COMPATIBILITY — EVERY CORDLESS TOOL ON YOUR LIST IS {{ compatList }}
⚠ BEFORE YOU BUY
Owning a tool isn't the same as being allowed to use it. Get trained first, follow the manufacturer's instructions, and ask your employer — they often supply the gear, and this site is not safety advice.
PAID LINKS
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Every product link below opens an Amazon.ca search and carries our affiliate tag — it costs you nothing extra, and we get nothing unless you buy.
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NOTHING IN THIS TRADE'S LIST MATCHES THAT.
SHOWN LIST
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⚠ ONE-WAY DOOR: batteries don't work across brands — your first battery buy effectively picks your platform as your kit grows. All three are excellent; pick what your crew runs. Combo kits (tool + battery + charger) are usually the cheapest way in — look for the COMBO KIT link.
✔ IN COMBO KIT
REQUIRED
ON MY LIST
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BUY {{ t.stageLabel }}
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⚠ HEADS-UP: {{ t.advisory }}
DRIVE TYPES · DRAWN TO RELATIVE SCALE
Tap a drive type to add it to your kit; pick its size beside the name. Sizes are drawn to relative scale — a PH2 really is wider than a PH1.
⚠ ONE-WAY DOOR
Your first battery picks your brand for years
Batteries don't cross brands. Whichever platform you buy first is the one every later tool has to match, and switching later means replacing the batteries and the chargers too — that gets expensive fast.
So don't decide from a page. Get on site first, borrow a few, and ask the people you work with what they run and what they'd buy again. A crew that shares one platform can lend you a battery when yours dies — that alone is worth matching them.
Get trained on any power tool before you use it, and read the manufacturer's instructions for the model you actually buy.
That is the whole {{ stageName }} list. Nothing below this point needs buying yet.
Tool missing?
If something your crew requires isn’t in the database, send it over and it gets added.
KIT MANIFEST
Tap any line to jump to it.
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⚠ MIXED PLATFORMS — {{ mixedText }}
▲ NO BATTERY — {{ noBattText }}
[ ] On your trade’s required list, not added yet. Check with your employer first — many supply or reimburse gear.
ON MY LIST
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Prices shown on Amazon. It's smart to compare with your local tool suppliers too — get the best value.
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REQUIRED BY YOUR EMPLOYER
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BILL OF MATERIALS — {{ bomCode }}
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⚠ MIXED PLATFORMS: {{ mixedText }}
▲ NO BATTERY: {{ noBattText }}
Nothing on your list yet — go back and add some tools.
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{{ c.tierLabel }} · {{ c.category }}
⚠ {{ c.advisory }}
LINK COMING SOON
COMPARE
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Prices and availability shown on Amazon. Shop around — local tool suppliers, trade counters and seasonal sales can beat any single retailer. Save your receipts; many employers reimburse tool costs.
{{ equippedCount }} ITEMS ON YOUR LIST · {{ ownedCount }} OWNED · {{ remainingCount }} TO BUY
INSTRUMENTS — RULER
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CALIBRATE RULER
HOLD YOUR
CARD HERE ⇕
CARD HERE ⇕
Hold any bank or gift card sideways (short edge up-and-down, like the picture) against the dashed box, then drag the slider until the box matches the card exactly. The ruler is then true to size — your setting is remembered.
TRADE BRIEFING — {{ briefCode }}
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RED SEAL TRADE: {{ briefRedSeal }}
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OFFICIAL PROVINCIAL REGISTRATION
Apprenticeship registration, wages and grants are provincial — pick yours for the official authority.
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YOUR LEVEL
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{{ jobBankLabel }} — CANADA JOB BANK ↗
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— official apprenticeship authority
EXPORT — {{ exportModalKind }}
Before you save your checklist
To stay compliant with Amazon's rules, the links in your saved file are plain Amazon links with no affiliate tag. For the most current picks and links, come back to the site any time.
SITE OFFICE — GET IN TOUCH
Built to get you on the tools with confidence
This site exists to help people new to the trades start a rewarding career without overbuying or guessing. Spotted a mistake, have a tool suggestion, or want to collaborate? Send a message — every note gets read. If this guide helped you, you can buy me a coffee.
ONLYTOOLS.CA
Privacy & Disclosures
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product links on this website open a live Amazon.ca search for the item you selected and carry our affiliate tag — using them costs you nothing extra. We show no prices: Amazon's own search results are always current. Downloaded and printed checklists use plain Amazon.ca search links with no tracking or affiliate tag.
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LAST UPDATED — SEPTEMBER 2026