Carpentry & Building Construction

Chapter 4: Hand Tools

Chapter Summaries

Section 4.1 Measuring & Layout Tools
Workers in all construction trades need to measure, mark, and lay out projects. They need a variety of tools for measuring and layout. These include tape measures and folding rules; squares and sliding T-bevels for angular measurements; levels and plumb bobs for straight lines; chalk lines, carpenter's pencils, and scratch awls for marking.

Section 4.2 Cutting & Shaping Tools
Hand tools used for cutting and shaping can help workers achieve a high level of precision. These types of tools include utility drywall saws, back-saws, handsaws, hacksaws, keyhole saws, pull saws, coping saws, dovetail saws, block planes, jointer planes, wood chisels, cold chisels, wood rasps, metal files, and utility knives.

Section 4.3 Tools for Assembling & Disassembling
Assembly, fastening, and disassembly tools help put things together and take them apart. These types of tools include clamps, hammers, mallets, bars, nail sets, screwdrivers, staplers, and tackers; wrenches such as adjustable, open-ended, box, pipe, and Allen; different types of pliers such as vise-grip, slip joint, needle-nose, groove-joint, and lineman's pliers; and metal snips.