Old Fashioned Woodworking Tools

Old-fashioned tools can still get the woodworking job done.

Woodworking in 2010 carries a range of specialty tools that have increasingly become motorized to replace the traditional tools of woodworking used for centuries. These traditional tools can still be used to mark, cut, shape and finish a variety of wooden objects and furniture, but they do require much more physical exertion than modern tools.

Try Square

The try-square is one of the first tools that should go into a woodworker's toolbox. This tool features a metal blade and a stock made either of wood or plastic. The blade is usually 6 to 12 inches long and the stock 4 to 8 inches. The try-square is used to mark lines at right angles as well as check the accuracy of frame corners.

Awl

An awl.

The awl features a tempered steel blade between 1.5- and 3.5-inches long that sticks out from a handle made of wood or plastic. This tool is used to make holes for screws or nails in a piece of lumber.

Handsaw

The basic handsaw.

The handsaw is just as much a necessity in the woodworker's toolbox as the try-square. While power saws and specialty saws are the rule of the day, the old-fashioned woodworker can create a variety of items using a well-balanced handsaw.

Smoothing Plane

A metal smoothing plane.

The smoothing plane can be made of metal or wood. The wood smoothing plane does not have a handle like the metal version, but instead features a tapered grip at the front and back. Both metal and wooden smoothing planes are used to smooth the lumber. This tool is a necessity for finishing wood using old-fashioned equipment.

Chisel

Chisels

Many different types of chisels can be used by the woodworker. The standard firmer chisel is also known simply as a wood chisel. Its blade--up to 2-inches long, sticks out from a wood handle. Other types include beveled edge and paring chisels. The wood chisel is designed to trim wood and clear out the waste from the joints. Paring chisels removes the waste that collects between layers of wood. Some chiseling jobs can be done with just one hand, but more difficult chiseling work can require the use of a mallet to strike it.

Hand Drill

Old-fashioned hand drill.

The power drill makes today's woodworking much more efficient, but old-fashioned hand drills can still be found and used effectively. The type of hand drill used in woodworking is often referred to as a brace. The hand drill, or brace, includes a steel frame with a wood or plastic handle. Like a power drill, the hand drill also uses drill bits and can use screwdriver bits and countersink bits. One hand holds the brace while the other turns the handle to crank it to bore a hole into the wood.

References

• Woodbin.com: Essential Woodworking Layout Tools
• Oregon State University Guide to Woodworking Tools
• Inside Woodworking: Woodworking Tools