Timber: Tools, Equipment & Processes
Design & Technology: AQA GCSE, topic 3.8.1
Measuring and Marking Tools
Measuring devices are used to ensure wooden product parts fit together to make functional furniture, products or toys.
Rulers and dividers
- Rulers can help to measure pieces of wood and can help to correctly measure wood joints.
- Dividers can mark the wood and stay at the exact measurement you want.
- Dividers will mark the wood using its own pointed end for further accuracy.
Retractable tape measures and vernier callipers
- Retractable tape measures can be used to get rough measurements and are a favourite for the concerning woodworker for their ease of use and transportability.
- Vernier callipers can measure internal and external distances.
- These are brilliant to use on superficial objects.
Pencil
- The pencil is commonly used and as long as it is sharp it is very effective in seeing where you have marked.
- The carpenter's pencil is a good choice for marking out as you do not have to sharpen it as much.
- It will glide very well against a measuring tool and is easy to sharpen with a craft knife.
Squares
- Squares are able to correct alignment if the wood is not square, as long as the wooden stock is pressed against an aligned edge then it is effective.
- Combination squares offer more angles for a woodworker to produce and can help when producing the correct angles for photo frames.
Sliding bevels
- Sliding bevels are able to produce the same chosen angle every time.
- By maintaining its position it can prove to be a valuable time saver for the woodworker.
Marking gauges
- Marking gauges are effective in setting a distance once and producing a visible mark along with an edge of wood for example.
Hand Tools
Hand tools are the first kind of tools invented to cut or modify the material.
Hand saws
- Hand saws are used to cut into the wood at many angles.
Marking knives
- Marking knives can mark materials so they are ready to cut or modify.
Planes
- Planes can shave a large amount of material off and make materials smooth.
Chisels
- Chiselling can take a significant amount of material off, which allows for quick production of a variety of joints and patterns.
Hammers
- Hammers can allow nails and pins to fix two materials together.
Screwdrivers
- Screwdrivers can drive screws into a piece of wood to create a more secure fixing than just nails alone.