ASVAB Shop Information

Inside Caliper

A measuring tool used to determine the internal size of an object.

Outside Caliper

A measuring tool used to determine the external size of an object.

Vernier Caliper

A versatile tool that measures internal dimensions (upper jaws), external dimensions (lower jaws), and depth (slender probe on the movable head).

Micrometer

A measuring instrument very similar in purpose to the Vernier caliper, but capable of higher precision.

Carpenter's Square

A right-triangle-shaped metal guide used in carpentry to establish and mark exact 90-degree right angles.

Sliding Bevel

An adjustable tool used to measure, transfer, or mark any angle on an object.

Carpenter's Level

A tool (also called a spirit level) used to determine if a surface is perfectly horizontal (level) or vertical (plumb).

Carpenter's Tape Measure

A flexible ribbon ruler made of cloth, plastic, fiberglass, or metal marked with imperial and/or metric units.

Kerf

The width of the cut made by a saw blade, which is wider than the blade itself to allow free movement through wood.

Crosscut Saw

A hand saw designed specifically to cut wood at a 90-degree angle to the grain.

Rip Saw

A hand saw with larger teeth designed specifically to cut parallel to the wood grain.

Back Saw

A saw with a rigid steel spine along the top to improve accuracy, commonly used in miter boxes for 45-degree or 90-degree cuts.

Keyhole Saw

A narrow hand saw designed to cut complicated profiles or curves in wood.

Coping Saw

A saw with a thin blade held in a C/P-shaped frame, primarily used for cutting intricate curves in molding.

Circular Saw

A power saw (typically with a 7-1/4 inch blade) used for fast cutting, particularly for rip sawing and cutting plywood panels.

Jack Plane

A general-purpose hand plane used to remove thin strips of wood to shape, smooth, or reduce board size and erase saw marks.

Wood Chisel

A blade tool (1/4 to 1-1/2 inches wide) struck with a hammer or mallet to cut and shape wood.

Hacksaw

A metal-cutting saw with fine, replaceable teeth that cuts on the forward stroke; finer teeth are for thinner metals, larger teeth for thicker metals.

Tin Snips

Shearing hand tools used to cut steel, copper, or aluminum sheet metal.

Pipe Cutter

A tool with a sharp cutting wheel rotated and gradually tightened around copper pipe to make clean cuts.

Thread-Cutting Die

A tool used to cut or restore external threads on a metal rod or pipe (selected based on outside diameter and pitch).

Thread-Cutting Tap

A tool used to cut or restore internal threads inside a drilled hole in a metal plate.

Drill Chuck & Chuck Key

The rotating clamp on a drill that holds the bit; tightened either manually with a chuck key or by hand in keyless models.

Center Punch

A pointed hand tool struck with a hammer to create a small dimple in metal, preventing a drill bit from walking at the start.

Auger Bit

A specialized drill bit designed to bore holes in wood much faster than standard twist drills.

Countersink

A conical bit or depression made in a surface allowing the flat head of a screw to sit flush with the material.

Hole Saw

A circular cutting attachment screwed into a mandrel used to cut large-diameter holes in wood and soft metals.

Claw Hammer

A standard 16 oz (or 24 oz for heavy demolition) hammer featuring a flat face for pounding nails and a claw for pulling them.

Ball-Peen Hammer

A metalworking hammer up to 3 lbs with one flat face and one rounded peen used for shaping metal and riveting.

Sledgehammer

A heavy two-handed pounding tool with a 32-inch handle used for heavy demolition and driving.

Rubber Mallet

A soft-headed hammer used to adjust components without marring surfaces or to drive wooden-handled chisels.

Adjustable Wrench

A wrench (also known as a Crescent wrench) with a movable jaw to fit various sizes of hex or square bolts.

Combination Wrench

A wrench featuring a box end and an open end of the exact same size on opposite ends.

Deep Socket

A socket wrench attachment with an elongated body designed to reach a nut even when long bolt threads extend past it.

Ratchet Wrench

A socket handle mechanism that grips and turns in one direction while slipping freely in the reverse direction.

Torque Wrench

A specialized socket drive tool used to tighten a bolt to a precise, specified tension limit.

Allen Wrench

An L-shaped hexagonal key used to drive screws or bolts with hexagonal recessed sockets in their heads.

Arc-Joint Pliers

Adjustable pliers (commonly called Channel Locks) with curved interlocking channels used to grip various material sizes.

Locking Pliers

Pliers (commonly called Vise-Grips) utilizing a compound lever system to clamp securely onto objects with a locking grip.

Needle-Nose Pliers

Long, tapered pliers designed to grip small parts and maneuver in tight spaces, especially in electrical work.

Bar Clamp

A clamping tool with an adjustable jaw on a rigid bar used to hold parts together during assembly or glue drying.

Pipe Wrench

A heavy-duty wrench (12 to 48 inches long) with serrated steel jaws that dig into and turn steel pipes.

Flat-Bladed Screwdriver

A standard screwdriver with a single flat blade used to drive slotted screws.

Phillips Screwdriver

A screwdriver with a cross-shaped tip designed to fit Phillips head screws.

Wood and Sheet Metal Screws

Self-threading fasteners sized by length (inches) and diameter (#6, #8, #10), designed to cut their own threads into material.

Machine Screws

Threaded fasteners (like hex and carriage bolts) that must mate with a nut or tapped hole of identical diameter and thread pitch.

Carriage Bolt

A smooth, round-headed bolt with a square neck underneath that locks into a square hole to prevent spinning during tightening.

Nail Size ("d")

Nails are measured by length and penny weight ("d"), ranging from 4d (1-1/2 inches) to 16d (3-1/2 inches).

Brad

A small, thin nail with a tiny head used for lightweight assembly like picture frames.

Tack

A short nail with a broad, flat head used for securing carpet and upholstery.

Finishing Nail

A small-diameter nail with a narrow head designed to be driven flush or below the surface in trim and molding.

Common Nail

A thick, heavy-duty nail with a large flat head used in rough structural framing.

Sinker

A slightly thinner version of a common nail that reduces wood splitting during framing.

Spike

A large, heavy-duty nail designed for fastening thick structural timbers.

Ring-Shank Nail

A nail manufactured with rings along its shank to provide extra holding power against pulling.

Spiral Nail

A nail with a twisted shank that turns as it is driven, increasing holding grip for applications like subflooring.

Welding

A joining process that melts the actual base metal workpieces together using high heat.

Soldering

A low-heat joining process using flux and a melted secondary filler metal (solder) for plumbing and electrical connections.

Brazing

A high-heat joining process similar to soldering that uses bronze rod as the melted filler material.