I never gave much thought to work gloves. They were just another part of my work gear. And I'm a tightwad, so most of the gloves I've purchased over the years fall into the 'disposable' category. So when Tools of the Trade gave me the opportunity to review the latest and greatest gloves on the...
In Australia, a Ute is a pickup truck, but they don't look like our pickups,' says Randy Cryer, who lived there for a time and discovered that most Australians drive trucks with shiny, all-aluminum aftermarket pickup beds instead of 'factory tubs.'
As a young counter hand in a Sheffield, England, tool shop just after World War II, Ken Hawley probably never dreamed that he would someday possess one of the largest and most historically significant tool collections in Great Britain. But when I met him nearly 60 years later, he was busy...
The latest tools and accessories.
I first discovered 23-gauge pin nailers when I was looking for a way to quickly attach small moldings after I found that 18-gauge brad nails, the standard for attaching small wood trim, would consistently split the material. At the time of my first purchase–about a decade ago–pin nailers shot a...
As a self-employed contractor in New England for nearly 30 years, I've relied on rotary hammers for as long as I've been in business. As a concrete foundation contractor, I've used them to drill holes for placing rebar into existing foundations to tie into a new pour, and occasionally on new...
As a professional wood carver, I've had a 4-1/2-inch or 5-inch angle grinder with a carving disc attachment in my hands for six to eight hours a day for the last eight years. Speed, power, and dependability are all important to my productivity (as my wife and I say, 'If I don't carve, we starve.').
I rely on routers for multiple tasks in my snowboard manufacturing shop; around here, they really get a workout. I recently tested Milwaukee's new 2-1/4-hp router combo kit in different stages of wood core production. With the fixed base, I template-cut wood cores, running the machine for hours at...
I'm always tremendously skeptical about a tool that claims to 'change how work is done' as Festool does for its plunge-cutting 8-1/4-inch, 13-amp TS 75 EQ circular saw system. But after testing the TS 75 EQ, the company's newest and largest saw, I believe every word of it.
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The Power Tool Institute offers a number of educational articles on its Web site promoting safe use of a variety of power tools, including circ saws, table saws, routers, and jigsaws. In addition, PTI offers a number of tool-safety brochures and videos.
Grip-Rite says its 16D mini palm nailer offers the performance of a pro tool but in a compact package that's one-third the size and weight of traditional palm nailers. The GRTMP16 drives up to 16D nails up to 3-1/2 inches long at 70?110-psi operating pressure. It features a magnetic nose to hold...
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It only takes one glance to notice that Blåkläder workwear is a bit different. But beyond its distinctive styling, Blåkläder clothes offer standout functionality and durability, says this Swedish manufacturer that recently brought its 48-year-old brand to the U.S. The company describes its products...