WOODWORK HAND TOOLS
“The real advantage of hand tools is that they allow you to work with a
level of precision and control that’s hard to achieve with power tools.”
Norm Abram
For every woodwork project that you will need to do in your career, there is none
that doesn’t require the involvement of the tools. Our hands have the ability to craft
amazing components as long as they are provided with the best and suitable tools.
This means a tool needs to be good, firstly, on its own and also suitable for the job.
If you want to cut metal sheets, what would you need? A knife? Is it good at
cutting metals? And is it suitable for cutting metals? These questions lead you to
the best and suitable tool for each job you want to do. But always remember that
no matter how perfect your tool might be, your skills still determine the quality of
the outcome.
For easy understanding, the tools have been categorized into three depending on
their general purpose. All of them have been listed below and some specific safety
measures and guidelines for each have also been included. These categories are;
measuring tools, cutting tools, and finishing tools.
Measuring and Marking Tools
For a measurement, which is a magnitude determined by the act of measuring, to
be taken you will need tools called measuring tools. And for you to mark this
magnitude you will need marking tools. The following table contains the most
needed measuring and marking tools in a woodwork shop.
MEASURING TOOLS MARKING TOOLS
Tape measure, Rule pencil
Speed square Marking knife
Sliding T-Bevel Scriber
Vernier caliper Wheel marking gauge
Engineer’s square Chalk line
Cutting Tools
These are tools that remove a predetermined thickness of the material, in our case
wood, to provide a parting line which can be through the material or just for
limited depth which can be called a cut. They are used to make a grooves, part or
separate the material, and also to provide a smooth surface. Here is the list of the
cutting tools.
I. Hand Saws
Hand saws are used to separate the material into two or more pieces. The
cutting process is accomplished by the reciprocating motion of the teeth
along or across the work. The smoothness of the cut surface is determined
by the spacing and depth of the teeth. Hand saws that contain many teeth per
length and have a short depth provide a better surface finish than the
opposite. There are thirteen well known types of saws but this resource will
focus on the only four which are mostly used in woodwork. These are;
Ripping saws which cut more aggressively and are fast
Crosscut saws which cut less aggressively and give a better
surface finish
Dovetail saws which are used for cutting wood joints
Coping saw which is used to cut intricate cuts at extreme angles.
II. Chisels
Chisels are handheld tools used for cutting, shaping, and removing material
from various surfaces such as wood. It is a simple yet effective tool which
consists of a blade attached to a handle. In woodwork, they mostly used in
cutting and finishing joints; making grooves; and in sculpting to make
decorative pieces. Depending on the depth of cut, they can be hand driven or
strike with a hammer. Wood work chisels come in different designs but they
offer almost the same application. They only vary in terms of sizes and they
come in a set which contains all the required sizes in your project.
Finishing Tools
These are the tools that are used to smoothen the surface of the wood that
has been shaped by a previous task like cutting and curving and also to add
value to its beauty. Finishing involves preparing the surface for the finishing
process and the actual process of finishing. In woodwork, hand planes; sand
paper, steel wool, abrasive pads, and card scrapers are mostly used to
prepare the surface for the finish. These tools may also be used to remove
sharp edges which can cause cuts if not handled with care.
NOTE: steel wool and abrasive pads are mostly used to sand between
coats.
When surface preparation is done, then the woodworker can determine what
type of material should be applied on the surface of the furniture. These can
be types of dyes, or stains or both of them.
Sometimes you may need to paint the furniture, and in this case what you
need are; painting tools/system (brushes or spray gun plus an air
compressor). Painting, dying, and staining may give you different results but
all are good depending on what you need. Painting changes the entire color
of the furniture and stain can accomplish the same but not as paint. Note
again that stains work best at open-pored woods while dyes work best at
close-pored woods.
