Saws, chisels and the tools you buy after you have used someone else's.
REQUIRED
Generic · Cat's Paw
FIRST YEAR
Digs out set nails you can't get a claw under. Expect it to damage the surrounding wood.
Generic · Angle Grinder
FIRST YEAR
Cuts rebar, tile and steel, grinds welds, removes rust. Always use the guard and a face shield.
Heads-up Corded models cost far less and never run flat — worth it for a tool used in bursts.
Generic · Awl
FIRST YEAR
Starts screw holes, marks layout points and scribes lines. Cheap and always in the pouch.
Generic · Back Saw
FIRST YEAR
Stiff spine keeps the cut straight. Use it with a mitre box for joinery and trim.
Generic · Bar Clamp
FIRST YEAR
Long reach for glue-ups and pulling walls together. Buy two before you buy one.
Heads-up Buy clamps in pairs — one clamp is rarely enough.
Generic · Block Plane
FIRST YEAR
Trims end grain, eases edges and fixes a door that binds. The one plane worth carrying.
Generic · Butt Chisel
FIRST YEAR
Short blade for hinge and strike-plate mortises in tight spots. Keep it sharp.
Generic · Caulking Gun
FIRST YEAR
Seals joints and gaps. A dripless model with a smooth rod is worth the few extra dollars.
Dewalt · Circular Saw
FIRST YEAR
The framing workhorse — rips and crosscuts lumber and sheet goods. 7-1/4" blade is the site standard.
Heads-up Big purchase — corded models cost noticeably less if you're not already on a battery platform.
Generic · Cold Chisel
FIRST YEAR
Cuts and breaks metal or masonry. Never use it on wood, and never use a wood chisel on metal.
Generic · Coping Saw
FIRST YEAR
Cuts the profile on inside corners of trim so the joint closes tight when the framing moves.
Generic · Dead Blow Hammer
FIRST YEAR
Shot-filled head does not rebound. Moves assembled work without marking it.
Generic · Digital Caliper
FIRST YEAR
Reads to a thousandth for stock thickness, bolt diameter and bit sizing.
Generic · Drywall Knife
FIRST YEAR
Spreads and feathers compound over tape and screw heads. A 6 in. and a 10 in. cover most work.
Generic · F-Clamp
FIRST YEAR
Quick to set for holding stock while you cut or fasten. Pad the jaws on finished surfaces.
Heads-up Buy clamps in pairs — one clamp is rarely enough.
Generic · Fall Arrest Harness
FIRST YEAR
Full-body harness to CSA Z259.10. Required above roughly 3 m on most Canadian sites — the exact trigger height is set by your province.
Heads-up Never wear fall protection you have not been trained on. Working at Heights (or your province’s equivalent) is required before you go up, and it is usually employer-paid. Employers normally supply and inspect the gear, and a harness is scrap after any fall.
Generic · File Set
FIRST YEAR
Cleans up metal edges, burrs and dull tool edges. Keep a wire brush with it.
Generic · Finishing Hammer
FIRST YEAR
Smooth face, lighter swing. Use this anywhere a mark on the wood would show.
Generic · Flush Cut
FIRST YEAR
Trims dowels and plugs level with the surface without scratching it. Blade has no set.
Generic · Hand Scraper
FIRST YEAR
Leaves a cleaner surface than sandpaper on hardwood, with no dust. Learn to turn the burr.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Generic · Heated Jacket
FIRST YEAR
Genuinely changes outdoor winter work. Buy it in the brand your cordless tools already use so the batteries and charger are shared.
Heads-up Heated jackets run off tool batteries and each brand fits only its own — another reason to settle your platform first.
Generic · Hole Saw Kit
FIRST YEAR
Large clean holes for pipe, cable and pot lights. Back the cut to stop the tearout.
Generic · Jigsaw
FIRST YEAR
The only saw that cuts curves and inside cutouts. Blade choice matters more than the tool.
Heads-up Cordless models lock you to a battery platform — match the one your drill already uses.
Generic · Laser Distance Measure
FIRST YEAR
One-person measuring across a room. Not a replacement for a tape at close range.
Generic · Masonry Bit Set
FIRST YEAR
Carbide tips for concrete and brick. Use them in hammer mode only.
Dewalt · Mitre Saw
FIRST YEAR
Accurate crosscuts and angles for framing and trim.
Heads-up Usually a site or shop tool — ask your crew before buying your own.
Generic · Nail Sets
FIRST YEAR
Sinks finish nails below the surface without denting the wood. Get a three-size set.
Generic · Oscillating Multi-Tool
FIRST YEAR
Undercuts door jambs, plunge-cuts drywall, scrapes adhesive. The tool for cuts nothing else can make.
Generic · Plumb Bob
FIRST YEAR
Still the simplest way to transfer a point down through a floor. No batteries to die.
Generic · Pull Saw
FIRST YEAR
Japanese-style saw that cuts on the pull stroke — thin kerf, clean finish and trim cuts.
Generic · Random Orbital Sander
FIRST YEAR
Leaves no swirl marks. Hook it to a vacuum or you will breathe the entire job.
Generic · Rasp
FIRST YEAR
Removes wood fast where a plane can't reach. Follow with a file, then sandpaper.
Dewalt · Reciprocating Saw
FIRST YEAR
Demo saw — cuts whatever's in the way: wood, nails, pipe. Blade choice matters more than the tool.
Heads-up Often a crew tool — ask before buying your own.
Generic · Sanding Blocks
FIRST YEAR
Keeps the surface flat instead of following your fingers. Better finish than sanding by hand.
Generic · Sawhorses
FIRST YEAR
A pair of folding horses gives you a bench anywhere. Cut into them; that is what they are for.
Heads-up Buy in pairs — one sawhorse holds nothing.
Generic · Screw Organizer Case
FIRST YEAR
Sorted fasteners save more time per day than any power tool.
Generic · Sharpening Stone
FIRST YEAR
Chisels and planes are consumables until you can sharpen. A dull edge is more dangerous than a sharp one.
Generic · Shock Absorbing Lanyard
FIRST YEAR
Energy-absorbing lanyard to CSA Z259.11. Double-leg lets you stay tied off while you move.
Heads-up A harness alone stops nothing — the lanyard, the anchor and the clearance below you are one system. Get trained on all of it, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for every piece.
Generic · Shop Vacuum
FIRST YEAR
Silica dust is a lung hazard, not a housekeeping issue. A vac with a HEPA filter is worth the extra cost.
Generic · Sliding T-Bevel
FIRST YEAR
Copies any angle off existing work and transfers it to your cut. Essential for renovation work.
Generic · Spokeshave
FIRST YEAR
Shapes curves and rounds edges by hand. Specialty tool for curved work.
Heads-up Shop or bench tool — most site carpenters never carry one.
Generic · Staple Gun
FIRST YEAR
Fastens house wrap, insulation and underlay. Manual is fine until you're doing it all day.
Generic · Step Bit
FIRST YEAR
Drills clean stepped holes in sheet metal and panel boxes without grabbing.
Generic · Try Square
FIRST YEAR
Checks 90° on stock and marks crosscuts. Keep it out of the bottom of your bag so it stays true.
Generic · White Rubber Mallet
FIRST YEAR
Persuades parts together without marring them. White rubber won't leave black streaks.