Tools of the Trade articles from September 2004

Tools of the Trade archives from September 2004

Control your schedule.(Editor's Note)
September 1, 2004... One of the toughest aspects of running a construction company of any size is integrating the work in the field with the management in the office. Planning and scheduling can make the difference between smooth productivity and people lining up...

Headed for trouble?(Mail call: readers sound off)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Your SSSmokin' article has me wondering if soon I'll not be able to find a straight, flat pine board. If trends continue with the "big box" stores opening a new store every other day, every quality lumberyard we pros use will be out of...

Omission.(Mail call: readers sound off)(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2004... In our July/August jigsaw Tool Test ("Curve Appeal," page 62) we inadvertently left out Festool's Trion jigsaw from the group. We regret the error. The PSB 300 orbital jigsaw runs between 1,000 and 2,900 spm and has a patented three-way...

Black & Decker buys Pentair's Tools Group: deal includes Porter-Cable, Delta, and Devilbiss brands.(News)
September 1, 2004... Black & Decker, the parent company of DeWalt and a number of other power tool and home improvement brands, announced on July 19 that it is acquiring the Tools Group from Pentair for $775 million in cash. The purchase includes the Porter-Cable,...

Freedom of choice: Milwaukee's build your own combo kit gives tool users more flexibility and options.(Products)
September 1, 2004... If you've never liked the term "one-size-fits-all," you're in luck. Milwaukee is banking on contractors' desire to personalize their tools with a new tool-buying option, "Build Your Own Combo Kit," which allows you to customize the company's...

Utility knife.(Hot Finds)
September 1, 2004... The Lenox Gold bi-metal utility knife blade combines the strength of bi-metal construction--in which two pieces of steel are welded together to provide a flexible spring steel backing that allows the blade to bend without breaking--with a...

Jobsite protractor.(Hot Finds)
September 1, 2004... The ProSite Protractor makes quick work of miter cut calculations. The aluminum tool features two scales: a red scale and arrow show the angle of the miter joint, while the black scale and arrows show the angle to fit a single workplace to an...

Service minded: Ridgid's new power tool warranty extends service period.(Warranties)
September 1, 2004... Ridgid has announced a new three-year service warranty that provides free service and parts for repairs needed as a result of normal wear, including batteries. In addition to extended service, the Ridgid warranty includes a three-year guarantee...

Safety kit.(Hot Finds)
September 1, 2004... You can keep yourself and your employees safety-minded from day one with the Safetypaq, an all-in-one personal safety starter kit. The kit includes stylish form-fitting safety glasses; earplugs that are soft. pliable, and comfortable and come...

Cordless finish nailer.(Hot Finds)
September 1, 2004... DeWalt enters the cordless nailer market with a 16-gauge finish nailer that runs off of the company's XRP battery system in 12, 14.4, or 18 volts and does not require a fuel cell. The company says the unit works as fast as the user, with a...

House detective: moisture meters sniff out trouble before it grows.(SiteLines: dispatches from the field)
September 1, 2004... I built homes for 15 years before closing up shop to focus on remediating moisture and mold incursion problems. While I have specialized moisture meters to cover every situation I face, I use two types of meters the most--surface and pin--and...

Ridgid TS3650: a lot of saw for your money.(First Test)
September 1, 2004... Ridgid's TS3650 10-inch contractor saw caught our attention right out of the box. The castings for the heavy iron parts are very high quality and the extruded aluminum rails and fence seemed sturdy and promising. The instruction manual is...

Trim tricks: measure once, cut once.(SiteLines: dispatches from the field)
September 1, 2004... Production speed for trimming may sound contradictory to some, but it's not--speed is good. The trick is setting up a good cut room, measuring properly, and coping inside corners. Here's how we make trim fly. STEP 1: CUT ROOM & MATERIAL...

Got mold? Choosing the right exterior details and installation techniques to avoid moisture and mold problems has become a science. Take control and reduce your risks with these first steps.
September 1, 2004... While mold often appears in buildings as a musty smell, it might as well show up wearing a lawsuit. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2002 U.S. insurers paid $3 billion in mold-related claims--more than double the $1.3...

Totally tough: slick and fast powder actuated tools provide the power for working in the concrete jungle.(Tool test: semi-automatic powder actuated tools)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... My grandfather taught me something a long time ago: A good tool will pay for itself many times over. While that's true for almost every tool I own, it goes double for powder actuated tools, or PATs, as they're known. We use PATs to fasten...

Close-quarter drills: you may not use compact drills every day, but they come through when you need to get out of tight jams.(Tool Test: compact drills)
September 1, 2004... Whether I'm snaking PEX and Cat 5e through a remodel or setting drawer runners on a custom built-in, I often find myself in tight spaces and dark places reaching for a drill Often, my drill/drivers either don't fit or won't line up at the...

Why buy that? Having trouble choosing between tools? You're not alone. Here are some tips you can use next time you have to make a choice.
September 1, 2004... Walking into a tool store and standing in the middle of a square mile of tools and equipment, it's hard enough to remember why you came in--let alone figure out what you should walk out with. Tool buyers now have so many choices between brands...

Laser level. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... Part of Johnson Level & Tool's HotShot line of laser levels, the Sound & Light laser level combines an extruded aluminum box beam level with a high-visibility indoor/outdoor laser beam. The tool features LED light signals and an audible tone...

Modular laser level. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... The LaserVision Qube System from Zircon features 11/a-inch-square modular laser cubes ("Qubes") that snap magnetically to an auto-leveling base and to each other at square angles to generate laser lines or dots wherever horizontal and vertical...

Laser level: designed as an entry-level laser level, the Spectra Precision Laser HV201 from Trimble is a horizontal and vertical laser with fully automatic self-leveling setup. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... Designed as an entry-level laser level, the Spectra Precision Laser HV201 from Trimble is a horizontal and vertical laser with fully automatic self-leveling setup. The unit's visible beam can be directed or rotated at four preset speeds. The...

Plumb bob laser. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... The DeWalt DW082K plumb bob laser self-levels and finds plumb in seconds with no vials or knobs to adjust, the maker says. It features one-button operation, a bright dot with a faint crosshair, and an accuracy of [+ or -] 1/8 inch per 50 feet....

Laser level/stud finder. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... Stanley's IntelliLaser Pro Laser Line Level/Stud Finder operates as a level, stud finder, and laser layout tool. As a laser layout tool, the tool features a 20-loot laser line and is push-button activated, pivots every 45 degrees up to 180...

Laser level: the PM 24 laser level combines a rugged body with a size that is more compact and lightweight than similar positioning systems, says the maker. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... The PM 24 laser level combines a rugged body with a size that is more compact and lightweight than similar positioning systems, says the maker. Hilti. The self-leveling unit features increased damping that allows it to stabilize faster for...

Laser distance meter. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... Stabila's LE 100 laser distance measuring kit features single-button operation for lengths, area, volume, feet/inches, fractions, decimals, and metric. It features a built-in calculator, large backlit display, automatic shut-off, target plate,...

Laser sensor. (Product focus: laser tools).
September 1, 2004... The Rod-Eye Classic handheld laser sensor from Leica Geosystems features accurate sensing bands and ease of use to help increase productivity on the jobsite, the company says. The tool features an LCD on the front and back, and it has a working...

Adhesive application guide. (New Products).
September 1, 2004... New from the Reality Group, FastGuide attaches to a construction adhesive tube to help guide the adhesive bead neatly along the center of a 2x4 or joist, speeding up installation, maximizing adhesive performance, and reducing cleanup time, the...

Tool bag. (New Products).
September 1, 2004... New from Custom LeatherCraft, the 1538 27 pocket, 10 inch triple zippered tool carrier features 18 multi-use exterior pockets and nine interior pockets for holding a variety of hand tools. Large side pockets include loops for large band]e tools...

Generators. (New Products).
September 1, 2004... The i-Pro line of generators from Honda Power Equipment features inverter technology that reduces weight and size by 33 percent and features the EcoThrottle load-dependent throttle system that reduces noise and emissions with up to a 30 percent...

Masonry saw. (New Products).
September 1, 2004... The Multiquip MP3 masonry saw's handle is positioned so that there is an unobstructed view of the work surface during all cutting operations, improving safety and accuracy, the maker says. Tim saw is suitable for wet and dry cut ring and can be...

This is only a test.(ToolHounds: we just love tools. Is that a problem?)
September 1, 2004... Dr. Bill Bell is a saw blade's worst nightmare. As the lead product-testing engineer for Irwin Industrial Tools, Bell is a self-described "torture tester:' And there's no brand loyalty involved in these search-and-destroy operations; the...