When using bi-metal Hole Saws it's easy to not follow the proper directions and become disappointed with the lack of performance. No matter what brand you are using there are some basic things you can do to extend the life of any Hole Saw. First have you ever looked at the proper RPM chart for your hole saws based on size & material? ...What Usage Chart?
All Hole Saw Kits or Individual pieces should come with a chart of some kind that gives the proper RPM for Wood, Aluminum, Mild Steel, Stainless Steel, Etc. Since that packaging is probably deep in a landfill somewhere just keep a few numbers in mind. For a 2” Hole Saw the recommended RPM for wood is 2000, the recommendation for Stainless Steel however is 85 RPM. For a 5” Hole Saw the numbers are even lower 800 RPM for wood, 30 RPM for Stainless Steel (or 1 revolution every 2 seconds). Obviously no big deal on wood but that's pretty slow for the steel and easy to way over do it. Other types of metals such as Aluminum or Mild Steel you can go a little faster but not like you are zippin through a 2x4 of pine. If you should fine that handy cutting guide you will also probably notice a disclaimer that says “Cutting Oil Recommended” and if you want to extend the life of your Hole Saw you should probably use cutting oil with any metal cutting.
The slow speed and cutting oil both help to keep the Hole Saw cooler, over heating will kill any Hole Saw no matter what the brand, price or fancy selling features. For serious cutting in metal you might also want to look at Annular Cutters that will work in standard drills and do a much better job.
If you have questions about any Hole Saws contact Ohio Power Tool at 800-242-4424 or email sales@ohiopowertool.com they stock a wide range of bi-Metal, Carbide, Diamond and other specialty hole saws.
Earlier this year we got a first look at the new Bosch Power Box PB360S, during the World of Concrete (See earlier PB360S Post), these are now out and the user reviews are coming in. We were lucky enough to get one of these units to demo and as luck would have it, the unit was just in time for the perfect testing ground. Some 200+ Co-eds in their 20’s & 30’s playing an all day kickball tournament; yep the game you played in 3rd grade gym class is now Columbus, Ohio’s “Premier Social Experience”.
How Long Does a Battery Last on the PS360S?
One of the big questions I keep getting is, how long do the batteries? Unfortunately it depends somewhat on how you use it so you aren’t going to get an exact answer but we tested it as loud as you would want to push it, 18 of 20 volume, with custom set equalizer (bass & treble at 8 of 10). The first 18V FatPack BAT618($99, Ohio Power Tool) lasted 2:43 of continuous use. The second battery lasted about the same however on the second battery I then turned it back on and got approximately another 12 minutes and a third time for an addition 10 minutes before calling it a day. We would assume the first battery still had some life left but didn’t try that one again as at this point the sun was setting and the day was done. If you are thinking 3 hours isn’t going to be long enough we were really playing this thing loud in an open field which entertained everyone with 30-40 ft earshot. We tried it again at home on level 6 (about right for a workshop) with an FM station and default EQ, this time it ran for somewhere just north of 7 hours.
How Many Digital Music Options Do You Need?
In addition to a nice digital radio AM/FM tuners with plenty of pre-sets there is an entire media bay full of possibilities. There are 2 Aux inputs for iPods, iPhone, MP3 players, Satellite Radio, CD players, Tape Decks or whatever new should come out next. There is also a SD card slot and USB Card slot which you can have all these slots full, simultaneously, for ultimate flexibility when it comes to music options. Simply toggle through with the large source button and pick the option you like best. Something we found to work perfectly was a Blackberry (or iPhone or Android) with the Mobile Pandora App where you put in a favorite artist and it will play continuous for hours. Surprisingly the Blackberry lasted all day and still had ¼ battery life left.
Next Generation of Mix Tapes
Your first though when you heard the new Bosch Power Box took USB & SD cards might have been to get an 8gig card, load all your music and never have to worry again. Unfortunately this theory is not very good in practice. Even with a few hundred songs you will never be able to locate the songs you want and the Power Box unfortunately starts from song 1 every time it powers off. In practice the cards work better like a long mix tapes, even a 256MB card can hold 4-5 hours of music and only cost $2-3 online.
Handling the Elements
The day couldn’t have been a better single day testing ground not only did we get some continuous rain for the first hour or so but the Power Box also took an unexpected spill off the refreshment cooler. Didn’t even skip a beat, literally, just picked it up and put it back on top and didn’t worry about a thing. On a real jobsite these are the types of dings you would expect everyday in addition to saw dust, drywall particles, getting thrown in the back of a truck with tools and materials piled on top.
In a Perfect World
In looking at Power Box PB360S with a critical eye there are some issues when using the unit. First, the runtime left a little to be desired at just shy of 3 hours. The PB360D (Deluxe Model) will be launching later this year with “2x the sound” output which really would of blown the sox off the crowd last weekend but if that equals 50% battery life it could be a big problem. Second, the EQ settings, tiny issue but every time you would switch a battery or power off, the EQ setting goes back to default. This just seemed weird because the unit also has 2 AA batteries (included) that only function to remember time, radio presets and even custom EQ levels just not which setting it was last on. Third the Handle & Aux 2 Storage, could have been better though out. Ideally you would load an iPod in the media bay lock it up and have it safely protected however in practice that doesn’t always work. Inside the media bay there is no control over the Aux device to switch songs, playlists, etc. If someone wanted to keep switching the songs instead of using the media bay jack it would be much easier to use the external input jack. Unfortunately the very short Aux cord provided isn’t really long enough to use outside the media bay and also the top handle seems like it could have been made larger to accommodate the inevitable ipod/MP3 player that would be sitting in there. Forth issue Battery Storage, it would have been nice if a spare battery had some way to travel conveniently with the unit such as a slotted holder on the side. Fifth issue battery gauge, on the display is a picture of a battery but it doesn’t tell how much juice is left until it starts blinking and at that point you are only minutes away from tunelessness. Last issue, what no cup holders, alright we’ll let that one slide?
The Complete Package
If you already have any Bosch 18V Litheon Tools it would probably seem natural, the idea of upgrading the charger to a near indestructible jobsite radio/charger. If you don’t already have Bosch 18V Litheon Cordless Tools you can of course just buy the batteries individually or a drill/driver kit with 2 batteries is just $169.
And the Call Is: All Around Great Jobsite Radio
The performance on this radio is really impressive in so many different ways. First I was impressed at the World of Concrete by the toughness of taking a dozen or so drops on pavement. Then when I got my hands on it I was impressed by the forward thinking, on digital music options. Even battery life, while under 3 hours isn’t really good enough, I suppose for most people who aren’t trying to start a mid-day dance party, getting somewhere between 5-8 hours is going to be plenty. I’m having trouble seeing why there is a need for a Deluxe model later this year other than the GFCI but I’m pretty sure both models will be very popular. My guess is these Power Boxes will make it on to many jobsites... and beaches, barbeques, tailgates, kickball tournaments, etc.
It’s spring time here in Ohio, the weather is great, people are boating again and planning barbeques with family and friends. Unfortunately that deck in the backyard might need a little work before you want to have your father-in-law over for burgers. There is a great article on Extreme How To that covers a wide range of important deck information from type of woods, cleaning, assessing deck condition, repairs, colors, stains, waterproofing and much more. Read the opening for the article below or check out the whole “All Hands on Deck” story atwww.ExtremeHowTo.com.
A beautiful wood deck can contribute directly to your home's value and to your family's quality of life, and whether the deck is 200 square feet or 2,000 square feet, many people are passionately proud of their decks.So why do so many homeowners let their decks become downright shabby-looking? Besides time constraints, many people are completely confused about how to maintain a deck so they avoid the project altogether. Even if you're an old-hand at deck care, the past few years have seen changes in deck care products, making it even more difficult to stay current.
The good news is that keeping your deck in good condition can amount to no more than an afternoon or two every couple of years, depending on climate factors and the type of products you use. (Of course, this excludes regular sweeping and hosing to remove dirt and leaves.) In fact, even a complete deck makeover can be relatively quick. Thanks to new product formulas covered later in this article, it is possible to clean, color and waterproof a 1,200-square-foot deck all in one day.
The down side to deck care is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The best way to clean and protect your deck depends on several variables. What kind of wood is the deck made of? What kind of deck coating have you used before? Do you want a very natural wood look or would you like to add more color? Carefully assessing your deck's condition, knowing what needs to be fixed, and knowing how you want your deck to look, goes a long way toward a smooth and satisfactory job.
Bosch 5 Point Dot Laser GPL5C Adds Top & Bottom Crosslines
Several months ago the Bosch 5 point GPL5C ($299, Ohio Power Tool) hit the shelves and has been fairly popular. However since people are not used to using dot lasers with cross lines it can be hard to justify the price difference from the Bosch 5 point GPL5 ($199, Ohio Power Tool). A few days ago Bosch released the view below which should help determine if the cross line is going to be a time saver for you or not but in most cases it should be well worth it. See the full line of Bosch Laser Levels at OhioPowerTool.com.
Back in March we got our first look at the Ridgid LT1000($1756, Ohio Power Tool) SeeSnake Laptop Interface at the Pumper Show down in Louisville, KY. The unit is mounted on your SeeSnake Reel, either Mini or Standard size in addition to foot mounted stabilizers, which should have probably come with all reels anyway. The LT1000 allows for USB connection to almost any laptop as well as RCA audio/video outputs for any number of other viewing/recording devices including the SeeSnake Explorer($690, Ohio Power Tool).
All the LT1000 units also come with the Ridgid HQ software which is definitely a very valuable part of the package. The software not only allows you to control many aspects of the laptop from the LT1000 (keeping your gloved hands off the laptop) but it also makes it very easy to add notes, job info, burn CDs and/or upload direct to www.RidgidConnect.com. It would seem this is really the full solution as HQ Software allows you to not only capture video, images and information but it also helps improve the flow for work orders, invoices, etc. With simple internet connectivity the whole operation becomes very streamlined.
If you have any questions about any Ridgid SeeSnake or Plumbing products feel free to give Ohio Power Tool a call at 800-242-4424 or email sales@ohiopowertool.com. Check out this video on the Ridgid LT1000 below:
Over the past few years concrete countertops have become very popular for many different applications from your local dive bar to some of the nicest kitchens in America. The draw is the flexibility and for the DIYers the price. In terms of possibilities the options seem almost limitless color, finish, texture, durability, shape, even imbedded LED lights are not a problem. When done by a professional a new concrete countertop could cost even more than granite, depending on how elaborate the project. For the Do It Yourselfer however it can be a great way to save a few bucks… or a great way to really mess up you home if you don’t know what you are doing.
For concrete professionals or those looking to do more work with concrete countertops the Diamond Products DS301($1,942, Ohio Power Tool) is really the top of the line tool for the job. The unit features three 5” rotating orbital heads with a Fein variable speed motor powering the unit. To get a mirror finish a job could involve up to 9 steps of grinding and polishing and obviously a large powerful unit like the DS301 is going to save a significant amount of time in the process. The good news is with proper preparation in building the forms several steps can be eliminated.
The grinding wheels and polishing pads are easy to attach and switch. Step 1 is grinding which there are 5 options of grits for the Diamond Grinding Wheels ranging from 25/35 to 140/170 grit. If the concrete is really rough you may want to break step 1 into 2 or even 3 steps. The grinding wheels run $320 for a set of (3) 5” wheels. For steps 2-8 you will use the Resin Polishing Pads which range from 50 grit to 3000 grit for a mirror finish.
If you have any questions about any Diamond Products tools from concrete saws, core drills to polishing products give the pros at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424. Check out the video below for more details on the DS301 unit and the proper grinding wheels and polishing pads.
You may have seen something on these before and maybe, like I did, though it was a joke or at least a gimmick of some kind. If you have taken a trip to Seattle recently however you will actually see a good number of people walking around in Kilts. The Utilikilt company, based in Seattle, sells a ton of kilts everyday including their Workman’s Kilt which goes for $230. That is a fair amount more than most high quality work pants so it would seem there are some avid kilt wearers out there. Blaklader, another maker of some nice professional work gear, has the Gasglow Kilt which was admittedly created as a “trade show piece” but apparently was so popular it’s now a part of their regular product mix. Very interesting trend to keep an eye on, perhaps in a few years we will all be wearing Kilts in the summer wondering how we ever lived without their natural cooling properties...
Since 1901 Chicago Pneumatic has been delivering quality air tools for automotive, industrial and construction applications. New this year is a lot of exciting new products in addition to a full line overhaul, well at least the appearance. Many of their tools are getting a fresh coat of red as part of their “new look”. Some of their most popular tools will remain unchanged and become the “Classic” line. Here is a link to the Full 2010 Chicago Pneumatic Industrial & Vehicle Service Catalog which will show all the tools as they will be moving forward.
This change will take some time to implement and you can assume CP and distributors will work through existing inventory before switching to the “new look”. If you really want a red tool you might need to wait a little and/or do some calling around. There are also a few pictures in the catalog that suggest the CP construction tools and air compressors will also get similar face lifts. Our first thought was simply that the red would scrape off making the tool look worn out quicker but then we remembered the CP Breakers have been red for some time and they hold up very well.
If you have any questions about CP automotive tools, construction, compressors, CP parts, repairs or anything else Chicago Pneumatic related feel free to call Ohio Power Tool at 800-242-4424 or email sales@ohiopowertool.com.
One quick side note the “Chicago Electric” tool brand is NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM related to “Chicago Pneumatic”. Seriously NOT related at all, not even through a cousin’s, ex-wife’s, hair dresser’s, baby daddy kind of relation. The “Chicago Electric” tools are exclusively sold through Harbor Freight and if such a fine product should ever have difficulty you should contact Harbor Freight directly for warranty or parts.
Everyone needs a good driver bit set in the arsenal even if you aren’t a professional or serious DIYer it’s always a good idea to have a few extra bits handy. When you start looking at bits sets however you’ll realize pretty quick they all fairly different as far as what’s included. First you have several types of screwdriver bits Phillips, Slotted, Square & Torx. Then you have 1”, 2” & 2 sided 2”. There are also “Impact Bits” for all these options as well. In addition to just the screwdriver bits some kits include nutsetters, socket adaptors, hex drill bits and quick change adaptors.
Impact Driver Bits - First off will you be using an impact driver like the Milwaukee 2650-20 or Bosch 25618 most of the time (not just occasionally but enough to break lots of bit heads)? If that is the case you should definitely be looking at a kit like the Milwaukee Shockwave 29pc kit. The Shockwave 48-32-4401 kit has all 4 types of screwdriver bits and 3 nutsetter bits so it’s fairly complete but it would have been nice to see the Shockwave Impact Adaptors in there, so handy with an impact driver. For many applications the “Impact” bits may be over kill so don’t feel obligated to get them especially if you aren’t using an impact driver.
Hex Drill Bits - Another quick way to weed out some of the options are Hex Drill Bits. It seems unnecessary because traditionally you had screwdriver bit kits and drill bit kits. Now-a-days however since we have so many compact driver tools that only use ¼” hex, like the Bosch PS21-2A, the hex drill bits are becoming much more popular. If you are using a hex driver tool a kit with these drill bits is very handy. Two good options are the Milwaukee 48-32-1500 or Bosch CC2130 which both have nutsetters, socket adaptors & quick changes but for some reason no torx driver bits in either. If you already have a kit or just want a nice set of 1/16” to ¼” hex drill bits the Milwaukee 48-89-4431 is a good option.
Screwdriver Bits – If you don’t want to play around and just need screwdriver bits the Milwaukee Puck 48-32-1700 is compact and has 20 1” bits for under $10. For a more robust driver kits with 2” bits as well the Irwin 30pc or Milwaukee 40pc bit kits are both nice. The Irwin does has 4 nutsetters vs Milwaukee with 2 however Irwin doesn’t have any torx bits and Milwaukee has 6. Typically you know if you need torx bits but if you aren’t sure some day you might run into that pesky weird looking shape, think back to this moment and say maybe a few T15, T20 & T25 bits would have been nice instead of an extra 3 Phillips?
Basically there are lots of options for Driver Bits Sets and without too much overlap you should be able to find the right set at Ohio Power Tool. If you need any help selecting or have any questions, give the guys a call at 800-242-4424 or email sales@ohiopowertool.com and they will be happy to help.
Here is some interesting information on the AngLevel which looks like a multi-tool for leveling, measuring and finding miter angles. There is a pretty Cool Tools video below which highlights some of the features. The price is $40 which seems pretty good although haven’t had my hands on one to see if it’s well made or junk. You can buy them direct from www.toplineinnovations.com. More information and specs are below the video.
Product Details:
The product is very high quality, high resistance to wear and tear, made with stainless steel and fiberglass to withstand the rigors of a construction environment. This tool can be used as a:
- Angle Measurements (0° to 360°degrees) - Pitch or Slope Measurements (1 to 20 pitch) - 9-inch up to 16-inch Torpedo Level - Rafter Square - Sliding T-Bevel - Plum Bob - Compass - Ruler - 16-inch on center step-off.
Some of the Other Features Includes:
- 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch pitch (commonly used for drainage). - There are 1 thru 20 pitch lines on the body of tool and it display's the degree at the same time with a degree dial that ranges from 0° to 90°degrees in 5°degree increments. - There is a pitch-to-degree conversion table, for example a 10-pitch = 40°degrees, or 12-pitch = 45°degrees. - The stainless steel ruler on the AngLevel™ tool spins 360° degrees and includes a compass feature. - The compass feature enables the user to make circles from 2-inches to 30-inches in ½ inch increments. - In addition the stainless steel ruler is 7-inches long etched in 1/16” inch increments. - The ruler markings are ascending and descending on each side. - The tool is 1.5" thick (thickness of a standard wood/steel 2x lumber, like a "2x4 stud") and is 3/4”, which is half of the stud thickness, which helps finding the center of the stud or the opposite edge of the 2x lumber or steel.
The AngLevel™ Differences
- All levels have vertical (plumb) and horizontal (level) indicators. The AngLevel™ is unique in that they have vertical and horizontal indicators, but also angle and pitch (slope) indicators. Unlike digital levels which are sensitive to drops, the AngLevel is durable and easy to use. There is no calibration required. - With gravity-base levels, you can’t transfer the angle/pitch/slope to your saw or material; once you set it flat, those types of levels simply don’t work anymore! - While other levels stop at 12 pitch, the AngLevel™ goes to 20 pitch. Our AngLevel measuring range goes from 0 to 360 degrees! - At Topline Innovations, we pride ourselves in knowing that our AngLevel™ are made from high quality materials, as well as methodically constructed for accuracy and durability. Each level is hand inspected, precision tested and drop tested.
Ridgid Connect is the online solution to store and track all your digital files including pictures, videos, pdfs, word docs and other important digital information related to specific clients and jobs. These files can easily be uploaded from anywhere and shared throughout the company instantaneously.
It is a great software product with some very intelligent minds at the helm, and if you are interested in taking it for a spine they are offering a 30 free trial. Currently, it appears they are focusing on their large Ridgid SeeSnake user base for potential customers however the software has a much wider range of use. Any digital camera or video recorder files can be uploaded including competitor’s sewer cameras such as General, Spartan and any others.
To drive some fresh eyeballs to the Ridgid Connect website they are doing it the old fashion way, giving lots of free stuff away! Up to $25,000 of free goodies, open to anyone, no purchase necessary (see rules). Of course they’re probably hoping if a shiny new SeeSnake sounds good to you that you’ll stay a minute and learn about the software.
The Garage Journal is a great blog/forum site we were introduced to several months ago by the guys from The Garage Slab Magazine. Who knew there was so much interest in garages right, to have dedicated magazines and forums? Once you dive on in however my guess is, if you are like me, you will find far too much of it extremely interesting. The “garage” encompasses so much from cars, tools, woodworking, gadgets, beer making, construction and you could probably relate anything else you are interested in without stretching too far. Here was one interesting post that caught my eye, The Bunker Garage, which goes through the whole process of building this unique garage. In the blog they always seem to have lots of posts on tools and work bench designs (see Mega Bench). Check it out it’s worth a visit!
It is impressive how helpful the team from Powers Fasteners can be at times, they are very dedicated to supporting every level of users that would have interaction with their products from architect to installer. There are several useful resources you can find on the web, including detailed Training Videos for a variety of products as well as a handy Epoxy Volume Estimator to help more accurately calculate amounts of Powers Chemical Anchors required for any given job.
The product that impressed us most however was the Powers Design Assist (PDA) Software which is built for architects and engineers to use in the early design stages. The software put technical data into a real-time environment and helps you visualize, consider and specify anchors in today's changing engineering climate. Did we mention it’s completely Free software to download (click the link above) which you wouldn't even need to use Powers Fasteners to find helpful.
If you have any specific questions on Powers Fasteners products, another excellent resource for professional support would be Ohio Power Tool at 800-242-4424 or email sales@ohiopowertool.com.
Blitz Build with Habitat for Humanity - Springfield, Ohio 2010
Last weekend almost half the Ohio Power Tool Staff took part in a “Blitz Build” for Habitat for Humanity in Springfield, Ohio; although that was just a drop in the bucket for the several hundred volunteers that showed up. Basically the goal was to build 2 homes in 2 days, from concrete slab to near finished homes. This included raising the pre-framed walls, insulation, siding, windows, roofing, shingles, electrical, plumbing and sheet rock. This was a pretty big task to get done in 2 days especially since we also had scattered rain showers on both days however with a lot of hard work the build was definitely considered a success!
We got involved with the build through a group that travels around and does these blitz builds in conjunction with smaller local Habitat affiliates. The group is made up of individuals from 13 states with many experienced contractors among them, who do a few of these builds each year. The group is known as the “Road Trip Crazies” and they are definitely an entertaining group to build and socialize with.
Everyone there had so much fun it could hardly be considered work, definitely something to consider doing if you have the time. Checkout some of the pictures in this album, good shots of both houses going up.
Each year Ridgid has a Reputation Roadshow where a knowledgeable group of Ridgid Reps travels the country and visit a few locations to meet with end users, demo new products, answer questions and help support their professional supply retailers. The events typically offer free Ridgid gear, lunch and the always popular Ridgid Calendar Girls to autograph calendars and take pictures.
To help promote the different event and get the word out there this year there is also a weekly Flyer Scavenger Hunt contest where you can win prizes even if you never make it to the show. This week (5/3/2010) the prize is a Ridgid Seesnake Micro($223, Ohio Power Tool) which is well worth a few mouse clicks in my mind.
Below is the video from last year’s show at Ohio Power Tool where Ridgid Model CJ Perry helped promote some of the new Ridgid products in Columbus, Ohio.
