Didn't find what you were looking for, or just have a new product suggestion? Please email us at: ToolProductSuggestion@OnlineStores.Com Word Definitions AC Alternating Current. The type of electrical power which normally is supplied from a wall outlet. Actuator Components that directly help convert hydraulic or pneumatic energy into mechanical energy. Adjustable Wrench The size of the opening can be changed by rotating a threaded adjuster with your thumb. Allows for versatility and accuracy. Aftercooler Heat exchangers for cooling air or gas discharge from compressors. Air Dryer A device that extracts moisture from the air. Shops that use compressors may have to use air dryers to keep shop air free from moisture. Allen Wrench An Allen Wrench is a special "L" shaped six-sided wrench, coming in various sizes, that fits into a recessed hexagonal socket hole in the end of a Allen Bolt. Also known as:  hex key, hex head wrench Allen Wrench Same as a hex key. Amps A measure of the amount of current a tool uses.  Higher ratings generally means the tool is suited for heavier use. Assembly The process in which two or more objects are joined together. Assembly Line A process in which products are mass-produced in stages. Auger, Water Closet A water closet is a plumbing term for toilet, and a water closet auger, or "closet auger" as it's more commonly known, is a specialed plumbing tool for clearing clogs in toilets. Also known as:  Closet Auger, Toilet Auger, Auger, Snake Auger 1. Flexible metal cable fished into drain lines and traps to dislodge obstructions. 2. Carpenter's tool for boring holes in wood. Automatic Fastening Tool A power tool, usually a screwdriver, that is automatically supplied with fasteners. The tool can be guided by an operator or a machine. Automatic-Shutoff Screwdriver A screwdriving tool that uses a continuous-drive clutch and results in little torque reaction. Automatic-shutoff screwdrivers are used for repetitive, but precise applications. Awl Sharp-pointed tool used to make starter holes for screws or to scribe lines. Batch A specific quantity to be produced. Batch-model assembly lines produce products in groups. Batch-model Assembly Line A type of assembly line in which products are assembled in groups at a time. Battery Pack Portable power packs that snap into various cordless tools, ranging in voltages from 3.6V to 36V. Home repair cordless power tools should use 12V to 18V cordless battery packs. Cordless battery packs are powered by numerous single batteries of 1.2 volts each. Older battery packs used cadmium batteries which is both a heavy metal and toxic. Look for battery packs that use Nickel Metal Hydride for better performance and environmental responsibility.   Battery Powered Tool A tool powered by a battery. Battery-powered tools are the most portable of all the power tools. Bolt A cylindrically shaped, threaded device used for fastening parts. Bolts usually have blunt ends and mate with a nut. Box Wrench A wrench with a closed, box-like end that covers the nut or bolt completely. BPM Beats Per Minute.  A measure of the frequency of the hammering action of a hammerdrill or rotary hammer. C-Clamp Holds work between a pad, which often swivels, and an anvil. Turning the spindle adjusts the grip. Cam Out To cam out (or cam-out) is a process by which a screwdriver slips out of the head of a screw being driven once the torque required to turn the screw exceeds a certain amount. Frequently, camming out damages the screw, and possibly also the screwdriver, and is usually attempted to be avoided. However, the Phillips head screw and screwdriver combination was designed specifically to cam-out, as at the time of its invention torque sensing automatic screwdrivers did not exist. The Phillips design is auto-centering i.e. the screw does not slip off the screwdriver, unlike a normal slotted-head screw/flat-head screw, but cams out once the screw has been driven home. These properties were used to speed up automobile production in the USA in the early years of the industry. Caulking Gun A hand tool used to dispense caulk through a nozzle from a caulk cartridge. Caulk guns come in two common types, "ratchet drive" and "smooth rod drive". Also Known As: ratchet caulk gun, dripless smooth rod caulk gun Carbide A hard material made of compacted binary compounds of carbon and heavy metals, used to make tools that cut metal. CFM Cubic Feet per Minute.  A measure of the usage of air from an air compressor.  The higher this number is on a tool, the more frequently the compressor will need to run to keep the tool going. Chalk Line Marks straight lines on walls. Looks like an enclosed fishing reel. Chisel Point A point on staples that makes the legs sink in straight as the stape is driven into a material. Chuck The part of a drill which holds the bits in place. Chuck A revolving clamp-like device used for gripping and driving stock or tools.  Typically used on Drills, Mills, and Lathes. Circuit Tester, Neon An inexpensive, extremely handy, versatile and simple to use electrical circuit tester. This pocket sized testing tool has two probes and works with voltage in the home up to 500 volts. It has no power by itself but uses a neon indicator that only glows when power is present. The test light glows brighter as voltage increases. Clamp A mechanical device used to hold two or more pieces together. Clipped Head Nails collated in 28 degree or 30-33 degree strips have a notch in the head that allows for each individual nail to be driven efficiently, despite the angle and tightness of the collation.  This notch makes little practical difference in holding power. Closed-Loop System A type of fluid power system that uses feedback to maintain consistent input and output. Closed-loop systems are also called servo systems. Clutch A coupling found inside a motorized device that connects or disconnects parts to drive the mechanism. Cold Chisel Used on masonry, not as sharp as a wood chisel. Collated Fasteners which are bound together for use in automatic firing mechanisims.  All stapes are collated, but only specific nails and screws are collated. Combination Wrench A wrench with one open-end and one box end. Conduit A pipe line or tubing that channels air or fluids. Pneumatic tools use conduits to channel the air that is delivered to the tools. Continuous-Drive Clutch A type of clutch that delivers power to the tool constantly. Coping Saw Small saw used for fine cuts with sharp curves. Corner Clamp Holds two pieces together at a 90-degree angle. Perfect for holding mitered or picture frame corners together. Often features a saw slot for cutting 45-degree angles. Crown The crown of a staple is the top portion which connects the legs.  This piece is typically what you can see once the staple has been fastened. Cylinder A type of linear actuator that uses a piston to produce motion in a straight line. A cylinder is also known as a piston actuator. DC Direct Current.  The type of electrical power normally supplied by batteries or generators. Direct-Drive Screwdriver A screwdriving tool that uses a continuous-drive clutch and stops once it achieves torque. Direct-drive clutch screwdrivers use air pressure to obtain torque and are mainly used on wood. Discontinous-Drive Clutch A type of clutch that delivers power to the tool in bursts. Displaced Displaced is the measure of cubic feet per minute produced by an air compressor working in a perfect environment at 100% efficiency. Divergent A point on staples that makes the legs sink in straight as the stape is driven into a material. Drag The resistance to flow. Drag is used to describe friction of air. Drill The drill is a versatile power tool that drills holes in hard materials such as wood, plastic, metal and masonry. The drill comes in corded and cordless versions. It has available features such as variable speed, reverse and some versions designed for masonry drilling will have a "hammer drill" feature to speed the process. Drills typically come in chuck sizes accommodating drill bits ranging from 1/4" to 1/2". Another feature of the modern drill is the keyless chuck, which enables you to insert and remove drills without a special "key" tool. Drill A tool that drives screws and creates holes. Drills do not contain a clutch and therefore do not control torque. Downtime Unproductive blocks of time during which operations cease to function, normally due to setup procedures or mechanical problems. Duty Cycle The amount of work a tool can perform in a given amount of time before it must rest to prevent it from overheating. Efficiency The amount of power output by a fluid power system compared to the amount of power input. Electrical Tool A tool powered by electricity. Electrical tools operate quietly and cleanly. Energy The ability to perform work. Ergonomics The study of designing devices to decrease operator discomfort or fatigue and increase productivity. Fastener A device that holds two or more objects together. A fastener can be a button or a zipper as well as a bolt or a screw. Feedback Transducer A device that monitors input and output signals in a closed-loop fluid power system. Felling Ax Large ax designed for cutting down trees. Fin Comb A fin comb is a specialty tool used to straighten the bent fins of a condensing unit for an air conditioning or heat pump system.  Fins are made from delicate thin guage metal and can get damaged by tree limbs or sticks, hail, high pressure washing, and other factors. Bent coil fins restrist air flow through the condensing unit and can cause problems such as making the unit run harder, decreasing the unit's efficiency, increase usage of electricity and in severe cases, may lead to early failure of the unit. These tools may come with single, multiple or interchangeable headds that have different fin comb sizes and counts to best match the coil fin size of the repaired unit.  Some six sided head models will work for 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15 fins per inch coils.  the comb is carefully drawn across the bent coil fins straightening them out in the process. Also known as:  Coil Fin Tool Firmer Chisel Thin all-purpose chisel (a.k.a. forming chisel). First Law of Motion A scientific law of inertia developed by Sir. Isaac Newton. Newton's first law of motion states that an object will remain at rest or in its original motion until acted upon by an outside force. Flat-head Screwdriver A screwdriver that has a flat blade and corresponds to slotted screws. Fluid Conductor The component such as a pipe, tube, and hose that conveys liquids throughout a hydraulic or pneumatic system. Fluid Flow The volume of fluid displaced by a pump or compressor into a hydraulic or pneumatic system. Fluid Flow Rate The volume of fluid displaced within a given time. Fluid flow rate also determines the speed at which work is performed by fluid power systems. Fluid Power System A power transmission system that uses fluids such as oil and air to transmit power. Hydraulic systems and pneumatic systems are types of fluid power systems. Foot-pound The unit used for measuring work. Foot pounds is abbreviated as ft.lbs. Force The push or pull that gives energy to an object. Force Cup Suction-action tool used to dislodge obstructions from drain lines (a.k.a. plunger). Force Multiplication The exponential increase in available power usually associated with tools and power transmission systems. Framing Square A Framing Square is a flat, "L" shaped tool made of metal that creates an accurate 90 degree right angle. It usually has engraved or stamped increments of measurement on its face. It gets its name because carpenters use this tool so much to lay out framing and make sure it is "square" or constructed with 90 degree angles. Also Known As: carpenters square Friction The force that resists motion between two objects. Full Round Head Nails collated in 20-22 degree strips or 15 degree coils feature a round head with no notches.  The collation angle and spacing of the fasteners allows the manufacturer to use a full head on the nail. Gauge A tool used by carpenters to strike a line parallel to the edge of a board. Gouge Chisel for cutting rounded holes in wood. Hacksaw Used mainly for cutting throgh metal and pipe. Hand Auger Flexible metal cable fished into drain lines and traps to dislodge obstructions. Hand Tool A tool that is "powered" by an operator. The most common manual assembly tools are wrenches and screwdrivers. Hard Joint A joint in which it takes the fastener less than a 30° turn to get the fastener from fitting snugly to reaching torque. Head The top part of a fastener into which a tool is inserted. HP Horsepower.  The measure of power contained within a motor. Horsepower The unit used for measuring power. Hydraulics The use of fluids to power a device. Pulse tools use hydraulics to achieve torque. Hydraulic System A power transmission system that uses the force of flowing liquids to transmit power. Hydraulic Tools A tool that is powered by compressed fluids such as water or oil. Pneumatics and Hydraulics are usually talked about together, one uses air, the other fluids. Impact Wrench An air-powered tool that uses a discontinuous-drive clutch to produce torque. Impact wrenches are often used to tighten lug nuts on cars when changing a tire. Inch-pound The unit used for measuring work. Inch pounds is abbreviated as in.lbs. Jaw The part on an open-end wrench that grips the bolt. Jaws can be fixed or adjustable. Jigsaw See Saw, Jigsaw / Sabre Saw Joint The meeting point of the two materials that are joined together. Most fasteners create a joint that can be disassembled and reassembled. Keyless Chuck A drill chuck which requires no tools to tighten and loosen Kickback The tendency of blades and cutters to force material being milled or cut to suddenly move up and back towards the operator. Kinetic Energy Energy of motion. Law of Conservation of Energy The scientific law that states energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Load The overall force applied to an object by external objects. Lubricity