DRIVING TOOLS
Driving tools are used to fix nails and screws into wooden and metal materials. Nails are the iron
material with a flat head, smooth stem and sharp end. Screws look like nails but they have turned or
twisted stem. Screws are driven into wood with screwdrivers while nails are driven into wood and
metals with the use of hammers.
HAMMERS:
Hammers are driving tools that have two parts – a head, which is made of iron and a wooden handle.
There are five types of hammers named according to the shape of the head.
1. Ball peen hammer: Ball-peen hammer is used for general purposes.
2. Straight peen hammer: Straight-peen hammer is used for riveting while other end is used for
shaping sheet metals.
3. Cross peen hammer: Cross-peen hammer is used for drawing down and riveting.
4. Planishing hammer: Planishing hammer is used by panel beaters for finishing.
5. Blocking head hammer: Blocking head hammer has polished faces. It is used for shaping
sheet metal.
Driving tools also include mallets. Mallets are soft-faced hammers.
SCREWDRIVERS:
Screwdrivers are also driving tools and they have different shapes and sizes. They are used to drive
screw in and out of wood or metals. They have a long blade with a tip that can fit into the slots
(grooves) in the head of the screw with either wooden or plastic handle.
1. Flat screwdriver used for screw having only one line slot on the head.
2. Star screwdriver is used for screws having a star opening on the head
3. Offset screwdriver is used whenever a straight screwdriver cannot be used.
4. Allen screwdriver is used for driving in or removing screws which have a hexagonal or square
slot in their head.
HOLDING DEVICES
Woodworking holding devices are the tools used to hold work piece on the workbench. Woodworkers
work on workbenches. It is on these benches that various woodwork constructions are carried out. The
centre of the bench is usually lower than its two sides. This area is called a ‘well’ and its function is to
accommodate the tools brought from the tool cupboard to the bench top during operations. The tools
cannot fall or roll on to the floor or on anyone’s feet because this part is lower than other area of the
bench.
The fittings are:
1. Bench vice: also called fitter’s vice. It is used to clamp or to hold jobs when the following
operations are to be carried out on the bench, filling, bending, tapping, cutting, assembling
parts etc.
Other types of vice are:
a. Hand vice: used for holding work when performing operations such as drilling, riveting
etc
b. Machine vice: It is fixed to the table of any machine tool.
The Care of the Vice:
i. Always keep the vice clean.
ii. The thread or the screw inside the vice should be oiled regularly.
iii. Do not use the vice as an anvil for hammering a job
iv. Always use hand force only to tighten the vice for holding the work piece.
2. Bench Stop: There are many types of bench stops. Some are made of wood while some are
made of metals. It is a small strip of wood fixed on top of the bench. It is used to prevent wood
from slipping off the bench top during planning.
3. Bench Hook: This is used for holding jobs during cutting and chiseling on the bench. At the
same time, it protects the bench top.
4. The clamps:
a. G-Clamp: This is a metal clamp used for clamping small jobs together. It is called a G-
Clamp because of its shape which is in the form of letter ‘G’. The clamp is ideal for
holding small pieces of wood together.
b. F-Clamp: This is used like the G-Clamp. The clamp is in the form of letter ‘F’.
c. Sash-Clamp: it is a larger clamp used for holding and drawing woods tightly together
when assembling or gluing work.