Nairobi Industrial Area: Tools

Part of a four-part series on Gikomba: Intro Products Tools Materials

To build their sometimes intricate products, jua kali use a range of tools, from blunt edges to complex machinery. Many of the tools are impressively manufactured by jua kali themselves. In areas with power, welding equipment and power carpentry tools are hugely important.

What we might think of as esoteric building materials, I-beams are an essential component to the jua kali toolkit, used as an edge for bending.

Various tools are forged and sold in shops.

And in large quantities.

One of the most interesting challenges for jua kali is to join parts together. “But that’s easy,” you reply, “just use screws!” Nope, screws, nuts, and bolts are too expensive, so they are not available locally. In fact, any machined parts can only be used as tools, but not materials for products since that would not be replicable.

This jua kali has placed a rivet under the two sheets he is trying to join. He will use the hollowed-out bottom of a hammer he has fabricated to force the rivet through both sheets and then hammer down the rivet. Works very well and he happens to be quite efficient at it.

A simple soldering technique using a hot rod.

This jua kali is using a strong, metallic adhesive. Durability is an important concern, particularly in joining, since repair and replacement can drive up the long-term costs of products.

Since many metalworkers rely on welding, power is critical.

A more intricate machine, this convenient tool punches holes in metal. This shop has several hole punchers, indicating that they probably specialize in this task.

A sheet roller for making cylinders, drums, and the like. You don’t see too many manual rollers like this anymore, but they are very useful!

One of the most innovative designs I’ve seen, this hand-cranked machine sustains flames by powering an underground blower that creates pressure in a deep pit below the fire.