This is very cool. It's just out in Europe at the moment. It's got a maximum height of 3.6 meters (just under 12 feet), with two other working heights; 1.2 meters (around four feet) and 1.8 (around six feet). It sells for 3295 pounds, which is about $6000 U.S. More information here.
You know those creepy photos you can find on the internet, the kind with the frog that wandered too close to the nuclear power plant and now has an extra arm growing out of it's forehead? That's what we think of when we look at Stanley's new 3-in-1 Tripod Flashlight. We've got one of their standard tripod lights and are so used to it that this thing looks like some kind of ghastly genetic mutation. See it there with its freaky little, stunted silver legs and it's three heads all perched up top crowding each other in some Darwinian competition for to be the dominant head?
It's probably a nice light, but it sends a shiver up our spine.
Bosch Releases 14.4-Volt and 18-Volt Litheon Tools
Bosch just sent out word that they're finally getting into the 14.4-volt and 18-volt lithium market. Up until now they've kept their Li-Ion tools at the extremes, with either the little 12-volt or the Conan the Barbarian 36-volt. But now, finally, they've discovered their middle ground.
The new tools are exclusively in the hammer/drill/driver category and from what information is available at the moment, they look pretty nice. In addition to there being the two voltages (14 and 18), there are two types of batteries as well. The Brute Tough tools come with a FatPack battery and the Compact Tough come with a SlimPack Battery. The systems are compatible with one another, meaning that SlimPack batteries fit on Brute Tough tools and vise versa. Got it?
The tools also come with a nice 2 year battery replacement policy.
The new tools are as follows:
18V Litheon BruteTough Hammer Drill/Driver
14.4V Litheon BruteTough Hammer Drill/Driver
18V Litheon BruteTough Drill/Driver
14.4V Litheon BruteTough Drill/Driver
...and...
18V Litheon CompatTough Drill/Driver
14.4V Litheon CompatTough Drill/Driver
The best news is that this is just the start. After the release of these tools in October, we can expect to start seeing more tools start to appear in the lineup, including a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, and a flashlight, all 18-volts.
As the summer comes to an end, and your deck project drags on and on, you should possibly think about picking up a BoWrench. It's a decking tool that helps create a consistent layout, particularly being useful with warped boards (specifically yours which have been getting rained on for the past month). The idea behind it is simple; the wrench binds up on a joist and the handle allows you to press the deck board into place.
Although we've never used a BoWrench, we've used plenty of other methods for getting deck boards straight; from beater blocks to ground down, sharpened screwdrivers driven into the joist and levered back. Pretty much at some point during every deck project we do, we think, "we should get one of those BoWrench thingys."
Here's a 40 second video of the BoWrench with some killer salsa music accompanying.
Because of the website, we're always checking out Amazon's bestseller list for the home improvement category. And today, for about the billionth day in a row, the number one spot is held by Dremel's Cordless Pet Nail Grooming Rotary Tool. It goes to show you what a little marketing can do. From the looks of it, it's simply a Dremel Rotary tool that comes with a few grinding drums. But it's packaged as a pet grooming tool, so it's bought as a pet grooming tool. They also have a pumpkin carving tool, which looks suspiciously similar.
We looked through the comments at Amazon (the majority of which were positive), hoping to find one of those choice negative ones that is completely irrational and written entirely in caps, but unfortunately, they were all pretty sane. It sounds like the major complaint is that the tool goes through batteries at a good clip. But, like we said, most of the comments are positive, so at the reasonable price of under $25, it might be worth checking out.
For more specifics on the tool, see what our pals at SuperCoolPets have to say.
While we're waiting very impatiently for the release of Dremel's new oscillating tool, the Dremel Multi-Max, we thought we'd tell you about three new glue guns that they're adding to their lineup. These new guns are stripped down versions of their existing gun, the 1200 which is for heavy duty work (it even has an LED). Each of the three has different features so it doesn't really matter what you do with a glue gun, you'll likely be able to find one of these four that matches your needs.
According to Dremel:
The only glue gun in the new line designed specifically to hold 7-millimeter glue sticks, the Dremel 1225 Glue Gun (20 watts) is perfect for light crafting projects like school assignments and decorating picture frames. It features a built-in stand and wide base to keep the glue gun upright and help to prevent the glue gun from tipping over while working on a project. It also offers an ergonomic handle for comfortable use and an anti-drip nozzle with silicon tip for protection from accidental burns. The suggested retail price is $5.99.
The Dremel 1230 Glue Gun (40 watts) offers a built-in stand, wide base, anti-drip nozzle with silicon tip plus a soft grip handle for extra comfort and control. It holds 11-millimeter diameter glue sticks and is ideal for home decorating projects and fixing broken household items. The suggested retail price is $9.99.
In addition to the features on the two previous models, the Dremel 1235 Glue Gun (60 watts) offers a textured soft grip handle, a dual temperature setting and power indicator LED light to clearly indicate when the tool is on and heating. This model holds 11-millimeter glue sticks. It is perfect for light DIY projects such as repairing a loose chair spindle or reattaching countertop laminate or cabinet veneer. The suggested retail price is $15.99.
The newest additions to the Dremel Glue Gun line join the brand's flagship model, the Dremel 1200 Glue Gun (80 watts), which offers all of the features on models 1225, 1230 and 1235 plus an LED work light, a light that indicates when the glue gun has reached optimal temperature and three changeable nozzles (one fine, one standard and one wide). This model holds 11-millimeter glue sticks. The suggested retail price is $24.99.
The best part is that they are all Dremel and that's likely to mean quality. But, like the Multi-Max, we're all going to have to wait until October.
We always like to see something new and different, and that's just what Milwaukee is delivering with their new Hackzall, due out later this year. The easiest way to describe it is to call it a single handed Sawzall, but that's actually pretty far from the truth. For one, it's only 12 volts and when put up against 15 amps of destructive power, it's not up to the same tasks at all. But because it's so small, it doesn't even want to do those tasks, due to the fact that it's busy doing all the things that a full-sized Sawzall can't. Things like cutting in outlet boxes, cutting pipes in cramped spaces, and plenty of other things that you'll discover once you get your hands on one.
We were fortunate to try out a Hackzall at Milwaukee when they released the tool and there, under a very controlled setting, we really liked it a lot. We're curious to see how it does under less controlled circumstances.
Another thing worth mentioning is that when we were at Milwaukee, all of the employees, every single one, seemed very, very happy to be working there. It wasn't the pasted on smiles that you see at some press events, it was legit and almost unsettling. It had us thinking that either a) there's some pretty strong Kool-Aid in Milwaukee, or b) it really is a great company to work for. Our guess is the latter, due to the fact that everyone made eye contact when they spoke to us, as opposed to that having that glazed-over look that you see in George Romero movies.
With everyone out buying the hip and trendy Skeletool, there must be an abundance of ignored, old, neither hip nor trendy Leathermans. If you've got one, and you're looking to give it a second life, you now have the opportunity, thanks to Instructables, to turn it into a keychain. The transformation from multi-tool to keychain involves everything you imagine it would; take apart the Leatherman, grind down the keys, and then put the whole thing together.
It's an interesting idea and perfect for those mini-Leathermans, which we think are pretty much useless anyway.
We've had our eye on this crazy little thing since we first heard about it earlier this year. It's a little circular saw that dresses like an angle grinder and has the strength to cut through metal, ceramic, wood, and stone.
The kit comes with the saw, a variety of blades, a carrying case, a level, and a few other saw accessories. Out of the box it looks compact, but has a nice heft to it, indicating the possibility of a really quality tool.
The Croc Saw sells for about $100. If it's what we hope it is, that's not a lot of money to pay. We're going to start putting it through the ringer tomorrow. More information about the tool is here (pdf).
Also, we've got a few other reviews in the pipeline; DAP's new quick drying caulk, Paslode's new roofing gun, and Bosch's little 12 Volt Max (which we've been seriously abusing lately). All these are coming up, so stay tuned.
Making sure that cut ends are primed is an essential part of quality building, but it's also a royal pain in the ass. It's a whole separate set-up. You need to break out the primer (or head to the store to get some), make sure you've got some brushes handy, and then as you work all day, you get to watch your fingers get increasingly covered with primer, starting with a spot here and there, then on to the fingertips, and then, somehow, all over your hands and on to your shirt.
We saw Ze-VO's new EndCuts at the hardware store a few weeks ago and figured we'd give it a shot. It's a little tube of acrylic primer with a little foam applicator tip (think shoe polish). The intention is that you can quickly and easily prime the cut end of whatever it is you're working on. At the time, we were putting up clapboards and since we're manic about having our ends primed, why not see if it works?
Over at the Hardware Aisle, they've got a great posting on our preferred method of patching drywall. It's when you take a scrap of drywall and peel it away, leaving a little plug with paper flanges. From there on out it's all mud and smoothing.
It's a really easy way to do it and the results are great. We've been using this method for years and don't miss the old way of trying to screw some piece of wood across the hole in order to attach the patch.
The good folks at Popular Science are currently getting things together for their annual Best of What's New issue, due out later this year. The issue features the most innovative products of the past year in a variety of categories ranging from Automotive to Home Tech to Engineering. The judging is based on,
the significance of the innovation, the quality of the design and the finished product, the originality of the product, and the ambition and scope of the project.
At the moment, they're looking at potential products and are currently accepting suggestions. So if you are an inventor or a manufacturer (and we know you're out there) interested in submitting your product for consideration, you have until August 24th. To be eligible, a product must have been officially released between 10/1/07 and 9/31/08.
Looks like the Tool King crowd is at it again with a new line of tools. This time the line is called Denver Tools and it looks like it mostly consists of pneumatics.
Judging by price and variety, the new tools look pretty similar to Campbell Hausfeld's new set of pneumatics, with Denver getting an edge on variety, but CH winning slightly on price. One item worth mentioning though is the Denver 77-Piece Air Tool Kit, which looks like it has just about everything the DIYer would want all in one place for the low price of $99.
Like the CH line, we're sure that these tools are great for DIY use and would be perfect for someone who is interested in checking out what pneumatics can do without wanting to invest a ton of money.
We were talking to one of our carpenter pals the other day and he mentioned how much he liked Craftsman's little 7-1/4" Miter Saw. He said it's extremely light and perfect for small stuff. It's also got to be nice to have an alternative to the bulky 10 or 12 inch miter saw.
The saw runs on a 9 amp motor and comes with a little laser light to assist with cutting. But without question, the highlight of the item is its weight of 16 pounds. This is more than half of what most 10" saws cost. Sure, you'll be losing some functionality and won't be able to cut all those big boards, but for portability, this guy can't be beat.
The saw is about $80 which we think is a really good price for the potential uses of this tool. There is also a similar tool available that is a sliding compound miter (that one sells for $160). There is also the savings on blades. Ever price a 12" blade? It's ugly. But this saw uses the same blades that your circular saw uses and that you can pick up for $10-$15.
7-1/4" Miter Saw at Sears
7-1/4" Sliding Compound Miter Saw at Sears
We saw this in the latest issue of This Old House and thought we'd give it a mention. Up until now, you could purchase colored caulk, but if you wanted anything other than the most basic colors, you either had a big search in front of you or you were simply out of luck. Now, with Red Devil's Create-A-Color Caulk, you can tint your caulk with any color paint that you want.
The Create-A-Color system comes with a mixer, a syringe, and a tube of the tintable caulk. Apparently, all you have to do is take an amount of whatever paint you're going to use, add it to the tube of caulk and mix. It sounds easy, but once we got a look at the mixer, we started to wonder exactly how easy mixing the color into the caulk really is. The mixer sits on the end of the tube of caulk and has a plunger that supposedly mixes the color into the paint. We're not sure if the tintable caulk is looser than normal caulk, but we can't imagine the effort involved in mixing a little bit of paint into a tube of caulk and creating an even color.
But still, we're never tried it and are willing to give Red Devil the benefit of the doubt here. Check out their site for yourself here.
The Create-A-Color Caulk System is available in a few different ways. There is a professional grade mixer for about $100 and a standard mixer for about $30. It looks like the major difference is that the pro one is metal and the other is plastic. Tubes of the tintable caulk are around $5 each.
Pro-Grade Mixer at Amazon
Standard Mixer at Amazon
Tintable Caulk at Amazon
Looks like our friends over at Toologics are giving away a Milwaukee M-Spector to one lucky person. Entering is a snap, just to to their contest page and give them your name, email, zip code, social security number, and mother's maiden name (we're kidding about those last two).
They're accepting entries until 10/31 and the random drawing will be sometime early November.
The LockJaw has taken the traditional Vise-Grip design and made it better (on paper at least, we haven't tried them yet). What LockJaw has done is made pliers that self-adjust to the thickness of the material that you're grabbing and in doing this, they've removed the dial a the end of the handle. As if this isn't cool enough, they've added a dial between the handles that controls the grabbing pressure.
We love our Vise-Grips, but the thought of not having to fuss with that dial every time we grab something different is a good one. We see this tool as a serious time saver in the right hands.
There are a number of different sized pliers available. The pricing is about the same as a standard pair of Vise-Grips.
10" at Amazon ($14)
6" at Amazon ($14)
Needle Nose at Amazon ($15)
Set with 6", 10" and 9" Needle Nose at Amazon ($39)
BernzOmatic, a leader in torches and accessories, has just released a new propane tank called the Fat Boy. Not only does it have a shape different from standard tanks which allows it to hold an additional 20% more fuel, but it also has something called Green Key Technology, which makes the whole thing more environmentally friendly.
While the shorter and fatter tank will surely help when soldering in the web of pipes behind the hot water tank, it's the Green Key feature that makes this an interesting product. What it essentially does is allow you to completely empty the tank, making it recyclable. More recycling details are at here.
Bosch PS20 12-Volt Max Pocket Driver Arrives for Review
Since we're all in favor of a seriously strong driver that can fit in a nail pouch, we're pretty happy that Bosch has just released their 12-Volt Max Pocket Driver. It's sort of an upgrade of their 10.8-volt driver, but not the way you think. The new tool is capable of 100 inch-pounds of torque and a speed of 500 rpm, both 25% upgrades from the previous model.
The way it is not an upgrade is in the battery. We know you're saying, "what the eff? The new one is a 12-volt and the old one is a 10.8-volt! That's an upgrade, morons." Not really. What has happened is that when Bosch released the original tool they called it 10.8-volts, using the nominal voltage of the battery. But then other companies started putting out similar tools and referring to them by their maximum voltage, which is 12-volts. So the battery is the same (same look, same charger, etc.), but it just has a new name so Bosch won't get screwed on the shelves. Think about it, if you're at the store looking at a 10.8-volt tool and a 12-volt tool for the same price, you're going to think that you're getting a better deal with the 12-volt. We can't say we blame them for the name change.
The 12-Volt Max is going to cost around the same as the 10.8-Volt, which is in the area of $120.
We're going to bring this little guy to the job site and see how it holds up. More soon.
July is done and we can practically smell all of the tool companies gearing up for their fall releases (it's an odor similar to WD-40). So far the tool that we're the most excited about is the Dremel Multi-Max, their new oscillating tool. There are also some others rumored to be coming down the pipeline, but we'll get to those next month.
We reviewed a handful of tools this month and are giving our monthly award to the little, goofy-looking Zip Sander. It's a great little idea and very well executed. It's also under $10.
Razordeck 360 - Self Erecting Scaffolding System
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Megapro 13-in-1 Ratcheting Screwdriver - Review
