How To Take Care Of and Maintain Mechanic Tool Sets
Mechanic tool sets just like any other tools need proper and regular maintenance in order to remain in top notch condition. Maintaining your tools will ensure that they function properly whenever you need to use them.
Even if the tools are of very high quality, proper maintenance is inevitable to keep them in proper condition and maintain their lifeline. Below are some guidelines on how you can properly take care of your tools.
Tips to take care your mechanic tool sets
General maintenance
- Wipe them regularly to clear them of any corrosive substances such as petrol, brake fluids, and any other solvents including water.
- Keep the tools in a closed tool box to protect them from dust as tools which are covered with dust easily absorb surrounding moisture causing them to rust quickly.
- Handle your tools carefully to avoid dropping them especially very hard falls. Additionally, avoid scenarios that would scratch your tools, or hitting them unnecessarily may destroy the plating that covers them, exposing the bare metal. Exposing of the bare metal accelerates corrosion which destroys your tools faster.
- Inspect the tools regularly for any defects. After every use would be best if you can do it, but at most a week shouldn’t pass before you check your tools and take appropriate action incase of any defects.
- Tools which are not used often may contain light surface rust. The light surface rust also needs to be cleaned by use of a clean cloth and a water displacement product.
- Finally, after working with your tools, ensure you clean up any foreign material or debris that is left on your tools.
- Proper storage is key. Keep them in a place that they will be inaccessible to kids as they might bang them or throw them up and down hence destroying them.
Also, avoid places that they can easily catch dust or water. You may choose to put them in drawers, hang them on pegboards, on high shelves. You can store your most used tools in a toolbox for easier access.
- Avoid garages and basements as they present humid conditions that may cause your tools to rust if they are not well aerated.
How to maintain ratchets
- Wipe them clean of any foreign material after use.
- Every week, ensure the backing plate screws are fixed tightly into place so that no contaminants enter the head of the ratchet.
- Disassemble the ratchet head monthly, soak and clean it in a solvent to get rid of dust and other debris that may have built up over time.
- Regularly check your ratchet’s main drive gear and pawls for any wear, tear, or damage.
- When you are re-assembling your ratchet, grease the ratchet gears and lock all screws with a thread locker.
Maintaining the toolbox
Toolboxes are not waterproof and therefore also need extra care when storing them so that the tools you have kept inside can also remain in good condition. You can maintain the condition of your toolbox in the following ways:
- Lock the box properly and tightly at all times.
- Clean and lubricate the locking mechanism and hinges regularly with a light oil and also lubricate the lock barrels with silicone spray or graphite powder.
- Inspect the rubber seal periodically to confirm if it is still in good condition and repair or replaces it if it is not.
- Regularly check if there are any holes that could cause the toolbox to leak. If any, seal them with a silicone sealant.
- Ta simple way to ensure your toolbox remains dry is by throwing in some silica gel and rust collectors to protect against rusting.
Since acquiring high-quality tools can be very costly, it is important to maintain them regularly. This will ensure that they will serve you right at that point when you really need them for that urgent DIY.
Even if you do not use a certain tool regularly, always check up on it and clean it from light rust and any dust because you never know when it may come in handy.
Keeping your tools in a safe place away from potential contaminants and also away from the reach of children could help you keep them functional for longer.