Jargon Buster

Corded or Cordless?

Mains powered corded drills are available in 110v versions, for professional use, and 240v versions for general DIY use. These drills do not lose power or torque (as their cordless counterparts do) but they are limited by the requirement for
a cable and a mains supply.

Cordless drills are powered by a battery which needs to be mains charged.
Their performance will depend on the specification, battery size and Ah (amp hours) capacity. A 2.0ah battery, for example, will give 50% more running
time than a 1.3ah battery.

Rotary Hammer Drill (or Roto Hammer/Masonry drill)

This combines rotation with axial percussion to penetrate masonry. Generally, the chuck is designed to hold SDS carbide drills that have been designed to withstand
the percussive forces. Some styles of this tool are intended for masonry drilling only and the hammer action cannot be disengaged. Other styles allow the drill to be used without the hammer action for normal drilling, or hammering to be used without rotation for chiselling (also known as a 3 mode drill).

SDS Drill

Also a hammer drill, this is ideal for drilling into heavier duty materials. Choose from
‘2 mode’, percussion plus hammer, or ‘3 mode’, which enables chuck rotation to be stopped for chiselling.

Drill Driver

Ideal for screw driving and for drilling into wood or metal. The higher the torque (measured in Nm) the higher the power.

Combi Drill (or Cordless Hammer Drill)

This will do everything a drill driver will do, but it will also drill into masonry, concrete, stone and all other heavy duty materials.

Keyless Chuck

A chuck that can be opened and closed speedily, with your own hands, rather than needing a key.

Diamond Tip Drill/ Core Bits

Diamonds drill bits come in various sizes and are used to drill through extra hard surfaces. Core drills are used to create large holes, usually for pipework.

SAWS

Reciprocating Saw

Simply a powered version of a hand saw, the Recip saw is used mainly in the construction industry. Mains powered (110 or 240v) and cordless versions are available.

Jig Saw

This is a vertical saw with a blade that moves up and down (often with variable speed control). It is ideal for cutting curves, including stencilled designs, in wood or other materials. Mains powered (110 or 240v) and cordless versions are available.

Circular Saw

This uses a circular blade and incorporates depth adjustment to maximize blade efficiency. Some models have tilting bases to allow angled cuts. Blades are available for cutting wood and other materials (such as plastic and aluminium) though not masonry. Mains powered (110 or 240v) and cordless versions are available.

Chop Saw

This is used for cutting straight down into stone/ brickwork or even metal.
Note, If you’re cutting wood, you need to use a mitre saw.

Mitre Saw

Mitre saws have a circular saw blade mounted on a base for cutting straight,
angles (move the head left or right) and even bevels (tilt the head to one side).
When choosing a mitre saw, remember to consider what sort of materials you’re cutting, and to what depths. The mitre saw is generally used for cutting wood
but blades are also available for cutting plastics, veneers and aluminium.

Chain Saw

Petrol or mains (110/240v) powered, chain saws are used for clearing timber.

Ceramic tile cutter

Available in 110v or 240v formats, this type of saw uses diamond blades to cut tiles and bricks to size.

Diamond blades

These are used to cut hard or abrasive materials. They have a steel core with
cutting teeth formed from powder metal and diamond crystals, heated and pressed into a mould.

SANDERS

Sheet Sander

Sheet sanders come in three sizes - from a 1/4 sheet palm sander through a 1/3 sheet mid-size to a 1/2 sheet machine for bigger tasks. The sander is used mainly in wood working to smooth or round edges - use a high grit paper for a finer finish. Flat sanders are available in 110v and 240v versions, and many include additional features such as dust bags and variable speed settings.

Other sanders worth considering include belt sanders, corner sanders (with an ‘iron-shaped’ base), random orbital sanders (with round bases) and file sanders (with thin belt sanding surfaces). Multi-sanders with a variety of bases to suit the job you’re doing are also available.