Tools of the Trade articles from March 2003

Tools of the Trade archives from March 2003

Tools without borders. (Editor's Note).(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Tracking the landscape of the tool industry is sort of like mapping Europe since the Cold War ended. Tool manufacturers that built their brands on narrowly defined tool categories are crossing the borders and surprising tool users by branching...

World's Best Tool Stores. (Mail call: readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... Great article on the World's Best Tool Stores (November/December 2002, page 46). I'm a self-professed tool addict and my mouth was watering just looking at the pictures. Sadly, our only outlets around here are the "home improvement centers"...

(RIA) Reader in Action. (Mail call: readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... First of all, I would like to tell you what a wonderful periodical you have and how much I enjoy its content. From your safety articles to your tool tests, your magazine provides me with the information that puts me ahead of the rest of the...

Site Commander work truck. (Mail call: readers sound off).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I would just like to comment on your Site Commander work truck (November/December 2002, page 38). It is the most awesome setup I have ever seen. A big salute goes to the designers and engineers of this massive setup. Shawn Crittenden...

"Bump-fire" nailers face new standards: new ANSI standards target safety within the pneumatic tool industry. (Cutting edge: your source for trade news).
March 1, 2003... The pneumatic tool industry is once again stepping up its accident prevention efforts with the new ANSI SNT-101-2002 standard, which sets guidelines for safety labels and expands guidelines on the manufacture of certain types of nailers and...

Palm powered: Bosch enters the digital age with powerful new hand tools. (Cutting edge: your source for trade news).
March 1, 2003... On the jobsite, your cordless drill or tape measure may be your most vital tools. But Bosch is betting that its new high-tech digital hand tool may become your new best friend. Dubbed the "Digital Power Tool," Bosch Punch List is a Palm-...

Site Commander update. (Cutting edge: your source for trade news).
March 1, 2003... 2002 Winner. Marvin Perdue of Rocky Mount, Va., won the 2002 Site Commander Sweepstakes grand prize: the Ford F-450 truck; Porter-Cable cordless, pneumatic, and electric tools; Omaha Standard service body with A.R.E. cap; and the 16-foot...

Tool tracker: Milwaukee's "My Toolbox" helps protect your tools. (Cutting edge: your source for trade news).
March 1, 2003... Whether boosted from the truck bed or destroyed in a fire, losing even a portion of your tool arsenal can mean costly downtime and expensive replacement costs. One of the best ways to protect your investment is by keeping a careful record of...

Flex time: rugged European power tools launch in U.S. (Cutting edge: your source for trade news).
March 1, 2003... Historically, many of the building technologies we use originate in Europe, so it probably won't take long for Flex Power Tools to make the kind of name for itself here that it has in Europe. The German company specializes in tools for the...

Framer's guide to engineered lumber: tips for floor framing with I-joists and LVL. (Site lines: dispatches from the field).(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2003... Engineered lumber does everything solid-sawn lumber does, except better. It's stronger, lighter, straighter, and more stable. But working with I-joists and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is different than solid-sawn lumber, so check out these...

First test: Metabo UHE 28 Multi drill, hammer, and chip with this unique tool. (Site lines: dispatches from the field).
March 1, 2003... I wish I'd invented this tool, because I've needed it my entire building life. The UHE 28 Multi looks like the standard 1/2-inch drill/hammerdrill you use for drilling in wood and concrete, but with a simple chuck exchange it quickly converts...

Global positioning: from due South to Far East, manufacturers work to ensure tool quality, no matter where their tools are made.
March 1, 2003... If you make your living with hand and power tools, choosing the right tools for your arsenal is one of the most important things you can do. If you're like many tradespeople, you stick with brands you have come to depend on, even if it means...

Chips off the old block: seven combo hammers that chip, drill, and break their way through concrete, masonry, and tile. (Tool test: combination hammers)(Cover Story).(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2003... Working in concrete and masonry can be fun--at least in theory. Knocking down a brick or block wall, drilling anchor holes in concrete, and even hogging off ceramic tile can be an adrenaline-rich, physical diversion from the office and clients....

Circ city: here's what you should know about the 12 new sidewinder circ saws we field-tested for power, speed, and ease of use. (Tool test: 7 1/4-inch circular saws).(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2003... I remember when I bought my first sidewinder circ saw. To me it meant I was on my way to becoming a real carpenter. Twenty years and a couple hundred houses later, I've used side-winder circ saws to cut everything from masonry to trim. After...

Cabinet installer's toolbox: here's what you'll find in our kitchen expert's toolbag of tricks.
March 1, 2003... Whether you install a kitchen a week or a half dozen customs a year, having task-specific tools on site increases both productivity and quality. From layout to lifting and scribing to screwing, check out some of the tools I use to help...

Lumber crayons. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... Designed for heavy-duty applications, La-Co Industries' Markal Pro-EX lumber crayons will work on wet, dry, rough, and smooth surfaces, including wood, concrete, rubber, cardboard, and masonry. According to the company, the crayons are made...

Hack saw. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... DeWalt's DW3970 hack saw frame features a quick-change blade system with a trigger that allows users to swap blades by squeezing the lower handgrip and an oversized high-tension knob to ensure a tight fit. The tool is made with die-cast...

Router. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... New from Milwaukee, the 3 1/2 Max HP EVS fixed-base router features a 15-amp motor, electronic variable-speed control from 10,000 to 22,000 rpm, and soft start. The tool includes above-the-table linear height adjustment and provides coarse...

Combo kit. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... Ryobi's six-pack of 18-volt cordless tools includes the company's new 8 1/4-inch compound miter saw and its new speed saw, as well as a reciprocating saw, circular saw, 1/2-inch drill/driver, flashlight with three batteries, and charger. Model...

Laser measuring tools. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... Leica Geosystems' fifth generation Disto handheld laser distance measuring tools includes the Disto Lite (5), which is compact and lightweight and features an ergonomic keypad, and the Disto Classic (5) with built-in 2x telescopic viewer,...

Tool bag. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... The Veto Pro Pac tool bag's two vertical storage bays keep tools secure and allow for easier access. The bag features a single molded ergonomic grip, a molded polypropylene base, and pockets for holding a variety of hand tools. Rugged...

Air compressors. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... The Invector technology of Coleman Powermate's six new air compressors provides the oil- and maintenance-free benefits of a direct-drive system, but with a universal motor that requires only half the starting current of traditional induction...

Dump truck bed. (Product watch: keeping you on top of the latest tools and accessories).
March 1, 2003... The Load Hog dump truck option, available on new Chevy and GMC pickup trucks, features a pneumatic system that will tilt the truck bed to slide off heavy loads. The seamless, invisible system adds about 120 pounds to the vehicle's total weight....

Tool hounds: we just love tools. Is that a problem?(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Okay, so Tom Law has five or six hundred handsaws in his house. So what? At least he knows what to do with them, including how to make those gleaming handles without power tools--or sandpaper. Before Law became a custom builder, he worked...