When the Ridgid R84040 18-volt adhesive/caulk gun arrived at the office, my crew and I shared the same thought: Just because you can make something doesn't always mean you should. But while that adage applies to many things, our test proved the R84040 isn't one of them. It quickly earned our...
A pressure washer is one of those tools you don't really need until you really need it. It's the only way to manage the large amounts of mud that find their way off the site and onto your customers' driveways, sidewalks, and street. It's great for a range of other tasks, too, so it doesn't just...
I know what I want to be when I come back in my next life (assuming I've earned one)–a contractor. 'Why on Earth would you want to come back as something you have already been?' you might ask. Excellent question–very perceptive. Well, to be honest, contracting wasn't at the top of my list until a...
For most contractors, a pickup truck is more than just a method of getting from point A to point B. The work truck endures everything you throw at it–literally–serving as a storage facility, a work table, and a cargo hauler, all while making an aesthetic statement about you and your company. But if...
Step into Bostitch's nail research lab with Ed Sutt and Tom Stall and you'd think you were on the set of CSI. Immaculate countertops are loaded with high-tech testing equipment. Colored screens of micro-spectro-photo-whatchamacallits cast a glow on rows of beakers. But rather than solving...
There is nothing quite as dirty, dusty, and plain-old tough as demolition work, especially for breaking up concrete and masonry. The work is unpleasant enough for both the crew and the tools so we try to get it over with as quickly–and as painlessly–as possible. But here in New York City, a town...