Bradawl Tool: Definition, Uses, Parts, Application, Working & Different Types of Tips of Bradawl

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What is a Bradawl Tool?

Bradawl Tool: Definition, Uses, Parts, Application, Working & Different Types of Tips of Bradawl :- Bradawl is used for the purpose of marking and boring shallow and small holes or pilot holes (pilot holes guide nails and screws) in woodworks. Bradawl is a hand tool which resembles screwdriver but it is smaller than the screw driver. They consist of a shank, handle and chisel shaped point. The generally used tapered round tip bradawl is shown in Figure.

Uses of Bradawl Tool

They are mainly used for small to medium sizes screws holes. Pilot holes are frequently used because they prevent splitting and splintering, improve hole location accuracy and accuracy of execution, make easier to put screw than unmarked hard surface. Bradawls are similar to the awl but the only difference is that bradawl is flattened at tip for producing sharp chisel edge.

While using bradawl, their cutting edge are placed across grain of the timber for cutting the fibers and are rotated forward and backward for producing small holes which are suitable for the screws or nails.

Parts of Bradawl Tool

1. Bradawl Handle

The handles of bradawl are small in size and fit in the palm. They are shaped ergonomically therefore providing good grip to the user.

2. Bradawl Ferrule

The shank of the bradawl is set straight in the handle of the bradawl and the handle is secured to shank with the help of a ferrule. Ferrule is a cylindrical clamp which is usually of metal and is provided for holding the piece together. Ferrule pushes the wooden handle which avoids the loosening and opening of the shank.

3. Bradawl Shank

The shank of bradawl are generally of small size but there is no specification given for the size of bradawl shank but in general the length of the bradawl shank are taken approximately 1.25 inch.

4. Bradawl Tip

Generally chisel shaped tip is provided to the bradawl which is used for piercing and creating hole in the material.

5. Chisel Tip

The bradawl chisel shaped tip resembles tip of flat head screwdriver. The shank of bradawl was of round shape but by cutting the curved section from opposite of shank form point which is like double beveled chisel.

6. Tapered Square Tip

Square tip bradawl is also known as birdcage awl has their shank of square shape and four sides are taper to a point.

7. Pointed Tip

Pointed tip bradawl is also called as round point awl. At the end of the shank pointed tip is provided. These are tapered down for forming a point.

Different Types of Tips of Bradawl

There are three types of tips of bradawl. For differentiating them from one another, chisel tip are known as bradawl, square tip are known as birdcage awl and pointed tip are known as round point awl. All of them perform same work but the outcomes are slightly different in each case.

1. Bradawl

They have uneven sides which results in movement in two tiers in wood fibers. When the fibers are parallel to the flat edge, then the bradawl pushes them apart but when the fibers are adjacent to the flat edge then it reams the hole. The advantage of both reaming and separating the wood fiber are that huge fibers are left intact for screw or nail to embed well. They bores clean hole therefore chances of splitting of wood are very less.

2. Birdcage Awl

They are similar to the bradawl but their square shaped tip continuously reams the hole in place of pushing like bradawl. Due to continue reaming they create clean hole. Hole is tapered if the point is tapered which are very useful for insertion of nail or screw. They are considered as most effective woodwork tool because they create consistent holes.

3. Round Point Awl

They are used very less and are similar to other awl which is used for stitching awls. They are used in same manner of above two by just twisting and pushing. They separate fibers and make gap with shank. They are easiest and quickest in use but they can cause splitting because when the fibers began to separate, then the separation is encouraged.