Using and Caring for Mechanics Tools

1Use each tool the right way

• Spanner: choose exactly the right size. Pull the spanner towards you instead of pushing it away, so that if it slips your knuckles do not smash into metal.
• Screwdriver: the tip must fit the screw slot. Press in firmly while you turn. Never use it as a chisel or to lever open a tin.
• Hammer: check that the head is tight on the handle. Hold the handle near its end and keep your eyes on the nail.
• Pliers: use them for gripping and wire, not for turning nuts. Pliers squash the corners of a nut so that no spanner fits it afterwards.
• Hacksaw: fit the blade with the teeth pointing forward, away from the handle. Clamp the work in a vice. Use long, steady strokes; the saw cuts on the push stroke.
• Hand drill: hold it straight and turn at a steady speed. Clamp small pieces so they cannot spin.
• Jack: use it only on flat, hard ground, under the lifting point of the vehicle.

2What is tool maintenance?

Maintenance means keeping a tool in good working condition so that it works well, stays safe and lasts a long time. Good mechanics follow five steps after every job.

1. Clean it. Wipe off mud, grease and metal dust with a rag or brush.
2. Dry it. Water left on iron or steel turns into rust, a reddish-brown crust that eats the metal away.
3. Oil it. Rub a thin layer of oil on the metal parts, and put a drop on moving joints such as the hinge of pliers or the screw of a vice.
4. Store it. Keep tools in a dry toolbox, on a tool board or on a rack, never on the floor or out in the rain. Cover sharp edges.
5. Inspect and repair it. Look for a loose hammer head, a cracked handle, a bent screwdriver tip or a blunt blade. Tighten, sharpen with a file, or replace the broken part. Never use a damaged tool.

Worked example: why does oil stop rust?

Rust needs three things together: iron, water and air. Take away one of them and rust cannot form.

• Drying the spanner takes away the water.
• A thin coat of oil covers the metal, so neither water nor air can touch it.
• Storing it in a dry box keeps new water away.

So Keza's grandfather's spanner rusted because it lay in wet grass, in the air, for months: iron, water and air all together.

3Why a sharp tool is safer than a blunt one

It sounds strange, but a blunt saw, file or machete is more dangerous than a sharp one. A blunt tool needs much more force, and when you push hard, the tool is more likely to slip and cut you. Keeping cutting tools sharp is part of maintenance and part of safety.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.