AAU-EiABC

Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2. Hand Tools and Materials

2.1 Measuring and Marking Tools

The starting point of good craftsmanship is proper measuring and marking. Accurate cutting and
shaping will be wasted if the project has not been laid out with precision. Some general rules of
thumb apply to all measuring and marking tasks. Whether you are using a rule or a square,
measure from as few reference surfaces as possible to minimize repeating an error or adding to
it. Also, read scales from a straight-on eye position, rather than on an angle, to prevent parallax
error, which leads to imprecise readings. And, when scribing the end line of a measurement, use a
V-shaped mark, rather than a simple dot or line, to locate your endpoint exactly.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.2 Cutting Tools

Handsaws

Although most woodworkers rely on power tools for cutting, handsaws have a legitimate place in
the modern workshop. One-of-a-kind cuts that require lengthy set-up time on a power tool are
often quicker and easier to do with the appropriate handsaw. Also, if you are involved in
authentic reproduction work, there is no substitute for executing the joinery with traditional
methods. For example, the large tails, widely spaced pins, and subtle lack of symmetry in some
dovetail joints can only be done by hand.
The key to mastering handsaws rests in learning what saw is appropriate for a given task and
keeping their blades sharp and in good working order.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.3 Filling Tools

Shaping tools are generally designed for coarse work and the quick removal of waste
stock, but a few perform multiple tasks. Files for example, are indispensable for
shaping wood and sharpening bits and blades. On flat, half-round, and triangular files,
as well as patternmaker's and concave rasps, mount a handle for greater control and
comfort.
As shown on this page, a file has one of three types of teeth and one of three grades of
coarseness. The types of teeth are rasp-cut, single-cut, and double-cut. The grades
of coarseness are bastard cut (coarsest), second cut (moderately smooth), and
smooth cut (smoothest).
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.4 Hand Drilling and Boring

The vital role once played by the brace and-bit and other traditional hand-powered boring tools
has been much reduced. The electric drill and the drill press have minimized the drudgery
involved in boring pilot holes for nails and screws, and other repetitive tasks such as boring round
mortis-es for chair making. The modern variable-speed reversible power drill has become the
preferred tool not only for boring holes, but also for driving screws. Still, there are occasions when
hand-powered boring tools outperform their modern counterparts. The great leverage afforded by a
brace-and-bit, for example, can prove indispensable for boring large-diameter holes or cranking
down a heavy screw. Other tools, such as the gimlet, countersinks, and screw starter, shown on
the following page, deserve a place in the modern shop simply because they are so quick and
handy.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.5 Chiseling Tools

Chisels are basically sharpened wedges. So, too, are most cutting tools. The hand plane for
example, was originally little more than a mortised wooden block that held a chisel at a preset
angle. Today, chisels come in many forms and sizes for a host of specific task To use them
properly, you must know, how to select the right one for the job at hand. You also have to know
how to keep the tool in sharp.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.6 Planes and Scrapers

As the beginning woodworker collects tools, it is remarkable how many of them relate
to smoothing wood. Preparing projects for a finish can be tedious work, which explains
the rise of timesaving devices such as sanding blocks, electric drill sanding
attachments, and belt sanders. As their experience grows, however, many
woodworkers tend to gravitate toward planes and scrapers for smoothing wood. Long
before sandpaper was invented, these were the tools that craftsmen used and, in
skilled hands, they perform very well. Also, the results are often superior: A planed or
scraped surface reveals a wood's grain and figure with far greater clarity than a
sand-ed surface, no matter how fine the grit used. To perform properly, planes require
careful adjustment, and both planes and scrapers demand periodic sharpening, but
these tasks can be mastered quickly. Planes are generally expensive, but they are
durable, efficient and, in the long run, economical to use and maintain.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.7 Assembling Tools / Pressing Tools and Equipment

There are many types of assembling and pressing tools available as there clamping tasks, from
gluing up a picture frame with mitred corners to assembling a large cabinet with mort mortise –
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

and - tenon joinery. Ease and success in clamping depend on using the best clamp for the job.
The inventory of clamps and clamping accessories below and on the next page will help you to
make the right decision.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.8 Fastening Tools and Material

2.8.1 Tools

2.8.1.1 Hammer

The purpose of most striking and fastening tools—hammers, mallets, and screwdrivers—
seems pretty obvious, but choosing the right one for the job at hand is not always clear-cut.
Differences in the weight, size, and shape of various tools can be both subtle and significant.
Refer to the information on the following pages to help choose the right tool for the job.
Always buy good-quality tools. Whether you are driving nails or screws or striking a chisel,
you will appreciate a tool that is well balanced, comfortable to hold, and capable of
delivering the needed force with precision.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.8.1.2 Screwdrivers
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.8.2.3 Pinchers

This tool is used for removing and pulling out nails. It could be also used for cutting wire. A
pinchers consists two parts which can pivot.

1 = pivot / 2 = legs / 3 = nose (jaws)

2.8.2 Materials

2.8.2.1 Nails

As illustrated below, there are many kinds of nails designed for a broad range of applications.
Both the common nail and box nail have large flat heads. Box nails are smaller in diameter than
common nails of equal length, making them less likely to split the wood, and are often treated with
resin or other coatings to enhance their holding power. The most commonly used nails in
cabinetmaking are finishing and casing nails and the brad. Finishing nails are fine-gauge nails
that are a good choice with hardwoods that might be split by larger fasteners. Casing nails are
slightly heavier-gauge, making them more prone to split-ting wood. Their cone-shaped heads lend
them greater holding power. Both finishing and casing nails are used for trim work since their heads
can be set below the
surface and concealed with filler. Brads are small finishing nails ranging in length from 1 inch.
Small wire nails are sized like brads, but they feature flat heads
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

2.8.2.2 Screws, Bolts and Nuts

Screws have been used in woodworking for centuries. However, until the Industrial Revolution,
they were individually hand-crafted and designed with blunt tips. Unlike modern screws, they
AAU-EiABC
Workshop Training (Carpentry) Compiled by Geremew T.

were often imprecisely threaded, difficult to install, and so expensive that they were seldom used
except where a removable fastener was required. Today, screws are the most commonly used
fastener in cabinetmaking. Because they feature great holding power and can be driven easily
with a variable-speed electric drill, they are practical and convenient.
As shown below, screws are available with a variety of head shapes and drive configurations. In
addition, there are alternatives to the conventional wood screw, such as dry-wall screws, and
more modern screws with names like "low-root" screws, "cut-thread" screws, and steel screws.