How to Avoid Damage of the Hand Tools in Your Garage
If you are a DIY mechanic, you have probably learned the lesson that buying good quality tools can save you a lot of money as you don’t need to replace broken or damaged tools every few months. But how you take care of your high-quality tools has a lot to do with how long they last. Everything requires proper care to stay in a good condition.
Therefore, we have listed a few basic below tips for you to keep your tools just as new as you bought them and to make them last a lifetime.
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Buy the Best Tools Available
Price is usually a strong indicator of a tool’s quality. But buying full sets of sockets, pair of wrench, and screwdrivers can be prohibitively expensive at times. Most reputable tool manufacturers offer their tools as individual items. So, invest in the best tool individually rather than buying a set that has a short life and high price.
Good quality tools will last a lifetime with proper care, and they won’t damage fasteners on your car. Moreover, high quality tools require only a minimum basic care and maintenance which is enough for keeping your tools in good shape.
Keep Your Tools Dry
Even the best quality tools will start to rust and corrode if they are in constant contact with moisture, or kept in high humidity conditions without proper ventilation. Keep your tools dry by making sure there are no leaks in your garage roof. Also, ensure that there is a proper airflow in the garage.
If you cannot provide airflow, wipe all your tools down with an oily rag to deposit a protective oil film on all metal surfaces.
Keep Your Tools Separated
The quickest way to damage screwdriver tips is to keep all your tools jumbled in a toolbox together. Keep your tools separated to avoid impact damage. Hang them against a wall, or erect a board with hooks and loops on which you hang your screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, and other tools by groups, or sizes.
This makes it easy to find what you need, and also to keep track of what you have. As you expand your tool collection, you can easily add to the board to accommodate more items.
Note that if you have a torque wrench; relax the tension spring in the handle after use to maintain the tool’s calibration. If you use a digital torque wrench, remove the batteries from the tool if you are not going to use it for a while to avoid damage to the battery holder.
Click here to find the perfect tool organizer that you can hang on the wall of your garage.
Use the Correct Tool for the Job
Another reason that causes damaged tools is to use a badly fitting, or even the wrong tool for the job at hand. For instance, if you are changing your car tire, then use a torque wrench for tightening lug nuts of wheels, it helps proper fastening, avoid any damage.
Similarly, don’t use a 3/8- inch drive socket and ratchet handle where a ½-inch drive is required. No matter how expensive the socket and ratchet are, using them for the wrong job can destroy them easily.
Clean Your Tools after Use
The best way to protect your tools is to keep them clean, and free of old oil, grease, and other potentially corrosion-causing substances. For instance, old engine oil is acidic, and long-term exposure of tools to old oil can cause tools to rust, or suffer acid damage.
Wipe all your tools with a clean rag after use. And make sure you keep the ratchet mechanism in your ratchet handles, lubricated with a drop of clean oil every couple of months or so.
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