POWER TOOLS

CORDED HAMMER DRILLS

Corded Hammer Drills have a wide range of uses. Corded drills are powered directly by plugging into the
main electricity supply and this means that extra care must taken regarding safety.

1. The cord is carefully laid out so that it cannot trip the person using the drill.
2. It is good practice to use a circuit breaker. This will cut power if any electrical fault in the drill occurs.
3. Always wear safety goggles to protect the eyes. Never operate equipment like this without eye protection
4. When using a corded drill hold both the normal handle and front handle securely. This will help steady
the drill as it vibrates during use. It also allows the user to put pressure against the drill as it is used to drill
holes in difficult materials.
5. The person using the drill should space their feet apart. This helps the person balance and lean into the
drill, applying his/her weight safely.
6. Always check that electrical wires or water pipes are not in the area of intended drilling. Drilling through
an electrical wire can be extremely dangerous.
7. Always seek instruction / training from an appropriately qualified instructor before using any tools,
especially power tools.
 POWER SCREWDRIVERS
A large range of power screwdrivers exist and even the cheapest types are often very powerful, and most are
supplied with a range of attachments. As a minimum a battery charger and a number of screwdriver blades
will be part of the overall kit.

1. The screwdriver blade is dangerous. Both hands should be behind the blade whilst it is turned. Never,
place a hand in front or alongside the blade. If the blade slips it can tear into flesh, producing a nasty injury.
2. Always wear safety goggles to protect the eyes. Never operate equipment like this without eye protection.
3. Select a power screwdriver with a comfortable handle. A poorly designed handle will cause blisters.
4. Use the correct screwdriver blade. Eg. a 'Crosspoint', Slot head or 'Supadriv' type. An ill-fitting blade will
slip as the screw is turned and can cause injury.
5. Always check that electrical wires or water pipes are not in the area. Forcing a screw into an electrical
wire can be extremely dangerous.
6. Always seek instruction / training from an appropriately qualified instructor before using any tools,
especially power tools.

Depending on the model and make of power screwdriver, the handle will have two positions. The handle can
be locked in a level position as shown in the diagram above OR it can be locked into a vertical position.

Power Screwdrivers are usually variable speed and torque. The example below has a speed control disc on
the ON/OFF button. Pressing the top of the ON/OFF button turns the chuck and screwdriver blade in a
clockwise direction. Alternatively, pressing the bottom of the ON/OFF button turns the chuck in an anti-
clockwise direction.
Torque is often misunderstood. Torque is the amount of power supplied to the chuck. For example. The
speed (RPM) may be quite low, and the chuck turns slowly - However - the torque may be high and the
chuck turns powerfully and powers screws into the most resistant of materials. The torque setting can be
adjusted by turning a dial (shown on the diagram below). Sometimes the setting will be set quite low. This
helps prevent over tightening of a screw.
 HAND-HELD CIRCULAR SAWS
Circular saws are used for cutting woods to size. They are extremely powerful and dangerous if used
incorrectly. They are ideal for cutting manmade boards such as plywood and MDF and natural woods up to
a size of approximately 30mm thickness. They can be used to cut kitchen tops and materials for furniture
and windows. They are a necessary piece of equipment for heavy joinery work. They must be used safely as
an accident with this type of equipment can be very serious.
The safe use of circular saws is outlined below. Remember, before operating any power tools you must
receive training from a suitably qualified instructor.

1. Always plug power tools into a RCB (circuit breaker) as a safety measure against electrical faults.
2. Wear goggles to protect eyes from dust/chippings and a face/dust mask to prevent breathing in dangerous
dust particles.
3. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and follow them.
4. Always seek instruction / training from an appropriately qualified instructor before using any tools,
especially power tools.
5. Make sure that the mains cable cannot be tripped over or that it causes a hazard in anyway.
6. G Cramp the material to be cut/shaped to a firm workbench before starting.
7. Fit an extraction bag to the circular saw if one is available. This will collect most of the dust.
8. Keep hands and fingers away from the rotating blade.
9. Before plugging in to the mains, check the condition of the blade. Do not use the saw if the blade looks
damaged or worn
A basic hand held circular saw is shown below. Most circular saws have a laser to help the operator guide
the saw accurately, in the chosen direction. The retractable guard helps cover the rotating blade so that hands
and fingers are relatively safe. The base plate rests on the material to be cut and can be altered to give a
variety of angles (normally 90 to 45 degrees). Whilst in use, if the switch lock is pressed, the trigger finger
can be removed from the ON/OFF switch and the blade will still rotate and cut. This makes the circular saw
more comfortable to use.

Circular saws are possibly the most dangerous power tool of

them all. Never use one until you have received proper
instruction from a suitably qualified person.

1. The circular saw is normally used for heavy and substantial

work where ‘thick’ materials are being used. It is advisable to
use lighter tools such as jigsaws for less heavy work - this is a safer option.
2. Inspect the wood to be cut very carefully especially if the material is second hand. Remove nails and
screws from the material before cutting with a circular saw. Potentially serious accidents can take place if
the rotating blade of a circular saw hits a steel screw or nail.
3. Never use the circular saw with one hand and rest the other in front or at the side of the saw. A circular
saw will cut through flesh and bone quickly. Keep hands and fingers well away from the blade. It is
advisable to control the circular saw with both hands. This keeps the saw under control and at the same time
keeps hands and fingers away from the rotating blade
 MACHINE PLANERS

When the width or thickness of a piece of wood needs reducing by a small amount, a plane is normally used.
However, if a large amount of wood needs removing or the piece is very long, using a smoothing plane or
jack plane is time consuming and can be inaccurate. The best option is to use a machine plane. These are
relatively cheap and save time and effort.

1. Always plug power tools into a RCB (circuit breaker) as a safety measure against electrical faults.
2. Wear goggles to protect eyes from chippings and a face/dust mask to prevent breathing in dangerous dust
particles.
3. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and follow them.
4. Always seek instruction / training from an appropriately qualified instructor before using any tools,
especially power tools.
5. Make sure that the mains cable cannot be tripped over or that it causes a hazard in anyway.
6. Secure the material to be planed in a woodworkers or similar vice.
7. Fit an extraction bag to the planer. This will collect most of the dust and chippings
The machine plane seen below has cutters that revolve at 1800 rpm (revolutions per minute). This makes it
suitable for most woods. It has four cutters mounted on a rotating drum (see diagram B). Always hold the
plane with two hands. NEVER use the plane with one hand as it is very easy to push it over the fingers of
the second hand. This would result in a very serious injury. NEVER steady the wood to be planed in one
hand whilst controlling the plane with the other. A
serious accident is inevitable. Only use a machine
plane with a dust collection bag fitted.

The rotating drum (shown in slow motion) and its four

cutters are seen in the sectional view shown below. The drum and cutters rotate in an anticlockwise
direction. The plane is pushed in the direction of the arrows - this is the safest way to operate the plane. The
height of the front base plate can be adjusted so that more or less material can be planed from the wood.
 JIGSAWS

Jigsaws are general cutting and shaping tools. They are provided with a selection of blades suitable for
cutting and shaping a range of materials. They are ideal for cutting thin manmade boards such as plywood
and MDF and they are capable of cutting detailed curves. They can also be used to cut kitchen tops and quite
thick material. Thin material (4mm to 6mm) can be cut quite quickly but great care must be taken when
cutting thicker material (6mm upwards).

Safety and use of jigsaws are outlined below. Remember, before operating any power tools you must receive
training from a suitably qualified instructor.

1. Always plug power tools into a RCB (circuit breaker) as a safety measure against electrical faults.
2. Wear goggles to protect eyes from dust/chippings and a face/dust mask to prevent breathing in
dangerous dust particles.
3. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and follow them.
4. Always seek instruction / training from an appropriately qualified instructor before using any
tools, especially power tools.
5. Make sure that the mains cable cannot be tripped over or that it causes a hazard in anyway.
6. G Cramp the material to be cut/shaped to a firm workbench before starting.
7. Fit an extraction bag to the jigsaw. This will collect most of the dust.
8. Use the guard at all times.
Below is a typical jigsaw. The ON/OFF switch is located on the handle as well as the switch lock. When the
switch is pressed the jigsaw starts although holding the switch in position whilst cutting can be
uncomfortable. However, if the switch lock is also pressed this holds the switch in position which means
that finger pressure on the switch can be released, and the jigsaw continues to work.

Two speed adjustments are seen on this model of jigsaw. They alter the speed at which the blade moves up
and down. The speed of the blade is determined by the type of material being cut. Usually, a jigsaw will be
proved with a table of speeds relating to materials.

A selection of blades can be fitted to a jigsaw. The type of blade depends on the material.

Furthermore, coarse blades with ‘rugged’ teeth are normally

used to make rough cuts whilst blades with fine, numerous
teeth are used to cut and shape very accurately.
For example, cutting an accurate and smooth curve in MDF
will mean that a fine blade with at least 21 teeth per inch
(TPI) will be fitted.

To fit the blade the guard is moved back and usually a screwdriver is used to loosen the blade locking screw.
The blade can then be removed and replaced. More modern jigsaws have quick release mechanisms that
allow very quick replacement of blades.