Hand tools &

Measuring

7796 Breaker Robotics

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Measurement Tools
Steel machinist scales or rulers come in both 6 inch and 12
inch lengths.

Used for work layout and for taking

measurements where extreme
precision is NOT required.

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Scales or Rulers
Scales are graduated in:
 Inch measurements, or
 Metric measurements.

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Scales or Rulers

1/2"
1/4”
1/8”
1/16”
1/32”
1/64”

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Hand Tools

• Hand tools comprise most tools you will use while you are in the Shop.

• They include general-purpose tools (hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers), cutting tools (saws, knives, shears) and measuring
tools (rulers, squares, calipers, micrometers).

• Although simple, hand tools can be just as dangerous as power tools if misused.
• If you aren’t sure how to use a tool, ask someone.
• If someone tells you that you are using a tool unsafely, don’t get offended - they are concerned for your safety. Listen to their advice.

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General Purpose Tools

• Hammers
• There are 3 types of hammers in the Shop: claw, ball-peen and soft.
• All hammers: Hold the hammer at the end of its handle. Pivot at the elbow, not the wrist.
Strike with the the face of the hammer parallel to your target.
• Ball-peen: Can be used with wood and metal. Use this hammer with punches, cold chisels and
other cutting tools. The ball end is extremely hard and can be used to shape metal.
• Soft: May be made out of rawhide, lead or rubber. Use this hammer for pounding wood
fasteners, tightening/loosing vises or other machine parts, fitting parts together and positioning
objects (such as positioning a vise on a table)
• DO NOT use the soft hammer with hard fasteners or on sharp objects - it will damage the hammer face!

• With all hammers, ensure that the head is securely attached to the handle! Flying hammer
heads can kill!

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Files
• Files are used for cutting, smoothing or removing small amounts of material. They can be used to
achieve extremely precise dimensions, but must be appropriately cared for.

• Files only cut in one direction - do not apply pressure on the backstroke! You will damage the
file.

• There are two primary types of file in the Shop:

• single-cut files, where the file teeth are cut in only one direction, and double-cut files, where
two sets of teeth are cut crossing one another.
• double-cut files for rough work and single-cut files for finishing.

• Regardless of file type, start with coarse (few teeth/inch) files and move to progressively finer files.
• ALWAYS STORE FILES PROPERLY! Contact between files will damage their teeth. Store files in the
designated drawers or racks, taking care that the file blades do not touch.

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Use and Care of Files

Metal chips can be cleaned
out of the teeth.

Stiff brush or file card

for loose chips.

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General Purpose Tools

• Screwdrivers
• Screwdrivers are for tightening and loosening screws ONLY. Using them to scrape, chisel or
pry can damage the screwdriver and hurt you.

• There are a variety of tip shapes for screwdrivers. Use the correct shape for your job.
• Blade Shapes (looking at tip):

Standard/Slotted Phillips Head Torx Head Hex Head

Head (can be inside or outside)

• Screwdrivers are sharp! Don’t hold your work in your hand while using a screwdriver -
clamp it down, put it in a vise, or on a table.

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General Purpose Tools

• Wrenches
• There are many varieties of wrenches, but all are used to tighten and loosen fittings
and bolts, and have jaws that are kept at a specific angle to each other (generally
parallel).
• Adjustable Wrench: Good for general-purpose light duty work. The jaws are open and closed
with the thumb wheel in the body of the wrench. Keep the jaws tight!
• Socket Wrench: Comprised of a ratcheting body and different-sized sockets that can be
interchanged. Useful for bolts that require a lot of turning.
• Open Wrench: Simple, but useful for heavy-duty work. Some have “box-wrench” heads -
circular heads - which are extremely slip-resistant.
• Hex/Allen Wrench: Typically smaller than other wrenches. Fit inside the fastener instead of
around the outside.
• Avoid damaging bolt heads whenever possible! If a bolt is not turning, apply oil,
gently tap with a ball-peen hammer and consult other people before turning
harder/increasing your leverage on the wrench.

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General Purpose Tools

• Pliers
• Pliers are used to hold, twist and bend work. They can also be used to cut wire.

• Never use pliers to turn nuts/bolts! You will round the corners of the fastener head, making
it harder to turn.

• Use the correct set of pliers for the job. Thin needlenose pliers should not be used to bend
sheet steel - they will become “sprung” (the jaws will be bent away from each other) and
will be useless. Use flat jaw pliers instead.

• Some special-use pliers:

• Vise Grip Pliers: Something that all students know and hate, vise grips are extremely useful pliers
nonetheless. A bolt head at the end of the handle is used to adjust the angle of the jaws. The pliers will
lock closed at this angle. To open, either pull the handles apart or (if applicable) press the opening lever.

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Punches
Centre Punch

• Make small indentations in metal

• Tip is ground to an angle of about 60°
• Helps the drill start cutting rather than wandering
• Punch mark should not distort the
surrounding metal
• Never used to remove objects from holes (will
damage the punch) 120 °

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Punches
Some Types of Centre Punches

Solid steel punch (used with a hammer)

Automatic centre punch

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Punches
General Rules with Punches

1. Wear eye protection

2. Use correct punch
3. Use correct hammer
4. Check the tools’ condition
5. Ensure proper tool positioning
6. Hammer against a solid support 90˚

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Cutting Tools
• There are a few different types of shears in the Shop: each is for a different
purpose.
• Scissors: Well…duh. They’re scissors. You can cut soft material with
them - don’t use them for wire or sheet metal.
• Compound/Aviation Snips: These are heavy-duty shears used for cutting
sheet metal. Some aviation snips are designed to cut left- or right-hand
curves (l - they can be distinguished by their curved blades.
• Side cutters: Also known as diagonal cutters, these cutters are like pliers
in size and shape, except that they have straight blades running the
length of the plier jaw.

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Power Tools

• Power tools are extremely useful, speeding up most construction tasks greatly

• However, they must be treated with respect - they can hurt you severely if used
improperly.

• There are three primary types of power tool in the shop - drilling tools, cutting tools
and abrasive tools.

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Drilling Tools
• Drilling tools include hand drills and drill presses. Drill bits and tap & die sets will also be
covered here.

• Drill bits:
• The drill bits in the Shop are twist drills. They are primarily high-speed steel, which can be used to
cut most metals. It cannot, however, cut high-speed steel or tap steel - if you break a tap/drill and
need to remove it, please see the Shop Manager
• Note that drills will cut holes slightly larger than their rated dimension (i.e., a 1/4” drill may cut a
hole that is .257 in diameter)
• When drilling metal, always be sure to start the hole with a punch followed by a center drill. The
center drill should be driven in until its tip can no longer be seen
• Use appropriate coolant when drilling, and do not overheat the material that you are working with
• Other types of drill bit include spade bits (for wood), masonry bits (for stone), and countersink bits
(for countersunk screws)

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Drilling Tools
• Taps and Dies
• Taps and dies are used to cut threads into holes (taps) or onto rods (dies). They are extremely
hard, but are brittle, and will break if dropped or forced.
• When tapping/threading, make sure that the dowel/hole you are working with is the correct
diameter!
• To thread/tap:
1. Prepare the hole/dowel by slightly beveling the edge that the tap/die will start cutting at.
2. Mount the tap/die in the correct wrench. Place the tool in the hole/on the rod to be threaded.
3. While turning the tool clockwise (for a right-handed thread), apply just enough pressure that the tool begins
to cut into the rod/hole being cut.
4. Once the tool has gained purchase, cut 3 turns, stop, and then reverse the tool until you feel a slight
“snapping”. When the tap/die cuts, it forms a spiral of metal in front of each of its blades - this “snapping” is
the spiral breaking off. Repeat this process to cut.
5. Occasionally remove the tool completely and remove accumulated chips from the hole.
6. ALWAYS use oil when cutting threads.

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Drilling Tools

• Drills
• There are two primary types of drills you will encounter in the
Shop: hand-held drills and drill presses. They are functionally the
same; the drill press allows greater accuracy and force, while the
hand drill is more mobile and versatile.
• With all drills, ensure that work is adequately secured before
drilling. The drill can catch on parts and cause them to spin,
causing severe injury. Always wear safety goggles when drilling!

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Cutting Tools
• Saws: Used for making linear cuts in parts.
• Bladed saws
• The powered bladed saws you are likely to encounter in the Shop are the hand-held jigsaw and the
stationary vertical bandsaw.

• Vertical Bandsaw: May also be used to cut metal or wood. Use slower cutting speeds for harder
materials. Before cutting, lower the blade guide to the lowest possible height that will allow your
work to pass underneath it. Be cautious when cutting tubes or circular stock - the bandsaw will
attempt to spin them. NEVER attempt to cut wire or other fibrous materials on the bandsaw - it
will pull the material into the saw, damaging the saw and potentially causing serious injury.

• Horizontal Bandsaw

• The saw blade automatically drops, make sure the work is secured before cutting.

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Abrasive Tools
• Abrasive tools are used for removing areas of material as you would with a file. They include
sanders, brushes and grinders.

• Be extremely cautious around abrasive tools - they can sand off your skin far more
easily than they can sand metal. Be especially careful to contain flowing clothes, hair and
other things that could be “grabbed” by the tool.

• Sanders: Most materials can be shaped on a sander. You will most likely encounter a vertical
belt sander in the shop. To sand, support the workpiece on the sander table and press it against
the moving belt.
• Ensure that the material/fingers are not pulled down into the gap between the sander table and
the belt! If the belt gets torn, notify the instructor immediately.
• Sanders can release great quantities of dust, sparks and fumes. Be conscious of these hazards and wear
appropriate safety equipment.
• Parts that have just been sanded can become EXTREMELY hot - be cautious of your own well-being,
and also be cautious that you do not damage the material you are working with.

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Abrasive Tools
• Grinders: Used to shape metals
• Although not as dangerous as wire wheels due to their wheels being mostly enclosed,
grinders can still cause great harm, especially from sparks or if a part is thrown.
• When using a grinder, make sure you are using the correct wheel for the job - consult the
instructor for help with this. Do not use the grinder for sanding - it will clog and not
work.
• Before starting, check for any defects or cracks in the wheel. And stand aside from its
rotational plane.
• Support your part on the grinder table and take small cuts.
• During grinding, your part might require additional cooling.
• No loose clothes, hair, accessories, can be caught and spin with you in them.

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Auxiliary Tools
• Auxiliary tools are primarily used for holding parts. They consist of vises and clamps.

• Vises: Use a screw action to close two jaws on parts and hold them in place. Vises should
be attached to something.
• Some vises have anvil heads, which may be used for hammering/shaping metal.
• For working with soft metals/other materials that might be damaged by the vise, use soft jaws
(typically made of copper or another soft metal) or cut wooden shims to fit between your part and
the vise jaws.
• To clamp circular parts, use a 90º V-block (or even 2, if need be) - hold the part between the V-
blocks, and clamp the V-blocks together with the vise.
• Vises that are attached to machine tools should be treated with great care - they are precision
devices, and should be carefully maintained.

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Auxiliary Tools
• Clamps: Clamps are used to hold parts together. They can also be
used to give better purchase on a part that you are trying to hold.
• C-Clamps: The most common type of clamp. Slow to use, but capable of
exerting extreme force. Tighten/loosen the clamp by rotating the handle.

• Furniture Clamps: Used to clamp over large distances (typically, across

cabinets) - can exert moderate force. Commonly, the head of the clamp will
slide freely up and down the shaft of the clamp until the two jaws of the
clamp are tightened around something.

• Spring clamps/hand clamps: Low force, but extremely easy to use - can be
applied one-handed.

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