Every common power tool has a hand-powered ancestor, and a brace and bit, crosscut and rip saws, a bow saw and hacksaw, a hand plane and chisels cover most of the same work without electricity. A brace and bit delivers high torque by hand and never runs out of charge, so take one when you find it, and always clamp the work and keep both hands behind every cutting edge.
Part of Tool Identification & Repair
Hand tools predate electricity by centuries, work from a standing start and fail in ways that can be repaired. Matching each power tool to its manual ancestor is the first step in a workshop that runs without a battery.
Each Power Tool Maps To A Hand Tool That Does The Same Work More Slowly
| Power tool | Manual alternative | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Drill or driver | Brace and bit, hand drill (eggbeater), push drill | The brace and bit gives the most torque |
| Circular saw | Crosscut saw, rip saw | Different teeth for across the grain and with it |
| Reciprocating saw | Bow saw, hacksaw, keyhole saw | Bow saw for wood, hacksaw for metal |
| Jigsaw | Coping saw, fret saw | Curved cuts in thin material |
| Angle grinder | Files, hand-cranked bench grinder, sandstone wheel | Slow but effective |
| Belt or orbital sander | Sandpaper on a block, scraper, hand plane | A plane flattens faster than sanding does |
| Router | Chisels, hand plane, scratch stock | Needs more skill |
| Impact driver | Screwdriver, impact-rated hand driver | Drill pilot holes to lower the effort |
The brace and bit is a U-shaped crank with a chuck that holds a bit. The parent article calls it the most powerful hand-operated drilling tool, producing more torque than any cordless drill; auger bits for it cut hardwood easily. Bits are covered at Drill Bits.
What You Need
- A bench, vise or clamps. Hand work needs a held workpiece.
- Sharp tools. A sharp chisel or saw is safer than a dull one; see Sharpening.
- A mallet, not a metal hammer, for striking chisels.
- Eye protection and gloves for metal work.
Method: Hold, Mark, Cut, Check
Step 1: Hold the work. Clamp it to a bench so both of your hands are free and stay behind the cutting edge.
Step 2: Mark the cut with a pencil or scribe line and a square.
Step 3: Start the cut gently. Use a few light strokes of a saw to form a groove; for a drill, start with a pilot mark.
Step 4: Let the tool work. Long, even strokes with the saw; a steady crank on the brace. With a hacksaw, cut slowly with even pressure on the forward stroke only.
Step 5: Check progress often, and clear chips so the tool does not bind.
Step 6: Chisel carefully. Cut away from your body, with the work held and both hands behind the edge. Use light cuts rather than one deep cut.
Common Mistakes
- Holding the work with one hand and cutting with the other. The tool slips toward the hand that holds the work.
- Striking a chisel with a split or loose handle. The handle breaks or the blade comes free.
- Pressing hard with a dull saw. It wanders and binds.
- Hammering a chisel with a metal hammer. Hardened chisel heads chip and throw fragments.
Safety
Sharp edges slip, and hardened chisel heads chip
A chisel or saw slipping off the work goes toward the hand that holds it, so clamp the work and keep both hands behind the edge. A mushroomed chisel head or a hardened tool struck with a metal hammer can throw fragments, so wear eye protection, dress the head and use a mallet for wood chisels. Grind or file metal outdoors with eye protection, and never use a cracked grinding wheel.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Generator & Solar Options — when power is worth supplying
- Combine with: Sharpening — keeping the edges that make hand tools work