Introduction to Hand Tools

Objectives of this Lesson

1) Recognize and identify some of the basic hand
tools used in the construction trade

2) How to use hand tools safely

3) Describe the basic procedures for taking care of

the hand tools

1) Primitive Pete Video

Introduction 1.0.0
 Every profession has its tools.
 The construction trade has a whole
collection of hand tools, such as hammers,
screwdrivers, and pliers.
 You need to know how to handle,
maintain and store these tools properly
Safety 1.1.0
 You must always think about safety
 Before you use a tool you should know
how it works and some of the possible
dangers of using it the wrong way
 Read the owner and operator manual
 Make certain tools are in good working
order
 Never use a worn or damaged tool
Warning
 Always protect yourself when you are
using tools by wearing appropriate
personal protective equipment (PPE), such
as safety gloves and eye protection
Hammers 2.0.0
 Hammers are made in different sizes and
weights for specific types of work
 Most Hammers are classed by weight
 Two of the most common
◦ Claw hammer claw
Cheek Handel

◦ Ball peen hammer Face

The Claw Hammer 2.1.0
 The claw hammer
◦ Has a steel head
◦ Has a wood, steel, or fiberglass handle
◦ Used to drive nails, wedges, and dowels
◦ Use the claw to pull out nails out of wood
 Bell-faced claw hammer
◦ A skilled worker can use this hammer to
drive the nail head flush without damaging the
surface of the work
How to use a claw hammer 2.1.1
 Use the proper hammer for the job
 Grip the handle of the hammer
 Hold the end of the handle even with the edge of
the palm
 Rest the face of the hammer on the surface to be
struck
 Draw the hammer back and give it a few light taps
to start
 Hold the hammer level with the surface and
strike it squarely
 Deliver the blow with your wrist, elbow and your
shoulder
Claw Hammer 2.1.2
 Slip the claw of the hammer under the
head of the nail
 Pull until the handle is nearly straight up
 Pull the nail straight up from the wood
The Ball Peen Hammer 2.2.0
 Has a flat face for striking and a rounded
face for aligning brackets
 Used with chisels and punches
 In welding operations used to reduce stress
in the weld by peening or the joint as it
cools
 Classed by weight-16, 22, 32 oz
 Strongest and best hammers are drop forged
◦ Do not use a hammer with a cast head
◦ Never use the a hammer to strike the head of
another hammer
Physics and the hammer
 The hammer is designed to produce a
certain amount of force on the object it
strikes
 If you hold the hammer incorrectly you
cancel out the design factor
 The distance between your hand and the
hammer head affects the force you use to
drive a nail
 Make it easy hold the hammer probably
Safety and Maintenance 2.3.0
 No splinters in the handle
 The handle is set securely
 Replace cracked or broken handles
 Face of the hammer is clean
 Don’t hit with the cheek or side of the
hammer
 Don’t use chipped or mushroomed
 Don’t hit hammer head together
Mallets
 Mallets generally have short handles
 The heads are made of softer materials
such as plastic, wood or rubber
 Used to drive another tool with great
precision but less force
 Mallet is the best tool when it is
important to avoid damaging the object
you are striking
Sledgehammers 2.4.0
 Sledgehammer is a heavy-duty tool used
to drive posts or other large stakes.
 The head is made of high-carbon steel
 Weighs between 2 to 20 pounds
 Can be long or short handled
 The shape of the head depends on the
job the sledgehammer is designed to do
Examples of Sledgehammers
 Double-face Long-handled

 Double-face Short-handled

 Crosspeen
How to use a sledgehammer
2.4.1
 Wear the proper PPE
◦ Safety glasses
◦ golves
 Inspect the sledgehammer
 Be sure no one is nearby
 Hold the sledgehammer in both hands
 Stand directly in front of the target
 Lift the sledgehammer straight up above the
target
 Set the head of the sledgehammer on the target
 Begin delivering short blows to the target and
gradually increase the length and force of stroke
Safety and Maintenance 2.4.2
 Wear proper PPE
 Replace cracked or broken handles
 Make sure handle is secure
 Use the right amount of force for the job
 Keep your hands away from the object you
are driving
 Don’t swing until you have checked behind
you to make sure you have enough room
and no one is behind you
Review on hammers
 The most commonly used hammer is _____
◦ A claw
 This is a heavy duty used to drive post or other large stakes
is a
◦ Sledge hammer
 Safest hammers are those with heads that are
◦ Alloy and drop forged
 The claw of the claw hammer is for
◦ Pulling nails
 The _____ hammer can drive the nail head flush without
damaging the work
◦ Bell-faced claw hammer
 The rounded face of the ball peen hammer is used for
◦ Aligning brackets
Ripping Bars & Nail Pullers,
Pliers & Wire Cutters
3.0.0

Video-How to use prybar

Trade Term
 Ripping bar: A tool for heavy-duty
dismantling of woodwork, such as tearing
apart building frames or concrete forms.
Ripping Bars 3.1.0
 Also known as a pinch, pry, or wrecking
bar.
 Can be 12” to 36” long
 Used for dismantling of woodwork, such
as tearing apart building framework
 Typically has two specialized ends; one for
prying and one for nail-pulling.
Typical Ripping Bar
Pry Bars
Trade Term
 Nail puller: A tool used to remove nails.
Nail Pullers 3.2.0
There are three main types of nail-pulling
tools:
1. Cat’s Paw (also called nail claws and
carpenter’s pincers)
2. Chisel Bars
3. Flat Bars
Trade Term
Cat’s paw: A straight steel rod with a
curved claw at one end that is used to
pull nails that have been driven flush with
the surface of the wood or slightly below
it.
You use the cat’s paw to pull nails to just
above the surface of the wood so they
can be pulled completely out with the
claw of a hammer or pry bar.
Cat’s Paw
Trade Term
Chisel bars: A tool with a claw at each
end, commonly used to pull nails.

A chisel bar has an angled edge on both

ends, called a bevel.
Trade Term
 Bevel: To cut on a slant at an angle that is
not a right angle (90 degrees). The angle
or inclination of a line or surface that
meets another at any angle but 90
degrees.
Chisel Bar
Trade Term
 Flat bar: A prying tool with a nail slot at
the end to pull nails out tightly enclosed
areas. It can also be used as a small pry
bar.
Flat Bar
Other Nail Pullers
How to use a Nail Puller
cat’s paw 3.2.1
 Wear your PPEs
 Drive the claw into the wood, grabbing
the nail head
 Pull the handle of the bar to lift the nail
out of the wood
Safety and Maintenance 3.3.0
 Wear PPE
 Use two hands to protect your back
 To prevent injury when pulling a nail be
certain the piece is stabilized and will not
come loose. That it is braced securely
 When using a pry tool keep balanced
footing
Chisels and Punches 4.0.0
 Chisels are used to cut and shape:
◦ Wood
◦ Stone
◦ Or Metal
 Punches are used to indent:
◦ Metal
◦ Drive pins
◦ Align holes
Video-How to use Chisels
Chisels 4.1.0
 A chisel is a metal tool with a sharpened,
beveled edge and is used to cut and shape
wood, stone or metal
 Two types of chisels we will focus on
◦ Wood chisel
◦ Cold chisel
 Both types are made of steel and heat-
treated to make it harder.
 A chisel can cut any material softer than
the steel of the chisel
 Examples of Chisels

Wood Chisel Cold Chisel

Used to cut
Used to notch
Metal
wood
How to use a wood chisel 4.1.1
 Use a chisel to make opening or notches in
wooden material
1. Wear proper PPE (Safety Glases)
2. Outline the opening
3. Set the chisel at one end of the outline with
bevel facing into the cut
4. Strike the chisel head lightly with a mallet
5. Repeat at the other end
6. To trim away the notched wood hold the chisel
bevel side down and slice inward from one end
of recess to the other end
How to use a cold chisel 4.1.2
 Cold chisel used to cut metal
1. Wear proper PPE (safety glasses)
2. Secure the object to be cut in a vise if
possible
3. Use a holding tool and place the blade
of the chisel at the spot to be cut
4. Hit the chisel handle with a ball peen
hammer to force into and through the
material and repeat as necessary
Safety and Maintenance 4.1.3
 Always wear safety goggles
 Make sure the wood chisel blade is beveled
at a 25 degree angle so it will cut well
 Make sure the cold chisel blade is beveled at
a 60 degree angle so it will cut well
 Sharpen the cutting edge of a chisel on an
oil-stone to produce a keen edge
 Don’t use a chisel head or hammer that has
become mushroomed or flattened. Looks
like a mushroom
Chisel and Punch Rules

Grind off the mushroom and form a chamfer

 Punches 4.2.0
 A punch uses the impact of a hammer to:
◦ Indent metal before you drill a hole
◦ To drive pins
◦ To align holes
 Made of hardened and tempered steel
 Three common types of punches are:
◦ Center punch The center and prick punches are used to
make small location points for drilling holes
◦ Prick punch
◦ Straight punch To punch holes in thin metal
Screwdrivers 5.0.0
 Used to tighten or remove screws
 Identified by the type of screw it fits
 Six common types of screws
◦ Slotted
◦ Phillips
◦ Clutch-drive
◦ Torx
◦ robertson
◦ allen Video-Screwdrivers
 Tip/Blade

The slotted
Screwdriver is
measure by the width
of the Blade
 Blade/Tip

The Phillips Head (PH)

Screwdriver fits Threaded
fasteners with a crosshead

Most common size used is P2 but a P1 is

really small and a P3 is really big.You may
also find a need for precision drivers that
may be extremely small
First Wave 9-12
Classifications of Screws
 Slotted-the most common type of
screwdriver
 Phillips-the most common type of crosshead
screwdriver
 Clutch-drive-has an hour-glass shaped tip
used when you need extra holding power
 Torx-has a star-shaped tip that is widely used
in automotive industry
 Robertson (square)-provides high torque
 Allen (hex)-works with an hex head
wrenches
 Some common types of screwdriver
tips

Use a screwdriver for the purpose it is intended for. NEVER USE A SCREWDRIVER
AS A CHISEL OR PRY BAR
 Parts of a screwdriver
Handle- where a person places their hand
when using the screwdriver

Shank- section between the handle and the

tip. Often times it is round but can be
almost any shape

Tip- the part that identifies the type of

screwdriver. Whatever the screwdriver fits
is the what the screwdriver is called

For safety’s sake industrial screwdrivers have tempered steel tips

 How to Use a Screwdriver 5.1.0
 The Right-Hand Rule.

 Use your right hand:

◦ Make a loose fist.
◦ Point your thumb in the direction
the screw needs to move.
◦ Turn the screw in the rotational
direction your fingers are pointing.

 Left Hand Rule for left-hand threads.

 Use your left hand for left-hand threads.
Using a screwdriver 5.1.0
 Choose the right type of blade for the
screw head
 Make certain is fits the screw correctly
 Position the shank at a right angle to you
work
 Apply firm, steady pressure to the screw
head and turn: clockwise to tighten and
counter clockwise to loosen (righty-
tighty-lefty loosey)
Screwdriver safety and Maintenance
5.2.0
 Keep free of dirt, grease and grit. The blade can
slip and cause serious injury
 File the blade tip to restore a worn edge
 Don’t ever use a screwdriver near live wires or as
a tester
 Don’t expose to excessive heat
 Don’t use a screwdriver that has a worn or
broken handle
 Don’t point the screwdriver blade toward
yourself or anyone else
 Keep blades turned down in tool pouch
 Do not angle the driver to compensate for an
improper fit.
Screwdriver review
 A screwdriver is identified by
◦ The type of screw it fits
 The most common standard screwdriver is
◦ slotted
 The most common crosshead screwdriver is
◦ Phillips
 For safety’s sake industrial screwdriver blades are
made of
◦ Tempered steel
 If you use the wrong screwdriver head for the
job, you might
◦ Damage the screw head
Pliers and Wire Cutters 6.0.0
 Specialized adjustable wrench
 Scissors-shaped tools with
 Have teeth to grip objects
 Adjustable because the two handles move
on a pivot
 Generally used to hold, cut, and bend wire
and soft metals
 “Never use pliers on nuts or bolts”. They
will round off the edges
 Pliers head style depends on their use
 Different types of pliers

1. Slip Joint 1. Long Nose 1. Lineman

2. Combination 2. Needle-Nose 2. Side Cutters

1. Slip Joint 1. Locking Pliers

2. Tongue & Groove 2. Vise grip
3. Channel Lock
Slip Joint 6.1.0
 Use pliers to hold and bend wire and to
grip and hold objects during assembly
 Have adjustable jaws
 Two Jaw settings
◦ One for small settings
◦ One for larger materials
How to use slip-joint pliers 6.1.1
 Wear proper PPE
 Place jaws on the object to be held
 Squeeze the handles until the pliers grip
the object
Long-nose (needle-nose) pliers 6.2.0
 Used to get into tight places other pliers
won’t reach or to grip parts that are too
small to hold with your fingers
 Useful for bending angles in wire or
narrow metal strips
 Sharp wire cutter near the pivot
How to use Long-nose pliers 6.2.1
 Wear proper PPE
 Place your third or little finger inside the
handles to keep them open
 To cut wire, squeeze the handles to cut at
a right angle to the wire
Lineman (side cutters) 6.3.0
 Have wider jaws than slip-joint
 Used to cut heavy or large
gauge wire and to hold work

How to use Lineman

pliers 6.3.1
•Wear proper PPE
1. To cut wire always turn the piece to
be cut downward
2. Squeeze the handles to cut at a right
angle to the wire
Tongue and Groove Pliers 6.4.0
 Have serrated teeth that grip:
◦ Flat
◦ Square,
◦ Round
◦ hexagonal
 Can set the jaws in one of five positions
by slipping the curved ridge into the
desired groove
 Longer handle give more leverage
How to use Tongue-and-groove
pliers 6.4.1
 Wear appropriate PPE
1. With pliers open to the
largest position place the
upper jaw on the object
to be held
2. Determine which groove
provides the proper
position
3. Squeeze the handles until
the pliers grip the object
Locking Pliers 6.5.0
 Locking pliers clamp firmly onto objects
the way a vise does
 A knob in the handle controls the width
and tension of the jaws
 Squeeze the jaws to lock the pliers
 Release the pliers the lever to open
 How to use the Locking Pliers 6.5.1
 Wear proper PPE
1. Place the jaws on the
object to be held
2. Turn the adjusting screw
in the handle until the
pliers grip the object
3. Squeeze the handles
together to lock the
pliers
4. Squeeze the release lever
when you want to
remove the pliers
Safety and Maintenance 6.6.0
 Here are some guidelines for all pliers
1. Hold pliers close to the end of the hand to avoid pinching
you fingers
2. Don’t use cheaters on the handle. Get a bigger set of pliers
3. Wear appropriate PPE. Especially cutting wire
4. Hold the short ends of the wire to avoid flying metal
pieces
5. Always cut at right angles
6. Oil pliers regularly to prevent rust and keeping them
working smoothly
7. Don’t use pliers around energized electrical equipment
8. Don’t expose to heat
9. Don’t use pliers on Nuts and Bolts
10. Don’t use pliers as hammers
Wrenches 7.0.0
 Wrenches are used to turn screws, nuts,
bolts and pipes
 Two wrench categories but many types
◦ Adjustable-can be expanded to fit different
size nuts and bolts
◦ Non-adjustable-fit one size
 Come in both:
◦ Metric
◦ Standard
Non-adjustable wrenches 7.1.0
 Box-end wrenches form a continuous circle
around the head of the bolt. Can have 6 or 12
points range from 3/8-15/16
 Open-end wrenches has an opening at each end
to allow the wrench to fit in tight places where a
box-end can’t
 Striking or slugging wrenches are similar to box
end, but they have a large area that can be struck
by a hammer to loosen or tighten a bolt
 Hex key wrenches are L-shaped with 6 sides
(hexagonal). Either end will fit the bolt
 Combination wrench (open-end, box-end)
 Examples of Non-adjustable
wrenches

1. Combination ratcheting Open end

2. Open end box end

1. Hexagonal
1. Slugging
2. Allen
2. Hammer
This list is in no way a complete list of wrenches
How to use a Nonadjustable
wrench 7.1.1
 Use the correct size wrench for the nut
or bolt
 Always pull the wrench toward you
Adjustable Wrenches 7.2.0
 Designed to fit a variety of sizes of nuts
and bolts
 Have one fixed jaw and one movable
 Have an adjusting nut to move the
movable jaw
 Come in a variety of sizes from 4” to 24”
and open as wide as 2-7/16”
Adjustable wrenches
Used for gripping pipe or
round stock and the jaws
 Pipe Wrenches are offset to allow
readjustment without
removing the tool

 Spud wrenches
Used to line up
holes and has
smooth jaws to
fit smoothly on
nuts and bolts

 Adjustable end wrenches

Have smooth jaws to grip
nuts and bolts
How to use and adjustable wrench
7.2.1
1. Set the jaws to the proper size to fit the
nut or bolt
2. Check to make certain the jaws are fully
tightened on the work
3. Turn the wrench so force is applied to the
fixed jaw
4. When possible always pull the wrench
toward you. If you must push the wrench it
may slip and cause injury
5. Keep your hand open to avoid getting
pinched
Safety and Maintenance 7.3.0
 Focus on your work
 Pull the wrench toward you shoulder and
not your face
 Keep wrenches clean
 Don’t use wrench as a hammer
 Don’t use a wrench beyond its rated
capacity-never add an extension bar to
increase leverage
Sockets and Ratchets 8.0.0
 Most sockets have 6 or 12 gripping points
used to grip a nut or bolt
 The socket that fits the handle is square
 Long sockets are called deep well
 The ratchet handle has a small lever that
you can use to change the turning
direction.
How to use sockets and ratchets
8.1.0
1. Select a socket that fits the fastener you
want to tighten or loosen
2. Place the square end of the socket over
the spring loaded button on the ratchet
shaft
3. Place the socket over the nut or bolt
4. Pull on the handle in the appropriate
direction to turn the nut.
Safety and Maintenance 8.2.0
 Never force ratchet handle beyond hand
tight
 Don’t use a cheater pipe
Torque Wrenches 9.0.0
 Torque-resistance to turning
 Torque wrenches measure resistance to
turning
 Used when fasteners must be tightened in
sequence to prevent distortion
 Use a torque wrench when a fastener is
to be tightened to a specific setting
 Torque is usually stated in inch pounds for
small fittings and foot pounds for larger
fittings
How to use a Torque Wrench 9.1.0
1. Determine the inch or foot pounds
required
2. Set the controls on the wrench to the
desired torque (varies with wrenches)
3. Place the torque wrench on the fastener
4. Hold the head of the wrench for support
and to make certain the wrench is properly
aligned
5. Watch the torque indicator or listen for
click (depends on the wrench
 Safety and Maintenance 9.2.0
 Follow Manufacturer’s recommendations for
safety, maintenance and calibration
 Always store in case
 Never use the torque wrench for anything
other than what it is designed for.

micrometer torque wrench

twist the handle to setting
tighten until wrench clicks electronic torque wrench
input setting on screen
tighten until wrench clicks dial torque wrench
tighten until needle
reads desired torque