Four habits for every tool
- Mark from one reference. Measure every part from the same edge or end and mark it with a knife or a sharp pencil, so small errors do not add up. Measuring and marking explains how.
- Hold the work, not the tool's path. OSHA's hand and power tool booklet says to secure the work with clamps or a vise so both hands are free for the tool. A board held by hand moves when the tool bites.
- Check the tool before it touches the wood. OSHA's booklet says to use the right tool for the job, examine it for damage before use and keep it in good condition, and notes that dull tools can be more hazardous than sharp ones. For a power tool, that includes reading its manual.
- Let the tool cut. Forcing a saw, chisel or bit makes it wander or stall. Cut on the waste side of the line so the line survives on the part.
The first thing to get right with each tool
| Tool | Get this right first | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Tape, rule and square | Measure from one reference and check the square before trusting it | Measuring and marking |
| Handsaw | Start on the waste side of the line and keep the saw upright to it | Cutting wood straight |
| Backsaw | Hold small work on a bench hook so it cannot move | Using a backsaw |
| Chisel | Pare by pushing and chop by striking, both hands behind the edge | Using a chisel |
| Hand plane | A sharp iron set for a fine shaving, pushed with the grain | Using a hand plane |
| Drill-driver | The drill setting for holes and the clutch for screws | Using a drill |
| Circular saw | The work supported and clamped, the blade set just below it | Using a circular saw |
| Random-orbit sander | Start it on the wood, keep it flat and moving, with light pressure | Using a random-orbit sander |
| Clamps | Enough clamps, placed before glue goes on | Clamps |
One point per tool; each guide gives the full method and its sources.
Two of those rows come straight from makers' manuals. DEWALT's drill-driver manual sets the collar to the drill symbol for drilling and uses the clutch only for driving screws, with the work clamped rather than held. Milwaukee's circular saw manual sets the blade no more than 1/8 in below the material and has the work secured to a stable platform, never held by hand or across a leg.
Practising a new tool
- Use offcuts of the same stock. A first cut, joint or hole tells you most when it is made in the wood the project uses. Check scrap for nails and staples first.
- Change one thing at a time. If a cut goes wrong, change the setting or the grip, not both, so you know which fixed it.
- Stop when it feels wrong. A saw that binds, a plane that chatters or a drill that stalls is telling you about setup; the tool's guide lists the causes.
Which tools to own first is covered in woodworking tools for beginners; how the hand tools fit together in the hand tools guide; and protective equipment in woodworking safety equipment.
Safety— Safety before technique
Clamp the work, keep both hands behind any edge, read a power tool's manual before its first use, and wear eye protection. The rules for every shop are in woodworking safety rules.
Before using a tool for the first time
- The part marked from one reference
- The work clamped or held in a vise
- The tool sharp, set and undamaged
- A power tool's manual read
- A practice cut on an offcut of the same stock
- Eye protection on
Sources
The four habits are BenchRoot's summary of practice the cited sources and the linked guides set out. Each tool's full method, with its own sources, is on the guide linked from its row.
- 1.
Hand and Power Tools (OSHA 3080). Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2002.
Used for: The right tool for the job, examined before use and kept in good condition; operating tools by the maker's instructions; dull tools more hazardous than sharp ones; work secured with clamps or a vise so both hands are free.
- 2.
DCD777 Cordless Drill/Driver instruction manual (English). DEWALT.
Used for: A drill-driver's collar at the drill symbol for drilling and the clutch engaged only for screwdriving; the work clamped rather than held.
- 3.
M18 FUEL 6-1/2" Plunge Track Saw, Cat. No. 2831-20, Operator's Manual. Milwaukee Tool.
Used for: A circular saw's blade set no more than 1/8 in below the material, and the work secured to a stable platform, never held by hand.
About this guide
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