Power Tool Parts Blog » Repair Articles

Power Tool Repair, News From Our Shop

Lisa — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:40:56 +0000

The 5412L in Our Shop

Each day our shop repairs a variety of power tools. Some of the power tools we see have maintenance needs, such as replacing a damaged cord, cleaning out debris, lubricating moving parts, or replacing brushes. Other power tools have more complex problems including bad armatures, missing gears, broken safety mechanisms, and just about anything else you may imagine.

Bosh Laser Tracking Dual-Bevel Slide Miter Saw

Model: 5412-L

Today in our repair shop we had the opportunity to perform some simple maintenance issues on a Bosch miter saw. This power tool also arrived with some broken safety parts that required immediate replacement.

This power tool arrived with the following issues:

Temporary Handle Fix

Broken Linkage
Broken Lower Handle
Broken Upper Handle
Cracked Wheel Guard
Missing Rubber Rollers (2 were needed for this repair)

Replacement Part Links:

Cracked Wheel Guard

Repair Procedure:

Remove the broken Linkage
Remove the Lower and Upper Handles by removing the screws and the Mounting Hub (the mounting hub is a 2 part metal piece)
Remove the broken Wheel Guard
Attach the new Linkage
The Lower and Upper Handles attach together with screws
Make sure the wiring for the handle switch fits snug, without kinks
Tighten the screws
Attach the Wheel Guard using the lock nut, if it is too loose, it will rattle. If it is too tight, the Wheel Guard will not slide smoothly
Attach one Rubber Roller on each side of the Wheel Guard

When this work is complete, check your angles and make sure your blade lines up square.

Fix Common Power Tool Problems

Lisa — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:47:01 +0000

Imagine that you are in the middle of putting together the swing set that you have promised your kids you would do since Christmas. You notice that your drill has been running a little funny, but then your drill stops working.

Common Power Tool Problems

Two things that can be easy and affordable to replace are the brushes and the switch. The only thing that stands between you and the inside of many of your power tools is a screwdriver. For more information, check out our article: Replacement Power Tool Parts: Is it the Carbon Brushes or the Switch?

Check your cord on your power tools. If you find that your cord has signs of wear or is pulling away from the body of your tool, it’s a good idea to replace the cord for your safety and the heath of the tool. For information on how to complete this project, check out our article about Replacing Bad, Cut, or Damaged Power Cords on Your Power Tools.

For your cordless power tools, check your battery. To test your battery, use a multitester. If it is time to replace your battery, please check out our article about Cordless Power Tool Battery Disposal and Recycling.

eReplacementParts.com Repair Forum
Many tips and tricks can be found on our Repair Forum, where you are welcome to join, ask questions, and share your knowledge with power tool enthusiasts around the country.

Battery Amp Hour Ratings and More

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:53:00 +0000

When itâ€™s time to find a new battery for your cordless power tool, you may discover that you have a number of options available to you. If you have a Makita 6349DWDE 18 Volt drill, for example, you will find that there are three Makita batteries that will fit your tool. Thereâ€™s a Ni-Cd battery (nickel-cadmium) with a rating of 2.0 Ah (amp-hours), a 2.6 Ah Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) battery, and finally a pricier 3.0 Ah Ni-MH version; all of them are 18 volts. How confusing, and what a mouthful!

First of all, what is this amp-hour (Ah) rating all about? Simply put, Ah ratings indicate how long a battery will run following a full change. The higher the number, the longer the battery will last before needing to return to the charger. Note that an 18 volt battery, regardless of Ah rating, will always provide 18 volts of power and there is no power advantage when purchasing a higher Ah battery. With batteries compatible with your tool, understand that you pay a price premium for longer run times, not more power.

There is also the issue of battery type, and that’s where those strange abbreviations like Ni-Mh and Ni-Cd come in. There is tons of information on the internet regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the different battery chemistries, but such discussion is beyond our scope here. This little illustration should suffice:

Lithium-ion is greater than nickel-metal hydride which is greater than nickel-cadmium. As you move up the scale, battery memory disappears, amp hour ratings improve, weight decreases, and of course prices increase. NOTE: many power tools are compatible with Ni-CD and Ni-MH batteries, but not all chargers can handle both types. Chargers will usually indicate which types of batteries they can charge.

If you are using your tool for simple, lightweight chores around the house and you want to save some money, selecting a compatible low amp-hour Ni-Cd battery can save you money. If you’re a heavy duty user, such as a construction worker, cabinet maker, or any other professional worker, you may want to consider upgrading to a higher end battery if one is available for your cordless power tool. If you need help deciding, please let us know and we can find the right battery for your application.

Removing a Cordless Drill Chuck

admin — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 23:44:00 +0000

So you’re ready to replace the interior components in your drill or you need to replace your chuck. How do you remove the chuck in the first place?

A lot of cordless drills require the removal of the chuck for repairs, especially when repairing the gearbox or torque selector collar. This little guide should help. Please remember that these instructions only work for threaded-on chucks and not taper-fit chucks (almost all cordless drills have threaded chuck spindles). These are helpful hints only and I’m not responsible for any mistakes or mishaps which might happen while removing your drill’s chuck. Please use caution and common sense.

Remove the chuck screw
In many drills there is a small screw deep inside the jaws of the chuck. This screw helps hold the chuck onto the spindle during operation, preventing it from spinning off. Check to see if you have a screw inside your chuck’s jaws. Depending on the brand and model of your drill, you may have to use an allen key, torx driver, or a flat-head screwdriver to remove the screw. The most important thing to remember is this: the chuck screw is reverse-thread. You will have to spin the screw clockwise to remove it. This reverse threading helps to act against the torque of the drill and keep the screw tightly connected.

Prepare to remove the chuck
A lot of people are surprised that the chuck doesn’t just thread off the spindle once the chuck screw is removed. In reality, the chuck is usually torqued very tightly onto the spindle and it cannot be easily removed. Most of the time it’s so tight that the chuck screw can fall out and the drill will operate normally.

You’re going to have to bring out the heavy artillery for this one. You’re going to need a large 90-degree allen key like this one:

Use the largest allen key that your drill’s chuck can accommodate. With most drills this will be a 1/2″ key (pictured above) but some drills can only accommodate a 3/8″ key. Chuck-up the key as pictured below:

Put the short end of the allen wrench into the chuck and let the long end of the wrench hang out. Tighten the chuck down completely.

Bring out the hammer
You’re going to have to hit that allen wrench. Use the flat side of a hammer and hit the end of the wrench (as pictured above). Make sure that the blow will spin the chuck counter-clockwise. Sometimes a chuck is attached very tightly and you may have to hit the wrench hard. Swing through. Sometimes it takes a few swings to loosen the chuck. When you’ve succeeded the chuck will probably spin around a few times and come to a rest on the spindle. You’re done!

Click here to find replacement drill chucks. The finished project should look something like the image above. Good luck!