Gets Me Out of Bed · No. 3
Tools get me out of bed.
An encyclopedia of the tools people use to make and fix things: what each one is, how it works, where it came from, which trade relies on it, and what the sources disagree about.
- 87
- tools documented
- 15
- trades
- 872
- dated events
- 92
- disputes recorded
By trade
All tradesWhat job are you doing? Each trade lists its core tools, with the entries written so far linked.
- TradeHome and householdThe small repairs, installations and maintenance of a dwelling: hanging, assembling, tightening, patching and replacing.
- TradeRough carpentry and framingBuilding the structural frame of a building in wood: walls, floors, roofs, sheathing, forms and decks.
- TradeFinish carpentry and cabinetryTrim, doors, stairs, cabinets, furniture and joinery: the visible woodwork, fitted to close tolerance.
- TradeElectricalInstalling, maintaining and repairing electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures to code.
- TradePlumbingPipe systems that carry water, waste, steam and gas: supply, drain, vent and fuel piping and their fixtures.
- TradeHVACHeating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration: the equipment, the refrigerant circuit and the sheet-metal ductwork.
- TradeMasonry and concreteBrick, block and stone laid in mortar, and concrete placed, consolidated and finished.
- TradeDrywall, plaster and paintWall and ceiling surfaces: board hung and finished, plaster and stucco applied, and coatings put on.
- TradeRoofingCovering roofs with shingle, slate, tile, metal and membrane, and the flashing that keeps water out.
- TradeMetalwork and weldingCutting, forming and joining metal: welding, brazing, soldering, flame and plasma cutting, and sheet-metal fabrication.
- TradeMachiningProducing precision parts by removing metal on machine tools, to tolerances checked with precision instruments.
- TradeDigital fabricationMachines that cut, carve or build parts from a digital file: 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers and mills, plasma and waterjet tables.
- TradeElectronics and computer repairDiagnosing and repairing electronic devices, computers and industrial electronics at the board and component level.
- TradeAutomotiveDiagnosing, adjusting, repairing and overhauling cars and light trucks.
- Reference onlyHeavy and civil constructionEarthmoving, foundations, roads, bridges, tunnels and the cranes that lift them. Documented for reference; no kits or buying.
By action
What does the tool do to the material? A chisel, a lathe tool and an end mill are the same idea.
From the archive
Oxy-acetylene welding rigA pair of gas cylinders with pressure regulators, two hoses and a hand-held torch that mixes oxygen and acetylene and burns them at a small tip to melt metal at the joint. A rod of filler metal is melted into the pool by hand.Earliest documented use: 1901–1903 (see disputed), France. Related entries linked.What is here, and what is not yet
87 tool entries are written out of a catalog of 1,259 planned. Kits, arguments, makers, history eras, the WorldSkills ledger, standards comparisons and the glossary are researched next. See About for method and status.