Best Hand Tools Tips & Trick

What are some basic tips when using hand tools? To avoid accidents in the workplace resulting from the incorrect use of hand tools, it is important for workers to understand the proper use of these items. Otherwise, you could get hurt, do a job improperly and generally never accomplish what you wanted with the tools you own. Thus, it is crucial that you understand a proper way to use hand tools and to know some basic tips and tricks on how to properly use them for what they are made for. You must choose the right tools This is a very important concept, when it comes to any job that requires hand tools. At any tool store, there is a specific tool, jig or fixture that promises to do every task imaginable, and you could spend a fortune buying them all, but you don’t need 99.99 percent of them. What you do need is an understanding of the necessary tools to furnish your toolkit and an understanding of what each of them does. When it comes to buying tools, buy the best you can afford. If you are just getting into hand tools, I have some great news for you. You can save cash and floorspace in your garage by avoiding all big, heavy machinery and instead investing in some heirloom-quality hand tools.

Quality hand tools do have a much higher price tag, but take it from me — if you buy well the first time, you will save a lot of money, trouble and frustration in the long run. Once you own a few quality tools, there are all kinds of tips and tricks to use them efficiently and successfully. For example, you don’t need to have every single size of screwdriver or wrench ever made. If you have three or four sizes, you can do most of the tasks in house around the tools you have. Take care of your tools Good tools can be quite an investment, but if you take good care of them, they’ll return the favor. Keeping your tools properly stored, cleaned, and maintained will save you time and money and make your DIY endeavors that much more rewarding. We’re mostly talking about hand tools, power tools, and garden tools in this article, but much of the same advice applies whether your tools of choice are kitchen knives, crafting tools, or whatever else. Store them well, keep them clean and well-maintained, and you won’t be sorry. 3. Store Your Tools Properly You have to work with the space you have. Maybe you hang them on pegboards, maybe you store them in boxes, bags, or chests, or maybe you keep them in drawers or on shelves in your shop. Whatever works for you is best. Toolboxes probably are the best solution for tool storage, offering the primary advantage of portability. While some people opt to store all their tools in toolboxes, for most, the toolbox is a way of carrying around your most-used tools while leaving the bulk safely stored on pegboards, shelves, or drawers. No matter what you’re doing, though, you can build a well-equipped toolbox for every level of DIY needs.

Keep your tools in a dry place. It seems obvious, but garages and basements and other enclosed spaces can have humidity issues, especially if they are not heated or air-conditioned. If you keep your tools in a location like this, especially if you keep them out on shelves or pegboards, consider investing in a dehumidifier to keep the dampness down. They’re not terribly expensive, especially compared to your investment in your tools, and most let you set a humidity level so the dehumidifier turns on only when it needs to. Store power tools in their original cases. Unless you have a climate-controlled workshop, your best bet for storing power tools in the hard plastic cases they usually come with. Not only are they better-protected from humidity, they’re just better-protected in general.

Clean Your Tools After Every Use

Cleaning your tools may be the last thing you want to do after a day of work, but it’s essential for keeping your tools in good shape. And it really only takes a few seconds per tool unless you’ve got something really nasty on your hands. It’s well-worth the time spent doing a little cleaning to save the time spent repairing a tool (or the money spent replacing it) later. Hand tools: You can clean most hand tools by simply wiping them down with a rag. If they’re dirty, don’t be afraid to give them a good wash with soap and water. Just dry them well afterward. Spritz metal with a light coat of WD-40 and wipe with a clean rag (you really just want to leave a light film on them to help keep the rust away). Wipe wooden handles with a rag dampened with a little linseed oil. Power tools: Power tools are a little trickier to clean. First, make sure the tool is unplugged before you clean it. Next, you’ll want to get all the dust off. An air compressor can be really useful for that. Wipe down the surface of the tool and then lubricate any moving parts. Machine oil is a fine choice for this, but you should also check the manual that came with the tool to see if they have better recommendations. While you’re at it, don’t forget that your toolboxes, belts, and bags will need some care as well. Clean out your toolboxes every once in a while by emptying them and wiping them down. If you’ve got leather belts and bags, you’ll want to condition the leather once in a while.

Inspect Your Tools Every Time You Use Them

We’re going to assume you use your tools safely. You wear goggles and gloves when you should and you follow the safety protocols recommended for your power tools. But taking the time to inspect your tools every time you use them is one of the most important things you can do to ensure not only your safety while using them, but the longevity of your tools as well. If a wooden handle is damaged, it is prone to breaking during use, which can cause injury to you or others. If a handle is not spintered too badly, you can probably sand it down just fine. Sand against the grain first if the handle is really rough and then sand with the grain until it’s smooth enough you can run your hand along it without feeling any chips or splinters. Finish off with a coating of linseed oil. However, if the handle is cracked or heavily splintered, you’ll need to replace it. Depending on the level of corrosion or rust, the tool may be unsafe to use.

Try removing the rust yourself or just replacing the tool. Removing rust from tools is actually pretty easy if the damage isn’t too great. If a power tool has anything more than a simple hairline crack on the housing, don’t use it. Unless you have the expertise to repair it, you’ll need to get it repaired by a professional. Taking care of your tools does require a bit of a commitment, but you ask so much of them it seems a small price to pay. Especially when a well-cared-for tool can reward you with so much DIY goodness.

5 Tools Every Toolbox Should Have

A good, fully stocked toolbox should always contain more than just five tools. That’s a rule that can’t be overlooked. A toolbox with five or less tools can never be a complete toolbox, and it will leave you wanting for the tool you need too many times. However, just as every toolbox needs to have more than five tools, there are roughly five tools that simply have to be included in every toolbox. These are the essential tools that every versatile toolset, like the one made by Wilson & Miller, must contain, because without them you wouldn’t be able to do even the basic DIY stuff around the house.

1. The Hammer

And not any hammer, for that matter, but a claw hammer. The claw hammer is used to, as it name says, hammer nails into surfaces by using one of its sides, or to remove the nails from a surface by using the other side. When buying a hammer, it’s important to keep in mind the work you’ll need it for. Small hammers are used for hammering small nails, and the bigger the nail, the bigger the hammer needed for it. An average hammer should weigh around one pound, and have a 16-inch long handle. Make sure that it fits your hand nicely, and that you’re able to maintain a firm grip while swinging it, because you don’t want the hammer flying out of your hand while you’re trying to hammer a nail.

2. Set of Screwdrivers

There’s no such thing as a universal screwdriver. They come in different sizes, and in two very different types – flathead and Philips head. When looking for those, you want to look for a set which contains both flathead and Philips head screwdrivers in a range of sizes. Alternatively, you can get two separate sets, one with flathead screwdrivers and one with Philips head screwdrivers. If you can get only one set with only one type of screwdrivers, aim for flathead, because they can be used with Philips head screws, although they will cause uneven wear of the head of the screw eventually. The important thing is that a toolbox without tools to handle screws is not a very good toolbox, so make sure yours has some screwdrivers.

3. Crescent Wrench

An adjustable wrench is the best thing you can have in your toolbox if it doesn’t already have a full set of wrenches. And if it would have a full set of wrenches, you’d still need an adjustable one. No fastener head, be it a bolt or a nut, no matter what size it might be, can resist being loosened or tightened with a crescent wrench. Plus, because it’s a tool that performs a function of many tools of different sizes, a crescent wrench is very practical – it can save space in your toolbox, and it can be worn on a tool belt.

4. Pliers

There’s more type of pliers than just one. Pliers are a gripping tool, although some come with a section that can be used for cutting. Because they are usually serrated, whatever you use the pliers with will be damaged if not properly protected. Just how fine of a thing you need to grip with the pliers will determine what type of plier you need. If you plan to work with electronics, you’ll need the needle-nose pliers. If you want something that will be able to grip plumbing pipes, you can use water-pump pliers. If you want the most versatile option, you should go with linesman’s pliers, which can both grip and cut.

5. Electric Drill

Because drilling by hand can be tiring and very time consuming, an electric drill should be a part of every toolbox. It doesn’t have to be a big power drill if you don’t plan to do some heavy construction work or drill through concrete walls, but it has to have enough power to be useful around the house. The best thing about electric drills is that they come with many different attachments, called bits, so they can be used instead of screwdrivers in certain circumstances, they can sand and grind materials, or even be used for stirring paint. They come in cordless and corded varieties, with the former being more expensive and portable, and the latter being less expensive and cheaper to maintain.