We probably all knew that laser distance measurer's were going to be a big part of the construction industry in the future. The only question was how long until everyone owns one. Makita's recent entry into the game (now available in the UK) might get you to become a believer sooner then you thought, and it is only a matter of time until it hits the US.

It has some great features such as a large backlit multi-line display screen, measuring in both metric and imperial, a memory function and more. But there are a couple more features that really set it apart. The first being a tilt sensor said to offer more measurement possibilities, and more accurate indirect measurements. The second is a function that automatically detects the longest measurement when measuring from inside corner to corner. Now you can sweep the laser across a corner and the laser will do the rest of the work. If any of this has you confused, check out the video after the Read More

Makita Tools UK

If you read Tool-Rank regularly, (like you should) you would remember me talking about the Bosch 12 volt cordless metal shear in Europe. It has now officially been announced here in the US via press release, and can now be found on the Bosch website. The listing for the PS70-2A has also reappeared on Amazon after its brief listing.

Rules

1. Must be located in the USA.
2. Follow @cabinetsupply on Twitter (http://twitter.com/cabinetsupply)
3. Retweet the tweet made at 8AM(Pacific Time) from @CabinetSupply to enter to win that product.
   Check the list of @fastcap products we are giving away (below)
4. Winner announced on twitter before the next product giveaway
   Winner will be sent a direct message on how to get their prize

It looks like Makita has upgraded their highly ranked 3612C Plunge Router, which if you remember was awarded 2nd place among all 3+ HP plunge routers tested by Tools Of The Trade Magazine. It was second only to a Festool router which is 3x the price.

The Makita models RP1800 and RP2301FC are both upgraded versions of the 3-1/4 HP 3612; with the RP1800 being a single 22,000 RPM speed and the RP2301FC being a 9,000 - 22,000 RPM variable speed. Not only looking better then the previous model, the new versions also feature a number of upgrades. The first thing I noticed was the joystick style trigger switch. A trigger where your hand will be, obviously makes sense and also makes it easy to transition from gamer mode to woodworking mode and back The RP2301FC features a soft start, and an electric brake, which not only make the tool much safer, but also prevents mistakes. Another nice feature only available only on Model RP2301FC is the addition of LED lights, which Makita likes to add to everything and I agree with them. Both models have a plunge depth of 2-3/4" and offer 3 preset depth stops.

The third model is the RP0900K which is a smaller lighter duty model plunge router. This 1-1/4 HP router has a speed of 27,000 RPM at 8 amps, and accepts only 1/4" router bits. Its maximum plunge depth is 1-3/8" This is obviously a lighter duty router then the above models, but it also comes with a lighter duty MSRP.

Makita Tools
RP0900K RP1800 RP2301FC - Amazon