Although we try to see each repair and replacement as a positive opportunity to improve the performance and extend the life of a tool, we also recognize that an out-of-commission tool or machine is, indeed, a problem.

With that in mind, we continue to implement information tools on our website (like our discussion boards and repair forum), to put as many solutions into the hands of our customers as possible.

Discussion features are available at the top and bottom of each tool/machine parts page, with questions, advice, and reviews specific to that tool.

eReplacementParts.com’s Power Tool Repair Forum is the perfect place for repairmen and tool users to put their heads together and really get to the bottom of tough repair and service issues. And we have more features on the way.

Although we make every effort to respond promptly to each thread or post, our discussion and forum features are truly designed to be used by our customers. Many eReplacementParts.com customers have extensive experience repairing power tools and machines, offer innovative advice, and just know how talk good shop.

Since we’re on the subject, we’d like to give a shout-out and “Thank You” to a couple Power Tool Repair Forum posters who, in just this last week, helped their fellow repairmen out by offering their knowledge and experience. We can’t always personally thank each helpful or courteous poster, but you know who you are, and you have our thanks as well.

Here’s our highlighted Power Tool Repair Forum posters:

• Thanks to “CHARLES88″ for returning to the forum after his repair. Your detailed and encouraging post about your Ryobi RY41002 string trimmer switch replacement will definitely save others some headaches down the road.
  

• Also, thanks to posters “Terry P” and “qdea” for your helpful posts to user “dray.” “Dray’s” DeWALT DW953 chuck removal encountered a very unique problem that needed some unique advice. Much appreciation.
  

• And lastly, thanks to “crossleymarko” for saying “thank you” in your post, twice! Once in advance and once just after adjusting that Black and Decker TS400 Jig Saw. Gratitude right back at you.
  

For most of our customers, addressing the problem of a broken tool only involves simple solution steps. And when a repair issues gets hairy, those information resources really pick up the slack.

However, we understand that circumstances surrounding our customer’s situations differ from one customer to the next, and that, sometimes, a simple tool repair issue is complicated for reasons outside the jurisdiction of our professional experience.

If your tool or machine service issue is one of those particularly “sticky” situations, the kind that our brand of advice can’t address, then we offer the following “Problem Solving Flowchart” as a guide:

The month of October actually serves as a great season for do-it-yourself-ers who also happen to be Halloween festival enthusiasts. Think about all of those homemade haunted houses and creative yard displays you’ve seen over the years, all the plywood, drill-driving, sawing, and gluing. Some communities even hold competitions between homeowners to judge whose ideas are the most creative.

All of this activity doesn’t even include costumes, the most indispensable of Halloween celebration gear. Plenty of people make a project out of their costumes alone. How-to guides, tips, and ideas can be found most anywhere this time of year for just about any costume idea you can think of.

Take this “How to: Make a Chainsaw Arm” article on instructables.com, inspired by the chainsaw-armed Ash Williams of the Evil Dead and Army of Darkness movies.

Their article provides steps for imaginative zombie slayers to build their own (pretend) gore-apparatus out of simple materials like an empty orange juice container, a dowel, some wooden board, paint, and a bike chain. In light of chainsaw safety, we appreciate this kind of advice as opposed to trick-or-treaters wildly swinging actual chainsaws over their heads out of holiday and/or cinematic zeal. Other suggestions for chainsaw arms simply recommend adapting a toy chainsaw for the costume.

Some quick search engine searches will reveal ideas like wobbly walkways for trick-or-treaters, pvc pipe-stuffed bodies, creepy optical illusions, and even hydraulically-powered, corpse-ejecting coffins. Most of these projects will require a power tool or two.

Whatever your endeavor this October, eReplacementParts.com offers its tool and machine parts services to its customers, keeping those power tools running great during this or any other DIY season. If winning that costume or yard competition means that your power tools and machines are in good order, we hope you get first place.

“I know,” (I might say to myself) “the internet! Surely I can find the size, shape, and material of the exact cutting line I need on the internet, and with just a simple search!”

Not a bad idea actually. It’s true that the availability of everything, tool and machine parts included, has been made very convenient by the internet. Most of the time, ending up at the right website is nothing more than some carefully chosen search words.

But (of course there’s a “but”), what if those wisely, logically chosen words were, say, “weed wacker string,” to find that cutting line? Well, depending on the search engine used, and depending on what you click, you might end up, here:

http://www.gotofmi.com/upbaclkerowe.html,

Fantastic Musical Instruments, who sell, among other things, Weedwacker nylon bass strings. And nope, not that kind of weed whacker.

This might not make a lot of sense at first. Why would a company sell a style of bass strings and call them “Weedwacker” strings? Well, the answer has to do with the kind of music they’re used for, rockabilly. What’s rockabilly? We’ll let Wikipedia take care of that one, except to say that it has its roots in bluegrass music (like the “weed” in “Weedwacker” bass strings), and that rockabilly bassists tend to play a lot of slap style bass. Pretty clever actually.

Here’s what those bass strings look like:

Mixing up bass strings for trimmer line all the way through to an online purchase might sound like a long shot, but with a bass string brand like “Weedwacker,” you might be surprised. If more musical instrument components had tool and machine part namesakes (and visa versa), there’d be rockabilly musicians playing percussion on power tool housings and construction workers mixing paint with drum sticks in no time.

Ok, maybe that’s taking it a little far, but the potential for a mix-up is there. Not to mention how similar trimmer line looks to those bass strings. Here’s some typical trimmer line:

Our customers won’t find Weedwacker bass stings at eReplacementParts.com, although they look like fine bass strings.

They will find over 250,000 individual tool and machine parts, including a wide variety of trimmer line.

Our website’s search features are accurate and fast, with a large, organized inventory system to back it up. Mixing up bass strings for trimmer line isn’t an issue at eReplacementParts.com. What matters to us is getting our customers to the exact tool or machine part they’re looking for, down to every detail (trimmer line color included).

eReplacementParts.com is pleased to announce that our new video, “Replacing Bad, Cut, or Damaged Power Cords” is now available on our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/eReplacementParts

At present, we have 23 videos with topics ranging from, “How to Remove a Drill Chuck” to the brand and model specific video, “How to Change the Blade Clamp on the Milwaukee Sawzall.” In order to provide customers with the best information available, most of our videos have articles with written instructions that are easily accessible on our website at: http://www.ereplacementparts.com/power-tool-articles-c-8873.html

As we continue to grow, so will the amount of information that we have available through our blog, our website, and our YouTube Channel. We welcome your comments and suggestions! Please let us know if there is an educational  power tool video or article that you would like to see us produce.

(None of these TV shows feature power tools being used for violence)

10. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: You will probably not learn how to renovate your own home in 7 days, but you may catch the spirit of giving and selflessness in this ironic spin off of a show that emphasized vanity through extreme surgical procedures that often took participants away from their families for months in preparation for “the reveal.”

9. Home Improvement (Every Episode): A fictional TV family, with a DIY Dad, comically demonstrates what NOT to do in your workshop.

8. Dream House: From finding the land to installing the kitchen sink, this show takes you through each step of building your home.

7. Don’t Sweat It: A show that tackles the projects you never seem to finish.

6. Hammer Heads: Three builders come to your home to complete substantial projects in a weekend. Episodes include creating backyard retreats, installing a pool cabana, and creating private spaces for kids sharing one room.

5. The New Yankee Workshop: Norm Abram teaches you master woodworking skills.

4. This Old House: Classic show that introduces old school homes to modern conveniences.

3. Take Home Handyman: A great show that really takes you through the steps of using your power tools, instead of simply showing you the finished product.

2. Toolbelt Diva: Host Norma Vally guides DIY beginners through projects using tools that you are likely to already own.

1. Cool Tools: A cutting edge look at power tools to come and awesome innovations on those we know and trust.

Keep your power tools away from the elements, such as moisture, by putting them back in their cases, cabinets, or other safe and clean storage areas you have. Sure, when you are in the middle of a job it is easier to leave things out and ready for the next day, but doing so may put your power tools at risk, especially if you are leaving them outside. If you are working indoors, make sure your work area has good ventilation. Power tools need air too!

SAFETY FIRST!

Power Tool Maintenance

At the end of each day, or job, take some time to clean your power tools before you properly store them. Here are some tips for power tool maintenance that will keep your investments in great shape for a long time:

Power Tool Part Replacement

The power tools of today are designed to last longer and most of the parts are replaceable. Whether you need a replacement part: new cord, a switch, carbon brushes, or a replacement accessory, at eReplacementParts.com we believe in the life of your power tool. The investment you make should not walk out the door when parts are replaceable. We want to make your life easier and it is our goal that you are able to find the power tool replacement parts you need.

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.

Find the part or accessory you need on the diagram and its matching number on the parts list, enter the quantity that you want to have and add it to your Shopping Cart.

Once you are finished shopping, click on Proceed to Checkout. Here you will be able to create your eReplacementParts.com account. By creating an account at eReplacementparts.com, you will be able to shop faster, keep up to date on your order status, and keep track of the orders you have previously made.

Please remember, we are here to answer your questions! You may send us an email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at info@ereplacementparts.com.

]]> http://www.ereplacementparts.com/blog/2009/05/how-to-place-your-order.html/feed 0 http://www.ereplacementparts.com/blog/2009/05/new-hitachi-lithium-ion-10-year-warranty.html http://www.ereplacementparts.com/blog/2009/05/new-hitachi-lithium-ion-10-year-warranty.html#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 19:02:31 +0000 mike http://www.ereplacementparts.com/blog/?p=242 Our Hitachi representative just stopped by and talked with us about new extended warranties for all Lithium-Ion cordless Hitachi tools.  From the time your purchased the tool, you now have a full 2-year warranty on your batteries and a 10-year warranty on the power tool itself, effectively extending the warranty you received when you bought the tool.  This means that if your batteries go bad at any time during the first two years of ownership, you can have them replaced by Hitachi at any authorized service center free of charge.  As a seller of Hitachi parts and also a warranty service center, we are very interested in this news.

Understand that this new warranty, which is quite impressive, covers only Hitachi’s manufacturing defects.  Damage from use, misuse, or abuse is not covered.  If the tool falls from a ladder or gets left out in the snow for the winter, the tool is not eligible for warranty.   But if your use of the tool isn’t responsible for the defect, warranty coverage is available.

We see quite a few dead Lithium-Ion batteries in our local power tool repair shop.  While it doesn’t usually happen, it’s not terribly uncommon for these batteries to go bad soon after purchasing the tool.  It’s a shortcoming of the Lithium-Ion technology that power tool manufacturers seem to be working through.  Hitachi seems to recognize this problem and they’re answering it by offering a longer 2-year warranty on these batteries.

While this warranty is among the best in the industry, it’s not quite as comprehensive as the warranty offered on Ridgid batteries.  If you purchase a Ridgid cordless tool and apply for the lifetime warranty by entering your serial number on Ridgid’s website, your Ridgid batteries are covered for life.  I’m not quite sure how Ridgid offers this kind of coverage on Ridgid parts and still stays in business, but it’s a fantastic offer for the end user.  This means you can use your Ridgid tool for years and when the batteries finally wear out, you can have them replaced for free.

Even so, the Hitachi warranty of 2-years is very reasonable and it will probably protect some of their customers from a bad experience.  The 10-year coverage on the tool itself is also very nice, although it’s quite rare for defects to affect the tools themselves.  Things like worn out switches or burned out motors will probably not be covered by the Hitachi warranty because they result from use of the tool.

As eReplacementParts.com continues to grow, our content is constantly being updated and we add additional resources more often than most folks blog! In the coming weeks you can expect more videos with slide shows, new and updated articles, and more blog updates with news you can use!

Here are some reminder links for your information and exploring pleasure:

• Power Tool Articles
• Tool Repair Forum
• YouTube Video Channel

A favorite among builders, the Hitachi NR83A2 pneumatic nailer is certainly a great addition to the weekend warrior’s tool shed. The unit can be purchased for around $300 and is worth every penny. At just under 8lbs., the comfortably gripped NR83A2 won’t cause physical strain while working on those big projects.

This framing nailer has a sequential actuation switch which can operate in either single-fire position for precise nail placement or bump firing mode for production speed. The 3/8” air inlet allows up to 120 PSI of pressure. The round head framing nailer can hold up to 70 fasteners (between 2” and 3 ¼”) at a time with a well-designed two-piece steel magazine [884-065]. Measuring 21 x 4 x 13, the larger sized nailer is made for regular to heavy usage. Its assembly also includes an open nose [884-060] to clear rare instances of jamming.

The NR83A2 is user friendly with a tool-less depth adjustment. An added bonus is the simplicity of shifting the air pressure on the gun rather than repetitively going back to the air compressor to make the changes. The NR83A2 unit also includes three hex wrenches and a pair of safety glasses. For further ease on the job, get the Hitachi 19413F 100 x ¼” polyurethane air hose. It’s practically kinkless, and the length will save time on those big nailing projects like rough framing, trusses and sheathing.

The Hitachi NR83A2 is virtually indestructible. It’s not uncommon to hear stories of construction workers accidentally dropping the framing nailer from rooftops or scaffoldings onto concrete with it still functioning as well as the day it was purchased. If you do need parts for this tool, you can find them here: Hitachi NR83A2 nailer parts. Unlike the less expensive nailers on the market, you can go through an entire box of nails without the constant expectation of jams. Whether you’re doing around-the-house projects or building houses, you will definitely get your money’s worth with this dependable tool.