Archive for the ‘Tools and Equipment’ Category

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

There’s no doubt it’s a wise move to hire a qualified roofing contractor to remove, install or maintain a roof.  But with a little bit of time and knowledge, and often with the help of a few friends, replacing a roof is a realistic do it yourself project.  If you use the right roofing tools the job can be relatively easy.  Look for these tools at a local hardware store.

A slate cutter does just what the name implies, cuts slate and shingles.  It slices through most roofing materials like a hot knife through butter.  Industrial versions cut 1/2” thick shingles easily.  For an easier start and more control make sure to get a model with a punch.

Shingles and refuse can be disposed of by trekking to the edge and tossing them to the ground, right?  Wrong!  Use a ridge bucket.  These buckets are designed to hug the roof so they don’t slip even on a steep incline.  It’s safer and quicker to use this bucket to dispose of shingles.

Use a hip runner to install ridge cap and hip ridges perfectly straight every time.  Contractors use hip runners, so do it yourself roofers should take the hint.

Seaming pliers are another important roofing tool.  They’re for pulling off shingles, especially stubborn shingles that seem to have a mind of their own intent on staying in place.  Seaming pliers include flat teeth to grip the shingle without tearing it.  Combine the pliers with a good pair of thick work gloves to save your fingers and hands from scrapes, bruises and blisters caused by gripping and pulling rough shingles.

What has a hammer head on one side and an ax and blade on the other?  No, not a movie hero’s weapon, it’s a slater’s hammer.  This roofing tool is used for both for removing the old roof and installing the new roof.  It’s also useful as a regular hammer and with the ax and blade for other projects besides roofing.

Not only will most local hardware stores carry these tools, they’ll rent some of the larger ones such as a slate cutter.  This way a home owner can use the best quality tools rather than one that’s cheaper to purchase.  Knowledge is also a roofing tool, perhaps the most important of them.  Local hardware stores, as well as the Internet, are great sources of information on roofing and roofing tools.

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Since this product was initially introduced 30 years ago, Makita has been engineering the cordless drill. They have been at the forefront of cordless drill technology because they were one of the first companies to introduce a cordless drill to the world. The Makita cordless power drill with its innovative battery technology, first introduced to the world in the late 1970’s, has come to represent new ideas in power tool technology, as well as high quality within the power tool industry. People expect new things from the Makita cordless drill and at this point Makita has not disappointed them.  Every year Makita adds new features to the Makita cordless drill making them easier and more efficient to work with and the newest crop of features is no exception to that long standing tradition. 

One problem with cordless drills in the past was the huge size required to accomodate an 18 volt battery. Makita cordless drill has been able to compact the power of an 18 volt power package into the size of the covenient 12 volt variety. It is a lithium-ion technology that allows the Makita cordless drill to become even more compact and easy to use than before while delivering more power for a longer period of time. It was certainly a break through and the Makita cordless drill was one of the first brands on the market to feature this innovation in cordless power tool battery technology.

Built For The Big Jobs

The Makita cordless drill also managed to fit a 4 pole torque system into their new compact drills that allows maximum power in a space that is compact and easy to work with.  The motor is supported by two ball bearings which not only helps deliver more consistent thrust but it also adds to the life of the motor that can add durability to your Makita cordless drill.  The new drills are almost 40% smaller than previous models and can bring an unbelievable amount of power into the palm of your work glove.

The newer models boast a bigger fan, making the motor last longer and making the parts easier to replace. All around the new Makita cordless drill line is an impressive conquest of engineering for Makita and the customer.

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Through the powerhouse marketing campaign of the trusted Sears Department Store chain people learned enough about Craftsman Power Tools for it to be their brand of choice. Everybody has seen the Craftsman power tools commercial on television and magazines worldwide since Sears was clever enough to realize that if they put their brand name on an item this would probably cause people to believe this is an excellent product. If a product ends up being trash,then Sears will blow their reputation by selling bad products. Luckily for Sears the Craftsman power tools are far from inferior products and they have carried the Sears name for years which means that the superior quality offered by Craftsman power tools are no mistake.  It is the result of years of intense engineering that has brought the Craftsman power tools not only to the forefront of the American retail market but also making its way into the professional garages and the construction sites of the world.

It isn’t just the quality that makes the Craftsman power tools so popular but the wide variety of power tools they offer that also helps to make Sears the one stop shop for all your power tool needs.  The Craftsman power tools have a wide range of table tools like their high volume wood lathe and their very popular table saw.  If you are putting in a floor or doing some plumbing they have their tile and cut off table saws available to make any job easier.  For finishing work they also have a wide variety of quality table sanding machines that can run the range from low end work to high volume as well.  Their quality and manufacturing is second to none and Craftsman power tools are quickly finding their way into the workshops of the world.

When You Need That Power In Your Hands

The Craftsman name is not only famous for its table saws and lathes but there is also the huge variety of hand held non-power tools that Craftsman is really known for.  A Craftsman screwdriver is said to last a life time and if you check any grandfather’s tool kit you are more than likely to find a Craftsman tool he bought when he was a young man that he still uses to this day.  Screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, and grips are just some of the hand held tools that Craftsman is famous for the world over.

When it comes to power tools few can match Craftsman power tools for quality and durability. Using cordless Craftsman Power Tools are a great way to make your projects easier and give them a professional, polished look.