July 30, 2010
Ohio Tool Racing Championships 2010
It's time to start thinking about the second annual Power Tool Drag Races put on by the Columbus Idea Foundry. If you've never seen any Power Tool Races, it's sort of like Mad Max meets the Lilliputians from Gulliver's Travels; it's post apocalyptic and dangerous, but it all happens below knee level. The whole thing is a great pu-pu platter of creativity, deconstruction, reconstruction, adaptation, and teeth-grinding danger.
Here is some great news coverage of last year's event (great, minus the ha-ha, chortle-chortle mindless banter of the newscasters at the end). It gives a good idea of the people and sights you can expect to see.
So if you live in Ohio, or any state that touches Ohio, or any state that contains any of the letters, "o," "h," "i," or "o," you should mark August 31st on your calendar and head to the races.
For more information (including classes on how to make your own racer), visit www.toolraces.com
July 30, 2010
DiggersList.com
If you're a scrounger, you know there are a lot of deals on building materials out there. And one more resource to add to your repertoire is Digger's List, which is basically a specialized CraigsList for the home improvement crowd. At the moment, it has pages for 31 cities and will likely be expanding as time goes on.
One thing that separates Digger's List from the rest of the online classified is that they've partnered with Habitat for Humanity ReStores (a seller of donated building materials), so there's likely to be a good rotation with their stock.
The layout an navigation are nice and it didn't take long before we found about ten things that we want to buy (from a ShopSmith to a pile of reclaimed lumber). We also have a garage half-full of things we need to sell which looks like it's pretty easy to set up as well.
The site is still pretty new, so there's not an overwhelming amount of stuff, but what they have it worth a look. We hope that it catches on.
Check out Digger's List
There's a press release after the jump, if you want more details...
Continue reading: "DiggersList.com"
July 29, 2010
ZipSnip Multi-Function Cutting Tool
The Skil Power Cutter (our review here) is an interesting little tool. Released about two years ago, it seemed to fill a little void in the cutting world, but we never had the impression it really caught on. We use ours from time to time, but instincts or habit (whichever we feel like blaming at the time) usually have us reaching for regular old tin snips or construction scissors rather than the Cutter. That's not to say anything about the functionality of the tool, just our little monkey-brain and the obstacles that tool companies face when they create something that replaces a tried and true hand tool.
So there's now a new tool called the ZipSnip that is essentially the same thing (but a whisker less expensive) than the Skil Cutter. It doesn't seem to have any new features. In fact without the fuel light, it has less. This may account for the $10 difference in price. The ZipSnip has a slightly different handle configuration with a larger paddle switch and the safety switch on the top of the tool, rather than the side. Other than that, it has the same self-sharpening blade and plug-in charger.
Our guess is that it works just as well.
The Power Cutter is about $40 at Amazon.com and the ZipSnip is $30 (at zipsnipcutter.com)
July 27, 2010
DieHard Torture Labs
It seems that in the tool world, 'viral marketing' means 'youtube video of someone trying to destroy your products.' This is fine with us. So far, we've seen some low-budget destruction and some high-budget destruction. The DieHard videos fall in the upper middle range; they've got some production values, but they lose all of the artsy hoo-haa of the Craftsman ones (DieHard and Craftsman are part of the same company). And because the DieHard videos feature a bullet going through a battery, a babe in a bikini, and Reggie Watts, we rank them at the top of the heap.
Bullet...
Bikini....
Reggie....
They're all worth checking out. The rest are here.
July 26, 2010
Milwaukee 2010 Product Symposium
The reason we were so light on posts last week is that we were lucky enough to be at Milwaukee's annual Product Symposium. While there, we ate some great food, hung out with a solid group of our tool-writer pals, enjoyed a lot of great conversations with the Milwaukee crowd, and most importantly had the opportunity to get a look at this year's line of new tools.
The nitty-gritty of the event has been covered by a few of our fellow compatriots here and here, so we're going to stick to just a few thoughts on some of the new items that we saw...
Continue reading: "Milwaukee 2010 Product Symposium"
July 20, 2010
Senco Fusion F-15 Cordless Finish Nailer - Review
There's been a lot of buzz around the Senco Fusion. And if you're to believe what Senco has been saying about it, there should be. To give it all some context, you need to know that, to date, the technology behind cordless finish guns seems, well, incomplete. There are the gas powered guns, which take a battery and a removable gas cartridge, but they smell terrible and have the added expense of replacing the gas cartridge. Then there are the nailers powered by a flywheel motor, which have solved the dual fuel problem (as well as the odor), but are lacking in power, particularly when dealing with hardwoods. So there are options out there, but you're getting yourself into a tradeoff; sure I don't have a compressor or hoses, but I've got a smelly gas cartridge or I've got a gun that has some difficulty with mahogany. There isn't any ideal situation out there.
So the Senco Fusion seeks to fill this gap and combine the best of both arenas. Its goal is to fuse the manueverability of the cordless gun with the power of the traditional pneumatic nailer. And how does it attempt to do this, you ask?
Continue reading: "Senco Fusion F-15 Cordless Finish Nailer - Review"
July 19, 2010
Starrett Full Line Catalog #32
If you're like us, there's a whole lot you're completely in the dark on. And because of that fact, it means that, like us, you probably only think of Starrett as "that company that makes those really nice combo squares." They don't do anything else, do they?
Well, as it turns out, they do. In fact they do enough to result in a densely crammed 566 page catalog (and we mean densely). Starrett just released their latest Full Line Catalog and sent us one to peruse and the amount of tools and equipment in it is head-spinning. Judging from the catalog, Starrett is a company determined to measure, or have the ability to measure, everything on the planet (including the rate at which a head spins).
The catalog has everything from electronic gauge amplifiers (p. 215) to micrometer depth gauges (p.66) to gauge blocks (p.355-401), and thank heavens, they also have a selection of optical comparators (p.419-428). If you're not ready for it, it's all a bit overwhelming.
And all the way back on page 245 is our combination square. It's funny but previous to seeing the catalog, we thought the combo square was the highest achievement of the company, but now it seems almost like an afterthought and even a little out of place when compared to the massive torrent of machinist measuring devices and electronic micro-gauges. There is also another section in the back devoted to jobsite and workshop tools (pages 429 to 466) that has things like rafter squares, levels, and tape measures of every variety you could ever imagine.
The catalog is available online and if you have the time, it's worth flipping through. There's no doubt you'll be impressed.
Visit the Starrett site here or go directly to the catalog here.
Starrett tools at Amazon.com
The press release on the catalog release, if you're interested, is after the jump.
Continue reading: "Starrett Full Line Catalog #32"
Last Call on Free Bosch Lasers
Today is the final day to get your entry in on the big-mega-uber-larger-than-life Bosch laser giveaway.
Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, we're going to notify our winners via email and request mailing addresses, so keep an eye on the inbox. Also tomorrow, we're going to pick the random winner out of the names left over.
To check out the rules and to find out how to enter, go here.
July 16, 2010
Dremel 6800 Trio
It's amazing what a handle can do.
When you boil the Dremel Trio down to it's mechanics, it's a rotary tool, just like the million-and-a half other rotary tools that Dremel has released over the years. But when you get creative with the handle (and in this case we would say, 'very creative'), all of a sudden you have not only a standard rotary tool but a mini-router as well, and sort of a jig saw, and kind of a RotoZip and maybe this and a bit of that. It's kind of tricky to wrap the head around this little item with it's pivoting handle and its plunge-cutting ability.
Well, actually it's not that little. At least not as little as we thought. We played around with one at Home Depot and the body is actually 'softball-sized' where, from the picture, we were thinking more along the lines of 'baseball.' This size has allowed Dremel to stuff in a 2 amp motor, which makes the Trio more powerful than any of their rotary tools to date (the Dremel 4000 has a 1.6 amp motor).
We see the Trio being useful to the woodworker and hobbyist, particularly with the plunge-cutting ability. We have our reservations on bit-life though. If you've ever used a Roto-Zip, you know that embedding a spiral blade in wood and scrolling around with it equals a severely short bit life. Dremel may have addressed this, as we noticed a disclaimer on the Dremel site saying that the Trio is not compatible with standard rotary tool accessories. Sounds like they've made a more durable set with the Trio in mind.
The Trio is currently available at Home Depot and Amazon.com (only pre-order at Amazon though, with a release date of Sept 15th...wonder what it took for HD to get first dibs?)
July 15, 2010
Snap-On 12 Outlet Power Strip
In our last shop we had two large power strips that we lived and died by. We had never had a power strip before and sort of looked down our noses at them. Not sure why. Anyhoo, we very quickly realized the benefits. Say you're deep into some project the requires a Dremel, an orbital sander, a jigsaw, and a table saw. You can set up a cat's cradle of extension cords and splitters and spend your time plugging and unplugging, or you have all the tool plugged directly into the workbench mounted power strip.
We also found that the power strip made it much easier to organize our tools while we were using them; if the Dremel is plugged in to the right of the orbital, when we put it down, we place it to the right of the orbital. It's not brain surgery, but it's just one of those little things that makes life a whisker easier.
We haven't equipped the new shop with any power strips yet, but when we do, we're going to consider the Snap-On. The main reason is that it's red and not that hideous office-park gray color like most other power strips. Secondly, we've never had any issue with any other Snap-On tools, so we wouldn't expect anything different from this one.
The Snap-On has a 15 amp breaker, a 6 foot cord, and it comes with mounting hardware.
$30 at Costco
July 13, 2010
Johnson Glo-View Magnetic Torpedo Level - Review
Last week we reviewed Swason's new Lightning Level which turned out to be a pretty nice tool. Just press a button and the vials light up. That one is available in 24" and 48" lengths, which in our opinion are two of the three essential level sizes. But what about the third, the torpedo level? They're too small to house batteries and a torpedo level with LEDs seems a bit like overkill. So do these little levels stay sadly unlit?
Not so says Johnson Level and Tool with the release of their new Glo-View Torpedo Level. This one doesn't have any LEDs to light up the vials, but rather it...wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...glows! Whoa.
Like most torpedoes, the Glo-View has three vials; a level, a plumb, and a 45 degree. It has an aluminum housing and one of the long sides has a v-groove to make it easier to hold it against a pipe. The other side has three magnets on it so you can stick it to a metal stud or whatever. We're not going to get into our thoughts on magnetized levels again, but if you're interested, we spent a paragraph on it here.
The glow feature is nice and subtle. In fact, if someone just handed you the level during the day, it's likely you wouldn't even realize the level had any special ability. The glowing things works like any glow-in-the-dark toy you had when you were little; hold it by the light and let it charge up, and then you've got enough glow-mojo (glojo?) to last you a little while, at least long enough to worm your way into the crawlspace and solder a few pipes.
The Glo-View Torpedo runs for just over $15, which puts it in right in the mid-range for torpedo levels, so it's not like you're paying an extra $30 for the glowing ability.
Johnson has incorporated their Glo-View into their line of box levels, so the feature is available 24", 48", 72", and 96" lengths as well. It's a good alternative to the Swanson LED levels if you're interested in having the vials lit, but you're still a little dodgy about having a level with a light switch on it.
At Grainger
July 12, 2010
We're Still Taking Entries for the Bosch Laser Level Contest
You've got until next Monday, a week from today, to get your entries in. Details on the contest here.
Channellock Unveils a New Website
Channellock, makers many fine pliers and wrenches, have just sent out word that they've completely redesigned their website. We remember the old one and can only say that the new one is a VAST improvement. Not only is it easy to navigate with all the right tool information, but they also have a virtual tour of the Channellock factory which has to be one of the cooler things we've ever seen on a tool company website.
Check out the site here or go straight to the factory tour here.
Channellock tools Amazon.com
July 9, 2010
Swanson Lightning Level - Review
Previous to them sending us their new Lightning Level to review, the only contact we had ever had from Swanson was the legal document that their lawyers dropped on us demanding that we stop using the term 'Speed Square' in a generic sense. As it turns out, the only acceptable way to refer to the tool is by saying in its entirety: "SPEED® Square, a registered trademark of Swanson Tool Co., Inc." so if you see anyone else out there who doesn't take the time to write out that entire ridiculous statement, please contact Swanson and let them know that there's some serious trademark violation going on. The whole episode was very irritating and entirely unnecessary...they could have just asked. We hope that those lawyers charged them a lot of money. Due to their heavy-handed approach to the matter, we decided we would rather drink wood glue than aid in the publicity of any of their tools. We created a blacklist and we put them on it. It was the least we could do. We're deeply Irish and capable of holding a mega-grudge.
But, our policy is to review everything that shows up on the doorstep, so we suppressed the battle-axe wielding tribal Irish chieftain who lives in our head (he's in charge of long-term animosities), and carried on with the review of the Swanson's Lightning Level.
So what exactly is it? Well, it's a level with a little LED light at each vial. To operate it, just press the button that is at one end of the level and the lights go on. Press it again and they go off. If you forget to press it again, it goes off by itself in ten minutes.
The level has two plumb vials and one level vial, rubber bumpers at each end (and, at one end, the dual AAA battery compartment), and rubber grips. Both edges have v-grooves for things like pipes and on the model we tested, one side (the side uninterrupted by the level vial), is magnetized.
Thankfully, Swanson has a non-magnetized version available. We sit the fence on the whole magnetic level thing. While there are circumstances when it comes in handy, most of the time we find it to be a nuisance. Once the magnets collect a few metal shavings, which is inevitable, they become VERY dangerous to finished surfaces. It seems to be a matter of personal preference, and ours is to usually pass on them.
And what do we think about the lighted vials? We actually like them and Swanson did a nice execution with the tool. Thankfully, it's not a level with some additional contraption built off the side that lights the vials up, but rather it's a cleanly integrated system. It's not like you feel compelled to always use the lights, but they're there if you need them. It's a level that happens to have lights, not lights that happen to have a level.
And we found the feature to be useful in all the usual places; closets, basements, and job sites (especially when you're only relying on a string of junky temp lights). We also feel the need to note that the pictures we took don't accurately represent the lights. In reality, it's a nice soft glow that lights up the vial, not the Tron special effect that our camera is capable of showing.
So is it a necessary feature that should be included on all levels? We don't think so. Is it handy to have from time to time? Definitely.
The Lightning Level is available in both 24" and 48" lengths and goes for about $45 and $65 respectively (add about $10 for the magnetized version).
July 7, 2010
Made by Hand - Review
There's a certain type of book that we really dislike. And we must be in the minority because we're constantly seeing examples of it on the new release shelf at the bookstore. It's those tedious books centered around someone's 'voyage of personal discovery.' They're all sort of the same: Some dude (or dudette) decides that their life is lame and lacking so they get involved in some new hobby/lifestyle/passion, etc, and 250 agonizing pages later, we find out that they're a better person because of it and, golly, look at all the quirky people they met along the way!
So anyway, a couple weeks ago Penguin Publishing sent us a copy of Mark Frauenfelder's book, Made by Hand. Frauenfelder is one of the founders of the mega-blog Boing Boing, as well as the Editor in Chief of Make Magazine (he also looks like he has a closet full of Weezer bootlegs). Anyway, once we got started on the book, we started to get that sinking, 'personal discovery' feeling, but we kept reading anyway...
In Made by Hand, Frauenfelder, recounts his journey over to the DIY side of life. Being an Editor of Make Magazine, it appears that he knew that the lifestyle was out there, he just hadn't fully embraced it. Frauenfelder uses the DIY idea in the macro sense, putting under its umbrella more than just house fix-it type stuff. He uses the term to include everything from food preparation to spoon making to chicken raising. With him it's more of a self-sufficiency thing than a 'I just fixed the squeaky hinge' thing.
Each chapter in the book is dedicated to one of his forays into this new found world of technology, carpentry, animal husbandry, food preparation, and just general homesteading, some successful and some not. Because he understands that failure is a pretty good teacher, he almost seems to relish in revealing his mistakes along the way, which gives the book a nice wide-open honesty.
Although the book is mostly an account of his actions and the people he meets, it does delve into ideas from time to time, but things never get all that deep, which is fine. The book stays nice, light, and humorous throughout, which is really its strongest point. The grand theory of the book, which is repeated about once a chapter, is that if you start making things by hand you'll gain satisfaction and knowledge and you'll have a finer appreciation of your surroundings. It's a simple idea, and one that's impossible to refute.
And the bottom line is that Made by Hand is a fun book to read. The style is engaging and the author doesn't really take himself all that seriously, which is good and places the reader right with him as he tries, tries, and tries again. It all makes for a 'voyage of personal discovery' that is not only tolerable, but enjoyable.
At Amazon.com
Subscribe to Make here or here (great magazine)
July 6, 2010
Win a Bosch GLL2-80 Dual Plane Laser Level from Tool Snob
If you keep up to date on all things Tool Snob, you're aware that we're big fans of the Bosch GLL2-80 Dual Plane Laser Level. We dig the fact that it combines a massive amount of functionality in such a small package. Because of this, it's become our primary on-site level (our review is here).
But Bosch isn't satisfied with just having our feedback, they want yours as well. So they're going to send the GLL2-80 laser to 10 Toolsnob.com readers to use for one month. In return, all you have to do is send us photos and/or video clips and a brief write-up of your experiences with the tool to share with Bosch (and we'll post it up here on Tool Snob). Here's the cool part; if you're into the tool and want to keep it after the test, it's all yours...and that's a $320 value!
So how it works is this:
1. You convince us that you should be one of the 10 reviewers.
2. Bosch sends you a level.
3. You use and abuse it.
4. You email us your thoughts (with some pics and maybe even a video).
5. Your review gets posted up on Tool Snob.
6. DIY Network gives you a TV show because they're so impressed with your tool reviewing skills.*
7. If you like the GLL2-80, you get to keep it.
To get your name in the hat, email us at newstips(at)toolsnob.com and tell us a bit about yourself, your level of experience, the types of projects you do, and why you should be considered. Please title your email, "Bosch Giveaway" so it's easy for us to sort through the entries. Be as concise as possible, 100 words should do you fine.
Because of the nature of the tool, we want to hear from contractors and serious DIYers. Basically, the kind of people who are going to be able to fully evaluate this tool, appreciate its high points and put it through its paces. If you're a DIYer, feel free to send us a photo of your gutted living room to show you're legit.
We'll be taking entries for about two weeks and we'll choose our 10 testers on July 20th. The units will be sent out soon after that.
If you're not chosen, don't sweat it because Bosch is giving us an additional laser to just plain old give away. We'll do that at random from the names that are left once the ten testers are chosen.
So good luck and get your entries in.
* step six is purely a hypothetical pipe dream, but you never know....
July 2, 2010
DeWalt DWS535 Worm Drive Circular Saw - Review
So what's a worm drive?
If you're in the dark on the whole worm drive thing, here's the deal: When compared to a direct drive circular saw (the kind you think of when you hear the words 'circular saw'), a worm drive has a more significant 'gearing down' of the motor, giving it higher torque, but at a less speed. The speed part, you don't really notice, but the power part, you do. Because of the design of the worm drive gear, the blade runs parallel to the motor, as opposed to perpendicular to it, accounting for the generally cylindrical shape of the tool.
Continue reading: "DeWalt DWS535 Worm Drive Circular Saw - Review"
July 1, 2010
June 2010 Monthly Roundup for Tool Snob
It was an extremely good month here at Tool Snob. We reviewed some nice items (including a very cool soap, of all things), saw the release of Bosch's new freaky-deaky miter saw, made the trip to Baltimore for DeWalt's unveiling of their new 12-volt line, and in the process settled the Bosch Vs. DeWalt question once and for all.
Picking a Tool of the Month is tough this time around. We really liked the Paslode Positive Placement Nailer, and the Bosch PS31-2A is a perfect combination of size and power, but the winner has to be the old Derby and Ball scythe we found tucked in the back of the shed in our hour of need. We've used it a few times since we wrote the review and we just like the thing more and more. Our experience with it was a nice reminder that all of the technology and advanced doo-dads are only going to get you so far.
There's a lot coming this upcoming month that's looking promising. Make sure to check back early next week for a very cool contest we're going to be launching.
Tool of the Month
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My Fix It Up Life - Drywall Tips
Mark and Theresa are at it again, and this time it's dishing out some drywalling tips. They're also saying good things about the Rockwell JawHorse and anyone who gives that tool the thumbs up, gets a thumbs up from us. We've actually used the JawHorse in exactly the same way that Mark describes and it's a revelation for the lone worker.
Check out their radio show at www.myfixituplife.com
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The Renovation Continues....