Earlier this year we sent our own Thomas Gaige to get certified for the lead-safe removal of lead paint. One of the biggest gripes we had was that the test kits were made by only one manufacturer (currently Lead-Check) - and they seemed to be perpetually on back-order. Now, the U.S. EPA has announced its Recognition of the D-Lead Paint Test Kit, the first commercially available EPA Recognized test for lead-based paint on plaster or drywall surfaces. According to the EPA, the new D-Lead Paint Test Kit (which of course is patent pending), developed by ESCA Tech, Inc., can reliably determine when regulated lead-based paint is not present on drywall, plaster, wood and ferrous metal surfaces.

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In July we were able to visit Wisconsin for the Milwaukee 2010 New Tools Event hosted at the Harley Davidson Museum. One of the things we saw at that event, but were unable to report on, was their new RedLithium batteries. This second-gen technology adds more run-time, higher performance and increased durability for the professional tradesman. Since Milwaukee Electric Tool was one of the companies that kicked off the industry-wide transition from NiCad to Lithium-ion batteries, it's great to see them continue to make inroads into better and better technology.

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Metabo Corporation, an international manufacturer of professional grade portable electric power tools and abrasives for industrial, construction and welding applications, has introduced a new cordless circular saw with a high efficiency motor. The KSA18 LTX cordless circular saw is ideal for projects that require fast straight cuts with relative accuracy through heavy material like cutting paneling, ripping lumber and making cross, miter and angled bevel cuts.

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From the $1500 tankless water heater tax credit to multiple Florida utilities offering up to $1350 in cash rebates on new appliances, the incentives to include natural gas seem to be ever-expanding. We know we're tempted to switch over. And with the Florida Public Service Commission's (PSC) recent decision to increase cash rebates, it will be more appealing than ever for homeowners to build with, or switch to, natural gas.

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The new Duo-Fast FloorMaster 250BN Flooring Nailer is a lightweight 16-gauge angled finish nailer designed for blind nailing tongue and groove flooring. This nailer has a 45-degree angled no-mar tip that makes for precise and quick toe nailing. The kit includes some other goodies like swappable bump and sequential triggers and a standard flat tip so that you can be use this nailer as a regular 16-gauge finish nailer.

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Sitting around the water cooler, the PTR guys started thinking... We should do a weekly list. Something more helpful than Dave's top 10 but maybe less rigorous than the weekly top 20. Each Monday we'll be releasing a new list of whatever is on our minds. For our first list, we decided to do something easy - Tools We Can't Live Without. These are not the tools we use the most (we'd end up with a list of hammers and screwdrivers), but the tools that, when we use them, we think, "Man, this thing is AWESOME!" These could be tools that we'd get along fine without but, now that we have them, you couldn't pull them out of our cold, dead fingers.

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You want a jobsite laptop - a REAL jobsite laptop? How about one that can handle dust, pounding rain, and drops up to 4 feet? How about one pre-loaded with all your inspection camera software and RidgidConnect jobsite tracking software? Well, Ridgid today announced a new family of rugged laptops and convertible tablet PCs, based on the Dell Latitude E-Family and customized by Dell OEM Solutions to meet the specific needs of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Pre-configured with customized software access to Ridgid informational resources and diagnostic tools, the "contractor-grade" laptops are designed to work with Ridgid inspection systems and withstand the harshest of conditions encountered on jobsites.

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With joist hangers, hurricane ties, straps and other and other pieces of perforated metal connectors requiring 1-1/2" nails in wide use across the country, Paslode has updated their Positive Placement Nailer. The new Paslode PF150S-PP Positive Placement Metal Connector Nailer is designed specifically for 1-1/2" nails and is much more compact and lightweight than its predecessors. This nailer was designed for the job site, so you can be sure that you will get the durability you need to handle everyday use and, thanks to its many updated features, it should help boost your productivity.

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Imagine a class of material with twice the strength of stainless steel, an elastic limit more than double that of most metallic alloys, and the ability to be processed like plastic and polymers. Calling it the "third revolution in manufacturing" Liquidmetal is the realization of decades of postulating about "glassy metals" - or Amorphous metals. Liquidmetal promises the ability to build products out of metal alloys that can also be easily cast into any number of forms.

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WD-40, in partnership with Rebuilding Together, is looking for the 2010 Rebuilding Together Tradesperson of the Year – someone who reflects the values of both brands, gives back to the community and adds value to his or her skilled trade industry. The winning tradesperson will receive $5,000 worth of products and tools courtesy of WD-40 and Sears Blue Tool Crew, and appear as a guest co-host on a live national radio broadcast. One grand prize winner will receive a Super Bowl getaway for two, including air travel, lodging, game tickets and $500 in cash.

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Rafter squares may not seem like a tool that needs much innovation, but Empire Level Mfg. Corp., maker of the True Blue series of levels as well as the DLX10 DeWalt Series Level, tweaked theirs to offer the most productive features they could come up with. Their new e2992 Hi-Vis Rafter Square is designed to offer added visibility, safety, durability and convenience. To do this, they went to the drawing board, literally, and came up with a design that would make sense to roofing and engineering professionals who use this type of tool nearly every day.

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