With the International Builder's Show, things have really started picking up in the tool world. All the big guys are releasing new products and some of them are looking pretty cool (like Milwaukee's 15 Amp Sawzall). There's a lot more coming in March, so stay tuned.
We only reviewed one tool in February, so it's a no-brainer that the Bosch JS5 is the Tool of the Month. But even against the stiffest competition, this jigsaw would have been a contender. It's a nice, compact unit and it delivers the quality that comes with any Bosch jigsaw.
Bosch has just released a little kit that's an 'all in one' for installing Tapcons. It comes in a case and includes:
Masonry Screw Drill Bit Holder
Allen wrench
Drill Bit Sleeve
5/32" and 3/16" carbide drill bits (flat shank)
Two magnetic nutsetters
Two Phillips Head bits
We like the looks of this set because it's got everything in one place. Anyone who has ever installed a Tapcon probably already has all of these component parts, they're just scattered throughout two drill boxes, a bit index, and the bottom of your Jobox.
The Bosch Drilling and Anchor Kit retails for around $25, which is not a whole lot to pay for the convenience of knowing you won't have to take a trip to the hardware store to get that 3/16" drill bit that you're sure you have somewhere...
At first we thought that this was your average out feed table, but then we took a closer look and saw that it's quite a bit more. The extra sauce in the Triton Multi-Stand is the swiveling, tilting, clamping head that can do everything from hold a door steady to prop up the other side of that floor joist. It's a simple idea and it makes us wonder why no one has thought of it before.
The Triton Multi-Stand still can be used as an out feed table so the top surfaces of the clamping head are made of a low friction material, to make things easier. The tripod is built wide and low for added stability and the height of the entire thing adjusts from 25" to 37". It can support over 220 lbs, so you can even set it up as a table stand.
Just looking at Milwaukee's new 15 Amp SuperSawzall makes us want to cut a car in half. According to Milwaukee, it's the "fastest, most durable recip Saw in the world." Those are some big words, but it's likely the truth. Milwaukee makes some extremely rugged Sawzalls and now, with 15 amps of arm shaking power, they may have made the ultimate tool for all around destruction and mayhem.
Have you ever been working on a project and thought to yourself, "Boy, I wish I had every single one of my Slayer albums with me right now." If so, Ridgid's new Job-Site Radio is a blessing from the heavens. With this iPod compatible, portable radio, it'll be Reign in Blood one minute and Seasons in the Abyss the next.
To us, Bosch Jigsaws are some of the best out there. We've used a lot of different models and have always been impressed with their accuracy and quality. So when we heard that they were releasing a compact model, we were curious how it would turn out. Would they be able to pack all the goodness into a smaller package, or would the quality be somewhat sacrificed?
The JS5 has many of the features that are found on quality jigsaws these days. It's got a great tool-free blade change system, which is a real plus to anyone who used to carry around an 8 inch screwdriver for blade changing. Now, all you have to do is press the blade up into the slot and it clicks into place. To release the blade, just twist the collet, using a thumb tab, and the blade falls right out. It's similar to the system that is on some reciprocating saws.
Paslode has just released a new framing gun that looks like it's got a lot going for it, primarily it's weight. At 7.5 lbs, as far as we can tell, this is the lightest framer out there. It's just a hair lighter than Bostitch's latest and an entire pound lighter than the Ridgid gun that we reviewed last year.
According to Paslode, not only is this gun light, but it's also mighty powerful and plenty durable. They say it can withstand a two story drop and can go an entire 18 months without service. With an attached one-year service guarantee and a five-year limited warranty, it seems that this gun was made with the heavy-duty framing crew in mind, where breaks in the work day to tinker with your gun are disruptive and inefficient.
A while back, we told you about the Skil XBench, a cool looking workstation with a bunch of nice features. We assume, from the traffic we got on the site, that it was a big hit for the holidays. But if you don't have one yet, now might be the time because Skil is offering a Deluxe Kit with a load of extras.
Last week, we mentioned that the guys over at The Hardware Aisle made it down to the IBS in Florida and that they had some postings up about it. Now, we've noticed that the crew at Tools of the Trade also made it down and they've got quite a bit of coverage over at their site as well.
Because of the nature of their site and magazine, much of what they have centers on building trends and forecasts; articles with names like, "Multi-Family Market a Mixed Bag" and "Smaller Builders Share Survival Strategies." If that type of stuff isn't your cup of tea, they've also got two articles listing the most innovative products they've seen at the show (part one and two). There's not a whole lot in the way of tools on the list other than a very cool looking Skil Li-Ion cutter.
For their complete coverage, go here. Also, The Hardware Aisle has been updating their coverage here.
Robert Larson Shavehook (Molding Scraper) Set with 3 Blades
We've been on the lookout for a molding scraper since we recently started a door restoration project. Now that most of the paint is scraped, it's time to bite the bullet and go out and get one. After doing some research, we're pretty sure we're going to go with this nice little set. It comes with a handle, a wrench for blade changing, and three different blades, each capable of handling different profiles.
There might be better ones out there but this one is very similar to one that we used to have and that one worked great. It's also only $17, so that's good too. If anyone out there knows of a better one, drop a line and let us know.
There's a technique to hauling around sheet goods; a particular way to pop the back up in order to get a hand under it, and, in the same move to grab the top and get into the standing position. From this point on it's all hand pain, back strain, and muscle aches. In other words, there's really no easy way to do it. Or so we thought before we got a look at the Gorilla Gripper.
The Gorilla Gripper, made by a company called Landon Innovations, LLC, is essentially a portable handle for sheet goods. From the looks of it, you just snap it on the plywood, drywall, Durock, or whatever and there you have it. The Gripper can handle anything from 3/8' to 2-3/4' thick, but it doesn't look like it can do multiple sheets at a time.
Read past the fold if you're interested in checking out the Gorilla Gripper ad. If you're the type who enjoys watching a hot chick in Daisy Dukes (and we are), you'll probably like it.
We were at our local Home Depot the other day and saw some huge deals on Black & Decker's VPX line. The tools were all spread out on a folding table and the prices were marked with those little tags that you see at yard sales. To us, the whole scene screamed, "We stocked waaay too many of these things for the holidays." We can't remember most of the prices other than that the 7-volt Drill/Driver was $20.
Has anyone out there used these tools? We've played around with them in the store and thought they looked pretty cheaply made. The plastic seemed very breakable and they felt more like children's toys than power tools.
In other Home Depot news, according to our friends at Toologics, Lowes will no longer be carrying Milwaukee, making Home Depot the only mega-store to stock the brand. Details here.
Looks like Harry from The Hardware Aisle got himself a ticket to this year's IBS down in Florida. He's got some video's posted up over at his site.
We're looking forward to seeing what comes out of the show. Word is that Milwaukee and Ridgid, among others, are releasing some new tools. As soon as we get any news, we'll pass it on.
Campbell Hausfeld 25-Piece Accessory Kit with Case
If you've got a compressor, you're likely to have a bag somewhere with all of your accessory parts. It's probably a pretty ragged collection of nozzles, needles, and an unraveled roll of Teflon tape. Well, for $20, Campbell Hausfeld is offering a nice complete set and a case to solve your problems.
There's no telling what the case is like, but the set includes:
There are a lot of nice tool deals out there, ready for the taking.
Amazon
Free Brad Nailer with DeWalt Miter Saw - With every purchase of a DW718 Heavy-Duty 15 Amp 12-Inch Dual Bevel Sliding Compound Miter saw ($679), get a free DeWalt D51236K 1-1/4-Inch 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Kit ($56). While supplies last. More infor here.
Mail-In Rebates - Amazon is offering a bunch of these right now. Everything from $100 back on selected Hitachi tools to $25 back for selected Jet tools. Check out the complete list here and note that the ones at the top have already expired.
Tool King
Bostitch CPACK3 Factory Reconditioned Nailer, Stapler, and Compressor Combo Kit for $199. More info here.
DeWalt DC628K Heavy-Duty XRP 18V 1-1/4 inch - 2-1/2 inch Cordless Finish Nailer Kit for $229. More info here.
Tool King also just started selling Paslode tools. Browse their selection here.
If you're like us you've got an army of battery chargers lined up at your jobsite or in your garage. You've got a Makita cordless drill, a DeWalt cordless recip saw, a Ryobi cordless circular saw, and you need to keep everything charged and ready to go. It's nice to have the tools but having so many chargers can be a real inconvenience. Someone else, someone smarter and business-minded, apparently had the same problem and so now a company called 10C has released the Crew Charge and Pro Charge.
In simple terms, they are multi-platform chargers, meaning they have the ability to charge all of your batteries no matter what brand they are. But in addition to this capability, the 10C chargers actually work better and faster (a full charge in 15 minutes) than the chargers that come with your tools. On the 10C website they refer to their technology as a 'low heat' charge using an 'internal microprocessor' and 'patented algorithms." We got confused by their science talk and just watched the video on their site, which shows that the 10C charger really beats out a standard charger as far as speed goes.
Well this is interesting. Universal Fastener Outsourcing (UFO) has released a new fastener that is a combo of a pneumatic nail and a deck screw. The creatively named NailScrews combine the ease-of-use of a gun nail with the holding power of a screw.
There are two styles available; one with a yellow-zinc coating, and one with a corrosion-resistant coating for use with PT and other treated lumber. Sizes vary from 1-3/4" up to 3" and they come in 20 degree plastic-strip, 15 degree wire-coil, and 15 degree plastic-strip format. A summary of sizes and styles available is here.
Read past the fold to watch a video of the NailScrew in action.
There's been quite a bit of discussion about the price of the Ridgid 2.5-Gallon Aluminum Air Compressor. We've read that some people got it for $99 and others have found it for as low as $49. We were skeptical of this second price, but omextreme over at slickdeals.net has the cold, hard proof. As you can see from the photo, Home Depot (at least one of them) is indeed selling the compressor for the dirt-cheap price of $49. As you can also see from the photo, someone at Home Depot needs spelling lessons.
Check out omextreme's posting (with an another photo) here.
Knaack, the makers of some serious jobsite storage equipment have recently released a new line of Terminator-proof storage chests. The series is called the Monster Box and it has a number of industry firsts that will no doubt keep your tools safe after you go home for the night.
Each Monster Box comes with:
Tubular steel frame
4-point crane lift system
Weather-proof cord access to the box
A 3-point latching system, impervious to both prying and being drilled out
The Monster Box comes in three styles; Piano Box, Cabinet, and Chest.
The pricing is fairly reasonable for the amount of security that you're getting. At U.S. Upfitters the chest is around $800, the Cabinet is $1250, and the Piano Box just over $1000. If the choice is to either spend that money or have all of our tools stolen, it's an easy decision.
According to Garret Wade, there used to be a saying, "All you needed was a #1 Odd Job, a hammer and a saw, and you could build anything." And from the looks of this old time layout tool, it's probably correct. This multi-tool has a lot going for it; an inside miter, a try square, an arc scribing tool, a t-square, a depth marking scribe, and more. It's made of brass and steel and has very cool look to it.
The Odd-Job comes with a 6" ruler and costs $35 (now on sale for $27). If you want it with a 12" ruler, it'll set you back $45 (sale price $36). Or you can just pick up the 12" ruler in addition to the tool for $13.
They were apparently manufactured from the late 1880's to the early 1930's. It all makes you wonder why they fell out of style.
Well, January's come and gone and the post-holiday buzz is over; the tree's packed up, the Christmas cookies have already been eaten, and the gift certificates have all been redeemed. But that doesn't mean you don't need more tools. Of course you do. You may not be able to afford a $1700 miter saw, but Husky's got an Andre-The-Giant-sized flashlight for $40, and there's also Stanley's new mini-screwdriver set for under $3.
Our tool of the month was an easy choice. The JacPac is innovative, easy-to-use, and incredibly handy to have around. Since writing the review, we've used it more and more and it has definitely changed the way we use our nail guns.
February 2008 Monthly Roundup for Tool Snob
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Bosch JS5 Jigsaw - Review
