Introduction
Without wasting much time, let us get straight to our list of the five most used hardware tools in our homes:
History
Hammers come in at the top of our list of hardware tools that are most used. This is a tool which is used for delivering an impact to an object. Its most common used are hitting and driving nails into a surface, fitting parts and breaking up objects. These hardware tools come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and their function depends upon this. The most used type of hammer is the claw hammer, which is used for removing nails. Hammers are the kind of hardware tools that are most often seen to be operated by hand, but there are also those which are automated.
The screwdrivers are hardware tools that come in next. These are used for driving screws, and also for rotating other machine elements. The screw of this type of hardware tools can be of two main types – standard, or Philips. You will be surprised to see the difference in size between the tiny screwdrivers that are part of hardware tools used by jewellrs, and those that are large and made to fit the size of the screw they correspond to. Screwdrivers may be used solely by hand, or they may have electric elements and still be cordless.
Features
Pliers will definitely feature on a list of hardware tools that are used most often in our homes. These are used for multiple purposes, which include turning, bending, twisting, holding and also cutting objects. They are of many type and are used in a wide range of circumstances. The most common are gripping pliers, crimping pliers and cutting pliers. Those who work at making jewellery will also use pliers, such as round nose pliers, flat nose pliers etc. The size of pliers being used depends upon the purpose.
The wrench can come in fourth on this listing of most used hardware tools. Also called a spanner, this tool is used to turn objects, such as nuts and bolts. Open-end wrench and box-end wrench are probably the most common shapes in which spanners are made. These are operated manually. Often made of chromium-vanadium alloy, these are plated with an extra layer of chromium to prevent corrosion and to make cleaning easier. A spanner may also be sued to apply a torque to nuts and bolts to keep them in place and screw them on tight enough to prevent turning later.
Tips and comments
A voltage tester is a simple yet incredibly useful tools that occupies the last place on our list. It is used to test whether there in an electric flow through a circuit, at a particular point. The ideal voltage tester can take voltages up to 500 volts without being damaged. This tool is made up on an electric bulb that is connected with one or two insulated wires.
These tools mostly come in the form of screwdrivers, but there are more advanced types of voltage testers that require no direct metallic contact with the circuit – this makes them safer to use than traditional voltage testers.
