Choose the right tool for the job. Otherwise you could damage the part you are working on, the tool, or yourself.
Wrenches are used to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts. There are three commonly used wrenches: the box, the open-end and the socket. Each one has special uses depending on the leverage needed and the tightness of the workspace. One other wrench, the adjustable or crescent wrench, should only be used if other wrenches aren’t available because it can slip off tight bolts or nuts.
Place a box wrench on a nut. The handle on a box wrench is longer than the open-end wrench. It is also bent, so you can get a full grip on the shank of the wrench. The head grips the nut at six points. This allows you to loosen very tight fasteners. Place an open-end wrench on a nut. Notice that the handle is shorter than a box wrench and that it grips the head at two points. This allows you easy access to fasteners. With its offset head, this a good wrench to use in very tight spaces.
The socket wrench is very popular because of its adaptability and ease of use. Place a socket wrench on a nut. You’ll notice that the socket has six or twelve internal teeth; the one with six is stronger. Socket wrenches always need an attachment to turn them. A range of these attachments is included in socket tool sets, making this the workshop’s most versatile wrench.
Examine a flat blade screwdriver. Make sure that the tip fits the slot of the screw correctly. The wrong screwdriver could slip, or damage the head of the screw. If the screwdriver is the correct size, it will fit neatly into the slot with the blade the same width. This will prevent the screwdriver from jumping out of the slot when pressure is applied.
A Phillips screwdriver has a cross on the end of the shaft that fits the star-shaped slot of the screw. A Phillips head can be pushed and twisted with more confidence because of the snug fit, but again the screwdriver must be the right size otherwise you strip the screw head.
The hammer you use depends on the part you’re striking. The hammer face MUST ALWAYS BE SOFTER than the part you’re hammering. This will prevent damage to the part. Hammers are a vital part of the workshop tool kit, and the ball-peen is used a great deal.
The ball-pein hammer gets its name from the ball on the rounded face. It’s usually used for flattening, or “peening”, a rivet. If you can’t find a hammer that matches the size of the job, pick a larger hammer as a rule of thumb.
For certain hammering jobs you would choose a Plastic Hammer. A steel hammer might mark or damage a part especially if it’s made of a softer metal like aluminum. The softer heads will not damage metal parts, and will absorb some of the force of the blow. Some are very soft with rubber or plastic heads. Others will use brass or copper.
Pliers are used for grasping and cutting. Combination pliers are the mostly commonly used in a workshop. However, sometimes you’ll use channel lock pliers. They’re useful for a wider grip and a tighter squeeze on parts too big for conventional pliers.
Diagonal cutting pliers are used for cutting wire or cotter pins.
Long-nosed pliers are used for hard-to-get-at places.
And Snap ring pliers remove snap rings.
Source: CDX Global
