Tips and Tricks for Maintaining Your Tools for Long-Term Usage

Tools are expensive. To maintain them properly, you need to take proper care of them. They can be very helpful for every household or outdoor work. To save your time, you need to keep your tools well-maintained, properly stored, neat, and clean.

For experienced DIY woodworkers, a chainsaw is an essential tool. Among the first things you should know is how to use a chainsaw sharpener to keep your tools sharp.

Here, I will cover how to maintain your tools perfectly by saving your energy, money, and time.

Store Your Tools Properly

You need to make space for your tools to keep them in good shape. To do that, you have to prioritize making space for the tools. You could use an empty wall for pegboards to hang the tools. It is a pretty efficient way to use your wall so that you can find your tools easily. Also, you can use toolboxes to store your tools. You can even build your own toolbox or board to keep your tools in place. 

Make Sure to Keep Tools in a Dry Place

The room where the pegboard is located should be mud-free at all cost. You need to have a dry place for your tools. Also, you have to avoid wetness no matter what. If you use the toolbox, then be sure the toolbox is dry, or it will create problems for tools made with steel.

Hang Your Garden Tools

Keep your tools clean and dry before hanging them in the garage. When you keep it on the floor, moisture can creep through them, and they will work slowly.

Store Power Tools in Their Own Cases

Power tools come with their own case. They are sold with usually plastic cases so that the power tool can be in good shape. Make sure you keep your power tools in their original boxes.

Use Silica Gel Packs or Rust Collectors

Silica gel doesn’t let rust get in the way of tools. If you have silica gel in your toolbox, then it’ll keep the tools rust-free. Besides the silica gel, the rust collector also has the same mission.

Clean Your Tools after Every Use

After using the tools, make sure you clean them to maintain its quality. It takes only a few seconds to clean up unless you make it too nasty. Cleaning tools saves your time as well as your money. If you keep it in a dirty shape, it will not work perfectly again.

Hand Tools

You can simply clean its dirt by wiping it with a piece of cloth. If the tools are too nasty, use soap and water. After cleaning, dry them and store them in their proper place. Use a light coat metal sprayer of WD-40, then wipe the tools with a rag cloth. To clean the wooden handles, rub them with a rag cloth with some oil mixed into it.

Garden Tools

Garden tools can also be treated as hand tools, so wash the garden tools then dry them. After they’re done drying, oil the tools to keep them ready to use. The fastest way to clean garden tools is the bucket technique. A bucket full of sand and a bit of oil mixer will do the trick. Dump the tools into the bucket then oil them at the same time. This will keep them rust-free for a longer time period.

Power Tools

Make sure you unplug the tool before you clean it. After that, you want to clean the dust. An air compressor can be very helpful in wiping up the dirt. You can wipe the parts by using machine oil, or you can follow the manual to follow the recommendations of the tool.

Clean your tool boxes every time to avoid tool damage. If you use water and soap to clean, then make sure it dries. Keep your tools neat and clean to save money and time. 

Check and Repair Them Every Time

When you start using any of your tools, make sure you check them properly. Follow the safety instructions for your power tools. Inspect every tool whenever you choose to use them. 

Loose, Cracked, or Splintered Handles 

When the wooden handle of your tool is damaged, you need to repair it as soon as possible, or it could lead to some unwanted accidents. If the damage isn’t that bad, you can just sand the handle until you’re comfortable with it. You need to sand against the grains if its rough, and if it’s not, then sand along with it. If the handle is too damaged, you’ll need to replace the handle altogether.

Corrosion and Rust

If the tool you are using is rusty or corroded, the tool will be dangerous to use. You can try to wear off the rust by yourself. However, the best solution would be just to replace the tools.

Cracked Housing and Power Tools that Don’t Start Easily

If your housing has a simple crack, you should never use it. If you use the cracked housing to use power tools, dangerous accidents can occur. You need a professional to repair it in order to to reuse the housing.

If your tools don’t start properly to get the blade spin, then don’t use it. Take time to clean the dirt off of it. If that doesn’t help, then get it repaired. You can repair your tools on your own, but if you are not sure about repairing, then don’t do it. 

Frayed Insulation or Exposed Wires

If your electric line has a problem or your power tools’ wire has slight damage, then replace it to avoid short circuits. It’s best to avoid electrical damage because it can be very dangerous. Use professionals to repair it.

Every tool needs a little bit of care to make it long-lasting. It just needs some space and a small price to pay. For your DIY works, a tool is very helpful. Keep your tools in a dry and secure place to maintain its quality.