A professional tradesman is as good as his tools. Keeping your power tool in an excellent working condition makes your home improvement or project seamless. It needs no saying that poorly maintained tools deteriorate faster. Whether you make a living with them or a DIYer, proper tool care is essential for both efficiency and your safety. With good care and maintenance, you safeguard your investment and ensure the longevity of your practical tools. If you want them to serve you for years to come and save money on unnecessary replacements, that is non-negotiable. Fortunately, tool maintenance practices are easy to follow with minimal time and effort. With that in mind, we present valuable tips to keep your power tools in shape and make your job effortless.
Clean after usage
Storing your tools after use without cleaning off the dirt and grime shortens their lifespan. If you want to keep the tools in optimal working condition for as long as possible, make it a habit to clean them before storing them. Doing that requires no particular skill or effort. After every shift, ensure to wipe all dirt off all the power tools that helped you get the work done with a clean cloth. It is inevitable for some to hide in the vent and head-to-reach areas. Many tools owners prefer using air compressors to remove hidden debris and dirt. While this method effectively eliminates debris from your tools' vents, experts advise using this method of cleaning with caution as it may push dirt farther into hidden and sensitive areas. The best approach remains to shake out or brush off the debris off the tool immediately after use and only vacuum out the residue if there is a need.
Store properly
Proper storing of your power tool entails arranging and protecting them from damage. Where you store your tools may depend on your preference, but keeping them away from adverse environmental conditions like excess humidity and off the ground is essential. You might get away with dropping them on the ground in the summer. Considering the temperature is low for about half a year in Ireland, exposing your tools to wet conditions or cold causes corrosion and reduces their overall lifespan. Some favorite storage options tools owners use are storage cabinets, racks, or original packing boxes. For a cost-effective solution, keep them in a plastic container. You can also hang your tools on a wall or a pegboard to save space. Whichever way you choose to store your tools, ensure to keep them properly organized and the store clean.
Lubricate all moving parts
All moving parts must be in optimal condition to get premium performance out of your power tools every time. You ensure that with the proper and periodic lubrication of the moving parts. Keeping the moving part lubed eliminates corrosion, friction, overheating, and chafing. Not only will lubrication enhance your efficiency as a handyman, but it will also extend the life of your tools. When it comes to the choice of machine oil, it is advisable to check if the manufacturer recommends any specific type. One way to find out the best lubricant, along with the right frequency of application, is to read the tool maintenance section of the user manual. If none is recommended, consult with the manufacturer via their official website or social media page.
Take care of the battery
Li-ion batteries power many power tools. They tend to lose capacity over time due to aging and continued usage. However, you can considerably increase the battery lifespan of powering your devices with some simple care and maintenance. First, do not discharge your battery completely. Recharge your battery once drained to 20% charge. If you only use power tools occasionally, you may be better off with a corded model. A Li-ion battery will last better if not left unused for a long time. When charging, remove from the power outlet once fully charged. Overcharging may reduce the lifespan or, worse, damage the battery. Store your batteries the same way as the power tools. Keep them in a clean, cool, and dry place away from high temperature, wetness, and hard shock. If they need cleaning, do it with alcohol, a clean cloth, or cotton swabs.
Replace worn-out parts
With constant usage, wear and tears of some components are inevitable over time. Check for vulnerable parts like the power cord, carbon brushes, drive belts, bearings, and accessories such as saw blades and drill bits. Some parts susceptible to wear and tear might need to be replaced as soon as possible to keep your power tool functioning. Instead of putting layers of duct tapes wrapped around a worn-out part, replacing it might prevent further damage to your tool or injury to you. While you can perform some simple replacements yourself, call a professional to handle the more complex ones. Either way, ensure to replace damaged components with compatible ones from the tool's manufacturer.
Calibration
All moving parts need to be aligned before use for power tools to perform to precision and last longer. Besides the reduction in efficiency, poor calibration may cause malfunction or damage to your tools. Carry out a periodic check after a series of usage to determine whether the tool is still correctly calibrated or if it needs recalibrating. Also, ensure that the drill bits and blades are sharp enough for the job. Replace with only compatible ones if necessary to avoid dulling the sharp edges quicker. Some tool manufacturers offer calibration as part of after-sales services on their products. If you must do it yourself, check the user manual and calibrate based on the guides and instructions provided by the manufacturer. However, there are some precautions you must observe before servicing your power tools. Completely disconnect them from the power source, keep other people not involved in the servicing away and eliminate the chance of accidental starting.
Conclusion
Consistently carrying out a maintenance routine on your tools will enhance your job as a handyman while saving you time and effort in repairing. A simple task such as getting rid of dirt and proper storage will get you the best of them and keep them running smoothly. Considering the powerful are made up of mechanical and electrical parts, malfunction is sometimes inevitable. Be sure you replace it with the original replacement part when that happens.
