simple tools everyone should have

Power tools can be a great help, but hand tools are just as convenient. Quiet, light, safe� they can be used anywhere and are essential to have.

Drilling:
gimlet: a tool with a spiraling screw tip, used to bore holes into wood. Very convenient; lasts forever.
hand drill: an unpowered hand drill with a chuck that holds different-sized auger bits. Precise and easy to use.
punch: used with a hammer to make pilot holes in a wall for anchors and screws.
You can use it instead of a drill for occasional jobs.

Sawing:
handsaw: if you hold the saw with a relaxed grip and carefully follow the cutline (let the saw "sing"!), you can easily saw all sorts of wood with a handsaw.
clamp: indispensable for holding the piece of wood you are sawing or drilling. Wood blocks or pads can protect the wood from the jaws of the clamp.
miter box: used with a back saw, it enables you to cut wood at an angle. Useful for moldings (frames or skirting boards).

Finishing:
flexible sanding block: used with 1/3 of a sheet of sandpaper. Paper can be replaced conveniently. For sanding small surfaces.
chisel: to sculpt wood.
plane: to flatten a wood surface or reduce the thickness of wood. The cutting edge must be kept sharp.

Restoring chairs:
webbing stretcher: used to stretch upholstery before fastening. To make your own, see restoring a bridge armchair.
clamps: used to hold a leg joint in place after gluing it. The type (bar clamp, band clamp) and size of the clamp will depend on the depth and width of the seat.

Home maintenance:
plumber's snake: a very long coil (2 meters) equipped with a crank, used to unclog pipes. Makes the use of toxic chemicals unnecessary. A must-have.

These tools, which you can buy for a handful of change in flea markets or yard sales, are a good basis for a complete set of tools. To see more woodworking hand tools, click here: en.wikipedia.org

February 2007 [toolbox]
Comments : [0] > following page >