Background as to How Hand Tools Transformed the Construction Industry - Early 80’s

Episode 1: Site Scenario -

It is not long ago when all tools were powered by mains electricity.

Imagine you are working on a scaffold 3 stories high erecting vertical cladding to a workshop building. You drill and screw the sheeting. Suddenly the drill stops, and in stopping, you’ve snapped the drill bit. Now what’s the problem? You test the drill two or three time – nothing. Has it tripped at the DB (distribution board) 40 meters away? Just then you see – what’s his name, what his name, uh yes ‘Harry’ passing the board. “Harry! Harry!” Harry stops, looks around to see who is calling, you wave your hands frantically, then he sees you. “Harry, can you check the DB for me”.  “What?” he shouts back. You repeat your request again, but Harry can’t hear you, because of the jack hammers breaking up an old bollard. Harry now walks towards you so he can hear. After your request, he says OK, walks back to the DB, checks, and thumbs-up its OK. You test the drill again – nothing.  Harry’s waiting. What can it be? “Harry”. He can’t hear you, so he again walks towards you. “Can you check the extension lead is pushed in properly”. “OK”, and Harry checks for you, and thumbs-up again. Still nothing. You shrug your shoulders and hands to indicate you don’t know what’s happening, thumbs up to Harry, who indicates to you he must get back to his own job.

Could there be a problem with the extension lead itself? It’s a heavy-duty lead, but the dumper has been riding over it a few times today. You follow the lead down the scaffold and check the lead along its full 50 meters length and cannot find a problem. So, it must be the drill – the brushes in the drill? You climb the scaffold again to retrieve the drill, climb back down and head to the site workshop.

The drill is the type where one dismantles the casing to access the spring-loaded brushes. You are surprised to see they need replacement, knowing they were replaced only a few weeks ago.  Fortunately, you find the right size brushes after rummaging around in three drawers, dismantle the drill casing, remove and refit new brushes, re-assemble the drill, and test it in the workshop. It works – it was the brushes all the time.

Now you climb back up the scaffold, plug in to the extension, test, and it works. You spend ten frustrating minutes carefully removing the drill bit embedded in the steel girt (horizontal purlin) without damaging the epoxy coated sheeting. How much time did you lose? An hour and ten minutes, plus Harry’s time. So frustrating.

To be Cont./... Next Blog Episode 2

What has just been described was typical on construction sites over 40 years ago.

Forty five years on, in this modern era with the wide range of brushless battery powered tools, such frustrations are in the past. We have a range of INGCO battery powered tools for you to choose from at Tools UK. (www.superingco.co.uk)