Home Improvement, Tools and How-To

I was talking with my good friend Doug Mahoney yesterday. Doug is editor of ToolSnob, and writes the tool columns for Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, but his real job is as a builder in Boston. One of the subjects we talked about was upcoming trends in tools and products.  We have seen the new cordless recharging technology where tools, cellphones, and laptops will charge without being attached to cords just by being placed next to charging mats or on tables with mats built into them.  This is very cool stuff, but what about other innovations?

I would like a jig that frames right angles for dimensional lumber. I am tired of dealing with deck corners of 85 degrees instead of 90 and ceiling corners that are off just enough to make my crown molding show gaps. Make it out of plastic if you want, but make it a true right angle. I have also been the victim of trying to hold a square and fasten at the same time and losing square at the moment of impact.  If you don’t start out square then every cut cut following will have to be mitered to some degree.  At the same time, create a jig for attaching a  joist square.  This would be a great time saver for workers who often work alone.

I like the Antex Soldering tool for copper pipe. No flames, so it is somewhat safer than the traditional torch. I would like to see a pouch I could slide the hot tool inside to prevent burns when working in tight spaces.  Mini torches are very cool. I have used them extensively in the outdoors on backpacking expeditions of several weeks, where the ability to light fires and stoves in very windy conditions is often times the difference between life and death.

Tapes are an area where more development needs to be done.  I want a tape that I can use on exhaust stacks without fear of the adhesive burning away. I want duct tape to perform. Too many companies are selling products as duct tape that don’t work and are giving one of our favorite repair items a bad rap.  I also want a heat shrink tape that I can seal electrical fittings without having to cut the wires and slide a tube over the joint.

Plumbing products. I want a PEX style pipe that can be used in the outdoors and won’t break down.  Pex style pipe that doesn’t require connections at each turn are a homeowners answer to solid worry free plumbing repairs. But a $150 for PEX connection crimpers will prevent most DIYs from using the product to its full potential. They will opt for the Shark and Gator Bite connectors, which seem to work fine, but it’s too early to tell how long those connections will last without problems. Manifold Distribution systems with individual service valves would make plumbers and homeowners much happier when repairs need to be made. Simply shut the valve to the specific device at the manifold and you can use the other water outlets without service interruption.

Measuring Devices Wants-  I want a laser measure that will take my measurements directly to my software, period-end! The fact that we are still waiting on this at the consumer level baffles me. I have even tried to set up meetings between the major players in these fields and everyone says they want it, but no one does anything. Guys it’s simple, Bluetooth the measurement device and let the software do the rest.

Cordless tool pet peeves- I am tired of toting innumerable chargers for my cordless tools. Let’s work  towards standardizing these. LED lights built into tools that don’t light the work area,omit them if you can’t aim them.  Lasers on saws, ditto, if they serve no function, omit them or make them functional.  Using non LED lights in tools is bad. LED lights last and are durable, feel free to use them.

HVLP paint systems are good.  No one has ever accused me of being a tree hugger, but HVLP is a better solution. The green people love the low over spray and not releasing paint into the atmosphere.  For me, I like my paint staying on the wall where God intended it to be. I also hate cleaning up and hate wasting paint. Does this qualify me as green? Nope, just pragmatic on my part. I was asked not to attend tree hugging functions because of my stance on using pneumatic nailers as a means of pest control.

What are your ideas on home improvement products and tools. We want to hear from you.

About a week ago I polled 10,000 readers regarding various areas related to Extreme How-To. Thank you to all who participated.  Surveys help us better target future “How-To” articles to areas of your interest.  I wasn’t surprised by the responses on the numbers of you planning  on painting or gardening/landscaping, but the numbers of you planning bigger projects surprised me.  Now I know that 32 percent of my readers are contractors, but many of the major projects were being done by non professionals, guys like me who make their living doing one thing, but have the skills and the want-to to tackle major home improvement projects. That number was refreshing.   When EHT plans it editorial calendar for 2011, we will have actual responses to help us do a better job. If you would still like to participate in the survey and be heard you can go here and take it, http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2rs7kkwg6cmk6jk/start .  There are just a few questions, I could say that I didn’t want to waste your valuable time, which is true. I also didn’t want to write a hundred questions with innumerable subsets of follow-up questions that I would have to collate.

Auger bit users dread few things worse than encountering nails hidden in studs, joists, or sill plates. Until now, those hidden nails typically meant two things – the end of an expensive bit and a very sore wrist at the end of the day. With the introduction of the Nailkiller™ Auger Bit this week,  Bosch Power Tools & Accessories is revolutionizing the wood drilling category and virtually eliminating users’ most common pain points.

Unlike traditional auger bits, Bosch’s Nailkiller employs an innovative reinforced tip that effectively pushes hidden nails to the side when the bit makes contact and allows a more aggressive part of the bit to cut through the fasteners. The result is an auger bit that lasts, on average, nine times longer than the market leading auger bit. Independent testing of the Nailkiller bits revealed that a 1” Nailkiller bit was capable of driving through up to 301 hidden nails, versus only 33 for the current market leader, when used with a right-angle drill.

Bosch’s Nailkiller also greatly reduces the torque reaction commonly associated with hitting hidden fasteners in deep wood drilling applications. The bit’s dual cutting edges enable it to slice through hidden fasteners twice per revolution, to avoid the “kickback” experienced when drilling with an auger bit that has a single cutting edge. As a result, Nailkiller delivers 61 percent less impact force to the user when encountering a hidden fastener with a 1” auger than the leading seller (determined by independent testing). Used most commonly with a right-angle drill in tight quarters, an auger bit that delivers a significant reduction in impact force means fewer sore wrists and knuckles for the user at the end of each job.

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BOSCH NAILKILLER AUGER BIT \ Add One

Another feature unique to Nailkiller is the dual-reamer-edge design that first debuted last year on Bosch’s Daredevil Spade Bits. By producing a cleaner hole, even in rough drilling applications, Nailkiller prevents splinters from piercing electrical wire housings and wood fragments from clogging conduit or water pipes with narrow inside diameters.

For added durability, Nailkiller boasts a reinforced spine that significantly improves the bit’s ability to withstand heavy-duty applications and deliver precise drilling performance job after job.

Beyond the jobsite performance enhancements, Nailkiller has one more trick hidden up its sleeve. By combining the finish quality of a spur auger with the nail-cutting toughness of a ship auger, the Bosch Nailkiller eliminates the need for two types of auger bits. The new bit delivers the best of both worlds, taking the hassle out of decision making for the end user while also easing the inventory-management lives of retailers.

Most Bosch’s Nailkiller Auger Bits utilize a 7/16” shank with power groove, which will fit any ½” corded drill, as well as impact drills equipped with quick connect chucks. Other shank sizes are available for specialty applications. Bits are available in lengths ranging from 7-1/2” to 24”, and diameters from ¼” to 1-1/2”.

The Bosch Nailkiller is now available through authorized dealers nationwide. To find out more or to find a local dealer, users may visit www.boschtools.com or call 877-BOSCH-99.