It was just a matter of time before Ryobi got into the mini Li-Ion driver market and with their exposure at Home Depot, we're sure that this tool will be a hit.
Unlike a lot of the other low voltage screwdrivers, this one not only has a little LED light, but also a 12 position clutch. It also has a quick change chuck and comes with a carrying bag and a 6-piece bit set. These features elevate the tool from a simple around the house "picture hanging" tool to something that has some functionality on a job site as well, particularly during the punch list phase of the game. It's not as compact as the Dremel Screwdriver (which is twice as powerful), but it sure looks more "construction."
According to Ryobi the screwdriver can hold a charge for up to two years, so, not only can it help out on the job site, but it can also sit in the entryway closet until it's needed around the house.
All this is being sold for just a hair under $30, a very competitive price. We saw this tool at the local Home Depot last week and it's got some high visibility there and we expect them to be pushing it pretty hard in the coming months. But the bottom line is that it's a great price for what we'd bet is a solid tool.
We were a little worried about testing out this tool. Up until now, we had only used one cordless nailer and it was quite a long time ago. Not only was the gun bulky (and smelly), but it kept running out of fuel and the battery couldn't keep a charge. But we thought that maybe the technology has been refined over the past handful of years so we cleared the slate and gave the new Duo-Fast Cordless Framing Nailer a fair shake.
UPDATE: Get a sample Caulk Single by filling out this quick form. The Caulk Single website is here.
Until now, there was no such thing as "using just a little caulk." What would happen is you would cut the tube open, use what you need, and then maybe shove a drywall screw in the opening or if you were really with it, you'd wrap the end with kitchen wrap. It really didn't matter, because either way the tube would end up in the basement for the next 12 months until it got hard as a stone and you needed it again and you're off to the store to get a new one.
But those days might be over, thanks to GE. Their new Caulk Singles are single serve, disposable caulk tubes that don't even need a caulking gun. GE says that they can be applied with one hand.
The singles are currently available in three varieties; clear silicone, white silicone, and paintable acrylic. According to their website, one pouch is enough for a sink, two are needed for a window, and three are needed for a door. If you need more than that, just go and buy a caulking gun.
This is a nice product for someone who wants to touch up the caulking around the sink or otherwise do a little amount of caulking without any hassle (or caulking guns). It looks like they cost around $2.50 for a 1.25oz pack. When you consider that a 10oz tube of caulk costs about five or six dollars, it becomes clear that convenience isn't cheap.
We're big fans of the JacPac (our review is here) and we're happy to see that Supplierpipeline has finally given the tool the website it deserves. The new site has a lot more information on the tool which is good because the tool is pretty unique and the more explanation, the better.
Our opinion is that $100 is hardly anything to pay for such a useful item and that any serious carpenter should investigate getting one. We use ours all the time.
We're in the process of restoring a few old five-panel doors. The doors themselves are in pretty good shape, but they're covered with about eight thick layers of paint (each color worse than the last). The flat faces of the doors, we just scraped with a standard carbide-tipped scraper, no problem. But the molding on the panels proved to be trickier. With just a scraper, we kept damaging the wood fibers, meaning there would be a lengthy sanding step later on.
So we got in the market for a heat gun. First we figured that we'd get the Bosch. It's $100, but it's a Bosch, so it's worth it, right? We've actually even used it before and liked it quite a bit. But after thinking about it, we figured that there is probably a cheaper one out there that would be fine for our purposes and needs (which were neither extreme nor strenuous). So we looked around and settled on the Kawasaki 10-Piece Kit. What made us choose this model was the fact that it came with, not only a nice carrying case, but that it also included a few nozzles and a scraper. It was a fully-functional paint-scraping kit, all in one box. The cost was under $30, which was also good.
Supreme Products is selling something called the Pocket Chainsaw and it looks like the perfect item for some around the yard pruning, camping trips, and any other time when a full-sized chainsaw isn't practical.
The Pocket Chainsaw is light, weighing only 5 oz. It comes with a little storage can that can fit in your pocket. The can is circular, so if you carry the tool around a lot you might be able to get one of those cool Skoal circles in your jeans.
The website shows a movie of the Pocket Chainsaw cutting through a 4" limb in under 10 seconds.
Here's one for the "Why Didn't I Think of That" file. A simple screwdriver with a little built-in LED light. There's a button on the handle and the light is somehow built into the screwdriver tip.
We can think of plenty of situations where this could come in handy. But we don't know exactly how the light is integrated into the tip and if this somehow interferes with the screwdriver's performance. It looks like it's only available in a #1 flat tip.
Most of us aren't equipped with the right amounts of bravery and selflessness to be a firefighter, But if you want that same feeling without all the smoke and flames, Channellock has released the 6 in 1 Rescue Tool. The tool is designed by a firefighter and even though it's intended for firefighters, it's a one stop emergency tool that would do well in just about any glove compartment.
The tool, which looks like a mutated set of linesman pliers, has six functions; clamping, cutting, prying, shattering, tightening, and shutting off gas valves. Now you too can be just like Denis Leary.
The Rescue Tool sells at Channellock for about $70, but it can be gotten elsewhere for under $50.
Read about the firefighter who designed the tool here.
It looks like Bosch is in the process of acquiring CST/berger, formerly a division of Stanley Tools. CST/berger is known primarily for their laser levels and measuring devices. They make some pretty high class (read: expensive) stuff and their products tend to stay in the 'contractor's only' category. The press release states:
"With this purchase, Bosch is further expanding its product portfolio in the rapidly growing global measuring tool segment, above all in the U.S. market. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. The purchase price amounts to 205 million U.S. dollars (roughly 132 million euros)."
Skil has definitely shown themselves to be interested in innovation. We loved last year's Power Wrench and we're looking forward to the benchtop tools they're releasing this September. In the meantime, they've slipped out the Power Cutter. It's a light-duty cutter powered by an 3.6 volt internal lithium-ion battery.
The Skil Cutter isn't the most aggressive tool you'll ever hold in your hand and it's not supposed to be. It's meant for small tasks. The packaging says that it can cut selected materials up to 1/4" thick. The list includes leather, wallpaper, cardboard, and carpet.
A fella named Robert wrote in with our second winning entry in the Dremel contest. His story follows the old question, "what's heavier: a pound of lead or a pound of contact lenses?" It's a heartwarming tale of someone who spends time planning and executing a project, only to realize that it was all for nothing.
Congrats Robert, we'll be shipping out your Dremel Tool shortly. Here's his story:
Reader David wrote in with the following story and we'll be shipping him a new Dremel Series 300 Kit. Nice work David. We're going to announce the second winner tomorrow, so we'll still take entries all day today. Details on the contest here.
We liked David's story for two reasons; first, we did the same thing once, and second, it reminds us of that creepy guy from Raider's of the Lost Ark.
If you find picking up leaves difficult, why not strap on some giant, yellow Muppet claws to make things easier? That seems to be the idea behind Helping Hands For Yard Clean-Up. These bright yellow hand extensions (14" wide, 12" tall) are apparently capable of picking up two to three times as many leaves as your pathetic, flesh-colored out-of-the-box hands.
We use the "one hand, one rake" method of scooping leaves and even though we have little doubt that the Big Bird claws are better, if anyone ever saw us wandering around the yard wearing those things...
Anyone who has ever tinkered around on a door has likely made a couple little stands to set the door in so you can work on the hinge side in a standing position. Now, there's something called the Stand Up Guy, which is simply a plastic, adjustable version of that very same plywood stand that you hacked together.
The Stand-Up-Guy is adjustable (their website doesn't say to what dimensions), and works the way the more advanced homemade versions do. The outside ends of the stand are slightly raised, so when the door/window/whatever is placed in the center, the stand lightly clamps in on it. The Stand-Up-Guy has a recommendation from the Handyman Club of America.
The Stand-Up-Guy sells for a whopping $45 apiece! Maybe we'd think about $45 for a pair, but seeing the kind of success that we have with the homemade kind (which usually take us about five minutes to make), we're not sure that this is worth the coin.
According to a new study by J.D. Powers and Associates, of all the major brands, Ridgid ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the drill/driver category. The article says that,
"The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with cordless drills/drivers by examining six key factors (listed in order of importance): drill performance (including drilling and driving power, performance under heavy use and maneuverability in tight spaces); ease of use (including balance, weight and grip size and feel); battery performance; price; versatility of the battery platform in supporting other power tools; and warranty."
A while back, we reviewed Ridgid's compact Li-Ion Drill and we can understand why they excelled in all of these categories. We were big fans of the drill when we reviewed it and we still use it all the time.
Read the article here.
Read our review of Ridgid's drill here.
Our pals over at Charles & Hudson have put together their list of the top tools for breaking, ripping, smashing, prying, and generally dismantling. Their choices range from the primitive (14 lb sledgehammer) to the mechanically advanced (DeWalt's Demo Hammer). Although we'd probably add the Artillery Bar, we think their list is pretty right on. .
Nothing says, "Dad, you're the best," like free merchandise. And that's why we're giving away three brand new Dremel kits for Father's Day. There are two ways to enter, both of which are quick and painless. So what are you waiting for?
A few weeks back we told you about Skil's new line of benchtop tools coming out later this year. Now, we're going to take a closer look at one of those tools, the belt disc sander.
Skil's sander comes with a number of nice features. There is a beveling table top capable of a 45 degree angle, a 2-1/2" dust port, and a pre-drilled cast iron base, for attaching to your workbench. The belt sander can also flip up to a 90 degree position. There is also a safey switch and the whole thing is powered by a 4-amp motor.
The Skil will be available in September, exclusively at Lowe's. There are a number of similar items on the market (the Hitachi and Grizzly, for instance), but not having used either of them, we can't say how the Skil rates. Our guess is that they're all fairly similar and that it comes down to a matter of brand preference.
Wagner, makers of the PaintEater and the Paint Crew Plus are running a pretty serious contest over at their site. The grand prize is "$3000 towards home improvements," which according to the small print is simply a check made out to you, the winner. There will be five second place winners who will take home the Wagner Deluxe package, which includes:
Paint Crew Plus
Roll-N-Go
PaintMate Plus
PaintEater
Control Spray
10 third place winners will get the Wagner Dual Package, which includes:
DeckMate
Control Spray
And 10 fourth place winners will each get a PaintEater. The rest of you will have to buy all of your Wagner tools.
To enter, just go to the Wagner website and register. The contest will end September 30th and winners will be randomly chosen about a week later.
Register for the contest here.
Wagner tools at Amazon
Here are four that we think he might like in ascending order of price.
Prazi Monster Hook - This little guy is invaluable for any ladder work involving a cordless drill. It just clicks onto the belt and the cordless drill just falls right into it. If you love your father, don't make him hold the drill between his knees anymore. Our review is here. $6 at Amazon.
Renovating Old Houses - We're big fans of this book. It covers a lot of territory and although it's focused on old houses, there are things in it for any homeowner. We constantly find ourselves referencing the sections on the various house systems. Our review is here. $21 at Amazon.
Dremel Screwdriver - Ever since we got our hands on this tool, it's become the go-to screwdriver for small around the house repairs. It's little, cool-looking, and the 7.2 volts are way more powerful than you think. It's perfect for picture hanging, hinge adjusting, electrical work, and everything else that doesn't require a ton of power. The screwdriver costs $70, but for an extra $10, you can get it with a battery-powered rotary tool (which by itself costs $55. Huh?). Our review is here. At Amazon.This is not to be confused with Dremel's 300 Series, which we're currently giving away. Details here.
Wagner PaintEater - If painting the house is on the list, then do pops a favor and get him a PaintEater. It will make the tedious scraping phase go a lot faster. Our review is here. $75 at Amazon.
For more ideas, we still have last year's guide posted up. It's divided into five parts: one ($1-$20), Two ($20-$50), Three ($50-$100), Four ($100-$150), and Five ($150 and up).
May is in the bag and it's likely that you've got some projects underway. Hopefully they're proceeding according to plan (but we all know it's likely that they're not).
The May tool of the month is the Artillery Pry Bar System. If you're looking for that chest-swelling, shingle ripping, clapboard trashing, deck devastating feeling, the Artillery in a class by itself.
In June, we're hoping to get reviews up for Skil's new Power Cutter, Duo-Fast's gas nailer, and Paslode's roofing gun. If we're lucky, we're going to also try to squeeze in Festool's MFK 700 Modular Router.
Ryobi 4V Lithium Ion Screwdriver
Continue reading: 
Newsletter
Subscribe - RSS
Duo-Fast 903000 Cordless 20 Degree Framing Nailer - Review
