Timber iQ August - September 2020 // Issue: 50 August - September 2020 | Page 19

FEATURES
affect a building’s structural strength,” says Matthew McCathie, head
of sales and marketing at Shockproof Investments.
PROFESSIONAL TOOLING
To start at the beginning, some fundamentals need to be covered.
As a professional, and no doubt planning (and expecting) to make
the most of the equipment you buy, a common question is what
makes professional tools a better choice? The answer is quite
simple: professional tools are engineered to handle far greater
workloads than a DIY tool.
Most manufacturers have different product ranges (often indicated by a
different colour casing). Professional tool ranges cater to industries that
depend on reliability, quality, and importantly backup service and
replacement parts for extensive use, while DIY products are
manufactured on use ‘every so often’. As a professional in the industry
you may know, and already have experienced the difference in a DIY
tool and professional tool. If you have a DIY tool breakdown within its
warranty period, the first question you will need to answer is around
what the tool was used for, and how often it was used.
Many professional tools also carry a 24 or 36-month warranty so
you can be assured your focus is on the priority of running your
business and not worrying if your tools will make it through the day
or not. According to Vermont Sales, a distributor of various
professional tooling brands in South Africa, “It is better for every
professional or craftsman to be successful with every project they
work on.” This is achieved in using quality international brands that
have been through many decades of product development to
ensure that what is delivered meets the client’s expectations.
SHOCKPROOF INVESTMENTS
Hardware connector plates are
fasteners designed to connect timber when
building carports, and sheds for example.
good results. If dust settles on your workpieces, this is guaranteed
to affect quality. It has also been proven that tools that are cleaned
regularly (dust is extracted) have a significantly longer service life,”
explains Festool Product Manager Andreas Buck.
The next common question is investment in the right tools. Many
professionals will have experienced purchasing tools and then only
later on realise that the tool was limited or requires some or other
additional components in order to perform certain functions. Also,
working at a factory or manufacturing facility versus working in a
mobile unit or on site all require vastly different sets of tooling.
It is always recommended to engage with companies that offer
professional advice in terms of what is suitable for your
requirements, and to explain the latest technology that is applicable
to your needs. There is no reason to, for example, invest in a CNC
machine when you will be needing a mobile mitre saw for working
on site.
MAKITA
Care and maintenance on professional tools are also no more than
what would be required on any other type of tool, and in fact, would
be less as professional tools are made to withstand more stringent
working conditions and are less sensitive to things such as
continuous use or dusts.
However as with any tool the better it is taken care of, the longer it
will last and continue to give you quality results. “Whether cutting,
sanding, sawing or routing,
dust will be produced in
any workshops,
construction site or
mobile facility.
However, a dust-free
working environment
is indispensable in
order to ensure that
your work produces
A mitre saw allows the user to cut at different angles and bevels. The
Makita Slide Compound Mitre Saw also includes soft start technology
to minimise start-up shock.
In terms of fasteners as part of basic tooling, this will also highly
depend on the particular construction projects you do or if you have
any specialisation. There may be a requirement to only stock wood
screws, however if you are working with chipboard, better results
will be obtained by using specialist chipboard screws, and so on.
The same would apply to fastening wood to steel or concrete, or
nail plates for roof trussing versus plates for timber joining or
anti-splitting plates.
An interesting point is a fastening type that is commonly referred to:
Rawlplug. “Rawlplug is in fact the name of the original designers
and manufacturers of fixing systems, anchoring and wall plugs,
they have an extensive range. The company is also way ahead
when it comes to innovation, research and development. The
company is over 100 years old (founded in 1919) and still today is a
world leader in fixing systems,” says Ryan Hunt, sales director at
Vermont Sales.
EXPANDING ON THE GENERAL TOOLING
FOR THE TRADE
In future issues of Timber IQ, we will be covering the tooling for
professionals in details and will be looking at the general types of
tooling a professional would need to work in the timber construction
industry, as well correct intended uses, available options in mobility,
pros and cons, and so on.
• General tooling
• Cutting
• Planing and sanding
• Joining
• Pneumatic and gas tools
• Speciality tools
• Tool Attachments
• Fasteners and fastening systems
www.timberiq.co.za // AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2020 17