Did you know that every standard 18v lithium-ion Makita charger (Model DC18RA) can play music every time your battery is done charging? I have had my Makita drill and impact for around a year but never knew this.

Here is how I figured it out. I heard a co-workers charger play a song when his charge was complete and wondered why his played songs and mine didn't. After checking and double checking that the model numbers were the same, I figured mine could play songs too. My co-worker never actually knew why his played music, so we were both curious. After looking at the charger for about 5 seconds it became clear me and I had a "duh" moment. It was so easy.

At the top of the charger are some musical icons that explain everything. You simply slide the battery in and out of the charger 1-5 times a row to change from beep mode to one of the 4 classical song choices or to enter into silent mode.

Now when you and your co-workers are charging your batteries at the same time, you will know who's battery is done charging just by the song. Plus it is really fun too. Its kind of like the custom phone ringer on your cell phone.

For a while now there have been a few 3rd party sellers on Amazon selling Ridgid products; but now Amazon itself has joined in on the fun. Now Home Depot is not your only option for buying Ridgid power tools. The prices do seem to be a bit higher then HD and they do not not have the complete line of Ridgid products, but if you do not have an HD in your area, Amazon might be your best bet.

Here comes the weird part. RidgidForum admin ProBrand says:

I can confirm that we aren't currently selling anything direct to Amazon.

So this might be the reason for the extra price markup. Amazon must be buying from a middle man.

Ridgid Power Tools - Amazon

Bosch continues to impress me with their ever growing line of cutting and drilling accessories. While most companies only focus on power tools or cutting accessories; Bosch continues to be innovative while making both.

Bosch's new diamond hole saw, like all diamond hole saws is designed for cutting through stone, tile and glass. However the AutoStart accessory is something found in all wood cutting hole saws, that is not found on other diamond hole saws, a centering bit. The AutoStart centering bit should help prevent unwanted skip, drift, and opps marks on your materials surface. That last thing you want is to ruin an expensive stone counter top because of something as simple as a slip of the bit. The AutoStart centering bit doesn't actually drill through the material, instead it creates a small indent. The spring-loaded retractable AutoStart centering bit uses this indent to stay aligned during the drilling process.

The diamond hole saws feature segmented edge that allows water to reach the cutting surface and should reduce heat build up. The diamond hole saws will be available in sizes ranging from 3/16" to 4-1/8" and will feature Bosch's Quick Change System, but the magic is in the AutoStart.

Bosch Tools
Bosch Tools - Amazon

Say hello to the SawGear. New Bedford Tool & Gauge Co. has introduced a brand new automated miter saw accessory that should eliminate some of those costly measuring errors. Sure, they say measure twice, cut once. But that doesn't work, if you misread your tape measure both times.

The SawGear is basically an automated material stop for your miter saw. You simply enter your material measurement into the control panel, and the SawGear will automatically move the material stop to the correct location. By entering the width of your material, the SawGear can compensate for cutting outside miters even though you have entered the inside dimension. If you use the SawGear in conjunction with your Bosch laser range finder, you should have even greater accuracy.

The part I really like, is the fact that it can be mounted on just about any miter stand, and can be used on either the right or left side of the saw, depending on preference. The SawGear comes in both an 8-foot or 12-foot kit. SawGear is offering an AWFS special price of just under $2500 for the 8-foot kit, and $2700 for the 12-foot kit. After July 31the prices will go up to $3000 and $3200.  Video After the Read More.

SawGear

What is with the price on this Werner Ladder... Over $300 for a 3-foot ladder?

At first I thought this was a mistake by Amazon, but when I did a search on Google for the same model number. I got some results that were not much cheaper ($262 - $286). Since it does not appear to be made of gold or silver, I can only assume that it is some type of limited collectors edition... or maybe like electronics, smaller means more expensive.

Ladder For The Man With Money To Burn - Amazon

The Spout Popper is a small Guillotine type cutter that is specifically designed to cut open caulking and similar type adhesive tubes. The Spout Popper offers 3 bead sizes to choose from via an adjustable selector, and also features a built in seal puncturer. It uses standard utility knife blades as the cutter blade, so you never have to worry about finding replacements.

I usually don't care for unitask tools, but I think this tool has its place for painters, and other trades that do a large amount of caulking. The best part is that you can buy one Spout Popper and keep it next to your box of caulking so the whole crew can use it.

Would you use it?

Spout Popper

People now more then ever before are looking for tools at a great price. They want to be able to finish those jobs at home without paying someone to do the job for them, but they might not have the proper tools. Skil has a new 7-1/4 inch circular saw out that might be just what you are looking for. The new HD5687 from Skilsaw has a good bit of power at 15 amps, a nice long 8-foot cord, and weights in at only 10.8 pounds.

Some key features include:

• 51° Bevel Adjust w/Positive Stop at 45° for increased accuracy
• "Worm Drive-Style" Handles-Proven Design Provides Comfort and Control
• Rear View Depth Adjustment for clear visibility & quick cut-depth changes
• Professional AC-DC Switch
• Patented anti-snag lower guard reduces snags when making narrow cut-offs

Surprisingly, Lowes beats out the online stores on price. You can pick the HD5687 at Lowes for just under $90

Skil Tools
Skil HD5687-01 - Amazon

The level has been around for hundreds of years, and its design has not changed much; until now. C.H. Hanson has taken a little bit of aviation technology and incorporated it into their new level design by replacing the standard vial with a 2-toned black and white self leveling ball.

"It might be an understatement to say there have been very few changes in the level category over the years," said Walt Sedlacek, C.H. Hanson vice president marketing and product development. "But now with the introduction of the Precision Ball Level, there is a tool that is innovating the category by showcasing multiple new features never seen before on a level."

The ball, which is floating in some type of liquid, will always remain level with the horizon. This new level design allows it to do a few things other levels can not. Using the markings around the ball, you can easily measure angles and pitches. This would come in handy anytime you need to set something at a specific angle. You can also use this feature to check and match existing angles and degrees. The thing I like the most, is the high visibility the ball design offers.

For more information and a video visit C.H. Hanson

I still don't know why Safety Week is in May and not in June which is National Safety Month, but Marc from The Wood Whisperer started it and I think that it is a great idea. So why fight it? Marc's focus is on woodworking safety; and if you are a woodworker or just a DIYer using woodworking tools his information and the information found on the Wood Whisper Network should be very helpful. He will also be running some contests, so be sure to check them out.

As a tool review site and blog, my focus will be on safer tools and tools that keep you safe. But, just about any tool can be a safe tool as long as you use it properly and follow the safety instructions.

The Wood Whisperer
TWW Network

Bosch Tools has updated their site with July being the release date for their new line of Nailers and Compressors, and it turns out that their Framing Nailers are available now (probably depending on the store).

I also wanted to see if Amazon had the new tools listed, and to my luck they are. Amazon has all the prices listed, and all the tools are available for pre-order.

What surprises me is the price for these new tools. They are pretty much right on par or cheaper then other high end nailers. I hope this doesn't mean they chose to manufacture these in China, or skimp in any other way.

Bosch Air Tools Prices and Pre-Order