Meet tools by the job they do.

Look at the work first: what must be marked, held, changed, or checked? An adult chooses and sets up each real tool.

Start with a question

A tool is useful when you can name its job and point to the workpiece. Choose a family below, then ask an adult to show you the exact tool and its current instructions.

Reference edgeCheck the line

Keep the square against the same edge when you mark and check.

Tape, rule, square

Measure & mark

Use a rule, tape, or square to put the cut or hole in the right place.

Ask: Which edge will you measure from?

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Adult-set clamp

Predict where the parts may move.

Draw the pressure direction before an adult gently tests the setup.

Clamps, bench hook, mat

Workholding

Keep the board still so the next step is easier to see and control.

Ask: Where could the parts shift?

Open the full tool guide

Find the toolCrosscut, backsaw, copingLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Crosscut, backsaw, coping

Hand saws

Learn how a supported board and a clear line help a hand saw track.

Ask: Can you see the line and the supported board?

Open the full tool guide

Find the toolDrill, bit, driverLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Drill, bit, driver

Drill & drive

See what pilot holes, bits, and drivers do before fastening parts.

Ask: Where is the marked hole, and who controls the drill?

Open the full tool guide

First grit
look for scratchesNext grit
compare againFinal check
same light

Change one grit at a time and check the prepared sample after each step.

Blocks, sheets, dust control

Sanding

Compare grit numbers and learn how scratches disappear step by step.

Ask: How does the scratch pattern change?

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No glue: place the prepared partsLook for a gap or a shifted edge.

Point to the mating edges before an adult decides the next check.

Glue, dowels, pilot holes

Joinery

Dry-fit parts, check the corners, and see how glue and fasteners hold a joint.

Ask: Do the prepared parts meet without a gap?

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Find the toolRasp, spokeshave, routerLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Rasp, spokeshave, router

Shaping

Change an edge or curve a little at a time with the workpiece held securely.

Ask: What small change does the edge need?

Open the full tool guide

Find the toolHand plane, scraperLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Hand plane, scraper

Planes & edges

Read an edge, set a reference face, and remove a thin shaving with control.

Ask: Which face is the reference?

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Control
untouchedSanded
record gritFinished
adult selected

Keep a label beside each prepared zone so the comparison makes sense later.

Brush, cloth, labels

Finishing

Test color and sheen on scrap before a finish touches the real project.

Ask: Which sample is the control?

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Find the toolVacuum, mask, airflowLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Vacuum, mask, airflow

Dust & air

Trace where dust travels and set collection, ventilation, and cleanup before sanding.

Ask: Where will dust go before you start?

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Find the toolEye, ear, stop signalLook at a complete real tool with an adult.

Eye, ear, stop signal

Safety setup

Name the protection, stop signal, cord path, and workholding plan before motion starts.

Ask: What is the stop signal?

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Need: stop pencils rolling off the desk

Flat stripNo raised side to stop a roll.

Shallow trayRaised sides give the pencil a stop.

Fold a paper trayA one-minute model is easy to change before cutting wood.

1 · Check fitDoes your longest pencil fit inside?

2 · Check the rollGently nudge a pencil sideways. Does the raised side keep it in?

Change what failedToo short? Make it longer.Rolled over the side? Fold that side taller.Too wide? Make it narrower.

Try these checks with your paper model. You’ll learn more about its shape and size before using wood.

Sketch, template, story stick

Design tools

Sketch the object, test the constraints, and carry one clear reference to the bench.

Ask: What should the finished object do?

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