Illustrated Tool

Dictionary
 Miter Saw

Purpose: Miter saws can be used to create cross cuts (cuts that are perpendicular to the grain) and
miter cuts (angled cuts relative to the square side of the material).

Safety Principles: When using a miter saw, wear safety goggles and protective footwear and always
keep hands out of the path of the blade. Only make adjustments to the saw when the power is off and
the machine is not working.
 Drill

Purpose: Drills can be used for drilling holes and driving fasteners.

Safety Principles: Always make sure to tuck in loose clothing, tie back hair, and remove dangling
jewelry before powering the drill. Make sure to run the drill at the correct RPM for the diameter or the
drill bit and the material being used.
 Clamps

Purpose: Clamps are used to temporarily hold multiple objects (or pieces of work) in place.

Safety Principles: Make sure to use the proper type of clamp for the objects you are working with.
Ensure that the pressure plate and anvil parts of the clamp are in full contact with the workplace
before tightening.
 Circular Saw

Purpose: Circular saws are handheld power saws that can be used for cutting light materials, such as
wood and plastic.

Safety Principles: Make sure to wear ear protection and eye protection while using circular saws. It is
important to learn how to hold the circular saw properly, so that you are in control of the saw.
 Jigsaw

Purpose: Jigsaws can be used for creating detailed and curvy cuts and cutting holes.

Safety Principles: Do not try to manually force a jigsaw to cut through hard or stubborn material. If the
blade won’t cut, reverse it and try again. Be careful not to trip over extension cords connected to
jigsaws.
 Tablesaw

Purpose: Table saws can be used for creating cross cuts, ripping cuts (cuts perpendicular to the grain),
and dado cuts (adding groves).

Safety Principles: Do not reach behind or over the blade until it has stopped turning. Always make
sure that the power is disconnected before changing the blade.
 Hand saw
Types of handsaws include: back saws, pruning saws, jab saws, coping saws,
pull saws, hacksaws, pruning saws, rip/tooth saws, and wallboard saws

Purpose: Hand saws can manually cut cut wood with push strokes moving in a downward motion.

Safety Principles: Make sure that the material being cut is stable and won’t move while being sawed.
Always keep your fingers away from the blade and cut away from yourself. Try to find the best type of
saw to suit your type of work.
 Chisels

Purpose: Chisels can be used to cut mortises, shave rough surfaces, and chop out corners.

Safety Principles: There are many different types of chisels, and always make sure to use the correct
chisel for the job. It is also important to keep the chisel blade sharp because dull chisels will require
more effort to cut through the material.
 Random Orbit Sander

Purpose: Random orbit sanders spin and move in random directions to smooth rough edges on pieces
of wood without creating circular scratch marks.

Safety Principles: Always sand in an area that is well ventilated and wear a mask. It is important to
wear goggles and earmuffs to prevent your eyes and ears from flying dust and loud noises.
 Belt Sander

Purpose: Belt sanders can be used for smoothing out wood. It is important to be careful when using a
belt sander because it can shave off large pieces of wood very quickly.

Safety Principles: The abrasive belt can break up and lash out. Always wear goggles and earmuffs
while sanding to protect your eyes from wood chips and dust and your eyes from noise.
 Safety Goggles
(aka safety glasses)

Purpose: Safety goggles and glasses are used to protect the eyes from flying material and debris
during woodworking.

Safety Principles: Only take off the safety goggles after everyone is done working in the workshop.
Make sure that the safety goggles are not too tight or too loose.
 Kreg Jig
(aka pocket hole jig)

Purpose: Pocket hole jigs are used to create pocket holes into wood to set up for creating a strong joint
while hiding screws and screw heads.

Safety Principles: Make sure that your work is secured properly and avoid awkward hand positions
when a small slip could cause contact with the rotating bit.
 Ear Muffs

Purpose: Ear muffs cover the ears to protect them from loud noises from tools and machines.

Safety Principles: Make sure to use ear muffs that fit properly and do not slip off while you are
working. In order to work effectively, the ear muffs need to cover the entire ear.
 Gloves

Purpose: Gloves are worn to protect the hands from rough or toxic materials and substances.

Safety Principles: Make sure that the glove being used is made out of a think, sturdy, material. Always
wear the proper sized glove.
 Mask
(RZ/3M Mask)

Purpose: RZ and 3M masks can be used in woodworking to filter out toxic substances and prevent
them from being inhaled.

Safety Principles: The mask should have a special filter to properly keep out toxic substances. The
material of the mask should have enough coverage to keep out chips and dust, but it should be
breathable.
 Speed Square

Purpose: Using a speed square makes it easy to accurately mark right angles and draw squares and
rectangles.

Safety Principles: Always use a steel square instead of a plastic square, so that it lasts longer. Be
careful with holding the square because the steel edges can be sharp.
 Measuring Tape
(aka Tape Measure)

Purpose: Tape measures can be used to measure different pieces of wood. Most tape measures can
stretch out to a long distance, so they can be used to measure large objects.

Safety Principles: The edges of the tape in the tape measure are sharp. Be careful when retracting the
tape measure so that it does not cut you or anyone else.
 Needle Nose Pliers

Purpose: Needle nose pliers can be used for gripping small items and bending and cutting wire.

Safety Principles: Always cut wires at right angles and never move the cutting tool from side to side or
bend the wire back and forth against the cutting edges. Make sure to wear goggles or a face shield
when cutting to protect your face from flying material.
 Planer

Purpose: Planers cut rough pieces of wood to a consistent thickness.

Safety Principles: Always disconnect the planer from the power supply when making any adjustments
to the cutter head or the blades. Make sure that the power switch is in the off position before plugging
in the machine
 Planes

Purpose: Planes are used for straightening, smoothing, and shaping wood.

Safety Principles: Make sure to secure the workpiece before starting to plane. Keep the iron blade of
the plane sharp, so that it requires less effort to cut the workpiece.
 Screwdriver

Purpose: Screwdrivers are used for driving in screws to attach multiple pieces of wood together.

Safety Principles: Keep the tip of the screwdriver clean and sharp to allow a the screwdriver to grip the
screw properly. Do not use screws with broken handles or bent blades because they could cause a
hand injury.
 Locking Pliers
(vise grips)

Purpose: Locking pliers can be used to grip materials when it is dangerous or uncomfortable to handle
the directly.

Safety Principles: Make sure that the size of the vise is compatible with the material it is gripping.
 Snips
(diagonal cutter)

Purpose: Diagonal cutters are used for cutting copper, brass, aluminium, and steel wire.

Safety Principles: Do not bend stiff wire at the top of the pliers. Trying to break the wire on your own
could result in a hand injury, and the material would be improperly cut.
 Reciprocating Saw
(Sawzall)

Purpose: Reciprocating saws are handheld saws that cut material through a push-and-pull
(reciprocating) motion.

Safety Principles: Hold the reciprocating saw with both hands for stability to keep it from slinging
towards your body.
 Ratchet and Socket Set

Purpose: Ratchet and socket combinations allow you to turn nuts or bolts without having to reposition
the wrench every time you need to make a turn.

Safety Principles: Do not try to add leverage by extending the length of the wrench with a pipe (or
other object), because you could potentially break the wrench or the pipe could slip and injure you or
someone else.
 Shop vacuum

Purpose: Shop vacs are powerful vacuums used to clean debris from workshops and construction
sites.

Safety Principles: Never use a shop vac to pick up hazardous materials such as pesticides and harmful
chemicals.
 Pushbroom

Purpose: Push Brooms are used to sweep over large areas.

Safety Principles: Be mindful of the people and the machinery around you while you are sweeping.
 Foxtail Broom (handbroom)

Purpose: Handbrooms are used for sweeping small spills on the floor or on an elevated surface such
as a table.

Safety Principles: Wear safety goggles while sweeping to protect your eyes from flying material.
 Dustpan

Purpose: Dustpans are used to collect the dust and materials that are sweeped from a broom.

Safety Principles: Be careful when lifting a full dustpan to keep the material from spilling out again.
 Mop

Purpose: Mops are used to soak up liquids to clean up floors and other surfaces.

Safety Principles: Make sure to regularly replace the mophead, so that you do not end up trying to
clean a floor with a dirty mop.
 Carpenter’s Mineral Level

Purpose: Mineral levels are used to determine whether a surface is perfectly horizontal (level) or
vertical (plumb).

Safety Principles: Mineral levels can be heavy, so be careful not to drop them on yourself or anyone
else.