A some point in time visible screw heads on the outside deck became passé. In response there have been a number of companies offering many different hidden fastening solutions. Now Festool comes along in Europe with their very own version that is sure to make you want that Festool Domino even more, or will it?

The Festool Domino deck system looks great and all, but is it any better then what the market is currently offering? I am sure the pace of the video doesn't help much, but the install time seems like it would be much slower then the other popular non-visible screw options. This is a weird transition for Festool, taking their tools normally associated with cabinetry out into the elements, but in this case I do not think it is worth it. I don't even want to think about how much the hardware will cost.

via Tool Hound

Cordless tools are great, for the main reason that they are cordless and can be taken almost anywhere. But not all tools are cordless; sometime we need to use a corded tool, but we are nowhere near a power source. If only there was a way to take that 120 volts needed to power our corded tools with us in a small, portable, easy to transport, form factor.

That is just the idea behind the Personal Power Buddie. It is 120 volts AC of to-go power that comes in the form of a wearable belt. Using up to 40 amp hours of battery packs and a power inverter, the Personal Power Buddie can provide hours of power to many corded tools that otherwise could not be used on the go. According to The Hardware Aisle blog, the basic kit would cost $199, with additional battery packs and chargers being sold separately.

New Creative Concepts via The Hardware Aisle

Craftsman has a pretty cool YouTube channel where they showcase their tools being put though all kinds of torture and destruction. These videos are not only fun to watch, but they do a good job of demonstrating that the tools can handle a good amount of abuse.

In their latest video, Craftsman shows their artistic side by making the destruction you hear everyday into music. They teamed up with music producer Kutiman to compose all that beating, sawing, cutting, grinding, hammering, chopping, etc. into music to our ears. No musical instruments were used in the making of this video, everything you hear is a tool of some kind. My favorite instrument in the video is the water sprinkler. Check out the video after the Read More.

Craftsman YouTube Channel

This might not be official just yet, but the people over at the Guinness Book of World Records are currently looking into claims that The Torch flashlight from Wicked Lasers is the most powerful flashlight in the world. The Torch comes in with 4100 lumens of light, which is 100 lumens brighter then the previous record holder.

How many times have you said to yourself , “Gee, I wish I could cook an egg or start an fire with my flashlight”? I know, I say it all the time too. All this and more is possible with The Torch. Not only does its 100 watt halogen bulb put out an amazing amount of light, but it also puts out quite a bit of heat. You can turn night into day, and cook breakfast at the same time. Check out the video below if you dont believe me. The flashlight uses a 14.4 volt battery that produces about 15 minutes of light, so I hope you don't plan on being lost for too long. At $300, it is not a tool for the everyman, but I am sure it has a place on a rich mans shelf.

[:cicn:] Wicked Lasers

There was a time when you could walk into just about any workshop or garage in the US and find some pegboard hanging the wall. But now, for some reason it doesn't seem to be a popular choice. I guess people have turned to drawers and cabinets for there storage needs. For those of you that still like the pegboard but are looking for something a bit cleaner, take a look at systems offered by Wall Control.

Wall Control offers a complete line of metal pegboards and kits for any number of applications. You can get the board in your choice of galvanized or power coated metal and because it uses standard peg spacing, you can use hooks and accessories you already own. The use of 20 Gauge Steel in a board has a number of advantages, the first being a board that is 10 times stronger then conventional pegboard; other benefits include being easier to clean and being magnetic. Typical pegboards can not be mounted onto flat surfaces such as drywall, because of the lack of clearance for the peg hooks, but Wall Control built their boards with a flange on all sides to make mounting on flat surfaces possible.

I have not used the Wall Control system for myself, but it looks like a solid system. Considering that it is made of 20 gauge steel and made in the USA, a price of around $40 for two 16” x 32” doesn't sound that bad. Of course if you want more, you can always buy one of their kits that includes hooks and other accessories.

Wall Control - [:cicn:] Amazon

Popular Mechanics

A recent review from Popular Mechanics puts the new Ridgid JobMax multi-headed tool against its competition, in all forms. If you remember, the 12 volt cordless JobMax can use one of five interchangeable heads to perform a number of tasks that typically require the use of five separate tools. The JobMax seems to fair well in its head to head battle, beating the other brands in all but in one test. Some of the testing results are quite surprising considering the type of tool and its price point. Of course with the good also comes the bad, but you can read all about it in the full review over at Popular Mechanics.

Popular Mechanics

The latest block plane from the guys over at Bridge City Tool Works looks like it came straight out of the movies. But what you see is not movie magic, it is the next generation in hand tools.

The CT-17 looks simply amazing, but it is more then just a pretty face. Its greatest feature is its two-in-one functionality. Not wanting to be average, Mr. CT-17 can transform between a regular block plane and a low angle block plane. It doesn't look much like a helicopter, but the CT-17's design was inspired by the efficiencies of helicopter components. If this is the result we can expect, I think we need more tools designed after aircraft. The photos don't do the tool justice, so be sure to check out the video after the break.

The CT-17 dual angle block plane is part of the Commemorative Tool series, which means it is limited edition. This also means you will pay a limited edition price of $860. If you can afford one, then you can probably afford two. So if you want to send me one, I have no objections.

[:cicn:] Bridge City Tool Works

We love it when we get fresh news in our inbox. It is like unwrapping a small Christmas present every time we read about something new. A lot of the news we post here comes straight from the manufactures themselves, a good portion of it comes from things we see around the internet, but our favorite news comes from the readers of Tool-Rank. The latest news comes from user PutnamEco who spotted some interesting new carbide reciprocating saw blades from Diablo.

Just about every circular saw blade you buy these days has teeth that are carbide tipped, but for some reason carbide has not found its way to the other saw blade families. So it is great to find out that Diablo has gone in the carbide direction with their new recip. blades. They are said to offer 10x the cutting power over standard blades, and use a new exclusive geometry that allows for extreme durability. There is not much information on these new Diablo blades other then what can be found on the Home Depot website, so it will be interesting to hear how well these blades work out over time.- Now, where are the carbide tipped jigsaw blades?

You can pick up this new blades in 9 Inch x 6 TPI or a 6 Inch x 6 TPI sizes.

[:cicn:] Home Depot

Before line lasers became affordable for the masses, many of us got by using dot lasers and played a game of connect the dots to get a straight line. Now line lasers have taken all the glory away from the dot lasers, but that doesn't mean we don't need our dots anymore. While lines are great for doing level and vertical lines, they can not act as a plumb bob or do some of those tricky squaring jobs.

The Leica Lino L2P5 removes the need to carry both a dot laser and a line laser by combining the two into a single package. It features 4 lasers dots (up, down, left, right) and horizontal and vertical laser lines, with all points and lines being square with each. The kit includes a magnetic stand, target plate, carrying case, and batteries. The only down side would be the price of around $450 for the kit, but you are getting two lasers in one package.

[:cicn:] Amazon

Studies say that demolition is one of the most satisfying jobs you can do. For whatever reason, there is something about breaking things that is just relaxing to people. So how can you make one of the best jobs even better, simple, add a remote control.

The DXR 310 from Husqvarna is all about “gettin your destruction on” in areas that are too big for hand work, but too small to fit the heavy equipment. Husqvarna didn't make the DXR 310 remote controlled just because they thought it would be cool, though it is. It is just so small there is no place for an operator. How small? At only 30 inches wide it is small enough to fit through any average sized door opening. Believe it or not, because of the tank like tracks, the DXR 310 can even climb stairs.

Somehow I doubt Husqvarna will be sending one of these my way for review, so if you are interested in this, you are on your own.

Thanks to user PutnamEco for the tip.

Husqvarna