This week, we share 3 things you missed in the FLEX announcement. Plus, Vince tries on some new drawers, and we have a favor to ask… of you. THIS is your power tool week in review.
Scott Brown Makita Miter Saw
Today we have several tool stories for you, starting with our favorite Kiwi, who took a detailed look at Makita’s long-awaited 40V Miter Saw.
Scotty Brown, only I can call him Scotty by the way, has been working with the new Makita 40v platform for a couple of months now. And this week, he shared his thoughts on the all-new Makita 40V XGT Slide Compound Miter Saw. It’s a powerful portable saw that runs on a single 40V Makita battery. There are many features and benefits, but the most important? According to Scott it’s the weight. He likes the top handle, which he prefers because it keeps his hand above the blade. The single battery lasted almost all day, and adjustments are easy. But the saw isn’t perfect. For both the good and the bad, head over to Scott Brown Carpentry.
Flex Announcement
So last week, we were all caught a bit off guard by the announcement of an all new line of Pro Tools, and we think there are a couple important things you may have missed.
FLEX, until now a line of high end buffers, polishers and vacs here in the states, is now going to be the face of an all new line of Pro Tools coming from Chervon. We have very few details so far, but their focus is clearly to take on the big boys. They’ve announced a special launch event on April 12th, where they say we’ll see direct head 2 heads with the biggest names in the industry. But in that announcement, there were three things that many people seemed to miss.
- This new line of tools are from the company that brought you EGO, which has been said often online, but there’s a significant bit of information in there. EGO has some serious battery tech, and in the FLEX press release, they eluded to that with this line: “Since then, we’ve been focused on tools made for the trades to deliver the absolute best in terms of power, run-time and recharge time thanks to our proprietary lithium-ion battery technology.” And what is that technology? Look no further than EGO. Shock Resistant design, Intelligent power Management, 3P Design, and Keep-Cool Cell Tech. So far EGO has absolutely DOMINATED the OPE segment with these batteries. That’s why we’re all expecting big things.
- Number 2, They make Kobalt, so they’ve been perfecting the 24v platform right under everyone’s nose. But they’ve been held back by pricing targets. Now, they control the specs, the prices and the goals. And this is NOT a public company. It’s private. That means they can do whatever they want.
- And number 3, they’re offering something unique to tempt trades people to take a chance on a new line of tools. A Limited Lifetime Warranty. Seriously. Every FLEX 24V Tools, batteries, and charger that are purchased in 2021, will have it’s 5 year warranty bumped to a lifetime version. The Limited part means that it doesn’t apply to misuse, careless handling, unauthorized repair, or normal wear and tear. But if you’re using the tool right, and it fails, they take care of it, for as long as you live. You just have to register your tools within 30 days, with a receipt, and the warranty only applies to the original purchaser.
So what do you think? Is the company’s performance history, and a lifetime warranty enough to make you take a chance on FLEX? Well, on April 12th you’ll finally get to see them in action, and we’re going to have our own hands on them shortly after. And quite frankly, I can’t wait.
VCG Construction | Milwaukee Packout Drawers
Speaking of new tools that we’re all freaking out about, the highly anticipated PACKOUT drawers have been showing up on doorsteps, and Vince gave us his first thoughts.
The PACKOUT drawers have finally arrived at VCG, and we knew Vince would have plenty to say about it. As a huge PACKOUT fan already, He can’t wait to go over every square inch of the 2 drawer version, testing its weight limit, trying various organizational configurations, and even smelling it. So the PACKOUT drawers are functional, durable, and they smell… sandy. To find out why, head over to VCG Construction.
Tool Talk | Jobsite Stories
It’s time for some tool talk. Last week we talked about the surprising results of the Ryobi vs Milwaukee High Torque Impact testing over at Torque Test Channel. We asked you to tell us how you feel about Ryobi nearly beating a Milwaukee tool, at a much lower price.
There was a lot of support for Ryobi in the comments. On the Workbench said “The new-ish Ryobi HP battery with the extra terminals seems like it will open the door for more upward movement of the brand while keeping the longstanding commitment to their battery form factor.”
There were a ton of Red Fans dismissing Ryobi entirely, but Ethan Ridesbikes summed it up best. “Competition between brands means the consumer wins. Let the boys in green give it hell, that’ll just mean Milwaukee will have to step up their game.”
For this week’s tool talk, we’re gonna talk about Jobsite stories. Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of working with tradespeople from nearly every trade. And if there’s one consistent thing between them all, it’s the funny stories they love to tell from the job site. So Sarah and I got to talking about these stories, and wanted to find a way to incorporate them into our show. And we got an idea. We’re asking you to share your favorite funny Jobsite story, in text, or better yet, a video. Make it 90 seconds or less. No need for big production values, just have someone hold up your phone, in landscape please, and tell your story. And if we pick yours, the two of us are going to reenact them for you. Seriously. We’ll put the instructions in the description. We’re gonna see about putting together some prizes for the stories we choose as well.
Construction Junkie | WOC 2021
It feels like it’s been forever since Rob and I have been to a tool show, and this June, that may finally come to an end. For one of us.
That’s right, this JUNE 8th through the 10th, the legendary World of Concrete will be the first major show to return to VEGAS. This news comes on the heels of Nevada’s Governor, Steve Sisolak, who just announced an increase to allowed crowd capacities, to 50%. The folks at W O C are promising all of the magic of past World of Concrete shows, but with new procedures in place to keep everyone safe. And quite frankly, a true World of Concrete with only half the crowd? Well that does sound magical. Unfortunately, Rob’s gonna have to go himself, because in June, I’m gonna be 8 months pregnant. And I don’t feel like having my baby in Vegas. You can find all of the details over at Construction Junkie.com
Last week we talked about the Ryobi and Milwaukee fight, which you can watch right here.
Special thanks to EGO and Ohio Power Tool, we couldn’t do this without you.
