Four Ways To Maintain Your Power Tools

Have you found out that you haven't been using your power tools lately? Are these just sitting in the garage? If these are, you have to be sure that these aren't just in the garage and starting to rust.

Rust can render these tools unusable in the long run and you might regret that you won't be able to re-use or even re-sell them in the future. Make sure that you maintain your power tools even though they are not in use. Here are some ways that you can maintain your power tools so that these will last as long as you have them.

• Store them properly – Most power tools are handheld which means that these are portable, unlike many heavy duty tools that are used by carpenters and engineers. So what you need to do is be smart about storing these power tools in places that are hard to reach for children.

These should also be stored in a cool and dry place away from anything that will attract moisture or dust. The best place would probably be in an attic if you have one but your power tools should not be left in the basement unless you have a machine that will get rid of the humidity that gathers down there.

• Keep away from water – The last thing you want to do is store your power tools in a place that is near any kind of body of water like a shed near a pond or by the lake. Keep your power tools away from any liquid because the moist can stick onto your power tools and rust might form in the long run.

• Oil some of their parts – Some power tools like a power saw or drill will have parts that need to be oiled or greased on a frequent basis. The reason for this is that these power tools have moving parts and you don't want those parts to rust to the point that the moving parts get locked down.

Oil or grease your power tools regularly but only where needed. You don't need, for example to oil the handle of a drill; just its drill bit perhaps or the area where it should be attached that spins. Also, do not overdo the oiling because that can actually flood the motors or moving parts of the power tool which will inevitably make them useless.

• Let them run – If you do not use tools frequently, you still have to let them run once in a while. It's like the advice given about not letting a car sit idle for days on end. If you don't start the car at least once a day, the engine may stall on you.

With power tools, the concept is quite similar. Don't have anything to drill? At least let the drill run for a few minutes until it heats up and then your can store it away again. This will keep your power tools in top condition and you won't have to worry about them conking out whenever you really need to use them.