How to look after your power tools properly

If you’re a professional tradesman, power tools are your best friend when it comes to earning a living.

But they are also one of your largest expenses!

Knowing how to care for your power tools correctly will help you improve the safety of them, as well as their life span! 

Below are some handy tips on how to keep your power tools in good shape.

Make sure you store your power tools correctly

If you want to prolong the life of your power tools, it’s important that you are storing them correctly. These tools can be damaged easily by moisture, especially because of their electrical components so you should keep them in a clean and dry area if you want to maintain their efficiency.  

Clean after every use

After a long day at work, the last thing you’ll probably want to do is clean your tools. But with just a little effort, you are able to extend the life of your power tools. It’s no secret that dust, grime and other unwanted impurities will land on (or in!) your tools whilst on site so it’s important to wipe them down with a soft cloth after every use. If you want to give them a real deep clean you could also use an air compressor which will help to blow away all of the dirt and dust in hard-to-reach openings. 

Sharpen the blades regularly 

Be honest, how much better do you feel after a fresh haircut?

Yep, I’m seriously comparing power tools to haircuts… but there’s a good reason why.

The bits and blades that actually do the dirty work of your tool are subject to wear and tear, meaning they will naturally become dull over time. 

Using a tool with dull blades may not only affect the quality of your work, but also but additional stress on the motor.

It’s recommended to sharpen the blades on your power tools or replace them with new ones depending on the material you are working with. 

Regularly inspect the tool

You should regularly inspect your power tools before every use, looking for any breakage, cracks or spindle damage so you can get them repaired before damaging them any further.

Quite like a sports injury, if you have a slight twinge in your leg and continue playing it will keep getting worse until you are eventually unable to play. The same thing happens with power tools; if you find a fault and then continue using them, you will create additional problems with these expensive machines. 

If you do spot any issues with the tools, you need to get it repaired right away. Of course, there will be a cost, but it will save you so much money in the long term.

Give it a well-deserved break!

I mean, how would you feel without a day off?

Power tools are not designed to work constantly in stressful environments and if so, internal problems such as overheating may occur.

If power tools are overworked for a long time, the motor will eventually heat up and may cause severe damage to the interior components. 

To prevent this from happening, its recommended to give your tools a rest period so they can recharge before getting back to work!

As a final note it may seem pretty obvious, but many tradesmen don’t do always read the manufacturer guidelines to double check the working practices. Even if you feel as though you are familiar with these tools, it’s always important to check the instructions for your own safety more than anything!