Proper Care And Maintenance Of Power Tools
You spend a lot of money on power tools these days so it makes sense to look after them to make sure they last a long time and proper care and maintenance is essential.
07/10/2024
Investing in power tools is expensive and you want to make sure that you get the best value for money whatever power tool you purchase. But what is more important is making sure that any tools you own are properly cared for and maintained to ensure their long life.
When you first get involved in any type of DIY, whether for yourself or as a business, buying the power tools and accessories is an expensive exercise. You obviously want the best and that usually means spending more for both power tools and accessories. But how do you extend the life of both the power tools and their accessories?
Read the Instruction Manual
When we buy something new, we have a habit of ignoring the instruction manual that is supplied. Men and women DIY enthusiasts typically pass over the instruction manual supplied with tools and related accessories. That is all fine and well if you know the tools well, but if you have never used a particular tool, it is always better to acquaint yourself with the manufacturer's recommendations for safe and proper use.
Reading the instruction manual before using any tool or accessory ensures that you only use such in the way for which it was intended and within the parameters recommended. Anything other than this can result in damage to tools and accessories as a result of incorrect use.
Constantly blow away excess sawdust as you are working to reduce wear on cutting edges.
Care and Maintenance
Like anything else that has a motor or sharp edge, ongoing care and maintenance will extend the lifespan. Below are a few helpful tips to keep in mind:
- Always store tools and accessories, including batteries and chargers, in a cool, dry place. If possible, make use of silica gel or like to keep any moisture away from all the above.
- Wipe tools and accessories that have been in contact with moisture. Never store wet or damp tools or accessories.
- Always keep battery chargers and battery terminals clean and free from dust.
- Use an all-round lubricant such as WD-40 or machine oil regularly on moving parts, excluding the motor, but particularly on the chuck or any nuts and bolts on accessories.
- Only use tools and accessories for the purpose for which they were manufactured.
Keep Accessories Sharp
If you follow the tips above, your accessories should last longer and be rust-free. There are other steps that can be put into action to keep accessories sharper for longer and below is a helpful tip for when using a hole saw, whether for wood or steel.
Keep in mind when using a variety of accessories in conjunction with a drill that friction causes heat. If there is any way of reducing the level of heat it will also reduce the wear on accessories. For example, using a cutting oil when drilling into very hard materials will extend the life of a drill bit. And making sure that a screwdriver bit is fitted firmly in the head of the screw will prevent stripping of both the bit and screw head. Another solution to prevent excess wear on accessories is to ensure that the material is clean from sawdust as you work. Blow away any debris so that the bit has direct contact with the surface of the work piece of where you are drilling.
Industrial drilling machines, saws and polishers, use a liquid to keep the bits and blades cool to extend the life of these accessories.
I have used a lot of hole saws for projects. whether it is drilling holes in timber or board, ceiling board, or mild steel. Hole saws are almost a consumable they become blunt so quickly and need to be replaced, but using the tip below will cool down the process, give you a cleaner hole and reduce wear, ensuring your hole saws last longer.
When using a hole saw to drill holes in any material, but particularly materials such as steel, SupaWood / MDF or laminated boards, the hole saws quickly becomes blunt and must be replaced.
The heat generated by a hole saw whilst drilling heats up the cutting edge of the hole saw and the timber or board will start to burn, spoiling the work piece and blunting the cutting edge of the hole saw.
Take an ordinary synthetic sponge and cut a hole that is the same diameter as the hole saw you will be using.
Soak the cut sponge in cold water.
Push the wet sponge over the centre drill bit and into the hole saw casing, as can be seen below.
The cold water reduces the amount of heat produced and keeps the cutting edge cool and prevents it from going blunt.
The next time you are using a hole saw, try this nifty trick yourself.
