Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Measuring Tools
Tape Measure
Plastic or metal case, appropriate for
general scenic measuring
Tri Square
Used as a guide for marking 90-degree
angles
Combination Square
Used for marking 45- and 90-degree
angles
Bevel Protractor
Adjustable and used for marking 0 to
90-degree angles
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Measuring Tools
Framing Square
Used for checking accuracy of 90-degree
corner joints in flat construction
Bevel Set
Used for transferring angles from one
piece of work to another
Carpenter’s Level
Used to determine true horizontal and
vertical angles
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Marking Tools
Pencils
Either carpenter’s pencils or number two
yellows
china markers used for marking metal
wax pencils for lighting color media
Scribe
“Scratch awl” Used for marking wood,
metal, and plastic; can also be used to
make starter holes
Chalk line
Used to mark straight lines
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Hammers
Claw Hammer
Designed for inserting and removing
nails
Rip Hammer
Can be used for prying or ripping
apart previously nailed wood
Ball Peen Hammer
Used for bending and shaping metal
and seating rivets
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Hammers
Mechanic’s Hammer
Used for shaping metal
Tack Hammer
Used for inserting tacks, the face is
magnetized to hold tacks in place
Mallet
Wooden, plastic, or metal head, they
are used for driving chisels
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Saws
Crosscut Saw
Used to cut across the grain of wood
Rip Saw
Designed to cut parallel with the grain
of the wood
Backsaw and Miter Box
Fine-toothed crosscut saw, used with
the miter box for more accurate cuts
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Saws
Keyhole Saw
Used for making curvilinear cuts in stock
lumber
Coping Saw
Used for making fine, curvilinear cuts in
thin plywood
Hacksaw
Adjustable frame saw for cutting metal
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Utility Knife
Used to trim excess muslin from the edges
of flats as well as to cut out stencils and
other lightweight cutting projects
Scissors
Used to cut papers and fabrics
Tin Snips
Used to cut thin ferrous and nonferrous
strap and sheet metals
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Wood Chisel
Used for gouging, paring, or smoothing
wood
Cold Chisel
Used for cutting through, or shearing, mild
steel and nonferrous metals
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Planes
Block Plane
Used to smooth the ends (across the
grain) of boards
Smoothing Plane
Applied parallel to the grain of the
wood
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Planes
Spoke Shave
Pulled across the surface of the work
and used to soften or round sharp
edges
Surform Tools
Not really a plane or a file, they are
pushed across the work, cross-grain
or parallel
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Files
Wood Rasp
Used for rough shaping of wood
Wood File
Used for smoothing wooden and plastic
surfaces
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Cutting Tools
Files
Rat-Tail File
Can be used with wood, plastic, and metal
Metal File
Has very fine teeth for use on metal
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Drilling Tools
Bits
Twist-Drill Bits
Designed for use with either wood or
metal
Wood Bits
Designed for use in wood or soft plastic,
used with power hand drills or drill
presses
Auger Bits
Used with the brace for cutting holes in
wood
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Drilling Tools
Hole Saws
Used to center the saw in the work
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
C Clamp
Used for holding work together while the
parts are being assembled or while glue
dries’
Sliding Bar Clamp
Spring Clamp
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
Pliers
Slip-Joint Pliers
Used for clamping, gripping, bending, cutting
light wire
Linesman Pliers
Used for clamping, gripping, bending, cutting
light wire
Long-Nose Pliers
Useful for holding small objects in hard-toreach places
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
Locking Pliers
“Vise Grip” Used to grasp, lock, and hold almost any object
Diagonal Cutters
Used by electricians for cutting soft wire
Tongue and Groove Pliers
Used for holding metal pipe and tubing and other similar gripping jobs
Channel locks, spanners, Adjustable Arc-Joint Pliers
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
Wrenches
Open-End Wrench
Designed to fit nuts of specific standard or metric diameter
Box-End Wrench
Have a closed, toothed head that must be fit over the nut
Combination Wrench
Have one end open the other is closed
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
Adjustable-End Wrench
“Crescent Wrench” It adapts to fit any small to medium sized
nut
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Clamping Tools
Wrenches
Monkey Wrench
Adjustable, used on large nuts and other
work too large for the crescent wrench
Pipe Wrench
Used to hold or twist metal pipes
Socket Set and Ratchet Handle
Allows you to tighten and loosen nuts
without removing the socket from the nut
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Screwdrivers
Standard Screwdriver
Available in a variety of sizes
Philips Screwdriver
Four-flanged tip allows for more rotational
force
Nut Driver
Used for tightening small hex nuts on
bolts
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Misc Hand Tools
Wrecking bars (crow bar/wonder)
Used to pry wood apart and remove nails
Sandpaper
Used for smoothing wood, metal, and
plastic
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.
Chapter 8: Tools and Materials
Hand Tools: Misc Hand Tools
Staple Gun
Used for attaching muslin to flat frames and fabric to
furniture
Theatrical Design and Production
© 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.