Tools, Equipment & Safety

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GCSE DT RevisionTools and Equipment in DT

Key facts

Woodworking and general tools

Tenon saw — straight accurate cuts in timber. Used with bench hook.
Coping saw — thin blade for curved cuts in thin wood and boards.
Chisel — removes wood to cut joints. Driven by mallet or hand pressure. Always cut away from yourself.
Smoothing plane — shaves thin layers for smooth flat surfaces.
Marking gauge — scribes a line parallel to an edge for accurate joints.
Try square + marking knife — accurate marking for straight cuts.

Metal, polymer, textiles and electronics

Hacksaw / junior hacksaw — cuts metal and polymer. Not for timber.
Pinking shears — zigzag blade cuts fabric preventing fraying. Jun 2023 Q19D.
Rotary cutter / paper guillotine — cuts paper and thin card straight and accurately.
Soldering iron — joins electronic components to PCB. Hot tip — always use stand, goggles, ventilate. Jun 2023 Q19B.
Centre punch — marks drilling start point on metal to prevent drill bit skating.
Vernier calliper / micrometer — precision measuring tools for close-tolerance work.

Exam questions — 4 questions · 10 marks · real AQA 8552 past papers

1 markPinking shearsAQA 8552 Jun 2023 Q19 — real question

Which tool cuts fabric with a zigzag edge to prevent fraying?

A Hacksaw

B Rotary cutter

C Pinking shears

D Tenon saw

4 marksSoldering iron use and safetyAQA 8552 Jun 2023 Q19 style

For a soldering iron: (a) describe its use in DT. (b) Give two safety precautions. (4 marks)

Hint: (a) What it does, what materials it joins, how. (b) Two distinct safety points — name a specific hazard OR a specific precaution. Two separate marks for two different points.

+40 XP

1 markChisel safety ruleAQA 8552 Jun 2023 Q19

What is the most important safety rule when using a chisel?

A Always secure work in a vice freeing both hands

B Always cut away from yourself with fingers behind the cutting edge at all times

C Only use a rubber mallet, never a wooden one

D Always wear chainmail gloves when chiselling

Woodworking and general tools

Metal, polymer, textiles and electronics

Module complete!