• When building or making almost anything carpentry related, you first have to lay out the cuts or joints to be made. While you can do it with just a tape measure and a pencil, using specialty tools will make the process both faster and easier as well as producing a finer finished product.
  
  

Measuring Device

• A standard tape measure or precision ruler is required and will be used frequently during the layout process.
  
  

Marking Device

• You will need some way of marking such as a pencil, scratch awl or marking knife. The pencil can be used for layout lines as well as orientation marks and general marking while the scratch awl and marking knife are more useful for layout lines that will be cut. They provide a finer line than lead and also score the wood, which helps prevent tearing.
  
  

Tri-Square

• A tri-square looks like an L, with the shorter side being thicker than the longer side. A mitered end on the shorter side also allows the square to be used to mark 45-degree angles as well as 90-degree angles.
  
  

Speed Square

• Speed squares perform the same function as tri-squares, but are shaped like a right triangle. In addition to marking 45-degree angles, they have markings that allow any angle from 0 to 45 degrees to be marked as well as common rafter pitches.
  
  

Marking Gauge

• A marking gauge is a square rod that contains a marking knife or pin on one end and an adjustable block on the other that can move to or from the marking pin. The block is run along the outside of a piece of wood, and the pin creates a scored layout line on the piece of wood. These are usually limited to marks no greater than six inches from the edge of the wood.
  
  

Compass

• A compass is used to find and/or mark circles and arcs.