Accessory Reviews Archives

February 11, 2012 0

DeWalt Solid Rock Carbide SDS Plus Bits Preview

DeWalt is constantly trying to improve speed and efficiency of drilling. While improving tools is one way to get the job done faster, improving the bits is also a winning combo. Now, DeWalt is adding the Solid Rock Carbide SDS Plus Bits to its expansive line of SDS Plus Bits. The Solid Rock Carbide bits are designed for mechanical contractors, electricians, plumbers, forming and tilt wall contractors and other maintenance and repair professionals. For durability and long life, these bits feature 2x more carbide than standard SDS Plus drill bits, which should decrease the downtime caused by flute or tip breakage.

Simple Man Products Spyder 2-in-1 Bore-Blade Review

January 10, 2012 0

Spyder Bore Blade Review

by Thomas Gaige

We applaud inventive ideas and progress and it is fun when we see new things. It is just that good ideas don’t always make for a great product. Take the case of the Spyder Products 2-in-1 Bore-Blade: it might have been better left as an idea, since we did not have good success with them on our simple project. For most professionals, when cutting wood, we use a wood blade. When cutting metal ,we use a metal blade. And if we are doing plunge cuts, there are specific blades available that do an excellent job at that as well. When you start combining too many different features into one product, this is where things can get tricky because something is going to suffer. We were excited to give the new Spyder Bore-Blade a try to see if it could do all that the company claimed.

November 18, 2011 0

Milwaukee M18 & M12 Multi-Voltage Charger 48-59-1812

by Clint DeBoer

Charging batteries can be a pain. It can be especially meddlesome when you have multiple voltages and multiple battery types. Take Milwaukee, for example, we love both their M12 and M18 line of tools, but why do we need to have duplicate charging bays? Apparent;y, we don’t – not anymore. Milwaukee debuted its M18 & M12 Multi-Voltage Charger (48-59-1812) at their New Tools press event earlier this year. With the lifting of the embargo, we can now talk about it openly. This is very very cool for anyone using both platforms. The new Energy Star rated unit will charge all M18 and M12 Lithium-ion batteries sequentially, allowing the user to put both packs on the charger and walk away confident that they will be ready for their next job.

November 18, 2011 0

Lenox Bi-Metal Utility Bit 5-pc Kit Review

by Clint DeBoer

We’re used to high quality wood bits, but the new Bi-Metal 5-piece kit from Lenox is something that tore into wood faster, with more certainty , and with greater precision than any spade bit or traditional drill bit we’d experienced. We broke out these bits on a rewiring job for an old 1925 Colonial 2-story home. As you can imagine, there were ample opportunities to try out several sizes of bi-metal bits, and we were looking for something that could handle the near-petrified wood that this house was constructed with. After several days of use, we were sold.

November 9, 2011 0

Rockler Magnetic Cord Keeper Preview

by Clint DeBoer

Sometimes, great ideas are small. Take Rockler’s newest product, the Magnetic Cord Keeper. This is a small magnetic device that simply holds your unplugged power tool cords off the ground and makes them ready-to-grab and plug in when you’re ready. And it is small – just 1-1/2″ in diameter and only 7/8″ thick. It makes […]

November 1, 2011 0

DeWalt DWX726 Rolling Miter Saw Stand Review

by Clint DeBoer

While the thought of a “portable” miter saw is appealing, carrying one around by hand is not my favorite past-time. I’d rather use a dedicated miter saw stand. We’ve used a bunch of these over the years, and when DeWalt announced it had put out a new gas-assisted model, the DWX726, we thought we’d give it a try to see how they might have improved upon what was already on the market. First and foremost, the job of a good miter saw stand is to support the saw, while also providing a consistent feed and support for the work material. There are two basic types of miter saw stands, the compact fixed stand (with or without roller feeds) and the heavier-duty rolling stand that is made to be a more permanent yet portable solution. DeWalt has both, but the new DWX726 promises to be both robust and highly portable.

September 19, 2011 0

Bosch Sandwich Tuckpointing Diamond Blades Preview

by Clint DeBoer

We got to try out some new Bosch Sandwich Tuckpointing Diamond Blades at their 2011 Bosch Press Event and they were absolutely quick at pulling out old mortar (in fact, they were fast at chewing out NEW mortar). Every brick or stone building in North America will meet the tuckpointer at some point to cut, clean and […]

September 19, 2011 0

Makita 192618-2 Dust Collecting Cutting Guard Preview

by Clint DeBoer

Concrete cutting is pretty straightforward, but concrete cutting with a tool that is lightweight and compact is tougher. Now, concrete cutting with a compact tool that accounts for excellent dust collection is a completely different matter. Makita worked on that this week when it released two new dust extraction solutions for concrete and masonry contractors. The new Dust Collecting Cutting Guard (model 192618-2) works with Makita’s 4-1/2″ and 5-inch Grinders. The Cutting Guard is ideal for a host of concrete and masonry applications, including cutting tile, concrete cutting, and brick – as well as specialized uses like tuck pointing and cutting expansion joints. The new Cutting Guard is made to be used alongside Makita’s (or other manufacturers’) vacuum systems and really provides significant dust extraction on the jobsite. Particularly in light of new Lead Safe rules, this is becoming more and more of an issue with older commercial buildings as well as residential homes.

May 2, 2011 0

Bosch Stop Bits for Concrete Reviewed

by Clint DeBoer

Some jobs involve a lot of concrete drilling, particular for Tapcon or other anchor installation. If you’ve got to drill a ton of holes, why not make the job easier and have a bit that sets the depth for you – so it’s correct every time and there’s no guesswork or jerry-rigged solutions to modify your existing bits. In fact, the bits make the standard depth gauges found in products like Bosch’s RHH180 that we reviewed just a little while ago obsolete. In critical masonry applications like hanging of struts for A/C (mechanical), running electrical conduit, and installing overhead sprinkler systems, Bosch’s new Stop Bits are starting to look pretty good. The new bits are designed to bring rapid precision to jobs that involve lots of depth-specific drilling. A natural consequence of such precision is increased speed. In this market – that means more money. Do you really want to stay with duct tape around your drill bit when you can literally pound away with a Stop Bit and keep moving at the speed of… uh, your rotary drill? I didn’t think so.

DeWalt Owners Group Faces Off Impact Ready vs. Milwaukee ShockWave

April 5, 2011 0

Impact Ready vs Milwaukee ShockWave Bits Face-off

by Clint DeBoer

We got an email today from the DeWalt Owners Group who had an Admin do some hands-on testing of the new Milwaukee ShockWave bits vs. DeWalt’s own Impact Ready bits. The test involved simply taking 5 #2 bit packs from each company and driving 3-inch GripRite exterior screws into two pieces of 9-1/2″ x 1-7/8″ […]