Tool Blog

The new right angle drill from Makita, again builds from Makita's ever growing line of 18volt LXT Lithium-Ion tools.

The BDA350 Cordless Angle Drill is a must have for anyone that frequents close combat drilling. The BDA350 uses a Makita 4-pole motor that delivers the speed and power in a compact size, giving this tool an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Up to 1,800 RPM's, and 121 in.lbs. of torque worth of power to be exact. With the use of a keyed chuck, Makita was able to get the head size to only 2-5/8". Of course the drill also feature an LED light, for greater visibility.

Model BDA350 kit includes: two 18 volt LXT Lithium-Ion (3.0Ah) batteries, Rapid Optimum Charger, contractor bag, and battery cover. MSRP:369

Model BDA350Z Tool Only MSRP: $159

 

SKIL, known for their circular saws, has come out with a new saw unlike any other. Introducing the SKIL Power Cutter; a cordless 3.6volt lithium ion powered cutter that provides an easy way to make precision cuts through hundreds of materials. From manly man to girly girls, this tool is made for them all.

The Power Cutter features a circular rotating blade that allows it to cut through materials up to ¼" think, and an auto sharp system that keeps it sharp while you work. The 3.6volt battery holds a charge for 18 months, so even if you only use it once a month, you never have to worry about a dead tool. The Power Cutter cuts through everything from carpet, plastic packaging, fabric, leather, paper, cardboard, vinyl flooring, wallpaper and more.

Check out the boys at ToolSnob.com for a full SKIL Power Cutter review.

Get you SKIL Power Cutter today from Amazon

This is one of the things I really love about Makita; they are always looking for ways to improve their tools.

“We did some research on our best-selling BHR240, and made it even better,” said Ethan Haughawout, Makita’s associate product manager – cordless products.

So you might be wondering what makes this tool better then the previous model. Makita was able to make the new BHR202 smaller, and added the same vibration reduction technology to the BHR202, that is found in their high-torque impact wrench. This means a more comfortable tool for you, and the extra loss in vibration adds more life to your batteries.

Lets get down to the features.

The Makita built motor delivers 1-1,000 RPM and 0-4,000 BPM. It has a 3-position switch to go from drilling, to hammering, to drill/hammering. A built in torque limiter clutch is designed to disengage if the bit happens to jam, and a 360° chuck with 40 different locking positions allows you to chisel at the position that is best for you. And of curse the BHR202 features, what is pretty much standard with all Makita tools, a built in LED light for more visibility, and Makita’s 18V Lithium-Ion battery technology.

The BHR202 will be available September 15, 2008.

MSRP for the complete package, including: Tool, depth gauge, side handle, 2 ea. Lithium-Ion (3.0Ah) batteries, Rapid Optimum

Charger, and contractor bag is $489. MSRP for tool only is $259

Makita has announced the release of a new 5" random orbital sander. The new sander features a powerful 3-amp motor that allows 12,000 OPM, and large 1/8" orbit action. While it seems like most orbital sanders only vibrate, with the 1/8" movement, this one looks to have some real sanding power.

To help this sander stay working like new, year after year, the sander also features oversized sealed ball-bearing construction, and a dust-sealed switch, to minimize dust contamination. To keep you, and your work area clean, the sander utilizes a through-the-pad dust collection system and fabric dust bag with a wide mouth for faster disposal. Also available are a variety of hoses and adapters that allow you to attach your new toy tool to your shops vacuum system.

Model BO5030K includes abrasive paper, dust bag, and tool case. MSRP $69.00

Model BO5030 includes the abrasive paper and dust bag. MSRP $64.00

Bosch has come out with some news blades that should really make a lot of people happy.

First up is the long awaited stainless steel blade. Anyone who has had to cut stainless steel knows how hard it is to cut with a standard bi-metal blade. You could only get a few cuts out of one blade before it was useless, and that was even while using cutting oil. The new stainless steel blade from Bosch has an 8% cobalt steel additive, which increases heat and wear resistance. It is also recommended that you use cutting oil on the surface to reduce heat build-up, and the tool should be in the non-orbital mode running at less the 1,500 strokes per minute. They are available in 18-TPI for 8 to 16 gauge steel and 36-TPI for thinner steel, from 16 to 26 gauge.

 

Next up is the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood jigsaw blade. What makes these blades different then your standard blade is the fact that they cut on both the up, and down stroke. Most blades cut in only one direction, leaving the opposite side of the material vulnerable to chipping or splintering. The Bosch patented tooth design has a scalpel tooth to produce clean cuts on the bottom, and a pointed tooth to cut the top. The Extra Clean for Wood blade is ideally suited for fine woodworkers, cabinet makers, or finish carpenters .

You can visit Bosch Tools to find a dealer near you.

I am not one to get all googly over anything that is green. Even though the website is the color green, you wont find me living in a tree, or trying to save an endangered mosquito. Even still, I do try to recycle as much as possible.

Why? Well...why not? It is not like there is any more work involved.

BernzOmatic , known for their fuel cylinders, has taken a simple step that allows its Fat Boy propane cylinders to be recycled.

Fat Boy propane cylinders, the latest innovation from BernzOmatic, meet the environmental demands of today’s consumers. The cylinders include patent-pending Green Key ® technology, which is a simple device that, when inserted into an empty propane cylinder, releases all remaining fumes, effectively depressurizing the cylinder so it can be recycled by the consumer’s local steel recycler.

The Fat Boy also has a few other improvements, for which it gets its name. The new cylinders have 20% percent more fuel than the standard 14.1 oz. cylinders, and the cylinders are 25% shorter for greater accessibility in tight spaces.
 

Final Cut , is one of those "why didn't I think of that?" products. It is so simple, yet something every finish carpenter or woodworker should have. It is basically a piece of sandpaper attached to the side of a saw blade. Amazing... I know.

You have two choices when deciding what you want. You can buy a 10" Final Cut blade with the sand paper already attached, or you can buy the Final Cut sandpaper for your own 8 1/2" - 12" saw blade. You could probably even use it on a smaller blade, but you would have to cut it to size.

Check out the video below for a great explanation of how to use the Final Cut. One thing that really caught my eye was the fact that you can make fine adjustments after the main cut, by just using the sand paper.