Hints and Tips
 For Marx® Train Operators

ALWAYS Wear Eye Protection.
Motor tools revolve at extremely high speeds, typically 30,000 RPM or more. This is MUCH faster than a normal electric drill or similar tool. If a bit chips or flies apart, or kicks free a small chunk of the work, the pieces can be flung outward at up to 90 miles per hour. Therefore ALWAYS wear eye protection, and keep pets, children and bystanders away from the work area.

Use Thicker Cutoff Disks Whenever Possible.
The wafer-thin cutoff disks are useful and precise, but are very fragile. Even slight side pressure on the disk will cause it to shatter, sending fragments flying out. Whenever possible use the thicker resin-impregnated fiberglass cutoff disks, which cut a thicker slot, but are much sturdier.

Support your Hands.
Rest both the hand holding the tool and the hand holding the workpiece directly on the workbench, whenever possible. This gives increased steadiness and control, and means that much of the flying debris will be stopped by the bench before it can harm anything. If this is impractical, try to rest the wrist of your tool hand on the wrist or palm-pad of your holding hand and your forearms on the edge of the workbench.

Use pliers or other tools to hold small parts while working on them, so that if the bit slips, your fingers are far from the workpiece. A strong rubber band around the handles of the pliers will keep them gripping the workpiece, even if your hand-pressure should slacken slightly.

Working with Wire-Brush Heads.
The motor-tool's wire-brush head, especially the cup-shaped wire brush, is one of the most useful tools available for polishing up toy train metal wheels, axles, couplers, and rusted spots on metal cars. But the brushes ALWAYS fling tiny wires into the work area. These wires can stick in an unprotected eyeball or lie hidden in the rug, waiting to work their way painfully into the skin of barefoot children or pets.

 - NEVER use a brush-head at high speeds - only at low and medium speeds.

 - Work in an enclosure (such as a simple cardboard box) to catch the wires as they fly out.

 - Vacuum around the work area and floor after using wire brushes.