Tools of the Trade articles from July 2004

Tools of the Trade archives from July 2004

10 years pure tools.(Editor's Note)
July 1, 2004... Welcome to our 10th Anniversary Special Issue. Milestones like these present important opportunities to take stock of the past and take aim at the future, and that's just what we've done in this issue. Starting on page 23, you'll see our...

Fall 1994: our first laptop!(Mail call: a selection of letters from our first 10 years)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... In response to the question regarding mobile answering and fax machines ("Letters," Summer 1994), I'd like to suggest that you consider a laptop computer with a built-in fax/voice modem. Examples include those by Prometheus, Hayes, or Intel,...

Winter 1995: tool pioneers.(Mail call: a selection of letters from our first 10 years)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I enjoyed reading John Wagner's piece on "Job-site Inventions" (Fall 1994). I wish I'd read it years ago when some of the tradespeople I know who'd invent ed new tools asked around for advice on patenting and marketing their good ideas. ...

Summer 1998: quality control.(Mail call: a selection of letters from our first 10 years)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I have to remark on the number of expensive repairs we've had to do on tools less than five years old. For example: a pinion gear failure on a four-year-old sliding compound saw, motor failure on a five-year-old circular saw, and two motor...

Winter 1998: busted!(Mail call: a selection of letters from our first 10 years)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... The front cover of the Summer 1997 issue [pictured above] is an absolute OSHA nightmare with regards to construction safety workplace habits. Any construction owner, foreman, or worker should look at the front cover and use this picture as...

Can you dig it? One contractor digs up better schedule control and higher profits by bringing earth work in-house.(Mini Excavators/Sharpening Clinic)
July 1, 2004... Getting my custom homes or remodels out of the ground on time is one of my top priorities. It sends a message to the client that I'll deliver on my promises and tells my subs that my schedule isn't just a rough suggestion for when they should...

Nothing but sharp: unless your cutting edge shines like glass, it's dull.(SiteLines)
July 1, 2004... In my book, craftsmen shouldn't waste their time working with dull tools. Sharpening steel is an important part of a carpenter's craft--but it's a skill fewer and fewer people know how to do well. After 20 years of experimenting with oil...

The big 10.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... * IN 10 YEARS OF "TOOLS" 734 Total Number of Tools Tested THEN & NOW: CORDLESS TOOLS THEN: Ten years ago, most voltage options were around 12 volts, with 14.4 volt tools just emerging. There were fewer choices, fewer...

Dwight Sherman's top 10 tools.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... 1 Fein Multimaster detail sander: Our customers like it, for getting them out of those sticky sanding situations--it's a versatile creation with literally hundreds of applications and outstanding accessories. 2 Random orbit sanders: These...

This tool industry is smokin': our 10th Anniversary report on the tools, technologies, and industrial achievements that shaped the past 10 years--and how they'll change the future.(Special report: 10 years pure tools)
July 1, 2004... Remember 1994? Forrest Gump was living life like box of chocolates and Jennifer Aniston had just started a new TV show. Florida was Still digging out from Hurricane Andrew, a devastating earthquake rocked Northridge, Calif., Tonya Harding...

Clayton DeKorne's top 10 tools.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... 1 Greenlee-Textron voltage sniffer: For checking outlets and for "sniffing" a wall before driving a screw or making a cut. It's one of the newer tools I always have in my belt. 2 Norwolf A-hammer: Introduced about eight years ago, it has a...

Mike Guertin's top 10 tools.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... 1 Safety gear: FastCap sunglass safety glasses make me look cool; lightweight fabric boots keep me on pitched roofs; high-tech fabric work gloves provide superior grip. 2 Rocket Anchor chalk line: No matter what I need to stick the end of...

David Frane's top 10 tools.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... 1 Porter-Cable random orbit sander: Belt sanders and palm sanders are okay, but random orbital action creates a much finer finish in a shorter period of time. 2 DeWalt 12-inch compound miter saw: Cheaper, lighter, and more compact than a...

Steve Veroneau's top 10 tools.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... 1 Bosch 10-inch sliding compound miter saw: The huge cut capacity made it at home on my framing and trim sites. 2 Bosch 14-pound combination hammer: This thing has done some real bulldog work on my sites, I've used it to chip up tile, knock...

Wireless communication.(10 Years Pure Tools)
July 1, 2004... Ten years ago, chances are that if you didn't have a two-way radio in your truck, you'd have to drive to a trailer or the nearest 7-Eleven and call out on a landline to keep things moving. Voicemail wasn't even that common, says Daryl Newman,...

Let it slide: indispensable on any site, 12-inch sliding compound miter saws meet demands on the job and in the shop.(Tool test: sliding compound miter saws)
July 1, 2004... If there's a company that demands a lot from its 12-inch sliding compound miter saws, it's ours. Hull Historical is a full-service builder and remodeler, taking projects from framing through finish. We also create fireplace mantels and other...

Curve appeal: cut curves--not corners--with these advanced and improved D-handle jigsaws.(Tool test: jigsaws)
July 1, 2004... Over a career building boats, working wood, and remodeling houses, I've learned that great jigsaws are like great boats and great sports cars: tight, precise, and easy to drive through a turn. Like all boat builders, I cut a lot of curves, and...

Bullnose shoulder plane.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Ideal for cleaning up machine-cut joints, the Veritas Bullnose Shoulder Plane from Lee Valley Tools can be used as both a bullnose or chisel plane. The tool features an adjustable set screw in the toe that helps to accurately set the mouth...

Board straightener.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Vaughan & Bushnell's BowJak provides a quick and simple solution for installing warped and crooked deck boards. Tapped in next to bowed or curved boards, the BowJak uses leverage from its pull handle to straighten the boards before they are...

Panel lifter.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Marshalltown's QLT Panel Lifter helps contractors lift all standard sizes of drywall sheets. Its lightweight, compact design allows it carried and stored easily, and it has a non-clogging rasp with protective guides. The tool also includes a...

Chisels.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Part of Stanley's FatMax hand tool line, these Short Blade Chisels are ergonomically designed, with bi-material, high-impact handles for better comfort and grip, and a steel-striking cap to resist impact. Made of high-quality ball bearing-grade...

Electrician's tools.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Designed for electrician's, the new Smart-Grip line of hand tools from Ideal Industries includes two side-cutting linesman pliers, two diagonal pliers, two needle-nose pliers, two tongue-and-groove pliers, a cable cutter, and a multi-crimp...

Pipe wrench.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... The Vise-Grip Quick Adjusting Pipe Wrench from Irwin adjusts with one hand for pipes, fittings, electrical conduit, nuts, and bolts. The tool's forged-steel upper jaw has a 2 1/4-inch capacity to accommodate pipe diameters up to 1 1/2 inches....

Trim tool.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Trim-Loc from Bench Dog Tools combines eight tools in one to allow you to measure, mark, and install casement trim more quickly and accurately, says the company. Measure inside-to-inside miters and wide openings using the tool's tape measure...

Hammers.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Douglas Tool has added two new hammers to its line. The DFI-15 15-ounce finish hammer is lightweight and offers a smooth face, standard claw, and 12-inch CrossOver hickory handle. The manufacturer also will be offering a new forged version of...

Drywall tape applicator.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... This drywall tape applicator from Warner Tool makes clean seams by automatically applying a thin layer of drywall mud as tape spools from the applicator, the maker says; the installer then follows with a 6-inch broad knife to smooth the joint....

8-in-1 tool.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Allway Tools' new 8-in-1 tool can be used for a variety of tasks, including as a paint scraper, glazier's knife, chisel, putty knife, the remover, linoleum blade, and caulk remover. The tool features a precision-ground, stainless steel blade...

Hammer.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Estwing's Weight Forward Hammer places about 70 percent of the hammer head's weight forward of the center line of a traditional hammer, the maker says, putting power and weight up front for easier and more efficient nailing. The hammer head is...

Wrench.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... Ridge Tool Co's RapidGrip self-adjusting pipe wrench features one-handed operation with rapid ratcheting action. The tool features a spring-loaded hook jaw for adjustment to any size work surface, a thumb trigger for easy application and...

Tape measures.(Product focus: hand tools)
July 1, 2004... New from Klein Tools, this line of double-sided power-return tape measures features 1-inch-wide, hardened-steel, nylon-coated blades with easy-to-read numbers on both sides. The tapes have an impact-absorbing, non-slip rubber jacket. Sixteen-,...

From our team to yours.(ToolHounds: saluting your hard work, dedication, and craftsmanship)
July 1, 2004... For those of us who build, there are pure moments on every job--magic moments that people who work behind desks don't really know about. They come quietly when we step back from the chaos, noise, and interruptions to reflect on our work, our...