Patrick
McCombe
Tired of
wrestling a 100-pound wheelbarrow compressor out of your pickup
every day? Switch to a truck-mounted version. The Maxus EX8006
packs
a 30-gallon tank, an electric start, and a 13-hp Honda GX
engine. Its oil-bath cast-iron pump delivers up to 27 scfm at
90 psi, which should be plenty of air no matter how many guns
are blazing. The compressor has a five-year warranty and sells
for $2,400. Maxus, 888/241-5858
Tub Dumper. Although
landscaper-size dump trucks offer time and labor savings, they
also deliver a bone-jarring ride and aren't particularly well
suited for family camping trips. If you need the occasional
convenience of a dump body without the entire truck, try the
Dump-Pro Insert. This polyethylene tub converts a standard
8-foot pickup bed into a dump body. An electric winch powers
the lifting mechanism, so there are no complex hydraulics or
power takeoffs to install. With the optional Quick Change-Out
Kit ($329), you can remove the whole thing in minutes, says the
manufacturer. The insert is sold assembled for $2,430 and in
kit form for $2,200. Standard Hamilton,
866/438-6777, www.dump-pro.com
Flying Carpet. Plastic bed
liners wear like iron, but your stuff is apt to slide all over
their slippery surface. Spray-on liners are better at keeping
your tools and building materials contained, but they're tough
on your knees and on finish grades of plywood. Don't despair
— there's one more option: the BedRug. Made from
polypropylene fibers, this carpetlike liner conforms to the bed
of the truck, pampers your knees, and helps keep your supplies
in place. Plus, it won't absorb liquids. It sells for about
$400.
Wise Industries, 800/462-8435,
www.wiseindustries.com
Wood Flooring
Dust Collection. Floor
sanders generate a lot of dust, creating a nuisance for
homeowners and a nasty health hazard for workers. But it
doesn't have to be that way: According to its maker, the Floor
Sanding Dust Containment System eliminates almost all of the
dust generated by floor sanding. The product uses a cyclonic
separator to remove particles from the air stream, then
deposits them into a 35-gallon barrel lined with plastic. A
secondary filter on the machine removes any remaining
particulates. The manufacturer's Web site includes a database
of flooring contractors who own the setup. Interested? Expect
to pay between $3,000 and $4,500 (depending on options) for the
equipment.
Oneida Vac Systems, 866/387-8822,
www.oneidavac.comHigh and Dry. Thanks to
plastic channels that promote air circulation and prevent
moisture absorption, the click-together floating floor Subflor
Supreme is perfect for basement slabs and other damp areas,
says the manufacturer. Made from water-resistant OSB with an
applied wear layer, the panels measure 3/4 inch thick, 83/4
inches wide, and 54 inches long. They sell for about $3.50 per
square foot. Supra Floors, 866/782-3567,
www.subflor.com
Thin Is In. Despite their
good looks, durability, and easy maintenance, hardwood strips
aren't always the best floor-covering choice. Installation on
slabs and below grade can be tricky, and placement over radiant
heat can result in undesirable expansion and contraction. Also,
the strips' 3/4-inch thickness may not suit remodeling jobs. In
these challenging applications, Mirage Prefinished Engineered
Hardwood can be a good alternative. Because the product's solid
hardwood wear layer is reinforced by a five-ply plywood
substrate, the flooring is more stable on slabs and over
radiant heat. It's thinner (3/8 inch thick) than regular strip
flooring, too, so it works better in many remodels. It has a
wear layer comparable to that of conventional 3/4-inch
hardwood, and its aluminum-oxide finish boasts a 25-year
residential warranty. Prices start at about $6.50 per square
foot. Mirage, 800/463-1303,
www.miragefloors.com
Structural
Fasteners & Connectors
Super Screws. As far as
I'm concerned, self-drilling structural screws like GRK's RSS
(Rugged Structural Screw) are among the best structural
fasteners ever invented. The new, hardened stainless-steel
version is appropriate both for general exterior use and with
pressure-treated material. Made from types 305 and 316
stainless, the fasteners are so strong a 5/16-by-31/8-inch RSS
screw provides 847 pounds of shear strength and more than 2,300
pounds of pull-out resistance in end grain. But my favorite
attribute is the sharp, serrated threads that allow you to
install these gems without predrilling. A 100-count Handy Pack
of the 5/16-by-31/8-inch stainless-steel RSS sells for about
$56.
GRK, 800/263-0463,
www.grkfasteners.comCool Connections. Beams and
structural timbers often require exposed connectors, yet
conventional galvanized connectors aren't really meant for
display. For a solution to this quandary, check out Simpson's
Architectural Products Group, a line of decorative connectors
with a black powder-coated finish. The collection includes
everything from joist hangers to complex connectors for timber
framing. Simpson Strong-Tie, 800/999-5099,
www.strongtie.com/apg
Stainless-Steel Concrete
Screws. In response to widespread concerns about
corrosion associated with the new formulations of chemicals in
pressure-treated lumber, Powers Fasteners has launched a line
of 410 stainless-steel self-tapping concrete screws. Stainless
Steel Tappers come in 1/4-inch diameters in lengths from 11/4
to 43/4 inches. The company has also recently added new colors
to its hardened-steel concrete screws. The new shades —
white, silver, and bronze Perma-Seal coatings, in addition to
the traditional blue — should make the fasteners less
obvious in many common building materials. A 100-count box of
1/4-by-1 1/4-inch hex-head Tappers in 410 stainless steel sells
for $144; the same size hardened-steel Tapper in white sells
for $76 per 100. Powers Fasteners,
914/235-6300, www.powers.com