Storage and maintenance of garden tools, a do it yourself guide!
Oxygen and water, two of the most common substances on earth. They are in the air – in our oceans and in our bodies. But, even though they are crucial for all life, these components can be a nuisance in our homes due to the dangers of corrosion and rust.
Our garden tools are most prone to deterioration and wear due to these tormenting spirits. As they are often set aside for storage, and are rarely used, it is not uncommon for previously sharp scissors to become dull or for a wrench to wither away and deteriorate over time.
It is a topical issue how to prevent rust and prevent corrosion. So we have compiled a practical guide regarding storage of garden tools and maintenance for the longest possible benefit.
Storage
When deciding which method is best when it comes to storing garden tools, there are a number of crucial things to keep in mind.
Away from the floor
It is important to avoid storing garden tools on the floor; concrete and wood are often susceptible to moisture from the soil and atmosphere. When moisture reacts with metal for a long time, the effects can be extensive. For smaller storage areas, we recommend investing in a good tool board. This benefits your storage of garden tools by making the tools easily accessible while keeping them away from the floor.
Dry environment
All shielded surfaces can be real incubators for moisture. To prevent this, you must take steps to secure your tools and atmosphere from moisture. For example, toolboxes, and other carbide boxes, will protect them from the worst effects of the atmosphere. Motor tools should be stored in their original packaging, to shield them from moisture in the air.
You should also consider investing in temperature and climate control for your storage of garden tools. To keep the air dry and cool to protect against deterioration.
Prevention is the best cure
In many cases, the work of storing garden tools begins even before you sharpen the blades.
Maintaining the quality of the tools used to cut, chop and cut is a major concern. There are few things that are frustrating like removing a cumbersome branch, or digging a hole, if you have tools that are dull and inefficient.
For larger tools, a file is the best tool for the job. They can be purchased at most well-stocked stores. They are often available with practical handles. Anchor your tools against a flat surface and find the best angle to work with the blade. Sand it until the blade shines like new.
Smaller tools can be sharpened with the help of small diamond stones, these have both rough and fine surfaces. The former to sharpen the blade and the latter to fine tune. The process is very similar. Make sure that the smaller tool lies on a surface with good friction, and then use the coarse stone at the right angle to grind until a new knife wall appears. Then it can be refined with the fine surface of the stone.
For cutting tools and scissors, and other tools with moving parts, we recommend that they be well lubricated using WD-40 to prevent the parts from stopping working or rusting. A sharp knife is never better than its handle.
Wooden tools
As these tools are sensitive to chips and cracks, they must be handled with care so that they do not break after a period of use. The first step is to clean the tools thoroughly with a wire brush to remove all accumulations of dirt and grease. The next step is to sand down the surface of the handles with a medium to coarse-grained sandpaper, to protect it against future cracking.
As with other garden tools, water damage is the biggest danger as moisture easily gets into the wood and destroys it from the inside. Using quality protects the freshly ground wood from the effects of the atmosphere.
Power tools
As these are powered and have many small moving parts, they are often more difficult to maintain. A common type of maintenance that you can perform on most power tools is to replace the carbon brushes that are the leading component in these small powerful motors. If your tool strikes sparks and seems to lose strength, it is a good guess that these brushes have worn down.
To replace the brushes, first find out where they are on your machine. This is usually under two black lids on either side of the device. Remove all dust around these, and then use a screwdriver to gently loosen each lid. As these are usually fastened with a spring, it is recommended that you secure manually first. Then you can easily pull out each brush before using a small vacuum cleaner to clean the now empty surface. Replacement brushes can be purchased from the manufacturer.
And be sure to re-use the quality products to lubricate the moving parts, prevent rust and ensure smooth operation before storing the tool.
Take care of your tools
Understanding how to care for and store the various garden tools is knowledge that will be important throughout the years. Through the different seasons and requirements placed on your tools, you can be confident in the knowledge that your new knowledge and a little help from https://modernliving101.com/best-grow-box-for-beginners to grow plants and keep them safe under favourable conditions.
Last modified: November 4, 2020
