There are many tools available for maintenance and home improvement. One of the most useful is the pair of pliers. Pliers have many variations for different purposes. You can use them for gripping, twisting, cutting, and others. Those who are into DIY home improvement will find the convenience of pliers a must in their toolbox. Here are reasons pliers should be a part of your home improvement tools.
Pliers Safety
Maun advises that you use proper eye protection when working with pliers, particularly with cutting pliers, as you can get workpieces shearing off and causing damage if you’re not protected. Beginners and seasoned users of pliers may encounter some challenges when using them. That’s why taking precautionary measures is important, especially when using one for a new task. Here are some reminders:
- Choose pliers with a grip span from 6 to 9 cm, as you can pinch your palms once you close the handles together.
- Use pliers only if they’re in good condition. Avoid broken tools that can potentially injure your hand.
- Ensure that the pliers have sharp cutting edges, as dull ones need more force.
- To prevent the pliers from rusting, drop oil on the hinge to make them open and close more easily.
- Before using, make sure the jaws are sharp and clean. When the jaws are worn down, you’ll need to exert more force, which can result in muscle fatigue and strain.
You can avoid injury and unsatisfactory work when using broken pliers. You must also be careful while using pliers.
The Different Kinds Of Pliers
Pliers take on different shapes and purposes that are perfect for home improvement endeavors. To understand why they’re essential, here are the other types of pliers and what they can do.
1. Cutting Pliers
Cutting pliers are the standard kind with cutting edges that are sharpened and are designed for the use of electricians. It’s also for DIY buffs for cutting various ranges of soft and hard wires. There are a few kinds of cutting pliers:
- End-Cutting Pliers
It has an almost flat head, making it ideal for the user to flush the surface and cut the object without needing the jaw to dig into it. The jaws are connected by an exposed or concealed rivet. There are models made with longer handles for more access and leverage. The end-cutting pliers are used for wires, bolts, nails, and rivets. These are used in concrete work, like twisting and cutting wires on rebar.
- Fencing Pliers
Fencing pliers have a strange shape that resembles that of a hammer. These pliers are used to cut different wire gauges and remove staple wires. You can use them on your property to put up fences. Farmers and livestock owners can also use this tool.
- Diagonal-Cutting Pliers
Some cutting pliers are strong enough for cutting hard wire, screws, and nails, like the diagonal-cutting pliers. This kind also cuts soft, medium, and piano wire. The plier is also in demand for electrical use, prompting manufacturers to create one with insulated handles to avoid electrocution. This type can cut edges at a diagonal angle, whatever the metal – copper, aluminum, or steel.
2. Slip Joint Pliers
It’s named after the slip joints built into it and has an adjustable pivot point that enables the two pieces of the plier to move where it extends to the jaws. It can grip various materials of different thicknesses. It can grab pipes and rods using one part of its jaws that’s serrated. The slip joint pliers are made for various gripping applications. They’re also capable of bending, metal crimping, removing cotter pins, and looping wires. Sometimes, they’re also used for tightening or loosening nuts.
3. Water Pump Pliers
The jaws of these pliers are curved and serrated. They can be adjusted to grasp various sizes of items. They can grasp pipes and are versatile tools that come with a variety of applications. You can use them on plumbing work and maintenance, as they’re designed mainly for water pumps and packed glands. When buying grips, please pay attention to the head of the water pump pliers to ensure they fit your needs. You can use them on plumbing work or for small bathroom remodeling.
4. Crimping Pliers
Crimping pliers can be used to crack plastic coatings and to fold and crimp wires into each other or to other terminals. It works when you feed a wire into the jaw jack and a connector. Squeezing the handles crimps the wires together.
5. Long Nose Pliers
Long nose pliers are primarily for working with fitting and wires. It can fit into narrow spaces because of the thin and narrow tapering jaws. Also known as the needle nose, it can be used on electrical boxes and ceilings. It’s used to bend, grip, and cut soft metal apart. Avoid using these pliers on thick wires and for other heavy-duty purposes.
Other needle-nose pliers have bent tips with angles that can go at 45 or 90 degrees. They’re also specially designed to grip fasteners or metal fittings, especially if the areas are too narrow and tight. You can also use them on engines.
6. Groove Lock Pliers
You can adjust the width of the jaw wider using its settings. It’s best when in cramped spaces such as behind your washing machine. The jaws can also self-lock onto nuts and bolts, which allows you to quickly turn them around without putting too much effort into gripping.
These are only a few examples of the many types of pliers you can use at home for working on renovation or remodeling. There are many different features to help you work on electrical, plumbing, and gripping materials.
Takeaway
Pliers are essential to home improvement tasks because there are many kinds that you can use almost anywhere. You can use them for cutting, gripping, adjusting, tightening, and crimping. Some have single purposes, such as cutting pliers with different kinds, and some are for multiple uses like pulling and gripping. They have special jaws that allow you to do your DIY tasks at home. But before anything, ensure you’re handling them safely to avoid any injuries.