Now that you’ve got a tool collection to call your own, you’re probably wondering how you take care of them.  Are you wondering if you need to oil your power tools?  How do you wash them?  I’m going to tell you how to take care of your tools so you can get the most out of them!

Lubricating your tools.

Tools these days don’t usually require lubrication.  Most power tools have sealed bearings or are considered self-lubricating.  Tools that do require lube are ones like air impact wrenches.  So if you happen to own one, read the manual to learn where the oil points are. 

Cleaning your tools.

Tools will get dirty; there is no way around it.  You may get dust or other debris on your tools at some point in your life, but you must resist the urge to wash them.  Tools DO NOT go in the dishwasher.  Water is the enemy of a trusty tool.  Rinsing off your tools can lead to rust.  However, there are times that water will come in contact with your tools.  Installing faucets and shower heads are two great examples of when water can be an issue.  Just remember, a little water can lead to a big mess.  If your tools get wet, dry them as soon as you can, and always before putting them away.

Storage of your tools.

They don’t call it a tool box for nothing!  This is the place your tools need to go.  With a place for everything, and everything in its place, your tools will thank you.  Many people hastily like to finish projects and toss their tools into a junk drawer, I have one and I bet you do too!  When you dump tools on top of each other, it can lead to problems.  Tools improperly stored can get scratched up, mixed up and generally messed up.  Tool boxes provide protection as well as convenience.  It’s a must have investment for your tool collection.  If you don’t have a place for your tools, consider looking at the soft tool bag from our site!  We have so many tools in our home, that it takes a six foot tall tool chest and two smaller boxes in our garage to organize all of our tools.  However, I don’t like walking out to the unattached garage in the dead of winter every time I want to hang a picture.  What’s my solution?  I have a

tool belt that I keep fully loaded in my bedroom closet.  It attaches to my waist with a plastic buckle, so I just clip it onto the bar that I hang clothes from.  It fits right in with my fashionable belts!  Having a tool belt in the house that has a multipurpose screwdriver, hammer, nails, tape measure, pliers, wrench and flashlight is worth its weight in gold!  Those are the basic staples I use whenever I tackle a project.  I highly recommend having something similar in your home. 

tool belt that I keep fully loaded in my bedroom closet.  It attaches to my waist with a plastic buckle, so I just clip it onto the bar that I hang clothes from.  It fits right in with my fashionable belts!  Having a tool belt in the house that has a multipurpose screwdriver, hammer, nails, tape measure, pliers, wrench and flashlight is worth its weight in gold!  Those are the basic staples I use whenever I tackle a project.  I highly recommend having something similar in your home. 

Treat your tools right and they’ll last for years!  Happy tasking!

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 1:52 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.