Everything you need to know about finding a tool supplier

Tools can come in very handy for minor home improvements and renovation jobs. With so many tools available, it’s important to know your options and how and where they can be used.

Types of Tools

Tools for use in our homes come in 4 categories:

• Power tools – These are directly connected to the mains power and include air compressors, angle grinders, bandsaws, belt sanders, circular saws, concrete saws, disc sanders, drills, grinding machines, heat guns, jigsaws, pneumatic torque wrenches, orbital sanders, reciprocating saws, routers, sanders, scroll saws, table saws and trimmers.
• Cordless tools – Here the choices are smaller because these tools need to be able to run on batteries, and as some of them draw a heavy current it is often not possible to make a cordless version of a power tool. However there are some very successful cordless tools such as drills, hedge trimmers, impact drivers, plane, pruning shears, and screw-drivers.
• Hand tools – These are the time-tested favourites that will work in all conditions because they are manually operated. The most common hand tools include hacksaws, hammers, hand drills, hand saws, levels, needle-nose pliers, monkey wrenches, screw-drivers, tape measures, utility knives and wire cutters.
• Air tools – This requires the use of a compressor and airline, but these tools are extremely efficient and useful. Some examples found in advanced workshops are air impact wrenches, air-ratchets, air-hammers and air-grinders.

Choosing Tools

Using the right tool for the right job is important. Here are a few guidelines for buying tools:

• Do not buy cheap tools. The only exception is if you are only going to use it once or for one particular job.
• If buying cordless tools, make sure that the batteries are up to the task. For example a powerful cordless drill is not much use if the battery constantly needs re-charging. If possible buy two batteries and always have one set charging.
• When buying power tools, check the following to make sure the tool will do everything you want it to:
  
  • Watts – Make sure the power of the tool is high enough for your requirements
  • Speed – Find out if it has variable speed
  • Action – If it is a bladed tool such as a saw, find out if it has pendulum action to improve cutting speed
  • Torque – Make sure the output power varies enough to make it a real precision tool
    

Find Tool Suppliers the Easy Way