Tools of the Trade: Tool Tests

DeWalt DWV012 Dust Extractor

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:15:47 EST

This self-cleaning HEPA vacuum is designed to collect the fine dust produced by sanding drywall, demolishing plaster, and cutting, grinding, and drilling concrete.

FirstTest: Two-Handed Sanding

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:48:15 EST

Just after we completed our 5-inch random-orbit-sander tool test for the Winter issue, Makita announced the release of an updated model.

Tool Test: 5-inch Random-Orbit Sanders

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 03:50:32 EST

The workhorse sander for most tradesmen is the 5-inch-diameter random-orbit sander. Thanks to its ability to hog off stock with a coarse grit disk and leave a smooth, finished surface with a fine grit, this single tool has replaced the old progression of belt sander to half-sheet finish sander for many. It doesn't replace all sanders for all applications – but truth be told, it has replaced a lot of them over the past few decades.

2010 Editor's Choice: Ridgid R1005 Angle Grinder

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:37:53 EST

When we saw Ridgid's new R1005 angle grinder, it immediately struck us as an ergonomic solution to this category's age-old problem.

Stanley Sweetheart Socket Chisels and #92 Shoulder Plane

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:32:31 EST

Stanley is reviving its old Sweetheart branding yet again, this time for a line of bench chisels.

Lee Valley Tools Veritax Skew Block Plane

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:32:17 EST

Lee Valley Tools comes up with a lot of thoughtful designs, and its Veritas brand Skew Block Plane ($189) is no exception.

Kunz 5 Plus Jack Plane

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:26:21 EST

Kunz has a new premium plane line.

FirstTest: Lee Valley Plane Irons

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:44:19 EST

As with any edge tool, a hand plane's blade, or iron, is the key to its performance. Yet many people try to make due with their irons poorly tuned and sharpened. The irons on common planes usually need a significant amount of work before they will cut suitably, and then even more to cut really well.

First Test: Porter-Cable's High-Tech Sander

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:43:50 EST

Porter-Cable's new 390K 5-inch random orbit sander looks different because it is different. It is built around a new type of DC motor that Porter-Cable calls the EnduraTech. Besides not having brushes to replace, the motor has 71% fewer wear components, which should result in much longer tool life, according to the company. This DC motor also gives the sander more torque and a much shorter profile, much like the look and low-slung balance of pneumatic, random orbit sanders commonly used in manufacturing industries.

First Test: Metabo SE 12-115 Burnisher

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:27:39 EST

Metabo's SE 12-115 burnisher basically is a slow, variable-speed angle grinder with an extended spindle that fits accessory wheels up to 4-inches wide and 4 1/2-inches in diameter. A key on the spindle fits a groove in the wheels to provide a positive mechanical drive, and spacers of different widths are supplied for fitting wheels shorter than the spindle length. The tool body is held perpendicular to the direction of an angle grinder, and a large guard and handle assembly clamps to the head of the tool.

Portable Thickness Planers

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:27:42 EST

Whether you are setting up a woodworking shop or just need to dimension trim on a jobsite, a thickness planer is one of the first tools you should buy. Planers come in many sizes, however; the 24-inch width model we use in our shop weighs close to 700 pounds–not a real portable tool. Smaller 12- to 13-inch capacity planers have become popular as machines that can be used in the shop or taken out to a job. And while they won't replace a massive stationary shop planer for capacity or stability, these truly portable tools make quality wood planing available on the go or in smaller work spaces.

First Test: T-Drill T-35 Tee-Forming Tool

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:28:27 EST

A T-Drill is a unique, incredible plumber's tool that I've relied on to give me a competitive edge for nearly a decade, yet most people–including many plumbers–have never heard of it. So when I was asked to review the new T-35, I was eager to see what kind of improvements they made to this amazing tool.

Bosch and DeWalt Angle Grinders

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 01:42:56 EST

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.').

Portable Planers

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:28:09 EST

When I was working as a wooden boat builder, there were times that I couldn't tell where my hand ended and my portable planer began; no tool got used more. Since I've used these tools so much, I'm sensitive to their features and performance, and I take poor design and false promises about them almost as a personal insult. Several years ago I tested this category for Tools of the Trade, and when the editors said it was time to evaluate them once more, I thought it would be interesting to see what has changed. Once I got into the test, I realized that some of these new tools have really evolved.

Microplane Sanding Discs & Rasp Plane Blades

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:30:26 EST

The older I get, the less tolerant I am of certain things, and sanding wood tops my list. Choking on sawdust is bad enough, but there's also the tedium involved. So when a new product comes along that promises to make this work quicker and easier and less of a pain in the lungs, I'm eager to check it out. Microplane, a company known for its fast-working wood rasps and even food graters, recently introduced a line of similarly made stainless steel sanding discs for random-orbital sanders. I also took a look at the company's replacement blades for both sizes of Stanley Surform rasp planes.

Festool Joining System

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:27:59 EST

Festool's Domino isn't just a brand new type of joining tool; it's a whole new joining system. Based on mortise-and-tenon joinery, the Domino combines the qualities of biscuits and dowels with a stronger, self-aligning joint. A loose tenon of solid beech called a Domino fits into a slot cut by the tool, saving the time and labor of cutting out exacting tenons, especially on tricky mitered or beveled joints. Five sizes of Domino tenons are available from 3/16 by 1-1/8 inch to 3/8 by 11-5/16 inch, and the smallest can be used on the end of a piece of stock as small as 5/8 by 7/8 inch.

New Tools, Hands On

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 01:43:18 EST

In my snowboard manufacturing shop, we use a circular saw primarily for cross-cutting hardwood lumber to rough lengths prior to laminating it into blocks. This operation is all about speed. With thousands of feet of lumber in 16-foot lengths delivered at once, we really need to move through the stacks to keep up production; we gang-cut the material about 1-3/4 inch deep while it's still in a stack. When the Ridgid Fuego 6-1/2-inch compact framing saw was introduced boasting a lighter weight and a dramatic increase in cutting speed, I knew I had to test its claims myself. I was pleased to find that compared to my 7-1/4-inch saw, the Fuego cut through poplar and ash like it was on fire while its lighter weight virtually eliminated my arm fatigue.