10 Can you think of examples of simple electrical or mechanical work to be done at home where hand tools are needed? HAND TOOLS A hand tool is a tool which does not need electricity to work as it is operated manually. There is a huge variety of hand tools, both for electrical and mechanical work; they can be classified according to the operations they are used for. Action Tool Description Use Cutting Hacksaw A toothed saw whose teeth can face toward or away from the handle. To cut pieces of metal. To cut plastic raceways. Wire cutters They are made of two To cut pieces of insulated handles and electric wire. two blades. Hand sander A rectangular base with a handle on it and attachments on each side to hold abrasive sandpaper. In American English a spanner is normally called a wrench. Sanding Gripping, Pliers bending or manipulating Inserting, removing and tightening to bend: piegare. bolt: bullone DIY (Do-It-Yourself): faida-te flared: svasato to grip: stringere jaw: ganascia nut: dado raceway: canalina sandpaper: carta vetrata saw: sega slot: fessura to twist: torcere 32 COMMON GROUND They are made of two To twist and insulated handles and bend delicate two hard, flat metal components. parts, called jaws. To grip objects of various sizes. To hold and manipulate wires or small electric components. Screwdriver A tool made up of an insulated handle and a steel stick. It can have different tips for different purposes. Spanner To rub away material from a surface, making it smoother. To insert and remove screws. Slot flared tip screwdrivers are used to give extra strength. Slot parallel tip screwdrivers are used to fasten screws in long holes. Torx tip screwdrivers are employed with star-type screws. Phillips head screwdrivers are used for cross-head screws. A long, flat metal tool To turn nuts and bolts. with two ends. Fixed-end spanners have two different fixed heads. Adjustable spanners have a head which can be adjusted to fit nuts or bolts. Picture