POWER TOOLS IN
CARPENTRY
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you must have:
a. familiarized the different power tools in carpentry;
b. identified and describe the safe operation of the different
power tools; and
c. demonstrated tool proficiency through selected shop
projects.
Power Tool
Safety
Power Tool Safety
• Safety is the most important
consideration when you’re
selecting and using any tools
or equipment. If you choose
the wrong tools or use them
in an unsafe manner, it can
result in an injury or accident.
Power Tool Safety
• Power tools are particularly dangerous, because they
run at high speeds and/or pressure and can cause
very serious injuries.
Power Tool Safety
• If you don’t know how to operate a tool safely, don’t
use it.
Power Tool Safety
• Choose the correct tool for the job and identify its
limitations before you start any task.
Power Tool Safety
• When using power tools, it’s important that you’re
alert at all times. Never use a tool if you’re tired.
Power Tool Safety
• Be aware of your
surroundings, the
limitations of your work
area and the presence of
other people.
Power Tool Safety
• Never disturb anyone who
is using a power tool. Wait
for them to finish what
they’re doing before
trying to attract their
attention.
Power Tool Safety
• Keep the working environment clean and tidy, and
make sure there is adequate lighting.
Power Tool Safety
• Always wear the correct PPE when using any tools or
equipment.
Electrical safety
• Although there are other power sources available for
carpentry tools, eg. batteries and compressed air,
electricity is still the most commonly used power
source within the construction industry.
Power Tool Safety: Moving parts
• All power tools have moving parts which can be very
dangerous, because the operator, the tool’s power
cable or the material being worked on can be caught
and drawn into hazardous positions. Depending on
the tool, there are risks of cutting and crushing
injuries.
Power Tool Safety: Moving parts
• Always keep the extension lead of a power tool over
your shoulder so that it’s well away from cutters,
blades, etc.
Power Tool Safety: Moving parts
• Avoid wearing loose
clothing and jewellery
including chains, bracelets
and rings. Long hair should
always be tied back.
Power Tool Safety: Moving parts
• Keep materials clear of moving parts until the tool
has reached full speed.
Power Tool Safety: Moving parts
• Never put a power tool down until the rotating parts
have come to a complete stop.
Power Tool Safety: Stability
• When you’re using tools, plant and equipment, you
should always remain in full control of the machine.
To achieve this, it’s important that you follow these
safety procedures.
Power Tool Safety: Stability
• Where possible, always use two hands on the
machine.
Power Tool Safety: Stability
• Stand with your feet in a stable position and avoid
overstretching.
Power Tool Safety: Stability
• Avoid using power tools in hazardous weather
conditions such as strong winds and rain.
Power Tool Safety: Stability
• Take extra care when you’re working in awkward
positions, confined spaces or at heights.
Power Tool Safety: Guards
• All power tools have features
built into them for your
protection. Guards cover
moving parts and cutting blades
so that you don’t come into
contact with these hazards.
Power Tool Safety: Emergency Stop
Buttons
• Most modern larger power tools and
machinery now have an emergency
stop button – usually a large, red
button near the main controls of the
tool or machinery. If you press this
button, you will immediately cut
power to the tool or machine.
Power Tool Safety: Cutting Hazards
• Carpentry tools are designed to cut through a variety
of materials including timber and metal, so it’s vital
that you take care when using these tools as they can
easily cut through skin and bone.
Power Tool Safety: Cutting Hazards
• Never place any part of your body in the path of a
blade or cutting edge or on any part of the tool that
can’t be seen.
Power Tool Safety: Cutting Hazards
• Keep your finger off the switch or trigger of a power
tool until you’re fully prepared to start cutting.
Power Tool Safety: Cutting Hazards
• Remember that the cutting edge of a power tool is
still a hazard even when the power is off. You must
take care when changing blades or performing
maintenance.
Power Tool Safety: Noise
• Excessive noise can damage hearing. Some tools,
plant and equipment can be very noisy, so there
are many situations where you’ll need to wear
hearing protection.
Power Tool Safety: Noise
• Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time
may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above
120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears.
Power Tool Safety: Noise
Power Tool Safety: Noise
Power Tool Safety: Vibration
• The vibrations produced by some power tools can
result in damage to blood vessels and nerves. Where
possible, limit the amount of time you spend using a
single tool or performing a repetitive action. You
must take a break if you develop tingling in your
hands or arms.
Power Tool Safety: Dust
• When you’re using any power tool, some
form of dust, wood chip or waste material
will be produced. How that affects you
will depend on the material being used.
Some materials are more dangerous than
others and you must be particularly
aware of the risks involved when you’re
working with the following materials.
Power Tool Safety: Faulty tools
Here are some important points to remember.
• Never use an electrical tool with a faulty switch.
• Stop using an electrical tool if it gets very hot or
smells of smoke.
CARPENTRY
POWER TOOLS
Types of power tools
• Drills
• Saws
• Sanders
• Planes
• routers and trimmers
• nail guns.
Power drills
Power drills
• A power drill is an electrical motor
that rotates a replaceable drill bit
to make a hole in wood, plastic, or
metal.
Chuck
• A chuck is the part of a drill that holds the drill bit.
Cordless drill
The advantages of cordless
drills are that they:
• are convenient where there
is no access to mains power
• are safe and can be used in
damp conditions
• have no power cables so
there is no risk of electric
shock.
Cordless drill
Hammer drill
• They have a built-in mechanism
which creates a vibrating action in
the drill bit so that, as the bit turns,
it chisels its way into the masonry.
Rotary hammer drill
• They have a built-in mechanism
which creates a vibrating action in
the drill bit so that, as the bit turns,
it chisels its way into the masonry.
Drill bit
Twist bit
• Twist bits are the most common
drill bits used by carpenters,
because they’re very versatile
and can be used on wood, metal
or plastic.
Drill bit
Spade bit
• Spade bits are general purpose
drill bits used for drilling larger
holes into timber. Holes can be
drilled quickly using spade bits, but
they tend to be quite rough-sided,
so they’re used mostly where
appearance is not important.
Drill bit
Auger Bit
• A power auger bit is another general
purpose drill bit used for drilling larger
holes into timber. The advantage of the
power auger is that it produces
clean-sided holes. You must take care
as the thread on the front of the drill bit
can pull it into the timber very quickly.
Drill bit
Countersink bit
• Countersink bits are used to
produce a countersunk or
tapered recess which is used
to accommodate screw heads.
Drill bit
Masonry bit
• Masonry bits are used to drill holes
in brickwork and concrete. They
have a tungsten carbide tip (TCT)
which is a hard-wearing material
often used on the cutting edge of
tools to extend its life.
Operating a Power Drill
Operating a Power Drill
Operating a Power Drill
Operating tips – Power drills
• Don’t put the motor under excess
stress by forcing the drill. Allow the
thread to pull the bit into the
material.
Safety – Power drills
• Always wear safety glasses when
you’re drilling into timber, metal
or masonry and when drilling
holes overhead.
• Clamp the work piece to avoid
unwanted movement during
drilling.
Safety – Power drills
• Beware of the drill ‘grabbing’
(especially if drilling metal) as
this can make you lose grip on
the drill which can result in an
injury.
• Use a side handle on bigger
drills, especially when using large
diameter bits.
Power saws
There are three types of
power saw:
• portable circular saw
• drop saw
• reciprocating saw.
Circular saw
• A circular saw is a power-saw using
a toothed or abrasive disc or blade
to cut different materials using a
rotary motion spinning around an
arbor.
Operating a Circular saw
Operating a Circular saw
Operating a Circular saw
Operating tips – Power saws
• Always keep both hands on the
saw, if possible.
• Hold the saw only by the handle
and the front knob.
• The waste timber should be to the
right of the saw so that the widest
part of the base plate rests on the
timber.
Drop saw
• Drop saws (also known as chop saws
or miter saws) are a variation of the
portable power saw. They consist of a
blade and a motor which is mounted
onto a short portable bench.
Operating a Drop saw
Operating a Drop saw
Operating a Drop saw
Reciprocating saw
• The cutting action on a reciprocating
saw is achieved by the saw blade
moving with a repetitive
up-and-down or back-and-forth
motion which allows the saw to cut
through a variety of materials with
ease. The reciprocating saws most
commonly used by carpenters are the
jigsaw and the sabre saw.
Jigsaw
• Although jigsaws cut more slowly than circular saws,
they can cut curved shapes into materials such as
timber, metal and plastic.
Sabre saws
• A sabre saw is a heavier duty saw which can be used
for cutting through timber, metal and plastic and is
ideal for cutting sections from a framed wall for a
door, window or air conditioner
Operating a Jig saw
Operating tips – Reciprocating
saws
• Keep the base plate of the saw in
contact with the work piece at all
times.
• Don’t try to cut curves too tight for
the width of the blade.
• Lifting the blade from the cut while
it’s still moving may result in damage
to the blade and/or the surface of the
work piece.
Table saws
Table Saw
• A table saw (also known as a
sawbench or bench saw in England) is
a woodworking tool, consisting of a
circular saw blade, mounted on an
arbor, that is driven by an electric
motor (either directly, by belt, or by
gears). The blade protrudes through
the top of a table, which provides
support for the material, usually
wood, being cut.
Band saws
BANDSAW
• A bandsaw (also written band saw) is
a power saw with a long, sharp blade
consisting of a continuous band of
toothed metal stretched between
two or more wheels to cut material.
They are used principally in
woodworking, metalworking, and
lumbering, but may cut a variety of
materials.
Power Sanders
Power sanders
• Power sanders have an abrasive
surface and are used by site
carpenters and bench joiners to
shape and/or finish work.
BELT SANDER
• They have two rollers, one of which
is driven by the motor. A
continuous belt passes over the
rollers and is held flat on the job by
a base plate (called a platen).
ORBITAL SANDER
• Orbital sanders (also known as
finishing sanders) sand in a circular
motion, and are used to achieve a
fine, smooth finish on timber
surfaces.
Benchtop Sanders
Benchtop sander
• A benchtop sander is a stationary
power tool used for sanding wood,
metal, or other materials. It
consists of a sanding belt, disc, or
both, mounted on a benchtop or
workbench, allowing the user to
sand materials with precision and
control.
POWER PLANES
• Electric planes are regularly used
on construction sites for planing
the edges of doors during the
fitting process.
Operating a Power planes
Operating a Power planes
Operating a Power planes
ROUTERS AND TRIMMERS
• Routers and trimmers are versatile power tools
which are widely used by site carpenters and bench
joiners to cut and finish edges, and hollow out areas
in material. They have taken the place of a range of
hand-operated planes such as moulding, grooving
and rebating planes.
Portable Power Routers
• The portable power router is
simply an electric motor on an
adjustable base. A shaft with a
chuck is connected to the motor
and the chuck holds the cutters
(usually known as bits).
• The depth of cut is consistent and
set by adjusting the height of the
base in relation to the motor.
Router cutter or bit
• There are many different router
cutters and/or bits available. Some
are used for forming rebates and
grooves for jointing and other
practical purposes, and others are
used for forming decorative
mouldings.
Straight bit
Edge-forming bit
Trimmer bit
Slip Tongue Bit
• Slip tongue bits are used for cutting
grooves in the edge of boards
mainly where two boards need to
be joined at their edge, eg tongue
and groove or biscuit joints.
Operating a Routers
Any questions?
Thank you..