Hand tool
Hand Tools
General
Tape measure
Ruler
Screwdriver
- Standard
- Long
- Stubby
- 90 degree cranked
- Ratchet
- Flexible
Bits Holder
- Not to be confused with swmbo
- Holds a set of hex shanked screwdriver bits
- Small pocket sized one is handy
Security bits
Pen & Pencil
Scissors
===Gloves
Tape
Clamps & Pliers
Mole grips
C clamp
F clamp
===Sash
Pliers
Long nosed Pliers
Pliers for use in very confined spaces
Circlip Pliers
Pliers for fitting and removing circlips
Round nosed Pliers
Sidecutters
Type of wirecutting pliers
Fencing pliers
- Hammer, wire cutter and tensioner in one
Grozz Pliers
- Glasswork
Waterpump pliers
- Slotted hinge mechanism allows large sizes to be gripped
Parallel Pliers
- Not often found in DIY use, but give much better performance than standard pliers.
Knives
See Knives for more info
Stanley Knife
- Tough general purpose DIY knife
Wallpaper knife
- Lightweight plastic knife with snapoff blade
- 9mm & 18m blades
Pocket Knife
The forerunner of the above knife types, these are no longer popular for DIY use.
Craft knife, X-acto knife
These are small knives sometimes used in DIY, but more popular for craft use. The handles look a bit like a writing pen, and the blades used are scalpel blades and other blades of a similar size.
- Many blade shapes are available.
- X-Acto is another trade mark that has fallen into general usage
Scalpel
- More used for DIY surgery than house maintance.
- Useful for removing splinters
Rotary Knife
- score or cut into soft materials such as lino & vinyl tiles
- Not much use for other DIY tasks, due to little cutting power.
Levels
Spirit Level
Card Level
- Finds any angle with card & a pin.
- Much more versatile than spirit level
Plumb bob
Painting
Paint brush
- The worst ones are identified by pulling on the bristles to see if some come out.
Artists brushes
- For fine detail, tight access
- For touchup jobs
Paint kettle
Scraper
Sandpaper
Sanding Block
Shave hook
Often blunt when bought. Sharpening them makes them work!
Paint Guard
Sprayer
Paint Roller, Tray & Sleeves
Masonry
Brick trowel
Cold Chisel
Line
Bucket handle
- Shaping pointing
Blower
- Clears holes drilled in masonry
- Quick, easy and avoids a face/eye full of brick dust.
- A bendy straw also works
Plastering
Float
Plasterer's Hawk
Trowel
Featheredge
Small tools
Corner trowels
Woodwork
Wood Chisel
Plane
Bradawl
- Marks wood for drilling
- Loosens rope knots
Countersink
Profile Gauge
Hand drill
Moulding Plane
- Produces moulded timber profiles
- Now replaced by routers & spindle moulders
Breast drill
- Type of hand drill
- Top end of drill designed to be pressed against the chest in use
Brace
- Another type of drill
Spoke Shave
- A very short plane for use on curved surfaces and in restricted spaces
Bevel
Set Square
Ruler
Rasp
Saw
Various types
Cabinet Scraper
more woodwork hand tools:
Backsaw Bar clamp Bench hook Bow drill Bow saw Broadaxe Bucksaw C-clamp Card scraper Japanese chisel Coping saw Crosscut saw Drawknife F-clamp Framing hammer Fretsaw Froe Gimlet Gouge Gripe (tool) Hand saw Hatchet Japanese saw Keyhole saw Miter saw Mitre box Mitre clamp Pipe clamp Plywood saw P cont. Pole lathe Rip saw Robertson screwdriver Sanding block Saw set Scratch stock Sharpening jig Sharpening stone Shooting board Slick (tool) Staple gun Two-man saw Upholstery hammer Utility knife Vise (tool) X-acto knife, craft knife scalpel
Hammers
Claw hammer
- Most popular hammer
- Nail pulling claws on one side
Clubhammer
- Heavier, eg 4lb
Ball pein hammer
- One rounded striking face
Sledge hammer
- Very heavy hammer
- Long handle
- Used for serious violence, eg concrete breaking
Dead blow hammer
- No rebound
- Hollow head contains shot
(non sparking) hammer
Scutch hammer
- Breaks bricks cleanly
- Replaceable toolface
Wood Mallet
Rubber Mallet
Plastic Mallet
Bars
Prybar
Crowbar
Wrecking bar
- Demolition
Material Handling
Shovel
Spade
- Stainles steel gives less friction
Fork
- Stainles steel gives less friction
Wheelbarrow
- Dyson's original ballbarrows are much less likely to sink into mud, giving much easier ride on wet soil, but they're no longer made.
Carrying handle
- Enables one person to carry 8x4 sheets
Sieve
- Power sieves exist now fwiw
Bucket
Cutters
Wirecutters
- Good idea to keep separate cutters for steel wire and copper wire, as iron & steel wires damage cutters.
Tinsnips
- Sheet metal cutting scissors
- Uncomfortable to use
Aviation Tinsnips
- A much improved design of sheet metal cutter.
Wire strippers
Any of a number of designs of wirestripper
Axe
Meat Cleaver
Designed for butchers, these make a good small axe for trimming small trees and general gardening. Add some red paint if you want to keep the neighbours away.
Bolt Croppers
- Heaviest of all hand cutters
- Cut rebar, brass locks, bolts, threaded rod, small bar, chain
- Will not cut hardened steel
Tile Nippers
- Cut tiles.
Pipe cutter - wheel type
- ring turn, eg Monument
Pipe cutter - pvc chopper type
More
Jeweller's screwdrivers
- For repairing small appliances
Hex bit Screwdriver
Spanner
Ratchet Spanner
Sockets
Extension Bar
- The type manufactured for socket sets gives increased torque.
- Ordinary hollow bar fitted over hand tools is famed in industry for assorted safety risks.
Blowlamp
- Soldering plumbing
- Applying unmodified flat roofing felt in winter
Torch
Grindstone
For sharpening Very large grindstones on broom handles were formerly used for terrazzo. Thank god for power tools.
Pincers
Nail puller
Pickaxe
- Breaking up hard & stony soil
Feeler Guage
Allen Keys
Self Adjusting Spanners
Metalwork
Centre punch
File
More hand tools: C-clamp Combination square Die grinder Drift pin F-clamp Hacksaw Hand scraper Machinist square Magnetic base Rotary tool Scriber Tongs Tube & pipe benders Vise (tool)
Car
Oil filter wrench
- chain - strap - set of fingers driven by socket bar.
Jack
Hydraulic Jack
Various types
Bottle Jack
One of the more popular types of hydraulic jack
Other hydralic one used in garages
Screw Jack
2 concentric screws, forerunner of the hydraulic bottle jack, not sure of correct name
Scissor Jack
A very popular DIYer's jack.
Side Jack
Minimum cost jack often supplied with vehicle. The quickest way to remove old unwanted jacking points.
Inflatable Jack
This is a large bag that connects to the exhaust. Exhaust gases inflate the bag, lifting the vehicle up. Used where ground is too soft for other types of jack, such as desert use. The only useful jack for these situations.
Axle stands
Ramps
Pressure Gauge
Pump
Spatula
Hoist
Engine Stand
More... yet to be put under the right headings
Framing Square
Roofers Square
Carpenters Square
Torx keys
Torque wrench
Scales
- Substitute for torque wrench
Secateurs
Bulb planter
Micrometer
Sandpaper
dentists mirror
- Small mirror on stick enables seeing into unseeable places
- Strips of mirror out of dead scanners can also be used
Inspection Lamp
aka Drop lamp
- hand held lamp designed to use up your stock of spare mains bulbs
?Stapler
Crimper
Crimper, ratchet
Magnet on string
Draw tape
Copmuter?
Camera?
Mobile to call an ambulance!
Kneepads
Toolbelt
Hard hat
Goggles
Ear defenders
Bogroll
- One sheet in each ear reduces noise levels
Ladder
incl multiway ladder
Access tower
Rope
S hooks
Toolbox
Toolchest
Carrierbag
Cleaning sht link
Dustsheets
Newpaper
1st aid kit
Fire exting?
Fugenboy
Pipe bender
Storage cases for small parts
Magnifying glass?
Dustmask, filters
Laser level
Grout spreader
Sponge
Metal, wire n stud detector
- Beware of faulty ones that don't go off when pointed at yourself!
Space suit
Impact driver
- A hammer driven screwdriver
- The power tool of the same name is something different
Hot gloog gun
- Bodger's special
Sawboard
Mitre saw, hand type
Tray & towels
- For catching water spilt from CH
Pump
For de-flooding house after CH work.
Freezer
- freezes pipes to enable plumbing. If quick.
Box spanner
Letterpunch