Save Money Through Regular Lawn Mower Maintenance
One of the most common electric power tools in the average household must be the lawn mower. Because it is such a common tool, it is almost accepted that it has to perform consistently without any servicing or maintenance. Lawn mowers are not exorbitantly expensive however, there is no need to replace your lawn mower every 5 years if, through proper maintenance, you can make it last for 20 years. A properly serviced lawn mower can last you for many years.
Selection
There are many types and makes of lawn mowers available today. Deciding on the type is not difficult – you either want a ride-on, a walk-behind or a push unit. The make is dependant on where you are in the world. Mowers are sold under different brand names in different parts of the world. When buying a new lawn mower, it is important to do a little bit of research (and read some reviews) in terms of what makes are popular in your area, what the availability of spare parts is like and the quality of the after sales support.
Maintenance
I have just recently retired a lawn mower after 18 years of weekly use. During this time, I replaced the blade twice. I sharpened the blade on the bench grinder at the beginning of summer every year.
Apart from giving you a nice smooth cut, this also largely reduces stress on the motor. Most modern mowers have plastic shaft bushing as opposed to wheel bearings. These I replaced once.
Purchase
If you are in the market for a new lawn mower, you may want to see what is available at Amazon.com
Feel free to leave a comment below about your experiences with your lawn mower.
Filed under PowerTools by on Feb 6th, 2012. 1 Comment. 
How to Use an Electric Power Jigsaw
The power jigsaw is the most fundamental cutting power tool to have in your toolkit. Although it has limitations in terms of material thickness, the jigsaw is a very versatile power tool. The availability of interchangeable blades, depending on the material to be cut, can make your life easier.
Although the power jigsaw is not a high-risk tool, it is still advisable to wear eye protection. Blades can snap and flying pieces of cut material can cause harm.
Instructions:
- Position yourself comfortably, legs apart, positioning the metal base, or shoe, on top of the material that you are about to cut and facing the cut you want to make. I find that positioning the work at about knee height works best for me.
- Hold the grip firmly, press the power button and begin your cut.
- Apply gentle pressure when cutting and do not force the blade. The motor and blade will do the work for you and forcing the cut can bind the saw. The blade of the jigsaw moves very fast in a vertical motion. If forced forward, the blade can snap off completely.
- When making a curved cut, follow the line and regulate the speed of your cut according to what the material will allow.
- When an absolutely straight cut is required, you will need a guide for the saw to follow. Due to its small size, the jigsaw blade can wander in the cut if not guided. The saw guide can be as simple as a straight piece of wood clamped at both ends onto the work piece. Over and above the gentle push forward, you would now also need to firmly push the tool against the guide. Some power jigsaws come with an accessory known as a rip-guide. Assuming the edge of your work piece is straight and you do not need to cut too far away from the edge, this will work fine.
- On completion of the cut, let the blade come to rest before laying the tool down.
Below is a short video clip to demonstrate the basic use of the power jigsaw:
Tips:
- Never force the cut as the blade may snap.
- The power jigsaw has a limitation as to the thickness (about 35mm) of material that can be cut. Cutting thicker pieces than this can cause overheating of the tool and the cut may not be true.
- Jigsaw blades are designed to cut on the up stroke. So, if you are cutting a material that has a finished side, such as laminate or panelling, you should have the finished side facing down.
- Make sure the blade is always sharp. Blades are fairly cheap and sharp blades make the saw operate much easier and more effectively.
- Should you need to stop midway through the cut, let the blade come to rest before lifting the tool from the cut. Lifting the tool with the blade still running will cause the blade to bend when hitting the top of the work piece on the down stroke.
- Should the blade get bent for some reason, it can be straitened quite effectively with a hammer on a metal block.
- If possible, invest in a power jigsaw that features variable speed as it gives you better control of the cut.
Filed under PowerTools by on Feb 21st, 2012. Comment.
