Tips For Servicing Your Woodworking Machinery
by Mony Shah How to Guides 10 August 2023
Following a good maintenance and servicing routine for your woodworking machinery will not only ensure that it serves you for longer but also that it will do so in a safer manner. Keeping your woodworking machinery cleaned and free from dust, oiled and greased where necessary, and ensuring that any consumables are replaced on a regular basis is important.
These are all jobs that you may be able to undertake yourself. For more complex issues, you may want to discuss your requirements with a company like Calderbrook Woodworking Machinery, which offers a rebuilding service that can help you with those issues you cannot deal with yourself.
Why Is It Important To Service Your Woodworking Tools?
It is important to consider that, depending on the amount of usage your woodworking machinery gets, cleaning, maintenance, and even servicing may only take a few minutes each day with the right schedule in place.
It may also be necessary to spend a couple of extra minutes on this task every week or month to ensure that your machinery really is working to optimum performance. Here are some pro tips to maintain your woodworking tools:
Employing the right tools for each task
You might be wrong if you think you can get away by working with the same tool for every activity. In order to optimize their potential, ensure to use the of suitable equipment for suitable jobs. For example, when it comes to small operations like slippage, use screwdrivers without bothering big equipment.
Prevent the formation of rust
The next step is to prevent your woodworking equipment from getting rusted. To serve this purpose, it is critical to keep them dry as well as clean. If they are in the habit of getting wet while working, make sure to disinfect them and pat dry before storing them.
Sharpen them every other day
Often, we hear that the sharper your tools are, the longer they are going to last. Maintaining sharp equipment not only helps in doing the precise job but also keeps you safe. Dull blades are most likely to slip and cause injuries to the concerned person. On the other hand, it is easy to hold and control sharper tools.
Oil them on a monthly basis
Woodworking is all about using the equipment until it gets tarnished. But do they always have to be like that? Regular oiling actually smoothens the different parts of your equipment. Some experts suggest applying turpentine or tar on the tool handles for extra moisture as well as bacteria protection.
Follow safety protocols
Safety must be the first priority when it comes to using hand tools. Nobody is really immune to accidents, not even professional craftsmen. Small considerations like wearing gloves and taking safety precautions can actually keep you safe from accidents.
Types Of Maintenance
In general, maintenance of your woodworking machinery will fall into two different categories. It is important to know the difference between the two and also create a schedule of servicing that reflects this. The first category is those tasks that you need to do each day.
The second are those checks that need to be carried out to encompass longer periods of time. With both of these categories, the checks that you undertake should be tailored to the amount of use your machines get. If you haven’t used a machine for a while, then you should also service it before it is used to ensure that it is safe to use.
Cleaning Your Machinery
It is important to ensure that before you begin any form of maintenance or cleaning on any of your woodworking machines, you make sure they are unplugged. You should be careful not to touch those areas of the machine that are marked as “not for user servicing.”
You also need to make sure that the products you use on your machines are suitable for the job at hand – it may be necessary to refer to the handbook to make sure that you are using the right products. If the products you use are not designed for your machine, they have the potential to make the machine unsafe to use.
Dust
In a woodworking environment, dust is an unavoidable issue. Ensure that you have fully working dust extractors in place and that these are regularly cleaned and emptied for maximum efficiency.
You should also ensure that any loose dust and wood shavings are swept up on a regular basis. Caught underfoot, they may cause someone to lose their footing, and they also represent a fire hazard. This is a much quicker job when it is done at regular intervals.
Greasing And Lubricating
Ensure that you have the right grease and lubricant for each machine. This may vary from one machine to another based on what type of work the machine does.
Keeping your woodworking machinery properly greased and lubricated will help to ensure it is working as efficiently as possible. A sluggish machine is one that may well be in need of some attention in this area.
Professional Machinery Servicing
Whilst there are plenty of tasks you can carry out on your machinery yourself, it can be a good idea to have them serviced professionally on a regular basis.
This will ensure that, if there is any wear and tear to the parts that may make the machinery unsafe to use, this is spotted before it becomes a big issue. This will help to ensure the safety of those who are working with your machines on a daily basis.
The Bottom Line
With this comprehensive article at your disposal, I sincerely hope that you are all set to embrace tool maintenance. Make sure to implement the aforementioned tips that can actually guide you through the tools-maintenance process.
Such meticulous care is possible only when your hand tools exist in peak condition. With this, I bring my guide to an end. But if this imparted knowledge to you, don’t forget to share your priceless comments. Happy reading!
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