Tool Time

[tbone]

In this occasional series, i aim to introduce the various tools used throughout the fabrication of your bike/trike/ vehicle. Some will be `must haves`, like the angle grinder, others wont be, like the cut-off saw, but i`ll try and cover as many as i can.
Were possible i will show the tools that have the most features (the higher end spec), so dont worry if your particular make/model is not identical to the ones shown here, it will still do its job.
And while on that subject, all images are taken from the Google Images search engine, and have been edited (text ect added) by me,unless credited/acknowlaged seperatly.

Whilst some safety tips may be given, NEITHER MANKY MONKEY MOTORS NOR I ARE LIABLE FOR YOUR SAFETY, it`s up to you to READ, UNDERSTAND and FOLLOW the saftey rules that are contained within each individual manual for the tools you buy or use.

[tbone]

CUT-OFF SAW otherwise known as METAL CHOP SAW

What this tool is primarily used for:
The cut-off saw is used for cutting metal. It can cut pipe or flat stock perpendicular to the saw base and is only used to make straight or angled cuts. The one shown below uses an abrasive disc (like an angle grinder) to cut through steel, although the new breed of saws use a TCT blade and can cut steel, aluminium, wood and plastics with virtually no burr or sparks using the same blade.
Operation is fairly simple, clamp your workpiece securely to the base, push in the safety button, pull the trigger and lower the now spinning disc down to make the cut. Many will have an adjustable vice allowing angles of up to 45deg to be cut.
Most usefull for cutting the ends of pipe square, cutting plate to make brackets ect.
 
 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE
•   Long workpieces must be supported by a block or material support stand so it will be level with top of base. The cutoff end should be free (not supported)
•   The vice has a quick travel feature. To release the vice when it is clamped tightly, turn the crank counterclockwise one or two times to remove clamping pressure
•   For accurate angle cutting, first use a protractor or adjustable angle to set adjustable fence


ALWAYS WEAR APPROPRIATE PPE WHEN USING THIS MACHINE
SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE:
•   ALWAYS KNOW what type of metal you are cutting
•   DO NOT FORCE the saw to cut through material
•   ALWAYS USE VICE.  NEVER attempt to hold a piece of metal and use this saw
•   INSPECT the cutting wheel for cracks or flaws before use. If a crack of flaw is evident, the wheel must be discarded
•   DO NOT CUT wood or plastic with an abrasive disc
•   AVOID bouncing the wheel or giving it rough treatment when in use. If this occurs during operation, stop the tool and inspect the wheel for damage
•   REFER to your instruction manual for further information
            
            
            
            
            
 

[tbone]

BENCH GRINDER

What this tool is primarily used for:
The Bench Grinder is used for grinding the edges of flat metals, removing burrs from the ends of tubing and rods and the sharpening of some metal tools e.g chisels, drill bits
It can also be fitted with a wire brush type wheel and then be used for removing rust, paint ect.
Usually twin abrasive wheels are fitted, one coarse, one fine, depending on the type of work being done and finish required.
Generally available in 6" or 8" versions relating to the wheel dia. 6" is perfectly ok and i would be more concerned about getting one with the highest motor wattage you can, this will allow easier grinding of thicker material and the machine will be less likely to jam on you.


 
ALWAYS WEAR APPROPRIATE PPE WHEN USING THIS MACHINE
SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE:
•   INSPECT the wheels for cracks or chips before use. A cracked wheel will disintegrate when operated
•   GUARD must be used at all times
•   EYE SHIELDS must be over work area
•   GRIND ONLY ON THE FACE OF THE WHEELS. Grinding on the side of the wheel weakens the wheel and may cause breakage
•   ALWAYS USE TOOL REST when working with this machine
•   DO NOT force metal into moving grinding wheel
•   DO NOT make any adjustments to tool rests or spark arrestors while grinder is "ON"
•   NEVER grind soft metals (bronze, zinc, copper) on wheels designed for hard metal. The grinder is normally set up for grinding hard metals, i.e. steel. Soft metals can become incorporated within the wheel resin, causing overheating and subsequent wheel disintegration.

 
OTHER THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE:
•   For safe operation, the tool rest must not be in contact with grinding wheel
•   Adjust angle of tool rest to desired position and tighten nuts securely. Maintaining 1/16" - 1/8" clearance between tool rest and grinding wheel
•   The spark deflector should be adjusted for approximately 1/16"- 1/8" clearance between it and the grinding wheel
•   Adjust eyeshield to position aliening center of eyeshield in line of sight to tool rest. The eyeshields can swivel
•   Do not hold material above tool rest while grinding. Doing so can cause you to loose your grip on the material

[tbone]

 

ANGLE GRINDER

 
What this tool is primarily used for:
Probably the most versitile tool you will own, the Angle Grinder can be used for removing rust, grinding excess slag, or grinding down weld beads. Wire wheels, cutting wheels, sanding discs and flap wheels can all be attached to the grinder for different applications.
Available in two sizes, 115mm & 230mm, size refers to the disc diameter.The smaller grinder can easily cope with 99per cent of your tasks, the only exception will be if you need a deeper cut, as the depth of the cut is restricted to under half the disc diameter.
Always use the correct disc for the job your doing, failure to do this can cause the disc to shatter.
 
 
ALWAYS WEAR APPROPRIATE PPE WHEN USING THIS MACHINE

SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE:
DO NOT modify machine to cut without the safety devices. Guard should be used at all times
ALWAYS direct sparks toward the floor and away from other people and yourself
INSPECT the grinding wheel for cracks or flaws before use. If a crack of flaw is evident, the wheel must be discarded
AVOID bouncing the wheel or giving it rough treatment when in use. If this occurs during operation, stop the tool and inspect the wheel for damage
ALWAYS KNOW what type of metal you are grinding
ALWAYS unplug this tool before changing discs or wheels
 
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE:
 
Always set this tool on its back when not in use or when grinding wheel is coasting to a stop
When using a depressed center grinding wheel, hold the tool so that an angle or about 10º exists between the wheel and the workpiece
Do not grind on the very edge of the wheel or use the tool flat on the workpiece
 
 

[Manky Monkey]

Great stuff TB. 

[tbone]

DRILL PRESS

What this tool is primarily used for:
The Drill Press is used for drilling holes in various materials. The main advantages of the Drill Press over the hand-held counterpart, the Hand Drill, are that using the Drill Press will allow you to drill with more accuracy, drill larger holes, and drill at specific angles more successfully as the Drill Press table has an inbuilt tilt mechanism. The Drill Press should come with a chart, depicting the recommended drilling speeds for various materials, and the speed setting of the machine is usualy accomplished by re-positioning the motor drive belt.
A specific vice can be bought and attached to the baseplate to secure workpieces.


SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE
ALWAYS BE AWARE of where your fingers are in relation to the drill bit
DO NOT USE bits that are dull, bent or damaged
MAKE SURE bit is centered in chuck and tightened before operating the drill
DO NOT leave chuck key in chuck while operating machine
USE A CLAMP when drilling metal, this will help prevent the material from spinning into your body or hand
NEVER hold metal in your bare hand while drilling
NEVER turn the drill press "on" before clearing the table of all objects (tools, scrap pieces, etc.)

DO NOT start the drill press with the drill bit in contact with the work piece
ALWAYS let the drill chuck come to a complete stop on its own. Never grasp the chuck in an attempt to stop the drill bit
AVOID awkward hand positions where a sudden slip could cause a hand to move into the drill bit or cutting tool
DO NOT ATTEMPT to drill material that does not have a flat surface, unless a suitable support is used
TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE WORKPIECE, ALWAYS clamp work securely to the table or in your drill press vice
NEVER work on the drill press table while the drill is operating
 
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE:
 
Remember to re-tighten the table lock lever before using the drill
Always check the drill press speed chart to determine correct combination of material, bit size, and drilling speed
Insert drill bits about 3/4" (and at least 1/4") into the chuck and tighten securely with the chuck key
Factors which determine the best speed:
Kind of material being worked (metal, acrylic, aluminum, wood, etc.)
Size of hole
Quality of cut desired
Typically, the smaller the drill bit, the greater the required RPM
In soft materials, the speed should be higher than for hard materials
Drilling into the table not only damages the table, but also the drill bits
To prevent rotation of the work piece, clamp the work secure to the table, either with a "C" clamp or the drill press clamp 
When drilling into metal, a cutting lubricant should be used. Cast iron and brass/bronze should be drilled dry

[tbone]

ELECTRIC DRILL

 
What this tool is primarily used for:
The Electric Drill is used for boring holes and driving screws into various materials. The main advantages of the Electric Drill over the Drill Press: there is almost no limit to where holes can be made in material and the Hand Drill is very portable. It should have a reversable motor, operated by a lever, speed control knob a torque setting control and a locking button to hold the switch in the on position.
Depending on the chuck size and drill bit shank, the largest bit used with this drill is generally 13mm. Larger holes can be bored if using a holesaw, other accessories include: wire brushes, sanding discs, grinding stones and flap wheels which can be used for lighter work than an angle grinder.
   
SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE
ALWAYS BE AWARE of where your fingers are in relation to the drill bit
DO NOT USE bits that are dull, bent or damaged
MAKE SURE bit is centered in chuck and tightened before operating the drill
USE A CLAMP when drilling metal, this will help prevent the material from spinning into your body or hand
NEVER hold metal in your bare hand while drilling
AVOID awkward hand positions where a sudden slip could cause a hand to move into the drill bit or cutting tool
DO NOT ATTEMPT to drill material that does not have a flat surface, unless a suitable support is used
TO PREVENT ROTATION OF THE WORKPIECE, ALWAYS clamp work securely to a table
DO NOT USE locking button unless the drill is mounted in a drill press stand or otherwise held stationary. The user may need to instantly release the on/off switch if the bit binds in the work piece
ALWAYS unplug the drill when attaching or changing bits or accessories

 
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE:
 
The electric drill can be started with the drill bit in contact with the work piece
To drill a through hole without splintering the bottom face, place the material on a scrap piece of wood. This also protects the point of the drill bit
To prevent rotation of the work piece, clamp the work secure to the table, either with a "C" clamp or the drill press clamp
When drilling into metal, a cutting lubricant should be used. Cast iron and brass/bronze should be drilled dry
Insert drill bits about 3/4" into the chuck and tighten securely by holding the rear half of the chuck and rotating the front portion in the clockwise direction
Do not insert drill bits so deeply that they cover the fluted portion of the bit
If the drill stalls, it is usually because it is being overloaded or improperly used. Release the trigger immediately, remove drill bit from work piece, and determine cause of stalling. DO NOT CLICK TRIGGER ON AND OFF IN AN ATTEMPT TO START A STALLED DRILL - THIS CAN DAMAGE THE DRILL
To minimize stalling or breaking though the material, reduce pressure on drill and ease the bit thorough the last fractional part of the hole
Keep the motor running when pulling the bit back out of a drilled hole. This will help prevent jamming

[Manky Monkey]

Very informative mate. Give us a chance & we'll get it all online on the main site.

[tbone]

I`ve got a half dozen more on my list yet!! meant to do them `as n when` but sort of got on a roll with it. That will be it for today tho  .
If anyone else wants to chip in then please feel free to do so, I`d particularly like someone to do a piece on a lathe as i have no experiance what so ever with one. Anyone???

[Manky Monkey]

You're doing a fine job TB.

[TwistedPatience]

I will try to do a lathe article for you over xmas Ok?

Will take a bit of time as they can be quite complicated, will use mine (as it's basic) as an example while I am restoring it.

[Manky Monkey]

That'd be great Doc. Thank you.
We get quite a few guys contacting us who are very keen to build a machine of their own but just don't know where to start. They've got no workshop experience at all. Maybe we can't turn them into top class mechanics overnight, but we can at least arm them with some basic ground rules & the ability to tell one end of a spanner from the other. I actually think we owe them that much if we're going to encourage people to get stuck in & have a go.

[Simple Simon]

Thanks for this thread, It will go a long way to explain alot of things that us novices just dont know or are unsure of.
Once again many thanks.

[Manky Monkey]

As we said, give us a couple of days & we'll get it all added to the main website.

[tbone]

JIGSAW
 
What this tool is primarily used for:
The Jig Saw is designed for cutting curves, circles, and irregular shapes although it can also be used for straight cutting. 
Sawing of metals, the basics
 When sawing metal it is highly important to NOT press the saw blade hard against the material being cut. It will not make the sawing action quicker, it is more likely that you cause too much stress to the components and motor of your jigsaw. Use only a small amount of force to press the saw blade against the material being cut.
There are two other things to consider when beginning to saw metals. You should select the most appropriate blade for your metal. You should also consider using of cutting oil of some kind. This will keep the blade cooler and even sharper for longer. But when using cutting oil you will see that the metal particles like to stick to your blade, it should not do any harm but might cause extra mess. 
     One thing in all jigsaw blades that differ is the distance between two teeth. When selecting your blade you should know what kind of metal you're going to saw and how thick that material is.Thinner material requires a blade with smaller teeth and a smaller distance between teeth. The correct sizing of teeth prevents even the thinnest metal sheet from tearing. The general rule is that at least 3 teeth should be in contact with the metal at the same time. When this is accomplished you should not see any tearing happening.

Blades for Aluminium
     Blades for aluminium usually have bigger teeth which improves the removal of chips and smaller particles. Usually when you find that it is slow to saw aluminium, its because  aluminium chips can stick between the blade and the sawed material, "choking" your blade. Using cutting oil might help with this. When using cutting oil it is likely that the chips will stick to the sides of your blade. Usually blades for aluminum have so big teeth that they wont choke at all.


Blades for metal.
Blades for harder metals have more smaller teeth and are thinner. But still the same principle works: the thicker the material the bigger the teeth. But this time the hardness of the metal should be considered also. So thick and hard metal needs smaller teeth than thick but softer metals. With these kind of metals you should always use cutting oil of some kind.
For instance, a  blade that has 0.7mm distance between teeth and length of an 55mm is ideal for curved cuts and layered materials, metal and PVC-plastic. I would also say that this is ideal for very thin metals (aprox. 1.4mm - 2.1mm) and even for thinner metal sheets. When using thinner (below 1.4mm) metal sheets you should also use some kind of wooden board behind and on top of the sheet to prevent it tearing and bending.
 A blade that has 1.2mm between teeth and a length of 55mm will still have the same usage as the above except this blade is more efficient with thicker (and softer) metals from 2.4mm to 3.6mm. I wouldn't use this for sawing thin metal sheets since tearing is most likely to happen!
Finally a blade that has 2.0mm distance between teeth is suitable for material thickness from 4mm to 6mm.

SAFETY FOR THIS MACHINE:
 
AVOID accidental starting. Be sure power switch is off before plugging in
UNPLUG tool when you need to change the blade or adjust the shoe angle
DO NOT start saw with material to be cut touching the saw blade
ALWAYS BE AWARE of where your fingers and power cord are in relation to the cutting blade
DO NOT cut metal with a blade rated for cutting wood. Typically blades for wood will have larger and fewer teeth than blades for metal (smaller and more teeth)
ALWAYS use the proper blade for the task at hand. The wrong type blade may cause the blade to seize and shake the tool violently, or may break the blade
ALWAYS USE CLAMPS when cutting any metal
BE AWARE of sharp burrs on the cut edge on metal pieces
DO NOT start cutting until the blade is moving at full speed
DO NOT FORCE the saw blade into a very tight curve too fast. You can break the saw blade
MAKE SURE blade is installed with the cutting teeth facing the front of the saw, and that it is aligned straight
DO NOT CUT without adequate clearance for the blade below the cut line. If the tip of the blade strikes down on a solid surface, it will usually break
DO NOT attempt to reinsert the blade into the cut line while the saw is running
DO NOT TOUCH the blade or reciprocating parts of the saw while it is in motion. The tip of the saw may not be visible while the saw is running
BE AWARE that the blade will be very hot after finishing a cut
 

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THIS MACHINE:
 
Check the orbit lever before making cuts. A setting of "0" is no orbit, and a setting of "3" is maximum orbit
The orbit adjustment lever will allow you to make faster cuts, but with less precision. The cut line will be rougher
Make sure the shoe is resting flat on the material you are cutting, or the saw will be come unstable