Research from: Hand Tools

Hammers

Most common home-use hammers are nail, rip, finishing, ball peen, tack, hand drilling, sledge
and soft face.

Nail Hammers

The two basic nail hammers are curved claw and straight claw. A curved claw hammer is used
most often in a home for general carpentry and household chores. It should be used only with
non-hardened, common or finishing nails. A straight claw (ripping hammer) is more likely to be
used by professionals to rip apart nailed wooden components. It is a slightly heftier tool, used for
heavier carpentry, framing and ripping. It should also be used only with non-hardened, common
or finishing nails.

Sledgehammers

Sledgehammers are used for extremely heavy jobs where great force is required. They have long
handles ranging from 14" to 36" and heavy heads that weigh from 2 lbs. to 20 lbs. Sledges can be
double- or single-face. Many sledgehammers are now available with lighter, balanced, reinforced
plastic handles for easier use and better weight distribution.

Nail hammers may have handles made of a number of materials—wood, fiberglass, graphite,
solid steel or tubular steel. Each offers a different combination of stiffness for efficiently
delivering the force of the blow to the target and shock absorption to reduce shock and stress on
the user's hand, wrist and arm. Wood flexes and offers some degree of shock absorption.

Stiffer materials such as graphite or steel deliver the full force of the blow but require cushioning
in the jacketing and grip to provide long-term user comfort. Steel handles are the heaviest, while
wood-handled hammers are the lightest and least expensive.

Mallets

Mallets have rubber, plastic, wooden or rawhide heads and are used to drive chisels or hammer
joints together. With the exception of wooden mallets, sizes are specified in either head weight or
diameter, such as 2- 1/4". Wooden mallets are specified by head diameter only. There are a
variety of mallet shapes and sizes for specific tasks.
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Hammer Safety Tips

 Eye protection should be worn at all times when working with striking tools. Bystanders
should also wear eye protection.
 Use the correct tool for the job. Injuries can be caused by trying to strike too heavy a
blow with a lightweight hammer or by using the wrong style of hammer for the task.
 Always strike the surface squarely–avoid glancing blows.
 Do not use claw hammers (or hatchets) on concrete, stone or hardened metal objects.
 Never use a hammer with a chipped, battered or mushroomed face, a cracked claw or eye
section or a loose or cracked handle.
 Remind customers not to hold the hammer too tightly. They should grasp it lightly but
firmly; gripping the bell end of the handle for heavy hitting and the slight flare at
midhandle for lighter blows

Pliers

Pliers are designed to hold, turn and cut objects. Pliers vary in length from 4" to 20". Some pliers
are available with factory applied, plastic-coated handles, providing an attractive appearance and
comfortable grip. However, these pliers should not be relied on for electrical work. Pliers fall
into two broad categories: solid-joint and slip-joint, either of which may have cutters.

Slip-joint pliers are of two designs: multiple hole and tongue and groove. The slip or adjustable
joint enables the tool to adjust to the size of the object being held.

Solid-joint pliers have a joint fixed with a solid pin or rivet and are not adjustable.

Cutting pliers can be side, end or diagonal types. Side cutters have a cutting blade on one side
only and are available in long-, curved- and short-nose types. End cutters have cutting blades on
the end and are used to make sharp, clean cuts close to the surface on wires, bolts and rivets.

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3
Screwdrivers

Screwdrivers are generally classified as slotted, Phillips head or Robertson (square recess) head,
with all three types available with round or square shanks. Quality screwdrivers are judged by
the kind of metal in the blade, the finish and amount of grinding on the tip. Material used in the
handle, and bar attachment to the handle are other quality indicators.

Drilling Tools

Braces

Braces guide auger bits and drills. Attaching a screwdriver bit converts them into powerful
screwdrivers. Drilling is done by turning the handle or center section in a circular motion. Most
braces incorporate a ratchet control that permits the user to make half-circles when there is no
room for a full circle.

Push Drills

A push drill, similar in appearance to a push-pull screwdriver, operates by a push pull movement
using a spirally threaded shaft and chuck to hold the bit. Push drills are best for light jobs.

Hand Drills

Hand drills are limited to light work. They feature adjustable drill chucks to permit easy changes
of drill points from 1/2" to 1/16". Drilling action comes from turning a hand crank on the side of
a drill frame.

Wrenches

Wrenches can be classified as general use or plumbing wrenches. Top-quality wrenches are
forged from fine grade tool steel, machined to close tolerances, hardened and tempered for long
service life. A wrench's main function is to hold and turn nuts, bolts, caps, screws, plugs and
various threaded parts. Applying excessive torque will strip or damage those threads, so quality
wrenches are designed to keep leverage and intended load in safe balance.

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Cutting Tools

Chisels

Chisels are grouped according to the material they cut, either wood, metal, stone or brick. The
two main types are wood and cold. Quality wood chisels have large, ergonomically shaped
handles for a comfortable, sure grip and better control. Blades should be of high-quality carbon,
heat-treated steel with precision-ground cutting edge. In addition, woodworking chisels should
have crowned steel strike caps to help center the blow.

A firmer chisel is square-sided and is used mainly for cutting deeply into wood. It should be used
with soft-faced hammers.

Paring chisels are for light-duty, detailed work such as trimming cabinets.

Bricklayer's chisels should be used when cutting masonry

Chisels have wood or plastic handles. Wood handles are available in both tang (the end of the
blade or tang fits into the handle) and socket type (a projection from the handle fits into a socket
in the blade). Plastic handles fit only tang construction. Like chisels and planes, gouges are used
for removing material from a block of wood, plastic or metal.

Utility Knives

Utility knives are designed to cut heavy materials such as carpet, flooring, roofing, cardboard
cartons, laminates and plastic.

Planes

Planes are used for trimming, beveling, fitting and shaping wood, and smoothing rough spots left
by sawing and drilling. Quality is determined by the steel used in the cutter, cap iron, sole and
body of the plane. The cap iron should be of hard steel so adjustment screws will not strip. Hard
steel cutters hold an edge longer. There are three broad groups of planes: bench planes, block
planes and specialty planes.

Bench Planes

The main variable among bench planes is length. They range from 7" smooth planes to 24"
jointer planes. Smooth planes are lightweight and used for all-around work. Jack planes are
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longer (12" to 15") and heavier than smooth planes, have more cutting capacity and are used for
planing rough surfaces. Jointer (joiner) planes, the longest and heaviest, are used to shape edges
of boards so two boards may be joined together to make a close-fitting joint. Bench planes are
adjustable; the best have lateral, as well as fore and aft cutter adjustment and a movable frog to
vary the mouth opening.

Block Planes

A block plane is the smallest, simplest plane, used for light work, smoothing the end grain of
boards and shaping small pieces of wood. It uses a single cutter blade, set at a low angle in the
frame to permit better cutting. It is available in both adjustable and non-adjustable models.

Specialty Planes

Rabbet planes, used widely by cabinet makers and do-it-yourselfers, cut rectangular recesses out
of the edge of boards and make grooves in flat surfaces.

Router planes are used to finish common wood cuts such as dados or grooves in areas
inaccessible to a regular plane. Like other planes, they have adjustments to control size and depth
of cut.

Circular planes are made with a flexible steel bottom that can be adjusted to plane on concave or
convex surfaces. Surface-Forming Planes (also called a file) cut rapidly and smoothly on wood,
aluminum, copper, etc. It will not clog because shavings pass through holes in the body and out
the top. Used to shape wood in carpentry or wood sculpture, they also work well shaping plastic
auto body fillers.

Measuring Devices

Squares

Used to check and mark right angles, squares are defined as steel or aluminum, try and
combination. Combination squares will also measure 45 0 angles. If it has a degree scale, it can
determine any angle. Framing squares, also known as carpenter’s squares, are L-shaped and
made from one piece of material (steel or aluminum), with the long end (body) usually 24" and
the short end (tongue) 16”. Try squares have broad 6" to 12" blades set at right angles, with
wood, plastic or metal handles.

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A try square or tri square is an L-shaped tool used as a guide for pencil markings of cuts and to
check the edges and ends of boards to see if they are square. It is also used to determine whether
a board is the same depth for its entire length.

A combination square combines the best features of the steel and try squares. It has a grooved
blade and head that can be adjusted to many locations on the 12" blade to provide different
measurements. The head usually contains one level vial and a scratch awl for marking. One edge
of the handle has a 45º angle for use as a miter square. Some combination square sets are
available with an attached protractor that is movable throughout 180º for setting the blade at any
angle within that range. Combination square heads (handles) are commonly plastic or metal.

Mitre squares measure 45º angles or bevels on one side of the square and 135º angles and bevels
on the other side. Also available is a try/mitre square, which features a 45º corner edge.

Sliding bevel squares adjust to any angle and are designed to match angles being cut on the job
site.

Centering squares are used to determine the exact center of circles and other measuring angles

Tape Rules

For years tape rules have included two main types: tape reels and retractable steel tapes.

Tape reels are typically 100' long and designed to measure long distances. They are contained in
durable cases and rewound by a crank on the side of the case, with a small hook on the end for
hooking onto objects to be measured. Metric tape rules come in lengths up to 10 metres.

Retractable steel tapes or tape measures range in size from 6' to 35' (up to 50 metres), with 12'
and 25' the most common sizes. Because the tape rule is flexible, it provides an easy means for
accurately measuring curved surfaces.

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Precision Measuring Tools

This group of tools contains such items as calipers, dividers, micrometers, thread pitch gauges
and plumb lines. These items are used primarily by professionals, but are gaining popularity with
hobbyists

A plumb bob or plumb line is a small, tapered, pointed weight suspended from cord. It is used
to measure true verticality or depth. Chalk line reels can also be used as plumb bobs, but are
largely used to mark long lines on floors, walls and ceilings.

A carpenter’s pencil is a wide, flat pencil that contains soft lead. It is used for marking
measurements in construction projects. Its flat design keeps it from rolling around the job site.

Levels

Levels measure true horizontal (level) and true vertical (plumb) either with vials (spirit levels) or
sensors (electronic levels).

Hatchets

Hatchets are a combination tool, part hammer and part axe. Some hatchets, such as half hatchets
or carpenters’ hatchets, are for general use; others, such as flooring, lath and shingling hatchets,
are used for special tasks like laying hardwood floors and installing drywall or gypsum board.

SAWS

Hand Saws

Handsaws have 14" to 26" blades. Fineness of cut depends on the number of cutting teeth
(points) per inch and tooth shape. The higher the number of points, the finer the cutting. A coarse
crosscut saw with seven or eight teeth per inch is best for fast, rough work or for use on green
wood. Saws also come with a wide range of handle styles, but the three most common are pistol
grip, closed handle and straight handle. Pistol grip handles are used primarily on smaller saws
that have thinner blades.

Closed handles are incorporated more often on larger saws and help to add support to the larger
blades. Drywall saws and other small-bladed saws often use straight handles that are in line with
the saw’s blade. Most saws require minimal maintenance other than oiling of the blades to

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prevent rust. They should be hung up by their blade or handle since blades have a tendency to
bend when stored flat.

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Rip Saws

A rip saw has large, chisel-shaped teeth, usually 5-1/2 teeth per inch, and is made to cut with the
wood grain. Blade lengths measure from 24" to 28". Teeth are crossfiled to ensure that the chisel
point is set square to the direction of cutting for best performance. This saw is best held at a 60º
angle to the surface of the board being cut. The ripping action of the saw produces a coarse,
ragged cut that makes the saw unsatisfactory for finish work.

Crosscut Saws

Most commonly used crosscut saws are 10- to 12-point for fine work and 7- or 8- point for faster
cutting. Ten teeth per inch is considered general purpose. Teeth are shaped like knife points to
crumble out wood between cuts. Best cutting angle for this saw is about 45º. Blade lengths range
from 20" to 28", with 26" the most popular.

Hacksaws

Hacksaws are fine-toothed saws designed to cut metal or plastic. The saws consist of a blade held
in a steel frame with relatively high tension. High tension holds the blade more rigidly straight,
which enables the user to make fast, straight cuts.

Compass or Keyhole Saws

Compass saws cut curved or straight sided holes. Saw blades are narrow, tapered nearly to a
point to fit into most spaces. Keyhole saws are small compass saws with finer teeth that can cut
metal.

Coping Saws

Coping saws cut irregular shapes, curves and intricate decorative patterns. They consist of a thin
blade and a C-shaped steel tension frame.

Backsaws

A backsaw is a thick-bladed saw with a stiff, reinforced back to provide the rigidity necessary in
precision cutting. It varies in length from 10" to 30" and is found in tooth counts from seven to
14 teeth per inch. They are used with miter boxes to cut miters.

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Bow Saws

Bow (buck) saws consist of a tubular steel frame and a saw blade for fast cutting of all woods.
The bow saw's frame is important, since the thin blade, usually 3/4" wide, must be held under
high tension for fast cutting. Advantages of this general-purpose saw are its all-around utility and
light weight.

Some bow saws are designed to hold hacksaw blades as well as standard bow saw blades. These
multi-purpose saws can be used to cut wood, metal or plastic.

Mitre Boxes

Mitre boxes are used to help cut exact angles for wood trim and rafters. They are made of plastic,
hardwood or aluminum.

Fastening Tools

Clamps

Clamps are used in a number of different applications to hold items in place or secure items.
Most clamps are constructed from wood, steel, cast iron, high-impact plastic or glass-reinforced
nylon, and some have rubber or nylon straps. The most significant innovation to come about
recently in the area of clamps is the development of one-handed bar clamps. These clamps work
with a pistol grip and allow the user to tighten or loosen the clamp by using just one hand on a
trigger switch. They are available in jaw openings from 6" to 50" and a variety of sizes.

C-clamps—the most common type of clamp—consist of a C-shaped frame, made of either

forged steel or cast iron, into which an adjustable screw is assembled to change the jaw opening.
The size of a C-clamp is measured by its capacity—the dimension of the largest object the frame
can accommodate with the screw fully extended. Also important is depth of throat, the distance
from the center line of the screw to the inside edge of the frame. C-clamps range from 1" to 12".
Bar clamps have a clamping device built on a flat bar (usually steel).

Vises

The size of a vise is measured by both the jaw width of the vise and the capacity of the vise when
the jaws are fully open. Bench vises are designed for light work in the home, garage and farm.

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Woodworking vises feature jaws made of wood from 6" to 10" wide. Some woodworking vises
have a fast-acting screw arrangement for the rapid positioning of the movable jaw prior to
clamping. Smaller vises have continuous screws and are light and easy to clamp on a workbench
or sawhorse.

Rivet Tools

Rivets can be used in place of screws, nails and other fasteners in many applications. Rivet tools
use "blind" rivets, so-called because they can be set from one side without "bucking" at the back.
Many rivet tools feature self-storage of the extra nosepieces. Other features include sliding
latches to lock handles closed for storage, spring opening handles to make constant usage easy
and epoxy finishes to protect the tool.

Soldering Tools

Soldering guns are used for a variety of chores: hobbies, minor electrical repairs, plumbing and
other do-it-yourself home repairs. They offer advantages over conventional irons—they heat and
cool rapidly, are easy to handle and may have several heat levels.

Files

Files are grouped by length, type and shape. File types are determined by shape: square, round,
half-round or flat. Two other indicators of file shape are taper and blunt. As their names imply,
taper files taper from shoulder to point while blunt files are the same width for the entire length.

Punches

Punches are used with ball peen hammers to remove pins, align holes and mark locations of
holes to be drilled. They are available in a wide range of sizes in both high carbon and alloy
steels. They are similar to nail sets in appearance, but do not have a cupped or hollowed end.

Hand punches are considered general purpose tools for driving out pins and bushings and lining
up bolt and rivet holes. They have a relatively blunt taper, with the size of the punch being
marked by the diameter of the flat point.

Pin and centre punches are similar to hand punches and are used for the same purposes. They
differ only in the shape of their points. Safety goggles must be worn when these are used.

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Taps and Dies

Dies are used to thread the outside of a rod or pipe to screw it into a threaded hole. They are
available in two types: solid and adjustable with either round or hex heads. Dies with hex heads
are used with wrenches or sockets instead of die stocks for close, hard-to-reach jobs and for
repairing bruised or damaged threads.

Taps are used to cut screw threads inside holes and to renew worn or stripped threads. Taps come
in three basic styles: taper, plug and bottoming. Tapered taps cut full threads at the entrance and
gradually less thread toward the bottom. Plug taps cut full threads to within three or four turns of
the bottom. Bottoming taps cut full threads to the bottom of the hole.

Taps and dies are stamped with two or three letters indicating thread series. Special tools needed
to work with dies and taps include die stocks and tap and reamer wrenches. Die stocks are
adjustable tools that hold and turn dies. They are made with two handles so cutting can be done
evenly and smoothly.

Tap and reamer wrenches are similar to die stocks. They are adjusted by twisting one of the
wrench handles to change the opening of the jaws. Jaws on these tools must be hardened to
prevent mutilation when using hardened taps. Tap wrenches feature adjustable chucks and come
with sliding T-handles.

Screw Extractors

Screw or bolt extractors remove bolts or screws when they cannot be removed normally. To use
most extractors, you must first drill the correct size hole in the center of the bolt or screw, then
insert the extractor. The threads, which are reversed, bite down into the screw and turn it out.
Some extractors feature a built-in drill bit that allows you to drill and extract the screw in one
process.

Trowels

Plasterers, concrete finishers, bricklayers and masons use trowels to handle small amounts of
mortar and plaster. They should be lightweight and well-balanced. Brick trowels are used to pick
up mortar and spread it for the next course of brick, concrete block or stone. The blade (which

13
carries the mortar), post (which joins tang to blade) and tang (where the handle is inserted) are
forged in one piece, with a handle driven into the tang.

Pointing trowels are used by bricklayers for pointing up their work. Pointing and margin trowels
are used for patch work and for cleaning other tools. High-quality pointing and margin trowels
are forged in one piece and made about the same as a brick trowel. The length of pointing
trowels may be from 4-1/2" to 7". Best sellers are the 5" and 6" lengths. Size 5" x 2" is the most
popular margin trowel.

Cement trowels are used to finish the surface of the cement to the required smoothness.
Troweling action helps compact the surface and adds to the quality and durability of the job.
Cement trowels are narrower and longer than plastering trowels. The blade is slightly convex.

Plastering trowels are used to carry plaster to the wall or ceiling from a hawk when two or three
coats are applied. They have a light weight flexible blade with an average size of 11" x 4-1/2".
They are available with a choice of two handles, either straight or curved (called the camel back
style).

Floats are made of aluminum, magnesium, wood, cork or rubber. The most popular with concrete
finishers are wood and magnesium. The best-selling sizes in wood are 12" x 5" and 16" x 3-1/2"
while the popular magnesium float is 16" x 3-1/8".

Bull floats are used by concrete finishers to float large areas of concrete.

Brick jointers (strikers) are used to strike joints of brick walls for finished appearance. Because it
receives hard wear, the tool is heat treated. Each end is a different size—most popular
combinations are 1/2" x 5/8" and 3/4" x 7/8".

Corner trowels are used to form inside and outside corners; the most requested sizes are square
and 1/2" radius.

Cement edgers produce a radius at the edge of a concrete slab to minimize chipping, while
concrete groovers are used for cutting joints in concrete to control cracking.

Tuck pointers (joint fillers) apply new mortar between old bricks

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Hawks hold plaster before application. They are usually made of lightweight aluminum or
magnesium in 13" or 13-1/2" square sizes.

Drywall Tools

Drywall trowels have a slight concave bow in the blade that helps to feather mud and make
perfect drywall joints. The tempered, flexible steel blade is securely attached to a lightweight
aluminum mounting.

Research from: Hand Tools

A hand tool is a device for doing a particular job that does not use a motor, but is powered solely
by the person using it. Examples are almost endless, from general tools like the hammer to
specific tools like calipers. Some hand tools are mounted to walls, such as pencil sharpeners.
Virtually every type of tool can be a hand tool, although many have also been adopted as power
tools, which get their motive power from engines rather than from people.

Some hand tools cannot be easily or safely converted to power tools, namely chisels Examples:
Drill, Chisel, Hammer, Saw, Pliers, Punch, Wrench, Level

Drill

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A drill is a tool with a rotating drill bit used for drilling holes in various materials. Drills are
commonly used in woodworking and metalworking. The drill bit is gripped by a chuck at one
end of the drill, and is pressed against the target material and rotated. The tip of the drill bit does
the work of cutting into the target material, slicing off thin shavings (twist drills or auger bits) or
grinding off small particles (oil drilling).

There are many types of drills; some powered manually and others using electricity or
compressed air as the motive power. Drills with a percussive action (such as hammer drills,
jackhammers or pneumatic drills) are usually used in hard materials such as masonry or rock. As
well, drilling rigs are used to bore holes in the earth to obtain water or oil. An oil well, water
well, or holes for geothermal heating are created with large drill rigs up to a hundred feet high.
Some types of hand-held drills are also used to drive screws.

A variety of hand-powered drills have been employed over the centuries. Here are a few;

Hammer Drill

The hammer drill is similar to a standard electric drill, with the exception that it is provided with
a hammer action for drilling masonry. The hammer action may be engaged or disengaged as
required.

Rotary hammer drill

The rotary hammer drill (also known as roto hammer drill or masonry drill) is an electric drill
type dedicated to drilling holes in masonry. The rotary hammer drill is a percussion drill that uses
a weight to create the impact force on the masonry bit.

Cordless drills

A cordless drill is a type of electric drill which uses rechargeable batteries. These drills are
available with similar features to an AC mains-powered drill. They are available in the hammer
drill configuration and most also have a clutch setting which allows them to be used for driving
screws. For continuous use, a worker will have one or more spare battery packs charging while
drilling, so that he or she can quickly swap them, instead of having to wait several hours during
recharges.

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Chisel

A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent
part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving and/or cutting a hard
material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of
metal or wood with a sharp edge in it. In use, the chisel is forced into the material to cut the
material.

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The driving force may be manually applied or applied using a mallet or hammer. In industrial
use, a hydraulic ram or falling weight ('trip hammer') drives the chisel into the material to be cut.
A gouge, one type of chisel, is used, particularly in woodworking, woodturning and sculpture, to
carve small pieces from the material. Gouges are most often used in creating concave surfaces. A
gouge typically has a 'U'-shaped cross section.

Types

Many types of chisels have been devised, each especially suited to its intended use. Different
types of chisels may be constructed quite differently, in terms of blade width or length, as well as
shape and hardness of blade. They may have wooden handles attached or may be made entirely
of one piece of metal.

Woodworking chisels

These range from quite small hand tools for tiny details, to large chisels used to remove big
sections of human anatomy, in 'roughing out' the shape of a pattern or design. Typically, in
woodcarving, one starts with a larger tool, and gradually progresses to smaller tools to finish the
detail.

One of the largest types of chisel is the slick, used in timber frame construction and wooden
shipbuilding. According to their function there are many names given to woodworking chisels,
such as:

Butt Chisel: short chisel with beveled sides and straight edge for creating joints.

Carving Chisels: used for intricate designs and sculpting; cutting edges are many; such as gouge,
skew, parting, straight, paring, and V-groove.

Corner Chisel: resembles a punch and has an L-shaped cutting edge. Cleans out square holes,
mortises and corners with 900 angles.

Flooring Chisel: cuts and lifts flooring materials for removal and repair; ideal for tongue-and-
groove flooring.

Framing Chisel: usually used with mallet; similar to a butt chisel, except it has a longer, slightly
flexible blade.

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Framing Slick: a large chisel driven by manual pressure, never struck.

Mortise Chisel: thick, rigid blade with straight cutting edge and square sides to make mortises
and similar joints.

Paring Chisel: has a long blade which is ideal for cleaning grooves and accessing tight spaces.

Skew Chisel: has a 600 cutting angle and is used for trimming and finishing.

Lathe tools

A lathe tool can be a woodworking chisel designed to cut wood as it is spun on a lathe. These
tools have longer handles for more leverage, needed to counteract the tendency of the tool to
react to the downward force of the spinning wood being cut or carved.

Metalworking Chisels

Chisels used in metal work can be divided into two main categories, hot chisels, and cold chisels.
A hot chisel is used to cut metal that has been heated in a forge to soften the metal.

A cold chisel is a tool made of tempered steel used for cutting 'cold' metals, meaning that they
are not used in conjunction with heating torches, forges, etc. This tool is also commonly referred
to by the misnomer 'coal chisel'. Because cold chisels are used to form metal, they have a less-
acute angle to the sharp portion of the blade than a woodworking chisel. This gives the cutting-
edge greater strength at the expense of sharpness.

Cold chisels come in a variety of sizes, from fine engraving tools that are tapped with very light
hammers, to massive tools that are driven with sledgehammers.

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Hardy Chisel

A hardy chisel is a type of hot chisel with a square shank, which is held in place with the cutting
edge facing upwards by placing it in an anvil's Hardy hole. The hot workpiece cut is then placed
over the hardy, and struck with a hammer. The hammer drives the chisel into the hot metal,
allowing it to be snapped off with a pair of tongs.

Masonry Chisels

Masonry chisels are typically heavy, with a relatively dull head that wedges and breaks, rather
than cuts. Normally used as a demolition tool, they may be mounted on a hammer-drill, jack
hammer, or hammered manually, usually with a heavy hammer of three pounds or more.

Joint Chisel

A joint chisel has a tapered edge for cleaning out hardened mortar. The chisel is held with one
hand and struck with a hammer. The direction of the taper in the blade determines if the chisel
cuts deep or runs shallow along the joint.

Hammer

A hammer is a tool meant to deliver blows to an object. The most common uses are for driving
nails, fitting parts, and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose,
and vary widely in their shape and structure. Usual features are a handle and a head, with most of
the weight in the head. The basic design is hand-operated, but there are also many mechanically
operated models for heavier uses. The hammer is a basic tool of many professions, and can also
be used as a weapon.

Basic design and variations

The essential part of a hammer is the head, a compact solid mass that is able to deliver the blows
to the intended target without itself deforming. The opposite side of the head may have a second
striking surface; or a claw or wedge to pull nails, or may be shaped like a ball as in the ball-peen
hammer and the cow hammer.

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Some upholstery hammers have a magnetized appendage, to pick up tacks. In the hatchet the
hammer head is secondary to the cutting edge of the tool. Popular hand-powered variations
include;

Milkman’s hammers - Used for breaking the tops off milk bottles. Extremely popular in the
1970's carpenter's hammers (used for nailing), such as the framing hammer and the claw hammer
upholstery hammer construction hammers, including the sledgehammer

drilling hammer - a lightweight, short handled sledgehammer

ball-peen hammer, or mechanic's hammer cross-peen hammer, or Warrington hammer

mallets, including the rubber hammer and dead blow hammer.

Saw

A saw is a tool for cutting wood or other material, consisting of a serrated blade (a blade with the
cutting edge dentated or toothed) and worked either by hand or by steam, water, electric or other
power. The teeth of the saw are each bent to specific angle and this angle is called "set". The set
of a tooth is dependent on the kind of cut the saw will be making. For example a "rip saw" has a

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tooth set that is similar to the angle used on a chisel. The idea is to have the teeth rip or tear the
fibers of the wood apart.

Types of Saws

There are a number of different categories of saw, all with the same purpose of accurately
making larger pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood. The first and largest division is
between hand-powered saws and mechanically powered saws.

Hand Saws

Hand-powered saws fall into three divisions, which are defined by the way they hold the blade
stiff (a requirement to get an even, clean cut). A Hand saw uses either simply a blade thick
enough to be stiff, or cuts on the pull stoke which reduces the stiffness requirement. This division
includes the following specific types of saws:

Crosscut saw, for making cuts perpendicular to the grain

Rip saw, for cutting along the grain Hand saw, saws operated by hand as opposed to power saws

Floorboard saw, with curved blade

Japanese saw, hand saws that cut on the pull stroke with straight handles

Keyhole saw or pad saw or compass saw, with narrow pointed blade

Two-man saw, for cutting large logs or trees

Plywood saw, fine-toothed blade to reduce tearing of plywood

Veneer saw, two-edged saw with fine teeth used to cut veneer

Although their use is dwindling the jigsaw and sabre saw (unpowered tools) may also refer to
blade style saws.

Back Saws

The second category of hand saws keep a thinner blade stiff by reinforcing it with a steel or brass
back. Back saws are differentiated by length of blade. While this list is not definitive, they are

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generally named, from longest to shortest: Mitre Saw, Carcase Saw, Tenon saw, and Dovetail
saw.

Mechanically Powered Saws

These mechanically move the teeth past the wood while the saw itself is held stationary. This is
accomplished in one of three ways:

 the teeth are along the perimeter of a flat, circular blade;

 the blade reciprocates up and down rapidly; or
 the teeth are along one edge of a continuous band.

They are more specifically differentiated as follows:

Circular Blade Saws

Circular saw, machine-driven for industrial sawing of log and beams, typically found in sawmills
- also name given to smaller hand-held saws

Research from: Introduction to Carpentry Tools

Try Square: This is used to mark lines at 90 0 to a straight edge. It is used to mark out lines square
to the face edge and face side. It may also be used to check if edges are straight. If the try square
is placed on the edge of the material and held up to a light, any light shining through between the
material and the try square blade indicates that the edge of the material is not straight.

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Steel Rule: This is a very accurate marking and measuring tool. The steel is thin and the
markings on the rule are very fine. The steel rule can also be used as a straight edge to check if
materials or edges of materials are straight. This is because the rule may be used to measure
inside pipes. It may also be used to measure diameters and circumferences of pipes and tubes
accurately. The end of the rule with the measurements to the edge is called the zero end.

Marking Gauge

This is used on wood to mark straight lines parallel to a straight edge. The marking tool has an
adjustable stock (the stock slides up and down the stem) and is set using a steel rule.

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Coping Saw: This is used to remove complicated shapes and cut curves in woods and plastics.
The blade is held in a frame and may be easily replaced if broken. The teeth of the blade point
backwards towards the handle. The saw cuts on the pull stroke and not on the forward stroke.
This is because the blade is too flexible to be pushed. The blade can be angled in the frame if the
frame gets in the way when cutting larger sheet materials.

Tenon Saw: This is used to cut straight cuts in wood and some plastics. This type of saw has a
stiff back and is suitable for detailed cuts. The saws without this type of stiff back are more
flexible and are designed to cut large panels. The tenon saw is generally used to cut Woodwork
joints.

Penon Saw

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Large panels or sheets of materials for example plywood or M.D.F require larger ripsaws in
order to cut them by hand. Sheets that are small enough may be held in the vice whereas larger
sheets may need to be supported on special types of portable carpenter's supports called trestles.

WOOD PLANES

Iron jack Plane is used to make smooth surface. It is made of Cast Iron.

Bench vise: A bench vice is secured on the work bench to grip work piece while it is worked on.

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Research from: CARPENTRY SHOP

Introduction

Carpentry may be designed as the process of making wooden articles and components such as
roots, floors, partitions, doors and windows. Carpentry involves cutting, shaping and fastening
wood and other materials together to produce a finished product. Preparation of joints is one of
the important operations in wood work. Joinery denotes connecting the wooden parts using
different joints

Carpentry Tools

Carpentry tools are used to produce components to an exact size. The types of carpentry tools are
as follows.

1. Marking tools

2. Measuring tools

3. Holding tools

4. Cutting tools

5. Planning tools

6. Boring tools

7. Striking tools

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8. Miscellaneous tools

Marking tools

It is used to marking lines parallel to the edges of a wooden piece. It consists of a square wooden
stem with a sliding wooden stock on it. On the stem, a marking pin is attached which is made up
of steel. This stem is provided with a steel nail to scratch the surface of the work. It consists of
two pins; the distance between the pins is adjustable. It is used to draw parallel lines on the stock.

Measuring tools

The carpentry measuring tools are classified as follows

1. Steel tape

2. Steel rule

3. Caliper

Steel tapes and steel rules are mainly used for measuring short and lengths in millimeters.

A try square is used for testing squareness and marking of joints. A meter square is used for
marking and measuring an angle of 45 degree. A bevel square is used for marking and listing
angles between 0 degree to 180 degree.

Calipers are used for the precision measurement of cylindrical surface. Inside calipers are used
for measuring outside diameter and outside calipers are used to measure inner diameter of apipe.

Holding tools

The carpentry holding tools are shown in fig.

Carpentry vice

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A carpentry vice is the common work holding device. It consists of one fixed jaw and one
movable jaw. It’s one jaw is fixed to the side of the table while the other is movable by means of
a screw and a handle.

Bar clamp

The bar clamp (or) sash cramps are generally used in pairs in gluing up operations at the final
assembly of joinery work. It is made up of a steel bar of T-section, wine malleable iron fittings
and a steel screw.

G-clamp: this is made up of malleable iron with acme threads of high-quality steel. It can be used
for clamping small work when gluing up.

Cutting Tools

Saws

A saw is used to cut wood into pieces. There is different type of saws, designed to suit different
purpose. A saw is specified by the length of its tooled edge. The following saws are used in the
carpentry section.

Rip Saw: The blade of rip saw is either straight or skew-backed. The teeth are so set that the
cutting edge of this saw makes a steeper angle about 600.

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Cross Cut saw: This is similar in shape of a rip saw. It is used to cut across the grain of the stock.
The correct angle for cross cutting is 45 0. The teeth are so set that the saw kerf is wider than the
blade thickness. This allows the blade to move freely in the cut without sticking. Tenon or back
saw

A tenon saw is used for fine and accurate work. It consists of a very fine blade, which is
reinforced with a rigid steel back. The teeth are shaped like those of cross cut saw.

Chisels

Chisels are used for cutting and shaping wood accurately. Wood chisels are made in various
blade widths, ranging from 3 to 50mm. Most of the wood chisels are made into tang type, having
a steel shank which fits inside the handle. Firmer chisels These are general purpose chisels and
are used either by hand pressure or by a mallet. The blade of a firmer chisel is flat and their
sloping face is at an angle 150 to 520.

Boring Tools

Boring tools are used to make holes in wood. Common types of boring tools are as follows.

1. Bradawl

2. Gimlet

3. Brace

4. Bit and drill

A brace bolds and turns the bit and boring of a hole is obtained. A brace having two jaws is used
for holing the bit in one end. It has two types, namely ratchet brace and wheel brace. A bradawl
and a gimlet are used for boring small holes. These tools are hand operated.

Striking Tools

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JACK PLANE

PARTS OF A HAND PLANE

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SMOOTH PLANE

JOINTER PLANE

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RABETTE PLANE

ROUTER PLANE

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34
A "dovetail saw" is a small, fine-toothed hand saw specifically designed for making precise cuts
needed to create dovetail joints

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Mortise gauge

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37
Marking knife

It is used to precisely mark lines, into the surface of wood and acts as a guide for a chisel or saw.
For example, when marking out finger joints, dovetail

Chisel

A chisel, in carpentry, is a hand tool with a sharp, angled blade used to cut and shape wood by
removing small pieces of material through a combination of striking with a mallet and controlled
slicing action; different types of chisels are used for specific tasks like creating mortises, paring
fine details, or making clean cuts on flat surfaces depending on the blade's size and profile.

A "panel saw" in carpentry refers to a hand saw with a fine tooth count, typically used for
making precise cuts on large sheets of material like plywood, often used for finishing cuts due to
its ability to create clean edges; essentially a smaller, finer-toothed version of a crosscut saw,
primarily used for making accurate cuts on panels or flat surfaces requiring detail and precision.

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A "sash clamp" in carpentry is a type of clamp used to hold multiple pieces of wood together
tightly, especially when gluing, allowing for a strong and secure joint while the glue dries; it
typically features a long, bar-like clamping mechanism with movable jaws that can be adjusted to
fit different sized projects, making it ideal for holding large, flat surfaces together.

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c-clamp

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In carpentry, a "wrench" refers to a hand tool used to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts, typically
used for assembling furniture or attaching hardware to wood pieces, with common types
including combination wrenches (open-end and box-end on either side), adjustable wrenches,
and sometimes pipe wrenches depending on the specific application; essentially, any wrench that
can grip and turn fasteners on carpentry projects.

A shaping tool is used to cut in curves, different angles, and many other shapes.

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