If you're looking for a power planer on a tight budget, look no further. Pit Bull, a company we've never heard of (and can't find any information on), has recently released this one which is currently selling for the extremely low price of $16.50.
This planer has 2.6 amps, a small number when compared the big name planers which are usually above 6 amps. But, seeing as this tool is being sold for under $20, it’s really unfair to compare it to a Bosch. At the price it’s being sold for, if it even works you’re already ahead of the game.
C.H. Hanson, a company known for their high-quality layout and marking tools, has begun rolling out a new line of innovative tools they call the Signature Series. Kicking off this collection is their new Pivot Square, an all-in-one roof and stair layout tool.
At first glance, the Pivot Square looks like a traditional speed square with a few level vials built-in. But upon closer inspection there are plenty of differences. First, it's larger, with the sides measuring 8" as opposed to 7". Secondly, and more significantly, there is a portion of the square that pivots out and can be locked in position, much like a bevel gauge. But, unlike a $4.99 bevel gauge, the pivot square tells you the degree as well as the roof pitch of the captured angle. Also, the hypotenuse has a ruler on it, as opposed to a degree finder.
We’ve got to admit that we’re pretty excited about this one. We hate scraping paint about as much as we hate mixing concrete and from the looks of the Wagner Painteater, it could be a real ally in the battle against brutally tired arms and the seemingly endless task of hand scraping. We’re really interested to see how it works. Stay tuned.
This month’s Popular Woodworking just showed up and it’s another winner. Lots of cool articles, tips, tricks, and projects for all skill level woodworkers. This issue even has the first installment of a new column, “Jig Journal,” which, according to Christopher Schwartz, Editor of the magazine, is “not your typical woodworking jig column with Rube Goldberg gizmos. These are jigs designed to be used everyday.”
For projects, this issue features a canted wall box (for beginners), a nice tusk-tenon book rack (for intermediates), a great Shaker Clock (for the advanced among you), and a foot-powered lathe (for the insane inventor-types out there). There is also a good article on dust collection, one on plane wicks, and a very cool piece on The College of the Redwoods, the woodworking school founded by James Krenov.
This Old House – July/August 2007 – Annual Kitchen and Bath Special
This issue of This Old House is another good one, filled with solid articles on kitchens and baths as well as a handful of other relevant topics. The only drawback is that there is very little discussion of tools of any sort.
The centerpiece of the kitchens portion of the magazine is an analysis of three renovations, each done on a different budget. The article has nice cost breakdowns and some good advice (steer clear of trends). There is also a piece on what can go wrong during a kitchen remodel and how not to let those problems happen to you.
As for the baths part of the magazine, there is an article on concrete countertops, one on how to tile a vintage bath, and a particularly cool one on outdoor showers.
Other topics covered in this issue include ceiling fans, irrigation gear, and wireless monitoring systems.
Keep reading to see what tools were covered in this issue.
This is a new one to us. It's a video from youtube of a guy cutting a circle with a table saw. He does it pretty quickly; faster, in fact, than it would take with a jigsaw, and the result is pretty good. Might be worth a try over the weekend if you've got nothing better to do.
GMC has recently released a little detail sander available at a really good price. It's sort of like Skil's Octo, but without all of the attachments. Still, at just a hair over $10, there's no way to loose on this one. It's essentially a little orbital that ends in a little point making it possible to sand those little spots that even hand sanding can't deal with.
The sander has a dust-sealed switch, a hook and loop sanding pad, a vacuum port, and what looks like a nice gripping area.
Ridgid’s 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Drill arrives for Review
The guys at Ridgid just set us up with one of their new Compact Lithium-Ion drills so we can review it. We got it out of the box and gave it a quick heft and there’s no doubt about the ‘compact’ part. In fact, it feels a whole lot lighter than our 14.4-Volt Makita, but it’s got 18-Volt power. We’ve got a few projects going on this week and weekend so we’re going to put the drill right to work and see how it does. Stay tuned.
Also, we’re still trying to get our heads around C.H. Hanson’s Pivot Square and we just got a sample of the new Ace Sensations paint, so you can look forward to those reviews as well.
In the race to provide the most over-the-top gift card (Best Buy apparently has one that plays videos), Home Depot now offers one with a built-in level and tape measure. Yep, built right into the gift card. It sounds strange, we know, but it’s actually pretty cool.
They were good enough to send us one to look at and to be honest, we were expecting something pretty cheesy. But when it got here, we have to admit to being impressed with the little thing. We’re not saying that it’s going to be replacing your Stanley Fat Max tape measure, but it will definitely find its way into your kitchen junk drawer and come in handy at some point when you’re trying to hang a picture.
If you’ve seen the letters AVT on the side of some of the new Makita tools and had no idea what they meant, you’re not alone. We were in the same boat until we did a little research. The acronym stands for “Anti-Vibration Technology,” and what it means is less teeth chattering and more productivity.
Makita’s engineers have taken the ideas behind earthquake engineering and applied them to power tools. What they’ve done is added a counter balance in the tool that works in opposition to the cutting/hammering/whatever action, essentially canceling out the vibration. And because your arm isn’t jiggling back and forth, all that power is going into cutting.
And you thought things went wrong on your projects. This video is a clearinghouse of some pretty bad stuff; falling ladders, falling people, and even a falling house (with ladders and people attached). It’s funny, but pretty cringe-inducing at the same time. Some of these guys are obvious morons, but others are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
There’s a good chance that you’re paying too much to cool and heat your house. In fact, we’d wager 100-1 that your house isn’t as tight as you think it is and that a lot of your precious (and expensive) AC is slipping out through little cracks around your windows, doors and probably up through your attic too.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has a great guide to home energy savings. The article talks about the option of getting an energy audit and it mentions the following places as likely candidates for leaks:
Milwaukee has a new circular saw called the Tilt-Lok that distinguishes itself from the pack with its interesting multi-position handle. Our complaint with Milwaukee circular saws has always been the fact that the handle is perched up on top of the saw, as opposed to behind it, making for an, at times, awkward cut. This new saw not only solves that problem, but it adds seven other positions for the handle to be in.
But the innovative handle isn’t the only good thing about the saw. The saw is light (10.5 lbs), powerful (3.25 hp), and durable. According to Milwaukee, the Tilt-Lok saw lasts eight times as long as other leading brands. They’ve got all sorts of official-looking charts on the subject here.
The saw comes with a case, a blade, and a wrench. It retails between $150 and $200.
Wagner Spray Tech, makers of the interesting new Painteater, have also recently released the Wagner Power Tex, a cool new way to apply texture to walls and ceilings. The great innovation of the Power Tex is that it has the same basic functions of a commercial grade sprayer, but it’s powered by electricity, so there’s no cumbersome compressor and hoses to deal with.
Because of this ease of use, the Power Tex is useful for small patching jobs, but according to the Wagner Spray Tech website, it is also powerful enough to do an entire room. We’ve seen the pros do it and can attest that they come with a lot of equipment. We’ve also tried the spray can method and it’s messy and very inconsistent. If the Power Tex is what Wagner says it is, it should put professional quality work in the hands of the homeowner.
Power tools tend to get some pretty rigorous wear and tear. In the course of a project they’re dropped, banged around, and, if you’re the absent-minded sort, left out in the rain. On top of that, sometimes parts just break or wear out. When something does go wrong, don’t think you have to send it off to a professional, or worse, throw the tool away. What you should do instead is to go to one of our favorite websites, Tool Parts Direct, get the busted part(s), and replace them yourself. It’s going to be far cheaper than having someone else do it, and you end up with a better knowledge of how your tools work as well as the satisfaction that comes with fixing it yourself.
Free 18-Volt XRP DeWalt Battery at Amazon.com and Tool King
Amazon.com and Tool King are giving away a free 18-Volt XRP battery with the purchase of any 18-Volt XRP DeWalt Tool. This includes hammer drills, impact drivers, circular saws, and reciprocating saws. Since these batteries do wear out over time, having an extra one is a good idea. If you’re in the market for some battery tools, this might be a good reason to buy now. The offer is good until the end of the month.
Our friends at C.H. Hanson, makers of fine marking and layout tools, have been nice enough to send us one of their new Pivot Squares for a test run. The Pivot Square is the first tool in their Signature Series, a new line of innovative and high-quality tools. Well, at first glance, we can say that the Pivot Square meets these criteria. It resembles a standard speed square, but it has three leveling vials and it the ability to open up and capture angles like a bevel gauge. It looks like an all-in-one framing tool, particularly useful for rafter layout.
The Pivot Square comes with a nice carrying case, a carpenter's pencil, and The Expert Guide to Roof Construction and Framing, a little book that fits nicely into the case. The Pivot Square retails for $83.92 and is available at Hanson Direct.
We'll be testing it out this week and we'll have a review up soon.
Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 5 ($150+)
Now, in our final installment we’re dealing with some pretty severe gifts. The kind that not only say, “Dad, you’re a great guy,” but they also say, “Dad, let’s never again talk about how I wrecked your car.”
Bosch 2-1/4 HP Plunge and Fixed Base Variable Speed Router – This is a great (almost) all in one router kit. It’s got the power for any task and has a very nice depth set/adjust. We picked one up a while back and so far we’re really impressed with it. $199.99 at Amazon.com
DeWalt 10” Compact Table Saw – Not as big as their portable benchtop model, but it’s got a lot of the same qualities that make it a great saw. It’s got a rack and pinion fence, a 15 amp motor and it comes with a miter gauge, a carbide blade, and a push stick (that you should immediately replace with a homemade one). $367.49 at Amazon.com
Porter-Cable 3 Nailer and Compressor Combo Kit – With a brad nailer, a staple gun, and a finish nailer, there is nothing a man cannot do. Porter-Cable has this great, economical set for the advanced DIYer. $299.00 at Amazon.com
Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 4 ($100-$150)
Now we’re getting into either the real dad-love or a really guilty conscience. The previous installments (one, two, and three), handled gifts in the $1-$100 range. For today, we’re upping the ante to the $100-$150 bracket.
Ridgid Fuego 6-1/2” Framing Saw – This little tool is a real monster. We reviewed it a while back and thought it was the coolest thing since refridgeration. Now it’s our go-to circular saw. It’s powerful, lightweight, got all the right features, and at $139.00 it’s a total steal. At Home Depot
Milwaukee Sawzall – The first step to building something is destroying what’s already there. In that department, there is no bigger help than a reciprocating saw. They're pure demolition machines and anyone who wants to wreck something needs one. And why not get the original sawzall? No silly rotating head, no frills, just the power of destruction. $109.99 at Amazon.com
Bosch Colt 1HP Variable Speed Palm Router – Another gem in our daily rotation; small, compact, and yet powerful enough to handle some pretty big jobs. It’s got a great depth adjustment/locking system and when you hold it in your hand, well, it just feels right.
$112.85 At Amazon.com
Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 3 ($50-$100)
Our firsttwo installments, which covered the price range of $1 to $50 are essentially for those who have forgotten all those little things that dad's done over the years. Think of all the times he drove down to the police station at 4am to bail you out. That kind of parental dedication deserves more than a $10 gift, doesn’t it?
Black & Decker Grasshog – This is a great little battery powered string trimmer. It’s not gas, so you don’t have to deal with starting it and it’s not electric so you don’t have to maneuver a 100’ extension cord with you all day. So far, it’s been getting really good reviews. $99.00 at Amazon.com
Wagner Paint Eater – If pops has plans of painting the house this summer, you’d do well to get him the PaintEater. He’ll like it so much he might not even notice the fact that you’re not helping him. $74.99 at Amazon.com
Hitachi 3.6 Volt Li-Ion Cordless Screwdriver – This is great for both around the house use and more heavy-duty stuff in the workshop. As an added bonus, it looks sort of like a power tool version of Spiderman. Maybe dad likes comic books too? $79.97 at Amazon.com
Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 2 ($20-$50)
Part one's price bracket ($1-$20) kept us primarily with hand tools. And even though hand tools are essential and needed, nothing says, “Dad, I love you,” like a power tool. Today, we’re going to start getting into the good stuff. Skil Octo Detail Sander – We reviewed this a while back and really liked it. Well, we still like it and think your dad might too. It’s a very cool tool at a great price. $44.97 at Amazon.com
Estwing 16oz Leather STL Hammer – You owe it to the old guy to make sure he’s got a good hammer. This is one of the nicest we’ve used. Some purists balk at the metal body, but unless dad is going to be framing all day, everyday, he won’t have a problem. He’ll have this hammer for the rest of his life and, if you needed another reason to get it, he’ll probably pass it on to you some day. Our review of it is here. $23.99 at Amazon.com
Irwin 29-Piece Industrial Drill Bit Set – It’s worth getting good drill bits. If you’re dad’s got a coffee can filled with old, abused bits, do him a favor and drop the $30 for this great set. $34.99 at Amazon.com
Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 1 ($1-$20)
It’s time, once again, to quantify your father’s love into a dollar amount. So we’re kicking off a multi-part series offering some ideas that we think your dad might like if he’s the handy sort (and even if he isn’t but wants to be). Our first installment deals with tools in the $1 to $20 range.
The Husky Stubby Set – We reviewed this last week and think it would be a great addition to anyone’s workbench, glove box, or kitchen junk drawer. It’s a nice set of tools at a really great value. $15 at Home Depot
Stanley Fat Max 25’ Tape Measure – A good tape measure is essential and this is one of the best. It’s got an 11’ tape standout, which makes it perfect for working alone. We abuse ours every singe day and as soon as it dies, we’re going to get another one just like it. $19.90 at Amazon.com
DeWalt Tough Case Screwdriving Set – If Dad has a screw gun, he’s going to want this 21 piece set. Great durable case. $9.95 at Amazon.com
Pit Bull Power Planer
Continue reading: 
Amazon.com and Tool King are giving away a free 18-Volt XRP battery with the purchase of any 18-Volt XRP DeWalt Tool. This includes hammer drills, impact drivers, circular saws, and reciprocating saws. Since these batteries do wear out over time, having an extra one is a good idea. If you’re in the market for some battery tools, this might be a good reason to buy now. The offer is good until the end of the month.
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C.H. Hanson Pivot Square - Review
