BuffaloFeeds » Toolmonger » November 12, 2010

Toolmonger (5 unread)

Makita Offers 12V Circ Saw/Driver Combo Kit

Posted: November 12th, 2010, 1:17pm MST by Chuck Cage

If you’re a fan of the little 3-3/8″ circular saw we mentioned last month, Makita’s now offering it in a combo kit along with their 12V Max cordless driver drill, two batteries, and a charger for $200. While the kit’s driver isn’t our favorite in the field, it’ll certainly drive a few screws, which makes this kit an interesting buy for anyone doing trim and finishing work.

The SH01W circ saw features a no-load speed of 1,400 RPM, depth adjustment, a bevel capacity of up to 45 degrees, and a cutting capacity of 1″ at 90 degrees and 5/8″ at 45 degrees. (This would work great for paneling, yeah?) The FD02W driver-drill delivers 200 in-lbs. of torque and features two speed settings (0-350 and 0-1,300 RPM), 18 clutch stages, a keyless chuck, and an LED work light. Both tools feature Makita’s standard soft rubber grips.

Of course, remember the biggest consideration when buying cordless kits: Unless this specific kit will fill your needs entirely — which can happen, of course — you’ll want to look at the rest of the line before jumping in.

LCT208W Combo Kit [Makita]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Don’t Freeze Your Ass Off: Cordless Heated Jacket

Posted: November 12th, 2010, 1:02pm MST by Chuck Cage

As it starts to turn cold here in Texas — and already IS cold in the great white North — our thoughts turn to how to keep shop nights from turning into cold misery. So when TM reader Dana tipped us off to this unusual Milwaukee product, it got our attention. Behold the M12 Cordless Heated Jacket.

According to Milwaukee, it’s pretty much like any standard multi-layered soft shell jacket, with a twist: Plug in one of your M12 li-ion batteries and you power up three resistance heat zones designed to distribute heat to your core areas. It features three heat settings as well as an all-out “warm me up” feature for when you waited a little too long to put the jacket on. The battery fits in a special holder pocket on the back side of the jacket. Expect around six hours of warmth per charge — though you can always just kipe another battery from a co-worker to finish out the job in comfort.

What makes this appeal to me over other resistance heat winter clothing is its normal appearance. It’s a pretty stylish jacket, so you don’t look like a nut wearing it. And hey, you won’t mind the extra weight of the battery because your wallet will be lighter. Expect to pay around $170 for the kit complete with a battery and charger.

M12 Cordless Heated Jacket [Milwaukee]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
From the Flickr Pool: Gaming Table

Posted: November 12th, 2010, 12:49pm MST by Sean O'Hara

I knew I liked longtime Toolmonger reader tmib_seattle. Other than awesome ironwork and teaching kids how to properly harness fire, apparently he also spends his free time putting together gaming tables. We can think of few more worthy activities.

For those of you who are picturing roulette wheels and blackjack half-rounds, let me point you in the other gaming direction. What tmib has got here is a gaming system that costs far less cash than a gambling addiction Mr. Seattle has a tabletop RPG gaming addiction — and it is the hotness.

Basically it’s a simple table that boasts an inset tray system for the game gear with a 1/8’ urethane mat cover that’s comfortable to play on and doesn’t tear up the cards. You, sir, are made of awesome. Sitting with your crew chatting about gaming and shaping steel — that sounds like a sweet Sunday afternoon to us.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]
Is That A Pull Saw In Your Pocket?

Posted: November 12th, 2010, 12:05pm MST by Benjamen Johnson

By now your pockets are bulging with FastCap Pocket tools like the Pocket Chisel, Pocket Painter’s Tools, and Pocket Sharpener. Looks like it’s time to upgrade to pants with more pockets — FastCap now sells a Pocket Pull Saw.

The Pocket Pulls Saw’s blade thickness measures only .015″, but FastCap doesn’t’ list a blade length — if I had to guess I’d say it was 4″ to 5″ long. The 18 teeth-per-inch, double-sided blade cuts on the pull stroke. When the saw is folded, handles cover the blade, making it safe to store in your pocket, and when it’s open the handles lock to prevent mishaps.

The Pocket Saw will lighten your pockets by $10 before shipping.

Pocekt Pull Saw [FastCap]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
A Slick Barrel-Grip Jigsaw

Posted: November 12th, 2010, 11:45am MST by Chuck Cage

This summer I tried out a barrel-grip jigsaw, and I liked it. Some TM readers like ‘em, too. But I’m always surprised at how many non-pros have never heard of ‘em. Here’s the one I tried, which is on the market now: Bosch’s 7-amp model JS470EB.

The Bosch model feels quite powerful — at least as powerful as you want a jigsaw to feel. And it includes all the modern features you’d expect: a toolless blade-change system (which really does work one-handed), dial-set variable speed, and circuitry that adjusts power to keep the blade moving the same speed under load. Add to that a really comfy shape and rubber padding in all the right spots, and you end up with a surprisingly vibration-free jigsaw that just feels very precise.

The barrel grip offers some advantages as well. The way you hold it makes accurate cutting easier, so they’re great for detail work. And I experienced far less fatigue when cutting with the barrel than I have with standard top-grip models. Of course, readers have pointed out to me that top grip models work well in some circumstances, like when you need to cut in tight corners.

Anyway, I spent some quality time with the JS470EB, and I’m a fan. It’s not fancy. It just works. Well. Street pricing starts around $160.

7.0A Barrel-Grip Jigsaw [Bosch]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]