News

Extension ladders are great for reaching high places or granting access to roof tops, but I have never been a fan of having to swing around the side of the ladder to step off. One thing that eases my mind is knowing that the ladder is properly tied off according to Cal-OSHA regulations, but that is just part of the solution. The Safe-T hand rail system has a new method that allows users to step through the ladder instead of swinging around it. The Safe-T extension system simply attaches to both sides of the...

CPO Outlets has been quickly, but somewhat quietly, expanding their selection of tool brands and tool stores over the years, which I have covered on occasion. This time though, they have gone from expansion to acquisition by buying the long-time online tool store "Tyler Tools". "For years, Tyler Tool customers have enjoyed a great selection of leading brands and low prices, not to mention good old fashioned customer service. Now Tyler Tool is powered by CPO's fully stocked warehouse, with more than 5,000 items in stock and ready to ship the same day. " What...

We have shown you the Veto Pro Pac (review) tool bag and we have shown you the Occidental Leather Dr. Wood tool bag; but how do these two kings of tools bags compare to each other? Gary Katz has a video that shows us what you get when you spend over $450 on the Dr. Wood tool bag. For one, you get a bag that is even heavier then the 9lb (when empty) Veto Pro Pac XL. If you can afford the $450 bag, you should also make sure you can afford an apprentice to carry it for you....

Unless you are using a standard angle crown molding that matches you saw's presets, and you are only doing 45 degrees corners, calculating the correct angles for your crown is no walk in the park. This is why miter finding tools are so handy. But if you are a DIYer, you probably don't want to spend money on a tool you will probably only use once or twice. Good thing for you, with a little bit of work, Google SketchUp can calculate those angles for you. All you have to do is photograph the profile of...

We briefly mentioned DeWALT's new adjustable wrenches when we covered the announcement that DeWALT would now be making hand tools, but we didn't have any information other then the price range of $10.99 to $34.99. Today DeWALT let the rest of the cat out of the bag and gave us a full press release. The wrenches will be available in five sizes (6", 8", 10", 12", 15") and features a black DeWALT Tough Coat™ magnesium phosphate finish that is said to help prevent chipping and also provides a no-slip surface. The wrenches also feature an increased...

The Festool Carvex is probably one of the coolest tools Festool has announced since their Kapex miter saw, and Tools of the Trade has a video that goes into detail about the new jigsaw, how it functions, and the available accessory options. The video is from the JLC Live event, and TOTT has more videos from the same event that you would be a fool not to check out, including videos from Bosch, and Blaklader. Tools of The Trade

Photo: John Tetreault What happens if the power goes out while you are using a power tool? You probably set the tool down and head over to the power box to see what the problem is. You find that the breaker has been tripped so you reset it. There is one problem though, you forgot to turn off the tool you were using when the power went out. The tool powers on and cut into the project you have been working on for a week. ...

Ultra compact drills are on everyone's wish list and Festool now has their fans covered with their very own 10.8-volt. Their new CXS drill has a special design that is said to offer better ergonomics and more comfort. Most other ultra compact drills use a battery-in-handle design because there is really no other place to put the battery. Festool chose to go with a D-handle design similar to their other drills, and moved the battery to the bottom of the drill. This allowed Festool to design the handle around comfort instead of the battery, and it also gave the...

When Black & Decker merged with Stanley we knew there would be some changes, but we had no idea Stanley, which is known for their hand tools, would be all but replaced by first Bostitch, and now DeWalt. But in fact the news is true; the DeWalt name will soon be found on a number of hand tools. DeWalt and hand tools just seems odd to me, but I am sure B&D has a plan. I guess it would help DeWalt if their yellow tools out numbered the other tools in one's tool bag; after all,...

In a market now flooded with oscillating tools manufactures need to try and set their tools apart from the rest. The big advantage for Fein, the original oscillating tool, is their massive head start. Because of this, they have features such as tool-less blade changing. This is the feature Porter-Cable has chosen to use to set them apart. Besides Fein, Porter-Cable is the only other brand that offers a tool-less blade change system. Fein still holds a patent for their tool-less design, but it looks like Porter-Cable's own design differs enough to get around it. ...