Bricklayers Tool Set
Brick Trowel
Brick trowels come in many shapes and sizes ranging between ten and fourteen inches. One side of the trowel in good quality trowels is hardened, you can get both left and right-handed trowels but this is uncommon nowadays, the reason they are hardened is that they can be used for rough cutting, however this use is not advised for the beginner. The measurements of the actual blade size and the width of trowel also varies and people new to the trade will often find that a narrower trowel is easier for them to use.
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Pointing Trowel
This is a smaller version of the brick trowel but with both edges being straight, these are used for certain types of pointing or to add a finish to the brick work.
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Spirit Level
Spirit Level This will be the most expensive part of the tool kit. It is used to check the brickwork as it is laid to check that the bricks are level (horizontal) and plumb (vertical). The Typical sizes for everyday work are 900 or 1200 millimeters long.
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Boat Level
A Boat Level is similar to the Spirit Level above, it has two bubbles, (one for leveling, the other for plumbing) but is smaller. It is used for mainly decorative panels and soldier brick courses.
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Line and Pins
These are used as the wall is being built up to provide a guide for the bricks between the pins. The pins are tapered at the ends to allow them to be inserted into mortar joints. It is important that the line is kept free of knots and clean of mortar. The line is also used (without the pins) with the corner blocks (below) where a wall is being built up between two corners.
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Corner Blocks
Corner Blocks are used in pairs as an easy method of holding the line up between the corners of the brickwork.
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Tingle Plate
Tingle Plates are used for holding the line up over long lengths of walling to remove any sag. The plain end is held down with a brick on top of laid courses and the string line is threaded through the cut outs. you can get small plastic "throwaway" ones as apposed to the large metal ones.
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Club/lump Hammer
Used with either a bolster or cold chisel. For cutting or removing bricks from existing brickwork.
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Bolster
Used for cutting bricks. Eye protection must be used at all times. The end of the handle should never be allowed to mushroom. The handle end should be kept free from mushrooms by a grinding wheel which can also be used to keep the cutting edge sharp.
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Cold Chisel
Similar to a bolster but with a smaller blade, used more often for cutting into brickwork after it has been laid e.g. for letting in services. Again maintenance and safely procedures should be followed the same as for the bolster.
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Gauge Rod
Inexpensive as you make it yourself. A length of timber with the vertical spacing of the bricks marked along one edge. Used when working from both ends of a wall to ensure that the courses are equal.
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Brick Bat Gauge
Another inexpensive tool which is able to be made. Easy to use when a lot of cutting is required and maintains a regular size to the cuts. The one illustrated is made for the three most basic cuts used. Half bat, three quarter bat and closer.
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Brick Hammer and Skuch
Brick and Skuch are two similar types of hammer, one with a fixed head, the other with detachable blades. When the teeth have worn down, the blades can be renewed. They can be used for a number of jobs:
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- Tidying the edges of cuts to leave a clean edge.
- For what is known as chasing, i.e. letting cables into walls before plastering - although electric chasing tools are now more commonly used.
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Jointing Tools
Used for putting a finish to the joints in brick work. A half-round joint is also known as a bucket handle finish.
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All of the above data was taken from Wikipedia
wikipedia.org
