Tool
GUIDE
HOW TO MAKE HARDWARE
work for you
BE THE FIRST TO KNOW
TOOL GUIDE
Obey your genes
Cover image by iStockphoto/Flyfloor, Robot icon iStockphoto, spanner image Sean Woods
CONTENTS
3
Letter from the Editors
4
My favourite tool
6
Test your DIY IQ
14 Priced to go: under R100 gifts
15 Okay, I can still afford R500
17 Hey, R1 000 won’t kill me
18 All-in-one solutions
20 Fit for the job
23 Build a scrapyard pot rack
Here’s a scenario that should resonate with practically
every one of our DIY-oriented readers, especially those
to whom weekends represent a glorious opportunity to
Do Stuff That Needs to Be Done. To be honest, this is
more akin to a genetically programmed imperative than
an optional leisure-time activity: although you may not be
aware of it, every cell in your body is urging you to grab
a tool and fix things or make stuff.
Now let’s consider the (very few) readers who have yet
to make the leap of faith to DIY nirvana. We’ll assume
you’re in a quandary: whereas you neither understand
nor care about tools and what they can do, you have
been instructed by your partner to “fix that shower today
or forget about conjugal rights for the next 20 years”.
What to do?
In both cases, your best bet is to make a list of the
tools and materials required for the job, then visit your
favourite hardware store and ask someone for advice.
Personal experience suggests that you will promptly ignore
this advice and spend the next two hours wandering
among the shelves, examining all manner of interesting
(and occasionally inexplicable) items, and end up buying
far more stuff than you need to complete your project.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Although
the shower job is unlikely to require an angle grinder or a
set of quality German spanners, these tools will undoubtedly come in handy at some point in the future. Do not
falter. If your purchases meet with grim disapproval
at home, point out that you are merely asserting your
constitutional right to bear tools (hey, it’s not as if we’re
advocating easy access to AK-47s).
As always, our annual Tool Guide provides you with
some excellent tool-buying ideas – and here we are
also addressing the partners of DIY mavens. If there’s a
birthday coming, or you simply want to do a favour for
someone special, this is where you’ll find the solution.
There’s more: we test your tool knowledge with a fun
quiz, introduce a trio who tell us about their favourite
tools, show you how to build a stylish pot-rack from
scrap, and take you inside a factory that turns out some
of the best-quality tools on the planet.
Now go out there and fix something.
The Editors
3
Only available at selected stores.
M Y F A V OUR I T E T O O L
DIY sound man
Grant Immelman Industrial ventilation specialist
and hardcore audiophile.
Favourite tool: Soldering iron
Immelman derives immense satisfaction from building highquality sound components that he couldn’t otherwise afford.
Forever taking his hi-fi apart and adding modifications that he’s
researched online, he’s currently building his own Gainclone
amplifier. “I wouldn’t be able to build my own high-end amplifiers without my trusty soldering iron,” explains Immelman.
Mr Fix It
Tom Fair Retired high school maths teacher,
now general handyman.
Favourite tool: Cordless drill
After downing his chalk and calculator
on retirement, Fair soon discovered the
convenience of cordless power when
he started his general handyman
business. When undertaking jobs
that require drilling holes,
driving screws and countersinking, he can have as
many as three cordless
drills on the go at once,
but his favourite by far is
a Makita 18 V lithium-ion
drill driver. “The Li-Ion
battery pack is great. If the
battery goes flat while I’m on
site, a quick 10- to 20-minute
charge is usually all it requires
for me to finish what needs
to be done,” says Fair.
4
Motor head
Peter Palm CAR magazine’s road test engineer.
Favourite tool: Telescopic inspection
mirror
Not all indispensable tools have outrageous price
tags. A humble telescopic inspection mirror might
cost less than R40, but without it, Palm would never
be able to check for leaking pipes or broken hoses.
“Many components under the bonnet are impossible to see from above, or from underneath for that
matter!” explains Palm. “I can angle this tool from
above, illuminate the area with a torch and always
l
see what’s going on.”
T E S T YOUR D I Y
iQ
By Harry Sawyers
Pictures by James Worrell
Illustrations by Splitintoone
1.
You just poured a con
crete slab for your new
patio, and you have an itch to
wheel out the grill. To get wet
concrete to cure properly, you
should:
– A. Expose it to sunlight
– B. Sprinkle it with silica gel
– C. Put a fan on it
– D. Cover it to keep it moist
2.
Six pieces of information
appear on a tyre sidewall
label that reads P245/40ZR18.
P means “passenger car”, 245
is the width of the tyre (in mm)
when mounted, and 18 is the
diameter of the rim in inches.
Which of the following is not
indicated by the 40, Z and R
in the middle of the code?
– A. Aspect ratio
– B. Optimal air pressure
– C. Speed rating
– D. Construction
6
So, you know how to build, fix
or customise anything, huh?
We’ll see about that.
Valedictorian. Straight A student. Magna
cum laude. After graduation, those accolades don’t mean much if you can’t answer
the central question of adulthood: Can you
fix that thing?
Of course you can. You read Popular
Mechanics. So this quiz – an objective
evaluation of your home and automotive
abilities – should be a breeze. You can
eyeball a perfect mulch mound from
across the yard, you anticipate oil changes
like you have an internal odometer, and
you can cement PVC pipe in your sleep.
Right? Carve a fresh edge into your
carpenter’s pencil and let’s find out.
3.
You’re always on your ladder, either
keeping the gutters spick and span or
rescuing local cats trapped in trees. So you
know the rung rules: which ladder step is
safe to stand on?
– A. Top cap
– B. Rear step
– C. Top step
– D. Second step
A
C
4.
Some recent experimentation
with fuel-saving gadgets
gave you a pleasing, placebocharged feeling of success, but
the numbers didn’t show any
fuel savings at all. Changing
your driving behaviour is more
likely to get the results you seek.
Which of the techniques below
will actually improve your fuel
economy?
– A. Increasing tyre pressure
– B. Accelerating more gently
– C. Turning off the a/c
– D. All of the above
5.
B
D
After spending a year in the
woods building your midlife
crisis cabin with an axe and
mallet, you’re ready to return to
the world of power tools. Which
of the following saws’ blades
should not be moving when it
makes contact with the material
to be cut?
– A. Chain saw
– B. Circular saw
– C. Mitre saw
– D. Reciprocating saw
6.
You want to insulate the attic, and
you’re fairly hip to the latest in
high-tech heat retention. Glass fibre
batts have a thermal resistance rating
(or R-value) of 3.1 to 4.3 per inch
(25,4 mm), and higher R-values mean
better efficiency. How do new products
compare with the big pink? Identify the
insulation with the highest R-value from
the list below.
– A. Mineral wool
– B. Cellulose
– C. Polyurethane spray foam
– D. Recycled blue jeans
7.
The hammer is your primary
problem-solving tool – you’re just
that type of craftsman. When hammering
machined surfaces or fragile parts, which
type of tool is inappropriate to use?
– A. Lead hammer
– B. Ball-peen hammer
– C. Brass hammer
– D. Rawhide hammer
14.
11.
You spread mulch because you think it’s
pretty, but you don’t like to admit that to
your rugby pals. It’s practical, you say – when
spread around shrubs, mulch retains moisture,
inhibits weed growth and keeps roots from overheating. To maintain your cred in the scrum, when
should you apply mulch, and how much of it?
– A. Apply liberally in spring – can’t have too
much of a good thing
– B. Sprinkle less than 5 cm when the heat
hits 30°.
– C. Spread 5 to 10 cm over cool, moist soil
in springtime
– D. Real men don’t mulch
8.
You’re laying a floor that will be
used regularly to host plus-size
stiletto square-dancing nights. You
need the hardest wood available –
which of these is your material of
choice?
– A. Maple
– B. Cherry
– C. Hickory
– D. Bamboo
9.
You’re pressure-washing the patio
with a 40-degree nozzle, moving
the tip side-to-side in a slow sweep
about half a metre from the concrete.
But stains under the bird feeder aren’t
coming up. For more power and a
focused beam, which nozzle size do
you need?
– A. 15-degree nozzle
– B. 60-degree nozzle
– C. Third-degree nozzle
– D. No nozzle; just put your thumb
on the hose tip
10.
You’re convinced that modern
paint chemistry is a conspiracy
– the low-VOC trend, in particular, rouses
your suspicions – so you prefer to use a
traditional oil-based alkyd whenever possible. Which job is ideal for an oil-based
paint, rather than a new latex acrylic?
– A. Interior drywall
– B. Exterior plaster
– C. Exterior ironwork
– D. Interior woodwork
12.
The cheapo wheel spanner that the manufacturer threw in the boot is demonstrating
its shortcomings – it won’t loosen the tyre’s wheel
nuts. What’s the best way to get the stuck nuts
moving?
– A. While holding the spanner steady on a nut,
kick the tyre to depressurise the fastener
– B. Fit the spanner on a nut, slip a metre-long
pipe snugly over the spanner end, and pull the
pipe end anticlockwise
– C. Turn the spanner clockwise; stuck lug nuts
are often reverse-threaded
– D. Hold the spanner on a nut while a helper
quickly drives the car in reverse
When a local
car dealership liquidated
its inventory, you
scored a compressor almost as big
as an SUV. The 230-litre
beast runs at 2,25 kW and
blows an average of 10,2
cfm (0,3 m3 per minute or
17 m3 per hour) at 6 bar.
Still, it’s limited – which
of these tools could it not
power?
– A. Brad nailer
– B. 10 mm impact
wrench
– C. Orbital sander
– D. Finish nailer
15.
Cigarette
butts that
visiting family ground
out on your old oiled
pine flooring (how
times have changed!)
have left some unsightly
blemishes over the years.
To patch a damaged section, you cut out a sooty
spot with a plug-cutter,
fashion a matching plug
to fit it, sand it flush and
oil the area. The repair
you’ve made is called a:
_ A. German repair
_ B. Scotsman repair
_ C. Dutchman repair
_ D. Myanmarman repair
13.
The world of abrasives doesn’t start and end with sandpaper. The following tools can reshape surfaces in a hurry –
but only one item has the scour power to take rust off ferrous metal
parts. For coarse credit, which is it?
– A. Drywall rasp – C. General-purpose mill file
– B. Carbon-steel wire cup brush
– D. Ceramic and marble file
B
A
7
W HAT TO DO?
16.
Your pickup is dead in the driveway and needs a jump. So you hook the red cable
to the positive terminal of the dead car, repeat for the booster, then connect the
black cable to the negative terminal of the booster battery. Where should the final black
wire’s clamp be connected?
– A. Dead battery’s negative terminal
– C. Dead battery’s positive terminal
– B. Dead vehicle’s engine block
– D. Leave it loose for good luck
WHAT’s that?
20.
19.
17.
Conversing with the gentlemen at your
local back-street drag race, you claim
that your modified BMW’s supercharger is
superior to a rival’s Nissan GT-R turbocharger.
What’s the difference between a supercharger
and a turbo?
– A. There is no difference
– B. Superchargers produce more power
– C. Exhaust gases drive a turbo; superchargers run off the crank, like alternators
– D. Only superchargers use ultracool air
from the climate-control system
18.
After shaping the edges of soft, nonferrous metals, the teeth on your single-cut file
become clogged with metal shavings, prohibiting a smooth finish. The tool you use
to clear out the file’s teeth and keep it cutting properly is called a:
– A. File card
– B. File pick
– C. File driver
– D. File solution
You’ve been putting
off the chore long
enough – today’s the day
you finally buckle down
and build your potato cannon. After cutting the PVC
pieces to size and cleaning
the ends you plan to join,
what’s the next step?
– A. Apply primer to
the male end and PVC
cement on top of that.
Wait 5 minutes, repeat for
the female end, then fit
them together
– B. Dry-fit the pieces
and fire a test potato
– C. Brush primer on the
inner rim of the female
end and the outer rim
of the male end. Apply
PVC cement on top of
the primer. Fit the ends
together immediately
– D. Apply primer to each
end, wipe it off, slather
PVC cement to the ends,
wipe it off, and then fit
each piece together
C
D
8
After years of yanking
loose branches from
the yard’s treetops with a frayed
extension cord, you’ve learned
that you may be using the tool
unsafely – especially when it’s
also plugged in. Which of the
following is an appropriate use
of an extension cord?
– A. As permanent wiring
concealed under floors or
behind walls
– B. As wire tied to an overhead pipe in the basement
workshop
– C. As a power source for
a toaster, heater, coffeepot
or any other electric heating
appliance
– D. As 230-volt service
through a grounded threeprong outlet to power a nonheat-producing appliance
22.
Your workshop wouldn’t be complete
without this automotive tool, which
can separate the ball joints, tie rods or pitman
arms from a suspension upright (aka the
knuckle). What is the tool’s name?
23.
If this wall is load-bearing,
which way does it run in
relation to the direction of the joists?
– A. Perpendicular
– B. Parallel
– C. Backwards
– D. There’s no hard-and-fast rule
24.
A pair of red wires dangles
from this installed outlet. What
connection is broken?
– A. Live wire
– B. Neutral wire
– C. Ground wire
– D. Tripwire
24
21.
How often should you
replace your vehicle’s oil?
– A. Every 5 000 km
– B. Every 8 000 km
– C. Every 12 500 km
– D. As often as the owner’s
manual says
27.
23
– A. Pickle fork
– B. Pitman fork
– C. Double-tine fork
– D. Bi-prong fork
25.
When installing a medicine
cabinet, you went a little wild
with the Sawzall and cut this pipe.
What type of fitting can reconnect it?
– A. Bushing
– B. Adapter
– C. Coupling
– D. Flange
26.
What is the typical distance
on-centre between studs in
drywall?
– A. 30 cm
– B. 40 cm
– C. 60 cm
– D. One pace
25
26
2
Your serpentine belt’s looking rough, and any day now you expect to
find it lying detached in the driveway. How do you know when it’s time
to replace a serpentine belt that’s grown long in the tooth?
– A. Replace it when you change your oil
– B. Change it when you rotate your tyres
– C. Replace it when the surface scales and it begins to fray
– D. A decent serpentine belt should last forever
9
W HAT’s that?
28.
Your old house’s walls are out of square, making this woodworking tool – which
can measure, copy and mark any angle – an indispensable gauge. Every craftsman owns one, but rarely will two identify it by the same name. Whatchamacallit?
– A. Sliding bevel
square
29.
– B. T-bevel
You and your
beloved circular
saw have been through
thick and thin... timber. But
which material can not be
cut using a circular saw
fitted with a wood-cutting
blade?
– A. PVC moulding
– B. Oriented-strand
board
– C. Medium-density
fibreboard
– D. Fibre-cement
sheeting
– C. Adjustable
bevel square
30.
You’re modifying a
scrap 50 x 100 to
replace a rotten deck-rail
spindle. Cutting the wood
with handsaws, you’re
tackling its long edge
before trimming to length.
In the correct order, which
two saws do you need?
– A. Crosscut saw, ripsaw
– B. Hacksaw, ripsaw
– C. Ripsaw, chain saw
– D. Ripsaw, crosscut saw
31.
It’s tough to remove a roll pin that has rusted in
place over the years. These pins lock gears and
levers to a shaft such as a clutch cable arm. To get a
stubborn one to budge from its position, you should:
– A. Use a roll-pin punch nearly as big as the pin
– B. Drill it with a high-speed-steel bit the same size
as the pin
– C. Use a roll-pin punch about half the pin’s diameter
– D. Lube it in WD-40 and extract it with a rare-earth
magnet
– D. All of the
above
32.
After struggling to
remove a tyre, you
want to make the nuts
easier to turn next time.
What tool turns lug nuts to
the ideal tightness when
mounting a tyre?
– A. Pneumatic wrench
– B. Breaker bar
– C. Torque wrench
– D. Tyre iron
33.
You’re trying to
learn the names of
your ramshackle Victorian
home’s fancy carvings
so you can navigate the
millwork catalogue without
just tracing the profile and
hoping you order the right
replica piece. Last time,
corbels came instead of
crown moulding. Which
of the following is not the
name of an actual house
part?
– A. Mullion
– B. Tympanum
– C. Festoon
– D. Nasturtium
These bits put holes in brick, glass, metal and wood – but only one of these, sized 35 mm in
34. diameter, is the perfect tool to install invisible European Soss-style hinges on cabinet doors.
Which bit is it?
– A. Bimetal hole saw
– B. Forstner bit
– C. Carbide-tip bit
B
A
C
D
10
– D. Masonry bit
T E S T YOUR D I Y iQ
a n s wer s
1. D Concrete doesn’t dry – it
cures via a chemical reaction
between cement and water. The
reaction takes place over five to
seven days, during which time it’s
critical to keep the fresh pour covered and moist. Stake a tarpaulin
over the patio and mist the slab
once every 24 hours.
2. B Air pressure recommendations
appear on the driver’s side doorsill
or in the owners’ manual, not here.
The only pressure number on the
tyre is the maximum air pressure –
not a recommended level.
3. D Second step down from
the cap.
4. D Increasing the tyre pressure
reduces the rolling resistance. Going easy on the accelerator pedal
provides an efficient throttle input.
And a/c requires engine power to
run, reducing fuel economy.
5. D Hacking at an old gutter with
a moving reciprocating-saw blade
just might knock you off a ladder.
Instead, wedge the saw’s blade
and shoe firmly against the material before pulling the trigger. Get
the other saws’ blades spinning at
full speed before carefully making
contact with the workpiece.
6. C Polyurethane insulation
materials typically have an R-value
of about 7,0 to 8,0 per inch, and
rigid polyurethane panels with foil
facings can get up to 8,7. With an
R-value of 3,0 to 3,8, loose-fill
cellulose ranks near glass fibre
batts. Same goes for shredded
blue jeans, with a 3,4 to 3,7 R-value,
and for mineral wool, about 3,7.
7. B Ball-peen hammer. The ballpeen – and not your old carpenter’s
framing hammer – is appropriate
for striking chisels, punches and
other hardened metal. Use softer
faces such as lead or brass for
delicate work.
8. C Hickory is the hardest here,
falling in at 1 820 on the Janka
hardness scale. Cherry is at 950,
bamboo measures 1 380, and
maple scores 1 450.
9. A The 15-degree nozzle’s narrow
spray can cut caked mud off the
lawnmower and strip weak paint
from brick. The wider, gentler,
60-degree spray can apply mixtures
of cleaning chemicals and water to
weathered decks and wood siding.
10. C Acrylic paints are superior
to alkyds – except on exterior ironwork. Scrape away loose paint and
rust, apply an oil-based primer,
and clean with mineral spirits.
11. C Overdoing mulch actually
stresses the plant – pile it 5 to 10
cm high, and avoid burying the
plant’s root stem. Apply mulch in
cool late spring to give the plant’s
roots insulation against the first
hot sunshine.
12. B The problem with those
cheap wheel spanners is that the
short handle gives the user little
leverage. The pipe extends the
handle and increases the user’s
mechanical advantage over the nut
the wrench is turning.
13. B Carbon-steel brushes like
this one work on ferrous metals,
but can introduce rust and contamination to stainless steel.
14. C At up to 11,3 cfm at 6 bar,
the orbital sander’s continuous
draw may overtax this machine
during extended periods of use.
The compressor can handle the
10 mm impact wrench (2,5 to 3,5
cfm at 6 bar), the framing nailer
(2,2 to 5,0 cfm) and brad nailers
(0,3 cfm to 1,3 cfm).
15. C Dutchman repairs often
stand in contrast to the surrounding flooring, and on historic floors
exposed to years of wear, it’s
not uncommon to see several
such patches. The aesthetic is
so distinct that some engineered
flooring manufacturers have built
faux Dutchman repairs into the
finished product when replicating
historic styles.
16. B Connect one end of the
positive (red) cable to the positive
(+) terminal on the battery of the
dead car, then repeat for the
booster car. Connect one end of
the negative (black) cable to the
negative (–) terminal on the booster
battery. Then connect the other end
of the negative (black) cable to a
clean, unpainted metal surface
(such as the engine block) on the
engine of the disabled vehicle.
17. C Both the turbo- and supercharger are pumps that force more
air into the engine. Increased air
adds oxygen to the intake charge,
producing more power. Turbos
have a compressor and turbine
wheel connected by a shaft – the
exhaust gases spin the turbine,
which drives the compressor.
Superchargers, however, have only
a compressor, which is powered
by some connection to the crank,
usually a belt.
18. A File card.
19. C The cement will begin setting
immediately, so have each end
primed and ready before beginning
the cement slather. PVC is easy to
glue – no flame, no flux – but don’t
dawdle.
20. D. And use rope to wrangle
dead wood.
21. D Modern engines typically
outlast the rest of the car as long
as the manufacturer’s service
schedule is followed. So do what
the book says, but remember:
commuting in stop-and-go traffic
is considered “severe” duty.
22. A The pickle fork’s forged
tines will separate the tie rod ends
from the suspension, either by
hammering the handle or attaching
the handle to an air hammer.
23. A Load-bearing walls in the
central part of the house run
perpendicular to the joists. Exterior
walls and most stair walls are also
load-bearing.
24. A Live wires are red.
25. C Couplings continue a
straight run in pipe or tubing,
joining pipes of like sizes or, with
a reducer coupling, mating two
different diameters.
26. B 40 cm.
27. C Depending on the belt, the
signs of old age include surface
cracking – think of the surface of a
dry lakebed – and fraying like
an unravelling sweater. Modern
serpentine belts should last 10
years and 150 000 kilometres.
28. D The multi-monikered hand
tool is critical when installing
interior trim. Measure the angle
between two walls by pressing
each leg against the wall surfaces,
lock in the setting, then transcribe
the findings to the mitre saw and
cut the trim.
29. D The blade to cut fibre cement
has a tooth geometry unlike the
serrated edge of a woodcutting
blade. Instead, it contains only
about four or five teeth, often
made of a high-density carbide
and capped with a non-stick
coating. Woodcutting blades are
perfect for OSB and MDF, and
they’re passable for PVC.
30. D Ripsaws work like a series
of chisels to scoop out material in
line with the woodgrain. Crosscut
saws sever the wood fibres at each
edge of the blade, then the saw
teeth scoop out the sawdust in
the saw blade’s channel, or kerf.
On a 50 x 100, the crosscut saw
works across the short side, while
the ripsaw cuts along the board’s
length.
31. A Using a roll-pin punch that’s
too small will flare the end of the
pin and make it even harder to
move. The metal in the pin is so
hard that it’ll only melt the drill bit.
The right punch is nearly as big as
the pin. With the punch’s dimpled
end centered on the pin, smack
the tool smartly with a ball-peen
hammer to drive the roll pin out.
32. C Tightening the lug nut
fractionally, with a torque wrench,
lengthens the wheel stud. This
maintains the proper clamp force
on the wheel. Overtighten the nut
(likely with a pneumatic wrench)
and you risk exceeding the bolt’s
yield point, which weakens the
metal. Too loose, and the wheel
could fall off. 33. D The mullion is a vertical
member separating two casement
windows, the tympanum is the
recessed triangular face of a pediment, the festoon is a decorative
fruit or floral carving often found on
a frieze, and the nasturtium is an
edible flower.
34. B For Soss hinges, use a
Forstner sized 35 mm.
●
MAKE THE GRADE
If you correctly answered... then you are:
> 1 to 8........ Dangerous with a drill
> 9 to 16...... Flirting with competence
> 17 to 25.... Able to work unsupervised
> 26 to 33.... Admirably handy
> 34............. Ready for Wrench Mensa
13
priceD TO GO
Under
R100
Nip and tuck
Builder’s Pride’s 280 mm concrete
nipper is just what you need to clean
up any jagged edges on cut bricks
or tiles. R38
Turn the key
Grip’s 13-piece
metric Allen key
set comes with a
handle (it fits snugly
inside the carry case
when closed) that
works to provide
extra leverage when
using the keys. R92
Okay, I can still afford
R500
Hide those joints
For those hidden joints in
bookshelves or cabinets
PG’s Dowelling Jig is
just the thing. Included
you’ll find the jig, three
T spacers (to help you
align your workpieces
when drilling the dowel
holes), as well as various
6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm
and 12 mm diameter
dowels. R455
Versatile combo
If you need a versatile saw that’s suited
to a myriad of jobs, then Stanley’s
300 mm hack/bow saw combo
could work for you. R99,99
Just cut it out
If you want to repair a
hole in a dry wall, or cut
out any strange shape
involving curves for that
matter, then you’re going
to need Stanley’s
versatile 4-way
keyhole saw. R120
Don’t crimp your style
Raco’s 5-way crimping tool helps you
keep all your electrical work neat and
tidy. It strips cables, cuts wires,
crimps terminals and even
works as a small
boltcutter. R70
Get it square
When you’re welding structures,
a right angle means 90 degrees,
no more, no less. The Eurasia
90 degree welder’s corner
clamp makes sure all your welded
corners are true, no matter what. R230
Hot cutter
Weller’s ThermaBoost heat tool can
be used for cutting rope
or foam, smoothing, shaping, scoring and soldering. It
heats up to working temperature in 45 seconds and features a thermo-boost
trigger to give you additional bursts of power
whenever you need them. Also included are six
multi-use tips, a stand and instructions. R460
Clean cutter
Cutting copper tubing of various
diameters is a breeze with
Topline’s 3-28 mm tubing
cutter. R59
Lube, when you need it most
Every workshop needs a can of general
purpose lubricating oil. Fragram’s 300 ml
oil can comes with a flexi spout so you
can get into tricky areas. R34
14
Strong connector
Twisting electrical wires together
doesn’t exactly guarantee a quality
connection, but soldering connections
together most certainly does. Ellies’
30 W soldering iron is just what you
need for all those general soldering
jobs around the home. R85
Around the bend
DIY plumbers wanting to
lay their own pipes could
find Rolson’s mini pipe
bender indispensable.
Made out of lightweight
aluminium, it’s capable of
bending 6, 8 and 10 mm
diameter copper pipes
between 0,8 mm and
1,2 mm thick. R220
Forceful
persuader
For screws that just won’t
budge, Raco’s impact driver
is the answer. Once struck by a hammer,
it will loosen virtually any screw, or tighten
it to extremely high limits. A selector
allows for left and right hand rotation. Its
12,7 mm square drive hexagon adaptor
takes interchangeable bits. R230
Cut perfect circles
Tork Craft’s 16 piece hole saw kit helps
you cut perfectly smooth, clean and accurate
through-holes in wood, plastics and other
materials up to 25 mm thick. The kit includes 12
carbon steel hole saws ranging in diameter from
19 to 127 mm, two arbours, one hex wrench
and one driveplate. R180
15
Hey,
R1 000
won’t kill me
Up the pressure
Compressed air often makes jobs such as
painting or cleaning up much easier. Grip’s
50-litre 1,5 kW compressor is small
enough to be moved conveniently around (it
weighs 33 kg), yet produces 168 litres per
minute and generates 8 bar of pressure. R999
Mighty
mouse
If you’re looking for a powerful
compact driver that can
fit into tight spots, then
Dremel’s 7,2 V lithiumion cordless driver could
be for you. It features a
constantly variable speed of
0 – 3 000 r/min, a forward/
reverse precision trigger with
brake, and a magnetic bit holder
with hexagonal shank. It comes
with eight bits and a charger. R800
On the level
Skew tiles are an eyesore. Fortunately, Bosch’s new Tile Laser
PLT2 makes sure you always lay
your tiles with absolute precision.
Three vials allow you to align
straight or diagonal patterns no
walls and floors. Bonus: it comes
with a functional baseplate for alignment in hard-to-reach areas. R560
Project workhorse
Whenever wooden structures are in the making,
the tool that invariably sees the most use is the
trusty circular saw. Ryobi’s 1 300 W circular
saw has a maximum cutting depth of 65 mm at
90 degrees and 43 mm at 45 degrees. You’ll also
find a spindle lock for easy blade changes and a
lock-off safety switch. A 24-tooth carbide-tipped
saw blade is supplied as standard. R600
Cordless convenience
Bosch’s cordless impact
drill PSB 14.4 V-i delivers
awesome power and flexibility,
even in masonry. It’s also great
for screw driving and drilling
in wood, metal and plastic.
Drilling diameter is 20 mm for
wood, and 10 mm for masonry
and steel. A convenient carry
case is part of the deal. R999
Routing bliss
If you like to put your router to good use,
then you’ll appreciate Tork Craft’s 24-piece
tungsten carbide-tipped router bit set.
All bits can cut hardwood, softwood, medium
density fibreboard (MDF) and chipboard. A
sealed ball bearing provides smooth cutting
of timbers, and all bits can be resharpened.
R805
Contoured control
Black and Decker’s 6,35 mm
KW900E router comes with a
three-stage depth stop adjustment that enables the recessing of
various depths to be machined in
one operation, without the usual
time-consuming setting up. The
circle cutter guide helps you cut
perfect circles every time. The
edge guide enables parallel cuts
to be easily produced, and its dust
extraction facility helps you keep
your workplace clean. R700
17
All-in-one
solutions
Instant woodworker
If starting to undertake small
woodwork projects sounds like a
good idea, but you don’t have any
tools yet, then Grip’s 10-piece
woodwork set is a good place
to start. Inside the handy carry
pouch you get an aluminium
600 mm spirit level, a half-round
200 mm rasp, two chisels, a claw
hammer, a 550 mm hand saw, 5 m
measuring tape and two 2-in-1 quick
release spreader clamps. R495
For the kitchen drawer
Even if you’re not into DIY, you still need
to have some basic tools lying around in
a kitchen drawer for the odd emergency
around the home. Topline’s 15-piece
Tool Set fits the bill perfectly. You get a
claw hammer, junior hacksaw, 5-metre
tape measure, utility knife, vice-grips,
combination and diagonal cutting pliers,
and a combo-screwdriver with bits. R325
Drive it home
Screws come in all shapes and sizes, so
logically you need to have enough screwdrivers to match. Stanley’s 20-piece
screwdriver set covers the lot: it includes
stubbys, stars, flats, offset screwdrivers and
a six-piece precision screwdriver set. R285
Bits for any occasion
There’s nothing more irritating than having
to down tools to buy a new drill bit when
starting a new project. Tork Craft’s 120
piece Drill and Bits set provides you with
so many options that you could remain in
your workshop for life. You get 13 woodwork bits, 5 wood spade bits, eight mounted grinding stones, 18 nut driver bits and
40 25 mm screwdriver bits. The list goes on
and on… Oh yes, you also get a 300 mm
long flexible extension driver. R295
Serious kit
With Gedore’s Complete
Tool Kit you’re prepared
for virtually every
eventuality. The strong
five-compartment
sheetmetal box
(phosphated and
powder-coated to
prevent corrosion)
comes packed with quality
tools. You’ll find contact drive sockets,
combination spanners, Allen keys, screwdrivers,
ratchets, grip pliers and more. R3 435
Power tools in a flash
When you’ve got a circular saw, hand plane and a cordless screwdriver,
tackling most woodwork jobs becomes much easier. Ryobi’s 3-in-1
Combo Kit KSP 3 contains a 650 W hand planer, a 1 300 W circular
saw and a 4,8 V cordless screwdriver with magnetic bit holder. The
planer has a no-load speed of 16 000 r/min and cuts depths of 0 to 2 mm
by 82 mm wide. The circular saw has a 45-degree cutting bevel and a
l
spindle lock, and comes complete with a blade and fence. R950
18
f it f o r
the j ob
We head for
the factory
floor to get
the lowdown
on tool
manufacture
3
8
Story and
pictures by
Sean Woods
1
4
A
bad workman may blame his tools, but it’s no secret that
not all tools are created equal. The materials and processes used can mean the difference between efficient,
precise, repeatable operation and a botch-up. At worst, you
could end up with damage to both workpiece and tool.
In fact, where specific tool tolerances are critical – think
airlines and motor manufacturers – there’s no room for
compromise, so mandatory specifications are laid down. But
even for the average DIYer, it pays to get some insight into the
background of that shifting spanner that you so carelessly toss
into your toolbox.
Let’s go to the source to see how it’s done, we said. So we
flew out to New Germany in KwaZulu-Natal, where the Gedore
factory is located.
That’s where we found out that shifting spanners are always
assembled by hand to make sure that they never “stick” when
used. That the teeth of tools such as locking pliers are hardened separately. And that the company manufactures SANAS
(South African National Accreditation System)-approved torque
wrenches for companies such as SAA and Volkswagen SA,
where specific tolerances are critically important.
5
2
6
Pound waves
In the reception area of many companies, it’s not uncommon to
find a jar of colourful sweets to tempt visitors and make them
feel welcome. At Gedore, they do things slightly differently.
Instead, they have a glass jar full of bright yellow ear plugs.
And, when their eight massive drop forges start up for the
day’s production, you immediately realise why: their incessant,
rhythmic pounding bombards the senses. The shock waves
reverberate throughout the entire plant and, via the feet, course
through your body.
Gedore’s extensive product range comprises 2 900 items,
of which about 1 900 are made locally. All adhere to the ISO
9002 international standard. “That means if we make a spanner
today it will still be manufactured to the same quality standard next week,” says Vincent Cykes, Gedore’s national sales
manager. The company backs that up with a no-questions20
asked repair or swap-out guarantee for life. Other factories in
the group are situated in Brazil, Turkey, England, Austria and
Germany.
“Because we are a multi-national company we have certain
advantages,” says Cykes. “Firstly, all the latest technology
from Europe is available to us. If there’s an improved way of
manufacturing a socket that requires new expensive tooling,
we can buy in bulk to lower costs. Our engineers are constantly
interchanged between factories to ensure we always remain on
top of all the latest developments.”
It’s not only tools that they make. Their new sheet metal division, costing a cool R27 million, produces an extensive range
of socket boxes, toolboxes, cupboards and trolleys.
7
1 Once removed from the furnace,
red-hot spanner blanks are placed into
a forging die and then drop forged into
their basic shape.
2 To give the teeth of tools such as
water-pump pliers extra strength they
undergo further induction hardening.
3 All sockets start out as blank sections
of chrome vanadium steel rod.
4 The sockets shortly after being removed from the mechanical press forge.
5 All sockets are broached to ensure
they meet international dimensions and
tolerances.
6 After shot blasting and polishing,
sockets are nickel chrome plated.
7 Any rough edges remaining from the
manufacturing process are manually
ground away.
8 Tools such as shifting spanners and
locking pliers are assembled individually
by hand to make sure they never “stick”
when used.
9 Rose stone, imported from Brazil, is
used in the large vibro-polishing vats to
polish the finished tools.
The drop forge
For obvious reasons, oral communication in the drop forge
division (where all the spanners begin to take shape) is impossible. “All our staff must have their hearing checked twice a
year,” says Cykes as we plug our ears before entering the area.
The first thing that catches the eye is a massive stockpile of
chrome vanadium steel awaiting processing. This alloyed steel
is ideal for toolmaking because of its strength, toughness and
resistance to wear and fatigue. Cropped into suitably sized
blanks to minimise waste, the steel is fed into furnaces and
heated to between 1 100 and 1 260 degrees (depending on
the size of the spanner that’s to be made). Once removed from
the furnace, the red-hot blanks are placed into a forging die
9
and then drop-forged into their basic shape. After cooling, any
excess material is trimmed off and the products are machined
to remove any rough edges. The exact working profiles –
hexagon, double hexagon or open end – are broached according
to international dimensions and tolerances.
The next process is hardening and tempering. The products
are heated to approximately 850 degrees and quenched in a
water solution. Tempering follows at a temperature of between
200 and 300 degrees, depending on the product and material.
Then the products are allowed to air cool.
Any distortions that may have occurred during hardening are
corrected in a straightening process.
Because the teeth of tools such as locking pliers, water-pump
pliers and pipe wrenches need to be much harder than the
rest of the steel that makes up their bodies, each component
undergoes further induction hardening. “We don’t do this to the
entire tool because it would then become too brittle, causing it
to break when any force gets applied,” explains Cykes.
From this point it’s on to the grinding department for
vibro-polishing, and shoulder, ring and shank grinding. After
shot blasting, the products are finally sent for a nickel-based
chrome electro-plating finish before being packed.
From blank rods to sockets
Sockets and other accessories are made in much the same
way as spanners, except that a mechanical press forge is
used. Various diameter blank chrome vanadium steel rods are
induction heated until red hot (between 650 and 1 400 degrees,
depending on their size) and then press-formed in a bush or
die using a mechanical press. The forged blanks are sent to the
turning department, where they are faced, turned, knurled and
marked automatically on CNC machines.
Next, the products are hardened and treated in a similar
manner to the spanners. After shot blasting and polishing, they
are nickel chrome plated.
To check out Gedore’s product range, visit www.gedore.co.za l
21
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5
Wire
live
end
CHANGE WILL COME
2
4
Dead
end
3
Crosby clip
6
1
Thimble
Your world is changing faster than you can blink. ‘Inviolate’ facts are succumbing to
scientific reason, new concepts are stretching the boundaries of your understanding,
and the reality you perceive may be no more than a cosmic bagatelle.
Should you be nervous? Certainly not. Visit www.popularmechanics.co.za to enter the
D-shackle
online world of South Africa’s foremost science and technology magazine. Getting
Rust and flaking paint on this
salvaged cast-iron railing
destined it for the scrap-heap;
a steel cup brush scoured it
clean in hours. Now, wire ropes
suspend it above the island in
your country-style kitchen, and
every skillet has a home. Do it
yourself, using basic tools and
a few affordable extras from
your local hardware store. We
sprayed it matt-black, but you
can choose any colour that
suits your kitchen.
real has never been as easy or rewarding.
Blink. There it goes again…
Scrapyard pot rack
S-Hooks »
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JULY 2010
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TURNING THE HUMAN BODY INTO AN
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Character by Axel De Roy , Illustration by Rui Ricardo
JULY 2010
TECH
1. S-hooks along the railing support pots, pans, colanders and
baskets. Spread out the hooks to
avoid cookware clang.
Wire ropes
2. Wire ropes at the corners
suspend the rack from the ceiling.
Four 3 mm (or thicker) stainlesssteel ropes should provide plenty
of support for Granny’s cast iron.
Chains would also work well, but
you might want to paint them to
match the rack. Either way, the
ropes or chains should have a
breaking strain of at least 300 kg.
D-shackles
3. Wire ropes fasten to the railing
using horseshoe-shaped anchor
shackles or forged D-shackles.
A pin slips into the D-shackle’s
opening.
Thimbles
4. The wire rope loops through
the D-shackle via a thimble – a
curved, grooved track that prevents the wire rope from kinking
in its U-turn.
Wire-rope clips
5. Threaded through the thimble,
the wire rope fastens to itself using single-saddle Crosby forged
wire-rope clips. Make sure that
the clip’s nut side (or saddle) fastens to the load-bearing (live) leg
of the wire rope. As the Rigging
Handbook says, “Don’t saddle a
dead horse”.
Lag eyebolts
6. Lag eyebolts with at least
50 mm of wood-screw threads
anchor the wire ropes to the
ceiling joists (or rawl bolts, if you
have a concrete ceiling). Fasten
the ropes using Crosby clips and
thimbles slipped through each
eyebolt. When all four corners are
fastened, loosen and tighten the
saddle nuts to adjust the ropes
one at a time, until the rack is
l
level.
What you’ll
need:
l Salvaged or new
cast-iron gate/railing
l 4 x lag eyebolts or
rawl bolts
l Stainless-steel cable
(or chain)
l S-hooks (you can
make your own)
l D-shackles
l Crosby forged
wire-rope clips
l Thimbles
l Drill and masonry bit
l Steel cut brush
l Can of spray paint
23
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