Of course, we've all gotten one piece of advice, "Measure twice, cut once." That old axiom we all live by even if we don't always follow it. We know more than a few people who can measure twice or three times and get different results each time. For them, it is more of a lottery than a science and we often recommend they stick to flat-pack furniture rather than trying to build something (other than a box) themselves. But what's the best advice we've ever gotten? What are some of the gems that have saved our bacon, shortened our work day, or just helped us out, these are the top 5 tips and pieces of advice we came up with. Feel free to add yours in our forums.

1) Use ONE Hand When Working in an Electrical Panel

Use one hand when wiring a circuit into an electrical box. This one could potentially save your life. While some will recommend (or insist upon) using a rubber mat, I will at least insist on maintaining one hard and fast rule taught to me by my father (and he served as an inspector at the well-known Bethlehem Steel plant in Pennsylvania during its heyday) - only use one hand when working in an electrical box. Literally, you'll want to place one hand behind your back. Working with both hands is extremely dangerous because if you ever touch a hot circuit, current can run down one arm, through your heart, and out the other arm. I have been very successful working with one hand on electrical boxes and would highly recommend this practice to anyone else doing so.

2) Place the Shoe of Your Reciprocating Saw Firmly Against the Material Being Cut

"Place the shoe of your reciprocating saw firmly against the material being cut ('you moron' was graciously not added to the end of the sentence)". It was one of the first pieces of advice I ever got from a professional. This may sound trite and basic, but I can't tell you how many people I see using a reciprocating saw incorrectly. I am constantly observing inexperienced workers using the saw with the shoe an inch or two off the wood and wondering why on earth the piece of lumber is vibrating like there's no tomorrow.

3) Never Buy a Cheap Tool You Plan to Use More than Once

Harbor Freight is a great place to buy cheap tools that you don't plan on using over and over, but if you think you're going to get a deal by buying that $19 brad nailer that's on sale and use it on more than one job, you're taking your (professional) life in your hands. If you're a professional, stick to the tried and trusted brands - don't play games trying to save a dollar here and there. By all means shop for the best deal on professional tools, but don't forget to factor in your time - which is money. Going down for a day because your tool stopped working is no savings at all.

4) Every Tool Has a Home

You are probably one of two types of people - you either have all your tools hanging on pegs with marker outlines on the wall behind, or you store everything in drawers in a less than organized fashion. For the latter, when you need a tool, you're usually having to sift through drawers and boxes, potentially impaling yourself with your razor knife, every time you need a tool. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, it isn't the best use of your time. While we can't say we always follow this advice, there is nothing that gives us a greater sense of satisfaction that standing in the middle of a well organized and clean work shed. It just feels so right. You can cut minutes if not hours off of project times just by putting things back where they belong.

5) Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

The fact is that HGTV or DIY Network probably won't be there for you to bail you out of your over-ambitious project. Whether it is asking a friend, searching the Internet, or posting a question in our forums, there is no excuse for getting stuck. Of course, it's just as important to ask for help before a project rather than after you've already demo'ed your kitchen. In our limited experience, we have seen the Weekend Warrior DIY'er estimate how much a project would cost for a professional to complete - and then spend that same amount (or even more) due to poor research. How many times have we come into a half (or less) completely project started by a homeowner just to have to break the bad news that not only will they have to pay for the project over again, but everything they've done so far has to be scrapped. A little research beforehand could have prevented all of that.

Honorable Mentions

1) Make Sure Your Ladder is on a Sturdy and Solid Surface

Take one big spill, or have a close call on a ladder and you'll forever change the way you handle yourself when using one. If working on a deck or other wood surface, fasten a piece of 2x4 down in front of the legs to ensure the ladder can’t slip. If working on uneven ground, did holes for the feet of the ladder to set into to make it level and also so it won’t slip out. Some ladders now come with the ability to set one leg independent of the other to compensate for uneven ground. When working on a step ladder, make sure all four legs are touching the floor. And, if your ladder is ever bent, cracked or has other damage, stop using it and get a new one.

2) Eye and Ear Protection are not Optional

When working with almost any kind of power tool and even hand tools, you should always use eye protection. Meet someone who has almost lost an eye due to a flying wood chip or pice of metal shaving and you can quickly ascertain that donning a pair of glasses is a small thing that has high potential for alleviating future hassle. There are many types and styles of eye protection available that should make it easy to choose something that fits your needs and tastes. Check out our review of the Crossfire safety glasses - these glasses are so good that they can even stop a bullet.

As for your ears, well, you only have two and, unfortunately, they are not easy to repair once they are damaged. If working with loud tools or even if you are in the vicinity of others working with loud tools, it is a smart choice to put in some earplugs or wear earmuffs.

Some of these tips may sound basic, but it will hopefully help some - and that's better than none. Stay tuned for future Top 5 articles every Monday and let us know what your Top 5 Tool Tips are in our forums.