Jeff Segal Cabinetmaker - Handmade furniture in the Arts and Crafts tradition

Hand tools

Workshop planes and chiselsHand-built cabinetmaking uses tools that a mediaeval craftsman would probably recognise without too much difficulty:

  • bench planes in metal or wood, for smoothing, squaring, edging and giving a crisp surface for finishing

  • specialist planes for moulding, grooving, rebating, shaping and cleaning up joints

  • scrapers for cleaning up difficult areas of grain

  • handsaws for accurate cutting of joints and components

  • bevel-edged chisels for producing dovetails

  • mortice chisels for making mortice and tenon joints

  • striking tools like mallets and hammers for applying force

  • marking and measuring tools for ensuring precision, and

  • drawing instruments for producing detailed designs.