Every good carpenter and DIYer needs a reliable set of tools. Buying quality toolkit pieces is better value in the long run as they will endure much longer than cheaper versions, and you will get to know and rely on them throughout each project you complete. To help you decide which tools are necessary and what to look for, here is a breakdown of some of the carpentry enthusiast's equipment available.
Chisel
What? The chisel is an integral tool for cutting into timber with speed and accuracy. They have a sharp, flattened end that concentrates the pressure applied from the force of a hand or mallet. A good set of chisels at the widths of 6, 12, 18, and 25mm across the blade is a worthy purchase.
Bevel-edged blades - Due to the bevelled edges, the chisel can chip right into the corners to make joints. Hardened steel versions of these are used as a general purpose tool as they can take the force of a mallet.
Firmer chisels - These can be hit with a mallet to create larger joints because the rectangle blade increases the chisel's strength.
Mortise chisels - The square-shaped blade means that they are ideal for chipping out mortises like door locks.
Cold chisels - A heavy duty chisel, it tackles plaster and masonry.
Use: Check that the blade is hardened and tough, and that the handle material feels comfortable for you. To chisel out wood it is best to cut parallel across the grain several times to loosen the wood. Do this with the chisel bevel face upward, this way the bottom surface will remain flat. You can then chisel out the pieces you have made with reasonable accuracy.
Maintenance: For honing wood chisels you can set the angle with a honing guide. Oilstone and diamond stone will sharpen the edges. Chisel blades are honed to about a 25 degree angle, with the very tip at 35 degrees for strength and precision. Without access to oilstone or diamond stone, a chisel can be sharpened with silicon carbon paper.
Store chisels separately to other tools so that the edges do not get blunted. Lightly oil the blades occasionally to prevent them from rusting.
Circular Saw
What? A circular saw is a relatively modern piece of electrical woodworking equipment that cuts quickly and smoothly through timber and manmade boards. It is easier than a handsaw and the guide can be set for an accurate cut. There can also be an attachment for a vacuum to extract the dust as you saw.
The size of blade varies depending on the saw, ranging around 150mm to 250mm diameter, and the fixing hole in the middle of the blade also varies in size from 12.5 to 30mm. Consequently, blades are made for specific models of circular saw and cannot be swapped. As with handsaws, the teeth are an indicator of what kind of job the saw should be applied to. 4-6 per pinch are for ripping along the grain, while 12 plus is the crosscut.
Circular saws are capable of cutting wood to size, cutting rebates, mitres, and through tongue and groove flooring to name a few.
Use: First, ensure that the blade is set to no more ¼ inch over the wood's actual thickness. This will help prevent you cutting the workbench underneath. Hold both the saw and the material to be cut firmly. Line up the saw with the cutting marker and turn it on. Push it into the wood but once in don't push too hard; let the saw do the work for you and just guide it with a little pressure. Make sure that you know where the cord is as it is easy to accidentally saw through.
Maintain: Regularly inspect the vacuum hole and the blade guard for clogging sawdust. The air vent holes must also be cleaned to prevent the motor overheating. The motor brushes will need changing if your saw gets a lot of use.
To replace the blade on a rotation lock saw, press the lock so that the shaft is held and the bolt holding the blade can be undone. For saws without a rotation lock, the blade is usually held by a bar through the blade hole. Turn the bolt opposite to the direction of the blade rotation (normally clockwise) to release it.
Hammer
What? A hammer is an essential piece of the toolkit, used for applying force to objects that need fitting together as well as prising apart.
Use:
Claw hammer - This is the hammer used for most carpentry works. It usually has a wood handle but is available in other materials. The claw is curved with a V shape splitting it so that the hammer can pull out nails. The claw can also be used to lever up floorboards. The weights most used are 455 - 680g.
Cross pein pin hammer - A lighter version of the cross and straight pein hammer used in metal work. This is the preferred tool in light cabinetry and joinery. It weighs 55g.
Club hammer - Also known as a lump hammer, it has a double-sided head which is utilised in working with steel chisels and masonry nails. For domestic use, the weight used is 1135g.
Joiner's mallet - As it is made of wood, the joiner's mallet is used where metal faced hammers would cause damage. The head is gently tapered for accurate contact with chisels or wood joints.
Power hammer - Often called power nailers, these are machines especially designed for hammering in nails and similar fixings. They make light work of areas where many nails are required; like fixing floorboards. They are available both in light and heavy duty capabilities.
For fragile work and joins, use some spare wood between you and the object to hammer through. This will prevent accidental damage caused by too much force or an awkwardly aimed hit.
Maintenance: Double check that you have the right hammer for the task in hand. It will have been designed for the purposes of such a job and so will make it easier. Moreover, the wrong hammer could cause damage as opposed to fixing anything.
On some wooden-handled hammers the head is fixed in place by steel wedges. Always check to make sure the wedges are firmly in place as timber can shrink when the air is dry.
Hand planes
What? A plane is used for the smoothing and shaping of wood. It helps to create the actual form of the timber once the piece has been cut to size, flattening rough areas and thickness. There are specially designed planes for the purposes of joint planing and shaping decorative mouldings.
The mouth of the plane is the gap on the underside where the iron (blade) protrudes and where the wood shavings enter. It can be modified by altering the depth adjustment knob which changes the extension of the blade. The lateral adjustment lever allows for uniform planing across the timber.
Planes can be categorised in one way as either bench or block planes. Bench planes have a down facing bevel attached to a chipbreaker, while block planes have an upward bevel and no chipbreaker. Bench planes can be sub-categorised according to length:
Smoothing plane - 250mm (10in) or less
Jack plane - 350mm (14in) approx.
Fore plane - 450mm (18in)
Jointer plane - 550mm (22in)
Use: The plane can be the trickiest woodworking tool for the beginner to master, but once learned it is a valuable skill. Always plane in the same direction as the grain, as it will jar and slice the wood if it is against.
Set the plane for the specific task ahead. Loosen the screws under the blade to adjust the mouth width for a thicker or thinner cut, and alter the lateral lever if necessary. If you plane wood wider than the blade, you can avoid leaving corner grooves by applying more pressure on the sides as you plane.
The end grain is the most difficult as the fibres are at difficult angles which can be torn by the blade. Trying working toward the centre of the wood, or use some scrap wood at the end to support the timber.
Maintenance: The plane will work at its best if there is little friction. Keep the plane clean after each use and buff away any marks caused by its use.