Spring 2010 Table of Contents

Miter-Saw Automation / Clamp-On Levels Read more

Miter-Saw Automation / Clamp-On Levels Read more

Jointers are the go-to tools for straightening and squaring lumber, and standard-length 6-inch-wide capacity models are a great choice for most carpentry and trim uses in the shop and on the job site. These 46-inch bed machines are the entry-level size for stationary jointers and, as the smallest, represent the best possibility of a 'serious' stationary tool that is still portable enough to load up and take to select jobs. All the tools plug into line voltage, further enhancing their all-around utility. An old rule of thumb states that a jointer is accurate for truly straightening boards up to twice its bed length, so with a 6-inch face-planing width and an 8-foot (or so) straightening capacity, these machines can handle all the wood many guys mill, even if they remain shop-bound. Read more

Bostitch, one of the best-known U.S. manufacturers of air-powered tools and a major subsidiary of Stanley Tools, officially launched a line of nonpowered hand tools under the Bostitch brand name on March 1. Read more

New regulations now being proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation would severely restrict the way lithium-ion batteries and equipment containing them are transported, packaged, and labeled – a move that could cost power-tool-users and manufacturers millions of dollars in add-on fees, according to the Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA). Read more

Last year might have been one of the worst in automotive history, but that didn't prevent a trio of U.S. truck manufacturers from scoring top overall automotive sales figures for their best-selling pickups. And although the annual sales list perennially includes the Ford F-150 pickup – the world's single best-selling model among all types of vehicles, including cars – this time around Big Blue shared the accolades with General Motors and Dodge. Read more

In January, just days before the big North American International Auto Show in Detroit, when automakers reveal their hottest vehicle introductions and innovations for the year, Dodge Trucks announced that a gas-electric hybrid version of its recently re-engineered Ram 1500 pickup was in development and would roll out 'sometime in 2010.' Read more

Our mission at Tools of the Trade is to feed your endless appetite for new tools, which includes telling you about product introductions as soon as we learn about them. Read more

In my architectural woodworking business, finish nailers are the pneumatic tools we use the most, and having a good complement of nailers for every application is critical to the success of a custom job. My primary arsenal of finish guns includes a 15-gauge finish nailer and an 18-gauge brad nailer. I also have a 16-gauge finish nailer, but I've always preferred the 15-gauge tool for its angled magazine and – for some uses – slightly larger fasteners. The straight magazine and perpendicular shooting angle of the 16-gauge nailer make it difficult to get into tight places. It's just too clumsy for most installations. So it stays in the shop, and even there it sits on the shelf most of the time. Read more

Readers have been asking us about dual-blade circular saws, so we decided to put the Craftsman 25574 Twin Cutter Saw to the test. Craftsman came out with its first version of a dual-blade saw early in the last decade, so the technology has been around for a while, but the 25574 model is the latest and largest version. It features a 6.8-amp motor and 6-1/8-inch 36-tooth carbide blades that cut 1-7/8 inches deep at 4,600 rpm. Read more

We go to work every day worrying about the weather or wondering if our crews and supplies will show up on time so we can stay on schedule with our progress and our profits. We love to brag about how hard we work and complain about the tough conditions we face on our job sites – and then brag again about overcoming them. But today, for the time it takes to read this page, I'd like to focus on the men and women who go to work every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, often with the same skills, tools, and equipment we use, but under very different conditions. Read more

When 1st Lt. Eric 'Moose' Petrevich sent me a photo from his deployment in Iraq, I was blown away – not just because I noticed the Tools cover on the workbench next to his slider, but because I read in the accompanying letter about how he and his fellow soldiers use their workshop to build their own weapons racks and body-armor stands to make life a little easier 'in the big sandbox,' as he calls it. And I loved hearing about how soldiers in his unit fight over each copy of Tools that Lt. Petrevich receives. Hoo-ah, Lieutenant – I'll send extras next time. Read more

This year's search for outstanding new tools, equipment, and innovative features was as challenging as ever, given the continued rate of product introductions from all corners of the manufacturing world serving professional construction markets. Read more

Senco has simplified cordless-nailer operations with its new Fusion trim nailers featuring the company's Reflex-Shot technology, which provides instant trigger response. Read more

With more and more emphasis placed on salvaging building materials for reuse and reducing the volume of material sent to landfills, a lot of contractors are taking a new look at the value of nail-infested lumber that used to end up in a Dumpster. Read more

Milwaukee continues its leadership role in trade-focused tool design with this exciting compact 18-volt cordless portable band saw, the M18 2629-22. Read more

Rockwell bills its Jawhorse as 'the only workstation you'll ever need.' Read more

Husqvarna's latest innovation makes the operation and maintenance of its two-stroke engines a new game and raises the bar for high-performance chain saws. Read more

Festool makes a practice of producing category-leading tools, and the 3-1/4-hp OF2200EB+ router is no exception. Read more

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

Makita has always been known for bringing innovation and quality to its sliding-compound miter saws, and it continues its category-leading legacy with the new LS1016L, a 10-inch saw with 12-inch capabilities. Read more

Ford introduced a welcome sense of practicality to the industry when it brought the Transit Connect work van to the U.S. from Europe, where it has been popular since 2002. Read more

We love the way this category has continued to evolve, especially in terms of performance features previously seen only in industrial assembly tools. Read more

Makita's first 36-volt cordless tool is the 9.9-pound BHR261 rotary hammer. Read more

With a tool-free steel shoe to switch quickly from straight to 45-degree cuts, the Porter-Cable 18-volt jigsaw (PC18JS) runs at a maximum of 2,500 strokes per minute. Read more

Rockwell's 3-pound H3 rotary hammerdrill has an SDS-plus quick chuck that converts it to a three-jaw drill or power screwdriver. Read more

Bosch's 26618-01 18-volt impact drill/driver is 7 inches long and has a two-speed motor (0 to 750/2,800 rpm) with an impact mode of 1,500 inch-pounds of torque. Read more

Milwaukee's M18 cordless one-handed 18-volt reciprocating saw (2625-21) weighs 5.9 pounds, has a 3/4-inch stroke length, and operates at 0 to 3,000 strokes per minute. Read more

RotoZip's cordless CR18L spiral saw weighs 2.8 pounds (with battery) and runs at 30,000 rpm on an 18-volt Bosch Litheon battery. Read more

Rock out to AC/DC on your iPod while simultaneously charging 7.2- to 18-volt nicad or lithium-ion DeWalt batteries. Read more

The portability of Ryobi's 18-volt cordless power paint-sprayer kit P631K makes it useful for outdoor priming, sealing, and staining. Read more

Hilti's WSR 18-A CPC 18-volt reciprocating saw has a two-step injection molded grip for greater comfort, says the manufacturer. Read more

The Ridgid JobMax R82234 is a 12-volt variable-speed multi-tool with interchangeable heads that share a single power base. Read more

A level with built-in clamps able to grip lumber or other materials up to 3-1/2 inches thick is one of the first products to be introduced under the new Bostitch Hand Tools brand. Read more