Today Duo-Fast held a virtual press conference where they gave us the scoop on their latest creation, the DFCR175C fuel powered cordless roofing nailer. This particular tool has been the number one request by end users. So Duo-Fast, doing as all smart companies do, is giving the people what they want.
What sets the QuikJig apart is its ability to to auto-adjust depending on the thickness of the material you are using. This feature takes all of the calculations and/or guess work out of changing the tool to accommodate different material thicknesses. This auto adjust feature also calculates the the correct length of screw needed depending on the material thickness. Also you have the added plus of not having to worry about changing the tool back and forth. The QuikJig was built to be a heavy duty tool for heavy users. As such, Porter-Cable has equipped the QuikJig with some features you would appreciate while working in a shop, such as a rear-dust collection port, easy mounting holes, adjustable hole spacing, and even on-board storage. See the Woodcraft video after the Read More for an up close look and demonstration.
The Quick Jig is out now and can be found at specialty woodworking and tool stores at a suggested price of $230. Like I said, this tool is for the hardcore pocket screw users.
Craftsman has just entered the laser measuring market, which would normally be good news, but in this case, Craftsman has me wondering why they even bothered. It is not as though the new laser measurer is a bad tool, it is just a tool that has too little to offer for its price in today's market. A mispriced tool, as it were. At a price just shy of $100, the Craftsman Accutrac laser measurer can measure distances of up to 100 feet, calculates length, area, volume, does Pythagorean measuring and even has a backlit LCD screen. Sounds great right? Well the down side is the accuracy of +/- 1/8-inch. Like I said, it is not a bad tool, it just doesn't offer the same amount of features and accuracy that are currently being offered by their competitors at the same price.
Drop the price down to $50 or so, and I would say that the tool fits the price. But at $100 it seems as though Craftsman is just gunning for a wider profit margin. If anything this article reminds us of the importance of researching before you buy, or at least before the end of your stores return date.
The first thing you notice about their new JS470E and JS470EB(Barrel-Grip) jigsaws are the looks. Bosch had your comfort in mind and added a black soft-grip to all the areas they figure your hands will be, which is why it almost completely covers the entire tool. The biggest upgrade is of coarse, the added power. With each new model Bosch has added a little more power, and this brings the current models up to 7.0 amps. The added power will allow you to cut through even thicker materials, like 5+ inches of wood, at even faster speeds. To make sure the power stays true even if you hit a hard spot, is the "Constant Response" electric speed control.
Another nice change over my old Bosch, is the location movement of the variable speed dial from the switch, to the back of the tool. It is nice to get the dial out of the way, because it is very rare that I find myself using it. Other features to take notice if are: four orbital settings, an adjustable dust blower, a 45 degree bevel range, a tool-less blade changing system, and a 1-inch stroke length.
Both the JS470E and the JS470EB are in stores now with a price of around $160. A great price for a tool that is still made in Switzerland.
We have seen circular saws used as table saw replacements with the Eurekazone tracksaw system, and now there is a new system from PUPS (Portable Universal Power Station) that can turn a circular saw to an accurate miter saw.
We have seen a couple of combination miter/table saws now enjoying freedom in the U.K., one from Bosch with a table mounted on top of a miter saw, and one from Makita that flips to transform. Now it is DeWalt's turn to join in on the fun with their very own flipping combination transformation miter/table saw.
In an effort to better organize my home workspace I decided that I needed to get some of my non-work tools out of boxes/bags and into places where I could more easily access the ones I use most. My solution was simple, and probably the same solution that many of you use, pegboard. A full sheet of pegboard is cheap, and with the right hooks and attachments, you can organize a good portion of your tools. Next all I needed was pegboard hooks. Lucky for me, my Father had a box full of them that he let me dig...
There has been a lot of buzz about Track Saws with both DeWalt, and Makita finally coming out with versions for the USA. But I bet many people don't know that you can turn just about any circular saw into a track saw for a fraction of the cost of a complete track saw package all with a kit from EurekaZone. After all, why should you have to buy another circular saw if you already own one, especially if it's a saw you really like? Who needs Festool when you can make a track saw with your own circular...
