It was announced several months ago Milwaukee was coming out with a full line of Test & Measurement Tools aimed directly at Electricians and HVAC/R guys. Some of the tools use the Milwaukee M12 batteries while others work off standard alkaline batteries. The launch was pushed pack slightly to ensure best possible quality and competitiveness but now it looks like Milwaukee is moving forward. With this new promotion you can pick up a Free Voltage Detector Work Light 2201-20 ($25) with the purchase of any of these Measuring Tools: Fork Meter 2205-20, Fork Meter HVAC/R 2206-20, Clamp Meter 2237-20, Clamp Meter HVAC/R 2236-20, Digital Multimeter 2217-20 & Laser Temp-Gun 2266-20.

The promotion is a Mail-In rebate (full details here) that runs from November 1 until March 31 next year so you have some time to take advantage. If you are interested in anything for Milwaukee including Tools, Parts or Repairs, Ohio Power Tool has your answer email them at sales@ohiopowertool.com. Checkout the YouTube videos on some of these new products below:

Milwaukee Fork Meter

Milwaukee Clamp Meter

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The much anticipated M18 Jobsite Radio 2790-20 has officially been announced and they solved all the problems with compatibility.  Now all 12V-28V batteries from Milwaukee; M-series, V-series and NiCd will work to power this radio. But before you ask, no it doesn’t charge any of them.  The weather sealed MP3 compartment will hold your iPod or other devices and keep them out of the rain. If you are concerned about durability they are made to the same standards as the M12 Radio 2590-20, checkout this YouTube that’s been working its way around.

The M18 Radio 2790-20 will be available soon but for more information on all Milwaukee M18 tools and accessories visit Ohio Power Tool. Read the full official Milwaukee Press Release below.  

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation introduces the new Jobsite Radio powered by all of the MILWAUKEE® 12V-28V batteries including M-series, V-series and NiCad.  Featuring premium 4" polypropylene woofers,  1" tweeters and a high performance digital amplifier, the new radio is up to 6X more powerful than the competition and provides the richest sound available in its class.

 “MILWAUKEE® continues to provide innovative solutions on the job site that will raise the bar and lead the competition into the future,” says Rick Gambaccini, Sr. Product Manager for Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation. “While all competitors continue to use analog technology, the new MILWAUKEE® Jobsite Radio is the only radio in its class with a digital processor to deliver the highest reception accuracy and signal clarity in the industry.”

Backed by legendary Milwaukee durability, a shock absorbing ABS polymer and steel construction protects internal components from weather and abusive job site conditions.  In addition, the 2790-20 features a weather sealed MP3 compartment to protect MP3 players and other audio devices. 

Complete with an AM/FM Tuner, customizable equalizer and the first-ever job site radio bottle opener, this revolutionary Jobsite Radio will set the new standard for the quality of job site entertainment.

Specifications (2790-20)
Radio Pre-Set – FM (10), AM (10)
40 W RMS
12-28V
17.5lbs

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Want a Makita 15 tool combo kit, Free? Makita loves their sweepstakes and this one is a pretty good one because there are 10 chances to win the $1,600 grand prize. The sweepstakes runs until the end of the year and takes only a minute to enter, with an easy op-out of future promo emails. Enter the Makita Sweepstakes and you’ll know if you are a winner by mid January.      

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It seems like last year there were more power tool blogs and YouTubes about pumpkin carving with power tools(see the coptool post from last year). I just saw the Dremel tool for Carving Pumpkins on ToolGuyd, looks pretty similar to many of their other consumer tools but could be really handy for the once a year fun. 

If you want some really creative ideas this year checkout the Pumpkin Carving Contest on ExtremePumpkin.com.     

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The SEMA Automotive Show is the premier aftermarket car show in the world, which appeals to a very wide range of people. The show itself covers 2 million sq. ft. with such a wide range of products and industries including car parts, stereo & electronics, restoration parts, power sports, car care, accessories, paint supplies and of course Tools & Equipment. Some of our favorite brands will be on hand including Chicago Pneumatic tools who will be on hand with Rich Evans and his H20 Knight car. For more details on that checkout CP’s latest issue of the Cranked Up Newsletter.  

Unfortunately the SEMA show is not open to the general public, but with such a wide audience from car deals, tool suppliers, collision repair, electronic installers and so many more it shouldn’t be hard to go if you really want. Checkout the SEMA 2009 Car Show website for more info and details on this year’s festivity.  

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The new Bosch GLL2-80 ($272) acts more like an interior rotary laser but still priced like a less expensive line laser. This compact laser provides 2 independent line lasers with full 360 degrees of continuous coverage. Each line, vertical and horizontal, can be operated independently and feature “Pulse” receiver mode for long distances or for use in bright light conditions. Accurate to 1/4" at 100' this laser ideal for all types of applications such as cabinet hanging, tile work, drop ceiling and much more.     

This laser is also very easy to use, with single button operation that requires little training. Included with the GLL2-80 is the WM1 ($46) laser mount with both ¼ & 5/8 tripod mounts, magnets for use on metal track and perfect for use with poles or attaching to a wall surface.

Check out Ohio Power Tool for a wide range of laser levels including line lasers, rotary lasers, tile lasers, dot lasers and more. If you would like more specific help finding exactly what you need feel free to email sales@ohiopowertool.com for a speedy response.   

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I was recently introduced to a great publication which goes by the name, The Garage Slab. This magazine is all about the American Garage. Unfortunately the website doesn’t give the full articles but I would encourage you to visit the site for more info The Garage Slab. If you want a FREE copy come into Ohio Power Tool there are a limited number of copies on the counter.

Some of the Topics you may be interested in from the Last Issue: Famous Garages (includes garage from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Visit to the Good Guys Car Show, Shameful Garages pictures, Garage Design: Thinking in Height & Dimension, Show us Your Slab (reader pics), The Motor Lounge (look at a nice lounge/garage that houses a 1956 Bel Air), Perched on Lake Erie (a garage move & restoration story), That’s One Heck of a Beer Bill (Garage Brewery), Sweet Home Chicago, Under the Hood (look at a Lamborghini Murcielago), Pluggin it In (selecting the right size extension cord for Power Tools), Loud & Out of Control (Raiders of the Lost Garage Sale), The Desert Slab (military garages in Iraq & Afghanistan) and much more!

(directly from the magazine) The Slab’s History Lesson… Our story begins with our founder and garage proprietor, Pete Foster, upon learning that his wife, Caren, was having a baby shower for their third child. Tearing down the old, rickety shed in the back of his house, Pete constructed a monument to man’s storage. Not wanting to be outdone, our hero developed a “garage” shower for the “baby” he had just built from the slab up.

What came next was pure brilliance. A newsletter dedicated to the American Garage. With contributions from some friends, the interest grew and illustrious hero gathered his fellow garage enthusiasts and decided on something just a wee bit bigger. Thus our current version of The Garage Slab was born and brought to all of America and the world to celebrate our fascination with the versatility, often futility, of the garage. A moment of silence, please.  

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 08:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It seems like everyone has “economic indicators” to judge their own business and industry. One of our big ones is Tool Repairs. When things are good and there are lots of projects going at once, people are breaking tools left & right. When things slow down, however what happens is they don’t need as many tools going simultaneously so there become backup tools, the broken tool can collect dust in the corner and they can use the working tools they got. No need to fix them or buy new ones.

Earlier this year tool repairs really slowed down, which wasn’t a big surprise, as the sky was apparently falling. Then things leveled out however the good news is for the last month or two we have seen a consistent increase in tool repairs. Which means for one, people are working and they either broke all their unused tools or maybe are actually increasing the amount of tools they need to use simultaneously again. Both are good news for the tool repair business and everyone else who wants to see the economy turn around.

If you do your own tool repairs check out this page for links to many of the Manufacturer’s Parts Breakdown pages. Also if you need parts from any of these manufacturers Ohio Power Tool stocks a wide range of tool parts.   

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While supplies last, at Ohio Power Tool you can get a Free 3^rd Battery instantly with the purchase of the CLPK40-180 ($475) or the CLPK50-180 ($550) combo kits. The CLPK50-180 is actually the CLPK40-180 kit with the Impactor 25618B, but for only $75 more it’s one great deal. The free 3^rd battery ships right away with your tool (no mail-in rebates) and is the light weight slimpack BAT609 ($77) which is great for the light, impact, and many uses of the hammer drill. Bosch is also the only major tool brand that allows any of the 18V tools to work with both the slimpack or fatpack batteries.

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Price comparison websites are not new by any means however www.Tools.com is the first I know that was specifically built for power tools, hand tools and accessories. There is a large selection of participating internet retailers such as Northern Tool, Amazon, Tool Barn, Tool King, Ohio Power Tool, CPO sites, and several others. The site claims over 90,000 tools from 500 brands. Since the site is still fairly new the reviews haven’t gotten filled in on many of the products yet (only 125 total thus far) but I am pretty confident over time these will be a really good resource for unbiased reviews. Perhaps they should give away Free T-shirts when you write 5 reviews like www.ToolCritic.com.

If you want to learn more about the back story for Tools.com there is a great interview article on www.ToolSnob.com. Here are just a few gems that you will find in the full post on ToolSnob:

How on earth did you manage to score that URL?
There are two stories. One is that we won it on a riverboat poker game from Mr. Tools in the late 1890s. The second one is that our partners owned the domain name and approached us with it.

If Tools.com was an animal, which one would it be and why?
A goat. Because their needs are so simple but they give so much - just like Tools.com. You know?  

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just wanted to throw it out there for reps, vendors, manufacturers, PR ninjas and others we will be attending the STAFDA show, which is just a few weeks away at this point. If you are have a new tool product or represent any specific brand and would to be featured on Coptool.com please contact us and we will be happy to stop by your booth or meet with you anytime. If you would like to meet up to buy me a beer and tell me how awesome the website is I’m open to that as well.

It also looks like we will be headed to the 2010 Builders Show as well so if you are not going to be at STAFDA perhaps we can give you some coverage then.

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I found this story on Make Magazine but this home is actually for sale (lots of pictures and sketches) on SiloHome.com. The $2.3 million dollar home has 20 acres, access to a runway and some 16,000 sq. ft. of potential living space underground to prepare for Armageddon. The US government built this missile silo in the 1958 for some $18 million (over $100 million by today’s standards and they built 12 of them) and recently sold it to the builder on the cheap for $100,000, that’s our government at work!

Regardless the home looks pretty sweet with 3,600 sq ft of current living space; 1,300 above ground, 2,300 below ground in the former control room. Obviously the entire underground part is reinforced and has a 2,000lb blast door that looks like a bank vault. Let’s see the zombies get through that.       

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 02:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Already well known for their electric shears and metal nibblers Bosch Power Tools now offers a cordless metal shear option. The new Bosch PS70-2A ($337) is 12V Max shear for 18 gauge metals; able to cut up to 12 gauge aluminum and other softer metals.

I had a chance to get my hands on the new PS70 and I was extremely impressed with how powerful it was given that it is such a lightweight cordless tool. It was also extremely easy to handle, with a very sharp turning radius and just 10” overall length (very similar to the PS50-2A size). The 12V Max battery platform is extremely efficient for drills/drivers however similar to the PS50 it can be lacking for certain applications that require continuous use. The new PS70-2A might be better suited for smaller jobs or intermittent cutting vs constant use. The cordless aspect does make it incredibly covenant so you will need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.

The PS70-2A is on the shelves now, at least at Ohio Power Tool. Checkout more detailed pictures in this photo album. Let us know if you have any questions about any of the Bosch Power Tools.        

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We had several posts this year about new Milwaukee Band Saws. Several months ago we announced the new Deep Cut Band Saw 6232-6N ($299), then the Compact Band Saw 6242-6 ($199) and most recently the M18 Cordless Compact Band Saw 2629-22 ($399). If you had seen any of these and though you would like to get one but put it off, now may be the time. From now until the end of the year each of these 3 new band saws have a free tool or accessory kit available. Checkout the full Mail-in Rebate here.

The Compact Band Saw 6242-6 ($199) has the option for Free set of the new 29pc Shockwave Impact bits 48-32-4401 or 15pc Thunderbolt drill Bits 48-89-2803.  

The Deep Cut Band Saw 6232-6N ($299) has the option of a Free 4.5”-5” 12 amp Grinder 6116-30 (locking) or 6116-31 (non-locking) both sell for $129 at Ohio Power Tool.

The M18 Cordless Compact Band Saw 2629-22 ($399) has the option for a Free Flash Light 49-24-0171 ($39) or Hex Impact Driver 2650-20 ($199).  

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 02:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Consider this your official invitation to come out to the Ohio Power Tool Columbus location and have some fun at the Bosch Tailgate party. In addition to the full tailgate spread there will be Bosch representatives on hand to answer any questions and give tool & accessory demos. Lots of Bosch prizes including hats, tee shirts, accessories and tools. The event will be Thursday, October 22^nd from 10:00am – 2:00pm. It’s not just for the locals, checkout the great deals all month long online like Bosch Grinders $49, Bosch Bulldogs $222, 18V Impactors $99, 18V 4 Tool Combo & 3^rd Battery $475 and lots of other great Bosch Tool deals, prices just got lowered yesterday.

Above and beyond these online deals if you can make it to Ohio Power Tool for the event, there will be instant rebates on almost every Bosch tool in-stock good for up to an additional 20% off instantly. Give the guys at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424 for full details and to get your orders in early to guarantee stock but you are not going to do better buying Bosch Tools this year.         

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many of you took advantage of the Ingersoll Rand air tool stimulus plan rebate program that ran back in April, well guess what we are doing it again from Now until December 31^st. The deal applies to many of the most popular Ingersoll Rand Air Tools. Get up to 15% off current deals and other promotions. Check out the mail-in rebate for full details and the complete list of tools that apply. If you have any questions, the pros at Ohio Power Tool (800-242-4424) are happy to help, also you can email any questions to sales@ohiopowertool.com for a quick answer.   

Posted by Jay Amstutz at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)