News

The Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association trade show has just come to a completion and Marc from Homefixated was there to cover all of the latest tools news and after show parties. Marc discovered some really cool tools while making his rounds, one of them being the tool-less blade change Bosch Multi-X that I wrote about a couple of months ago.

Update: Website and additional photos added. Early next year Swanson Tools will be launching a new professional line of hand tools called Savage. Now I always figured Swanson tools were already for professionals, so I guess this new line of tools will be for more professional professionals, not just your everyday run of the mill professional.

Many of the clamps that we own and use are designed to remain parallel during the clamping process. The parallel faces on these clamps are great in ensuring that whatever we are clamping remains secure and square; but what if we want to clamp something that is not square, maybe a round closet rod, or a tapered chair leg?

I have always found that if your tools are easy to see, and each tool has its own place, then it is easier to spot a missing tool or one that is out of place. Not only does a system like this keep you better organized, but it many cases, it is more productive. Old sayings like "A place for everything and everything in its place" really do work.

A good roller stand is must-have for anyone working with long or wide materials, and while the Ridgid Flip Top stand doesn't exactly 'roll', it has a unique design and some great features that make it one of the best portable out-feed stands I have used. Because of the features offered in the Ridgid Flip Top Stand, it was an obvious choice to make it a Tool-Rank Pick.

It was a couple of years ago when I first wrote about the Veto Laptop bag, but somewhere down the road the bag was discontinued. Now Veto is back with two new versions of the laptop bag, and it looks like they made a few changes. From the outside, the bags look nearly identical to the regular Veto bags with slight changes to the handle and a now non-hook&loop shoulder strap that now uses a clip to stay in place. The Model LT bag is the smaller of the two and is pure laptop...

Every day it seems some new app comes out that makes smartphones even smarter. They are used to solve many problems people come across throughout the day, soon we will be able to add laser measuring to that list. A new smartphone app is being developed by Andrew Leyden called Phaser Tape that uses a separate laser module to deliver surprisingly accurate measurements. The app works by using the lasers from the module and the phone's built in camera to determine the correct distance. The Phaser Tape offers a measuring distance of between 30 - 50 feet...

Jobsites are full of many hazards, and one of those hazards could be waiting to find a home in your truck tire. I am talking about a single nail or screw that has fallen out of someones toolbag or a dropped screw box, something so small that can ruin your day if it ends up in the wrong place. If you are lucky you end up with only a slow leak and have a way to inflate your tire. Porter-Cable has announced a new High-Pressure/High-Volume Inflator that can not only run off of a...

2x4 Basics, the company that brought us the simple 2x4 shelving system, is ready to prepare us for a season full of fireplace use. They make a number of systems that make use of easily accessible 2x4s, and one of those systems turns 2x4s into a handy firewood rack. Oddly enough, or maybe just showing smart business practices, the 2x4 Basics fireplace rack components appear to be the same as those used in their shelving system. The components are made of durable structural resin and come with a lifetime warranty. Assembly of the fireplace...

Usually when you need some extra heat, it is because you are in a cold remote area. Sometimes there is power nearby, but if their isn't, your forced air heater is pretty useless. Mr. Heater wants you to have a truly portable forced air heater, and has accomplished it with their HERO model. HERO delivers 35,000 BTU's of propane burning heat and can be used an entire workday (8 hours) on a single charge of its built in battery. While the battery does make the unit more portable, it can also be charged and...