ASVAB Subject Review: Hand Tools and Measuring Instruments

Vocabulary flashcards covering woodcutting hand tools, boring tools, fastening tools, and measuring instruments from Chapter 3 of the ASVAB Subject Review.

Point (Toe)

The end of a handsaw blade opposite the handle.

Heel

The end of a handsaw blade nearest the handle or the rear end of a bench plane's sole.

Kerf

The two parallel grooves cut by saw teeth; the sawdust (chips) is pushed out from between these grooves.

Set

The alternate bending of saw teeth to one side or the other to make the kerf wider than the thickness of the blade.

Ripsaw

A saw used for cutting with the grain, featuring teeth with square-faced chisel-type cutting edges.

Crosscut saw

A saw used for cutting across the grain, featuring teeth with beveled, knife-type cutting edges.

Backsaw

A crosscut saw designed for sawing perfectly straight lines, featuring a heavy steel backing along the top of the blade.

Dovetail saw

A special type of backsaw with a thin, narrow blade and a chisel-type handle.

Compass saw

A long, narrow, tapering ripsaw designed for cutting circular or nonrectangular sections from within a board.

Keyhole saw

A finer and narrower version of a compass saw.

Coping saw

A saw used to cut along curved lines.

Sole

The bottom of the frame of a bench plane.

Mouth

The opening in the sole of a plane through which the blade emerges.

Smooth plane

A bench plane with a sole approximately $9$ inches long, used for smoothing and cross-grain squaring.

Jack plane

The general "jack-of-all-work" bench plane with a sole approximately $14$ inches long; it can take deeper cuts than a smooth plane.

Jointer plane

Also called a fore or gage plane, it has a sole $20$ to $24$ inches long and is used for maximum trueness.

Block plane

A small plane where the iron is installed bevel-up and has no plane iron cap; it is used chiefly for cross-grain squaring of end stock.

Auger bit

A screw-shaped tool used for boring holes, consisting of a cutter, screw, spur, twist, shank, and tang.

Spurs

The two sharp points at the end of an auger bit twist that score the circle.

Dowel bits

Short auger bits that are approximately $3 \frac{1}{2}$ inches long.

Expansive auger bits

Bits with adjustable cutters for boring holes of different diameters, with the larger size boring up to $4$ inches.

Tang chisel

A class of chisel where part of the chisel enters the handle; it is designed for hand manipulation only.

Socket chisel

A class of chisel where the handle enters a part of the chisel; it is designed for striking with a wooden mallet.

Firmer chisel

A chisel with a strong rectangular cross-section blade designed for both heavy and light work.

Paring chisel

A chisel with a thin blade beveled along the sides, designed for fine paring work.

Butt chisel

A short-bladed chisel used for hard-to-get-at places, such as chiseling gains for butt hinges.

Mortising chisel

A chisel made extra thick in the shaft to prevent breaking while levering out chips from deep, narrow joints.

Phillips screwdriver

A tool with approximately $30$-degree flukes and a blunt end, designed for four-way screw slots.

Reed and Prince screwdriver

A tool with $45$-degree flukes and a sharper, pointed end, which is not interchangeable with Phillips screwdrivers.

Torq-Set

An offset cross-slot drive screw that allows for more torque without damaging the head.

Offset screwdriver

A tool with blades bent at $90$ degrees to the handle, used where vertical space is restricted.

Ratchet screwdriver

A tool that allows for one-handed work and does not require lifting the bit out of the slot after each turn.

Diagonal cutting pliers

Commonly called "dikes," these are designed for cutting wire and cotter pins close to a flat surface.

Slip-joint pliers

Pliers with a pivot that can be moved to two positions to grasp different sized objects.

Vise-grip pliers

Pliers that can be clamped onto an object and remain there, leaving the user's hands free.

Blacksmith's vise

A heavy-duty vise with a long leg secured to the floor, used for work that must be pounded with a heavy hammer.

C-clamp

A clamp shaped like the letter C, used for light, medium, or heavy service.

Micrometer caliper

Also called a "mike," it is a measuring tool that provides accuracy to within $.001$ of an inch.

Steel rule

The simplest and most common measuring tool, usually $6$ or $12$ inches in length.

Outside calipers

Bowlegged tools used in conjunction with a scale to measure outside diameters.

Slide calipers

Also known as a caliper rule, these provide a direct reading of the measurement on a scale stamped with "IN" and "OUT" reference lines.

Vernier caliper

An L-shaped member with a sliding scale that provides very accurate measurements over a large range.

Carpenter's square

A steel square used for laying out large patterns and testing the flatness and squareness of large surfaces.

Try square

A tool consisting of a stock and a blade used for checking lines or surfaces that must be at right angles.

Sliding T-bevel

An adjustable try square used for laying out and testing angles other than right angles.

Thickness (Feeler) gage

A tool with multiple blades of specific thicknesses used for checking small openings and clearances.

Thread gage

Also called a screw-pitch gage, it is used to determine the pitch and number of threads per inch on fasteners.

Wire gage

A circular tool used for measuring wire diameter or sheet metal thickness; higher numbers indicate smaller sizes.

Marking gage

A tool with a beam and a sharp spur used to mark guidelines parallel to an edge or surface of wood or metal.

Dividers

Instruments used for transferring measurements and scribing arcs or circles.