Lesson 5: Wrenches, Sockets, and Taps
WORD LIST
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1. cross-section |
what you see when you cut through the middle of something. Example: when you cut through a banana, the cross-section is round. |
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2. switch |
something used to change the direction or quality of another thing. Example: the light switch turns the light on and off. |
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3. bore |
to make a hole with a rotating tool; to drill a hole. Example: Clara bored three holes in the metal plate. |
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4. internal |
on the inside; the opposite of external. Example: a bolt has external threads cut into its sides; the hole for the bolt has internal threads cut into the sides of the hole. |
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5. sharp |
having a thin edge able to cut or a fine point able to pierce. Example: this knife is very sharp; it will cut anything. |
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6. tap |
a tool used to cut threads on the inside of the hole. Example: Damaso used a set of taps to cut the internal threads in this hole. |
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7. ratchet |
a part which only allows motion in one direction. Example: this ratchet wrench is good for removing nuts and bolts in narrow places. |
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8. drive |
a square end on a wrench which fits into the drive-end of a socket. Example: this ratchet wrench has a drive at one end. |
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9. drive-end |
a square hole at the end of a socket, into which the drive will go. Example: Carlos found a ¾ inch drive to fit into the drive-end. |
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10. socket |
a hollow piece that fits tightly around hex-shaped nuts and bolts; in general, a hollow part into which something fits. Example: Conchita bought a complete set of metric sockets. |
Definitions
More Tools and Their Purposes
There are some other wrenches that you need to learn; you will also study the sockets and taps in this lesson.
a. adjustable wrench: This wrench has a screw which can be turned to open or close the jaws of the wrench. This wrench is sometimes called a Crescent wrench, because one popular maker of this wrench was the Crescent Company.
b. Allen wrench: It has a long arm and a short arm; both ends of the wrench have a hex-shaped cross-section. The ends fit into the hex-shaped slots in special screws.
c. socket wrench: This wrench fits into a socket; the wrench is used to turn the socket. The connection between the wrench and the socket is made by fitting a drive on the end of the wrench into the drive-end of the end of the socket.
d. A socket has a well (hex-shaped hole) which fits tightly over a hex nut or a hex bolt. Sockets come in various sizes, using both U.S. Customary and metric units. Workers usually buy a set of sockets of different sizes to go with their socket wrenches.
e. ratchet wrench: This is a special kind of socket wrench; like all socket wrenches, it has a drive which fits into the drive-end on sockets. This wrench is special because it has a ratchet; a ratchet permits the wrench to turn in only one direction at a time, and then lets the wrench return to its original position without taking the socket off the nut. A ratchet wrench usually has a switch which allows the worker to change the direction in which the wrench turns. Therefore, it is possible to loosen and to tighten a nut without taking the wrench off the nut.
f. tap wrench: This kind of wrench is used to hold a tap to turn the tap as it bores into a hole. A tap is a cutting tool used to cut internal threads into a hole – these are the threads into which a bolt or screw can be turned. Taps come in a set of hand taps, usually three in a set. The first tap is used to start cutting the thread; the second cuts the thread deeper; and the third tap finishes the job.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
A Friend at Work
Directions:
(1) Read or listen to this conversation below;
(2) Read or listen to the recording again and repeat after it;
(3) Practice the conversation with another student.
This is the first day of work for Luis at the Acme Machine Shop. He has just met Marta; she has worked at the shop for the last five years.
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Marta: |
Welcome to the Machine shop, Luis. I understand this is your first day on the job. |
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Luis: |
Yes. I’m glad to be here. Before I start, I have a couple of questions I’d like to ask you. |
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Marta: |
Sure. Go ahead. |
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Luis: |
Well, I brought my tools with me, and I wonder if I’ll need any of these on the job. |
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Marta: |
Let’s have a look. (Luis opens his tool box.) Oh, I see you have a nice set of Snap-On wrenches and sockets. |
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Luis: |
Yes, I have them in both metric and U. S. customary sizes. |
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Marta: |
Do you have any taps and dies in there? |
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Luis: |
Yes, I have both. |
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Marta: |
Well, you’ve got some beautiful tools, but you don’t have to bring them, unless you want – we have a lot of tools here you can use. |
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Luis: |
I’d like to use some of my own from time to time. |
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Marta: |
If you’re going to use them here, I’d suggest you engrave your name on them. You don’t want to lose them. |
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Luis: |
Thanks, Marta. I’ve enjoyed talking with you. Maybe I’ll see you at lunch. |
Exercise 5
End of Lesson Listening
Listen to the recording. Type the correct capital letter next to the number.
Click here to listen to the recording.
End of Lesson Writing
Look at the picture. Type the correct tool name next to the numbers below.
