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The Best $50 You'll Ever Spend On A Power Tool

If you're like me, you probably don't get too excited about buying hand tools like awls, chisels, screwdrivers, etc.  The hardware store is full of awesome, modern, increasingly intelligent power tools.  That's the stuff I get excited about.  And that's the stuff that drives my love of tools.  

But you won't get too far on any serious project without some hand tools.  Just this last weekend I was blowing through a door installation with my neighbor.  We hit a speedbump when we realized the jam had moved by about 1/4 inch due to weather and our perfectly-aligned install was not perfect.  Stepping back and looking at the alignment issue, it was clear that the easiest fix was to sink the bottom hinge into the door by about 1/8 of an inch.  

We scratched our chins while we debated whether it would be easier to bring the router table over to the job site - or take the (freshly painted) door back over to the shop.  But my neighbor Donny has been an install contractor since hand tools were the norm, and it didn't take too long for him to come up with the best solution.  He ran over to his shop & returned with a laser sharp chisel.  5 minutes later, we had our fix.  And the only tool we needed was a sharp piece of metal.  

That's why I think the best $50 you can spend is on a bench grinder.  It's the most basic of power tools.  But here's why it's glorious... with a good one, your hand tools will last forever.  So you won't ever need to waste a single dollar on a new chisel again.  As a matter of fact, if you can find your grandfather's old chisel - that'll work just fine.  Run your grinder over the old tool, give it a little oil, and you're good to go for another generation or two.  

The same can be said for drill bits, awls, screw drivers, and more.  I invested in about 10 pairs of high-quality plant pruners back when I used to take more landscaping work.  Once a year, I strip the apart, run each piece over the grinder, oil them up, and put them back together.  The whole process takes about 1 hour each year, and I always have a bucket of pruners ready to go if my team needs to jump on a real estate "make-ready" job or something like that.  Some of those pruners cost damn near $50 a piece.  And my $50 bench grinder means that I'll never have to buy another pair (knock on wood).

Buy A Bench Grinder And Stop Buying Hand Tools

Let's look at how a lot of people handle their hand tools in today's throw-away world.  You need a chisel for a job.  You think, "crap, I don't have a chisel cause I never use it."  You go drop $15-$20 on a new chisel.  As soon as your job is done, so is the chisel.  You let it rust, use it as a shim, or whatever.  Couple years later... "crap, I don't have a chisel cause I never use it."  

When you think about the years that pass and the number of tools that get this treatment, it starts to add up.  That $20 is more like a couple hundred over the course of a year.  And if you work for a few years, it's not long before you hit $1,000.  

The bench grinder brings this to an abrupt end.  With the grinder at the ready, no hand tool ever needs to be discarded or replaced.  I actually pick up old and rusted tools when I see them - just to see if I can whip them back into working shape easily.  I rarely ever spend more than 10 minutes on a project like this, but I always get a kick out of it when I score a free tool this way.  

So, if you don't already have one - consider dropping $50 and get yourself a decent bench grinder.  You'll make that $50 back on the 2nd or 3rd tool that you're able to clean up and rehab just by grinding it down and giving it a fresh wipe of oil.  

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Getting Along Without a Table Saw

My table saw is one of the most important tools in my shop.  And, mind you, it ain't stuck in my shop.  I do have a stationary stand in my shop, but my table saw makes the trip to many of my job sites with me.  I started out years ago with a bulky used Craftsman saw.  As soon as I turned over a few serious jobs and had some cash in my pocket - I bucked up and picked up a sweet Bosch GTS1031-RT that's easy to move around.  Adjusted my bench to accomodate the shorter height, and paid the extra $$ for the folding portable stand.  

But even before I had that old Craftsman, I never let the lack of a table saw slow me down on projects where I needed to cut through big pieces like 4x8 boards.  

I came across this video recently where the host shows you how to create a custom table saw using a rotary saw.  My response?  Holy shit!  That looks dangerous as hell!  I would never advise anyone to do that - I think it's actually pretty crazy.  Nevermind the fact that to do it well, you would need a router table to get a clean cut on the slit you create for the blade.  Who has a router table but doesn't have a table saw?  That's a little silly.  

The approach I took was much simpler.  There are 2 things you need.  First, you need a long table - long enough to support the biggest pieces you're going to cut.  For me, that was an 8-foot folding table that I scored for cheap from a church rummage sale.  Right now, I would probably use the exisiting 10-foot tables in my shop.  

The second thing you need is a very long straight edge.  You can buy an 8-foot straight edge, but it would cost you as much as a used table saw.  What I did was I bought the straightest 10-foot board I could find, and then I used my buddy's planer to work it over until it was perfectly straight as measured by the line from a laser level.  

When I needed to make a cut, I simply clamped my long straight edge onto the material I needed to cut, at a depth that would place my circular saw blade exactly on the cut line.  That's it.  No dangerous customizations required - just take the time to line everything up just right before you start your cut.  Measure twice, cut once, as they say.  

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The Dopest Laser Level I've Ever Used

OK, if you do any type of cabinetry, framing, or masonry work - you've probably already got a laser level of one type or another.  If you work outdoors or do big construction jobs, you probably use a rotary laser for the long distances they offer.  If you work on cabinetry, ceilings, or other indoor jobs, you probably use a cross-line laser that gives you 2 or 3 perpendicular lines to measure from.  There are some other types of lasers out there, like the special masonry square, but for the most part they're either rotary or cross-line.

But did you know there's a laser on the market that offers the features of both of those laser types in one compact package?  It's from Bosch, and it's about the same size as most of the cross-line laser levels on the market today.  I don't have one myself, but I have been using my friend's recently on a job we are doing together where we hung an accoustic ceiling and installed some custom shelving/cabinetry.  

This Laser Level Is Great  

The biggest feature I was blown away by is the 360-degree coverage that you get from both the horizontal and the vertical lines.  That's right - 360 degrees of squareness all around - it's unreal.  They pull this off with rotating mirrors on the pendulum - much like a standard rotary laser.  But the package looks almost just like Bosch's cross-line laser levels.  

The second feature that really caught my attention is the self-leveling speed.  I have a Bosch cross-line and a Hilti cross-line.  Both of them are self-leveling, and they work just fine.  What's noteworthy about this GLL2-80P hybrid is the speed.  When you move the tool, it self-levels again, and I mean it's almost instantaneous.  Insanely fast.  I'm not sure that this is a big selling point for them (who really complains about waiting 2-3 seconds for a laser to level?).  But it is impressive to see.  Gives you some degree of confidence that the thing is working correctly when it lines up in 0.5 seconds.  

At any rate - if you're looking for 360-degree coverate for ceilings but you don't want to spend the dough on a traditional rotary laser, check this one out for sure.  It's a very nice tool and I bet it will last a lifetime if you take care of it.  For more information about enclosure ratings, product options, and more - there's a great buying guide and a great FAQ on this site - Laser Level Reviews.  

I'm working on a project right now for my Mom that I'm going to share soon.  It's not a big deal, but you know, it's always fun to show off your stuff...

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The Difference Between a Driver and a Drill

I can't tell you how many times someone has handed me a driver while saying aloud, "Here's a drill."  Fewer times, someone has handed me a drill with a driver bit in it and said, "Here's a driver."  

These two items are not the same thing.  They're designed for specific purposes.  Those purposes do overlap, somewhat.  It's a little confusing, but with a bit of know how and a little critical thinking, you can understand the difference between a driver and a drill - and always reach for the best tool for the task you're working on.  

What's a Driver?

A driver is designed to twist screws, bolts, and nuts.  Drivers generally spin much slower than drills.  And most of them use a variable speed motor with an analog control, so that you can make it spin faster or slower depending on how tightly you squeeze the trigger.  

High end drivers also have torque sensors with feedback control loops on the motor.  This means that if it is working hard to drive a screw, it will slow down and turn very slowly - which prevents you from breaking the screw.

An impact driver is a driver that includes an impact hammer.  What this does is physically jolt the screw or bolt repeatedly to break through resistance and keep the screw turning even when it has a lot of resistance.  With an impact driver, the impact is applied to the rotational motion of the driver motor.

What is a Drill?

A drill is designed to drill holes through materials using a drill bit.  Drills generally spin much faster than drivers.  Some drills include variable speed motors so you can drill faster or slower by adjusting a setting on the drill.  

Drills don't generally have torque sensors.  This means that the motor spins at the same speed, no matter how much resistance it is getting.  

A hammer drill is a drill that includes an impact hammer.  Same idea as an impact driver, except the impact is applied to the forward motion of the drill - rather than the rotational motion.  The impact hammer physically jolts the drillbit, allowing it to power through dense materials that would otherwise be too hard to drill.

Using a Driver to Drill

Drill bits are available to fit drivers.  Drivers do actually make good drills in certain circumstances.  Drilling into soft wood or other soft materials shouldn't be a problem for a driver.  And the slower turn can allow you to have better fine control of the bit for precision work.  

Where a driver makes a terrible drill is on materials where high speed is necessary - like metal, concrete, and masonry.  Trying to use a driver to drill through any of those tough materials will probably leave you with a broken drillbit if you're lucky... or a broken driver if you're unlucky.  

Using a Drill as a Driver

A drill is almost never a good tool to use for installing screws, bolts, or nuts.  The drill spins much too fast - and there are plenty of problems that can be caused by this.  You're much more likely to twist the head off of a screw.  Not a big deal on a structural framing or construction job - but potentially disastrous for an crafty project.  Similarly, a drill can snap the heads off of small bolts.  This is where the torque sensor on a driver pays off.

The biggest problem I have with using a drill as a driver is that it spins so fast that you have zero control over the placement, angle, and depth of the screw.  The screw is super-blasted into the substrate, and that's that.  It makes for quick, unreliable, and ugly work.  Use a driver to drive your screws.

Some drills have variable speed controls with very low settings.  This is as close to being a driver as any drill gets - but my advice remains the same.  Use a driver to drive your screws.  That's the ticket.  

#tools #driver #drill #impact driver #DIY

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The Reason Why Bosch is My Default Brand

I hang out with contractors.  Builders.  Landscapers.  We're those hard livin' hard workin' men you heard about in the Brooks & Dunn song.  When we get together for a game (Go Blackhawks!) or a BBQ, you could seriously stock a small hardware store just from the equipment in our combined trucks. 

Most of my friends have a preferred brand of tool.  Jimmy used to work at an auto shop that used Mikita tools, and he's convinced they're somehow superior to all other tools.  Dave likes DEWALT because his dad raised him on it.  Me - I'm a Bosch guy.  And in my own personal opinion, I've got the best reason of anybody. 

I love Bosch tools because they last forever.

I started out with no real tool allegiances.  I picked up whatever I needed and usually made my decisions on price more than anything else.

Unlike most of my friends, I did not come from a "working" family.

My dad wore a suit to work.  He did do some small-scale carpentry work on the weekends.  He loved that show "New Yankee Workshop," and he preferred to use hand tools whenever possible.

Over years of doing more and more tool-intensive labor - I have started to develop a "taste" in tools, you might say.  Here's how I came to the conclusion that Bosch tools last forever.

My first cordless drill was a Ryobi.  I killed it.  My second cordless drill was a Skil.  I gave it away because I needed a better one.  My third cordless drill was a Bosch - and that's the one that's in my box right now.

My first circular saw was a Craftsman hand-me-down.  I killed it.  My second circular saw was a Milwaukee hand-me-down.  I killed it.  My third circular saw was a Bosch - and, you guessed it, it's in my box right now.

First table saw - Ryobi - dead.  New table saw - Bosch - best tool I own.

First router - Craftsman - dead.  Second router - Ryobi - dead.  Third router - Bosch - love it.

The list goes on and on.  I've learned through experience that when I spend less on a cheaper tool, I'm probably just delaying the inevitable until I get a Bosch.  Sometimes that's a fair trade-off if it's a tool that I don't use very often.  Usually, though, it's just me being cheap and making a bad decision. 

One of the biggest things that drives tool brand loyalty in this day and age is the rechargeable lithium ion battery.  When you commit to one battery, then it just makes sense to stick with that brand for your other tools. 

Personally, I avoid cordless tools for almost every tool that I carry.  I got a big old 100 ft. extension cord and I'm not afraid to haul it out day after day.  If I'm using a saw or a drill, I want all the power I can muster.  After putzing around with an 18V cordless saw for about 10 minutes - trust me - you'll be itching to plug in to that sweet 120 VAC to get your job done with some speed.  For me, plugged in is the only way to be when it comes to cutting and drilling.

And whether I'm plugged in or running cordless, I'm probably doing it with a Bosch tool.  As the years go by, the Bosch tools survive.  Almost all the other tools I've purchased have fallen by the wayside.

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Short on counter space in your kitchen?  Who’s not, right?

I actually have a nice galley kitchen now that has too much counter space.  But at my last place, there was literally about 24 inches of usable counter space. 

I like to cook, so this was a serious turnoff for me while I was shopping for an apartment with my roommate.  But, the price was right and the location was convenient with the train nearby. 

To top it all off, as soon as we moved in, my roommate plopped down his gigantic 1990s model microwave - taking up the entire counter.  I protested, and he was like, "Dude - you know how to cook.  You can cut shit up on the table.  I will literally starve to death without that microwave."  Sad, but true. 

I fancy myself something of an amateur chef.  I was trained in professional kitchens and I work on my feet.  Working at the table just wasn't going to cut it.  If we had a counter-height table, that would have been fine.  But after one evening of stooping over our standard-height kitchen table - I knew something had to give. 

What gave was my wallet.  I coughed up about $30 for some finished pine 2x4s and 2x2s, and threw together a simple impromptu workstation that fit nicely in a small nook between the pantry and the stove.  It was almost just like the workstation pictured above that I found online. 

Everybody was happy.  I had enough space for a few bowls and a cutting board.  He had enough space to zap his frozen burritos.  Win-win, if you ask me. 

I always enjoy working with wood, and while decorative projects make for nice gifts - it's the useful things I build that bring me the most pride. 

The real pay-off came one morning when this super hot girl woke up in my bed and walked out to the kitchen to find me whipping up a fresh feta cheese omelette.  She was like, "I'm impressed!" 

"Oh, it's nothing.  I make these all the time."

"Well I'm surprised you can cook anything in here," she replied.  "This might be the smallest kitchen I've ever seen."

"Yeah, that's why I made this workstation.  My roommate's microwave takes up the whole counter."

"You made that table?"  She tilted her head down and looked at me through the top of her eyes. 

"Yep.  Just a couple of weeks ago when we moved in," I replied.

"Well, well, well.  Aren't you just a man of many talents?" 

The mood had changed. 

With a sultry glance, she took me by the hand and led me slowly back towards the bedroom.  "Why don't you show me that talent from last night again?"

Every dog has his day, or so they say.  Now that I think about it - I haven't gotten laid in quite a while.  Perhaps I should get to work on another wood project soon and see where it leads me...

#DIY #table #tools #wood

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“Spring Black Friday”

What???!?!?!??

Was over at homedepot.com this morning and they have ads up on the front page for Spring Black Friday.  That’s not a thing, is it?  

Man, I’m really starting to feel out of the loop.  All I can say is I'm seriously hopeful that they're not trying to supplant Easter with a shopping holiday - a la Thanksgiving.  Those are two of my favorite holidays.

While I've never taken part in "black friday," the videos I see on Youtube seriously make me want to go... just for the experience.  Sort of like "extreme people watching."  

But I do take Thanksgiving seriously.  What better holiday?  I don't celebrate the "Christopher Columbus" aspect, or pretend that there was this mythical harmony between the early settlers and the native North Americans.  I'm one of those dudes who seriously thinks we should replace CC day with "Leif Erikson Day," since he actually discovered the continent hundreds of years earlier.  

But I do think that Thanksgiving is a great holiday.  It's nice to get the family together (I realize I'm probably in the minority with that sentiment).  And I definitely think it's good for people to take a pause from their day-to-day lives and contemplate the things for which they're thankful.  

In my opinion, black friday is an afront to all things good in the world.  If the retail industry plans to set Easter up with the same trivial treatment it gave Thanksgiving - I, for one, will boycott the whole shebang.  And let me tell you... I drop some serious coin up in the Home Depot.  

I buy more tools than your average contractor, because I love love love them.  I like to have spares and backups on hand in case anything breaks.  And, I love to compare the features of different brands against each other.  

Now, having said all that, I should also mention that I am a Christian.  I don't go to church or anything.  And I've tried to "convert" someone exactly one time in my whole life.  I'm just not the sort to tell other people what they should believe.  It was just that there was this girl whose life was falling apart and she was trying to latch on to me as a potential solution for her problems.  I basically told her, "I can't help with this.  You need real help.  You need Jesus."

Aside from that one instance - I pretty much keep my spiritual beliefs to myself unless someone comes asking and I trust them to listen without judgement.  

But Easter is one time every year when I do give some thought to the subject.  My spirituality tends to be a little wish-washy.  And Easter is one time when I stop to actually consider the life and death of the man for whom my religion is named.  

Would hate to see the holiday turn into a crazy shopping spree...  Although I might be tempted to pack up some popcorn and go watch the door-crashers.

Anyway...  If religion's not your thing, you might consider checking out the deals they've got on for "Spring Black Friday."  Looks like it's running through the first week of April, and I did notice a few nice tools that are on sale.

There's a sweet Bosch laser measure (GLM 20 X) that I've been wanting to check out that's on sale for about $50.  The Stanley model (TLM99) is also on sale for about $80.  Between you and me - I got some personal experience with these tools and if I were you - I'd save that extra $30 and pick up the Bosch, which seems to be a better tool.  Bells and whistles on that Stanley that won't do you any favors over the long haul.

Also noticed a Stanley laser level that's on sale.  I've been wanting to check one of these out because I've never tried a Stanley laser level, although I can't help but notice that it doesn't have great reviews online...  

So, keep on keepin on.  I'll holler at you all later on.

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This guy cracks me up.  I’m not sure if I should tag this post #lazy or #crazy!

Side note: I had that Skil drill for a short while.  Passed it along to my brother as a hand-me-down when he was just starting to put his own tools together.  My advice?  Spend the extra money & get that Mikita 18V.  You’ll love it.

#drills tools hacks #lazy #tools #hacks #drills

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A Quick Rundown on 12-volt impact drivers.

If Frodo Baggins walked in to Home Depot in 2017, he’d make a bee line for the impact drivers.  Why?  Because the impact driver is “One Tool to Rule Them All.” 

A solid impact driver can replace your drill for most jobs.  It can replace your ratchet for most jobs.  Hell, I don’t even remember the last time I used an actual handheld screw driver. 

When I first picked up my first impact driver on a contract job about 20 years ago, I knew right away that I needed one.  I had my own within a week.  My budget at the time was pretty skimpy, so I went with a low budget option from my local off brand retailer.  Killed that thing in a month or two :) 

For my next outing, I saved up some cash and did some serious research online.  I found a factory reconditioned Bosch 12-volt and picked it up for just under 50% of retail.  One of my best purchases... ever.  In fact, it’s sitting in its soft case about 10 feet away from me as I write this.  That driver has outlasted 3 trucks. 

I found an identical model in a pawn shop several years later & I snatched it up - just so I’ll have a backup if mine ever gives out.  Hand to god, that backup driver is buried at the bottom of my big spare tools drawer.  Never been used - not once.

If I had to narrow it down to say what the absolute best quality of the driver is, I couldn’t do it.  It’s tough as nails.  Takes a serious beating.  Been dropped off a roof.  Been submerged in a 5-gallon bucket of water.  Been dropped in a sandbox.  You name it, it’s been there.  Works like brand new.

The most noticeably impressive thing about it is probably the batteries.  Those Bosch 12-volt batteries are really something.  Driving 3-inch screws through cedar (and drilling the tap holes), the batteries last for upwards of 3 hours.  As long as you keep your charger on hand, you can work indefinitely because they charge back up in about 20 minutes.  So, even if you forget to charge the first one back up, you’ve only got about 20 minutes of downtime - awesome. 

My neighbor, who is a door and window contractor, has the Mikita 12-volt driver.  I’ve used that tool a hundred times, and I love it too.  The biggest differences I’ve noticed are the torque and the battery life.  The Mikita battery lasts about 1/2 as long as the Bosch battery - and it takes a little longer to charge back up. 

The torque on the Mikita is a little stronger than the torque on the Bosch.  That’s a good thing if you work in hardwoods... but it’s terrible if you’re prone to twisting the heads off of screws and bolts.  Slow but steady wins the race with that Mikita.  With the Bosch you can just squeeze the trigger and wait - no worries. 

Another impact driver I’ve got some serious time on is the DEWALT model my brother has.  That one takes the standard 18-volt battery, which makes it quite a bit heavier and clunkier.  The big bonus you get from that extra power is in the impact action. 

We were installing a light fixture together up around Lincoln Park and we thought we were going to be sinking anchors into mortar.  Turns out one of the mounting holes wouldn’t line up and needed to go into the brick.  I was packing up to drive across town and grab my impact drill, but he said his DEWALT driver would handle it.  I laughed and said “no way.” 

Sure enough, his driver ate up that brick.  Slowly but surely, we took turns and waited it out and got the hole just deep enough for the anchor screw to take hold.  A little finishing paint on the screw heads & we were out of there in about an hour. 

Moral of the story?  The Mikita is nice, but don’t forget your charger at home.  The DEWALT is a beast - but a little clumbersome.  And the Bosch is solid gold.  It won’t drill through brick - no way - but it’ll sink any screw into any wood with ease.  And it’ll last for years... and years... and years.

#bosch hitachi dewalt impactdrivers tools