Tools

If building a cottage is the first large project you have attempted, you've probably been wondering what tools you should have. In the following paragraphs I am going to describe most of those that will be useful. Not all are essential.

You probably already own the essential ones. These are: hammer, screw driver, saw (crosscut, also ripsaw if possible), plane, bit and brace, chisel, pliers, file, try square, 6-foot rule, level, spatula. If you don't have all of these tools, I'd suggest that you get them.

Those odd jobs that you've been doing around the house have probably made you fairly familiar with the essential tools. But in case you have forgotten here is a quick review of how to use them.

The hammer is used to drive nails, to pull them out, and as a lever. When using the hammer to drive nails, be sure to tap the nail first in order to establish its direction, then drive the nail home. Hold the hammer near the end of the handle so that you get the maximum force from the swing. When removing nails from finished work, put a block of wood under the head so that the wood is not marred.

Screw drivers come in many sizes and shapes. Have several types in your toolbox. If you are trying to put a screw into hard wood, you'll find the job easier if you bore a small-diameter hole first. Another good starting device for-screws is an awl.

Saws are used to cut materials. The most common type is the panel saw. Depending on the set of the teeth, saws are usually classified as ripsaws or crosscut saws. You will use these saws to rip or cut most of the wood in your cottage unless you use power equipment. Compass saws, a smaller type, are used to make cutouts in a section of
material. Backsaws have a rigid steel back and are used for precision cutting. Unlike the panel saws, the compass and backsaws are usually held at right angles to the material being cut.

Planes are used to smooth wood surfaces and to take off excess wood that is too little to be cut with a saw. There are many types of planes, but the two most common ones are the jack plane and the block plane.

The block plane is usually used for short choppy cuts. The plane should be held firmly and a steady pressure should be applied. Unless you are purposely making something concave, don't let up on the pressure near the end of the board—follow through. When cutting across the grain, work from the edges to the middle. Running the plane through will split the end wood.

The brace and various sizes of bits are used to make holes. The brace, a cranklike tool, is usually held at the top by the left hand, the right hand doing the cranking. Unless you have an angular cut, be sure to hold the brace perpendicular to the wood. Wood bits usually have screw ends. There are some exceptions. The screw helps to pull the bit through the wood. If the material being cut is thin, use a backup board to prevent splintering of the wood on the back.
Chisels are used to rout pieces of wood and in making mortises. They come in various widths from 1/8 inch to 2 inches. They may be used in your hands or with a hammer. A chisel is particularly helpful in setting door hinges. When doing this work, lay the butt on the door edge and draw around it, outlining the section to be removed. Then go over the outlined area with the chisel, holding it perpendicular to the wood, the tapered section toward the part to be removed, and tapping the chisel with a hammer. Large pieces of wood are removed with a sliding action, the tapered edge being held against the wood. Finishing is done with a series of short strokes, working from the edge.

Pliers have many uses. They may be used to remove nuts from bolts, to pull out nails, and to hold various materials.

Files are steel tools with many ridges or teeth. They are used to smooth away wood or metal. The drawing shows some of the typical cross sections through various types of file. It would be well to have a couple of flat files in your toolbox. One file should have fine teeth; the other can be more coarse. You'll find them particularly helpful in removing jagged pieces of wood. You can also use them to do the rough sharpening of your tools.

Try squares are helpful in making square cuts of wood. Whenever you have a piece of wood to cut square, don't rely on your eye; use the try square.

The rule is used to measure distances. The 6-foot rule with an adjustable endpiece is particularly good. The sliding adjuster makes it possible to measure tight spots more accurately.

Levels are used to test surfaces for levelness. They usually contain one or more glass tubes with bubbles in them. By placing the level against the surface to be tested, you can tell whether a surface is horizontally level or vertically straight. Use it often; don't trust your eye.

Spatulas are useful in spreading wood fillers and paint. They are helpful when puttying windows.

Shovels are used for digging. The ends taper. Spades have broad square ends.

Pickaxes are used to break ground that is hard. They vary in weight.

Sawhorses provide a place to rest boards or panels for cutting.

Power Tools

The tools that I described in the previous section are essential. Power tools are a luxury. They will save you time and some backaches. There are three pieces of power equipment that I would like to have on any job. These are: tilting-arbor bench saw; 8-inch electric handsaw; electric drill. With these three pieces you will be able to do almost any type of work with wood. If you could also beg, borrow, or steal a belt sander and a band saw you'd really be in the luxury class.

Bench saws may have a metal top that tilts to 45 degrees, or a rigid top with a tilting arbor. That is, the blade tilts instead of the table top. This last type of saw is the best for my money. Your work is always level. There is never a chance that your work will fall off the table.

Besides the obvious blade, motor, and table top, most bench saws have a wheel or lever that raises and lowers the saw blade so that you can adjust the depth of the cut. There is a large metal guide, called a fence, which slides along the top of the table. Most saws also have a miter gauge for making diagonal cuts. Hanging over the blade there is a guard, which is supported by a splitter.

Even with the cheapest table saw it is worth getting some good blades. Because you will be making a variety of cuts while you are working, I'd suggest that you get a chisel-tooth combination-type blade. This blade should be made of chrome-nickel-molybdenum steel. If you are going to make the window frames on the job, you may also want a set of molding cutter heads and a dado set.

Electric handsaws are a real convenience. Whether you are cutting joists, rafters, flooring, or siding, you'll find this tool a real timesaver. While it is more limited in the work that it can do than the table saw, it is portable and can be used easily.

Most electric handsaws have a guide for ripping boards, a depth-of-cut adjustment, a tilting guide, a saw guard, and a sawdust blower. As with the table saw, be sure you use a good blade.

Electric drills have been tricked up so that they will do almost everything. Some
manufacturers seem to believe that with proper attachments everything can be done with a power drill. Personally, I don't believe it. Use the power drill to drill—not to cut wood. Buy the various attachments if you want to, but don't expect them to work satisfactorily on heavy work.

Belt sanders are ideal for finishing work. A good sander has an endless belt over 2 feet long and 3 inches wide. It is held in place by three drums. It is possible to buy a number of different types of belts with different surfaces. Either 0 (fine) or I (medium) grit will be satisfactory for the type of work you will be doing.

Band saws are useful in cutting irregular shapes. A good band saw will cut wood 6 inches thick and will cut to a depth of 2 feet. Any irregular or circular cuts that you have to make can be cut on this machine. The band saw usually has two large wheels around which an endless saw blade passes, a motor, and a table top. It is the least essential tool that I have described.

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