Tools of the Trade articles from January 2003

Tools of the Trade archives from January 2003

Huddle up? (Editor's Note).(teamwork in business)(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... I may get into trouble for saying this, but I love sports analogies, especially the ones that relate to running a construction company or a jobsite. Make no mistake about it, construction is a team sport that demands training, practice,...

Hammer review. (Readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... I just want to thank you all for a fine magazine and service. I am a small builder who likes to keep my costs down, so I appreciate using your online reviews when shopping for a new tool. I got a kick out of the framing hammer comparisons in...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2003... In our November/December 2002 issue, we incorrectly identified the photographer of the Site Commander cover photograph. The photographer was Elde Stewart of Chattsworthm Calif.

Workstation creation. (Readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... I enjoyed the article "Wynn Win Situation" in the September/ October 2002 issue. I thought you might be interested in my own portable workstation design. The workstation slides on my truck bed-liner and as the station is pulled from the bed,...

9/11 tribute. (Readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... I just read through the September/ October 2002 issue of TOOLS OF THE TRADE. The last page, "Tribute and Remembrance" is remarkable. I would like to be able to direct other people to this, but cannot find it online. Can you help direct me? ...

Stolen tools. (Readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... As a 20-year general contractor I thought your editorial [about stolen tools] (November/ December 2002) hit the problem on the head--almost. There is another side of the problem that has to be addressed. After all these years, I am firmly...

Where do you fit in? (Your source for trade news).(reader survey)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... We want to thank you for your outstanding response to our latest reader survey. We received a 64 percent return of completed surveys--10 times what others might consider acceptable. The truth is, TOOLS OF THE TRADE readers rock. You also frame,...

Seven seconds to victory: "screwing off" pays big for one lucky contractor. (Your source for trade news).
January 1, 2003... You know the joke about the contractor who wins a million dollars, and when asked what he'll do with the money responds, "Oh, I'll just keep on building until I lose it all." Well, Delaware, Ohio-based contractor Jon Smith now has his chance....

Inventors' resources. (Your source for trade news).(Brief Article)(Directory)
January 1, 2003... If you're like a lot of construction pros, you probably come up with at least five ideas a day that you think would improve an existing tool or make your workday go a little smoother. But if you've ever thought that one of your ideas could be...

New Dodge Rams on tour. (Your source for trade news).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Anyone who loves trucks and tools will want to see one of Dodge's three ToolMaster Ram 2500s and enter for a chance to win one of these great new work trucks loaded with Stanley and Stanley-Bostitch tools. The ToolMasters are on a year-long...

Smooth ride. (Your source for trade news).(planes for woodworking)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Looking for a versatile addition to your hand plane collection? Then check out Veritas' new low-angle smooth plane. The tool's 12-degree angled bed lets you shave through tough situations like end-grain and gnarly hardwoods, while the size and...

Inspection-ready checklist: 30 ways to pass your framing inspections. (Dispatches from the field).
January 1, 2003... Failing your framing inspection can be expensive, especially if you have to stop work to fix mistakes--and then go backward and tear out work you thought was complete. Here are some of the most common framing mistakes that can cost you a red...

Tiler's secrets: the critical path to flawless installation. (Dispatches from the field).
January 1, 2003... My crew and I are on a job for two days of prep and layout work before anyone places a piece of tile or stone, so I've learned to expect the question, "Why haven't you started yet?" My answer? "We're doing our most important work now, and when...

First test: portable table saw stand.
January 1, 2003... Carpenter Scott Kahle wanted a better way to work with and move his portable table saw. The result is his new rolling, collapsible Kwik-Stand. In the open position, the unit is a wide, stable surface for ripping, including an integral...

Hall of fame: honoring the people behind the tools that changed our lives. (Tools Of The Trade's 2003).
January 1, 2003... Tradesmen and contractors today enjoy almost unlimited choices of tools and equipment, but it wasn't always this way. Only a generation or so ago, the tools used in construction and in many other types of work were restricted to relatively few...

The investors: it takes a lot more than a great idea to take a jury-rigged tool from the jobsite to a shelf at the Home Depot. Just ask these guys.
January 1, 2003... Walk onto just about any jobsite and you're likely to find a tool that won't be on any shelf in any store. It's a tool of invention, born of necessity and forged by a blowtorch or welding iron in someone's shop, or held together with bailing...

Driving range: our tester compares 10 cordless drill/drivers for speed, power and performance. (Cordless drill/drivers).
January 1, 2003... As both a master plumber and master electrician, I drill more holes for pipe and wire in a day than most tradesmen might in a week. It seems like I've got a drill in my hands most of the day, and more often than not it's a cordless tool. Using...

Hip huggers: our East and West Coast carpenters review eight great side-bag toolbelts. (Toolbelts).
January 1, 2003... WEST COAST COOL Don Dunkley I've worn side bags since I started framing in the 1970s. My ideal set of bags will give up my tools with a no-look grab, carry a ton of nails, and, no matter how loaded down it is, still let me move quickly....

Tape measure. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The Big Johnson tape measure from Johnson Level & Tool features compact, durable construction, a comfort-grip case, spring-action lock and load, a movable, clear-view end hook, dual cursor readout, and a quick-draw belt-clip holder. The 25-foot...

Workstation. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The Ridgid MS-UV Miter Saw Utility Vehicle from Emerson Tool Co. features heavy, duty welded-steel construction, a wide footprint, and a maximum workload weight rating of 200 pounds. The unit includes two 12 3/4-inch chrome-plated steel rollers...

Screwgun. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The DuraSpin DS200-AC collated-feed screwgun combines the DuraSpin chassis with corded power for tough jobs. The unit includes a 3,300-rpm motor, trigger lock, adjustable nosepiece, and adjustable depth-of-drive. Ideal for drywall, floor...

Concrete surface grinder. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The Bosch 1773AK 5-inch concrete surfacing grinder features an advanced dust-removal system, including a specially designed head and a built-in dust chute, that allows the tool to meet or exceed all regulations and recommendations for dust...

Plunge router. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... New from Triton, the TRC001 3 1/4-hp plunge router features a full plunge depth that brings the collet well past the base of the router and up through the table for single-wrench bit changing from above the table, the company says. The tool...

Chalkline refill system. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The QuickFil Cartfidge Chalking System from Penshar allows for cleaner, faster, and easier filling of chalk reels. The chalk cartridge works with the company's 3.5-to-1 ratio Fast Retrieve chalk reel: Slide the cartridge into place on top of...

Laser level. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... Agatec's A410S automatic laser level electronically self levels in both horizontal and vertical modes and features electronic push-button calibration, both scanning and solid chalk-line beams, a remote control, and a [+ or -] 10 percent...

Brad nailers. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... The BT200K-2 and BT125K-2 oil-free brad nailers offer the highest power-to-weight ratio in the industry, says the maker, Stanley-Bostitch. The tools feature quiet rear exhaust and an open nose design with easy access to the drive channel for...

Truck cap. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
January 1, 2003... New from A.R.E., the Z-Series truck cap is designed to blend in with the truck's lines to create the look of an SUV. The fiberglass cap comes with a compound curve rear door and screen-vent side windows; options include single and double front...

Toolhounds: we just love tools. Is that a problem?(pyramid building)
January 1, 2003... ToolHounds do things with tools no one else has done. Rick Brown does things with tools no one else has done in 3,500 years. The Ancient Egyptians were pretty good custom builders and one of the their trademarks were massive obelisks (think...