As the school year progresses, stuff breaks. Some of it is irreparable, but other things can be fixed. So what do you need to have on hand to make sure you can fix the easy things? Here’s a basic tool kit that every music teacher should have in their classroom so when things go awry, you are ready!
- Glue gun – great for hanging things on cinderblock walls, as well as quick repairs of glued items
- Super glue – for the other kinds of things that need to be glued
- Wood glue – for instruments
- Clamps or Rubber bands – I personally hate rubber bands, but they are good if you need to hold something together when gluing it.
- Shop towels – good for wiping up glue, grease, and other messes
- Goo Gone
- Tape – different kinds for different things – duct, scotch, masking, electrical
- Electrical tape – good for covering up splinters on rhythm sticks, as well as for it’s actual use.
- Needle nose pliers – for pulling old pegs on Orff instruments
- Small rubber mallet – for pushing in new pegs
- Orff Instrument replacement parts – get these at West Music.
- Box cutter – for opening packages
- Needle & thread
- Safety pins and fabric tape for wardrobe mishaps
- Sharpie
- Wood markers – if you want to cover up random marks
- Lighter – for ‘sealing’ edges of cut ribbons, cords, etc
- Flashlight with a magnetic tip – perfect for finding little screws that drop to the floor
- Wire cutter – if you need to strip a wire for speakers
- Screwdrivers of various size
- Allen wrenches – for all the things that need tightening
- Adjustable wrench
- Compressed air – good for dust in small crevices
If you are looking at instrument repair, make sure you check out this series from Teaching with Orff that will help guide you through some more common repairs.
If you are teaching band instruments or orchestra….
- Replacement pads for woodwinds
- Drum key
- Water key and valve springs
- Cork
- Mouthpiece puller
- Slide grease
- Valve Oil
- Cork grease
- Sand paper
- Spring hook
- Flexilight to look for leaks
- French Horn string
- An instrument repair kit that includes a variety of corks, pads, and the like can often be purchased as a set.
- Heat gun
- A variety of pipe cleaners and brushes
- A variety of small screwdrivers
- A file
- A brass snake
- A pad leveling tool
- A good multipurpose tool may have all the things you need.
I hope this has given you a few ideas of what to stock in your classroom!
