Whether you’re a seasoned craftsman, a DIY enthusiast, or just starting your journey into hands-on work, this glossary will help you identify the right tool for any job.
A
- Adjustable Wrench: Wrench with an adjustable jaw to fit various nut and bolt sizes.
- Awl: Sharp, pointed tool for marking surfaces or making small holes.
- Allen Wrench: L-shaped tool for driving bolts and screws with hexagonal sockets.
- Axe: Tool with a heavy metal blade for chopping wood.
B
- Bolt Cutter: Large cutting tool for snipping bolts, chains, and padlocks.
- Bench Vise: Clamping device attached to a workbench for holding materials securely.
- Bevel: Adjustable tool for measuring and transferring angles.
- Block Plane: Small woodworking plane for smoothing and trimming end grain.
C
- Chisel: Cutting tool with a sharp edge for carving or cutting wood, stone, or metal.
- Claw Hammer: Hammer with a split claw for pulling nails.
- Combination Square: Multipurpose measuring and marking tool with a ruler and adjustable head.
- Channel-Lock Pliers: Adjustable pliers with a channeled joint for gripping various sizes.
D
- Drill: Hand-powered tool for boring holes.
- Drawknife: Tool with a blade between two handles for shaping wood.
- Dividers: Compass-like tool for measuring, scribing circles, and transferring dimensions.
E
- Eggbeater Drill: Hand-powered drill with a crank handle.
- End Cutting Pliers: Pliers with cutting edges at the tip for cutting wire in tight spaces.
- Emery Board: Fine-grained file for smoothing rough edges.
F
- File: Tool with a roughened surface for smoothing or shaping materials.
- Framing Square: Large, L-shaped measuring tool used in carpentry.
- Fret Saw: Fine-toothed saw for cutting intricate curves.
- Flathead Screwdriver: Screwdriver with a flat-shaped tip.
G
- Gouge: Chisel with a curved cutting edge for wood carving.
- Gooseneck Bar: Wrecking bar with a curved end for prying.
- Grease Gun: Tool for applying lubricant to mechanical parts.
H
- Hacksaw: Fine-toothed saw for cutting metal.
- Hand Plane: Tool for smoothing and shaping wood surfaces.
- Hex Key Set: Set of L-shaped tools for driving bolts with hexagonal sockets.
- Hand Drill: Manual rotating tool for boring holes.
I
- Impact Driver: Hand tool for loosening stubborn screws and bolts.
- Insulation Knife: Serrated knife for cutting insulation materials.
- Iron: Hand tool for pressing and smoothing fabric.
J
- Jack Plane: Medium-sized plane for initial smoothing of wood surfaces.
- Jigsaw: Hand-held saw for cutting curves and intricate shapes.
- Jimmy Bar: Small crowbar for prying and lifting.
K
- Knife: Cutting tool with a sharp blade.
- Keyhole Saw: Narrow saw for cutting small, tight curves.
- Knee Pads: Protective gear for kneeling while working.
L
- Level: Tool for ensuring horizontal or vertical alignment.
- Locking Pliers: Self-locking pliers that can be locked into position.
- Lineman’s Pliers: Heavy-duty pliers for gripping, twisting, and cutting wire.
- Lather’s Hatchet: Specialized hatchet used in plastering work.
M
- Mallet: Hammer with a large, usually wooden head.
- Measuring Tape: Flexible ruler for measuring distances.
- Monkey Wrench: Large adjustable wrench with smooth jaws.
- Multitool: Compact folding tool containing multiple tools.
N
- Nail Set: Tool for driving nail heads below the surface of wood.
- Needle-nose Pliers: Long-nosed pliers for gripping in tight spaces.
- Nut Driver: Screwdriver-like tool for tightening nuts.
O
- Oil Can: Container with a long spout for applying lubricating oil.
- Oscillating Tool: Versatile tool for cutting, sanding, and scraping.
- Open-End Wrench: Wrench with a U-shaped opening on one or both ends.
P
- Pipe Wrench: Adjustable wrench for gripping and turning pipes.
- Pliers: Gripping tool with two handles and jaws.
- Pry Bar: Metal bar used for leveraging and prying.
- Putty Knife: Flat-bladed tool for applying and scraping putty.
Q
- Quick-Grip Clamp: One-handed bar clamp for holding materials together.
- Quarter-Round Chisel: Chisel with a curved cutting edge for woodworking.
- Quad Box Wrench: Wrench with four different-sized openings.
R
- Rasp: Coarse form of file for rough shaping of wood or metal.
- Ratchet: Socket wrench with a reversible action.
- Rubber Mallet: Soft-faced hammer that won’t mar surfaces.
- Rotary Tool: High-speed rotating tool for cutting, grinding, and polishing.
S
- Screwdriver: Tool for driving screws.
- Saw: Cutting tool with a toothed blade.
- Socket Set: Collection of attachments for use with a ratchet.
- Spanner: British term for a wrench.
T
- Tin Snips: Scissors-like tool for cutting sheet metal.
- Trowel: Flat-bladed hand tool for spreading and smoothing materials.
- Tap and Die Set: Tools for cutting threads in holes and on rods.
- Torque Wrench: Wrench that measures and applies a specific torque.
U
- Utility Knife: Knife with a retractable, replaceable blade.
- Universal Joint: Flexible attachment for reaching screws at an angle.
- Undercut Saw: Specialized saw for trimming door jambs and baseboards.
V
- Vise-Grip: Brand name for locking pliers.
- Voltage Tester: Tool for detecting the presence of electrical voltage.
- V-block: V-shaped support for holding cylindrical objects.
W
- Wire Stripper: Tool for removing insulation from electrical wires.
- Wood Rasp: Coarse file for rapidly removing wood.
- Wrench: Tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque.
- Wire Brush: Brush with wire bristles for cleaning surfaces.
X
- X-Acto Knife: Precision knife for detailed cutting.
- Xavier Clamp: Specialized clamp used in woodworking.
- Xylo Mallet: Wooden mallet used in woodworking and musical instrument repair.
Y
- Yankee Screwdriver: Spiral ratchet screwdriver.
- Yoke Vise: Portable vise that can be attached to various surfaces.
- Y-Wrench: Y-shaped wrench for accessing nuts in confined spaces.
Z
- Zip Bit: Quick-change screwdriver bit.
- Zester: Fine grater used in woodworking for creating decorative patterns.
- Z-Bar: Z-shaped pry bar for removing molding and trim.
