Aussie Industrial Fix-its

Nearly every home has some power tools that they keep handy for DIY projects like cutting wood or drilling holes through which to run cable TV lines. These tools can degrade over time if steps are not taken to keep them in excellent working condition. This article discusses some steps you can take to maintain your power tools:

Keep Them Free from Dust

Dust quickly accumulates inside power tools if they are left unused for a long time. That is why you should spare some time to rid your tools of all the accumulated dust. You can do this as frequently as your location requires. For instance, a rural setting calls for very frequent (quarterly, for example)) dusting of power tolls since there is plenty of dust in the air. Use a vacuum cleaner and compressed air to get rid of all the dust that is hidden within the internal parts of your power tools.

Sharpen or Replace Parts

Power tool parts wear out or lose their cutting edge over time. When that happens, you will take longer to complete tasks that used to take you a very short time. For instance, you may take four minutes to drill a hole that you previously drilled in a minute. The cause for such inefficiency may be a blunt component (such as a worn drill bit). That is why you should check your power tools before you use them. This will enable you to identify parts that need to be sharpened or replaced so that the power tool keeps performing it its best.

Check for Square

Buy a machinist's square and use it to check your power tools to ensure that they are still adjusted to the right settings. For instance, bevel gauges should be checked to ensure that they are still aligned at right angles (90°) so that you get accurate readings as you use the tools.

Keep Rust at Bay

Use steel wool or a stiff brush to remove any rust you see on the surface of your power tools. Remember to work lightly so that you do not damage the anti-corrosion coating that is still intact. Later, paint exposed metal parts with a corrosion resistant paint so that your tool is not destroyed by rust.

Your tools will remain looking new if you make it a habit to perform the maintenance activities in the discussion above frequently. You will not have to replace you power tools as often as another person who takes less care of his or her tools.

To learn more, contact a company like All Trades Equipment Pty Ltd.