5 Top Tips for Maintaining Your Gear 

Your power tools are an extension of your tradie skill set, and before walking onto a site, you need to know you’ll be getting the best out of them. As you know, the condition of your power tools is, ruined by weather conditions, rough usage and how they are stored or transported. The best time to check out the state of your gear is at the beginning of the new year. The second best time is before starting a new job!

In this guide, we’ll give you 5 maintenance tips to help with the lifespan of your tools and give you the confidence to know when your gear is or isn’t working as intended. Let’s get stuck into ways to better your gear and get the most out of your existing kit.

1. Replace worn parts regularly

All parts of your power tool serve a purpose (we hope). If something breaks off or appears faulty, your tool, job and self will suffer. There are certain dangers when operating power tools that have sharp attachments, live electricity running through them or are built heavy to make tasks easier. As your power tools get used, some parts will eventually need to be replaced. It’s good to keep on top of what parts of your tool are getting worn. 

Here are some common tool parts that regularly need replacing.

Carbon brushes­­­

You may have never laid your eyes or hands on a carbon brush inside a tool. They are a small feature that adjusts a motor’s output depending on the power used for a task and therefore are designed to wear over time. 

As carbon brushes start to wear down, you may notice performance issues and you will have to pinpoint when this starts to happen. You can tell when your carbon brushes need replacing when you notice a burning smell, large frequent sparks or if your power tool starts cutting out during use. 

You can't fix a damaged or worn carbon brush, so all you can do is replace it. This is one of the reasons it is recommended that you purchase a brushless motor power tool.

Belt sanders

Belts on machines work overtime and have variable life spans. A popular tool with this feature is a belt sander, which is a multi-use tool that works to achieve smooth surfaces. This means you’re going to encounter the rough to get to the smooth. Floor, hand, wall and industrial sanders all require ongoing checks to make sure they’re safe and operational at the time of use.

Check the drive belt for any cracks, frays, or general wear and tear. If you find any damage or areas of extreme wear, roughness or cupping, it’s time to buy a replacement. It is best to read your manual or look up a how-to guide online on how to change a belt in a handheld sander.

If it’s a larger sander, leave the abrasive belt on when your sander is not in use as it protects the drum from debris. It is recommended that you loosen the belt whenever you step away from the sander.

Electrical cords

Routinely checking your power corded tools can save you and your tool from being fried. It is important to wear rubber insulated gloves as you check your power cords to prevent electrocution. 

When inspecting your cords and cables, check that there are no cuts or frays in the cord. On the prongs of your cord, check for burn marks and discolouration. This would indicate a big problem and require you to stop using it immediately. You will then need to either find a replacement or get it repaired if it is a big expensive power cord.

2. Store your tools correctly 

Because most kiwi tradies require a lot of different types of gear, we often have a big collection. From a multi-tool and a survey laser, to a breaker with multiple attachments and a drop-saw with a stand, each piece of gear has its role. So when it is time to pack up on the site, you have to ask yourself; what kind of tradie do I want to be? The best answer would be, someone who looks after their tools to keep costs down. Proper storage of your tools can keep your tool expenditure down and your maintenance costs low. Here are some ways to better store your tools.

Cleaning your space and work vehicle

Completely clearing out your space can help you keep track of what tools you have, what tools you need and which ones you’ll need to replace. It’s a good idea to give the back of your truck, ute or van a good scrub and vacuum to stop dust, dirt and site leftovers from getting into your tools.

Long-term storage

Storage bins are great for keeping your power tools dry and out of the conditions that will damage them. Storing tools in a bag or just strewn across your garage leaves them susceptible to mould, dampness and dust. It can be cumbersome to have dedicated spots when you unpack your work vehicle at the end of the day or over the weekend. Get big plastic bins to keep your tools lasting longer and a locked entryway keeps your tools on your property!

Petrol powered tools

Storing hand tools and power tools is great, though when it comes to gear that requires petrol you have to consider how long you’re storing it for. Petrol left in equipment and machinery will slowly start to chemically change. Short term, it shouldn’t affect the gear it’s in. Long-term and with summer heat, it will attack soft materials in the fuel system. Things such as rubber,plastic hoses and even aluminium will suffer if petrol is left long enough in the equipment.

Empty any remaining fuel from your equipment and store it in a combi fuel can. Take this opportunity to top up the oil levels of your machines too.

3. Look after your nail gun

We all have that o’reliable in our kit and it’s often the nail gun. You don’t usually part with one that works, is light and always gets the job done. Although, you may have been through a few repairs after dropping it while up on a ladder. Luckily it doesn’t take too long at all to do a quick check and clean up your nail gun. This could possibly save you hundreds of dollars in servicing and repairs.

If you’re running a pneumatic (air-powered) nail gun, they require a bit more maintenance than a battery-powered nail gun. The feed system on the pneumatic nail gun needs to be cleaned regularly. Be mindful of what you are using when cleaning these systems, as material left behind can clog the machine, leaving it non-operational. 

Here are a few things to check and consider to help keep your nail gun in working condition. Check your gun’s user manual to see if the following apply to your nail gun:

• Air tool oil
  
  Add air tool oil to the moving parts of the gun and fittings at the bottom of the tool. Lubrication will help the tool’s mechanism run smoothly.
• Check the seals and hosing
  
  A bad seal can cause the tool to lose power and may damage the nail gun if left unchecked.
• Inspect screws and bolts
  
  Screws, bolts and nuts can come loose due to vibrations and knocks. Keep them tight and identify any that are missing.

How often you should clean your nail gun

There are a few different numbers thrown around about how often should you clean your nail gun. A good rule of thumb would be cleaning it every 6 months or around 50,000 shots. It definitely does not hurt to reduce that to every 10,000 shots, and if you are working in a dirty environment or consistently banging out framing jobs you should be checking and cleaning your gun more often.

Paslode NZ has great videos to help guide you through cleaning your Paslode gun.

Each nail gun brand will have its recommendations for cleaning included in the user manual.

4. Spend time on battery maintenance

A big expense when it comes to your tools is replacing batteries. They all have a lifespan and you can easily get complacent by seeing them as an extension of a power tool or just ignoring them until one stops working. However, dropping them, poor storage and misuse will lead to degrading their lifespan. 

Tool brands are always marketing to tradies with the promise of ‘one type of battery for all your tools’. While this is easy and convenient, it can put all your eggs in one basket, or, all the weight of a house on a couple of studs. A bad battery can wreck your work and your power tools. Here’s some advice for looking after your battery.

Be mindful of the temperature when storing batteries

Good storage of your batteries is the key step to extending their life. Your batteries (and tools) should be stored in controlled environments where the temperature is consistent. Prolonged exposure to cold conditions does kill the capacity of the battery, as it takes more energy for the battery to charge.

When it comes to heat, it’s more dangerous. Along with making the battery work harder, exposure to high temperatures will cause batteries to bulge, create sparks or flames and damage your power tool. Always let them cool down after extensive use and switch out to another one in your kit.

Good practices when using your cordless batteries

There are a few things to consider in the day to day use of your batteries to keep them performing for longer.

• Keep your torque low
  
  Be mindful of the relationship between your battery power and what setting you have your drill set to.
  
  
• Charging
  
  Don’t discharge it or run it too flat too often. This can lead to an early death for your battery. If it’s a lithium-ion battery, charge it frequently, even when they are partially charged.
  
  
• Don’t get it wet
  
  If your battery does get wet, the safest option is to replace it. Once wet, your battery can be considered defective and therefore dangerous. Attempting to use a defective battery will become a fire risk.

Make an effort to recycle your cordless batteries, instead of just lobbing them into your site’s skip. It prevents the battery and its chemicals from getting into general waste and impacting the environment.

You can either drop them off at our branches, at a hazardous waste collection site, found at most dumps/landfills or with numerous battery-recycling schemes around New Zealand.

5. Clean your gear properly

Spending a little bit of time regularly cleaning your tools can save you money replacing them in the long run. Here are some ways to show your tools some love.

• Clean out the dust
  
  Even if you’re the smartest chippy on-site and have your vacuum attached to most of your tools, dust will always find its way into your power tools. Use an industrial vacuum then a can of compressed air can get in amongst the moving parts of your gear. This includes blades, drill chucks and filters. Follow up by using a damp rag to wipe moulded plastic parts.
  
  
• Remove rust and worn bits
  
  Your gear will eventually rust. Even though tools are often built tough, you need to work lightly to remove them. Use a stiff brush or steel wool gently, to avoid scratching. Apply a degreaser afterwards to get rid of gunk and once gone along with the rust, spray the metals pieces of your tool with a corrosion protector.
  
  
• Check, tighten and align the parts
  
  Check the moving parts of your tool to ensure they are functioning properly. Apply lubricant to areas where you can identify foreign noises emitting from them. Always read the instructions for any product you use on your tools. Moving parts should be moving freely while fasteners such as bolts and screws, should be tight.
  Don’t forget to check your lasers too. Checking they are level with a flat surface and your spirit level (the longer the better), will ensure the next wall you build will be plumb. There are some handy guides out there, but nothing beats taking your laser to a specialist for a calibration.
• Double-check
  
  Now that everything is cleaned, replaced and lubricated, plug in your lead or your cordless battery to check the tool works well.

Hire a well maintained and wide range of gear with Hirepool

Now that you’ve put the maintenance of your gear at the top of your mind, the next time you’re picking up a tool that makes a weird noise or smells like it's burning, you’ll know what to do.

You’re now equipped to check on the usability of power tools and take care of them instead of going out to spend more on tools, growing your collection of gear, increasing your waste and raising your costs. 

Our Hirepool mechanics are always getting stuck into our machines and equipment to ensure they’re ready to go before their stint with a tradie on a worksite. For what you don’t have in the back of your van or ute, check out our range of Hirepool gear for a job of any size.