Carpenter Tools
Measuring and Marking out Tools -
Getting your measurements right is essential. Incorrectly measured timber when cut will effect your wallet! The trick here is to not skimp on
good quality tools and always keep a sharp pencil. Accuracy is the key; master this and you half way to perfection.
Picture this, you make timber cut, the square you used is slightly out, but you continue. Now when you joint the wood together the join has a
nice 1mm gap were it doesn’t quite fit– Nice huh?
The rule – quality tools shine through, if you bodge it, your want to leg it.
Below gives you a simple outline to help you understand effective marking aids in our carpentry tool list.
The Knife Vs the Pencil
The knife more accurate than the pencil, it has a fine tip and will cut through the fibres of the wood allowing saw or chisel to produce a finer
finnish.
Tip - Are you unsure about using a knife why not use a sharpe pencil first then over with a knife.
Marking Knives
Typically they have a wooden handle and a blade with a single side bevel, the knife is used by putting the face to a square or template and
marking.
Craft Knives
The craft knife is sharper than the marking knife, used for cutting card, paper, veneers, and delicate work. Craft knifes must respected, they
are SHARPE!
Stanley knife
My all time favourite. This robust versatile knife, allows you to use on most jobs, a sort of all in one knife. You have a range of different
swappable blades, for different jobs. I use mine for sharpening my pencil!
Tip - You can place a cutting board underneath your work as to stop the blade cutting anything important.
Retractable Tape
Don’t you dare leave home with out it! You’re best measuring tool. Price here will improve quality and accuracy of the measurement
markings. Most tapes have a locking device, stopping the tape to retract at its own free will! Very handy and I would strongly recommend
them.
Tip - The age old saying - measure twice cut once.
Steel rule
You will find them at home in the workshop, they are very accurate and the graduation line starts at one end of the rule, this allows it to be
pushed in to tight corners. The rules come in a combination of sizes, up to lengths of 3ft (1 meter).
Combination Square
An absolute must. You will benefit from a quality combination square, they accurately mark out right angles and bevels; it can also double up
as a try square for measuring internal angles. You can use it as a separate steel rule and even a depth gauge. I love the combination square!
Marking Gauge
These are used for marking a depth on wood. You can make scoured lines parallel to a edge timber, so the depth can be removed. You will
mainly use these when making timber joints such as the half lap and mortise and tenon.
, Spirit Levels
You use them when fitting furniture, stud walls or anything that you need to be level. They work by holding a trapped air bubble in liquid,
when the level is moves so will the bubble. They are set up so when the bubble is evenly between the two level marks, you know that the
spirit level is true, either horizontal or vertically level. A top quality level will be made from strong box section aluminium and are virtually
unbreakable.
Tip – Spirit levels are great for using as a straight edge.
1 Marking Knife - 2 Stanley knife - 3 Retractable Tape - 4 Steel Rule - 5 Combination Square - 6 Marking Gauge - 7 Spirit Level
- Saws -
When’s the last time you used a saw, do you remember? Sweating through effort? Is the saw catching in the timber? Are errors being made?
Well what saw are you using then, is it sharp? Correct for the job? Rust free ? I’ve seen so many people with struggle with bad saw selection
and the worst ones couldn’t cut butter!
Correct, sharp saws will save you oodles of time, lower stress and not to mention make your work more accurate.
So which one should you use? Ah… follow the guide below to the right saw selection.
Hand Saws
Crosscut Saw
• The saw is used to cut across the grain.
Measuring and Marking out Tools -
Getting your measurements right is essential. Incorrectly measured timber when cut will effect your wallet! The trick here is to not skimp on
good quality tools and always keep a sharp pencil. Accuracy is the key; master this and you half way to perfection.
Picture this, you make timber cut, the square you used is slightly out, but you continue. Now when you joint the wood together the join has a
nice 1mm gap were it doesn’t quite fit– Nice huh?
The rule – quality tools shine through, if you bodge it, your want to leg it.
Below gives you a simple outline to help you understand effective marking aids in our carpentry tool list.
The Knife Vs the Pencil
The knife more accurate than the pencil, it has a fine tip and will cut through the fibres of the wood allowing saw or chisel to produce a finer
finnish.
Tip - Are you unsure about using a knife why not use a sharpe pencil first then over with a knife.
Marking Knives
Typically they have a wooden handle and a blade with a single side bevel, the knife is used by putting the face to a square or template and
marking.
Craft Knives
The craft knife is sharper than the marking knife, used for cutting card, paper, veneers, and delicate work. Craft knifes must respected, they
are SHARPE!
Stanley knife
My all time favourite. This robust versatile knife, allows you to use on most jobs, a sort of all in one knife. You have a range of different
swappable blades, for different jobs. I use mine for sharpening my pencil!
Tip - You can place a cutting board underneath your work as to stop the blade cutting anything important.
Retractable Tape
Don’t you dare leave home with out it! You’re best measuring tool. Price here will improve quality and accuracy of the measurement
markings. Most tapes have a locking device, stopping the tape to retract at its own free will! Very handy and I would strongly recommend
them.
Tip - The age old saying - measure twice cut once.
Steel rule
You will find them at home in the workshop, they are very accurate and the graduation line starts at one end of the rule, this allows it to be
pushed in to tight corners. The rules come in a combination of sizes, up to lengths of 3ft (1 meter).
Combination Square
An absolute must. You will benefit from a quality combination square, they accurately mark out right angles and bevels; it can also double up
as a try square for measuring internal angles. You can use it as a separate steel rule and even a depth gauge. I love the combination square!
Marking Gauge
These are used for marking a depth on wood. You can make scoured lines parallel to a edge timber, so the depth can be removed. You will
mainly use these when making timber joints such as the half lap and mortise and tenon.
, Spirit Levels
You use them when fitting furniture, stud walls or anything that you need to be level. They work by holding a trapped air bubble in liquid,
when the level is moves so will the bubble. They are set up so when the bubble is evenly between the two level marks, you know that the
spirit level is true, either horizontal or vertically level. A top quality level will be made from strong box section aluminium and are virtually
unbreakable.
Tip – Spirit levels are great for using as a straight edge.
1 Marking Knife - 2 Stanley knife - 3 Retractable Tape - 4 Steel Rule - 5 Combination Square - 6 Marking Gauge - 7 Spirit Level
- Saws -
When’s the last time you used a saw, do you remember? Sweating through effort? Is the saw catching in the timber? Are errors being made?
Well what saw are you using then, is it sharp? Correct for the job? Rust free ? I’ve seen so many people with struggle with bad saw selection
and the worst ones couldn’t cut butter!
Correct, sharp saws will save you oodles of time, lower stress and not to mention make your work more accurate.
So which one should you use? Ah… follow the guide below to the right saw selection.
Hand Saws
Crosscut Saw
• The saw is used to cut across the grain.
