The signs are not always easy to read.

The often invisible signs that tell us what we need to know creep up on us.

Luckily, when it comes to maintaining your power tools, you don’t need a fortune teller to tell you what these signs are. The main trick to understanding vague clues is paying attention to how you describe your tools. Here are some descriptions that may indicate you need to end your relationship with an old tool.

Your once useful tool lost its appeal.

 

If you’re talking exclusively about aesthetics, then this is probably not an issue. Plenty of power tools lose that out-of-the-package shine right away, but keep running great for years to come. This is doubly true when the work required is tough or dirty. But there comes a point when looks can affect ability.

Beauty may only be skin-deep when it comes to people, but with tools some visual imperfections could hint at deeper issues. Many physical flaws indicate a tool should stop being used. Damage to important areas is an obvious warning sign, but any cracks or dents could indicate other, larger problems.

Using damaged tools could cause further damage to property or employees, but your only answer shouldn’t be to replace power tools. Another solution is to repair power tools.

 

 

The main point here is to make sure the impaired tool is taken out of service, and if power tool repair is not an option or too costly, then it’s time to get a new tool.

 

Your tool doesn’t operate like it used to.

 

Only wine and cheese get better with age.

No matter how well-built a power tool is; it will eventually show a decline in ability. A small decline in ability may indicate something is wrong, but work can still be done safely and efficiently. The trick is realizing when the decline has gone from being a minor issue to a major one.

If a power drill needs a little extra force from the operator to do its job, then it may not be a big deal. But if that same drill takes twice as long to perform its job, then it has started to negatively affect deadlines. Broken tools aren't just tools that don't work at all, but also tools that work less efficiently than they should. When something becomes inefficient at work, it is time to move on.

 

The newer version of your favorite power tool caught your eye.

 

Has the latest model caught your eye? There’s usually a reason why—nobody would want an iPhone 7 if it had no benefits compared to earlier models. The same is true with power tools. If a new router offers quick conversion to different bases, it could save significant time, making it more efficient than your current router.

There are all sorts of benefits to new machinery, but being comfortable with an old tool should also be part of the equation here. You need to weigh a new tool’s advantage against the comfort level employees feel toward your current tool. If the scale tips in favor of the new version, then it’s okay to dump the old for the new. This can be a hard decision to make.

 

Tool Relationship Advice

 

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you’ve gone through a lot with your companion. Many power tools fit this description perfectly—which is a big reason why you see people using tools that should have been replaced years earlier. Workers have affection for old tools that have gotten them through tough times and they want to remain loyal to their “companion”, but ignoring these signs could cost you money or risk injury to your employees. In this way the above signs can easily be described as ominous.

When it comes to relationships with people, loyalty is a strong suit, but when it comes to tools, practicality saves money and reduces the risk of injury. Make a business decision, not a personal one. Be cool and calculating when deciding when to replace tools. And if you still have trouble letting go, then your old tools can be used in other ways.