Investing in your tools is essential to ensuring the longevity of their life: it’ll help you minimize the repairs and replacement parts it’ll need down the road. But investing doesn’t just mean buying the most expensive tool at the start, investing your time and care into your tools is essential to getting your money’s worth.
The initial investment
Buying tools can be exciting if you’re a pro or avid DIYer. Or it can be overwhelming and confusing if you’re not used to it. But either way it’s a chance to scout out the market for the latest and greatest in what you need. It can be tempting to opt for the cheapest option – especially if it’s your first time buying. But this often leads to breakages, shortfalls and disappointment fairly early. You don’t have to get the most expensive tool but weigh up your needs and wants with each tool’s capabilities or lack thereof.
Buy from a trusted brand
While it can be tempting to go for a cheaper, less established brand this can often lead to problems down the line. Get your tools from a trusted local hardware store. Or buy direct online from established and trusted stores to ensure you’re getting high-quality, brand-new tools that are not being resold with problems. Go for brands like Milwaukee Tools who offer guarantees for their products and have been well established in the trade for a long time.
If you’re unsure of brands, head to your local hardware store to seek expert advice on what brands fit your needs. Stores may also have selected tools out on display so you can test out their weight and get a feel for them before purchasing. Online DIY boards and blogs are also a great source of knowledge to help inform your purchase decision.
Keeping them safe
Storing your tools in a secure and dry place is integral to ensuring they last as long as possible. This will protect them from both damp and any damage from falls or anyone untrained getting a hold on them. Try to keep the boxes, the warranty and instruction manuals for each tool alongside them so if you do have any issues, you know where to find the solutions. Some suppliers may require the original boxes and receipt should you need to return the item or have it fixed, so keeping all the original goods safe and secure helps cover future you and ensures a smooth fix.
Use them for the correct job
While some tools may seem like they can do it all, always check before usage if a tool is suitable for the job you’re carrying out. For example, an electric screwdriver is handy for securing screws in larger, sturdy pieces of wood- but can cause damage if used in more lightweight materials.
Using the correct tools for the job not only preserves the integrity of your materials by ensuring the correct force is used, it also prevents causing damage to both the tool and yourself. If you were to use an electric screwdriver in place of a manual one in a small, thin piece of wood the head of the screwdriver would likely slip out of place, which would cause damage to the head but could also cause you to fall and injure yourself on the materials or tools.
Always check in the tools handbook or with an expert if you are unsure as it’s far better to be cautious than to risk an injury.
Investing in tools can be an overwhelming process at the start. But by carefully following the above advice you can purchase and maintain long-lasting equipment.