Tools of the Trade articles from March 2005

Tools of the Trade archives from March 2005

Quality is your choice.(Editor's Note)
March 1, 2005... Sometimes when I look at the pressures encroaching on jobsite performance, I wonder how construction crews and their companies can even come close to succeeding. It's no wonder that quality levels can come into question: Time constraints,...

On location: seen and heard at the international builders' Show and world of concrete.(Takeoffs: the buzz from the biz)
March 1, 2005... Here are just a few of the products and trends that caught our attention: At the Builders' Show, Milwaukee's booth was crowded with product specialists from other tool companies checking out the new V28 line of 28-volt lithium-ion cordless...

By the numbers.(Takeoffs: the buzz from the biz)
March 1, 2005... 104,922 Record-breaking number of attendees at this year's International Builders' Show. .7 Record-breaking time, in seconds, it took Frank Oborny to pound three nails in a qualifying round of Stanley's National Nail Driving...

Tool tracks.(Takeoffs: the buzz from the biz)
March 1, 2005... Rock out with our tool-nutty friends from Berland's House of Tools and them new CD The Songs of Tool TV, greatest nits taken from 10 years of owner Dwight Sherman's Chicago-area TV show. There's something for everyone on this tool-themed CD,...

Worth repeating.(Takeoffs: the buzz from the biz)
March 1, 2005... "THIS SORT OF MAKES ME THINK ABOUT CHANGING JOBS."--COLORADO CONTRACTOR PATRICK LAWLER, AFTER HAVING AN ERRANT NAIL REMOVED FROM HIS HEAD.

Pencil it in.(Takeoffs: the buzz from the biz)
March 1, 2005... Hnaley Wood's JLC Live! May 3-6 Anaheim, Calif. 800-261-7769 www.jlclive.com National Hardware Show May 17-19 Las Vegas 88-425-9377 www.nationalhardwareshow.com

We have a winner!(Site Commander)
March 1, 2005... Mark Latham, a Durango, Colo., toolnut and devoted TOOLS OF THE TRADE reader, picked up the keys to the 2004 Site Commander after being selected as the Grand Prize winner from more than 52,000 entries. Hilti vice president Michael Schoeb...

Lend a hammer: Vermont American and VFW partner to meet unmet needs.(Giving Back)
March 1, 2005... Looking for ways to help lift some of the burden off our country's military families? Bits and blades manufacturer Vermont American and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have created Unmet Needs, a non-profit program that supports the needs of...

Saw blades.(Hot Finds)
March 1, 2005... The T3 titanium coating on Ridgid's new line of thin-kerf, carbide saw blades protects the blades from heat and corrosion, thereby maximizing tool performance and extending cutting life, the maker says. In addition, the blades feature a...

Flashlights.(Hot Finds)
March 1, 2005... The Stanley MaxLife 369 LED flashlight utilizes parallel energy cell technology along with six bright-white solid-state LEDs to provide more than 200 hours of continuous run-time. The flashlight allows users to regulate run-time, while still...

Language aids.(Hot Finds)
March 1, 2005... Spanish-In-A-Pinch cards from 2nd Language Success provide a quick, easy-to-follow reference for English-to-Spanish translation of common construction words and phrases. A variety of cards are available for various construction trades,...

Cordless breakthrough: Milwaukee launches 28-volt tools with lithium-ion battery technology.(Products)
March 1, 2005... We haven't seen much lately about the cordless race for higher voltage, since tool companies started realizing what contractors have known for years: If you're going to work with a cordless tool all day, 18 volts gets the job done--but 24-volt...

Storage solution: Knaack's design software makes it easy to build your ideal work van.(Products)
March 1, 2005... Buying a work van just got a lot more efficient--and fun. Knaack Mfg., maker of Weather Guard truck and van equipment, now offers Vehicle Solutions. a software tool that makes it easy for buyers to select van storage and options and to see...

Stopping power.(Products)
March 1, 2005... We were the first to tell you about SawStop blade brakes, the incredible invention that senses the moisture in human skin and electronically stops the blade before it can do serious damage. Now inventor Steve Gass is producing his own table...

Flash point: a 10-step program for window installation.(Window Installation/Blueprints For Success)
March 1, 2005... Before I became a field-training consultant for builders, I was a builder and remodeler. Even then, long before mold was a hot topic, it bothered me how many different methods were used to install windows. Stucco guys did it one way, East...

Plan of attack: use the plans to start fast and avoid problems.(SiteLines: dispatches from the field)
March 1, 2005... Coordinating crews, materials, products, and information is a full-time job. On top of that, of course, you also have to actually build the house. Because putting together all the pieces of the custom homes and additions we build is so...

Quality check: here's how the best home builders maintain speed and quality.
March 1, 2005... Building a high-quality house has never been easy. But with houses that are required to perform better than ever before combined with ravenous demand and a shifting labor market, it's harder than ever to please customers, go fast, and keep the...

Ahead of the curve: the cordless jigsaw category is open for business. We compared five models for power, performance, and convenience.(Tool test: cordless jigsaws)
March 1, 2005... Eight years ago, I tested one of the first cordless jigsaws to hit the market, and it was awful! It had the power of a dull handsaw and the maneuverability of a concrete block. Needless to say, I kept my faithful old jigsaw--cord and all--on...

Blade runners: eleven utility knives loaded with smart designs and new features.(Tool test: utility knives)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... When I staged in construction, I pilfered a bunch of tools from my father, among them his old-fixed blade utility knife. After about six months, the blade made its way through the bottom of my leather tool pouch and into my leg. (I guess I...

Totally pumped: air tools don't just belong in your merchandise garage--some of them can make your shops and jobsites run smoother, too. And they're often lighter, tougher, and less expensive than their electric cousins.
March 1, 2005... Almost everyone uses pneumatic nailers, but when it comes to power-hungry jobs other than nailing, most builders plug their tools into the nearest electrical outlet. But there's an alternative: Instead of plugging into the electric grid, you...

Drill/driver.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... The DS18DMR 18-volt cordless drill/driver from Hitachi delivers 550 inch-pounds of torque and features a two-speed transmission with no-load rpm of 0-400/1,600, two-piece rare earth magnet motor for reliable power, replaceable armatures,...

Cut-out tool.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... The DC550KA 18-volt cordless cut-out tool from DeWalt can be used for a range of applications, including recessed lighting, cabinet installation, and sprinkler hole cut-out. The tool features a 26,000-rpm motor and tool-free bit changing. It...

Hammerdrill.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... Complementing Hilti's 36-volt rotary hammer, the TE 2-A 24-volt electropneumatic hammerdrill has an optimal drilling range of 3/16- to 3/8-inch holes in concrete, but also has the capacity for up to 1/2-inch holes in wood, 3/8 inch in steel,...

Impact drivers.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... The Impactor line of fastening drivers from Bosch includes 9.6-, 12-, and 14.4-volt models. The tools measure 6 1/2 inches long and weigh less than 4 pounds, yet deliver twice as much torque as standard drill/drivers, the company says. The...

Hammerdrill.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... Metabo's SBP 19 Plus 18-volt hammerdrill features a larger motor with higher torque and 20 percent more power than the company's previous model. The tool features a 1/2-inch keyless chuck, two-speed gearbox, five torque settings, Variospeed...

Circular saw.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... Ridgid's R845 18-volt circ saw has a powerful motor and double reduction gearing for consistent, high levels of torque for hard materials; high-visibility scales and a 0 to 50-degree bevel scale increase accuracy. The tool can cut a 45-degree...

Cordless tools.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... Makita is introducing the MXT Series, which includes an 18-volt 1/2-inch hammerdrill/driver, 18-volt 1/2-inch drill/driver, 18-volt combo kit, and a 14.4-volt 1/2-inch drill/driver. The 18-volt 1/2-inch hammerdrill/driver shown here, model...

Band saw.(Product focus: cordless tools)
March 1, 2005... Part of Milwaukee's new 28-volt cordless tool line, the V28 cordless band saw features a 28-volt Milwaukee high-power motor that the company says cuts as fast as the corded version; the tool can make more than 200 cuts of 1-inch conduit per...

Dual-component dispenser.(New Products)
March 1, 2005... Designed to replace air tools and hand tools for applying two-component adhesives, the PowerPush 7000 battery-operated dual-component dispenser from Meritool mixes and dispenses two-part epoxies efficiently and accurately while virtually...

Utility knife.(New Products)
March 1, 2005... Offering two tools in one, this Ideal Industries knife includes a traditional utility. knife, as well as a 3 1/4-inch stainless steel serrated knife that folds into the opposite end of the handle. The utility knife, which has a 15/16-inch...

No problem: Ed Williams, Great American Carpentry Co., Dallas.
March 1, 2005... Ed Williams is a one-of-a-kind carpenter who does one-of-a-kind work in one-of-a-kind houses near Dallas. His business, the Great American Carpentry Co., is a full-dress cabinet shop and 24-man custom trim crew. But his real job...