Power Tools – Page 3 – TOOLANDPROJECT.COM

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An eye lag pole is typically used to install eye lags overhead into wood or metal deck. The advantage of the eye lag pole is that it can install the eye lag and tie on ceiling grid wire from the floor. They really are fairly simple to use. While they may start out to be somewhat clumsy, after a few wires you can get into a very nice rhythm. While eye lag poles work pretty much on the same principal, there are few variations of the tool you may want to be aware of. As for how they all work, check out the video below.

Eye lag poles usually come in a few different sizes ranging from lengths up to 24’ when fully extended. The most common is a 12’ version fully extended as it will handle most ceilings. The next most common length is an 18’ unit. The 12’ version is available in a 4’-12’ triple stage version or a 6’-12’ double stage version. I favor the 12’ triple tool for a couple of reasons. First off, shipping. None of the poles are that heavy but as they get longer, the shipping jumps up. The second reason is that a 4’-12’ triple will fit in most gang boxes collapsed while a 6’-12’ double.

Most eye lag poles will just install eye lags. There are couple of versions that you may want to consider that will make the tool more versatile. For instance, consider the Lagmaster Plus tool. The Lagmaster Plus has interchangeable heads that allow you to not only install the eye lags but adds a few more uses. The tool comes with a head for the DeWalt Sniper tool and the Stiffy PAT tool. You can also install Sammy Screw Rod hangers with all thread attached in wood and steel. The Lagmaster Plus actually comes with 8 different heads in all. There is also the Purlin Master tool that will do eye lags as well as bar joist and purlin clips. Again, they install the fastener and then twist the wire on for you. Depending on your trade, you may want to check both of these variations out. One little plug for the Lagmaster Plus and Purlin Master tools is the fact that parts are readily available online.

There is a variety of eye lag screws now available for your eye lag pole. For wood you will find lengths from the standard 3” all the way up to 6”. You will also find 316 stainless eye lags for wood. For metal decks, you will find self drilling eye lags in a couple lengths. For a little thicker metal, the ELDX from Doc’s Industries will drill steel up to 3/16”.

While ceiling contractors certainly are the foremost users of eye lag poles, they are being used by electricians to support light fixtures, low voltage contractors for cable runs, installation of signs and more.

I hope that this info is helpful for any of you looking for an eye lag pole. They are another of those tools that once you have one, you will wonder how you did without it. Being able to install eye lags and grid wire from the floor is not only more efficient, it’s much safer.

If you want to make screwing off drywall to the ceiling a little easier, consider using your collated drywall gun on the SGP Screw Gun Pole Tool. Hanging drywall overhead isn’t fun, especially if you don’t do it a lot. You will find muscles you didn’t know you had when they start hurting. Using a collated drywall screw gun with an extension can make your job a little easier. Some pro’s will scoff at a collated drywall screw gun and an extension. But after installing thousands of drywall screws, they are more like machine than a human. To watch them screw off drywall is something to behold. But for the rest of us, let’s take a look at a collated drywall drill on an extension.

The SGP, (that stands for screw gun pole by the way,) is simply a telescopic extension pole for your collated screw gun. The SGP is available in two sizes. The SGP 3 adjusts from 3’9” to 5’ 9” and the SGP4 extends from 4’9” to 7’9” in 2” increments. The extension uses a simple cradle to mount your collated drywall gun in place.

While the SGP is fairly universal, below is a list of model confirmed to fit the SGP drywall screw gun extension pole. Others may fit, but you are on your own there! There is no trigger mechanism on the pole. Typically when screwing in drywall, you lock the drill on and just drive the screws. Some manufactures. If you don’t own a cordless collated drywall screw gun yet, consider the Milwaukee cordless drywall drill. With this unit you can lock the trigger on by the motor won’t start running until you put the tool against the work surface. Other than that you will find cordless drywall guns from several manufactures.

With your screw gun on an extension, you can tack up drywall overhead and then screw in the field from the floor. Anytime you can skip going up and down the ladder is good. Also you won’t need to reposition the ladder. Check out the video below and you can see how quickly it can go! The SGP Screw Gun Extension is currently available on Amazon and other online retailers.

Hilti® SD 5000-A22 w/ Magazine attachment
DeWALT® DCF620 w/ DCF6202 Magazine attachment
Milwaukee® M18 Fuel 2866-20 w/ Magazine attachment 49-20-0001
Makita° XSF03 w/ Magazine attachment 01519

If you are looking for a really good quality bit set, remember you get what you pay for! That is especially true of drill bits. If you search amazon you will see a ton of drill bit indexes so how do you know which is a good one? One line that I can vouch for is Norseman. They also produce Viking drill bit sets and indexes. The bits are made in the USA, in my home state of MN. I have been selling tools and fasteners to the trades for 25 plus years and have moved a bunch of bits. Believe me, they let us know fi something isn’t up to their standards. Norseman has always been our choice for quality drill bits and indexes.

My favorite bits are the Norseman Type 190AG bits. These are what Norseman calls their super premium black and gold bit. These are simply an excellent bit that holds up well and features a 135 degree split point that keeps the bit from wandering at start up. The type 190AG series is what is considered a jobbers length bit which is most common. Shorter versions of the bit are also available.

There are a few different bit sets or indexes available. You will find a 21 piece that ranges in sizes from 1/16” to 3/8” by 64ths. This set is in a metal index. The 29 piece set goes from 1/16” to ½” by 64ths. This set is available in a metal index or in a plastic index. To me the plastic index is the only way to go. Unlike the metal indexes, the bits are easy to slide in and out and the index never rusts or dents. It also seals up tight to keep moisture out of the set.

You can find cheaper bits online but you are looking for the best quality bits or you likely wouldn’t be here reading this post! I embedded a video below showing the Norseman Type 190AG bit drilling through a grade 8 bolt. Now this may not be your typical application but you get the point. One word of caution when searching on Amazon for Norseman bit sets. You will see sponsored ads that pop up with showing very similar bits. If you want a quality drill bit set, stick to the Norseman and Viking drill bit indexes.

Special Hi-Molybdenum tool steel.
135° split point for fast penetration and accurate starting without a center punch.
Precision ground point, body, clearance and drill diameter for the ultimate in accuracy and performance.
Body and clearance are gold surface treated for maximum lubricity.
Drills are heat treated at 2185° F and then nitro-carburize finished at 950° F to be measurably harder than high speed steel.
Space aged nitro-carburized steel withstands substantially higher drilling temperatures while maintaining sharpness.
Recommended for use in work hardening grades of stainless steel and other hard metal drilling applications.

Cable installers have all kinds of tricks for fishing cables though walls. Take for example a flexible drill bit. A flex bit is just what it sounds like, a flexible bit. The bit will flex so you can come in at an angle and direct the bit down through the floor or up through the ceiling. The business end of the bit has a screw feed so when the bit gets started in the wood, it can help feed the bit.

You will find flexible drill bits in diameters ranging from ½” to 3/4” with 9/16” being fairly common. You will also find varying lengths ranging from 48” up to 72”. Obviously your job will dictate size but my thought with flex bits is that the smaller diameter the better just for ease of use. You will also find two different shank diameters, 3/16” and ¼”. The 3/16” will likely provide more flexibility but the ¼” will provide more stability for the job.

Most flexible drill bits will have a small hole in the tip of the bit. This holes can be used to aid in fishing the cable. Once you drill through, don’t pull the bit out yet. Tie a piece of wire or a pull string through the hole on the end of the bit and then pull the bit out. Now tie your cable on to the pull string and you can pull your cable through. Good thinking!

For more control when using a flexible drill bit you may want to use a flex bit director or guide. This handy little tool is considered a must my some to keep the bit on track. It’s a pretty simple tool that ride on the shank of the bit giving you more direction or control. Another neat little the deal called Bumper Balls by Rack-A-Tiers. (featured in video below) It’s simply a ball that slides down the shank of the bit that keeps the bit in check while inside the wall. It will actually keep your bit somewhat centered inside the wall pocket preventing it from poking through the drywall.

Flex bits are one of those handy little tools that you don’t need very often but having the right tool for the job will always make your job just a little easier.

A spindle sander or oscillating sander is a tool to me that is a must have for any small shop. When I was just out of high school I worked in a production wood shop where I spent hours on both a spindle sander and an oscillating belt sander. I became very proficient on both of them and I knew that I would need them at home. Just recently I purchased the Wen Oscillating belt sander, spindle sander combo tool and have put it to good use shaping wing rib templates for an RC airplane project and a small decorative wall cabinet among other things. The oscillating sander is a standard stop for most projects in between the cut out and routing stage. The oscillating feature of the tools will help remove material as well as utilize more for of the belt and spindle.

I wanted a spindle sander that would handle different size drums for varying applications. I wanted to have different grits readily available as well. I typically am using a 100 grit or so but sometimes I want a something a little more aggressive. I also wanted enough power to lean on the machine when need be. The table size didn’t have to be huge but did have to be large enough to stabilize the work. I found that with several sanders but what really caught my eye were the spindle sanders that had a belt option on the same unit. I would rather have both a spindle and a belt sander if I could but space is somewhat tight so I leaned towards the Wen which had both the oscillating spindle and the oscillating belt option. There are other brands very similar including Rigid and others. The RPM on the Wen is listed at 2000 and the Rigid claims 1750. When you compare the amps, the Rigid shows 5 amps and the Wen shows 3.5 amps. Construction on both is similar with tilting beds for bevel sanding. The Rigid is a bit more money and a little bigger. Both have several different spindle sizes. I think either one would serve you well. I went with the Wen and it has had enough power to make me happy. Changing between spindle sizes with the Wen is simple with the onboard tools and spindles as well as different size throat plates for the different size spindles and the belt. Changing to the belt is easy as well. I am going to be mounting mine on a flip table so I will need to make storage for the accessories.

One of the first things I did with my spindle sander was install the belt. I was working on a small RC airplane and made two wing templates out of thin plywood and then stacked balsa blanks between the tool and sanded them down between the templates. Perfect wing ribs, really fast. I typically have the spindle on the tool, usually the mid-size one. I use it to smooth out shelf brackets and other curved edge cut out pieces. A spindle sander is especially appreciated here as I typically use my jig saw and blade flex can add a slight angle in a cut. The spindle sander can square it up nicely. The belt sander is nice for cleaning up edge cuts all though if you have a steady hand, you can do a pretty good job with the spindle. I still sharpen my pencil once and while on my sander but I quit doing my nails!

My spindle sander/oscillating sander is a tool that I used on a regular basis and I think you would find it very useful in your shop. It will improve the quality of your projects and really is simple to operate. When you order the, consider adding a few different grits of sandpaper, both for the spindles and the belt. Another little accessory is a belt eraser to clean the sap out of the grit. This is especially helpful with woods like pine.

For many applications, a 12 volt impact driver has more than enough power. I have sold power tools and fasteners for over 25 years. I have seen a lot of really good cordless tools and some, well, not so good. My Bosch 12 volt impact driver is by far my most used cordless tool. Read on and see why I highly recommend this tool. Now I am not saying the others aren’t good, it’s just that this is what I own and what we use in assembly work at our office. There are situations where an 18 volt impact (or 20 volt) may be better for you. First let’s look at the 12 volt.

Most of the time that I grab for my little impact it’s for assembly work. I can think of three recent projects that I used the tool on this last fall that was much easier because of it. I assembled a smoker, a grill and bench work in my garage. All three of these projects came with bags of hardware that I could tighten by hand easy enough but with the impact it was super-fast. Typically I just hand tighten all the hardware and then come back and “zip” it up with my impactor. It’s so effortless! I would have to say for myself, the speed of my little 12 volt Bosch is my favorite feature. Not only does it have more torque than a drill but it installs and tightens screws and fasteners faster and with less stripping. Removing stuck bolts and screws is also easier with the impact. Most of what I am assembling has smaller machine as well as drywall and cabinet screws. We do some production work at our office on a routine basis and the little 12 volt Bosch really shines. It’s lightweight and has incredible run time.

Most of what I am assembling has smaller machine screws and construction type screws. I use a lot of ¼-20 screws and smaller as well as drywall and cabinet screws. If you are getting into bigger lag bolts and tap bolts, you may want a bigger impact. For instance if you are installing lag bolts larger than ¼”, I would say lean towards the 18 volt. Even ¼” lags in wet treated lumber my start to tax a 12 volt impact. I recently built a small pier system to place my new garden shed on. I was using larger construction type and connector screws and really the 18 volt impact was much faster. The run time was also better as the tool didn’t have to struggle as much to set the fasteners. The tool is a bit heavier than the 12 volt but still with the lithium batteries not that bad at all. Note that some companies are offering a 20 volt impact driver. I would still hold these in the same class as the 18 volt impact driver. If you are Bosch fan, click here for info on my favorite 18V impact driver the Bosch GDX18V EC.

One thing that may influence your choice between a 12 volt or 18 volt impact driver may come down to something as simple as what you have on hand for batteries. Most of the major tool manufacturers offer bare tools so if you have an 18 volt Milwaukee set up now, you may just want to add the bare impact. I bought my Bosch 12 volt impact in a combo kit with a drill. The batteries also fit my cordless Dremel. I have 18 volt tools and so just grabbing a bare Bosch 18 volt was the way to go.

If you don’t have a cordless impact driver, I highly recommend getting one. Choose the right one for you, either 12 volt or 18 volt or my choice, both. It will become one of your most used tools!

Who makes the best portable table saw? Well that’s what I set out to find and here are my perimeters so you know what I based by search criteria on. First off I want a 10” corded unit and I want it on a stand. I really want the stand to have wheels; it’s just so much easier to mover around the jobsite as well as my garage. I prefer that the stand collapse not only for loading but for storage when not in use. I came down to 3 different models of what I consider to be the best portable table saw. Here they are in no particular order.

The DeWalt DWE7491RS fits the requirements of what I am looking for. The overall reviews for the tools are very good. One of my frustrations with customer reviews is that the manufacture is often blamed for bad delivery, or damaged goods. That really is a knock on the seller not the manufacture. The saw has a 15 amp motor and a 31-1/2” rip capacity. The saw has a depth of cut at 90 degrees is 3-1/8” and at 45 degrees it is 2-1/4”. The tool includes the stand, rip-fence, miter gauge, push stick, blade wrenches and blade guard. The assembled unit folds down and can be wheeled around while collapsed and set up.

I have played with this one before and I like it! The motor is a 15 amp so it has plenty of power and comes with the usual accessories like the fence miter gauge, push stick and guard. The tool can handle up to a 30″ rip and depth of cut is 3-1/8″ at 90 degrees and 2-1/4″ at 45 degrees. Like the others, the tool can be wheeled around while set up or collapsed. I do prefer the Bosch stand a little more than the others. To me, this one seems to have a better fit and finish than the DeWalt and the Skil saws. I have to confess though I am biased towards Bosch tools after selling them for years.

This worm drive table saw from Skil comes in with the same 15 amp motor rating and comes with the usual components. At first glance the feature that may make it the best portable table saw for you is the huge 16” wheels. If you are building decks or working outdoors at a job site with no slab or smooth surface, this may be reason enough to make this the saw for you. The depth of cut is a just a touch more than the DeWalt and the Bosch, 3-5/8″ at 90 degrees and 2-3/10″ (58mm) at 45 degrees. Rip capacity 30-1/2″. I did note a few quality concerns in the reviews but nothing truly major.

These are the three tools that I would consider in the running for the best portable table saw. Keep in mind, that this is my opinion for my usage. Depending on your application, you may want something more compact or not even want a stand. Price may be a real concern. Maybe you use the saw now or then and don’t want to spend a ton of money on it. I get that, really the best portable table saw is the one that fits your personal criteria. The tools above fit mine very well.

I love the portability of cordless power tools. I hate wrapping cords and catching the cord on something while I am trying to do a little finesse work. But I wondered if a cordless router would have enough power to make it worth while. As I was shopping around, to me it looks like the top unit is the DeWalt cordless router. I was surprised that out of all the current reviews on Amazon, 89 percent were 5 star and 9 percent were 4 star. For any power tool, that is excellent. Let’s consider just a few notes on a cordless router, in particular the DeWalt offering. If you want to see it in action, check the video below. It show’s up at about 1:05.

The first consideration is that a cordless router will never replace a corded router in production capacity. In looking at the reviews, you can tell that the users are applying a little common sense in their expectations for the tool. For instance, you may need to make a couple of passes if you are cutting a 3/4″ dado or maybe using a large ogee bit. For laminate trimming, round overs or small chamfer bits, have at it the tool can handle it. Speaking of power, the DeWalt DCW600 spins at 25,500 rpm. Who would of thought that even possible not that many hears ago. The brushless motors on these little cordless routers are so impressive.

With the high speed that a router spins at, you are likely wondering what kind of run times you can expect. To be honest that was my second concern after power. I have read that some manufactures are claiming 250 linear feet of routing per charge but there are so many variables. For instance what type of bit, what type of wood etc. I will tell you this, I didn’t see anything in the reviews that indicated disappointment on run time. Keep in mind that in batteries, voltage is power and mah is your gas tank so to speak. So if you have a 2.0 mah battery back, you will get roughly half the run time as a 4.0 mah battery packs. DeWalt makes batteries with at least 9.0 mah capacity but I really think a 4.0 mah would keep you happy,

So there you have it. DeWalt is just one of the players in cordless router so if you are somewhat locked into another color power tool, shop around you will likely find a cordless router to fit you battery line.

The Klein Flip Socket System at least one thing in common with all Klein products, quality! The flip socket system is really a great idea and the Klein version is top quality. Let’s take a quick look at what it is and some of the advantages of the system. The basic set up is the Klein Tools 32900 Impact Driver, 7-in-1 Impact Flip Socket Set. There are other sets available that may be better suited to your application with bigger sockets. Individual sockets are also available so if you do loose one you can replace it. The basic set has the driver, bit holder and three double end sockets. You end up with 6 socket sizes, 1/4″, 5/16″, 11/32″, 3/8″, 7/16″ and 1/2″ so you have a nice range. The smallest size, 1/4″ doubles as a bit tip holder. I embedded the factory video below, check it out. Below that you will find a review of what I like about the set up.

There are a few things that I really appreciate about the Klein flip socket system. The quality mentioned above is a given with Klein. These are solid 6 point sockets that will hold up even when used with your impact driver. Besides being able to flip the socket and having the next size up driver right there, removing the socket allows you to clean the metal shavings out of the socket. If you set many self drilling screws, you know it doesn’t take long to get the socket full of shavings. I am a big fan of the color coding as well for the different sizes. The fact that all of the sockets are stored on the bit holder is a bit plus. The fact that you can stack them on the shaft in any order is just plain smart! To use the sockets on an impact driver, just pull the bit holder out of the handle and place it in the driver.

Really the better question here is “who wants the Klein Flip Socket?” Many of Klein tools are made for the electrical trades. The flip socket has so many applications. I can’t think of many building tradesman that couldn’t find a use for the tool. Beyond that I can see having one of these in my glove box, in the boat, in the top drawer of my tool chest and maybe one in my garden shed. To have all of the sockets together in one place is just so handy. The price point for the basic set is very reasonable so it makes a great gift as well.

The Ramset Cobra Plus is an excellent tool for a homeowner or a contractor to frame a basement. The Ramset Cobra Plus is readily available at many big box store and online. The tool is a .27 caliber powder actuated tool that will handle fasteners up to 3″ both with and without a washer. The tool also features power adjustment so you can fine tune your power level to the job. More on power levels of the load later. So let’s take a look at what the tool does well while framing your basement.

The Ramset Cobra will do a nice job of fastening 2x material to poured concrete and grout filled block. The standard pin to use for fastening a 2x to concrete and grout filled block is a 2-1/2″ pin. There are some codes that will require a 3″ but it’s more common in rental multi story projects. If you are attaching treated lumber, it is important that you use a pin that has a coating on the nail for that application. Treated lumber can react with a standard pin and actually cause the nail to fail. The Ramset 1516SDE has a coating that is designed for this application. As for what power level to use, it will likely be yellow or red. The idea is to use enough power to set the nail all the way but not to over drive the nail. While I know many will fasten 2x to hollow block with the tool, it really isn’t designed for that and there is no published data for that application.

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The Ramset Cobra Plus tool will also make quick work of attaching your 2x to steel. Many are amazed that it works and works so well. The trick is to have the correct nail. The nail of choice is the Ramset SP178 pin. This pin has a ballistic point as well as a step shank that is much thicker than standard nails. If you don’t have access to that nail, use a 2” nail. You will likely need a red to fasten to the steel beam. When fastening to steel with a Ramset tool, the nail will go in about a half inch and stop. If the steel is less than half inch, the nail will pierce the steel which is fine. If the steel is thicker than half inch, it won’t pierce the beam but that nail won’t come out!

Replacement parts for the Ramset Cobra Plus are somewhat limited. Thankfully the drive piston which is the most common replacement part is readily available. But it can be confusing as there have been three generations of the Cobra Plus as well as the standard Cobra tool. If your tool looks like the one in the picture above, here is a link to make sure you get the correct piston on Amazon.

The theory with choosing a power level to use with a powder actuated tool is simple, start low and work high. The three power levels, starting from lowest to highest is; GREEN, YELLOW and RED. As mentioned above, the Cobra Plus does have power adjustment so you can down power a load. You can’t increase the power of a load.

If you are a small contractor or a do it yourselfer, the Ramset Cobra Plus tool will serve you well. Make certain to read the manual, wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Technically certification is required by OSHA. You can find the very simple test on line here. It’s very common sense stuff. If you are a contractor that is going to use the tool day in and day out, you may want to consider stepping up to a different tool like the standard Cobra or Simpson PTP27 tool as all the parts to service and repair the tool are readily available.