A friend of ours is in the business of sourcing wood and it definitely seems like an interesting job. Some of their wood comes from old barns in and around Ohio and gets repurposed into floors, furniture, raw stock, beams, whatever. A visit to a local Mexican restaurant, currently under construction, which is using a lot of their raw stock wood really gave us a good idea how unique some of their product is. If you have any projects coming up and you’re looking for say 16” wide floor planks or antique looking wood stock, get a hold of Tom at Old West Woods he’ll fix you up. It can also be a very environmentally friendly way to use real wood that's a good quality. If you want to see more pictures and projects you can also checkout their Facebook page, which some of you may have already done because they have 2,900+ fans.   

Posted by Jay A. at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January & February means prime time for industry trade shows, up north things are a little colder, slower and people perhaps have a couple of days to see what’s new in their industry. Here is a quick list of just a few of the shows happening in the next two months.

International Builders Show – January 19-22, 2010

The largest building industry tradeshow in the country! More than 175 education sessions and great keynote speaker! All the top vendors will be there for building supplies, tools, etc with interactive booths and displays. Plus its Las Vegas.

AHR Expo – January 25-27, 2010

This is the world’s largest HVAC&R industry trade show. In Orlando, Fl for 2010 this show is not only a great place to see new products, attend education sessions, network but also has great deals on some of those expensive products from many vendors. This trade show is designed specific for those in the Heating, Cooling and Refrigeration industries. We mentioned the show earlier as the place where Ridgid is planning their 2010 World Premier Product Launch.      

World of Concrete – February 2-5, 2010

The industry's ONLY annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits with the industry's leading suppliers showcasing innovative products and technologies, exciting demonstrations and competitions, a world-class education program, and the information you need to help sustain and grow your business. This show is also another great Las Vegas show, maybe the only place big enough for the indoor/outdoor requirements in February.

The Rental Show – February 7-10, 2010

This show features a wide range of products from heavy construction, light construction/general tool and party/special event products together on one floor, in one continuous hall. The show is also in Orlando,Fl for 2010 and I am just curious who provides all the rental party/special event products for the show.

Pumper & Cleaner Show – February 24-27,2010

In Louisville, Ky for 2010 this show is specific for professionals in septic system installation & service contractors, drain and sewer cleaning & repair contractors, portable restroom operators, industrial maintenance & cleaning contractors, municipal water & sewer system maintenance managers and other related professional.

Obviously there are many more shows throughout the year worth attending however these are just a few in the next 2 months. If you can’t make it but are interested in a particular show I would encourage you to check out the websites. Many have interactive floor plans and a lot of details. Also specific trade publications will attend and do a good job covering the shows with articles and videos (see http://www.forconstructionpros.com/video/).  

Posted by Jay A. at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Why would you need to wait in line at 5am, uphill both ways in 10 feet of snow just to fight Pit Bulls with lipstick (aka Hockey Moms) to try and save a few bucks? Ohio Power Tool is already putting out lots of awesome power tools at special discounted pricing and not refurbished or last year’s leftovers but the new good stuff. Check out the Top Tool Deals page to get some great gift ideas. Remember these prices also work with any other deals for Free Tools, Mail-in Rebates and/or Free Shipping.

The Free Shipping Deal is good until Monday December 7^th, a week after Cyber Monday on many major brands including Bosch, Milwaukee, Dremel, Ingersoll Rand, CST/berger & Ridgid. Simply use Coupon Code TURKEY at checkout for free UPS ground shipping.

Visit Ohio Power Tool for a wide selection of tools at everyday discount prices. There are also a variety of mail-in rebates and other deals you can check out on the home page. You can also call 800-242-4424 during business hours to place any order, just mention the Free Shipping special.  

Posted by Jay A. at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After using your power tools continuously for several years the batteries are probably more useful as a paper weights than they are at powering your tools. This is of course to be expected from any battery and even with longer running lithium ion technology; they will eventually stop holding a charge as well. At that point you may want to simply pitch the battery in the trash can and be done with it but there is a better option. I have yet to meet anyone who preferred Nickel Cadmium in their drinking water but maybe it’s delicious.

There are 30,000+ locations around the country that will take your batteries and recycle them for free. You are most likely going to need to pick up a new battery anyway so you might as well get it from a dealer who will take the old battery as well. Plus the spokesman is Al Borland from “Home Improvement” how could he steer you wrong? Their website is www.rbrc.org and you can find hundreds of locations in you area by using your zip code on the Find A Drop Box page. This program is also good for cell phones, laptops, cameras, camcorders and all other types of rechargeable batteries. The most common types of batteries are Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead (Pb). Just make sure it has the RBRC recycle seal on the battery somewhere, which all major brands do.   

If you are in the central Ohio area, you can drop your rechargeable batteries off at Ohio Power Tool and of course pick up a wide range of new batteries from Milwaukee, Bosch, Ingersoll Rand, Lincoln Lube, Makita and more.  

Posted by Jay A. at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Recently the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) made some significant changes to their website as well as launched a new site www.greenbuild365.org which is intended to make education that is accessible for all. The USGBC has been an incredibly successful non-profit organization responsible for the LEED certification program, the standard for rating Green Buildings today.

Why is this important to absolutely everyone in the construction industry? It is important because the U.S. market in green building products and services has gone from about $7 billion in 2005 to nearing $12 billion in 2007. I can tell you for certain the entire building industry has not gone up 40% over the same two years period. Consumers are demanding Green Buildings, which basically translates to LEED certified buildings. Large companies like Tuner Construction have lead the way in adoption and found ways to build green at equal or even reduced costs. The benefits of building green are huge; these companies receive tons of great PR, bid on project with less competition and make people feel good about helping to reduce effects on the environment.  

Small and midsize construction companies should all be getting involved at this time. LEED certification is not just for “specialty environmentalist builders” this is the trend of the entire construction industry. In the next 10 years, it is likely every building will be given a ranking on the LEED standard. The USGBC currently offers several low priced ($80 or $200 for series) courses to educate industry professionals through seminars at the Green Building Expo or online courses you can find on their website. These courses also count towards continuing education for many professions.

This is the future of the construction business, time to get ahead of the competition.      

Posted by Jay A. at 03:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by Jay A. at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)