Replacing Power Tool Switches - How to Know the Time Has Come

It is no mystery that a lot can go wrong inside a power tool, what is a bit mysterious though, is how to determine exactly which part of your power tool is currently suffering. As we all know, power tools are some seriously cool machines, so cool in fact, they will literally try to help you solve this diagnostic conundrum.

Knowing which subtle clues to look for can help you diagnose a power tool problem in a snap. For instance, when your switch goes bad, your power tool will behave in a specific way.

The first symptoms to arise will come in the form of malfunctioning or failing start-ups. You will attempt to activate the tool and as if life has simply left it for greener pastures, the tool will be absolutely dead, or, at least, it will require several pumps and perhaps a joggle or two to revive itself.

A Brief History of DeWalt Power Tools

From the time he was a child Raymond E DeWalt watched and learned from his father the intricacies of woodworking and complex construction. Upon leaving school as an adolescent, he continued to follow this path and earned his keep at mills and construction sites as jobs were available.

The young DeWalt though, also learned from his father that a life in mill-work was difficult one, and in order to simplify his own life and to capitalize on both the physical and economical expenses of hard labor, he used the advantages of his youth and experience to continually refine and enhance the machines around him to meet the certain needs and specifications of different jobsites.

DeWalt's ingenuity and expertise in the field were largely and always evident and soon he was offered a position as the head of a major woodworking mill that manufactured nearly everything from the simple six-panel box to the modern, complex home.

Cordless Metal Cutting Tools

That's cute.....

The first time I saw a Panasonic EY3530 Metal Cutting Saw, I thought, "that's cute, but I can't see that thing being of any real use on the job". I was wrong. If you visit any job you will see cordless metal cutting saws in use in almost all of the trades.

What are they?

Cordless metal cutting saws are simply a cordless circular saw turning a carbide tipped metal blade at the appropriate rpm. These saws typically have an extra guard to help with the metal shavings. These saws cut mild steel very clean and cool.

One of my favorite stories is that of a sales rep walking into a customers office and cutting off a piece of threaded rod with the tool and threading a nut on, before the customer could through him out. He sold many, many tools that way.

What can they cut?

Cordless metal cutting saws can cut most mild steel including threaded rod, unit-strut, metal siding, EMT pipe, duct work, really any mild steel. Blades are available for aluminum also. I have heard them being used on copper, not sure that it is recommended though. By for the most common use is for cutting threaded rod, strut and EMT. If you are cutting mostly thin metal, blades are available with more teeth that will give you a better cut.

Who makes them?

The most popular saw is the Panasonic EY3530 Metal Cutting Saw but you can find them from , DeWalt, Milwuakee, Makita and others. If you already have a cordless circular saw, you can buy carbide tipped blades for most saws, Tenyru is among the biggest supplier of this type of blade.

I still think the tools specifically designed as metal cutters do the best job as they are set up just for that, but many of my Bosch customers have had good success with a carbide tipped metal blade on their saw.

Give them a try.

Many cordless power tool manufactures have a 30 day no questions asked return policy. I have offered this to many customers, but once they see what these tools can do, I don't get a single tool back. Give the Panasonic EY3530 Metal Cutting Saw a try.

You can purchase the Panasonic EY3530 Metal Cutting Saw at protoolguide.com See the full line of Panasonic Cordless Tools here.