The Ancient and the Badass: Old Milwaukee Drill

A guy we're working with right now busted this tool out the other day. The thing is solid metal and works like a mule. He said that he's never had to get it repaired (but there were a few years where the trigger acted a little funny) and he's consistently used it for as long as he's had it. This is the best part: he bought it new.....in the late 60s. So this thing is over 40 years old and it still churns on. Badass.

Check out Milwaukee's newer tools here or just check out what Amazon has here.

Read More in: Distractions | Power Tools

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (6) | Email This |

Tools of the Trade - Product Watch

The latest issue of Tools of the Trade is out and with it, my latest Product Watch column. It's a roundup of a about 20 new items of interest to the tradesman. It's not all hand and power tools either (although there is a lot of that), so there's plenty that you'll see that isn't covered on Tool Snob. It's got everything from a freaky mixing paddle to a bizarre and very unsettling jobsite security system to a extraordinarily useful ladder.

Have at it here.

And do yourself a favor and subscribe here.

Read More in: Guides | Hand Tools | Power Tools

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Expedition Robillard

We just found out that our pal Rob Robillard who writes over at A Concord Carpenter and Tool Box Buzz is a contestant on ABC's new show Expedition Impossible. He's the smilin' dude on the left.

The show seems to be like Amazing Race. A bunch of teams go through various physical trials and solve riddles to get to the final destination where there is a single winner. If you don't know him, Rob is one of those guys who naturally has more energy than a coked up squirrel injected with Red Bull, meaning he's the perfect guy for this sort of thing.

We'd go ahead and wish Rob good luck, but the competition has already been filmed and the winner has already been anointed. So we'll just have to watch and find out.

The show premiers, Thursday June 23rd at 9pm.

Honestly, we hate TV, but this one looks pretty cool...

Read More in: Distractions

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (0) | Email This |

Channellock #87 Rescue Tool - Review

Channellock has recently released the third version of their rescue tool. This latest generation is smaller than the rest and can fit in a back pocket. Designed for firefighters, first responders, and EMTs, the little item is filled with features that have little to do with everyday construction projects and everything to do with saving lives.

Continue reading: "Channellock #87 Rescue Tool - Review"

Read More in: All Reviews | Hand Tools

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This |

C.H. Hanson Automatic Locking Pliers - Review

Everyone who's anyone has a set of locking pliers. Note: We're aware that they are more commonly referred to as Vise-Grips, but that is the name given to the tool by the most popular and influential manufacturer, Irwin. Swanson once sent lawyers after us for using 'Speed Square' in the generic sense, so we want to avoid having to deal with that BS again. Locking pliers are an essential part of the toolbox and their functionality seems to have remained fairly unchanged since the dawn of time. That is....until now (cue 2001: A Space Odyssey music).

Continue reading: "C.H. Hanson Automatic Locking Pliers - Review"

Read More in: All Reviews | Hand Tools | Metalworking and Welding

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This |

Perfect Bungee - Review

Naming your product "The Perfect Bungee" takes some stones.

Perfect....really?

The company that makes them is called Just Ducky and they were nice enough to send us a handful of these bungees to test out. We tossed them in the truck and for the past couple of months we've been strapping down lumber and all kinds of other things with them. Here's what we thought...

Continue reading: "Perfect Bungee - Review"

Read More in: All Reviews | Benches, Stands, and Storage | Hand Tools

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (2) | Email This |

Icon Link Flashlight - Review

Anyone who has ever worked in construction, particularly remodeling, knows that a flashlight is nearly as essential as a hammer. Not a day goes by where we're not peeking in a crawl space, looking down a duct or peering down a joist bay. Over the years, we've also gone through flashlight after flashlight. Much like blue tape, sharpies, pencils, and sash bars, they tend to have the ability to 'get lost,' and, of course, when we say, 'get lost,' we mean, 'stolen.'

But that's not the only problem we've had with our flashlights. A lot of the ones that we've used have the annoying habit of turning on while they're in the pocket and thus draining the battery to nothing, rendering them useless when needed. So we were actually between flashlights when Icon dropped us a line telling us about their new Link flashlight. Would we like to try one out for a review? Of course we would...

Continue reading: "Icon Link Flashlight - Review"

Read More in: All Reviews | Work Lights

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This |

Porter-Cable's Oscillating Tool.....The Video

Porter-Cable has put together this little video highlighting their new oscillating tool. We've been pretty burned out on the oscillating tool thing, but this one, because of its quick change feature, has caused our ears to prick up. We actually got a sample this afternoon and immediately opened it and started swapping out accessories as fast as we could...and we could do it pretty fast. So check out the video and keep and eye on how quickly accessories lock in and out of the tool. It's waaaay faster than the allen head system and even faster than the Fein quick change. We're going to start using the tool tomorrow and hopefully have a review up before too long.

Read More in: Oscillating Tools | Power Tools

Doug Mahoney Permalink | Comments (1) | Email This |

April 2011 Monthly Roundup for Tool Snob

We did a pretty heavy load of reviews this month. More than we've ever done in a single month. Of all those items, our Tool of the Month is the new Festool RO 90 Rotex. It's a great sander and one that we've only grown to like more since we wrote the review. We're also really into the Porter Cable Plate Joiner. We recently stumbled upon the sheer glory of the FF sized biscuit. Fantastic stuff.

Other posts of note, were the "Made in China" discussion that we started as well as the first installment of the Blog-A-Geddon.

We've got more coming this month, so keep checking back.

All Reviews

• 3M 8511 Sanding and Fiberglass Respirator with Cool Flow Valve - Review
• Johnson Hot Shot Laser Mouse - Review
• Kerry Saw Pouch - Review
• 3M Tekk Forceflex Glasses - Review
• Veto Pro Pac OT-LC - Review
• Festool Rotex RO 90 DX - Review
• Ames Planter's Pal - Review
• True Temper Hammers - Review
• Jackson Pulverizer Concrete Demolition Hammer - Review
• Johnson 10" Magnetic Welder's Torpedo Level - Review
• Porter-Cable 557 Plate Joiner - Review

Benches, Stands, and Storage

• Kerry Saw Pouch - Review
• Veto Pro Pac OT-LC - Review

Cordless

• Festool CSX 10.8-Volt Cordless Drill/Driver

Demolition Tools

• Jackson Pulverizer Concrete Demolition Hammer - Review

Distractions

• Power Tool Blog-A-Geddon: Volume One, Number One (Updated)
• Win a Planter's Pal from Tool Snob!
• Win a True Temper Hammer from Tool Snob!
• Win a Pulverizer from Tool Snob!
• Free T-Loc Festool Systainers at HomeFixated
• Digger's List Gives Tool Snob a Thumbs Up
• Tool Chest of the Gods
• Made in China...does it mean anything to you?

Fasteners

• Porter-Cable 557 Plate Joiner - Review

Guides

• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hardwood Flooring (but had no idea you had to ask)

Hand Tools

• Veto Pro Pac OT-LC - Review
• Ames Planter's Pal - Review
• True Temper Hammers - Review
• Jackson Pulverizer Concrete Demolition Hammer - Review

How-To