BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Hand Tools Picture / Diagram Possible use during set construction
Tenon Saw Could be used to cut wood, joints
and Tenon joints.
Coping Saw Could be used to cut intricate
shapes and interior cut-outs in
woodworking or carpentry. It can
also be used to cut mouldings to
create coped joints.
Steel Ruler Could be used as an effective
measuring tool that would assist
in making architectural drawings
to a scale other than full size.
These drawings would include the
set/stage, hall, diagrams, etc.
Carpenters Square Could be used to help lay out a
variety of elements of wood
construction jobs such as rafters,
roofing and staircases. It could
also allow the person to
measure/define angles and lay
out the edges and details of a
square.
Mitre Square Could be used as a tool to mark
out angles for mitre joints. It also
has two blades which are
adjustable to any angle, making
them very useful.
Safety Considerations
Ensure hands are a safe
distance from the blade
and use protective eye
wear such as goggles to
protect the eyes from
flying material
Can also use a clamp to
hold the item still and
place the other hand on
top of the clamp. This way,
the hand is safely out of
the way but the item
shouldn't move or wobble.
Protective eye wear
should always be worn
when using a coping saw.
Any material that needs to
be cut with a coping saw
should be secured to a
stable surface with a
clamp. When using the
saw, ensure that the hand
that isnt holding the saw is
kept away from the cutting
area.
Handle with care; dont cut
fingers on the edges of the
ruler as they can be sharp.
The same principles apply
to the carpenters square
as they would with the
steel ruler - handle with
care; dont cut fingers on
the edges of the ruler as
they can be sharp.
The edges can be sharp
so handle with care.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Plane Could be used for a variety of
things, such as shaping wood,
flattening, reducing the thickness
of, and imparting a smooth
surface to a rough piece of
lumber or timber. Can also be
used to produce horizontal or
vertical flat surfaces on work
pieces that would otherwise be
too large for shaping.
tape measure Could be used to measure the
distances, height, size, width, etc.
of stage/set objects and items.
chisel Could be used to for carving or
cutting a hard material such as
wood, stone, etc. Can also be
used to sand/flush rough edges.
mallet Could be used to secure pieces of
wood together by bluntly striking
the pieces until they fit into holes
and other openings.
Hammer Could be used for a variety of
purposes such as general
carpentry, framing, nail pulling,
cabinet making, assembling
furniture, upholstering, finishing,
riveting, bending or shaping
metal, etc.
Also make sure you wear
safety glasses and use a
clamp to lock the wood in
place, instead of relying on
the firmness of your
hands.
The material of a tape
measure can appear to be
flimsy, but the precise
edges of the tape can be
very sharp/rough. Handle
the tape measure
carefully, and avoid
grabbing the sides roughly
with your fingertips.
Wear eye protection and
keep both hands back of
the cutting edge at all
times when using the
chisel.
Always keep the work
area free of debris and
other objects that can
cause trip or slip hazards.
Also wear suitable eye
protection.
Before using the hammer,
ensure that its handle is
not loose, cracked or
splintered. Also make sure
that you wear appropriate
eye protection.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Hack Saw Could be used for many different
purposes such as cutting metal,
plastic, wood, etc.
File Could be used for smoothing,
sanding or forming objects,
especially of metal.
MortiseGauge A mortise gauge is a
woodworking tool used by a
carpenter or joiner to scribe
mortise and Tenon joints on
wood, before to cutting.
Sliding Bevel Can be used to duplicate an
existing angle, or adjust an angle
by using it with other measuring
tools such as a protractor, framing
square, etc.
Threading Tap Can be used to cut threads on the
inside of a hole. Can also be used
to restore an internal thread that
has been damaged. It can also be
used to cut a new, larger thread.
Always wear protective
gloves and eye protection
when using a hacksaw to
minimise any chance of
injury.
Always handle with care
and wear goggles if
necessary.
Make sure your hands are
steady otherwise when the
gauge sits square on the
wood, its pin will dig in,
follow the grain, wobble,
and give the wood a jerky
cut.
Sharp edges handle with
care.
The cutting edge is sharp
and therefore must be
handled delicately.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Threading Die The threading die is used to cut a
thread on a rod, which creates a
male threaded piece which
functions like a bolt.They can also
be used for cleaning up damaged
threads.
G Clamp Can be used for clamping work
securely to a surface/workbench
top. They can also be used to
hold parts together whilst the glue
is drying. The clamp is tightened
by turning the small bar which
turns the threaded rod.
Centre Punch Can be used for making small
indentations in metal, usually to
mark the centre of a point for
drilling on metal.
Bench Hook Can be used to keep the wood
from moving or sliding when
sawing wood by bracing against
both the surface the hook is held
on and against the wood itself.
Staple Gun Can be used to drive heavy metal
staples into wood, plastic, or
masonry. Staple guns are used
for many different applications
and to affix a variety of materials,
including insulation, house wrap,
roofing, wiring, carpeting,
upholstery, craft materials, etc.
Can be heavy so handle
delicately.
Wear safety goggles and
ensure that the swivel at
the end of the screw turns
freely before using. Also
dispose of clamps with
bent frames as they will
gradually weaken.
Safety glasses must be
used to protect eyes from
small pieces of shrapnel or
debris.
Ensure that the wood is
locked in it tight so that it
doesnt fall or knock over
other objects.
Wear safety
glasses/goggles. If the
staple gun has a lock,
make sure it is locked. If it
is an electric staple gun,
make sure it is unplugged.
Hold the staple gun firmly
by the sides, keeping your
fingers away from the
trigger to minimise the
chance of injury.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Metal work Vice Can be used to clamp metal
instead of wood.
Wood Work Vice Can be used to clamp wood
instead of metal.
POWER TOOLS Picture / Diagram Possible use during set construction
Mainly used for cutting wood,
but can also be used for
cutting other materials.
Circular Saw
Used for making holes in
various materials. It can also
be used for fastening various
materials together with the use
of fasteners.
Cordless Drill
Make sure that the metal
work vice is attached to
the workbench correctly
otherwise the metal may
slide/fall out and land on
the floor, weakening the
structure.
Ensure that the wood work
vice is securely attached
underneath the
workbench, instead of on
top, with the upper edge of
the jaws level with the
surface of the workbench.
Safety Considerations
Check the retracting lower
blade guard to make sure
it works freely. Ensure that
the blade is sharp enough
to do the job as sharp
blades work better and are
safer. Check the saw for
proper blade rotation, and
always wear safety
goggles.
Always wear safety
goggles and avoid loose
clothing. Use a clamp or a
vise to hold your work as
its safer and will enable
both hands for operating.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
An electric screwdriver is
normally used for light
assembly applications such as
electronics and medical
manufacturing.
Electrical screw driver
Can be used to drive nails into
wood or some other kind of
material.
Nail Gun
Can be used to make
crosscuts and angled cuts in
pieces of wood. Can also be
used to cut hard materials,
such as metals.
Chop Saw
It can be used for cutting
different types of metal. There
are also different blades that
have different purposes, such
as general woodcutting,
scrolling and non-ferrous or
ferrous metal-cutting blades.
Its most common use would
be for making curved or
irregular cuts.
Band Saw
Keep the handle of the
screwdriver clean and
intact to allow for a solid
grip.
Only use a nail gun that
has a sequential trigger
mechanism. Never aim
or fire a nail gun if
anyone is near you. Do
not press the trigger
unless the nose of the
gun is pressed firmly
against the work
material. Never hold
your finger near the
trigger when carrying
the nail gun.
Always wear eye and
face protection. Ensure
that all guards are in
place and working.
Hands and fingers must
be kept clear of the path
in which the blade
travels.
Always wear safety
glasses. Avoid loose
fitting clothing such as
long sleeved shirts, that
could get caught or get
in the way of the band
saw blade.One hand
should be on each side
of the stock, easing it
through the blade.
Never place your hand
directly in the cut line.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes

Can be used for cutting Always wear eye

intricate curves where a jigsaw
or coping saw wouldnt be
appropriate for the task. It is
also capable of creating curves
with edges.
Scroll Saw
protection. Before you
turn on the scroll saw,
make sure that the
blade tension is properly
adjusted to keep the
blade from bending or
breaking. When cutting,
always keep hands
away from the saw
blade.

Always wear safety

Can be used primarily for
cutting intricate shapes and
patterns in a variety of
Jig Saw materials and objects.
goggles. If a blade
snaps or bends, insert a
new blade. Always
unplug an electric jigsaw
or remove the batteries
from a cordless jigsaw
before making any
adjustments.

Always wear eye

protection. Keep the
Can be used as a hand-held work surface area clear
power tool for sanding woods of all unnecessary tools,
Orbital Sander and other materials. debris, mess, etc.
Protect your eyes and
hearing by wearing safety
goggles and ear
protection.
The electrical planer has a
small variety of uses, including After turning the tool off,
levelling joists, fitting doors and protect yourself and the
for general small planing jobs. blades by setting the front
shoe of the planer up on a
Electrical Planer wood block while the
spinning cutter head stops.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Drill bits can be used to drill
holes in metal, hardwood, and
most other materials at higher
Drill Bits cutting speeds than carbon
steel bits. They are also much
more resistant to heat than
high carbon steel.
Can be used to cut perfectly
round holes in a variety of
materials. They can cut holes with
much larger diameters than
traditional drill bits and as they
only cut out the perimeter line of
the hole, they are much more
efficient than a spade drill or twist
drill.They are mostcommonly
used to make holes in doors for
installing hardware and can also
be used to cut out holes in
ceilings prior to the installation of
Hole Saw light fixtures and other fittings.
Can be used to cut holes to fit
screws of varying dimensions. A
pilot hole is first drilled for the
screw, followed by countersinking
the hole to allow a flathead screw
to seat flush with the work
Counter Sink drill bit surface.
Flat drill bits are used to drill fairly
large holesinto softer woods
where speed and accurate sizing
are not particularly important.
They give a flat bottomed hole
(with a central point) so they are
ideal where the head of a
screw/bolt needs to be attached
into the timber. The flat drill bit
should be used before drilling the
Flat Drill bit clearance hole for the bolt.
JOINING TECHNIQUES Picture / Diagram Possible use during set construction
Wear proper protective
clothing whilst drilling.
Protective eyewear will
prevent any small bits of
dust or debris from the
drilling process from
entering your eyes. A dust
mask will protect your
lungs from the dust
created while drilling.
Always check that you are
using the right drill bit for
the material you will be
drilling into.
Always wear eye
protection. Make sure you
secure the material you
are going to cut in order to
keep it from spinning or
slipping. Before you start
the cutting process,
ensure the saw is square
to the material being cut.
Dont force the drill while
drilling as this may cause
the drill bit to snap off. This
could also damage your
drill. Drill bits can become
very hot after drilling so
allow them to cool properly
before removing them
from the drill. Wear eye
protection.
Keep the floor area where
you are drilling free from
tools and cords that you
could trip over. Wear eye
protection.
Safety Considerations
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Halving joint The halving joint is mainly used in Handle carefully. Avoid
framework construction. This type splinters and sharp
of woodwork joint is very useful edges.
for supporting or increasing the
strength of two pieces of timber
instead of just nailing or screwing
them together.

Butt Joint Can be used for joining pieces of Handle carefully. Avoid
timber. The strength of this splinters and sharp
woodwork joint can be increased edges.
by adding a rectangular or
triangular block of wood in the
corner to increase the surface
area where adhesives are
applied.
Mortise& Tenon Joint These types of joints are most Handle carefully. Avoid
effective in supporting large splinters and sharp
amounts of weight or being edges.
structurally effective such as the
rails and legs of a table or chair.

Dowel joint Very useful for greatly increasing Handle carefully. Avoid
the strength of weaker woodwork splinters and sharp
joints, such as the butt joint. edges.
Dowel centres can be placed in a
predrilled hole to create an
accurate mark on the other piece
of timber where the next hole will
be drilled.

Panel pin The panel pin is one of the most Avoid the sharp edge and
versatile and common types used handle carefully. Do not
in woodwork. Panel pins are leave lying around as you
general purpose components that could step or trip on them.
come in a range of sizes but the
head allows for it to be punched
below the timbers surface to
conceal it. They are commonly
used in framing, furniture, wood
panelling and planks.
Screws Mainlyused for woodworking to Avoid the sharp edge and
seal things in place, but they can handle carefully. Do not
be used with metals too. The leave lying around as you
most common screws are the could step or trip on them.
slotted-head screw, round-head
screw, and flat-head screw.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Nail Can be used for temporarily Avoid the sharp edge and
bonding pieces of timber together handle carefully. Do not
or as a combination with leave lying around as you
adhesives. However, they are not could step or trip on them.
very good as a securing method
on their own so they are often
used with other tools &
components.

Nuts Can be used opposite a mating Handle carefully. Do not

bolt in order to fasten a stack of leave lying around as they
parts together. could be a slip/trip hazard.

Bolts Handle carefully. Do not

Can be used to join pieces leave lying around as they
together, either permanently or could be a slip/trip hazard.
temporarily. Nuts and bolts can
also be used to fix together small
structures such as furniture and
other objects.

Washers Can be used to distribute the Handle carefully. Do not

pressure of the nut evenly over leave lying around as they
the surface, so that the surface could be a slip/trip hazard.
isn't damaged. Can also be used
to ensure that the nut is pressed
against a smooth surface,
reducing the chance that it could
gradually loosen because it's in
contact with an uneven surface.

Brazing Can be used in a joining process Always inspect the

to join metal together by melting
and flowing a filler metal into the
joint, the filler metal having a
lower melting point than the
adjoining metal.
equipment before using.
Always purge the system
before lighting the torch.
Make sure you ignite the
fuel gas prior to starting
the oxygen flow.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Welding
Can be used to join metal parts
together by heating the surfaces
to the point of melting with a
blowpipe, electric arc, or other
means, and uniting them by
pressing, hammering, etc.
Rivets Can be used for joining two parts
of any structure and can also be
used for developing a semi-
permanent joint.
Knock down fitting Can be used to permanently join
together items such as cabinets
and other pieces of furniture that
are purchased in a flat pack.
PVA Can be used for bonding
woodwork joints together or as a
furniture and carpentry adhesive
PVA is very easy to apply and
has super strong holding strength
on wood.
Epoxy resin Can be used for joining metals
and plastics. It is waterproof but
must be mixed up immediately
before use.
Never watch the welder
at work as the light could
blind you. A welding
mask, work overalls and
face protection must
always be worn.
Handle carefully. Do not
leave lying around as they
could be a slip/trip hazard.
Handle carefully. Avoid
splinters and sharp
edges.
Irritating to eyes and skin.
Avoid getting in eyes or
crevices, etc. as very hard
to remove.
Avoid contact with skin
and eyes. Wear protective
gloves and clothing
whenever you handle
epoxies. If you do get
resin, hardener or mixed
epoxy on your skin,
remove it as soon as
possible.
 BTEC PRODUCTION ARTS UNIT 72 Scenic Construction for the Stage
Set Construction Tools, Equipment & Processes
Copydex Copydex is a strong water based Avoid touching eyes or
adhesive, which is solvent free skin when using as very
and is commonly used for sticky and hard to
sticking a variety of materials, remove.
such as paper, board, upholstery,
and carpet. It is also used widely
by model makers as a
mask/sealant to protect certain
areas during airbrushing.

Contact adhesive Can be used for joining Highly flammable.

polystyrene and fabrics. It is also Vapours may cause
very useful for fixing plastic drowsiness and dizziness.
laminates to a wooden base. Irritating to eyes and skin.