We get to see, but not touch the new Makita 40V platform. Scott Brown shows off the worlds most expensive circular saw, and we get our first look, at see-thru lumber. This is your Power tool week in review.
Builds and Stuff – Makita 40V
I know I’ve been a little hard on Makita for not bringing the 40v to the states. And I’m about to do it again. Just saying. Builds & Stuff, associated with Tools & Stuff, bought the mega Makita 40v super duper Rob can’t have it kit, and made a 2 hour and 43 minute video, digging into each tool. This review may be good. I have no idea, because I didn’t watch the 2 hour and 43 minute video, because I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this yet, but Makita won’t let me buy their 40V tools, because I’m an American. Fortunately, I’m not one to hold a grudge. Anyways, If you’re just as hungry for 40V action as we are, head over to Builds & Stuff on YouTube.
Tool Box Buzz – Head 3 Head Compact Miter Saws
So the boys at Tool Box Buzz have been making more of their insane tool Head 2 Head videos recently, focused on all kinds of Cordless Miter Saws. Last week they looked at the great big 12” saws, but This week, the itty bitty ones. Mr. Robillard gathered his very best buddies and unpacked a bunch of compact miter saws ranging from 6 ½” to 8 ½”, but most were 7 ¼”. There were examples from Kobalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Makita, Craftsman, DeWALT, and Metabo HPT. Yup, SEVEN compact miter saws, all anxious to prove to you that big things come in small packages. Of course, the team painstakingly tests each one for Accuracy, Performance, Run Time, Features, Ergonomics, you get the idea. Wanna guess the winner? Trust me. Go watch it at Tool Box Buzz on YouTube.
Scott Brown Carpentry – $10,000 Circular Saw
Our buddy Scott Brown had a buddy of his own come over to show off a few new tools, including a MaFell Circular saw that cost more than my first car, and could probably cut it in half. Scott is usually busy building stuff over in New Zealand, but this week he decided to play a bit of show and tell with his friend Gaston from Piranha Tools, who brought over the biggest, most expensive Circular saw we’ve ever seen. THAT, is the Mafell MKS 185Ec Circular Saw, and that blade is a staggering 17 and 11/16”. It’s cutting depth is 7 ¼”. I’m struggling to understand how he’s even holding that thing. Of course, no one’s swell like Gaston. For the full review, head over to Scott Brown Carpentry on the YouTube.
Oz Tool Talk – Milwaukee Staplers
As long as we’re on that side of the globe, let’s check in with Mike and Dwayne of Oz Tool Talk who decided to pair up Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL Narrow Crown Stapler, with it’s little brother, the M12 T50. The M18 Narrow Crown drives 18ga ¼” staples while the M12 drives T50s, which are 10mm flat crown. After putting both staplers to the test, they identify a few unique use cases for the M18, but both agree the price is a bit steep for most. But the M12… that has both guys excited. It’s fast, powerful, and more affordable. Dwayne seems to have only one problem with the M12. To watch the full review, head over to Oz Tool Talk on YouTube.
Construction Junkie – Construction Industry News
It’s time again for your Construction Industry News, courtesy of the Construction Junkie.
Wood ain’t cheap! Thanks to a myriad of things including sawmills shutting down, wildfires and of course millions of COVID-19 shut ins who suddenly decided to remodel that bathroom while they wait out the virus. These price hikes have been a HUGE burden on the construction industry. Fortunately for all of us, the US Department of Commerce has significantly reduced the tariffs imposed on Canadian softwood lumber from 20%, down to only 9. We’re already seeing prices come back down a bit, but the NAHB says there’s still more work to be done to finally get prices back to normal.
Are you tired of building things with wood you can’t see through? Me too! And a team of researchers from Forest Products Laboratory, the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado think they have a solution. Transparent wood. This crazy group of tree lovers developed a process to remove the pigment from balsa wood, creating a completely transparent wood that they believe could be a far superior alternative to glass, in windows. They claim their material is lighter, more durable, up to 5 times more thermally efficient and more environmentally friendly than glass. This… is clearly our future.
To read the full articles and for the rest of your Construction Industry News, head over to Construction Junkie.com
Thank you EGO and Ohio Power Tool for sponsoring this episode! We couldn’t do it without you.
