January 2, 2008
Even though we ended up taking the last week off, we still managed to pack a lot into the month of December.
Choosing our December tool of the month was tough. We thought the world of the Proxxon Detail Sander and think that it's a shame that the tool doesn't have a higher profile in the tool world, we also really liked the lightweight Maxus Aluminum Compressor. But, we have to give the prize to the Ryobi 4-Piece Li-Ion Kit. With the kit, Ryobi once again walks the line between contractor quality and DIYer price. Since reviewing the kit, we've kept using it and each time we use it, we like it more and more.
We would also like to thank all of you for reading the site this past year. We've been flattered by our traffic numbers and we're looking forward to keeping you up-to-date on all the latest tool news in the coming year.
Tool of the Month
Ryobi 4-Piece Lithium-Ion Power Tool Kit
Reviews
Proxxon Oscillating Detail Sander
Skil 14.4-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver
Ryobi 4-Piece Lithium-Ion Power Tool Kit
Wagner Paint Crew Plus
Maxus X-Lite Aluminum Compressor
New and Interesting Power Tools
JacPac
Bosch JS5 Orbital Jigsaw
New and Interesting Hand Tools
Leatherman Skeletool
Stanley MaxLife 369 Tripod LED Flashlight
Black & Decker 36" Accu Mark Level
Distractions
Cool Tools on DIY Network
Tool Christmas Tree Lights
December 3, 2007
November was busy around here. The holiday shopping season is cranking up, so there are a lot of good deals to be had. To make shopping a little easier for you, we made up a Holiday Gift Guide so you can make sure you're matching up the right tool with the right person.
December's looking to be a banner month around here; we've got reviews coming for a host of tools including Ryobi's 4-Piece Lithium-Ion Set, Proxxon's Delta Sander, Wagner's Paint Crew Plus, a few more items from Skil, and the Maxus X-Lite Compressor.
The November Tool of the Month was an easy choice for us. The Skil 7.2-Volt Power Wrench really impressed us with it's versatility, it's ease-of-use, and it's affordability. It's a great little tool for anyone and, for good reason, it's bound to be a huge seller this holiday season. Go and get one for Dad, he'll dig it.
Tool of the Month
Skil 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Power Wrench
Reviews
Skil 7.2-Volt Lithium-Ion Power Wrench
Skil 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver
C.H. Hanson Slide Square
Holiday Shopping (some deals still active)
2007 Tool Snob Holiday Gift Guide
Huge Black Friday Tool Deals
Tool Deals on the Internet
Big Bosch Promotions
New and Interesting Tools
Craftsman ASX Tool Storage System
Festool Trion PS (and PSB) 300 EQ Jigsaw
Husky 2 Nailer/Compressor Kit
Triton Superjaws
Redback Maxistrike 20 oz Rip Hammer
Ryobi AIRgrip Laser Levels and SonicTape
Gutter Sense
SawStop 10" Contractor Saw
Contests
Home Depot $25,000 Gift Card Contest
Comforts of Home Holiday Contest
Tool News
Popular Woodworking's Best Tools of 2007
Ryobi 12-Volt Lithium Ion Drill in Stores
Vermont American turns 60
Distractions
Barbara K Crystal Jeweled Tool Kit
World's Greatest Hammer
November 1, 2007
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
October 1, 2007
It was a funny month here at Tool Snob. We took the first part off and went on vacation, so things were pretty quiet for a couple weeks. Then we got back and really had to hit the ground running. It's shaping up to be a busy fall in the tool world and at the moment there's quite a lot going on. Probably the biggest news is Ryobi's Lithium-Ion line of tools. It looks like they've managed to wrap the benefits of the li-ion battery in a very affordable package. We've got a lot of info on those tools, here, here, here, and here.
Because of our vacation, we only reviewed two tools in September. Still, we don't think that should detract any of the glory from Husky's 2-In-1 Combo Knife, our Tool of the Month. It's a great little knife that belongs in everyone's pocket.
So keep checking in, because we've got a lot in store for you in October...starting tomorrow with a review of one of the finest tools we're ever used.
Tool of the Month
Husky 2-In-1 Ultra-Thin Combination Knife - Review
Reviews
C.H. Hanson SuperPencil - Review
Husky 2-In-1 Ultra-Thin Combination Knife - Review
New and Interesting Power Tools
Ryobi 12-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Drill
Ridgid R4330 13" Thickness Planer with 3 Blade Cutterhead
New DeWalt Nano Tools
Milwaukee Compact 18-Volt Drill
Ryobi One + Lithium Ion Tools
Milwaukee 12-volt Sub-Compact Driver
New and Interesting Hand Tools
Stanley FatMax Xtreme 55-120 FuBar III
C.H. Hanson Speedrocker SS
PlugGrip and SwitchGrip
Rockler Jig Parts
C.H. Hanson Unveils New Website
Safety
New Bosch/DeWalt Table Saw Guards
Guides
Top Ten Technologies of 2007
Distractions
World's Strongest Glue
Will It Blend
September 4, 2007
August 6, 2007
Aside from the constant battle with over-heating, we had a good month here at Tool Snob. First and foremost, we were completely impressed with Wagner's Painteater, a total monster of a tool when it comes to the awful task of paint scraping. Secondly, we reviewed and gave away Ridgid's new 18 Volt Li-Ion Drill. And lastly, we rooted around trying to give you all the heads up on new and otherwise interesting tools and tool-related things.
Stay tuned for the month of August. Very soon we'll be posting a review of Ace Sensations Paint, Husky's new 5-in-1 Drywall Tool, Grizzly's $25 Brad Gun, and Dremel's 75th Anniversary Rotary Tool. August should be a lot of fun around here.
Tool of the Month
Wagner PaintEater
Reviews
Wagner PaintEater – Review
Ridgid Lithium-Ion 18-Volt Compact Drill - Review
New and Interesting Tools
The Bagster
Apollo Precision Tools 135-Piece Household Pink Tool Kit
Little Giant Ladder System 1A
The Drill Doctor
Fein MultiMaster
Cadex CPB23.50 Headless Pin and Brad Nailer
Grizzly H5527 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Kit
Dremel 75th Anniversary Rotary Tool Kit
New Tools in C.H. Hanson's Signature Series
Kreg KKS2000 Klamp Table
Irwin Chop Saw/Miter Saw Laser Guide
Guides
The Ways of Solid Wood
How-To
Cutting a Circle on a Table Saw
How-To Layout Tile
Events
AWFS 2007
Recalls
Recall: Milwaukee 14.4 and 18 Volt Batteries
Magazine Reviews
Fine Homebuilding No. 189 - Review
Woodsmith Vol 29 / No. 172 - Review
Distractions
Morons with Nail Guns – Part 2
July 2, 2007
May 31, 2007
May 1, 2007
We had a lot going on here this month at Tool Snob; reading about tools, using tools, reviewing tools…
Without question the tool of the month is the Ridgid Fuego, a great little circular saw that hasn’t left our side since it showed up on the doorstep. An honorable mention goes to, not a tool, but a book. Setting Up Shop is essential reading for any woodworker, hobbyist, or DIYer. And don’t think it’s just for people with $3,000 table saws. It’s not. In fact it’s really for people with small shops who are looking for creative ways to manage their space.
We’re looking forward to this next month. We’re in the process of reviewing the Quick Angle and we’re expecting Porter-Cable’s 371K mini belt sander any day now.
Tool of the Month
Ridgid Fuego 6-1/2" Framing Saw
Tool Reviews
Ridgid 3-1/2” Round Head Framing Nailer
Microplane Stainless Steel Sanding Discs
Handi-Shims
Ridgid Fuego 6-1/2" Framing Saw
Book Reviews
Renovating Old Houses
Setting Up Shop
New and Interesting Tools
Denali 115-Piece Home Repair Tool Kit
Bench Dog Push-Loc
Worx Blockbuster Hammer Drill/Driver
Black & Decker Grasshog 18-Volt Cordless String Trimmer
Porter-Cable 371K Compact Belt Sander
Ryobi 229 Piece Rotary Tool Kit
Veto Pro Pac
New and Interesting Building Materials
Pole-Wrap
Recalls
Ryobi Router Tables
Craftsman Circular Saw
Magazines
Fine Homebuilding No. 187 – Annual Houses Issue
This Old House - April 2007
Other Helpful Things We Found
Stihl Chainsaw Selector
Nail Gun Injuries on the Rise
How Nail Guns Work
Sweepstakes
DeWalt Jobsite Storage Chest Sweepstakes
April 1, 2007
There is no doubt that the high point of our month was going to the JLC Live trade show in Providence, RI. We met a lot of great people and saw some really interesting tools, some of which we’re looking forward to reviewing in the upcoming days. And thanks to Skil, we got a chance to review their amazing Octo Sander, a tool that would be a nice addition to any workshop. Speaking of workshops, we found this guy, who used a pretty interesting method of redesigning his workshop. We also found a video of the safest table saw ever made (make sure to check this one out), as well as this very helpful Spring Home Maintenance Checklist.
This next month, we’re going to be reviewing Ridgid’s 6-1/2" Fuego Framing Saw, Microplane’s Stainless Steel Sanding Discs, a few books from Taunton press, and a whole lot more that we’re going to keep to ourselves for now.
March Tool of the Month
Skil's Octo Multi-Finishing Sander
Reviews
Skil Octo Multi-Finishing Sander
Bosch Fine Cut Power Handsaw
Newborn 112D Caulking Gun with the Caulk Buddy
Plug Cutting Kit
Panasonic 15.6-Volt NiMH Cordless Drill
New and Interesting Tools
Paint Shaver Pro
Makita 18 Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Angle Grinder
Bostitch Strapshot Metal Connector
Johnson Magnetic Post Level
Microplane Stainless Steel Sanding Discs
Rousseau Downdrafter
Barbara K Power-Lite Cordless Drill
Hitachi 3.6 Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Screwdriver
Skil Octo Multi-Finishing Sander
Ridgid Fuego 6-1/2” Framing Saw
Starrett ProSite Miter Saw Protractor
Metabo BHE20 Compact SDS Rotary Hammer
Black & Decker 8" Automatic Adjustable Wrench
How To
How to Design a Workshop
How to Make Your Front Entrance Safer
The Art of Pressure Washing
How to Use a Hammer
Books and Magazines
Fine Homebuilding No. 186, May 2007
Woodsmith - Vol. 29 / No. 170
Other Helpful Things We Found
Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
Home Depot Calculators
Metric Conversion Tables
The Glue Chart of the Gods
Sweepstakes (still active)
Ryobi Sweepstakes/Canadians Can't Add
Ridgid Power Trip Sweepstakes
DeWalt Cordless Finish Gun Sweepstakes - Only one day left to register
Distractions
Morons With a Nail Gun
Safest Table Saw Ever?
December 2007 Monthy Roundup for Tool Snob
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