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USING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS 67

Figure 6-4 A tubing cutter is easier to use
than a saw when sawing a tube in half. It’s
for so- called thin- wall tube, not thick pipe.
Use a small tool (also shown) for tubing
under 1/2″; it’s available at many hobby
stores.

• Very thin (less than 1/8″) hard plastics can be cut by scoring with a sharp utility knife. Place
the score over a 1/4″ dowel, and apply even pressure on both sides to snap apart the
material.
• Thin (to about 20 gauge) metal can be cut with hand or air snips. Pneumatic air snips make
the work go much faster. Manual snips are available for straight cuts, left- turning cuts, and
right- turning cuts.
• For higher gauges of metal, and for long, straight cuts in thinner gauges, cut using a bench
shear (also called a metal brake).
• Thin- wall tubing (aluminum, brass, copper) can be cut using a tubing cutter, like those in
Figure 6-4. Tubing cutters are easier to use, and they do a better job than using a saw.
• Foam- based materials that are not laminated (e.g., Styrofoam) can be cut using a hot wire.
Hot wire kits are available at most craft stores.

Using Portable Power Tools

Your work in the robot shop will go much faster if you use power tools. This applies even if
you’re constructing your bot out of wood. The use of power tools is fairly straightforward, and
the subject needs little additional instruction beyond what you’ll get in the instruction manual
and maybe a good shop tools book. But here are some of the most important issues to be
aware of.

TOOL SAFETY
Sparking in some tool motors is fairly common, but excessive sparking may indicate a
damaged motor.
When working outside, use an AC outlet equipped with a ground- fault interrupter circuit.
The grounding lug on AC- operated tools should never be defeated.

TOOL MAINTENANCE
Keep the cooling fan of the tool, if it has one, clean and free of obstruction. Do not use
the tool if metal bits have become caught in the cooling vents.
Some power tools must be periodically lubricated, as indicated by the manufacturer.

This is especially true of reciprocating saws. Gear- driven tools (e.g., heavy- duty power
drills, worm- drive circular saws) should be lubricated with the appropriate grease or
high- viscosity oil.

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