Box Wrench

A box-ended wrench has a closed loop at both its ends. This

loop is usually designed to fit a hexagonal shape, and in some
cases it may be designed to fit a square shape. The loops at both
the ends are of different sizes. These wrenches are used in cases
where open-ended wrenches are of no good. Box-ended wrenches will
avoid the rounding-off at the edges that may occur on use of
open-ended wrenches.

A box end wrench is so named after its ability to encapsulate

the entire head of a nut, effectively ‘boxing’ it in. It is also
known as a socket wrench or a ring spanner. Ordinarily a box end
wrench is best suited to hexagonal nuts or multi edged nuts. The
numerous ridges allow a box end wrench to manipulate a non-square
bolt head.

Place the box end wrench over the nut. Secure it to the head of
the nut giving yourself as much maneuverability as you can.
Depending whether you intend to tighten or loosen it you will
need to slowly maneuver it in a clockwise or counter-clockwise
direction. Release the box end wrench from the nut and place it
back onto the nut in the place you first started and turn again
until the nut either comes loose or is tightened to its maximum.

Socket Wrench

A socket wrench is a type of wrench or spanner that has

a socket attached at one end, usually used to turn a fastener.
The most prevalent form is the ratcheting socket wrench, often
informally called a ratchet. A ratcheting socket wrench is the
device within a hand tool in which a metal handle is attached to
a ratcheting mechanism, which attaches to a socket. This in turn
fits onto a type of bolt or nut. Pulled or pushed in one
direction, the ratchet loosens or tightens the bolt or nut
attached to the socket. Turned the other direction, the ratchet
does not turn the socket but allows the ratchet handle to be re-
positioned for another turn while staying attached to the bolt or
nut.

This ratcheting action allows the fastener to be rapidly

tightened or loosened in small increments without disconnecting
the tool from the fastener. A switch is built into the ratchet
head that allows the user to apply the ratcheting action in
either direction, as needed, to tighten or loosen a fastener.
Combination Wrenches

A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip

and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—
usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them
from turning.
In Commonwealth English (excluding Canada), spanner is the
standard term. The most common shapes are called open-ended
spannerand ring spanner. The term wrench is generally used for
tools that turn non-fastening devices (e.g. tap wrench and pipe
wrench), or may be used for a monkey wrench - an adjustable pipe
wrench.

In North American English, wrench is the standard term. The most

common shapes are called open-end wrench and box-end wrench. In
American English, spanner refers to a specialised wrench with a
series of pins or tabs around the circumference. (These pins or
tabs fit into the holes or notches cut into the object to be
turned.) In American commerce, such a wrench may be called
a spanner wrench to distinguish it from the British sense
of spanner.

Higher quality wrenches are typically made from chromium-

vanadium alloy tool steels and are often drop-forged. They are
frequently chrome-plated to resist corrosion and for ease of
cleaning. Hinged tools, such as pliers or tongs, are not
generally considered wrenches in English, but exceptions are
the plumber wrench (pipe wrench in British English) and Mole
wrench (sometimes Mole grips in British English).The word can
also be used in slang to describe an unexpected obstacle, for
example, "He threw a spanner into our plans" (in U.S. English,
"monkey wrench").

Bench Chisel

Bench chisels are the go-to chisels you’ll use for countless
tasks in woodworking — joinery, chopping, trimming, paring and so
forth. They’ll be in your hands often and you’ll rely on them.
There are two basic ways to construct a bench chisel. Socket
chisels are made by fitting the tapered end of the wooden handle
into a corresponding conical hollow at the top end of the blade.
In tang construction, the blade has a long, pointed top end that
fits into a hole in the bottom of the handle, similar to the
familiar construction of a file. The handle of a tang chisel is
usually reinforced with a band of metal at the lower end called a
ferrule. When made well, both designs are strong enough to
withstand any reasonable use.
 In fact, the ergonomic feel of chisels is a key factor in
choosing them. Consider the balance, weight, length, and contours
of the tool, keeping in mind that you will most often hold a
chisel by the blade and handle such as when paring, or the blade
alone such as when chopping, rather than by the handle alone.

Mortise Chisel

Mortise chisels are used for ‘chopping out’ joints (chiselling

away the waste wood). They are particularly useful for cutting
mortise joints as they are strong enough to withstand heavy blows
with a mallet.
The handle is normally made of ash or beech with a steel hoop at
the top to stop it splitting. It also has a strengthening piece
called a ferrule which prevents the handle from splitting at the
bottom when it is hit repeatedly by a mallet. The blade is made
from tool steel and the bevel is ground to an angle of 30
degrees.

HOW THE MORTISE JOINT IS CUT

1. A try square and a marking knife are used mark the lines at
the top and bottom of the mortise.

2. The stock of the mortise gauge is pressed against the side of

the wood. It is then pushed along the wood until the mortise is
marked out correctly.

3. The mortise chisel is then used to remove the waste material.

A mallet provides the blows to the chisel. With great care, an
accurate mortise can be cut.

Dovetail Chisel

The blade of these dovetail chisels is triangular in section.

This shape allows the chisels to be used to cut in tight corners,
like dovetail joints, where the shape of a normal chisel prevents
it from being used. These chisels are in general thinner than
standard chisels, and so should not be used for heavy work.

The steel used for the edge is the best available for these
tools - White Paper Steel, forged by Master Matsumura, and
hardened to about 64 HRC.
The thickness measurements given for these chisels is at the peak
of the triangle in the middle of the blade. The narrower chisels
are thicker so as to provide the blade with enough strength and
stiffness.

If the blades are too thick for a job, one can file off some
part of the peak, which is formed of relatively soft and strong
iron. It will not look as nice as the original blade, but the
chisels can then be used in places that cannot be reached with
any conventional chisel. Be aware that filing off the peak of
these chisels will weaken them considerably, and under no
circumstances should leverage be exerted on these blades! These
chisels are hand-forged, and so small variations in the
dimensions listed are to be expected.

Half Round File

Rounded on one side, flat on the other. Ideal for rounding out
holes; can be used on concave, convex, or flat surfaces and
leaves a smooth finish. These files are most commonly used to
deburr or remove material from the inside surfaces of cylindrical
workpieces or to cut half round grooves. Mercer files have a
multitude of styles and uses from sharpening, stock removal and
removing burrs.

This half-round file is used for smoothing and sharpening. The

cutting teeth are still visible on both sides of this file from a
layer in the Barrack’s cellar, one of James Fort’s earliest
structures. The Jamestown colonists would have relied heavily on
files such as this one to maintain sharp tools. For example, axe
blades would have needed sharpening regularly due to heavy use
from building and maintaining the fort, the fort’s structures,
and for felling timber to be used in industry. Tools used for
filing have been around for thousands of years with some early
examples found by archaeologists on ancient Egyptian sites.

Warding file

Warding files are machinist's files and are frequently used

by locksmiths. They are named after the shaped openings in
keyholes that act as a barrier to lock picking, as they are used
to both deburr and repair them. They can also be used to file the
notches in a key that allow it to fit into the warding. Warding
files have a slim, rectangular cross section. They taper in width
towards the point. They are double cut on both faces and single
cut on both edges.

It is their tapered faces and thin profiles that make them ideal
for finishing and deburring in the narrowest of spaces.
Warding files are usually available in lengths from 100mm (4
inches) to 250mm (10 inches).

Warding files are tapered to a point for narrow

spacefiling. They have double-cut faces and single-cut
edges.Warding files are used for lock repair or for
filing wardnotches in keys.

Knife File

Veneer knife files are saw files that are designed specifically
to sharpen and maintain veneer knives. A veneer knife is a blade
made for cutting veneer, a very thin layer of wood that is used
to cover other wooden panels. Arch-shaped slots are cut into the
back of the blade so that it can be attached as a component in a
cutting machine. The blade itself is used for chopping rather
than slicing and must therefore be kept razor sharp.

A veneer knife file's cross section is a rectangle with rounded

edges. The veneer knife file's faces are best suited to
sharpening the blade, while the edges can be used to deburr and
clean up the arch-shaped slits. As with a mill file sharpening a
knife, the cross filing technique is used when sharpening the
blade of a veneer knife. It is also used when filing the arched
recesses for the screws. Named for its shape. Primarily used by
tool and die makers on slots, keyways, and acute angles. Double-
cut on sides, single-cut on sharp edge – Knife files are supplied
with safe backs.
Mercer files have a multitude of styles and uses from sharpening,
stock removal and removing burrs.

Knife files work by making fine cuts into the wood or metal
being worked with. This allows the worker to shave off and refine
parts of the material being molded to the design specifications
and shape needed. Knife files are optimal for hard-to-reach
acute-angled corners and are also effective for sharpening other
tools such as chisels and knives.
Hand files

The safe edge of a file does not have teeth. This is extremely
useful when filing in corners as shown in the diagram below. The
safe edge is placed into the corner and because it is smooth it
does not damage the surface of the metal. There are many
different shapes / sections of files, some are shown above. They
are used for a variety of types of work. Files are classified
according to their length, section / shape and cut (tooth shape).

HAND FILE: Used for general filing of metals such as steel. They
are rectangular in section and are the most common type of file
used in workshops. A hand file is essentially a hand saw with a
very wide blade. Just like a saw it cuts material using teeth. A
typical hand file is made from a bar of high-carbon steel with
its teeth pressed, cut, or raised into the steel. After the teeth
are made the bar is heat treated making it harder than most other
materials it is likely to come across. As a result, when those
teeth are rubbed across another piece of softer material, the
teeth will dig into the material and pull bits away.

Hex keys

A hex key, also known as an Allen key or Allen wrench, is a

small handheld tool that’s used for for driving bolts and screws
with a hexagonal socket. They are available in many different
sizes, though they all have the same hexagonal-shaped tip. To
learn more about hex keys and the benefits they offer, keep
reading.

Some people assume hex keys are relatively new, but this isn’t
necessarily true. Records show that the concept for a hexagonal-
shaped screw drive was around back in the mid-to-late 1800s. Of
course, it wasn’t until 1910 when the concept was turned into a
functional product. During this time, William G. Allen filed a
patent for a cold-forming screw head featuring a hexagonal shape.
He later marketed the new screw head under the name “Allen safety
set screw.”

Hex keys come in a variety of different sizes, which are

measured by across-flats (AF). This is essentially the distance
between the two opposite ends of the flat side. It’s important to
choose the right size hex key, as attempting to use one that’s
too big may damage the fastener or tool.
So, what benefits does a hexagonal-shaped screw bolt head offer
over a standard Phillip’s head? As the name suggests, hex
hardware features six pressure points, while Phillip’s head
hardware contains just four. With more pressure points, you’ll
have an easier time “gripping” the screw or bolt, making it
easier to drive in or out. Now, if you’re only driving a single
screw or bolt, it probably isn’t going to make much of a
difference. But if you’re taking apart a large piece of
furniture, equipment, or a machine, hex hardware reduces fatigue
while allowing you to work more efficiently.

Furthermore, there’s less risk of stripping the bolt or screw

when the hex design is used. This alone is a huge benefit that
draws engineers to choosing hex hardware instead of Phillip’s
head. Hex screws can still be stripped, through it takes longer
than other designs.

To recap, a hex key is a tool used to drive bolts and screws

with a hexagonal socket. With six driving points, they are easier
to use and less likely to strip than their Phillip’s head
counterpart. Of course, hex isn’t the only design that offers
these benefits. Another popular alternative is torx. Monroe
Engineering carries both long and short neck Hex Keys.

Carpenter’s Pencil

A carpenter pencil (carpentry pencil, carpenter's pencil) is

a pencil that has a body with a rectangular or elliptical cross-
section to prevent it from rolling away.[1] Carpenter pencils are
easier to grip than standard pencils, because they have a larger
surface area. The non-round core allows thick or thin lines to be
drawn by rotating the pencil.

Thin lines are required for high precision markings and are easy
to erase, but thick markings are needed to mark on rough
surfaces.[2] The lead is strong to withstand the stress of
marking on such surfaces.[2] The pencil is robust to survive in a
construction environment, for example when placed in a bag
together with heavy tools.

The core is often stronger than in other pencils. Carpenter

pencils are also used by builders, because they are suitable for
marking on rough surfaces, such as concrete or stone. This shape
and lead density aid in marking legible lines with a straight
edge that are clear and easy to follow with a saw blade.
Carpenter pencils are typically manually sharpened with a knife,
since sharpeners for round pencils do not work.
Notching the middle of the lead with the corner of a file makes
it possible to draw two parallel lines at once.[3]

The flat pencil is one of the oldest pencil types. The first
versions were made by hollowing out sticks of juniper wood. A
superior technique was discovered: two wooden halves were carved
with a groove running down them, a plumbago stick placed in one
of the grooves, and the two halves then glued together—
essentially the same method in use to this day.

Similar pencils (called 'jumbo pencils') are sometimes used by

children. A pencil that is designed for a child rather than a
carpenter would have a softer core, enabling the user to draw
with less physical effort. Carpenter pencils are sometimes used
by artists and designers to draw a thick line easily when needed.
For instance, Old English letters are easier to draw with a
carpenter pencil than with an ordinary pen.[3]

Spokeshaves

A spokeshave is a tool used to shape and smooth woods

in woodworking jobs such as making wheel spokes, chair legs,
[1] paddles, bows, and arrows. Historically, a spokeshave was
made with a wooden body and metal cutting blade. With
industrialization metal bodies displaced wood in mass-produced
tools.

Prehistoric spokeshaves were made of stone. In archaeology, the

term spokeshave is used to describe a tool, usually a uniface,
that has at least one retouched lunate notch in one edge. In a
sense, the term is a descriptive "catch-all" category, since it
is difficult to determine if this was actually the way in which
such a tool was used; the categorization is based entirely on the
appearance of the tool.

Spokeshaves can be made from flat-bottom, concave, or convex

soles, depending on the type of job to be performed. Spokeshaves
can include one or more sharpened notches along which the wooden
shaft is pulled in order to shave it down to the proper diameter.
Historically, spokeshave blades were made of metal, whilst the
body and handles were wood. An early design consisted of a metal
blade with a pair of tangs to which the wooden handles were
attached, as with a drawknife. Unlike a drawknife, but like
a plane, spokeshaves typically have a sole plate that fixes the
angle of the blade relative to the surface being worked. By the
twentieth century metal handles and detachable blades had become
the most common.
Axes

An axe (British English) or ax (American English; see spelling

differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to
shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as
a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many forms and
specialised uses but generally consists of an axe head with
a handle, or helve.
Before the modern axe, the stone-age hand axe was used from 1.5
million years BP without a handle. It was later fastened to a
wooden handle. The earliest examples of handled axes have heads
of stone with some form of wooden handle attached (hafted) in a
method to suit the available materials and use. Axes made
of copper, bronze, iron and steel appeared as these technologies
developed.

Axes are usually composed of a head and a handle.

The axe is an example of a simple machine, as it is a type
of wedge, or dual inclined plane. This reduces the effort needed
by the wood chopper. It splits the wood into two parts by the
pressure concentration at the blade. The handle of the axe also
acts as a lever allowing the user to increase the force at the
cutting edge—not using the full length of the handle is known as
choking the axe. For fine chopping using a side axe this
sometimes is a positive effect, but for felling with a double
bitted axe it reduces efficiency.

Although everyone knows how to swing an axe, there are some

simple training tips that can make things safer. First, hand
position is important, whether forcing doors or chopping holes.
When forcing a door the hands should be comfortably spaced on the
handle, with the top hand slightly below the head of the tool and
the bottom hand toward the end of the handle. This helps prevent
broken fingers when a misguided strike misses the Halligan. It
also provides better control and helps prevent “baseball” swings.

Card Scraper

A card scraper is a woodworking shaping and finishing tool. It

is used to manually remove small amounts of material and excels
in tricky grain areas where hand planes would cause tear out.
Card scrapers are most suitable for working with hardwoods, and
can be used instead of sandpaper. Scraping produces a cleaner
surface than sanding; it does not clog the pores of the wood with
dust, and does not leave a fuzz of torn fibers, as even the
finest abrasives will do.
 Card scrapers are available in a range of shapes and sizes, the
most common being a rectangular shape approximately 3"x 6".
Another common configuration is the gooseneck scraper, which has
a shape resembling a french curve and is useful for scraping
curved surfaces.

For scraping convex shapes such as violin fingerboards, small

flexible rectangular scrapers are useful.
Scrapers are normally made from high carbon steel. There are many
manufacturers who provide scrapers in a wide variety of styles.
Many woodworkers prefer to make their own card scrapers by
cutting them from old hand saw blades.

Card scrapers are sometimes used in working with ceramics, where

they may substitute for the more traditional wooden rib. The
scraper is also useful for trimming damp or dry clay. Such a
scraper, the nearest one to the camera, is shown in the image at
right.

Utility knife

A utility knife is a knife used for general or utility purposes.

[1] The utility knife was originally a fixed blade knife with a
cutting edge suitable for general work such as cutting hides and
cordage, scraping hides, butchering animals, cleaning fish, and
other tasks. Craft knives are tools mostly used for crafts.
Today, the term "utility knife" also includes small folding or
retractable-blade knives suited for use in the general workplace
or in the construction industry.
There is also a utility knife for kitchen use, which is between a
chef's knife and paring knife in size.

By the 19th century the fixed-blade utility knife had evolved

into a steel-bladed outdoors field knife capable of butchering
game, cutting wood, and preparing campfires and meals. With the
invention of the backspring, pocket-size utility knives were
introduced[when?] with folding blades and other folding tools
designed to increase the utility of the overall design. The
folding pocketknife and utility tool is typified by
the Camper or Boy Scout pocketknife, the U.S. folding utility
knife, the Swiss Army Knife, and by multi-tools fitted with knife
blades. The development of stronger locking blade mechanisms for
folding knives—as with the Spanish navaja, the Opinel, and
the Buck 110 Folding Hunter[citation needed]—significantly
increased the utility of such knives when employed for heavy-duty
tasks such as preparing game or cutting through dense or tough
materials.
F-clamp

An F-clamp, also known as a bar clamp or speed clamp and a "G-

clamp", is a type of clamp. The name comes from its "F" shape.
The F-clamp is similar to a C-clamp in use, but has a wider
opening capacity (throat). This tool is used in woodworking while
more permanent attachment is being made with screws or glue, or
in metalworking to hold pieces together for welding or bolting.
[1]

An F-clamp consists of two horizontal bars joined together by a

vertical bar. There is a large screw on the lower bar to allow
for the clamp to be tightened.[2] F-clamps are adjustable which
allows for them to be used on larger scale objects without the
need for a large screw.

An F-clamp is also a simple mechanical device used for lifting

engine or transmission parts. The clamp has an adjusting screw to
tighten onto the part and a lifting ring to attach a hoist cable.
[citation needed]
F-clamps in the industry terminology have the jaws mounted on a
flat bar, while a pipe clamp, which has the same construction, is
mounted on a pipe, normally of 1/2" or 3/4" diameter.

An F-clamp is designed in the shape of a letter 'F'. The tool

consists of one long, vertical bar and two horizontal jaws. In
many ways it works similar to a G-clamp because one jaw is fixed
at one end of the bar, whilst the other is moveable and can slide
into different positions

Steel Square

The steel square is a tool used in carpentry. Carpenters use

various tools to lay out structures that are square (that is,
built at accurately measured right angles), many of which are
made of steel, but the name steel square refers to a specific
long-armed square that has additional uses for measurement,
especially of various angles. Today the steel square is more
commonly referred to as the framing squareor carpenter's square.
It consists of a long, wider arm and a shorter, narrower arm,
which meet at an angle of 90 degrees (a right angle). It can also
be made of aluminum or polymers, which are light and resistant to
rust.
The longer wider arm is two inches wide, and is called the blade;
the shorter narrower arm, is one and a half inches wide, and is
called the tongue. The square has many uses, including laying out
common rafters, hip rafters and stairs.[1] It has
a diagonal scale, board foot scale and an octagonal scale. On the
newer framing squares there are degree conversions for different
pitches and fractional equivalents.

In traditional timber frame joinery, mortises and tenons were

typically two inches wide and two inches from the edge of the
timber when working with softwoods, giving rise to the width of
the blade. Likewise, mortises and tenons were traditionally one
and a half inches wide when working in hardwoods, explaining the
width of the tongue. This allowed for quick layouts of mortise
and tenon joints when working both hard and softwoods.

Ball peen hammer

A ball peen hammer is a hammer with two ends on the head, one
that is round and the other flat. Sometimes called a machinist's
hammer, a ball peen is a good choice for working with metal. Its
steel head is harder than that of a claw hammer, so is less
likely to chip on impact. Ball peen hammers are commonly used to
drive cold chisels, set rivets, and bend and shape metal. They
range in weight from 4 ounces (used, for example, in model boat
making) to 32 ounces and have wooden, steel, or graphite handles.

Before the advent of pneumatic rivet guns, ball peen hammers were
commonly used for riveting. First the flat head drove the nail
through, then the round ball was used to "peen over" the other
side of the rivet. The biggest danger while peening rivets is to
strike the nail shaft straight on on as this can make the nail
bend inside the hole. Then if the boards are stressed the bend
might straighten and the boards separate – making for a structure
that falls apart or leaks. The ball of the ball peen hammer tends
to produce glancing blows that mash some of the metal away from
the sides of the hole. This also hardens the metal so that it
becomes as elastic as the surrounding material.

Pry Bars

Pry bars have many names. They are known as prybars, crowbars,
pinch bars, wrecking bars, prise bars, jimmies, jimmy bars,
jemmies, goosenecks or even pikipikis. A pry bar is a tool
comprising a metal bar with both ends flattened and a curve on
one end. Often, one or both ends will have a small fissure for
removing nails. Burglars mostly use the term jemmy or jimmy to
refer to a pry bar when they use it for burglary.
Pry bars are normally made of medium-carbon steel. They may also
be made of titanium, especially when a lighter or non-magnetic
type is required. Commonly, pry bars are forged from cylindrical
or hexagonal stock, although more expensive designs may be forged
from a shaft of I-shaped cross-section.

Using a Pry bar to separate two objects

Insert the flat end of the curved side of a pry bar in between
the two objects you want to separate. Hold the free end and pull
outwards such that the curved end acts as the fulcrum against one
of the objects. In case you do not get enough leverage, insert a
block of wood under the curved end. The two objects should start
to come apart.
Using a Pry Bar to Extract a Nail from a Wooden Plank
Place the flat end of the straight side of the pry bar so its
fissure is on either side of the head of the nail. You may have
to hammer the pry bar lightly to enable it to bite into the wood
and get under the nail head. Gently press downwards on the free
end until the nail head lifts up. Drive the fissure in so that it
grips the nail head more firmly and press downwards to extract
more of the nail. As the nail comes out, you may need to insert a
wooden block under the pry bar to retain the leverage.
Alternately, you may now use the curved end to extract the nail
completely.

People commonly use pry bars as a lever either to remove nails or

to force apart two objects. A typical example is opening nailed
wooden crates. You can use pry bars as any one of the three lever
classes. However, the curved end is typically used as a first
class-lever, while the straight end is more commonly used as a
second-class lever.

Bradawl

A bradawl is used to make indentations in wood or other materials

in order to ease the insertion of a nail or screw. The blade is
placed across the fibres of the wood, cutting them when pressure
is applied. The bradawl is then twisted through 90 degrees which
displaces the fibres creating a hole. This cutting action helps
to prevent splitting of the wood along the grain.

A bradawl is used to create pilot holes in wood. Pilot holes

guide screws and nails, so can be used whenever these are
necessary.

They are more likely to be used for more delicate tasks where
splits are more of a risk. They are also used to mark out the
positioning of holes when something needs attaching. Some
specific examples of bradawl use are given below.
A bradawl is pushed into a piece of wood, forming a small dent or
hole (depending on which you require) in order to prepare the
wood to take a larger hole.

Making a pilot hole can help the user to ensure that a larger
hole is made as accurately as possible.

The twist and push method used to create pilot holes with a
bradawl results in the wood being pushed and compressed, rather
than split or removed. This is beneficial for when you increase
the size of the hole, as it prevents splitting, which can cause
further damage.

Punch

A punch is a hard metal rod with a sharp tip at one end and a
blunt butt end at the other, which is usually struck by a hammer.
Typically, woodworkers use a ball-peen hammer to strike a punch.

Punches are used to drive objects such as nails, or to form an

impression of the tip on a workpiece. Decorative punches may also
be used to create a pattern or even form an image.

Metal pins and similar connectors are driven in or out of holes

using a pin punch.
For removal, first use a starter punch to loosen the pin, then
use a pin punch to finish.

A center punch is used to mark the center of a point. It is

usually used to mark the center of a hole when drilling holes.
A drill has the tendency to "wander" if it does not start in a
recess. A center punch forms a large enough dimple to "guide" the
tip of the drill. The tip of a center punch has an angle between
60 and 90 degrees.[1] When drilling larger holes, and the web,
that is the center of the drill tip, is wider than the
indentation produced by a center punch, the drilling of a pilot
hole is usually needed.

A prick punch is similar to a center punch but used for marking

out. It has a sharper angled tip to produce a narrower and deeper
indentation. The indentation can then be enlarged with a center
punch for drilling. The tip of a prick punch is 40 degrees (the
angle depends on what type of prick punch one is using).[1] It is
also known as a dot punch.

A transfer punch is a punch (usually in an index set) of a

specific outer diameter that is non-tapered and extends the
entire length of the punch (except for the tip). It is used to
tightly fit the tolerances of an existing hole and, when struck,
precisely transfer the center of that hole to another surface. It
can be used, for example, to duplicate the hole patterns in a
part, or precisely set locations for threaded holes (created by
drilling and tapping) to bolt an object to a surface.

Plywood Saw

A plywood saw is a saw that has a fine-toothed blade that

minimizes tearing of the outer plies of a sheet of plywood. An
extra set of teeth on the curved upper edge of the blade allows
starting of a cut on the inside of a panel (away from the edge)
without having to drill a starting hole. The standard plywood saw
blade is 11 inches long and has 14 tpi (teeth per inch).

a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard

toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood
though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the
toothed edge against the material and moving it forcefully forth
and less forcefully back or continuously forward. This force may
be applied by hand, or powered by steam, water, electricity or
other powersource. An abrasive saw has a powered circular blade
designed to cut through metal or ceramic.

Hand saws typically have a relatively thick blade to make them

stiff enough to cut through material. (The pull stroke also
reduces the amount of stiffness required.) Thin-bladed handsaws
are made stiff enough either by holding them in tension in a
frame, or by backing them with a folded strip of steel (formerly
iron) or brass (on account of which the latter are called "back
saws.") Some examples of hand saws are:

Wood scribe

A wood scribe is a tool for marking wood by scratching the

surface visibly. A wood scribe is often used with a try
square for accurate scribing. A marking gauge is a more specific
form of wood scribe used to accurately mark wood for cutting,
often for laying out mortise and tenon joints.

is used in woodworking and metalworking to mark out lines for

cutting or other operations.[2] The purpose of the gauge is to
scribe a line parallel to a reference edge or surface. It is used
in joinery and sheetmetal operations.
The marking implement is chosen depending upon the operation to
be performed. Some marking gauges have the capability to allow a
number of implements to be fitted, others do not; and a
woodworker will often have a number of different types. A steel
pin is used when scribing with the grain. A steel knife is used
when scribing across the grain. The pen or pencil is used when
the woodworker does not wish the surface to be marred. Generally
speaking, the pin and knife yield more accurate marking than do
the pen or pencil. It is also used to mark parallel lines to the
face side and edge side.

Cat’s paw

A cat's paw or cat's claw is a standard carpenter's tool,

consisting of a round or hexagonal bar that curves at one end to
form a pointed, cup-shaped tip with a V-shaped cleft for
gripping nailheads. Popular retail outlets currently call these a
claw bar if it has a claw on each end, or a moulding bar if it
has a claw on one end and a flat pry bar on the other.

It essentially works as a small crowbar. To use the tool the

user holds the tool's shank with one hand and drives the claw
around a nailhead with a hammer. When the V is firmly seated
around the nail's shank, the users pull the bar back to raise the
head, then finishes pulling the nail with the hammer's claw. The
cat's paw is well designed for demolition work, but because it
tears up the wood around the nailhead, it should not be used for
finish work.

New designs have been introduced, including the Nail Jack and
Nail Hunter nail pullers, which take a pliers-like approach to
the old cat's paw design. These tools contain their own built in
fulcrum, but can also be struck with a hammer to drive the tips
of the tool into the wood with very little damage, allowing them
to dig out nails that have been driven into wood at or below the
surface.

The Nail Hunter nail pulling design has very precise tips that
actually come completely together at the ends, for removing
finish nails. The pneumatic-powered Nail Kicker allows large
numbers of old nails to be efficiently pulled.
Twybil

A twybil is a hand tool used for green woodworking.[1] It is

used for chopping out mortises when timber framing, or making
smaller pieces such as gates.[1] It combines chopping and
levering functions in a single tool.
The appearance of a twybil is that of a T-shaped double-
edged axe with unusually long blades and a very short handle.
This appearance is deceptive, as they are actually derived from a
large double-ended chisel with a side handle added for better
control. The geometry of a twybil, particularly the long straight
blades, makes it unworkable as an axe. Unfortunately many old
examples have been damaged by such misuse. The related mortising
axe or 'Bec d'ane' (donkey's nose) is similar, but single-sided
and is forged and tempered to survive the shock loads of swinging
as an axe.[2]

Twybils always have two working ends and these are always
different. The first is an axe-like blade, with the edge arranged
parallel to the handle. The second edge is crossways, as for
an adze. This is used for prying and levering rather than
cutting.

The correct use of a twybil is highly specialized, that of

rapidly clearing out mortises. Mortises are rectangular holes
used to take a tenon for several forms of joint, most obviously
the common mortise and tenon joint. Mortises are always cut so
that their long axis is along the grain of the wood.
Traditionally these were first cut by drilling with a brace and
bit to mark out each end, then the twybil used to break out the
wood between them. The axe edge is used to split the intervening
timber away from the sides of the mortise, then the other end to
lever out the split block.[3]

Their short handle allows them to be easily flipped end-for-end,

making for quick working as each blade is used alternately. This
is quicker to use than swapping between a chisel and a separate
lever, safer than using a carefully sharpened chisel edge for
levering.
Carpenter’s Level

A spirit level, bubble level or simply a level is

an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface
is horizontal (level) or vertical (plumb). Different types of
spirit levels may be used
by carpenters, stonemasons, bricklayers, other building trades
workers, surveyors, millwrights and other metalworkers, and in
some photographic or videographic work.

A traditional carpenter's spirit level looks like a short plank

of wood and often has a wide body to ensure stability, and that
the surface is being measured correctly. In the middle of the
spirit level is a small window where the bubble and the tube is
mounted. Two notches (or rings) designate where the bubble should
be if the surface is level. Often an indicator for a 45 degree
inclination is included.

The sensitivity is an important specification for a spirit level;

its accuracy depends on its sensitivity. The sensitivity of a
level is given as the change of angle or gradient required to
move the bubble by unit distance. If the bubble housing has
graduated divisions, then the sensitivity is the angle or
gradient change that moves the bubble by one of these divisions.
2 mm (0.079 in) is the usual spacing for graduations; on a
surveyor's level, the bubble will move 2 mm when the vial is
tilted about 0.005 degree. For a precision machinist level with
2 mm divisions, when the vial is tilted 5 arc seconds the bubble
will move one graduation. This is equivalent to movement of
0.0005 in (0.013 mm) measured one foot from the pivot point,
referred to as 5 ten-thousandths per foot.

Nail

Nail, in construction and carpentry, a slender metal shaft that

is pointed at one end and flattened at the other end and is used
for fastening one or more objects to each other. Nails are most
commonly used to fasten pieces of wood together, but they are
also used with plastic, drywall, masonry, and concrete. Nails are
usually made of steel but can also be made of stainless steel,
iron, copper, aluminum, or bronze. The pointed end of a nail is
called the point, the shaft is called the shank, and the
flattened part is called the head.

There are many different types of nails, the types depending on

the material that they are driven into and the degree of holding
power that they must have. Two basic classes of nails are common
nails and finishing nails (see Figure). The most widely used of
all nails, the common nail has a large, flat head that is driven
in so that it is flush with the material’s surface. A finishing
nail has a smaller, narrower head that is driven in below the
material’s surface with a special tool called a nail set, or
punch; the small depression remaining is filled in with putty.
Because of their neater appearance, finishing nails are used
mostly for interior paneling and cabinetwork. A box nail is
similar to a common nail but has a slimmer shank and is used on
lighter pieces of wood and on boxes. A casing nail is similar to
a finishing nail but has a slightly thicker shaft and a cone-
shaped head.

Nails smaller than one inch long are called wire nails if they
have a head and brads if they have a very small head or none at
all. Extremely thick nails are called spikes.
Nails can be given specially worked shanks to give them greater
holding power once they have been driven in; the ring nail has
annular rings on its shaft, while the spiral shank nail has a
groove running up it in a tight spiral, like that of a screw.
Roofing nails have large, flat heads that can better hold down
materials such as roofing felt and fibreboard. Certain other
nails are specially hardened so that they can be driven into
masonry or concrete, usually in the act of attaching wooden
members to these materials.

Nails are made by feeding a thick, continuous steel wire into a

machine where the wire is gripped between two dies and is cut to
the desired length. Sufficient metal to form the head is allowed
to protrude from the dies at one end and is then flattened into a
head by a blow from a mechanized hammer. The other end of the
piece of wire is cut into a point, after which the nail is
ejected from the machine and may be smoothed (to remove the rough
edges), polished, or plated. Wire-nail presses can produce nails
at speeds of up to 800 per minute.