If several thousand dollars for an IR camera isn't in this year's tool budget, consider an infrared thermometer like the Fluke 566.
For my money, small telescopic mirrors are among the most useful inspection tools out there.
One of the most important diagnostic tools in the building-forensics toolbox is an infrared camera.
Still using that curly steel fish tape? Try the sectional fiberglass rods now favored by electricians and telecom contractors.
Like many tradespeople, I'd always lusted for a shiny new work truck with utility-bed locking boxes.
There are few things more satisfying than scribing a piece of trim and having it fit perfectly on the first try. Porter-Cable's 371 belt sander should make such precision scribing a lot easier.
If you don't have the right tools, fishing wires can be the ultimate exercise in frustration.
There's a lot to like about Milwaukee's newest compact cordless drill, model 2601-22.
DeWalt says its new 18-volt nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries can endure 2,000 charging cycles.
A conventional-sized cordless drill is a bit much for tasks like installing cabinet doors and electrical devices; a better option would be a cordless screwdriver such as Metabo's palm-sized PowerGrip II.
Bug holes and honeycombing in your concrete work compromise strength and can lead to questions from inspectors.
Trade professionals often talk about 'the right tool for the job.' When it comes to cutting and bending rebar, Rod Chomper's hydraulically operated RCBE-6 is that tool.
Pulling out steel-form stakes isn't anyone's idea of fun, but a neat tool promises to make the job a little easier.
Paslode has given its new nailer — the PowerFramer 350S — a whole new design.
Hang fiber-cement siding by yourself and guarantee the right exposure with a pair of Siding Gauges from PacTool.
Protecting your hands from razor-sharp edges can be tough when you're cutting aluminum or steel siding with conventional aviation snips.
If a speed square is a framer's go-to layout tool, Malco's Sider is the equivalent for vinyl-siding installers.
Laying out anchor-bolt locations on a mudsill is quick and simple with the Bolt Marxster from Dude Tools.
Milwaukee's two new wormdrive saws — 6477-20 (with standard plug) and 6577-20 (with twist-lock plug) — feature 15-amp motors, 12-foot cords, rafter hooks, on-board wrench storage, magnesium housings, and sight glasses for checking the gear oil.
At just over 5 pounds and with adjustable depth-of-drive, the Senco SCN49 coil siding nailer accepts wire and plastic collated nails from 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches.
Getting through a 6x6 or a 4x4 with a 7 1/4-inch circ saw typically requires multiple passes, but with a Prazi Beam Cutter attached you can cut up to 12 inches in a single pass.
Last summer my internal clock for a new sliding compound miter saw went off, so I made a list of desired features and went shopping.
Fans of auto-locking tape measures should check out the 150th-anniversary version of Klein's 25-foot Tape Stop Power-Return Rule.
Anything that promises to speed up takeoffs and estimating deserves a look.
Available in 100-, 200-, and 300-foot versions, the Lufkin Pro Series Fiberglass Long Tape has three interchangeable end hooks.
Sized to fit in a shirt pocket, the Leica Disto D2 is the smallest distance meter available and the simplest to use, says the manufacturer.
Sold in sizes from 1/4 inch to 2 1/2 inches, Rover Bits from Bad Dog Tools are the only drill bits I know of that can make curving holes that turn a corner.
Designed for drilling sheet metal, Malco's Sheet Metal Double Ender drill bits are perfect for ductwork, metal flashing, and gutters.
Lenox's Diamond Hole Saw makes cutting holes in tile and stone for shower valves, faucets, and the like faster and easier.
When it comes to predrilling exotic hardwood or fiber-composite decking, the Smart-Bit is the best tool for the job.
On past remodeling projects I
Recently I tested two nailers introduced in 2008. In keeping with the trend toward more compact framing guns, the SN902XP is Senco's smallest, lightest framer yet. DeWalt's D51850, by contrast, is larger and heavier than any of the company's previous models.
Power trowels are great time-savers, but some tasks — like finishing slab edges and around penetrations — have always required a hand trowel.
Milwaukee's M12 Copper Tubing Cutter adjusts automatically to cut 3/8- to 1-inch-diameter K-, L-, and M-type copper.
Ridgid's new Quick-Acting Vises have a trigger that frees the jaws from the adjustment screw, allowing you to open or close them quickly to suit the task at hand.
If you haven't yet bought one of the new ultra-compact driver-drills or impact drivers, you can get both in Makita's two-piece 10.8-volt LCT203W combo kit.
Press-on plumbing fittings install fast, don't require a dry pipe, and make torches unnecessary.
Four-inch Dust Right vacuum nozzles connect to your dust-collection system, allowing you to spruce up your shop or job site without a broom.
Think of the Artillery Pry Bar System as a complete demolition arsenal: blades, fulcrums, and levers of various sizes — everything you need to make a customized pry bar to suit virtually any demo job.
The Metabo KHE 56 SDS-Max Rotary Hammer has vibration-dampening side and rear handles, a 14-amp motor, adjustable impact energy, electronic speed control, and a protective clutch.
Powered by an 18-volt lithium-ion battery, Makita's BHR202 SDS-Plus cordless rotary hammer is rated for making 15/16-inch holes in concrete.
Outside of a few drywall contractors, I've met few people who could accurately guide a drywall router freehand.
FastCaps' Pocket Chisel is protected by its own folding handle and is tough enough — according to the maker — to withstand hammer blows.
DeWalt's new Track Saws make it a lot easier to break down sheets of cabinet plywood or MDF.
I've never met a carpenter who didn't like his Fein MultiMaster, but I've met plenty who think Fein's prices — especially for accessories — are a little steep.
The self-leveling PLS5 point-to-point laser has been updated.
At roughly the size and capacity of a large twin stack but easier to move, Ridgid's OL50145MW 5-Gallon Mini Wheelbarrow Air Compressor features a cast-iron cylinder, an oil-lube pump, a 10-inch flat-free tire, a ball-valve tank drain, a protective roll cage, and two quick couplers.
The two-speed PS30 Compact Driver/Drill from Bosch delivers 220 inch-pounds of torque and 1,100 rpm — but weighs a mere 2 1/2 pounds.
I bought the Jet 708315BTC because I wanted to supplement my regular job-site table saw with a portable model.
Speed up your metalwork with a 371-B tinner's hammer from Stortz.
If your brand of contracting entails building wood forms, check out Vaughan's V5 steel-handle hammer.
Looking for a do-it-all demo tool that won't weigh you down? You're unlikely to find anything better — or more expensive — than the titanium TiBar from Stiletto Tools.
Salvaging material like board sheathing or wide-pine flooring involves pulling tons of nails.
On most kitchen cabinet installations, the mounting screws are inconspicuous and the client never notices them.
Earlier this year, I bought Stanley's FatMax laser measuring device — mostly because I liked its price.
As a remodeler who works mostly inside, I can generally reach whatever I need to from a 2-foot stepladder.
I recently bought a few pairs of NFK14 Duro Task Plus gloves from North Safety Products; they're quite comfortable.
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Falls are the No. 1 cause of accidental death for construction workers.
OSHA says you should drink a cup of water every 15 minutes when working in hot weather.
Cement-based tile backers are optimistically labeled 'score and snap,' but skinny and curving cuts can be difficult.
Few things are more frustrating than trying to drill through porcelain tile with conventional glass or masonry drill bits
The walls of a tub enclosure can be a bit of a stretch for standard 2- and 4-foot levels.
Looking for an ergonomic notched trowel? The Alpha Smart trowel has a rotating cushioned-grip handle for greater comfort and easier placement of setting materials.
What's the point of a 6 1/2-inch circular saw?
Phantom loads cost electric-utility customers $3 billion annually.
Few things are more irritating than having a power tool repeatedly come unplugged from an extension, or dealing with a knotted connection that keeps snagging on framing members or ladders.
Working outside in the winter usually means your extension cords will be about as supple as a frozen garden hose.
If you regularly cut high-pressure laminate, melamine, wood veneer, or acrylic sheet, Forrest's Duraline Thin-Rim blades promise reduced chipping and a better quality of cut.
Designed primarily for pruning and other fast cuts through wood, The Ugly recip-saw blade from Skil is perfect for trimming those overhanging limbs that get in the way while you're painting, siding, and roofing.
I've always found that Irwin's Marathon saw blades offer a good combination of value and performance.
As a remodeler, not a day goes by that I don't have to do some kind of plumb or level layout.
Sometimes setting up a jackhammer and a compressor takes longer than doing the actual work.
Imagine a self-propelled wheelbarrow with four-wheel stability that's fun to operate.
You could spend hours and hours with an iron rake and a wheelbarrow prepping the soil around your new spec house — or you could jump into a compact loader equipped with a Landscape Rake and do the job in a fraction of the time.
SawStop's innovative blade-stopping cabinet saw is popular with furniture makers and cabinetmakers for good reason:
When the original ProSite protractor was introduced several years ago, finish carpenters were delighted to discover a simple-to-use tool for measuring angles and determining miter-saw settings.
I had a chance to check out Bosch's new ROS20VS random-orbit sander at the Builders' Show.
Late last year Bosch introduced the Worksite Table Saw (model 4100), an improved version of its Benchtop Table Saw (model 4000).
Keep track of your cellphone, keys, multitool, notepad, and writing instruments with Riggs Workwear's Ripstop Utility Vest.
Glacier Tek's 5-pound Cool Vest contains cooling packs.
The DeWalt Concealer looks both functional and comfortable.
Subaru claims its Inverter generators are lighter and quieter than alternator-based models.
Milwaukee has entered the portable-generator market with four models ranging from 4,300 to 7,000 watts.
When the Stinger CH38 Cap Hammer came out, I bought two — even though I already owned a pneumatic cap stapler.