Do you clean your tools? And if so, how?

[Ster1154]

Kind of a random question, but I've been using my OF2200 a TON for slab flattening.  With that comes a ton of dust and my OF2200 looks like it's been through a war zone.

How do you guys clean your tools (if you do)?  I'm thinking a wipe down of mineral spirits of the tool and then some lubrication for the moving parts and it'd be good to go.

What's your cleaning process?

 

[RustE]

I keep a few nicer brushes around for cleaning away dust and chips.

I’d skip the solvent, or use rubbing alcohol at most. A damp microfiber cloth (with distilled water) usually does good enough.

 

[Birdhunter]

Every day I use any of my tools, I clean them. The shop, tools, and I go to bed clean. I do a lot of high precision work and saw dust can mess up my cuts.

 

[rst]

I clean up after every job last thing...no exceptions.  I also often will stop during a challenging job in order to prevent the "auto pilot effect".  The long narrow Festool brush is on of my most used tools...I always vacuum as sweeping merely moves mess' from one spot to another.

 

[JFelchlin]

Ditto - Birdhunter - What he said!

 

[mattbyington]

I do what [member=15289]Birdhunter[/member] does as well

Matt

 

[morts10n]

I bought a Midi so I could clean my CT 26

 

[peter halle]

I don't clean my tools.  They work harder than my hands could and they need to experience the pleasure of dust and grime as a sign of success in their endeavors.

To each their own!

Peter

 

[Michael Kellough]

I hate dust and debris, it’s why I bought into Festool to start with, so I keep the tools clean. Vacuum and compressed air if it available. Brush and blow if it isn’t.

I hate walking on debris too so I frequently vac the floor.

A fabric softener sheet rubbed vigorously on plastic parts will reduce their tendency to collect dust and makes them easier to brush off.

 

[DeformedTree]

Cleanup work area at end of day, complete and total cleanup of everything when things are done.  Major reason for Festool stuff is dust collection, but you still need to clean.  Vacuum off tools as needed. From time to time take tool apart, clean inside. Tools get a lot of crud inside, really can kill the airflow.

If craigslist is any indicator, most folks with a CT are unaware you can use the CT to vacuum off the CT. Shocking how many of them look horrible.

 

[Imemiter]

The whine of a cordless Makita mini-blower is my end of shift whistle. The tools, the bags, and then me. All will be blasted. I've joked that I need a second blower to clean off the first one, but only half-jokingly. I do have two.

 

[tallgrass]

Yup clean tools and works space after every use. IT is important. Doing this allows you to inspect tools and accessories to make sure that they are in good order. I do not subscribe to the clutter creativity excuse. I use compressed air, brush and Alcohol in spray bottle.

 

[Birdhunter]

I forgot to add that I sharpen my planes and chisels before I put them back in their places. I don’t think I am freaky about cleaning and sharpening. I buy quality tools and I take care of them. My wife appreciates me not tracking debris into the house from the shop. So, sweeping up is a smart thing to do.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I clean my tools once, maybe twice per year. I do get very thorough then including their innards. My tools are workhorses, not for prancing around.

I’d skip the solvent, or use rubbing alcohol at most. A damp microfiber cloth (with distilled water) usually does good enough.

You can use pretty strong solvents on your tools as they are made to withstand strong chemicals and the stress of everyday work in environments where you find them. Most of the strong paint solvents I know don't do a thing to the plastic of power tools.

 

[_Ben_]

I bought a Midi so I could clean my CT 26

Lol me too.

 

[bertv]

If craigslist is any indicator, most folks with a CT are unaware you can use the CT to vacuum off the CT. Shocking how many of them look horrible.

Yeah, it is amazing that people who’d probably be horrified if a used car for sale wasn’t detailed to near mint condition can’t be bothered to wipe a cloth over a used Festool before putting it on CL... (or Marktplaats as it is called here)

 

[notenoughcash]

compressor and vac.  and i clean them when i take them out of the workshop, and then again when they go back in, and depending on whether i remember how much they cost and how dusty they are.  e.g. if i have used a lot on a wood that makes a lot of fine dust

 

[FestitaMakool]

If craigslist is any indicator, most folks with a CT are unaware you can use the CT to vacuum off the CT. Shocking how many of them look horrible.

Yeah, it is amazing that people who’d probably be horrified if a used car for sale wasn’t detailed to near mint condition can’t be bothered to wipe a cloth over a used Festool before putting it on CL... (or Marktplaats as it is called here)

Yup, same here.. Only maybe 1 of 15 ads contain a photo of a clean DC. Seems like the dust collector are bound to be dreaded by dust, splashes and whatever. Drills and Carvex’s with rust visible below other goo..  But not all, thankfully.

I’m keep my tools relatively clean all the time, vacuum with a brushed nozzle, sometimes blowing, and occasional wipe down with household fat soap that leaves some protection on top of the plastic and metal parts that makes the next clean go easier.

 

[Coen]

I always use the CT with the tool, then use the CT with brush to clean off the rest.

The router in the CMS tends to get a lot of dust. The TS 55 on the rail.. not really anything at all.

I might have already bought a CTL-Sys if it had internal storage for the brush. But somehow most of the cleaning sets of Festool come without the brush  :

If craigslist is any indicator, most folks with a CT are unaware you can use the CT to vacuum off the CT. Shocking how many of them look horrible.

Yeah, it is amazing that people who’d probably be horrified if a used car for sale wasn’t detailed to near mint condition can’t be bothered to wipe a cloth over a used Festool before putting it on CL... (or Marktplaats as it is called here)

Well, on the Dutch Marktplaats it all balances out with fake adds with perfectly clean stock photos of machines that will never be send after payment  [huh]

 

[Spandex]

Cleaning =/= maintenance.

I rarely clean my power tools, but I will strip them down, re-grease and generally check them over occasionally. Most of my Festool tools have been in pieces for repairs or ‘health checks’ at some point.

It’s a bit like my car really. From a maintenance perspective it gets what it needs, whenever it needs it, but it will get a wash once a year if it’s lucky.  [scared]

If I’m selling a tool (or car) it will obviously get a good clean, just to placate the sort of buyers who generally mistake ‘clean’ for ‘looked after’.