Ratcheting tools like wrenches, screwdrivers, electric crimpers, and pipe cutters allow for easier use in tight areas. Proper maintenance is important to prevent malfunction and injury. Lubrication is necessary for some tools, while sealed tools require careful handling to prevent damage.
Wrenches, screwdrivers, electric crimpers, and pipe cutters are common ratcheting tools. A ratchet action tool allows an operator to keep the tool attached to a material while moving it. This eases the process of using the tool in tight areas where other tool styles don’t fit and work properly. Proper use, storage and maintenance of ratchet tools will keep the tool in proper working order. Improper use will cause the ratchet action of the tool to function erratically and injure the operator if the tool slips or jams during use.
Ratchet wrenches are a common sight in garages and construction sites. Retained within the wrench head is a gear mechanism that allows the handle to rotate while a socket on the head remains attached to a fastener. Moisture entering the connection point between the ratchet head and the ratchet handle causes the internal components to rust. Regularly lubricating the connection points keeps the gears of this ratchet tool loose and in good running condition. A ratchet handle is not the style of ratchet tools that require regular maintenance to keep the internal gears free of corrosion.
Chain cutters used on cast iron, terracotta and clay pipes employ a ratchet action head to apply pressure to the cutting chain. Lubricating where the saw chain enters the ratchet head will eliminate rust buildup on the ratchet gears. Unlike a ratchet wrench, the shear chain connects directly to the ratchet head. This allows water to travel into the ratchet head as the chain pulls around the pipe. Constant lubrication of the saw chain ensures that no moisture enters the casing surrounding the ratchet gears.
Sealed ratchet tools don’t require constant lubrication to ensure proper function, but they are more delicate than their heavy counterparts. Ratcheting action screwdrivers have a sealed area where the tool holder enters the screwdriver body, and ratcheting action electric crimpers keep the area around the ratcheting action jaws sealed with a rubber gasket. The plastic and rubber used to seal these type of ratchet tools eliminate the need for lubrication but make the tools more susceptible to damage during use or if stored improperly. Keeping each tool in a padded toolbox and being careful not to drop or throw the tools during use will prevent the tools’ plastic components from breaking or coming loose from the tool body.
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