Ryobi 4-Piece Lithium-Ion Set Arrives for Review

UPDATE: The review is here.

The good folks at Ryobi just sent along one of their 4-Piece Li-Ion sets and we're really looking forward to checking it out since it's pretty much the most talked about set this holiday season. Is it true that they offer both quality and affordability? We're going to start abusing them tomorrow and as soon as we can, we'll let you know what we find out.

There's more about the set here and here. And don't forget Ryobi's little 12-Volt compact drill/driver here.

We'll also be testing out Ryobi's Self-Leveling Laser, so stay tuned for that too. Details on that tool here.

SawStop 10" Contractor Saw

Update: We were way off on the price of this saw. The source that we used for the info turned out to be four years old. The actual price is going to be somewhere in the $1600 to $1800 range. We attribute this error to an early overindulgence in holiday eggnog. Thanks to Ben over at Toologics for pointing out the error.

This spring, SawStop's revolutionary safety system is going to be available on a 10" Contractor Saw. At the moment, the only SawStop table saw out there is their massive cabinet saw, which retails for around $3000. The new, smaller version will be going for around $700. No matter how you slice it, either saw is cheaper than dealing with a severed finger.

If you're unfamiliar with the SawStop, this video should tell you all you need to know.

While you're at the SawStop website, check out the videos of the prototype chop saw and band saw, both with the SawStop finger-saving technology.

At SawStop

Gutter Sense

We put cleaning gutters right next to scraping paint on our list of things at the bottom of Home Improvement Hell. So we're always on the look out for anything that makes either of these tasks easier. For paint scraping, we were pretty satisfied with the Wagner Paint Eater, but what about those leaf-filled gutters? Well, a small company called Segal MFG., INC. has created an interesting tool called Gutter Sense that looks like it might take the pain out of the dreaded yearly chore. And if not the pain, at least the ladder-work.

Continue reading: "Gutter Sense"

Comforts of Home Holiday Contest

Appliance Parts Pros is running a cool contest that gives you the opportunity to not only win a new iphone, but to also contribute to care packages going overseas to our troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each entry adds additional items to the care packages; items such as calling cards, magazines, snacks, and hygiene products, stuff that we take for granted.

Details about the contest are here and info about the care packages is here.

Big Bosch Promotions

For the remainder of the holiday season Bosch has a couple of really nice promotions. One, in particular, when combined with Amazon's current promotions, translates into freaky savings...

Free Bosch PR10E Colt Single-Speed Palm-Grip Router with the purchase of a Bosch 5412L 12-Inch Dual Bevel Slide Miter Saw with Laser Tracking - We've extensively used both of these tools and can vouch for their greatness. The miter saw is accurate and has all the controls up front and the Colt has both power and maneuverability in a small package. The Dual Bevel Miter Saw costs $589 at Amazon, which puts you over the $500 mark for a Bosch tool purchase, meaning that, in addition to the $100 Colt Router, you'll also get a Bosch PS20-2 Litheon 10.8-Volt Lithium-Ion Pocket Driver for free ($115 value). Not to mention that Amazon is also taking $50 off the price of the miter saw. So that's a palm router and a pocket driver free with the miter saw, which has a $50 instant rebate. And if that's not enough, Amazon is also offering 20% off any accessory for the miter saw, this includes things like stands and digital protractors (scroll down on this page for a list of available accessories). Please note that the Palm Router deal is a mail-in rebate available directly through Bosch, while the other offers are through Amazon and may require you to add in rebate codes during checkout. We've had some trouble with Amazon promotions before, so make sure that you dot all the i's and cross all the t's before completing your order. Details of the Bosch promotion here.

Free 10.8-Volt Litheon Flashlight with the purchase of a Bosch Ultra Compact Tool (Bosch PS10-2 10.8-Volt Lithium-Ion I-Driver, Bosch PS20-2 10.8-Volt Lithium-Ion Pocket Driver, or Bosch PS40-2 10.8V Impact Driver) - This doesn't look like a mail-in rebate, so our guess is that the tools come in a bundled package in stores. We do know that it is a 'while supplies last' deal and that the flashlight has a value of $40. Details here.

Ryobi AIRgrip Laser Levels and SonicTape

UPDATE: Our review of the Procross Self-Leveling Laser is here.

Ryobi has three new laser tools that all look interesting. They've got the Self-Leveling Laser, the Compact Laser Level, and the SonicTape.

Ryobi ProCross Self-Leveling Laser with Airgrip - This self-leveling laser is capable of projecting a horizontal, vertical, or intersecting laser lines, it fits on to any standard 5/8" or 1/4" tripod, and it has a fine adjustment that allows the laser to move up to 1" without moving the housing. The laser can project up to 50' and the tool has some sort of battery-powered suction base (the AIRgrip), that allows it to attach to virtually any surface. It comes with 4 AA batteries, a padded carrying case, and a tripod adapter and costs $69.97.

Exclusively at Home Depot

Ryobi Compact Laser Level - This is a homeowner version of the above tool. Because it's not self-leveling, it comes with level vials built-in to the tool. The laser lens rotates 90 degrees so it can project either horizontal or vertical (but not at the same time). The head of the level rotates 360 degrees, so from the center of the room you'll be able to put a level line on all four walls. Like it's big brother, The Compact Laser Level also has the AIRgrip suction system. The tool comes with a padded case, a base, 2 push pins, and 2 AA batteries. At the price of $19.97, this looks like a good choice for around the house work; hanging shelves, hanging pictures, lining up hooks, etc.

Exclusively at Home Depot

Ryobi SonicTape - This laser tape measure is so small that it comes with a keychain ring attached to it. It can measure distances up to 30' and has a laser pointer for accuracy purposes. Along with distances, it can also measure room area. The SonicTape comes with 4 button batteries and it costs $14.97.

At Home Depot

Tool Deals on the Internet

It's tough to know where to buy online? How do you know who's legit and who's heading to Taiwan with your credit card number? The following stores are ones that we buy a lot of tools from. We've had nothing but good experiences with them as far as ordering, returning, and shipping goes...

Amazon.com - We buy a lot of tools through Amazon. It's quick, easy,and they've got a great selection.

• Spend over $500 on Bosch tools, get a free PS20-2 Litheon Pocket Driver with 2 batteries. Details here. Offer good until December 3rd. The $500 mark isn't that unrealistic with great items like their new table saw (with the new style of blade guard), their jigsaw, and their outstanding router.

• Buy 3 tools, get the 4th one free - Just like it sounds. Details here. The list of eligible tools is 10,599 items long, so there's a big selection. We quickly checked it out and saw a number of great tools on it like the Denali 115-Piece Home Repair Tool Kit, the Kreg R3 Pocket Hole Jig System, the Drill Doctor Bit Sharpener, a nice DeWalt 30 Piece Drilling and Driving Set, and our all-time favorite tool, the Leatherman Blast. The complete list of eligible tools is here.

• Buy a power tool and get 20% off on any accessory. Details here. For example, if you get the Makita 18-Volt Li-Ion Driver Drill, you should be able to get 20% off on selected Makita gloves. The eligible list of tools is here, and once you click on a tool, scroll down to see the available accessories.

Tool King - Not only is Tool King a great store, but they also run a great tool blog, Toologics.

• Fee Shipping on orders over $99. For orders under $99, shipping is only $5. Details here

• Rebates and Promotions - They've got a ton, ranging from $15 mail-in-rebate on select DeWalt nailers, to a free Milwaukee impact driver with the purchase of a Milwaukee combo kit. These promotions and many more
  here.

• Compressor, Pressure Washer, and Generator Sale. Here.

• Hot Deals of the Week. Here.

Huge Black Friday Tool Deals

2010 Black Friday deals are posted up here. For some reason this article is the one that Google finds. Go figure.

UPDATE: We also researched some great internet tool deals here.

If you're like 80% of your fellow man, you'll be spending money like an insane person on Friday. It's the biggest shopping day of the year and to get you ahead of the game, here are some of the best deals that we've been able to find....

Home Depot

• Dewalt 18-Volt 3-Piece Compact Combo Kit - $199
  
• Dewalt 18-Volt Compact Drill/Driver Kit - $97
  
• Husky 2-Gallon Mini Air Compressor Kit - $59
  
• Husky Lithium-Ion Palm Dirver Tool Kit - $49.99
  
• Makita 5/8" Hammer Drill with Free Grinder - $99
  
• Poulan 40CC 18" Chainsaw - $99
  
• Ryobi 12-volt Lithium-Ion Drill Kit - $79
  
• Ryobi 6" Grinder With Work Light - $19.99

More here...

Read on for deals from Ace Hardware, Sears, and Harbor Freight.

Continue reading: "Huge Black Friday Tool Deals"

Redback Maxistrike 20 oz Rip Hammer

What do you do when a motorcycle accident ends your carpentry career? Sit on the couch and pound beers for the rest of your life? For us, yes, but thankfully Jake Tyson is a little more motivated. He founded Redback Tools and managed to bring innovation to the most basic tool, the hammer.

The result of his work is the Maxistrike hammer, a tool capable of hitting a nail that is obstructed by a pipe, duct work, a joist, or whatever.

The hammer is usually $25, but for some reason, Amazon is giving them away for just under $6. We're not sure why, or how long it's going to last, but it's probably something worth jumping on.

We still prefer this hammer.

The guys over at The Hardware Aisle have a review of the Maxistrike here.

At Amazon.com

C.H. Hanson Slide Square - Review

Apparently, attempting to redefine layout tools with the Pivot Square wasn't enough for C.H. Hanson. The frantically innovative tool company has just released the Slide Square, a tool that may just replace the measuring square as the back pocket tool of choice for contractors.

From what we can tell, just about everything that your measuring square can do, the Slide Square can do. And on top of that there are a few tricks that the Slide Square has that can't be done with a measuring square.

Continue reading: "C.H. Hanson Slide Square - Review"

World's Greatest Hammer

At crazyaboutgadgets.com

Skil 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver - Review

Skil has recently gotten into the lithium-ion race with their nice 7-volt Power Wrench and now they're getting into some higher voltage with their new 18-Volt Lithium Cordless Drill/Driver.

Although it's fairly stripped down, the drill/driver comes equipped with some nice features. It's got a little light, located at the bottom of the handle that shines on the tip of the tool, brightening up the work piece. Right next to it is a three light indicator system that displays the charge left in the battery. The drill also has a 15 position clutch and a little forward/reverse indicator light.

Continue reading: "Skil 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver - Review"

Vermont American turns 60

Vermont American, makers of fine power tool accessories turns 60 this year. The company, started in 1947 has a long track record of innovation, including:

• 1947 - first circular saw blade
• 1948 - first dado blades
• 1959 - develops high-speed steel router bits
• 1982 - first titanium drill bits for the consumer.
• 1998 - first titanium saw blades for the consumer

Their current catalog has over 200 items including sawzall blades, jigsaw blades, drill bits, driver bits, hole saws, router bits, band saw blades, and on and on.

We use their bits all the time and want to pass on a congratulations for hitting the 60 year milestone.

Vermont American at Amazon.com

Barbara K Crystal Jeweled Tool Kit

Barbara K, a tool company that markets exclusively to women is now offering a crystal-jeweled toolkit for the meager price of $2495.00. What a bargain! The toolkits are duplicates of those given to the nominees of Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress. We imagine Gwyneth uses hers all the time.

It looks like the tricked-out tool kit is the same as Barbara K's 30-Piece Tool Kit which comes with all the standard around-the-house tools and retails for around $35.

At Barbara K

Irwin Parallel Jaw Clamps Sweepstakes

Irwin is giving away a set of their new Parallel Jaw Quick Clamps and if you want to get into the running, you just have to go to their site and fill out a quick form. The clamps have a big 3-3/4" jaw depth which can exert 1150 lbs of pressure on the work piece.

Irwin is accepting entries until December 14th and you can keep entering every day until then to increase your chances. The random drawing to determine the winner will be on December 17th.

Enter the contest here.

2007 Tool Snob Holiday Gift Guide

Here at Tool Snob, we've put together a gift guide for anyone thinking of giving the gift of tools this holiday season. Buying tools for someone else can be daunting, but if you stick with us, everything will be a-ok...

For the Apartment Renter/College Student
Skil's brand new Power Wrench ($63 – our review) is a great tool for anyone, particularly someone with a small living space. Since it's both a wrench and a little right angle screw driver, it does double duty and hardly takes up any room at all. For a good collection of tools to have on hand for whatever comes up, the Denali 115-Piece Home Repair Tool Kit ($39.99) has everything someone would need for hanging pictures and other light around the house tasks. The Husky 45-Piece Stubby Set ($15) is not as complete, but still a good collection of tools to have on hand.

For the Homeowner
The first place to start is a nice cordless screwgun. If you want something that can fit nicely in a kitchen drawer, go for the Dremel Cordless Screwdriver ($70, our review). It's tiny, powerful for its size, and doesn't have any flashy pops and buzzes to over complicate things. For $30 extra, you can get it bundled with the Dremel Stylus, which we think is a no-brainer of a deal. If you want to get something a little bigger, but still don't want to get into the higher priced contractor-grade tools, try the new Ryobi 12-Volt Lithium Ion Drill ($79). But, if there's the possibility that there's going to be some more serious woodworking in the future, it would be wise to invest in a really durable tool, like the Compact 18-Volt Drill from Ridgid ($189, our review).

If they've already got a cordless screwgun, then you should consider getting them a circular saw. A nice one is Ridgid's Fuego ($140, our review), but other standbys in this department include the Porter-Cable ($140) and Makita ($140).

Does next summer hold a major painting project? If so, the Wagner PaintEater ($75, our review) will take a lot of the agony out of the scraping process, making things go quite a bit faster.

Husky also has some nice tools that we found worked both in the shop and around the house. Their X-Sawhorse ($35) saved one of our parties (details here) and the 84 Watt Fluorescent Light ($60, our review) kept us playing horseshoes long into the night on many occasions.

If you'd rather give a book as a gift, we think that any homeowner, no matter what kind of house they own, would benefit from George Nash's Renovating Old Houses ($21, our review). And don't forget a subscription to This Old House ($15/12 issues).

For the Contractor/Carpenter
Any carpenter would crawl over broken glass for a chance to own the Fein MultiMaster ($200). This unique tool can cut, sand, polish, and grind, all with a level of precision that's downright freaky.

If that special someone has been on the lookout for a nice router, we recommend the Bosch Plunge and Fixed Base Variable Speed Router Kit ($200). If that's too big, or they already have a full-sized one, the smaller Bosch Colt ($110, our review) is an amazing tool as well.

The Journal of Light Construction, although more expensive than the average magazine ($35/12 issues), is well worth it. Each issue has articles on hands-on building techniques as well as how to deal with the business end of contracting.

For the Serious Woodworker
The Festool Domino is painfully expensive ($700), but it's also one of the best tools in existence. Whoever you give it to will love you unconditionally for the rest of your life. We know some people who have one and they say that when they hold it, they can hear angels singing.

There's also the Kreg Pocket Screw Jig System ($29-$139, depending on the kit) which will be enjoyed by anyone who even looks at it. And we can't forget the Cadex CPB23.50 Pinner ($300, our review), the Rolls-Royce of precision nailers.

For someone who already has all the tools they'll ever need, we recommend A Cabinetmaker's Notebook by James Krenov ($15). It's a great read for anyone interested in a visionary's philosophy behind woodworking.

Also, don't forget to check out our 5-Part Father's Day Gift Guide for more gift ideas:
Part 1 ($1-$20)
Part 2 ($20-$50)
Part 3 ($50-$100)
Part 4 ($100-$150)
Part 5 ($150+)

Looking for more amazing gift ideas? Check out our extensive set of holiday
shopping guides on electronics, fashion, cooking, and more.

Ryobi 12-Volt Lithium Ion Drill in Stores

Saw it today at Home Depot. $79.

Read about the tool here.

Popular Woodworking's Best Tools of 2007

With the year coming to an end, it's time to start getting into all the 'best of the year' lists. This month's Popular Woodworking features their list of the best tools of 2007. They were good enough to reprint the article online for all of you too cheap to drop $20 on a subscription.

The list, as well as the magazine, is geared towards serious woodworkers; people who are likely to have some pretty heavy equipment on hand. So, even though the list has a few tools way to esoteric for the average DIYer (and even carpenter), it's a great selection, and definitely worth taking a look at.

Check out the list here.

Subscribe to Popular Woodworking at Amazon.com

Triton Superjaws

If you're looking for something that can clamp anything, you should check out Triton's Superjaws. Although known primarily for their routers (which are apparently some of the best on the market), Triton has a number of other unique tools in their catalog. After one look, it's obvious that Superjaws is one of them.

Superjaws is a giant clamp that is capable of opening to 36" and delivering about 2200 lbs of clamping pressure. The tool is made of corrosion-resistant powder-coated steel and the whole thing folds up to a fairly compact unit, making it nice and portable.

Continue reading: "Triton Superjaws"

Home Depot $25,000 Gift Card Contest

Home Depot has just started a contest that's perfect for all of you who enjoy putting yourself on camera. To enter, just video yourself talking about what you would do with the $25,000 grand prize and post it up on youtube.com.

Videos can be submitted from November 10th (this Saturday) until December 15th. A winner will be announced on December 17th. Your insane spending spree starts moments later.

Submissions will be judged on creativity, originality, and number of viewers. Official rules can be accessed here.

There are a few submissions up already and so far they're pretty underwhelming. At this point, Melissa's the clear winner, but that isn't saying much. So until the contest really gets rolling, you're better off watching flaming pianos get catapulted across the desert.

Husky 2 Nailer/Compressor Kit

Husky is now offering a new pneumatic kit that not only has everything you need to get going, but is also wildly inexpensive. It's just around for the holidays, so if you're interested, you'd better act fast. The kit includes:

1.5 gallon compressor
16 gauge straight finish nailer
18 gauge brad nailer
25' air hose
1,000 finish nails
1,000 brad nails
3 pocket tool bag that attaches to the compressor.

The nailers both come with the standard features found on all quality nail guns (adjustable exhaust, tool-free depth of drive, no-mar pad).

This is probably a good place to start for the DIYer who hasn't gotten around to getting a solid pneumatic setup. We've never used any of Husky's nail guns, so we can't vouch for their quality, other than to say that all other Husky tools we've used have taken a good beating and kept on working.

The thing that sets this kit apart from others like it is the price. All of this; the compressor, the 2 nailers, and all the extras, costs only $179. DeWalt has a similar kit for about $290.

Like we said, Husky won't be restocking them in January. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Exclusively at Home Depot

Festool Trion PS (and PSB) 300 EQ Jigsaw

The Festool Jigsaw has been out for a while, but we were recently reading about it and got to wondering why we had never covered it in the past. Festool makes some of the best tools around and after checking out some of the features on the Trion, it's obvious that this is a cut above other jigsaws.

The most impressive thing about the Trion is the 3-way blade guidance system. The blade is kept stable first by the pendulum rod, second by the pendulum guide, and third by the two carbide plates at the cutting point. If you've ever ruined a piece of wood with a wandering jigsaw blade, you should understand the value of this tool.

Continue reading: "Festool Trion PS (and PSB) 300 EQ Jigsaw"

Skil 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Power Wrench - Review

Now with just about every major tool company trying to convert every single power tool into a cordless version, there are bound to be some duds. Some tools just won't be able to make the conversion, due to who knows what. So every time a new tool comes out, we cringe a little bit, wondering if it will be the first big disaster. With this in mind, we were curious about Skil's new Power Wrench. Would it be possible to make a battery operated ratchet tool? Skil was nice enough to let us try one out, so we're happy to say we have an answer to that question.

First, some general info on the tool. The Skil Power Wrench has a nice ergonomic handle, complete with little finger ridges. The trigger is right there and is no problem to get to and easy to keep depressed. Like a traditional ratchet, the forward/reverse toggle is located at the rear of the head, and operated just like you expect it to.

The tool is light, weighing just under two pounds. The weight is nicely distributed through the tool, so it's an easy 2 lbs to deal with, making the wrench feel solid and very natural in the hands. The tool operates on an internal lithium-ion battery, and the entire unit plugs into the charger stand, which can sit on any flat surface or be mounted to the wall.

Continue reading: "Skil 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Power Wrench - Review"

Craftsman AXS Tool Storage System

Craftsman has recently released a tool chest that's so pimped out it needs to be called a "tool storage system." It's loaded with some features that we've never seen on a tool chest, so maybe the name change in appropriate.

For starters, the chest is comprised of a 6-drawer chest and a 7-drawer roll-away (each sold separately). The drawers are on ball bearing slides and the pulls run the length of the drawer. From here things get interesting. The AXS features a LCD display that provides you with the time, date, and temperature. There is a slide out work surface (with a light), and a six-outlet power strip. I addition to all this, there is even a 12-volt power outlet and an optional set of speakers (so we're sure there is some sort of mp3 player hook-up).

The key system is set up in such a way so that you can use your house key to open the lock, reducing the load on your already over-stuffed keychain.

If you own a tool chest or have ever priced one out, you know that they can be expensive items and this is no different. The AXS system costs a combined total of $1300. But when looking at all the features on this set, it's probably not a bad price at all.

6-Drawer Chest at Sears ($550)
7-Drawer Roll-Away at Sears ($750)

October 2007 Monthly Roundup for Tool Snob

Another good month over here in Tool Land. Probably the biggest news was the release of Black & Decker's VPX system, which we covered quite a bit of. We're sure that this set of tools will quickly grow into something that we've never seen before, encompassing items that go far beyond your normal woodworking tools.

Tool of the Month was a brutal choice this time. We reviewed three tools, all of which were out of the park home runs; Cadex's Porsche-like 23-gauge pinner, Husky's brighter than 1,000 suns work light, and Dremel's smaller than a mouse screwdriver and rotary tool. But we had to make a choice and when we sat down and thought about it, it became clear that the Cadex CPB23.50 exists in a class all to its own. It is a completely superior tool by all measurements. And our advice to all serious woodworkers and DIYers is to go out and get yourself one.

We've already got the books stacked for a solid November, so keep reading. Some things to expect in the upcoming days are reviews of Wagner's Paint Crew Plus, C.H. Hanson's Slide Square, and a whole host of new Skil Tools, starting with their Power Wrench.

Tool of the Month
Cadex CPB23.50 23 Gauge Pinner and Brad Nailer

Reviews
Cadex CPB23.50 23 Gauge Pinner and Brad Nailer
Husky 84-Watt Portable Tripod Fluorescent Work Light
Dremel Duo (Stylus & Driver)

Black & Decker VPX System
Black & Decker VPX Lithium-IonTools
Black & Decker VPX Starter Set
Black & Decker VPX Website is Live
Black & Decker VPX3101 VPX Inverter
Black & Decker VPX Website is Live (for real this time)

New and Interesting Tools
Handi-Shim's New 1/32" Shim
Milwaukee Hatchet Reciprocating Saw
iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot
Maxus X-Lite Air Compressors
Proxxon Oscillating Detail Sander
SquareONE
Skil 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Power Wrench
Ridgid R4121 12" Dual Bevel Miter Saw
Maxxeon Workstar 1200

Guides and How-To
Woodfinder.com
Snowblower Buying Guide
How-To Clean a Chimney

Promotions
Northern Tool's Preseason Heater Sale
DeWalt Nano Hammerdrill Sweepstakes
Home Depot Holiday Gift Cards
Northern Tool Milwaukee Giveaway

Other Tool News
Bosch Rapid Repair (and a chance to win a Bosch PS10)
JLC Turns 25!
Milwaukee V18 Vs. 18V?

Distractions
Mug Boss