You probably feel you know the right hand tool procedure. Ask your self is it the easiest?

“You would not believe the time I saved using this site
I now always use the correct hand tool procedure.”

The hand tool procedure page is set up with a contents that when clicked will send you down the page to your chosen section. Inside the sections you will be able to see different examples of using hand with simplicity. I might even throw in a few more links with deeper examples, so you watch out!

Hand Saws

For you to master the saw, firstly you must choose the correct one, this depends on the material you will be cutting, how accurate you want the cut and what is the job? It’s no good selecting a bow saw to cut skirting board!

knowing which saw to use will make your life much easier see carpentry tool list

The best tip I can give you is to always, always cut to an accurate line, down the waste side of the timber as cutting down the middle can make your work short. You must and will! Let the saw do the work, do not force it into the wood this will cause you mistake. You always must have a sharp saw; this produces fast and accurate cuts. Try to get in to a smooth gentle rhythm when sawing large areas. Do not wobble or twist the handled as your work will suffer.

How to use a hand saw

• The work should be marked out clearly were to cut, if you don’t need an accurate cut use a pencil.

• You will need to support the timber, I use a work bench or a vice. The off cut will need to be supported too.

• Hold your saw at a 45 degree angle to the work and gently start.

• Once you have started the saw it can be worked back so it is almost horizontal to your work (this allows a straighter cut.

• Continual cutting in a smooth motion using the full length of the saw, remember to stay relaxed and do not force it.

• When you near the end, use less pressure on the saw and support the off cut so as it dose not splinter your work.

• Simple done!

The technique is very similar to using a bench saw but you have a longer saw overemphasising the techniques, again start slowly and speed up in the middle towards the end be sure that the waste is supported by either your hand or if larger an appropriate object as this can cause the saw to jamb and tear the end of the wood, and most importantly of all you don’t want the timber to fall on your toes.

Tip - Hand saws are not as accurate as back saws

Back Saw

You should guess that the general technique is the same as the hand saw, do you still remember? Back saws are great for your fine and delicate work, the blade is not flexible and is more stable than the hand saw.

How to use a back saw

• Measure and mark the timber were you want to cut. Your marking knife is best suited here.

• Place the work in a bench hook and support it in with you free hand.

• Start by steadying the saw with your left thumb.

• Work the saw at an angle of 20 degrees to the timber, after a few strokes level the saw with the work.

• Continue cutting through the wood and not forcing or twisting the saw.

Tip – if you are not comfortable with starting the cut with the saw you can start of by making notch shaped as a V with a sharp knife, adding as a guide see below picture

Coping and Fret Saws

Firstly coping saw blades can be set on the front or back stroke, at college I was always told to set it on the blade on the back stroke as it gives less pressure, and less chance of snapping. If you set the blade to the front it allows quicker cutting. Your choice!

How to use a coping/fret saw

• To start cutting, Firstly support your work firmly in a vice. Place the saw at a right angle to the timber.

• Start the first few strokes of with light pressure until you gain momentum remember that the blade is thin and brittle and doses not like to be twisted!

• If you need a guide you can use the thumb on the other hand to rest the starting blade.

• Follow the cutting line and if you start to go off track you can turn the handle to adjust the cutting.

• Common problems when using a coping saw is that the timber can start to judder, this is mostly common with thin work that is not supported near the cut, the material can flex causing the stop judder, just stop and adjust the vice.

Here’s some troubleshooting solutions.

Hammers

How many times have you swung a hammer, hit the nail and instantly it bent? Well here the secret. Using a hammer is all about technique and your technique can be improved by adjusting your grip. The correct hand tool procedure is to let you hammer do the work, if it’s not doing the work then you’ve got the wrong hammer selection. See the carpentry tool list for the right hammer selection, then come back to the hand tool procedures for your advice!

The above pictures show the right and wrong way to use a hammer with the wrong hand tool procedure.

Hold hammer with your hand securely at the bottom of its handle

Place the nail in position by -

Supporting it with your fingers or gently taping it in to the wood so you don’t have to hold. If you need to hold it with your hand support the nail at is base, you don’t wanna hit you pinkies do you?

Move the hammer with your wrist NOT your arm, it good practise to hold the hammer and move it with your wrist.

Your elbow will naturally move with your wrist action but the wrist should be doing all your work

Now gently tap the nail in, and if necessary use a nail punch to bury the nail head in to the timber.

Repeat till perfect.

Once your get comfortable with the hammer you can use more force.

Safety

Hammers can hit fingers, Ouch! So don’t place them to near the object which is being struck. I know you know this but just don’t forget, as it hurts when you find out. Usually your find out when you’re rushing about and not paying attention. So focus! You must wear appropriate safety gear. Protective glasses are a essential and gloves should be used.

Hand Drill and Brace

Hand Drill

A correct hand tool procedure allows you to drill accurate holes, they are still used to day but the cordless drill power general replaces the old faithful. They are still sold today and if you come across one here is how you use it!

How to use the hand drill

Mark the position of the hole you wish to drill on your work, mark the point with a steel pointer, this will stop the drill bit from wandering across the wood when you start.

Support the wood in a vice or clamp making sure it’s secure.

Hold the drive handle with you dominant hand and the steadying handle with the other.

Place the drill in line with your work; you can add a square if you need a guide (see picture below).

Start the drill off slowly to produce the hole. Then as your drill bites in to the timer add more speed.

The third handle provides extra pushing power if you are drilling a deep hole.

If you are drilling all the way through you do not want to have the back splinter out. To stop this place a backing piece of timber behind the wood.

Tip - Add Wax to the drill bit if it starts to stick

Brace

You should use the brace with an auger bit, theses screw in to the wood and have a knife on the out side of the bit. The knife scores the wood as it turns and the waste between the screw and the knife is scooped out with the rest of the bit, neat hey! Your sharp auger bit will slowly cut deep accurate holes in soft wood and hardwood.

How to use the brace

Mark your timber were you wish to make a hole. Mark with a steel pointer to aid with the start.

Place the timber in a vice or appropriate clamp, you will need to secure this well as the brace gives a lot of force.

Start to drill by allowing the screw to bite in to the wood, add body pressure on the drill to force it in to the wood,

Soon it will tunnel in on its own accord, with out the need of any force.

Before you go all the way through the wood, keep checking to see if the screw has started to come out the other side. When it dose, stop and turn your work around n the vice.

Drill in to the same hole again; not adding to much pressure and letting the drill bit do the work.

Done!

Below shows the auger drill then turned round in the vice and finished off.

Chisels

Your chisel allows you to remove excess wood, the simplest to use your chisel you have to remove a much excess wood as possible, for example if out are cutting a mortise drill out as much waste as you can and use the chisel to clean and square the sides. The chisel is designed to be hit with a mallet (know as chopping) or pushed in to the wood (know as paring).The tip for you is - remove as little wood as possible and to keep the chisels sharp, this will keep you in control and make you more accurate.

How to use a chisel

Vertical paring

Paring is working the chisel down in to the wood, this allows fine pieces to be removed and make small adjustments.

First secure you work to a bench with a clamp (of course you have marked out what need to be removed).

Hold the chisels handle with your strongest hand, this hand gives the pressure.

Use your other to hold the chisels bevel, this will guide your blade.

Keeping your fingers away from the blade, add pressure downwards on the timber.

Do not attempt to take off to much as you will struggle, you should aim to pair off 1/8th inch max (1mm).

Make sure you have some timber underneath your workpiece. This stops your chisel edges being damaged. You don’t want to hit a metal work top after you have spent time sharpening them!

Horizontal Paring

This is used when you need to clean out the bottom of joints like the halving joint (in the picture below) and general wood cleaning.

Support you work in a vice or with a clamp. Allowing you access to work to you marked finishing line

Again you best handholding the hand for the pressure and the other to guide the chisel, place you thumb on top of the blade and your fingers underneath to give support.

Now apply force so that, splinters of wood will fall of the grain.

not try to take to much of at a time as you chisel will dig in to your work.

Cutting out

Your chisels will allow you to chop out timber. You will need to do this for making wood joints and chopping in hinges. You will need to use a mallet to strike the chisel with force. Before you chop any thing piece of work

Mark out work were you need to cut out a section

Using your sharp knife or chisel cut in to the scribe so it will prevent timber from splitting out.

Hold the chisel almost vertical and hit to make a series of deep cuts. You should start in the middle and work out wards chisel down to your required depth.

Remove the wedge shape cuts by chopping them out.

If you need to cut out more wood place the chisel at the end of the mortise and strike with a hammer so it will cut in to the wood and produce you nice straight cut.

Planing

Here we are going to go through the simplest method of planning, plane an edge straight and smooth. You will learn how to smooth and straighten a piece of wood.

You will need to use a plane for two things, adjusting your work by taking small shaves of wood off and smoothing and straitening timber, You have a choice of a selection of panes for various jobs so the choice is essential

How to plane

Firstly your work must be placed level and firmly in the vice.

You will need to set the blade and make sure its shape

You should have a little of the blade is sticking out from the bottom of the plane.

You now need to know which way to plane; you should always follow the grain and not plane in to it

Place the plane on the centre of you work holding the handle with your dominant hand and the other on the knob.

Push the plane along the wood and lift up slightly towards the end.

If the plane sticks whilst in use, turn the wood the opposite way round in the vice. Now the grain may be pointing in the right direction.

Rub a little candle wax on the bottom of the plane. This will help the plane glide across the surface of the wood.

Too much of the blade will make using the plane very difficult and it may damage the surface of the wood.

Always place the plane at the end of the piece of wood and push it firmly across the entire length, without it lifting off the surface. Lift the plane back to the starting position.

Pulling the plane back along the wood surface will 'blunt' the blade quickly.

Always use a sharp blade.

Hand tool procedure