How tools actually work, and how to choose one
Drill bits stop cutting because the cutting edge has actually worn away, because heat has softened that edge, or because the flutes are packed with material and the bit is rubbing instead of cutting. Wrong speed, wrong bit for the material, and too little downward pressure all speed this up. It is rarely one single … Read more
A sacrificial fence is a length of wood (or sometimes plastic) clamped, screwed or bolted to a tool’s actual fence so that the blade, bit or cutter can safely run close to it, into it, or through it without touching the tool’s real metal fence. When it wears out or gets chewed up, you replace … Read more
An electric brake is a circuit inside a saw that reverses or short-circuits the motor the instant you release the trigger, so the blade stops spinning in a couple of seconds instead of coasting for ten or more. It reduces the time a bare, moving blade sits exposed after a cut. How does an electric … Read more
Soft start is a feature that ramps a motor up to full speed over a fraction of a second or so, instead of letting it jump to full power the instant the trigger is pulled. Bigger tools have it because a large motor starting at full force creates a strong jolt of torque that can … Read more
Variable speed changes how fast the business end of the tool moves — the rotations per minute of a drill bit or grinder disc, or the strokes per minute of a jigsaw or sander. Slower speeds usually mean more control and less heat; faster speeds mean more material removed per second, at the cost of … Read more
A heat gun is used well beyond paint for shrinking tubing and shrink wrap, softening adhesives and stickers, bending plastic sheet or pipe, freeing stuck fasteners, thawing small frozen sections of plumbing, and speeding the drying of fillers and finishes. It works anywhere controlled, directed hot air helps without an open flame. What else is … Read more
A rotary hammer is a drill built around a piston-driven hammer mechanism that delivers real striking force, not just vibration. A hammer drill is enough for occasional holes in brick or block for plugs and fixings. A rotary hammer is what you need for repeated holes in concrete, larger diameters, or chiselling and chasing work. … Read more
A planer takes a board that is already reasonably flat and reduces it to a consistent thickness from end to end. A jointer takes a board that is warped, twisted or has an uneven edge and flattens one face or edge so it can sit true against a fence or another board. They solve different … Read more
A mitre saw is a power tool with a circular blade mounted on a pivoting arm, used to make precise crosscuts and angled cuts across boards, mouldings and trim. A sliding mitre saw adds rails that let the blade move forward and back, so it can crosscut much wider boards than a fixed head can … Read more
A reciprocating saw is a rough, fast cutting tool built for demolition, remodeling and cutting materials in place where a precise finish does not matter. It pushes a blade back and forth in a straight line, which lets it cut wood, metal, plastic and even nail-embedded lumber that would ruin most other saws. What does … Read more
About what you read here. Everything on Find Tool is general information and our own editorial opinion. We research carefully and we say when the evidence is unclear, but we can be wrong, things change, and no article can know your particular situation. Please do your own research and make your own judgement rather than treating anything here as the final word. Prices, products and specifications around tools and workshop equipment change constantly, and what suits one person will not suit another. Check current details yourself, and where a decision involves real money, safety or something you cannot undo, it is worth confirming with the manufacturer, or a qualified electrician or tradesperson before you act.