Why Doesn't My Power Tool Startup?

When a power tool won't power up there are various causes of failure. but troubleshooting should be done in a methodical order, the main thing though is to check the obvious first!

Equipment Needed:

Some screwdrivers, flat and Phillips head
Continuity meter or multimeter to trace continuity from the plug to the motor.

A non-contact voltage detector (optional). These devices glow when the tip is held close to a live cable

Important !!!

Remember to avoid shock, disconnect the tool from the mains supply before troubleshooting!!!

Troubleshooting: 

 ● It may be obvious but ensure the socket outlet isn't faulty, try the tool in another outlet to see if it works.

● Check whether the overload circuit breaker if fitted on the tool has activated. This happens e.g. on a table saw when the motor is stalled. To reset you need to press a button. The breaker may need a couple of minutes to cool down before resetting

● If plug is rewireable check for loose screws at plug pin terminals, loose fuses etc. 

● A common cause of failure especially with drills and other hand held tools is one or more broken wires in the power flex caused by metal fatigue in the cable (like when you break a paper clip by bending it backwards and forwards) , this usually happens where the cord leaves the plug or where the cord enters the tool. If you have a non-contact voltage detector, you can use it to trace the break from the plug to the tool. Plug in the tool and hold the tip of the detector at the plug, it will glow here but as it is moved down along the flex it will stop glowing after the break (If the break is in the live core of the cable)

● Sometimes it is possible to detect where a break is in a flex by stretching it, the flex will narrow in the region of the break

● If you still can't trace the fault, unplug the tool. Open it. Check the continuity from each pin of the plug to the switch in the tool.

● A faulty on / off switch can prevent the tool from working. Use the continuity tester to check this

● Loose spade terminals on switches may cause intermittent operation

● Tools with green and red start and stop buttons may have a faulty relay

● The brushes in the motor may have worn down

● The armature or field coils of motor may have gone open circuit. The field coils can be checked with the continuity meter

How to Stop Nails Splitting Timber

Flat or round nails can split timber, especially if they're used near the edge because the sloped tip acts as a wedge. An old tip is to shear the tips off wire nails to stop them doing this. The nail then shears and cuts through fibres rather than acting as a wedge, pushing them apart and splitting the timber.

Homemade Tools - Snow Rake

I put this together from scrap 2 x 1 and 3/8" (10mm) plywood. I used some pieces of waste wire from electric cable (string would be just as good) as ties to stop the board pulling off the end of the 2 x 1.

Snow Shovels by Briggs & Stratton

Think I'd prefer shovelling by hand to warm up, but these snow shovels by Briggs & Stratton could be useful!

Lidl Tools from the Centre Aisle - Air Wedges

Picked up this set of air wedges in Lidl . They're like a mini version of what firemen use. Handy for lifting and positioning stuff and pushing things apart.

"Talking Tools"

Just wanted to let you know about my new Facebook group "Talking Tools".
It's a platform for pros and newbies to talk about tools, share reviews and tips. Novices can ask questions and get help from more experienced members. Manufacturers can also show off their new products.

Talking Tools

Good DIY Gifts For Men?

I better be diplomatic about this and suggest that DIY gifts for men needn't be any different than those which would be suitable for all the ladies amongst us (and even "non-ladies"!) Speaking as a serious male DIYer, I would like a cordless drill with two lithium batteries. The advantage of this battery technology is that the batteries don't lose their charge as quickly, and the drill is always ready for use.
A mitre(miter) saw is useful for making square cuts on timber, dado rail etc. An 8inch version is fine.
Jigsaws are useful for making curved and straight cuts in sheet timber. Go for one with variable speed on the trigger.
Angle grinders are useful for cutting metal and masonry.
A socket wrench set or ratchet wrenches(spanners) are always handy for tightening and undoing nuts and bolts.
Personally I would prefer to buy my own hand tools. While power tools are somewhat similar, the shape and size of hand tools are such that it is better to try them in your hand before buying. I mean how would a woman feel if their partner bought them shoes?

For Less Than $4 This Mini Adjustable Zooming LED Flashlight is a "Must Have" for Camping, Hiking and DIY

So I received one of these flashlights from Dealextreme  in the mail today and I wasn't disappointed! This 120 lumen flashlight is really bright and runs on a single1.5 volt alkaline AA cell or alternatively you can use a 3.6 volt Lithium 14500 type.

SIPIK SK68 120lm Convex Lens LED Zooming Flashlight w/ Q3-WC

You are probably familiar with the two AA cell Maglite which is a nice compact torch, and an indispensable item in any DIYers toolbox. Maglites can be zoomed so that they throw a narrow parallel beam, useful for instance when running services under floorboards or pinpointing stuff in the distance. This flashlight is a little over half the length of  a double AA Maglite, but has the added advantage of a zoomable beam, which can be adjusted from flood to spot by sliding the lens at the front backwards and forwards.

How Bright is It?

Well it's REALLY bright for something so small which runs on a single AA cell! According to the spec on Dealextreme's website, the flashlight pumps outs 120 lumens of light from the Cree Q3-WC LED. This is insanely bright and perfectly adequate for lighting up an area. When adjusted to provide a narrow beam, it can easily light up a target 30 metres away.

What's the Runtime?

At a voltage of 0.7 to 4.2 volts, runtime is 1.5 hours

What's the Construction Quality Like?

The body is made from aluminium so the flashlight should withstand being dropped from at least waist height. It's sealed with O-rings as is standard on these types of torches to make it water resistant, I couldn't see how they sealed the the LED head, presumably there is an O-ring between the two sections. The contact spring in the base cap is gold plated which may help to reduce bad connections, a problem which plagues torches with pressure contacts. The contact pad inside the torch however isn't plated with gold. A metal belt clip is a useful feature with a recess on the flashlight to prevent it slipping off the belt.

How Much Does it Cost?

$3.43 £2.62 or €3.09 excellent value for a bright, well constructed flashlight

Where Do I Buy It?

From Dealextreme at this URL http://bit.ly/2aZexby

Why Won't my Lawn Mower Start?

Lawn Mower Won't Start?

As the days lengthen, and temperatures rise, the grass cutting season isn't far away. So you drag your mower out of storage over winter, fill the tank and pull the cord..., and pull it again....and again....and of course nothing happens - Well that's typical!

If you leave fuel in the tank over winter, the carburetor can get gummed up with varnish deposits, jets get clogged and small delicate parts can seize. Ideally you should run the engine dry before overwintering and/or use a fuel stabilisation product such as Stabil.

Engines need fuel and a spark to run, plus good compression (the engine needs to hold pressure when mixture is compressed)

Checking the Spark Plug

First check the lead is pushed onto the plug properly and this wasn't the cause of non-starting. Move the mower to the shade so that it's easier to see a spark, remove the spark plug and re-attach the lead. Leave the threaded part of the plug in contact with the engine block and  pull the starter cord. The chances are that you won't be able to see the plug from your vantage point behind the mower, so an assistant may be able to aid you by pressing the plug against the block (using a plastic bottle or whatever to avoid shock if the plug lead is damp). The spark should be bright and blue.

When replacing a plug, make sure there's nothing on the threads such as dirt or grit, and make sure it isn't cross threaded by screwing in by hand before tightening with a plug wrench. If the plug is cross threaded, it will be difficult to turn by hand.

Fuel  Starvation

This means the engine isn't getting fuel. On engines with the tank above the carburetor, fuel first flows to a device called a float bowl. This is like a toilet cistern and prevents fuel just running into the carburetor. The bowl fills and once its full, a float (which functions just like the ballcock in a toilet cistern) cuts off flow. Sometimes the intake to the bowl can get clogged or the filter in the fuel line can be blocked, either of which can cause fuel starvation. When you remove the bowl, petrol should flow freely and stop flowing when you push up the float (use a jar or tin to catch fuel).

Another cause of fuel starvation is a clogged main jet. You can get carburetor cleaning aerosols which have a straw just like on a can of WD40. You insert the straw into the jet and press the button on the aerosol, the spray flushes the jet. If you have an air compressor, you could try using the a blow gun attachment to blast air through the jet. Avoid poking nails, wires or other objects through it, which could damage the jet which is made from brass.

Compression

Check the plug is screwed in tightly. Don't over tighten as you can damage the threads.

Read my full version of this blog post on DenGarden.com. It has lots more info on lawn mower troubleshooting with loads of pictures and goes into much more detail:

 

https://dengarden.com/landscaping/Why-Wont-That-Lawnmower-Start

New Jaws for the Vice

This old record No. 6 vice belonged to my grandfather. Over the years, the jaws had become cracked. I have lots of old files and had a brainwave that these would be ideal for making replacement jaws. Files are made from hardened and tempered steel, and have slanted, ridged teeth which I reckoned would  be excellent for gripping stuff in a vice. I cut out rectangular sections of the correct dimensions using an angle grinder. The steel was too hard to drill, so I had to anneal it by heating to a red heat with a blow torch in the vicinity of the mounting holes and allowed it to cool slowly. Once the holes were drilled, they were countersinked.

Neodymium magnet tool for getting nuts into those hard to reach places

I eventually found an application for one of those neodymium magnets I bought from Dealextreme.com!
I had made up a bracket for attaching the old engine salvaged from a Suffolk Punch  lawn mower to my cement mixer. Some of the nuts had shaken loose from vibration so it was time to replace them with lock nuts. Unfortunately clearance between the engine and back of the mixer bowl was limited so I needed some assistance getting the nuts into place so that they could be screwed onto the bolts. A standard magnetic pickup tool was out of the question and a socket was difficult to position, so I made up  a right angled magnet pickup to get the nuts into place so that they could be spun onto the bolts.

You can buy various sized versions of these strong magnets here: http://dx.com/p/super-strong-rare-earth-re-magnets-20-pack-12mm-x-1mm-5964?Utm_rid=55371787&Utm_source=affiliate