Hi Folks,

This weekend my workshop came to a screaming halt as a small part was lost in the sawdust bin resulting in a trip to the big box store in search of a comparable replacement. Four hours later, the shop started up again. However the loss time really hurt the Christmas production. This got me thinking that I need to create a maintenance kit (power tool first aid kit) for such situations. The most common lost part, for me, has been set screws. Therefore I'll be adding 2-4 of each size my various machines need. As well as nuts, bolts, and a couple of belts. However, after that, I'm not really sure what to keep on hand. 

The lathe and band saw are my two most used power tools followed by the table saw, drill press, and compound miter (in that order). What would you (or currently do) keep on hand for quick repairs?

Thanks

Kevin

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Kevin Wells
Chuckin' Wood
www.chuckinwood.com

Duct Tape!

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John Moody
Site Administratorhttp://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com
“Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.†Shaker Saying

You're on the right track Kevin.  Set screws are always available in my shop as is a replacement planer belt.

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Ron Dudelston
Site Administrator

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

Personal First Aid Kit a must - - well for me at least  (big grin here)

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Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'
Scroll Saw Forum Host

Kevin

I keep a plastic drawer organizer in my shop. It is a smaller one I use to keep set screws, smaller nuts and bolts in for my machines only. I also keep a second set of tools for them too. I also keep a complete first aid kit from a local drug store very handy and added nail clippers and tweezers to it for splinters and such. You can pick up a small plastic organizer at almost anyplace cheap. Make it tools and set it where you can find it. I also keep extra router bearings etc in mine. It is also nice to keep a extension magnet in the shop too for when screws or parts fall into the saw dust piles or containers.

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Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

being on a blood thinner, I have one of my combat aid bags in the shop, plus a tourniquet and combat dressing in a magnetic box at every saw (overkill I know, its the flight medic in me) I was really kind of thinking of a parts list for the machinery. Thanks for the responses.

K

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Kevin Wells
Chuckin' Wood
www.chuckinwood.com

Kevin

If I understand you correctly, you would have to form a parts list from the manuals for each tool. Something like set screws, nuts, bolts and the like. Maybe I am not thinking correctly here. The manuals should give you the right specs on what you need. This could all be organized in the small plastic container I was referring to earlier.

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Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

If I have to order a wearing part for a tool I usually order one or two as spares. set screws are something I do not have enough of. all I have are dumped in an old baby food jar from my father-in-law. for drive belts I keep a small roll of link belt on hand. this way I can make a belt length in short order if one is needed.

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Round Barn WoodCrafts, Plymouth WI
roundbarnwoodcrafts@hotmail.com

I inventory a rather large variety and quantity of  fasteners ranging from Allen screws to hex bolts in various hardness to lots of threaded rod stock. I also keep a fair bit of steel stock in different thicknesses and widths along with some aluminum and Stainless.

I keep a broad compliment of taps,  a few dies, and  three full boxes of twist drills plus some extra length drills and a slew of reamers in standard sizes for press and slip fitting dowel pins.

I've built a lot of fabbed up replacement parts over the years  many of which worked better than the original.

My local farm implement company inventories  scads of hex bolts a nuts and washers, but for the little stuff or exotic I use the interwebs  and lately the Flea Bay has been a really great place to get things.  The recession has spurred good prices and reasonable or free shipping.

I try to buy things in lots of 100 or more depending  on how I think I may use 'em.  I always use 'em.

What I've not taken to is metric which I  should because I have  metric  fasteners on three of my major machines.