Coming up next, Milwaukee and DeWALT have a message for Paslode, and Klein enters the cordless tool race… with someone else’s battery! This is your Power tool week in review.
Starting with our favorite Tool guys from a land down under, Mike and Dwayne brought together the four biggest cordless framing guns for a shootout. Current favorites from Paslode and Hikoki (which is Metabo HPT to us in the states) are challenged by the new contenders from Milwaukee and Dewalt, which are both still in pre-order status. Besides the predictable 2000 nails in a board test, they also brought each nailer to the job site to compare performance ergonomics and economy . If you’re done being tied to a compressor but still aren’t sure which brand is for you, the Aussies can help you out. You can find them at OZ Tool Talk on YouTube.
We all know it’s impossible to properly use power tools without great music. Which is why we have so many jobsite radio options. But as it turns out, Makita has a special trick up it’s sleeve that may just make all others obsolete. Kenny from Pro Tool Reviews showed off the new Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speaker for Jobsites. At first glance this thing looks like any of a dozen other options, until Kenny sprung this on us “You can link them up together with 10 matching speakers…” jobsite surround sound my friends….or an absurd amount of little box speakers to trip over. One speaker will be the parent, while the rest act as children who simply repeat what the parent tells them. You can even adjust the setting on all speakers at once. If your jobsite is big, this could be a really cool way of easily getting music to every corner, as long as you can all agree on the same Katy Perry Song. To find out for yourself if these speakers are for you, head over to Pro Tool Reviews on YouTube.
Klein made big news this last week, releasing their first cordless power tools, powered, by DeWALT. This is the Klein BAT20CW ½ In Battery Operated Impact Wrench, and the BAT20CD Compact Impact Driver. Both tools have their stats skewed towards big torque which is a common need for Electricians. But as opposed to developing their own battery platform, they chose to partner up with DeWALT to utilize their 20v Max batteries. Bill puts both drills to the test, and uses the new Impact Wrench to try out the Klein 66010 Deep Socket set. What’d he think? You can find out for yourselves at Sparky Channel on YouTube.
Our last stop is over at Shop Tool Reviews, where Tim decided it was time to give Craftsman a shot at a pretty big job. That’s the Craftsman 20V ½” Impact Wrench, which boasts 275 ft-lbs of fastening torque, for a very reasonable $129. Tim found this mid range Impact to be perfect for removing cylinder heads and lug nuts. After putting it through it’s paces, he decided it was surprisingly capable, and far faster at breaking nuts than he expected, but eventually concluded that while this isn’t likely to find a permanent home in a pro’s toolbox, it just might be the perfect ½” impact for DIYers. You can decide for yourself at Shop Tool Reviews on Youtube.
It’s time again for our construction industry news, courtesy of the Construction Junkie. Let’s face it. Construction workers are hot. In the sun, on the jobsite, and keeping cool has always been a challenge. Fortunately for them, Klein Tools is on the case. Klein is best known for their extensive line of electricians tools, but they recently launched a brand new lineup of cooling products, for all those previously mentioned hot construction workers. The line includes Do Rags, Headbands, helmet liners and more, all made with wicking fabrics designed to absorb sweat and keep you cool and dry. Most notable and relevant to today’s “Trying times”, their new cooling neck and face band can help keep your temperature down, and comply with most jobsite mask requirements.
If these passive solutions are not enough, well it might be time to revisit previously promised cooling tech from Sony.
Several months ago Construction Junkie reported on this fascinating t-shirt air conditioner revealed by Sony that was suppose to launch in conjunction with the 2020 Summer Olympics… where were delayed, like the rest of my life. But Sony still came through, and the Reon Pocket RNP-1A is finally available on the Sony Japan website, for around $120, along side shirts with pockets sewn in specifically for the cooler, for an additional $17. The tech is unusual, as opposed to the built in fans you’d find in the likes of Makita’s cooling jacket, this device uses the Peltier Effect, which uses electrical currents to raise or lower the temperature by as much as 23 degrees. So if you’re living in Japan, and feel like buying us one of these things, you can find our address on the website. For these and the rest of your Construction Industry News, be sure to head over to constructionjunkie.com.
Swinging over to Instagram, Our buddy Thibault was trying out the Dewalt 20V Atomic Saw, and besides some balancing complaints, he found the saw to be capable and great at handling dust.
Did you know there was a national tape measure day? It’s true, and Hugh from HD carpentry celebrated by giving some away!
Murray made quick work of a little basement repair after a sump pump failure….I now have new fears keeping me up at night being a home owner … like our sump pump failing.
Special Thanks to Ohio Power Tool and EGO for sponsoring this episode!
For the latest deals on the power tools you know you need, visit Ohiopowertool.com
