Functions of Carpentry Tools

Types

• At one time, carpenters only used hand tools. Some people still use only these, but the vast majority of carpenters rely heavily on power tools. The hand tools most useful today are planes, sanding blocks, bevels, T-squares, wooden mallets, chisels, gouges, braces and hand saws. There are a numerous types of chisels, planes, braces and gouges. Power tools hold a high place on the carpenter’s bench. Routers, shapers, planers, belt sanders, drills, power saws of all varieties and drill presses are among the most prevalent.

Planes

• Planes remove bits of wood to create a decorative design, reduce the size of the wood, cut joints and smooth the surface area. These handy tools came long before power tools. Carpentry planes are usually either bench planes or block planes. The classification of different bench planes is by the length. Fore, jack and smooth planes are all bench planes. The jack plane is the most prevalently used. Bench planes are also still very useful and popular for shaving a bit of wood away. The carpenter slides the plane over the wood, and blades shave off bits of the wood to create the appearance the carpenter desires. The job once done by the plane with the aid of a little elbow grease is much easier when a router, jointer, power planer or belt sander takes over the task.

Chisels

• Just like planes, chisels remove wood, but rather than shaving off a bit at a time, larger gouges in the wood come from the chisel and gouger. Chisels and gougers were the tools early carpenters used to create mortises and create designs by removing pieces of wood. Carpenters most frequently use straight beveled-edge chisels. Chisels, V-edges and gougers look similar except the gouge has a cup-shaped end, the V has a V blade and chisels have a straight blade. The final appearance of the cut is what makes the difference which one you use. The carpenter puts the beveled edge of a chisel against the wood and strikes it with a wooden hammer to make a cut. He then removes the chip from the wood. Routers, jointers, shapers and power saws now do many of the same jobs that chisels used to do.

Braces

• Clamps and braces hold the wood in place while the carpenter cuts and shapes it. Clamps brace two boards together while glue to connect them dries. No matter how advanced science and the craft of carpentry becomes, clamps will always have a place in the wood shop.

Sanding Blocks

• Sanding blocks are nothing more than a way to hold sandpaper. Many carpenters make their own sanding blocks from a rectangle of wood and attach the sandpaper over the bottom. Ergonomically designed blocks now flood the market to prevent stress and strain on the muscles and joints of the hand. Rubber sanding blocks are also available for a more comfortable feel. Power sanders dominate the field of sanding in carpentry, but there are always places that the power sander can't reach. Small areas, recesses and final finishes are often the job of the sanding block.

Saws

• The handsaw was once the only option for the carpenter. Today, he has jigsaws, table saws, miter saws, circular saws, band and reciprocating saws. Each of these is better for different types of jobs, but their function can overlap if the carpenter needs something cut right away. Jigsaws cut designs and holes in thinner wood. Miter saws make mitered corners, circular saws are either table saws, radial arms or portable and best used for straight cuts. Band saws and reciprocating saws are versatile enough for most types of cuts.

Routers, Jointers, Shapers and Planers

• Routers, jointers, shapers and planers all remove wood from the board’s surface, as mentioned earlier. Jointers cut wood so you can lay two boards together with a flat surface on each. It creates joint-edged boards. Controversy between whether the planer or the jointer is more important is rampant among carpenters. These tools both create a flat surface. Routers and shapers create joints like mortises and rabbets. They shape molding and create designs and fitting. The router is far more practical than the shaper.