A couple weeks ago we finally got the new Makita 12V Li-Ion trim saw in. Makita has been around in the 10.8V/12V Li-Ion category for a while now but they seem to really be treading lightly with this line. For the rest of this article, I’ll be calling it 12V as Makita has now switched over to the 12V stickers like everyone else.
Red Lithium is Milwaukee’s name for their new M12 (12V) Li-Ion batteries. Red Lithium means 40% longer run-time, 20% higher speed, 20% more torque, 50% more charge cycles per battery and much greater durability in cold weather.
In 1918, A.H. Peterson, a young well-known tool and die maker was asked by Henry Ford to create a lightweight drill for Fords automotive production lines. A.H. Peterson came back to him with the hole-shooter; a lightweight, high-powered and durable 1/4″ drill. This five pound drill would become the benchmark of all drills to follow. Up until that time, only the strongest ape men could use a “hand-held” drill as most were very heavy and cumbersome.
Continue reading “The history of the Milwaukee Hole Shooter”
Ever been out in the field working on some broken down piece of…machinery when your trusty screwdriver slips and strips out a screw? Now, if you’re like me, you left your easy-outs in your tool box back at the shop or at home and now you’re stuck there creating all kinds of interesting word combination’s.
Continue reading “Wera Kraftform 6pc Insulated Screwdriver Set”
The old saying, “time is money” rings true, especially in commercial plumbing. If you could save yourself 10 seconds on every fitting in a three-hundred suite apartment building project with over 120,000 fittings, that would mean a savings of 333 hours of labour for every building which amounts to between $10,000 to $15,000 in wages. Uponor, the creator of ProPEX has truly created a great product that saves a noticeable amount of money.
Continue reading “Milwaukee M12 ProPEX Plumbing Tool Kit (2432-22)”
There are three certains in this world: Death, taxes and that fact that every tool guy worth his salt needs a multi-tool. Following in the wake of the Fein Multimaster, companies like Bosch, Dremel, King Canada, Ridgid, and Rockwell were quick to react to Fein’s patent on the oscillating tool wearing out. Some went corded, some cordless, some high-end and some bargain basement. They all have their place, but let’s take a look at the advantages of each one we offer.
Continue reading “What you need to know when purchasing an oscillating tool”
We all thought that on March 12, 2010, the day that Stanley and Black & Decker Corporation merged, the landscape of the tool industry was changing in a very interesting and profound way. Black & Decker Corporation, the owner of DeWalt, Porter-Cable, Delta Machinery, DeVilbiss Air Power, Weiser locks and many other companies was in for something big. Stanley’s line-up of accessories and hand powered tools is a perfect pair for a company who is leading the market in power tools and woodworking machinery, making them the most well rounded company in the tool market.
Stanley Black & Decker has shockingly announced that it is selling its Delta Machinery division. TOTY, a Taiwanese company that currently produces many bench top tools and accessories for Stanley Black & Decker, Craftsman and Ryobi, will rename the company Delta Power Equipment. The new company will be headed up by Bryan Wiffen who you might know as the ex-vice president of Techtronic Industries (Milwaukee Power Tools, Rigid Power Tools and Ryobi).
About a year ago I was over at BCIT for a Ford Asset Program open house. The head instructor, Eric Fry, talked about a new program he was introduced to the previous week down in the US by Ford and Microsoft which pairs Ford vehicles and an in-truck computer system. This new integrated system has several facets, but the most interesting ones for our readers are what they call the Tool Link module and the Crew Chief module.
The Tool Link module developed in partnership with Ford and DeWalt gives your Ford Pickup the ability to keep track of an inventory of tools in your box so two things can happen: your tools never get left behind, and you have the right tools in your box for pre-defined jobs. For example, you’d never want to leave the shop to do a plumbing job without a Milwaukee Hole Hog and heaven forbid you forgot your tackle box when you go to your “business conference” aka, fishing trip weekend with the boys. Continue reading “Ford & Microsoft pair up to make your business more efficient”
Bosch’s new Axial-Glide miter saw (GCM12SD) is one of the most innovative products available in the tool industry. This is not the first miter saw designed around minimal rear clearance, but it is defiantly the first saw to completely remove the industry standard rail system. Hitachi does make a 12″ miter saw with a reversed rail system so instead of the rails being attached to the head, they are attached to the base which eliminates the need for room at the back of the saw for rail travel. Let’s also not forget Festool, who took a similar approach to Hitachi but then only made it available in a 10″ model. Bosch’s approach in creating a sealed bearing system has removed one of the major problem areas in a miter saw. Rails are prone to abrasive damage from particles as well as going out of alignment from day-to-day impact. The cast aluminum arm on this saw looks like it was fashioned out of a transformer’s arm. Not only does it have bulk on its side, it also has sealed bearings; no more rails to go out of alignment and no more rails that sound like nails on a chalkboard.
I had a chance recently to check out DeWalt’s new 12V Max line of Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) tools. DeWalt has been a bit gun shy in the 12V category for whatever reason but the long wait was definitely worth it. So far they have released seven tools and two combo kits. Here are a few attributes that all of the new 12V DeWalt tools share:
The Tool Corner 