If you want to begin a career in carpentry, you would have to take a course or apply for an apprenticeship to obtain the skills and knowledge. You would also need to have a set of tools and equipment for use in everyday tasks.
Every carpenter would tell you that having the right tools for the project is essential in attaining the required result.
And it is not enough to only know the tools, but it is also of equal importance to understand how to use them because each one performs a specific task. Take precaution! Always consider the safety of everyone while using these tools.
Below are some essential carpentry tools that you would need in order to build and complete the project at hand.
Carpentry Hand Tools
Measuring Tape is a narrow strip which can be made of limp cloth or steel tape marked off in units such as inches or centimeters. Most carpenters choose a tape with large numbers that are easy to read. It is one of the most useful tools in woodworking and is widely available in hardware facilities.
Hammer is also a hand tool consisting of a solid headset crosswise on a handle. It is also used for pounding. A power tool that often substitutes a metal block or a drill. Hammers with steel handle or even fiberglass will be stronger but you need to make sure that they have a rubberized grip for control and comfort.
Carpenter’s Pencil is also an important tool for writing, drawing or marking. It has a dull point for making easy-to-see marks and lines. There is a mechanical carpenter’s pencil that will never need to be sharpened again. It looks like a utility knife to make a sharp clear line.
Utility Knife is a hand tool having a sharp replaceable blade that can be used for cutting. It is another asset for a woodworker. There are different kinds of this but the common use is the one that uses disposable blades.
A chisel is also a hand tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip, carve or cut. This tool finds its utility in cutting hard materials such as stone. A metal piece or wooden block. This can use mechanical power or can be struck with a mallet. There are also corner chisels that act as a whole punch, removing a section of wood with one hammer blow. Chisels are available in different sizes.
Cat’s Paw is also a must-have tool. It is about 6 to 12 inches long and is named because its prongs are sharp like the claws of a cat. It is used for extracting or removing stubborn nails when claw hammers fail. Cat’s paws are stiff and tough enough to use as a pry bar and come in small sizes.
Square consists of two arms, one of them is long and wider known as the blade, the other arm is shorter and narrower known as the tongue which forms a right angle. Having this tool makes life of the carpenter much easier. Squares can be made up of steel, aluminum and polymers. There are four major kinds of square namely the Frame Square, Speed Square, Try Square and Combination Square. The commonly used by the carpenters are speed square and framing square.
Tin Snips is a hand tool with bypass blades used especially for cutting sheet metal, vinyl and other materials.
Hand Drill is an essential tool, especially for outdoor works or projects. In case of lack of power, hand drill is very useful. It is divided into three types – Traditional Drills, Hammer Drills and Impact Driver.
Level is what you need in order to know whether the surface is horizontal or vertical. Many carpenters, bricklayers and other building trade workers require a specialized instrument called level to check the surface of the building material they are working on. It allows them to get horizontally or vertically perfect cuts.
Screw Drivers are simple tools used for inserting or removing screws. It can be either manual or power operated. It consists of a handle and a shaft. At the end of the shaft one can insert the screw head and then turn the handle in order to screw or unscrew.
Hand Saw is the basic tool to cut huge blocks of woods or logs. It comes in various shapes and sizes. It consists of two edges where one edge is flat and the other is a sharp edge used for cutting wooden pieces.
Nail Set is a hand tool every woodworker or carpenter should have. In fact, you should have several sizes. It is used for driving nail heads below the wood surface. Nails are the most commonly used to fasten pieces of wood together.
Tool Belt is also an essential carpentry tool. It is a must for any person seeking to perform carpentry operations. It is a well arrange kit containing all the important tools you need which allows you to work more efficiently and makes it easier for you to walk or climb ladders safely. Tool Belts comes in various shapes and sizes for different body parts like waist, hip, pouch etc.
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Power Tools – For Advanced Carpenter
Circular Saw is one of the essential power tools comes in a smaller size and more maneuverable than plug-in saw. It is used for ripping, cross-cutting and mitering wood.
Power Drill is a tool with a pointed end for making holes in hard substances and surfaces by revolving or by a succession of blows. It is used more often for driving and extracting screws.
Extension Cord is an electric cord fitted with a plug at one end and a receptacle at the other. It is also an important tool because it gives an additional source of power especially for outdoor works or projects.
Reciprocating Saw is a tool used to cut hard material such as wood or metal in rotary motion. It is usually equipped tooth blade.
Importance of Having the Right Carpentry Tools to Complete the Job
Carpentry is like a work of art. It will take varieties of skills in order to be recognized as a professional carpenter.
Today, carpentry has entered into the machine world where the carpenters use specific equipment for a certain job. But even though we are already living in a modern period where there is undeniably rapid innovation in every industry, it is still necessary for a carpenter to possess knowledge about the basic tools.
Carpenters should have the capability to work with different tools and machines. These might include items needed for cabinet building, drilling, furniture making, framing, sawing, panel making, and many more. It can also consist of either hand tools or power tools.
Observably, the tools of a carpenter are as important as the stove of a chef. In short, you can’t get anything done without these essentials. But you still need to know that there is a big difference between knowing how and knowing when to use them.
It is not enough that you know how to operate a specific tool or machine. Be mindful that each of them is designed for a certain purpose. If you tend to use the wrong ones to complete a job, it can cause you so much trouble and hassle.
Some of the Main Reasons Why it is Important to Have the Right Carpentry Tools
It Saves Time
During the initial project proposal, there is already a scheduled timeline of things to get done. Using inappropriate tools can lead to a delay in carpentry works. This interruption causes a period of time where scheduled activities aren’t completed. Percentage completion of work might be sacrificed and it can have a great impact on your work progress.
Time is critical for everyone who works in the field of carpentry. Time frame is not the only one affected but also the workload of a carpenter. The level of efficiency and effectivity is decreased and other damages may arise.
It Saves You Money
Wrong carpentry tools can cause damage. Damage costs money. Therefore, you should be very meticulous when doing a job as this carelessness can easily increase your expenses. You are lucky if you get to put the things together and complete the project on time. Hence, other legal matters come into the situation.
Clients can claim monetary compensation for damages that resulted from your failure to deliver the works or services under the contract on time.
It Gives Work Efficiency
A true carpenter should be passionate about his chosen expertise. Since every professional individual focuses on integrity, a commitment must be delivered by means of day to day dedication. This is how carpentry ethics works.
But then again, both physical and intellectual skills can be fruitless even with one mistake. So as a service provider, you should be attentive to the guidelines and instructions relevant to your job description.
Gives You Credibility
Dealing with the competition in carpentry is a tough goal. In this industry, excellent customer service is one way of winning the crowd’s trust and confidence about you. The way you do your work will affect the quality of the completed results. The views and opinions expressed by the people about you are mostly based on your masterpieces. So making a mistake is not welcome.
To Make a Conclusion
Any person can be trained to be a carpenter but not everyone can give the same result. Carpentry is not only about making, constructing or renovating something rather it is a unique job that every growing industry seeks off for expansion and improvements. Having the right carpentry tools to complete each job is the key to provide excellent service with professionalism.
