Husqvarna Automower 305 Robotic Lawnmower Preview

Husqvarna Automower 305 Robotic Lawnmower Preview

I hate mowing the grass. Some say it’s relaxing and soothing, even. For me, it’s a necessary evil – and part of the homeowner process that I’d just as soon see gone forever. Somebody at Husqvarna obviously agrees because they invented the Automower 305. The 305 is literally a robotic lawnmower – the company’s third, in fact. It is silent. It’s automatic. And it’s designed to give homeowners a perfectly cut, trouble-free lawn. While its not for those living on an acre of land, the mower is perfect (and designed) for people responsible for around 5000 square feet or less of lawn area. The tool cuts with the power of lithium-ion, and since it is quiet, it can cut at any time of day or night without worry.

Porter-Cable PC60THPK 6-amp Hand Planer Preview

Porter-Cable PC60THPK 6-amp Hand Planer Preview

Ever wish your electric planer had a longer stance and better dust collection? Porter-Cable is attempting to meet those needs with its new 6 amp Hand Planer (model #PC60THPK). The brand new planer is actually rather sleek, with a raked back profile and 3 chamfer grooves. The new motor, which is reasonably powerful for those looking to do significant hand planing for finish applications, comes up with 16,500 RPMs. At first glance this planer seems perfect for planing wood planks, shortening doors and joists, and also chamfering and profiling the corners and edges of various hardwoods. The part we liked, however, was that it could chunk out up to 5/64″ per pass. For those who have trouble with fractions, that’s a little over 1/16 of an inch – not terribly deep by planing standards, but this is an instrument meant for finer work, not something with which to replace your circular saw. The planer comes with two blades and you can use either high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide blades. HSS blades are perfect for more aggressive planing – where nails might be encountered, and carbide blades are your tools for finish carpenters or craftsman who don’t risk jamming them up on anything except wood.

Milwaukee M18 Cordless SDS+ Rotary Hammer Review

Milwaukee M18 Cordless SDS+ Rotary Hammer Review

Milwaukee tried to slip one by us earlier this year, but we caught it. As part of their April 1st push of the new RedLithium platform (which is no joke) the company leaked info on a new M18 Rotary Hammer with SDS Plus technology (2605-22). It’s a 7/8-inch model and comes with either 1 or 2 RedLithium XC batteries. We love it when reviews and projects collide. With the case of the Milwaukee M18 SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer, we couldn’t have asked for better timing. The M18 Rotary Hammer represents one of those cross-over tools. It’s a cordless tool that really attempts to be a corded tool replacement. It’s not for chopping up large swathes of concrete, but it’s also a huge step above something you’d use for routine fastening into block walls. The 2605-22 Cordless SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Drill Kit is light enough to be used overhead, but strong enough to plow through high density concrete with a 7/8″ bit.