Mechanical Division

Standard Hand Tools

TopicsDesignT-SquareDrafting Triangle

FabricationHacksawCordless DrillFileSandpaper & Steel Wool

Assembly

Wrench & Adjustable WrenchAllen Key

ScrewdriverRatchet

Caliper

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Design

T-SquareUsed in conjunction with drafting board and triangle

Allows drawing of horizontal linesKeep your T-Square clean and check to make sure it is straight

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Examples of t-squares used in the art department

Drafting TriangleUsed by sliding on top of T-Square

Allows drawing of vertical lines

Keep your triangle clean

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Keep your triangle clean

CaliperUsed for precision measuring of thickness and diameter

Measures up to ten-thousandths (0.001) of an inch

Useful for measuring shaft and hole diameters

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A set of calipers similar to ours

Fabrication

HacksawUseful for cutting down long bolts & PVC

Long smooth cuts versus short rapid spasms

Be careful not to damage the blade

Watch table edge and corner

Angle downward for ease of cutting

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A high tension hacksaw similar to ours

Cordless DrillUseful for drilling holes or tightening/loosening screws

Don’t even try to drill steel

Do not completely discharge the battery; it shortens its average life span

Use only when accuracy is not an issue

Avoid having to drill aluminum

Avoid over-tightening screws

Try not to wear out screw heads

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A standard cordless drill

Click to continue

FileEffective at “making stuff fit together” by grinding down edges

Stay away from steel

File perpendicular to the teeth and away from yourself in smooth strokes

Absolutely not for precision parts

Use only on wood, Plastic, and aluminum

Can be used as an alternative to the de-burring tool for de-burring

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A typical file

Sandpaper & Steel Wool A step down from the file in terms of grinding power

Generally use low (60-100) grit to start out wood and plastic

Use appropriate grit for material and amount to sand down

Absolutely not for precision parts

Higher grit = finer sand

Use medium (120-180) grit for working wood, plastic, and grinding aluminum

High (220+) grit for finishing wood, plastic, and light work on aluminum

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Steel wool is excellent for “persuading” shafts and other slightly-too-big parts to fit

Beware of the steel dust that falls off when polishing; they will make electrical unhappy!

Various grades of sandpaperRolls of steel wool

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Assembly

Wrenches and A. Wrenches Generally used in pairs to tighten bolts and nuts

Avoid using the adjustable wrench when possible; slippage causes wearing on the bolt heads and nuts

Use appropriate measuring system (metric or English/standard/whatever) to avoid wearing down nuts and bolt heads

Alternative to ratchet when space is an issue

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Click to continue

A Wrench An Adjustable Wrench

Allen Keys Used to tighten and loosen socket-head bolts and screws

The ball-shaped end allows easy insertion to start off tightening

Comes in two flavors; Metric and English/Standard/Whatever

The flat end has greater potential for tightening torque due to long handle

Replace Allen keys in proper sets

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Your everyday set of allen keys

Screwdriver Used to tighten and loosen Slot and Phillips head screws

Phillips is used for Phillips head screws

Slot, or commonly known as flat, is used for slot head screws

Wider-diameter Phillips screwdrivers generally have flatter tips

Use proper judgment when selecting a screwdriver to avoid unnecessary head wearing

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A screwdriver Click to continue

RatchetUsed to tighten and loosen Hex head bolts

Fast and easy way to loosen and tighten bolts

Generally used in conjunction with a wrench on the nut/bolt head

Socket heads come in metric and English/standard/whatever

Use proper judgment when selecting a socket head to avoid wearing

To change socket heads, press and hold the release button on the back of the ratchet head

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Then remove the socket, fit the new socket head on completely, and release the release button

Ensure the ratchet stop is set in the proper directionTo change rotational direction, flip the switch on the back of the ratchet head to the other side of the headRemember to replace socket heads in their proper locations

Some ratchet

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Ratchet MV

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