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About This Quiz
Strap on your tool belt! Here are some common tools everyone should recognize and which every self-respecting do-it-yourselfer will know exactly how to use.
Humans have been making tools since prehistoric times. In fact, researchers credit the making and use of tools with playing a major role in our evolution. Some of the earliest types of tools, such as axes, are still in use today, holding their own against the advent of their powered counterparts.
Over time, tools have become specialized in their uses, and it is not uncommon to find that there are many varieties of the same tool. For instance, do you know how each of the various wrenches functions differently from the others? There are several of them in this quiz which we know you will spot in an instant.
Some tools are ingeniously designed to cover more than just one function - like the combination square, for example. We tend to put it to just a couple of uses, but there is so much more that baby can do. We're willing to bet you know just how to use it to its full potential - just like all the other tools in this quiz!
Whether you're a professional home improvement guru or a do-it-yourself weekend warrior, each of these tools and its use should be familiar to you. Come strut your stuff - take this quiz and show just how well you measure up!
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Indicating a horizontal or vertical surface
A level helps you to determine if a line is really straight - whether up and down, side to side or diagonally. A level is an essential tool when putting up a mantle over a fireplace, hanging a picture or doing any other jobs where “crooked” won’t be “chic.”
Pulling and lifting items
Cutting marks into wood
Breaking through walls
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Measuring a tire’s air pressure
Cutting trees and thick bushes
Breaking up hard surfaces
Pick up a pickax if your task is breaking up rocky ground or any other hard surfaces. The handle of a pickax is generally made from wood while the head is metal and features one pointed and one chiseled end.
Applying and removing filler material such as putty
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Crimping electrical wires and connections
Prying apart boards
Applying and spreading mortar or plaster)
Trowels come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to suit the particular job a mason needs to get done. For example, there are different trowels for applying cement, plaster or mortar. Aside from the ones used in masonry work, there are also those designed for use in the garden.
Precise tightening of nuts and bolts
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Loosening and tightening fasteners with hexagonal grooves
Fastening or holding items together
Zip ties may just be the very definition of “multipurpose!” They are put to a myriad of uses aside from their more official use of holding electrical cables in place. They also go by a variety of names, including: cable ties, wire ties, hose ties and zip straps.
Splitting shingles and timber
Boring holes in wood
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Holding an item in place
Also called a G-clamp, the C-clamp’s basic use is for holding a workpiece in place. It gets used in many other ways, however, including providing a firm grip when transporting heavy material.
Cutting plastic and metal pipes
Increasing the reach of a ratchet wrench
Cutting wires
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Indicating a horizontal or vertical surface
Cleaning debris from gutters
Clearing a blocked toilet
Measuring a tire’s air pressure
A tire pressure gauge is a must-have safety tool for every automobile owner, since proper inflation helps tires to perform at their best. It is recommended that you check the air pressure in your tires at least once a month.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Pulling nails
Cutting tiles
Every home repair “do-it-yourselfer” knows that cutting ceramic tile is one of the most daunting jobs to take on – if you don’t have the right tool. A snap tile cutter takes all of the stress and badly broken wasted tiles out of working with ceramic tiles.
Measuring a tire’s air pressure
Measuring 90- and 45-degree angles
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Smoothing and carving wood
Cutting wires
Loosening and tightening lug nuts
A lug wrench is used for loosening and tightening the lug nuts on a vehicle’s wheels. Lug wrenches are a type of socket wrench, and some lug wrenches (called spider lug wrenches) are built in a cross design with four different-sized sockets – one on each end.
Removing rust and old paint from metal surfaces
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Boring holes in wood
Pulling nails
The cat’s paw is a type of nail puller which is designed similarly to a crow bar but is generally smaller. Since the cat’s paw has the tendency to damage the wood around the nail it is removing, it is not recommended for use on a finished item.
Cleaning glass windows
Reaching hard-to-reach fasteners
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Sharpening and smoothing material
Fastening or holding items together
Measuring 90- and 45-degree angles
One of the primary functions of a combination square is measuring right (90-degree) and 45-degree angles. The “combination” in its name may be due to the fact that this tool can also be used as a ruler, a level and a scriber, as well as a way to find the center of a circular bar.
Applying and removing filler material such as putty
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cutting marks into wood
Sharpening and smoothing material
Cutting plastic and metal pipes
Considered a true toolbox essential, a hacksaw is a handy tool for when you need to cut metal or plastic pipes. Some hacksaws are adjustable to fit different length blades.
Increasing the reach of a ratchet wrench
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Crimping electrical wires and connections
A wire crimper connects two pieces of metal by squeezing them together so that one securely holds the other. Although they are sometimes referred to as “crimper pliers,” it is important to remember that ordinary pliers cannot replace wire crimpers if you want to properly crimp connectors together.
Lifting heavy objects such as a car
Cutting tiles
Turning soil
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Lifting heavy objects such as a car
Fastening or holding items together
Precise tightening of nuts and bolts
A torque wrench provides the precise amount of turning force required to tighten nuts and bolts. It is a crucial tool to have when the safe use of equipment depends on the how tight the fasteners are.
Making holes for planting seeds or seedlings
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Removing a damaged screw
Turning soil
A hand cultivator does double duty when you’re hard at work in your garden. Its sharp prongs will help you to turn over the soil in preparation for seed planting and will also help you to dig up and remove pesky weeds.
Measuring electrical voltage, current and resistance
Clearing sink and bathtub drains
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Stripping electrical insulation from wires
Gripping items while locked in position
Lifting heavy objects such as a car
Sharpening and smoothing material
Mill files are the most common type of file around, perhaps due to their multipurpose uses. They can sharpen flat knife blades of any size, as well as even out the teeth of a handsaw prior to sharpening it.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cutting tiles
Cleaning glass windows
The best window washers are designed to give a streak-free shine to architectural glass, whether it is a window or a sliding door, up high or down low. Window washers range from simple car windshield wiper types to the more efficient (and much less messy) vacuuming variety.
Filing in tight, irregularly shaped spaces
Pulling nails
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Loosening and tightening lug nuts
Filing in tight, irregularly shaped spaces
Applying and spreading mortar or plaster
Boring holes in wood
Also called a carpenter’s brace, the brace and bit has been around for centuries. In fact, the earliest depiction of a brace and bit is seen in a 1425 painting.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Sharpening and smoothing material
Measuring electrical voltage, current and resistance
The digital multimeter has several advantages over its analog (pointer) relative. These include being self-adjusting and far more accurate. It does, however, have the downside of being more expensive.
Reaching hard-to-reach fasteners
Boring holes in wood
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Making small holes in the ground
A lawn aerator is a handy device to have if you want to keep your lawn looking its very best. The manual rolling lawn aerator will break up the soil, allowing more air and water to penetrate deeper into the ground.
Precise tightening of nuts and bolts
Undercutting door jambs and baseboards
Splitting shingles and timber
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Measuring 90- and 45-degree angles
Cleaning debris from gutters
A gutter flusher takes much of the hard work and griminess out of cleaning gutters. They are typically designed long enough to give you sufficient reach, so all you need to do is connect your garden hose and blast away!
Increasing the reach of a ratchet wrench
Clearing a blocked toilet
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Applying and spreading mortar or plaster
Removing rust and old paint from metal surfaces
Prying apart boards
Stripping electrical insulation from wires
A good wire stripper takes all the frustration out of removing electrical insulation from electrical wires. A wire stripper is an indispensable tool for a professional electrician, but homeowners with a knack for “do it yourself” jobs find them pretty handy, too.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Gripping items while locked in position
A pair of locking pliers (a.k.a. vise grips, mole wrench) contain a sliding pivot which allows its jaws to be locked in place. Locking pliers make it much easier to grasp, turn and pull nuts and bolts.
Holding an item in place
Reaching hard-to-reach fasteners
Cutting trees and thick bushes
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Pruning hard-to-reach branches
Undercutting door jambs and baseboards
Drilling holes to the correct angle and depth
A pocket hole jig makes it super easy for you to drill angled holes (also called pocket holes) into a material. Many woodworkers prefer to use pocket holes when joining pieces of an item together, since pocket holes keep the screws neatly out of sight.
Cutting bushes
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Measuring electrical voltage, current and resistance
Picking up and holding metal objects
Removing a damaged screw
A stripped-screw remover or screw extractor is a real lifesaver when it comes to removing a rusted screw or one with a damaged head. Your trusty screwdriver simply won’t get the job done, but the right-sized screw extractor most definitely will.
Smoothing and carving wood
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Removing damaged or sealed nuts
Cutting and slicing material
Removing tacks and small nails
Pulling and lifting items
A winch uses a cable wrapped around a spool and turned by a crank (manual) or motor (automatic) to lift and haul objects. It can also provide the required muscle for helping to free a stuck vehicle.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Increasing the reach of a ratchet wrench
The ratchet extender fits in-between the socket and the wrench so as to increase the reach of the wrench. It’s very useful for getting at nuts and bolts in hard-to-reach areas.
Stripping electrical insulation from wires
Pulling nails
Applying and removing filler material such as putty
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Picking up and holding metal objects
Cutting small woody shrubs and branches
Drilling holes to the correct angle and depth
Cutting and shaping material
A power chisel makes light work of whatever jobs you would normally use a manual woodworking chisel to do. They are typically safe, easy to use and (best of all) they don’t require all that hammering!
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Removing tacks and small nails
Loosening and tightening fasteners with hexagonal grooves
Prying apart boards
Smoothing and carving wood
The adze is somewhat similar to an ax but with some variations in design and use. One major difference is that the head of the adze is set on one side of the handle, whereas the head of an ax goes across the handle.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Making holes for planting seeds or seedlings
Undercutting door jambs and baseboards
Undercut saws are typically used to cut the underside of doors and door jambs to make room for newly laid flooring. For this reason, they are also known as jamb saws or door jamb saws.
Crimping electrical wires and connections
Breaking through walls
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Magnet Expert
What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Removing damaged or sealed nuts
Clearing sink and bathtub drains
Making holes for planting seeds or seedlings
Picking up and holding metal objects
A heavy duty magnet is great for finding and retrieving metal objects. It functions very well as a stud finder when you need to locate metal studs beneath paint.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Splitting shingles and timber
Reaching hard-to-reach fasteners
Crowfoot wrenches make it easy to reach nuts and bolts tucked into places a typical wrench cannot get in to. They are especially useful when a nut or bolt must be gripped from the side due to insufficient headroom.
Pruning hard-to-reach branches
Making small holes in the ground
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Filing in tight, irregularly shaped spaces
A riffler file is quite often simply called a “riffler.” It is a double-ended small to medium-sized file which is ideal for working in tight spaces. Riffler files come in a variety of shapes and cross-sections to suit the space you are working in.
Stripping electrical insulation from wires
Cutting plastic and metal pipes
Cutting wires
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Measuring electrical voltage, current and resistance
Removing a damaged screw
Splitting shingles and timber
A shingle froe (or shingle and riving froe) is not the tool to reach for if you want to split a log in half. Just as its name suggests, the shingle froe is best used for splitting shingles off from a log, splitting small boards, or splitting long narrow clapboard.
Cleaning glass windows
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Smoothing and carving wood
Cutting small woody shrubs and branches
Billhooks have a long history in farming and forestry, performing pretty much the same functions as a machete. Billhooks are generally sharpened only on the inside of the blade, but double-edged billhooks are also available.
Loosening and tightening lug nuts
Removing tacks and small nails
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Clearing sink and bathtub drains
The hand auger or hand spinner is a type of plumber’s snake. It is used to clear clogs from sink, shower and bathtub drains.
Cutting trees and thick bushes
Pulling and lifting items
Picking up and holding metal objects
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cutting and shaping material
Cutting bushes
Removing damaged or sealed nuts
It’s a good idea to reach for a nut splitter when a nut has become seized onto a bolt or other fastener. It’s a quick, easy and stress-free way to remove the stubborn nut without doing damage to bolt underneath.
Gripping items while locked in position
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Turning soil
Indicating a horizontal or vertical surface
Lifting heavy objects such as a car
The scissor jack is a common tool used to gradually raise a vehicle off the ground. It gets its name from the fact that its mechanism resembles that of a pair of scissors. One advantage of the scissor jack is that it is compact and easy to store when not in use.
Loosening and tightening fasteners with hexagonal grooves
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Holding an item in place
Clearing a blocked toilet
Cleaning debris from gutters
Cutting trees and thick bushes
A pruning saw is ideal for trimming trees and shrubs which have branches thicker than 1.5 inches in diameter. A pruning saw with a blade which folds into the handle is a good choice if you need to carry it around with you.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Fastening or holding items together
Removing rust and old paint from metal surfaces
A needle scaler (also called a needlegun scaler) uses compressed air to drive a set of long chisel needles. It makes short work of chipping and removing rust and paint from metal surfaces.
Measuring 90- and 45-degree angles
Precise tightening of nuts and bolts
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Making holes for planting seeds or seedlings
A dibber, dibble or dibbler is quite simple to look at (just a pointed wooden stick) but it’s really very functional. The dibber helps you to quickly make same-sized holes for planting seeds, seedlings and bulbs. Some dibbers have measurements shown on them so you know how deep the hole is that you are making.
Cutting small woody shrubs and branches
Measuring a tire’s air pressure
Cutting and shaping material
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Breaking up hard surfaces
Making small holes in the ground
Pruning hard-to-reach branches
Loppers are long-handled scissors used for pruning twigs and branches (up to about 2 inches in diameter). The handles of loppers are typically 2 to 3 feet long.
Undercutting door jambs and baseboards
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cutting tiles
Removing tacks and small nails
The tack puller’s V-slot tip is meant for removing tacks, small nails and staples. It often gets called a “tack puller screwdriver” because of the look of its handle and shaft.
Filing in tight, irregularly shaped spaces
Removing rust and old paint from metal surfaces
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cutting and shaping material
Pulling and lifting items
Clearing sink and bathtub drains
Breaking through walls
When hammering jobs call for some real muscle, then it’s time to reach for your sledgehammer! This large, heavy hammer makes short work of demolition jobs such as knocking out exterior walls.
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Making small holes in the ground
Cutting small woody shrubs and branches
Applying and spreading mortar or plaster
Cutting wires
Wire cutters are actually a type of pliers known as diagonal pliers. They are also referred to as “dikes,” “side cutters” and “snips.”
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Turning soil
Cutting bushes
You don’t have to be cutting a path through the jungle to make use of a bush hook. This long-handled tool with a curved blade can easily cut through thick bushes anywhere they’re found.
Drilling holes to the correct angle and depth
Crimping electrical wires and connections
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Clearing a blocked toilet
Using a closet auger or toilet auger may be the next step to take when a clogged toilet proves too stubborn for your trusty old plunger. The closet auger is a type of drain snake specially designed so that it will not scratch the toilet bowl.
Loosening and tightening lug nuts
Removing a damaged screw
Cutting marks into wood
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Cleaning glass windows
Pruning hard-to-reach branches
Applying and removing filler material such as putty
The versatile putty knife gets put to many uses, such as applying and spreading wood filler, drywall taping compound and other filler material. Putty knives with a stiff, chiseled-edge blade are also suited to scraping away dried putty, paint and other residue.
Cutting bushes
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Prying apart boards
Crowbars go by several names, including jimmy, gooseneck and pry bar. Be careful when you called it a “jimmy,” however, as that name tends to be reserved for using the crowbar for breaking and entering!
Cutting plastic and metal pipes
Indicating a horizontal or vertical surface
Cleaning debris from gutters
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What is the tool shown in this image used for?
Breaking up hard surfaces
Gripping items while locked in position
Loosening and tightening fasteners with hexagonal grooves
It’s always a good idea to have a reliable set of Allen keys (a.k.a. hex keys) in your toolbox. You’re sure to come across bolts and screws with hexagonal groves in their heads if you are putting together ready-to-assemble furniture or working on a bicycle. In those cases, a regular screwdriver won’t be of much help.
Removing damaged or sealed nuts
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