Construction Tools, Equipment and Workshop Practice
Construction Tools, Equipment and Workshop Practice tests correct selection, safe use and maintenance of hand and power tools.
Masonry and concrete tools
- Trowel lays mortar; float finishes plaster; plumb bob checks verticality; spirit level checks level; mason's square checks right angles.
- Concrete mixer: batch by volume or weight; a mechanical vibrator removes air; avoid over-vibration causing segregation.
- Steel work: use a bar bending schedule, bar cutter and bender; maintain correct hook and bend diameters.
Carpentry and workshop
- Saw, plane, chisel and mallet; support the work; keep blades sharp; use a push stick on machines.
- Power tools: check the guard, cable and earthing; never remove guards.
Worked example
A mixer produces 0.2 m³ per batch and takes 5 minutes per batch. In a 50-minute effective hour it makes 10 batches, so output = 10 × 0.2 = 2.0 m³/hour. For 8 m³, time = 8 ÷ 2 = 4 hours, before allowing for breakdowns and charging. Reason: use effective time, not the full 60 minutes.
Traps
Using a trowel as a float; checking level with a plumb bob; operating a grinder without a guard; and forgetting that mixer output is based on loose volume, not compacted concrete.