Learning the Names of Construction Tools

 

If you want to learn the names of construction tools, children's books are a surprisingly good place to start. Once you've mastered the basics, move on to universities' construction curriculums to see what tools they're using. If you're ready for total immersion, do a construction apprenticeship; if your interest isn't career-oriented, find a construction site to serve as your impromptu classroom.

Children's Books about Construction Tools

1. It may seem silly, but if you're looking for a quick and simple guide to the names of construction tools, children's books provide the perfect amount of information, plus clear pictorial examples of each tool. The Blastoff! Readers Mighty Machines series of children's books, suitable for kids ages 4 to 8, includes books on backhoes, cranes, earth movers, bulldozers, dump trucks, bucket trucks, diggers, concrete mixers, wheel loaders and skid steer loaders. Each has about 20 pages of simply presented information that will help children and adults remember exactly what part each machine has in the construction process.
   
   You can also use children's coloring books as a resource for learning the names of tools. Many depict not only large construction machinery, but also smaller tools like hammers, saws and shovels.

Construction Degree Programs

2. Another way to learn the names of construction tools is to check out the home pages of university construction degree programs and apprenticeship programs. Often, these sites will contain listings of tools the programs require their students to own. For example, Alfred State, a SUNY college of technology, asks those enrolled in the Building Construction program to bring a long list of tools, including aviation snips, a keyhole saw, a magnesium concrete float and a concrete finishing trowel. Vincennes University asks that students's drywalling supplies include drywall finishing knives, a drywall pan, a drywall utility saw and a drywall hand sander. Many of these lists, however, don't include pictures of each construction tool: you can find photos by performing an image search on the name of each tool.

Apprenticeships

3. If you're interested in learning not only the names of construction tools, but also how to use them, consider doing a construction apprenticeship. The U.S. Department of Labor allows employers to offer registered apprenticeship programs that provide paid, on-the-job training in construction. The DOL's site redirects interested users to a state-by-state search for open apprenticeships. There are many different types of construction apprenticeships available, including roofing, drywalling and equipment operation. This third option involves working with heavy machinery that can excavate construction sites, level the ground and pave over dirt. This type of apprenticeship will help you learn the names of plenty of construction tools.
   
   If you're interested in learning about construction, but are not ready to make a career out of it, you can also ask friends who are in the construction business if they'd be willing to let you on their sites to observe. If you know people who are building or renovating a house, perhaps they'd be OK with you watching the process and asking the workers questions.