The one question we receive over and over is , “Are Cheap power tools or power tool accessories worth buying?”.  As a quick answer, yes they are worth every penny if all your doing is lending your power tool accessories to your neighbors or father-in-law.  No, if you are using them day in and day out.  Now, why it is true most of the time you get what you pay for, sometimes it doesn’t always apply.  Take for instance, say your going to sand some plaster walls and prep them for a fresh coat of paint.  Do you really want to use your premium Porter Cable hand sander or do you want to use that Porter Cable sander for your nice woodworking projects.  If you know you are going to beat up a tool such as in the above example, then maybe you might want to get a cheap $10 sander that will get the job done and then you might have to throw away because it breaks.  Well, the same is true with power tool accessories.

As with the brand name accessories, yes you do pay more or a premium because of the name, but most of the time you also get a better quality of accessory.  If you don’t follow us that much and just started to hear about us, take some time and read our article on cheap vs professional tools so you understand our point of view on saving money.  Now you may be asking yourself, “Isn’t a saw blade just a saw blade or a drill bit just a drill bit?”  Technically speaking, yes.  But there is far more to the subject than technically speaking.  With cheaper power tool accessories, not as much thought or structure goes into making a good quality accessory.  Sometimes we have seen wrong angles on reciprocating saw blades, sometimes the drill bits don’t have the right cutting angle and sometimes the materials are just not as good as the professional tool accessories. 

 If you have an inferior accessory, it can cause a lot of problems.  First, the job might take longer because you are replacing blades or other accessories more often and in the long run this actually cost more.  Another problem is putting more wear and tear on your power tools.  Because the accessory is not working to its maximum capacity, the way a professional accessory should, the tool has to do more work, which means more heat, which means a shorter life of the tool.

Now we could go on and on about professional power tool accessories, but we hope you get our point.  So, remember if you have a neighbor who wants to borrow some accessories and you know they will end up wrecking your tools, pass along the cheaper accessories and leave the professional ones for yourself.

If you are a homeowner, Hilti may not mean anything to you, but for a professional, Hilti means quality.  Hilti power toolsare some of the best on the market and while they cost more, they are worth it in the long run.  Hilti continues to stay at the top of the construction industry game by offering high quality tools and innovative solutions for their users.  The new SD 5000 AA22 cordless drywall screwdriver is no different.

What is great about this tool, besides it being a Hilti, is the option to drive single screws. In addition, the user can attach a SMD 57 magazine head making it ready for collated screws.  The one thing Hilti understands is the worker.  All their tools are designed for the construction worker working 12 hour days.  They take pride in designing a well balanced power tool, and we are sure the Hilti SD 5000-A22 Cordless Screw Gun is no different.  This screw gun is powered by a 22V Lithium battery.  Hence the name, 5000, it has an RPM of 5000. It uses a two finger trigger switch to operate. 

All these features make it great for any drywaller on the jobsite.  Great for fastening drywall panels to metal or wood studs or fastening drywall track.

Have you had experience with this cordless screwdriver?  If so let us know what you think.

Milwaukee introduced their new 3/8″ drill.  There are a lot of corded drills to choose from, but Milwaukee has one of the best line ups.  Hilti makes a lot of great drills, but the Milwaukee drills are right up there.  The new 3/8″ drill model number 0240-20 is a powerful 8 amp drill.  The drill has an all metal jampot gear case which makes this a tough drill, even for the most abusive workplaces.  Most drills this size use a clamshell plastic case, so we were happy to see Milwaukee provide added protection for the gears. 

The drill is ideal for smaller applications and is a variable speed at 0-2800 rpm.  This drill uses a two finger switch to help prevent fatigue for the user.  The chuck is an all metal keyless chuck making it very easy to change bits on the go.  As you can see by the picture, the handle grip is a soft grip giving the user greater control. 

The cord length is 8′ which is pretty good.  We usually like a 10′ cord length so when you are using a tool on a ceiling, your not fighting the extra little weight where the tool is plugged into an extension cord.  Surprisingly, this drill only weights 4.25 lbs. 

If anyone has any experience with this Milwaukee drill, we would like to hear from you.  What you like, what you don’t like.

Bostitch Mini Impact Nailer Overview

The Stanley Bostitch PN50 Mini Impact Nailer turns out to be a neat little tool to speed up getting nail jobs done quick! This impact nailer drives most all common bulk finish, framing and timber nails with ease and effectiveness.

The basic features of the Stanley Bostitch PN50 Mini Impact Nailer Include:

1. A rubber grip designed to insulate and reduce vibration, making it easy for extended use on a variety of projects.
2. A very light weight, only 1 pound.
3. 360 degree swivel air fitting for maximum accessibility, making it very easy to do all sorts of jobs in tight places, or at less than accommodating angles.

This neat little tool can be used on Joist hangers, Metal Connectors, and many other applications to shorten up project time and effort. It is really helpful when trying to drive nails in confined areas when a hammer or regular nail gun just doesn’t cut it.

Bostitch Mini Impact Nailer Review

The first thing we noticed when we used this nailer was how nicely it fit in our hands.  We have used some other nailers like this palm nailer, but it always seemed like the tool wasn’t designed around a human’s hand.  Whether you are wearing gloves or not, this fit is very nice.  However, we would suggest always using gloves when using power tools.  Bostitch has a nice rubberized grip around the top of the nailer, so even with gloves you can easily grip this power tool.  Another great feature was the air flow.  The airflow is directed away from the user, which most nailers are.  The one downside, but not that big of deal, is you can’t adjust where the airflow is exhausted, so if you are working in tight spots, you might get some air pushed back towards you which means deb re or smaller particles comes back at you also.  Attaching the air hose from the compressor to the tool was easy, as with most air nailers.  One great feature is the swivel connector that comes on the nailer.  This just allows for more freedom of movement with the nailer.  This tool uses 80 to 100 PSI, so make sure your compressor is set there before you start nailing.

Even for a tool novice, the Stanley Bostitch PN50 Impact Nailer is a breeze to use, it grips well and fits good right in the hand, no vibrations! I just attached the air hose to the nailer, guided the nail into a easy to use magnetic opening, and went to work!

You can see on the video that the nailer was a breeze to use.  This nailer just drove nails right into a 2″x 4″ with no problems whatsoever.  The one nice thing we noticed is that we didn’t have to apply a lot of pressure to the tool, it did all the work.  All we had to do is guide the nailer.  You can get as flush to the wood as you would like.

Really, there isn’t much more to say, except that you can use this tool for as long as you need to work, with no fatigue whatsoever. We did use the tool again after the video review to help put together some support planks for my daughter’s high school home coming float. Man, I felt like a pro! It got the job done in spots where a hammer wouldn’t have worked, and in a lot less time. The swivel hose attachment really made a difference too!

Final thoughts on the Bostitch Mini Impact Nailer

The Stanley Bostitch PN50 Mini Impact Nailer gets a thumbs up from us.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional or novice weekend warrior, this tool is very easy to use and guides a nail into place. 

More information on the Bostitch Mini Impact Nailer

You can see more information on the Bostitch Mini Impact Nailer at Bostitch Nailer

You can buy the Dewalt Nailer and other Dewalt products at Tylertool.com

Milwaukee introduced its new jobsite radio.  Most of the major manufacturers have a jobsite radio, but they all seem to be lacking one thing or another, such as it doesn’t charge the batteries while plugged in and playing or a variety of other things.  Now we don’t know everything about this new radio, but it does seem to take things in the right direction.

The new Milwaukee radio, model number 2790-20, has 10 presets for FM and 10 presets for AM.  By the looks of it, this radio puts out some serious power, which helps in noisy environments.  This radio has 2 4″ polypropylene woofers and 1″ tweeters.  It  also carries a digital amp.  Now we are not sure if this radio charges the batteries while it is plugged in, but you can power this using Milwaukee’s 12V-28V batteries, including the M-series, V-series and NiCad.

While some radios we have tested have poor reception in certain areas, the Milwaukee uses a digital processor to improve signal quality.  As you can see by the picture, this radio has a shock absorbing ABS polymer case and steel construction to help protect against drops.  Not only does this protect against drop and knocks, it also protects the internal compartment from weather.  How much protection, well we’re not sure.  However, it does have a sealed MP3 compartment to protect some of your smaller electronics. 

The radio also has a customizable EQ, plus get this, a bottle opener.   The weight of this radio is 17.5lbs.  If anyone has used this radio before, let us know what your experience has been.  Plus let us know if this recharges the batteries on the fly.

     

Buck Knife  Overview

Having a great quality knife on your side is an essential part of everyone’s tool box.  Whether you need to cut rope or thousands of other materials, a knife always comes in handy.  Knives date back to our ancient ancestors when they sharpened stones and used them as knives, so as you know a knife is nothing new.  As time has gone on more and more manufacturers have come out of the woodwork to create their own version of a knife.  Some have been great and some are just cheap junk.  If you ask someone who makes one of the best knives on the market, you will no doubt have people say the Buck Knife.  One of the reasons is Buck knife has been creating quality knives for over 100 years, so they know what they are doing.  You might think isn’t a knife just a knife?  Well yes it is, but there is more to it than that.  There is a lot that goes into a design of a knife such as quality of materials, ergonomics and more.  You want a knife to be very sturdy to withstand a battery of abuse, but you don’t want it too heavy where you don’t have control over your cuts.  You want a knife to hold its sharpness, which Buck Knife does.

As we noted the Buck knife has been around for a long time.  They make some of the best knives on the market and they know it, that’s why they offer a forever warranty with their knives.  Yes a forever warranty.  If something breaks due to their craftsmanship, they will repair or replace at their own expense.  Now with that said, lets take a closer look at one of their workhorse knives, the Buck Knife 110 folding Hunters knife model 0110brs-b.  We say this is a workhorse because it is.  This knife was first developed in 1962 and you have probably seen your grandfather wearing this knife on his belt, it has withstood the test of time.

This Buck knife is a folding knife and the blade is 3 3/4″ made from 420HC Stainless Steel.  When the blade is closed the overall length is 4 7/8″.  The weight of this knife is 7.2 oz.  This version also comes with a black leather carrying case.

 The Buck Knife Review

 As with some reviews, there is not a lot to show or talk about in a review especially since it is just a knife and designed to cut.  However there are always some pretty important things to consider or take a closer look at when reviewing a knife.  The first item is the weight of the knife.  Again it weights 7.2 oz which we feel is a great weight for a work knife.  Its not too heavy where you don’t have control over the knife, but it is not too light where it feels cheap and could break easy. 

With some cutting tools your hands are far away from the tool that is cutting, but not with a knife.  Your hand is pretty much right next to the knife blade and therefore can be dangerous.  So another important quality in a knife is feel and balance.  You need to have a knife where you have complete control over your knife and you don’t have to worry about your hand slipping and sliding onto the blade where you can cut your fingers.  The Buck tool has a very nice curve to the handle where your hand, all four fingers,  fits snugly onto the handle.  The handle is the right thickness where you can have your thumb on top of the knife for control.  This nice makes it easy to hold onto and control your cuts. 

The locking mechanism is also great on this knife.  Over the years we have seen some pretty sorry looking knives have chintzy locking mechanisms and we always wondered how they were allowed on the market.  The Buck uses a full locking mechanism that is embedded into the knife handle, so when it is locked, it will stay locked.  You will not have to worry about putting too much pressure on the blade, only for it to release from the lock position.  Once you unfold the blade and are close to the open position, you can feel the blade snap to the lock position, so you know it is secure.  We would always recommend you still check to make sure it is locked into place, just for safety reasons.

Final thoughts on the Buck Knife

 Overall this is a great quality knife.  It has been around for almost 50 years.  We have no problems recommending this to anyone looking for a quality knife.  The balance and design of the knife are nearly perfect.  The only thing we wish it had was a clip on the case instead of the belt loop.  But considering this was designed in the 60’s when everyone wore a belt, it makes perfect sense.  Plus we have to remember this is technically a hunting knife, so being in the woods, you don’t want a clip as a clip is not as secure as a belt loop. 

More information on the Buck Knife

You can see more information on the Buck Knife at Buck Knife 

You can buy this and other Buck Knives at Folding Buck Knifes.  

We were recently on a tool forum where the question was asked ” what is the difference between oil-free and oil-lubricated air compressors?” This is a good question so we decided to post what we consider to be a thorough answer!

Oil-free compressors have pumps that are directly linked to the motor. A teflon-coated cylinder sleeve and piston ring result in very little friction between the Teflon parts, eliminating the need for oil. Some advantages of oil-free design are no messy oil spills, cleaner output air and no maintenance except for intake air filter. The teflon piston ring and cylinder are easily and economically replaceable resulting in extended compressor life. Oil-free compressors are also lighter in weight.

Oil-lubricated compressors have pumps that use an aluminum crankcase and head for improved heat dissipation, cast iron cylinder sleeves, and automotive style pistons and compression rings. Some advantages of the lubricated design include aluminum components that are noncorrosive, lightweight and improve heat dissipation. Of course, this pump does require oil and some maintenance. There you have it, now the choice is yours!

There are many different types of air compressors. They vary in both size and the power they supply. Obviously the best way to determine what air compressor to use is based on the power requirements of the tools involved. The next step is to buy one that gives you a little more power than you need so you can purchase air tools in the future that may need a higher power level.

One common example is the rotary screw compressor. There are many different choices with this product line, but if you want a powerful one, you will have to spend some money, the cheaper ones are only good for putting air in your tires once in a while.

Don’t rate air compressors by Horsepower, as often the hp listed is an inflated number. Instead, look at the PSI, which stands for Pounds per Square Inch. In most cases, you will require 90 PSI for most air tools. However, an air compressor listed at 125 to 135 PSI will not run that air tool properly. This is because the PSI is the shut-off pressure, and even if an air compressor shuts off at 100 PSI, this does not take into account something called pressure loss in the line. Thus, to work at peak efficiency with 90 PSI tools, you should really consider a two stage pressure shut off compressor, one that shuts off the first stage at the 90 PSI, but the second stage won’t shut off until it reaches 175 PSI.

Another factor to take into account is the “cubic feet per minute” or CFM. Most air tools will require 4 to 6 CFM. At 90 PSI you will be getting 3 to 4 exact HP. CFM tells you how much air is being moved.

Tank size should also be taken into account. A regular pump and motor with a normal 30 gallon tank is usually fine if what you are doing only needs to use short bursts of air. But for heavy use, you are better off using a smaller tank with a significantly stronger motor and pump, with attentive consideration to the stored air in the tank.

Lastly, there are gas powered and electically powered compressors. If you know you will be working in an area without access to electricity, obviously the gas powered compressor is the way to go.

The nation’s construction industry should see modest gains next year, according to the WSJ. This could be due to a rise in single family houses, apartment buildings, and highways and bridges. The increase in these areas will offset drops in commercial and manufacturing property. New development in commercial construction will be dragged down by high unemployment and tight credit markets. 2009 was tough for construction, with the value of starts expected to plunge 25% to $419 Billion.

Next year, starts are expected to climb 115 to $466.s billion, according to McGraw-Hill. Construction starts indicate future construction spending and often correlate strongly with actual spending.

Single family housing should come in at $162.s billion, a 30% boost to 560,000 units, provided that mortgage rates remain low, the $8000.00 tax credit for first time buyers is extended and programs to ease the foreclosure crisis help homeowners, the survey states.

    

You may be asking yourself why are these clowns reviewing a $15 check out tool.  Well at first we were thinking the same thing.  We call this a check out tool because these are usually the tools you see next to the check out counter and buy on impulse.  They tend to be the gamble tools, sometimes they are very nice and other times you just toss them in the garbage.  Normally we don’t talk too much about check out tools because they are very inexpensive, but after seeing them and trying them, we had to give a shout out.   As you can see by the picture above, there are two tools included in this kit, a Knife and light.

These are two cool tools that you probably will not use everyday, but when you need them, they are handy to have around.  You can keep them in your pocket, in your truck or any other convenient place. 

The Gerber utility knife is 5″ when open and closed is 2 3/4″.  The blade locks in place for obvious safety reasons.  To change the standard utility blade all you need is a flat head screw driver and you pop a new one in place.  The handle is stainless steel, so it is rugged.  On the outside there is a clip that you can use to attach to your pocket or use as a money clip so you always have a blade at arms reach. 

 The flash light actually surprised us.  We all know how bright an LED light can be, but this 4 Lumens light is pretty bright and might even give the Mini Maglite a run for its money.  The light uses a single AAA battery and as with LED lights, it is a very nice white light.  On the back of the light, you have the option to attach this to your key chain

Final thoughts on the Gerber

 We usually don’t take up a $15 tool or even take time to write about it, but for this Gerber pack, we feel it deserves a closer look.  Christmas is coming up and this would make a great gift for the person you want to buy something for, but don’t want to spend a lot.  For the price, this is one of those cool little tools to have around. 

More information on any Gerber Product

You can see more information on Gerber products visit Gerber

You can buy the Gerber Value Pack and other Gerber products at Tylertool.com

Hitachi’s high powered HXP li-ion battery technology boasts it has reinvented the way the power tool world uses cordless power tools. It has three times longer run time, fade free power and almost half the weight of normal batteries. In fact, the HXP Li-ion Battery offers up to 40% less weight than standard Ni-Cd/Ni-Mh batteries.

The Hitachi Hxp Li-ion produces consistent power with no RPM slowdown, unlike traditional Ni-Mh/Ni-Cd and other competitive Li-ion batteries. Hitachi’s circuit technology in the HXP and universal charger prevents the battery from losing full power when in use and overheating when charging, ensuring a full charge each time.

They have a neat interchangeable HXP battery platform. HXP Li-ion batteries are exclusively designed to fit Hitachi’s line of DMR 14.4/18 volt cordless power tools, but also allowing users to upgrade their existing Hitachi 14.4/18 volt cordless with HXP Li-ion battery technology.

The HXP batteries are equipped with a current interruption detection system, thermal protector and an electronic switch to protect the battery against overcharge and discharge. HXP batteries have a low power dicharge while in storage, assuring that your tools will always be ready when you are! This battery package definitely carries a “powerful punch”

Milwaukee Electric Tool Company introduced its  new Lithium-Ion system with the new M12 XC High Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery. It has improved running time, better power and speed so as to provide up to 2 times the performance in M12 tools.

More demanding tools like the Hackzall and the 3/8″ Drill will see obvious benefits in performance. In addition, electronic tools like the M12 Radio and M-Spector will have double the run-time. At only 2-1/2″ wide and 3-1/2″ long, the M12 XC High capacity Lithium-Ion battery provides a durable and stable base for tools to stand upright. Rubber over-mold was also added for shock absorption and to protect finished surfaces from marring when tools are placed on them.

With the introduction of the new XC high performance Lithium-Ion battery and plans to grow the M12 cordless platform in the future, Milwaukee continues to expand its leadership position in the sub-compact category. The M12 platform will include over 20 tools by the end of 2009 that offer innovative solutions in power, productivity, and portability. Go Milwaukee!!

How are you supposed to know when it is time to replace aging roof shingles? The first thing to realize is replacing shingles depends on their overall condition, and not just their appearance, or just one or two leaks occasionally.

Asphalt shingles are the most common used on roofs. They are manufactured by saturating organic felt mats or Fiberglas mats with asphalt and then covering the top surface with little mineral speckles. The speckles give color to the shingles and also protect them from the sun. Most of these shingles have a life span of about 20 years. More specific life depends on weight and how much sun the shingles get. So southerly exposed roofs get more sun and therefore deteriorate the fastest on rooftops.

As shingles get old, they become brittle and their corners start to curl. This makes them vulnerable to wind damage to the point where they can blow away. Shingles can also get surface cracks and pitting when they start to lose their speckles, or granules. This can lead to mat exposure, and then leaks. The time to replace your roof shingles comes down to how much deterioration is detected, and to what extent, as discussed above. If over 25% to 30% of your roof shingles are deteriorated, then its probably time to replace your roof!

Makita announced two new additions to their power tool line up, the RP1800 and the RP2301 Routers.  The major difference between the routers is the RP2301FC is a variable speed router.  These two routers pack a powerful punch with a 15 amp motor that puts out 3-1/4 HP.  These are both a plunge router with a depth of 0″-2-3/4″.  For their plunge system they use a linear ball bearing which helps create a smooth plunge action.  As we noted the RP2301FC is a variable speed model which lets the user adjust the speed from 9,000 - 22,000 RPM’s.  This router uses an electronic speed control to help the tool stay at a constant speed.

Now we haven’t tested one of these routers, but by the looks of the router it has a rubberized handle.  A couple of other notable features are the shaft lock for easy bit change and the tool-less template guide system.  One item we were pleased to see is the built in chip deflector to help make working more safe for the user.  Each router will accept either a 1/4″ or 1/2″ shank bit. 

If anyone has any experience with either of these routers, we would love to hear what you have to say.

We were scanning the news world on power tools, (like we always do!!) and we happened to come across a great article by ” News Canada.” They recently wrote about the fact that using power tools can be more of an art than a science when tackling a new project.

Most of us never look at the settings of our drill or sander. Instead, we turn it on and just opt for the most power - assuming that will get the job done faster. But more power doesn’t always get the best results, and can cost you more time to fix the mistakes. We all know that a stripped screw or an over sanded project can leave us, quite literally, in the (saw) dust.

Size and speed do matter, as well as clutch and torque settings. The problem is that the standard numbered settings doesn’t explain how best to set the tool for specific projects. For example, when you want to drive a screw into 1/4″ plywood what gear should the drill be in and which torque level should you select? Or, if you would like to sand the dining room table for a fresh coat of stain, how can you set your sander to avoid deep scratches?

Black & Decker’s new generation of products with “Smart Select” technology might be the best solution for tools to use for the home handyperson trying to get the specific job done right!

Most do-it-yourselfers have to do alot of guessing when it comes to setting a tool for optimal performance on jobs. The “Smart Select” series eliminates the guess work.  Each tool has simple icons to select the appropiate application. Just set the tool to the icon that matches your task and the tool automatically selects the right settings to get the job done right.

Drilling a 1/2″ hole into metal, or a 7/8″ hole into wood? Simply line up the icon and voila you are using the tool like the pros. Both experienced and beginners will appreciate taking the guesswork out of projects at any level.

If this sounds like something for you or possibly a gift for your better half, go to www.blackanddecker.com and do a search on their site for the new line of “Smart Select” tools.