I recently had an opportunity to test out the Stout X-Band Saw and Cutting Station. Let me start out by say that the X-Band Saw is like no other saw on the market. How so? Well, you have the ability to use the saw as both a portable hand held band saw, and a small band saw station when using the available Cutting Station accessory.

When you first pull the X-Band out of its case you realize how small it is. Hopefully the photo of the X-Band in hand can give you an idea of its size. It was designed to be comfortable during one handed operation, and probably 90% or more of my testing was done using the saw with only one hand. Sorry left handers, this saw, like most tools was designed for right handed people in mind. When used in the right hand, the offset of the blade from the handle makes the tool pretty well balanced, with a good line of sight to your material.

Manufacturer
Final Cut

Supplied by
Final Cut

Blade price:
$75

Disks Price:
$23-27

Introduction

Every once in a great while a new product comes out that seems a little silly, but you know it just makes sense; Final Cut is one of those products. It is as simple as a sandpaper disk attached to the side of a saw blade. The Final Cut works on the theory of using lesser teeth that would usually leave a rougher cut, and let the Abrasive Disk, which is wider then the kerf of the blade, do the sanding and cleaning.

When purchasing the Final Cut, you have two choices. You can buy the 10” blade with the abrasive disks attached (with more sizes coming in the future), or you can buy the Abrasive Disk to fit your existing 8-1/2” to 12” blade. You can also use them on smaller blades, but you would have to cut them to size. The 10” blade costs $75, and a four pack of disks costs between $23 and $27, with a ten pack running a little cheaper per disk.

Introduction:

Up until a few years ago, it was almost impossible for the average person to afford a digital laser rangefinder of any kind; the fact that they were also unreliable didn’t help either. Now with the advancements of newer technologies, and cheaper costs, DLR's have come down quite a bit in price over the past few years. The Bosch DLR165K is also a lot cheaper then most other DLR's because it is capable of about half the distance range. This for most people is a great thing, because who really needs to measure more then 165 feet? If you do need more distance, you are looking to pay about double the price, for double the distance.

Features:

• Pocket-Sized Only 4" tall
• Four Measuring Reference Points - Back, front, swing out extension pin for measuring from inside corners or channels, or center of optional tripod
• Three Measurement Systems — Feet and inches, decimal feet, and metric
• Length, Area and Volume Measuring Capability —
• Continuous Measurement Mode — Measurement automatically adjusts when walking-off distances
• Continuous Laser Mode — Reduces the number of key strokes when making rapid sequence of measurements
• Indirect Length Measurement Mode — Calculates inaccessible distances that cannot be measured directly due to obstruction or lack of reflecting surface using Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2= c2)
• Ergonomic Soft-Grip Area — For sure grip and comfort

Manufacturer
PDY Systems

Supplied by
PDY Systems

Price
$59.95

Buy
[:cicn:] Amazon

Introduction

Today we are taking a look at the Lift-n-Lok tool organizer by PDY systems. If you go into any store looking for any toolbox, craft box, tackle box, or whatever box, you will notice one thing in common. They have some type of exterior latch or catch that is used to keep them secure. This is where the Lift-n-Lok goes beyond the norm, and sets a new paradigm. It features zero external latches or catches.

Rockwell might not have been the first company to make an oscillation tool, but that didn't stop them from trying the make the world of oscillation accessories a better place. The SoniShear attachment for the SoniCrafter quite simply turns your oscillation saw into a pair of power shears cutting at a whopping 20,000 strokes per minute. At only $25, the introduction of a low cost power shear should be a welcomed addition to DIY world... if it works. Rockwell sent out a SoniShear so we could find out for ourselves.

When Bosch asked if I wanted to review their latest 12 volt pocket driver, I just had to say yes. I asked the Tool-Rank readers not long ago if they thought 12 volt tools offered enough power, and now I would be able to see this for myself. It is weird that in the relatively short life of cordless tools we have come far enough that instead buying tools wanting excess power, we are looking at smaller tools with enough power. Why buy a tool that can drive a 6” lag bolt, when we only need to drive a 3” deck screw? This change in mindset not only saves us money, but it also cuts down on the weight of our tool bags.

Every time Dremel comes out with a new rotary tool I get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. I don't know why, maybe because it is one of those tools that you know can always get you out of a jam. That is, if you remember to have it on the job when you need it. This is also the reason I love the fact that it is cordless, no cords means it is practically setup right out of the case. The 8200 is Dremel's first Rotary tool that is compatible with all Dremel accessories and attachments, so the gap between cordless and corded is getting even smaller.

In comparison to an older cordless Dremel I have (model 800), the 8200 is a bit longer in length and you can also see that it does not taper towards the top. This might make it a little harder to handle for people with small hands, but for me the difference was hardly noticeable. The balance for the 8200 also seemed to be much better over the previous version; this is probably because of the more compact battery used in the 8200 and the lack of taper.

When ChannelLock said they wanted to send me their new Model #412 6.5” V-Jaw Tongue and Groove Pliers, I was a bit hesitant. My job is in installing commercial cabinets and millwork, how effectively could I test a tool that is designed for nuts, bolts, etc. After a bit of use, my concerns were quickly put to rest.

First let me explain the difference between ChannelsLock's regular tongue and groove pliers and their V-Jaw sibling. While the regular T&G plier has two parallel flat contact surfaces with teeth at a right angle, the V-Jaw version has a V shaped contact surface with right angle teeth on each separate surface. This means that you have a total of four contact points over the two you would find on the regular model. Because of the V-Jaw you not only have better gripping on hex shaped objects, but you also have a huge advantage on round things like pipes and tubing.

During a recent job I decided to put the 412 V-Jaw in my pocket and see what they could do for me throughout the day. At first I put them to use pulling out some small brad nails and they did a great job. They worked better then I expected, so much so, that they have pretty much replaced my ChannelLock End Cutters as my nail puller of choice. I don't think ChannelLock would mind me replacing one of their tools with another.

Because they are small enough to fit in my pocket and are light in weight, I ended up keeping them in my pocket for the length of the entire job, which was two weeks, and found all kinds of uses for them. They came in handy when I needed to install some brackets for a plexiglass panel wall, and were a life saver when I had to remove some stripped screws. I was even able to use them on a bolt or two. They turned out to be quite useful and I found myself reaching for them more then I thought I would. My co-workers also loved them, and kept bugging me to use them when they ran into a problem.

All in all the 412 6.5” V-Jaw Plier is a great tool, and will be my plier of choice in the future. At only around $13 for a quality tool that is made in the USA, it would be hard to pass these up.

[:cicn:] ChannelLock

Oscillation tools seemed to top the list amongst DIYers this past year, but for many professionals, the step up to track saws was high on their list. Why track saws? Because they offer table saw quality and accuracy in a much smaller more portable tool. They also have the added benefit of being much safer to operate. Today I will be going over my experiences using the Eurekazone track saw system. Eurekazone sent over the EZ Smart Guide SGS-114" kit, which includes: (1) 64” rail, (1) 50” rail, (3) rail connectors, (1) Smart Base, (2) Smart Clamps, (2) AC-1 Anti-chip inserts, and (2) AC-2 Anti-chip inserts.

The Eurekazone system, as mentioned in previous articles, is the only track saw system that can be used with existing circular saws. This feat is accomplished by mounting the EZ Smart Base to the bottom of your saw, which then rides on the EZ rail/track. This means you can use a saw you already own with little modification, you can use a new saw with little modification, or you can purchase a pre-modified EZ Ready Saw directly from EZ. EZ will also custom make Smart Bases for any size saw, so using a 16” circular saw is not out of the question (Yes, they do exist).