The 2016 World of Concrete trade show was once again held in Las Vegas—only this year it decided to freeze out attendees with gusts of wind and chilly temperatures that hung in the 30s. Even with the weather, attendance was high, giving testimony to the fact that both home and commercial construction is up, and manufacturers are continuing to innovate with new products and materials.
Sakrete ShapeCrete Moldable Concrete
We started off our show coverage with a visit to Sakrete where we got to see their newest product, ShapeCrete. ShapeCrete is like concrete that molds like clay—giving you the ability to use both forms and impressions to mold it any way you like. They also displayed some very impressive tables and benches made from various Sakrete products, like this table made from their 5000 psi concrete:
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At Sakrete, Eric Peterson introduced their new ShapeCrete product as part of their 80th anniversary (the company even updated their logo). ShapeCrete works like clay due to the presence of polymers and also other microfiber materials that let you mold and shape it without major cracking. Minor cracks can be smoothed out by simply wetting your hands and sculpting the material.
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The finished strength is higher than 6000 psi when mixed with the more claylike consistency. It offers lost infinitely shape possibilities and cures in just 24 hours. Further, it can be sealed in just 28 days.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153541811318003/?type=3
ShapeCrete is available now at The Home Depot and also True Value stores. It comes in a 20 pound pail which gives you two or three bowls. Pricing is between $22-$30 retail depending on where you buy it.
More Day 1 WoC Show Coverage
We’re going to go with Alpine Rockwheel when the zombie apocalypse comes. This concrete tool is one of the most aggressive, devastatingly cool-looking products we’ve seen all year.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153541848023003/?type=3
Hilti New Products
At the Hilti booth, the company was demoing several new tools as well as their new 20/2/1 program—20 year warranty, 2 years of wear and tear coverage, and 1 day turnaround on repairs. We’ll be attending a Hilti World of Concrete Press Event shortly, so look for more tools and details shortly.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153541850473003/?type=3
While we’ll have separate Hilti World of Concrete show coverage, we wanted to whet your appetite with some of their new tools and products. The first thing we looked at was the Hilti North America Scanner which works with their custom software to pick up an entire box of tools (via RFID) or just a single tool’s bar code for tracking what comes and goes from your tool crib.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153541881413003/?type=3
This next tool should look very familiar. We just included it in our best heavy duty 18V cordless drill shootout. The difference is that the Hilti SF 10W-A18 has just been upgraded with active torque control:
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You can see the ATC in action here:
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/videos/10153543332088003/
Metabo Dust-free Accessories
The new Metabo DDE 72 dust extraction set connects to their dust extractor and adheres to the wall while you drill. It’s available in two sizes (this latest model lets you use larger concrete bits as well as core bits). The readies you for the newest OSHA regulations that are coming out regarding the capture of concrete dust on the job site.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153541955713003/?type=3
Keen Utility Expands Boot Lineup
Keen Utility (check out our Keen factory tour article for more info on why Keen is such a neat company) has a lot of new products that just came out. We most recently reviewed the Keen Utility Braddock boots and found them to be excellent for the job site. New products, like this Omaha Mid shoe, just hit the shelves. We also saw some other boots that won’t be out until Spring—we’ll keep you posted when we can talk about them!
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153548943573003/?type=3
KNAACK Thermosteel Heated Storage
Keeping your tools ad batteries warm can really help them perform better (or at all, if you happen to have older lithium-ion battery packs). The KNAACK heated storage system with thermosteel maintains temperature to 70 degrees even at 40 degrees. It uses a sort of heated blanket pad that emits enough heat to make sure your tools are ready to go when you are.
https://www.facebook.com/protoolreviews/photos/a.10150179270633003.315883.69600613002/10153542305038003/?type=3
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