Handyman Guide > Marking Gauge - Levels - Pincers - Nail Set

Marking Gauge. This is a very important tool in making lines par allel. The head is adjustable and fits against the edge of the work, while the metal point on the end of the gauge marks off the line as the gauge is moved. This metal scriber should be kept sharp.

Levels. To check any piece of work to be sure that it is either horizontal or vertical, a level is needed. A level has a small glass tube filled with water in which there floats a small bubble of air.

The glass tube is marked off so that the level is either vertical or horizontal when the bubble of air is centered between the lines on the tube. There are many uses for a level other than carpentry work. It is useful for checking a table to be sure that it stands evenly and for making certain that pictures hang straight on the wall.

PINCERS

A pair of pincers are extremely useful in pulling nails out of wood and for other odd jobs. When pulling nails, insert a piece of wood between the lower jaw of the pincers and the wood to prevent damaging the latter.

NAIL SET

This small tool is used to drive the heads of nails below the surface of the wood. A tool kit should contain at least two nail sets, one for large nails and the other for small. Keep the end of the nail set flat to prevent its slipping off the nail head.

DRAWKNIFE

For rough cutting on curved or straight wood surfaces a drawknife can be used instead of a plane. The knife is drawn towards the operator, and must be used carefully to avoid taking off too much wood.

CABINET SCRAPER

As its name implies, this scraper is used primarily for cabinetwork.

This tool should be employed for all heav cutting work, as it is made especially for hard use. Do not use a screwdriver as a substitute.

SMALL TOOL KIT

For doing odd jobs about the house it is very convenient to have a small kit containing the following items: Hammer, screwdriver, pliers, jackknife, coil of thin copper wire, can of plastic wood, electrical and duct tape, assorted faucet washers, assorted nails and wood screws, a can of machine oil, a can of putty, and a putty knife.

PUTTY KNIFE

The thin, wide blade of the putty knife is necessary for glazing and other work to be considered in later sections. Keep the blade clean and free of rust.

PLIERS

A pair of adjustable pliers is possibly the most used tool in the kit. It can be used for tightening small machine nuts, bending wire and many other odd jobs.

WRENCHES

Most home-plumbing jobs require a wrench of one sort of another. A monkey wrench of the type found in most automobile kits can be used on nuts, but pipes require a stilson :wrench made to take a firm grip on the smooth, round surface. Do not overstrain a wrench by using it on a job that is obviously too big, and do not try to loosen a tight nut by pounding on the handle of the wrench with a heavy hammer.

PAINT SCRAPER

There are many variations of this tool, the more expensive having adjustable blades. A sharp paint scraper is a timesaver, and it is worthwhile to keep the blade sharp and free of nicks and dents.

Continue to Sharpening Tools



Tools and Materials
Hammers - Handsaws - Screwdrivers - Chisels - Brace and Bit - Hand Drill - Brad Awl - Planes - Files - Measuring Tools - Rules - Squares - Marking Gauge - Levels - Pincers - Nail Set - Drawknife - Cabinet Scraper - Small Tool Kit - Putty Knife - Pliers - Wrenches - Paint Scraper - Sharpening Tools - Nails - Wood Screws - Corrugated Fasteners - Mending Plates - Bolts - Abrasives - Woodworking Glue - Splices and Joints.

The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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