After heavily focusing on the mechanical trades for years, Milwaukee Tool has made a concerted effort to attract carpenters and remodelers to their constantly growing M18 battery platform. The tool manufacturer has introduced cordless miter saws and nail guns in recent years. They also announced several more carpentry tools are on their way at their yearly New Product Symposium event in May, including a new D-handle jig saw, a table saw, and an updated 7-¼” circular saw.
Read moreReview: Milwaukee M18 Radius Compact Site Light with Flood Mode
Proper lighting is one of the most overlooked things on a construction site. Sure, most sites have some overhead lighting, but with a minimum of only 5 loot candles required by OSHA in general construction areas, there’s a lot left to be desired. Milwaukee Tool is, by far, the leader in the construction lighting category based on shear volume and quality of their lighting solutions.
Read moreReview: Milwaukee Tool’s Cordless M12 3/8” Crown Stapler
When I first saw the Milwaukee M12 3/8” Crown Stapler (2447-21) at the manufacturer’s yearly New Product Symposium media event in June of 2017, it immediately became one of the tools I was most looking forward to using. It’s not the first non-manual stapler to exist, nor the first cordless version to exist, but nevertheless I thought it would be a worthwhile addition to the sub-compact M12 line of tools upon first inspection.
Read moreMilwaukee Tool Releases Improved One-Handed Reciprocating Saw
When it comes to cordless power tools, you usually have to make a choice between two things: power and convenience. As technology advances, especially battery technology, the gap is beginning to shrink and smaller tools are becoming more powerful. One of the clear examples of that is Milwaukee Tool’s new M18 Fuel Hackzall, a one-handed reciprocating saw, which was first announced at the manufacturer’s New Product Symposium in June of this year.
Read moreGet Jobsite Tough with Helly Hansen Workwear!
[sponsored] With the hottest of the summer months behind us, we are moving into the cooler months of autumn on the jobsite. While Helly Hansen is frequently seen on snowy slopes and high seas, their tradition of quality and protection actually originated in premium workwear.
Read moreCool Tools: Fiskars Releases a New Line of Cutting Tools for Construction
Fiskars was first founded as a Finnish Ironworks company in 1649, making it one of the oldest companies I have heard of that is still going strong. Recently – relatively speaking - in 1967, Fiskars made a name for themselves with their orange handled scissors. Noted for their build quality, sharpness, and durability, these scissors quickly became an industry standard and a leader in the category. Since then, Fiskars has expanded into other areas of the home and outdoors. You may also recognize the name Gerber, as this is one of the brands Fiskars sells under.
Read moreUltimate Construction Father's Day Gift Guide 2017
Skip the ties this year and get your dad something he really wants. Weather he's a full time construction workers, a handyman, or a DIYer, there are plenty of tools and accessories that will keep him productive and make his life easier. Below is a list of products that would make any dad happy this year.
Read moreReview: Porter Cable 20V MAX* LITHIUM 6-1/2" CIRCULAR SAW
portercable.com
This 6-1/2” circular saw fits perfectly into the light duty category for circular saws. With the 4.0ah battery, 50 degree bevel, and 4000 rpm saw speed this model delivers performance comparable to many of the heavy duty saws on the market while still keeping a very reasonable price point.
Read moreReview: Helly Hansen Aims to be the New Standard in Construction Apparel
Photo Courtesy of Helly Hansen Workwear
Helly Hansen isn’t just an apparel brand – it’s an institution. For 140 years, the company has been designing and manufacturing high quality performance apparel and is amazingly popular within the skiing and sailing industry. We all actually have Helly Hansen to thank for the world’s first supple waterproof fabrics and the world’s first fleece. If anyone could possibly know how to keep people warm and dry, it’s them. Fortunately for all of us in the construction industry, they also put their knowledge and unparalleled style into designs worthy of the jobsite as Helly Hansen Workwear (HHWW). Their goal? To create workwear that not only performs on the toughest jobsite, but also looks like something you’d wear out after work.
Read moreDeWalt Just Unleashed Revolutionary New Line of Batteries, 60V & 120V Tools
Speculation has been ongoing for weeks about DeWalt’s impending “World’s First” announcement that they’ve been teasing and today was the day the announcement was made. In an effort to give cordless tools the same power of corded, the tool giant announced the release of 20V/60V flexible voltage batteries and a new line of cordless 60V and 120V tools. The best part? The new ultra-powerful batteries are compatible with your favorite 20V tools that you already own.
FLEXVOLT, touted by DeWalt as the “World’s first battery that automatically changes voltage when you change tools,” will bring unprecedented power to cordless tools, especially workhorse tools like miter saws and circular saws. Perhaps most importantly, two 60-volt batteries ($149 to $199 on Amazon) can be used in tandem to extend the life and the power of the batteries. This system will be used in 120V tools, the first of which to be released is the 120V cordless/corded miter saw. The exciting new line of tools includes:
120V Cordless/Corded Sliding Miter Saw ($499-$799 on Amazon)
All tools will incorporate the brushless motor technology that has made many tools so much more efficient in recent years. With the brushless motor technology combined with the new batteries and FLEXVOLT accessories that were also announced today, you can expect up to twice the run time vs. standard DeWalt tools. The accessories that DeWalt will release so far include circular saw blades engineered for low vibration, reciprocating saw blades with a finish that helps to reduce heat, and a self-feed pilot bit for faster cuts.
DeWalt had Twitter abuzz today due to the major announcement, which was in conjunction with the DeWalt media day. Several other tools and accessories were announced as well, like this new DeWalt Toughbox for safe jobsite storage.
Coming soon, a new place to store your #dewalt tools on the job #worldsfirst pic.twitter.com/KpA9YUQiaR
— Electrical Business (@EBMag) June 21, 2016
And this 60V chainsaw…
@BIM2theBone @JamesMBenham Check out this 60V cordless chainsaw from @DEWALTtough #flexvolt #worldsfirst pic.twitter.com/OCiPYkTmLX
— Rob McKinney (@conappguru) June 21, 2016
And this cordless dust extractor vacuum:
So THIS is how you make a #cordless dust extractor vac @DEWALTtough #worldsfirst #flexvolt #vacuums pic.twitter.com/QJCufS9rS3
— Pro Tool Reviews (@ProToolReviews) June 21, 2016
It was certainly an exciting day for DeWalt tool lovers. It’s even more exciting that you won’t have to replace your existing 20V tools to upgrade to the new batteries, unlike the last time DeWalt upgraded their batteries from 18V to 20V MAX.
FLEXVOLT will be made available to the public in the fall of 2016. To find out more about FLEXVOLT, visit flexvolt.dewalt.com.
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Those that follow tool news may have heard about a new Makita tool platform that launched in several other countries a few months ago and have been waiting for the news of it finally being released in the United States. Well, the wait is over, as the teal tool brand has finally announced the release of their 40V and 80V XGT system in the US.