Screws, bolts and basic tools

A general name for the threaded metal fasteners you turn to hold things together.

A bolt with a six-sided head that you tighten with a wrench.

A six-sided nut that threads onto a bolt to tighten it.

A thin round plate that sits under a bolt or nut to spread the load.

A washer made from a split, twisted ring. It doesn't guarantee that a fastener won't vibrate loose, so if things keep loosening, check the joint and look into a locking method that suits it.

A nut with wings so you can turn it by hand.

A metal nut with a nylon ring inside that grips the bolt so it resists coming loose.

A nut with a rounded dome that covers the end of the bolt.

A bolt with a ring-shaped head that you can attach a rope or cable to.

A U-shaped bolt that wraps around a pipe or post to hold it in place.

A long rod threaded along its full length, cut to the size you need.

A small headless screw with only a hex socket, used to press against a shaft and lock a part in place.

A screw with a drill-shaped tip that bores into thin sheet metal and fastens in one step.

A black bugle-head screw for fastening drywall to wood or light steel studs. If the board is lifting, also check the framing and the board itself for damage.

A hardened, heat-treated nail for driving into concrete or brick.

A metal pin that permanently joins two thin sheets, working from one side only.

A plastic strap that locks once you pull it tight and won't come undone.

A metal band that tightens a hose onto a pipe or fitting so it can't slip off. If it leaks, also check for cracks in the hose and damage to the fitting.

A fitting with threaded ends that you turn to adjust the tension of a rope or wire.

A U-shaped clip that clamps the end of a wire rope folded back into a loop. If one has come loose, also check the wire for damage and how it was installed.

A U-shaped connector with a removable pin for joining ropes and rings. If it is rusted, don't just replace the pin; inspect the body too and use a combination approved by the manufacturer.

A hook bent into an S shape so you can hang things from both ends.

A pin you push through a hole and spread the legs of, to keep a bolt or pin from backing out.

A ring that fits into a groove on a shaft or in a bore to keep parts from sliding off.

A round rubber ring that sits in a groove to stop water, oil or air from leaking.

A small cap that sticks on or snaps into a screw head to hide it.

An L-shaped tool for turning bolts with a hex socket.

A tool with an open jaw that grips a bolt or nut so you can turn it.

A wrench whose jaw size changes when you turn a screw.

A ratcheting handle that takes interchangeable sockets for turning bolts quickly.

A gripping tool that holds things and cuts wire. Even with insulated handles, turn off the power before any electrical work.

Pliers with long, slim jaws for gripping in tight spaces.

Pliers that lock shut on whatever they grip. They are used on stripped screws whose heads stick out far enough to grab; a countersunk head sitting flush is hard to hold.

A tool with a coiled metal tape you pull out to measure length.

A bar-shaped tool that uses the position of a bubble to check level and plumb.

A tool that measures outside diameter, inside diameter and depth down to 0.1mm.

A tool with toothed leaves that you hold against a thread to find its pitch (the spacing between threads). To know whether a nut fits, you also need the diameter and thread series.

An F-shaped clamp that holds wood tightly together until the glue dries.