NASCAR Limited Edition Dremel Sale

 

Tylertool.comis having a sale on their NASCAR limited edition Dremel.  Normally these sell for $99, but if you use the coupon code tt21210 you only pay $26.95.  This makes a perfect Christmas gift.

Graber Tool Belt and Pouch Review

    

A tool belt is an essential piece of equipment for any worker.  Tool belts come in a variety of material, such as cloth, nylon and leather.  While some people like nylon belts, we prefer the leather and wouldn’t use anything else.  They last longer, are more durable, and you don’t get nails or other fasteners poking you on the side.  All in all, we just feel they are a better investment. 

We were very excited when we spoke with the owner Chris at Graber.  While they make a lot of other products, we were especially interested in their tool belts and pouches.  We spoke with Chris and we had to get our hands on one of these belts.

Graber started in 1974 in Grabill, Indiana.  Over the years Graber has been known for a lot of things, but when people hear the Graber name, they know it means quality. With everything they design and craft, quality is their number one concern.  Their tool belts, pouches, and cases all come with a one year warranty.  There are a lot of things to like about their products, such as: American made, American Hide, Chrome Oil Retan process, thicker leather and oil and wax edges, to name a few.

Graber belts are made from tough and long-lasting Bull hide.  While most belts on the market are 10-12 oz., Graber is 14+ oz., which means the belt is thicker and will last longer.  Another plus is the oiled and waxed edges.  If you have noticed on your tool belt that you bought from a local hardware center, the belt deteriorates rather quickly.  One reason is the sides are still exposed to the environment.  Graber solves this problem by hand oiling and waxing every belt and every edge.  Graber uses a Chrome Oil Retan which provides strength and durability with out the traditional weight you would expect from a leather belt and pouch.  Over all, the way Graber creates their products suggests they truly believe in quality, and having the best quality belts and pouches around.

When we received our belt, pouch, and cell phone case (We will review the case in another posting) in the mail we were very excited.  Right from the start we could see the quality and the craftsmanship that goes into the belt and pouch.  The first item we noticed was the soft leather.  When we picked up the pouch, we expected it to weigh a lot, as most leather pouches do.  To our surprise, it was very lightweight.  This is due to their process, as they use the Chrome Oil Retan.  Even though it was new, it felt like that old baseball glove you have that fits perfect.  The rivets are solid and we know this will provide years of durability.  The lip on each pocket is thick and will also last without wearing out. 

The Graber tool belt is all leather.  The belt buckle is all metal and has two prongs to hold the belt in place.  Our belt has ten different positions.  So in the summer time you can make it a little more snug while in winter time with the extra cloths, you can loosen the belt up and still have it fit very nice.  Graber will send the size that is right for you. 

Our pouch has 10 pockets and uses a three tier system.  They also makeother 10 pockets and other 8 pockets with other features.  As we noted above, this pouch is put together by strong rivets that will last a long time.  One item we li is this pouch is not stiff, it is all ready flexible to fit you.  The stitching that holds the pockets to the pouch is very thick.  Also, we like the lip of the pockets, they are thick and will provide a long life as you will be putting tools and fasteners in and out of this pouch on a constant basis. 

We tested the belt and the pouch.  There is not a lot to test to a belt and pouch, but we still ran it through some test to find out more about the quality and durability.  For the belt, we could see by the construction that it was made with quality in mind.  We did take the buckle part and smack it on the concrete ground a bunch of times to see if we could break it or the rivets, but as we assumed, it held up great.

When testing the pouch, we tried to rip out the rivets by pulling on the pockets, which is more abuse then anyone who is properly using a tool belt will every create.  The stitching and the rivets help up with no problems at all.  The next item was the hammer holders.  We had one person hold the belt and another pull on the hammer to try and break the loop, but we didn’t have much success.  The last item was throwing tools into the pockets to try and pierce the leather.  Well, we all know leather is extremely tough, so we had no luck with this either, didn’t even break the rivets.

Now you might be asking yourself, why wouldn’t I go to the local home center and buy one of their belts.  Well for a couple of different reasons.  First, this is a nice two piece system, the belt and the pouch.  Most have them as one piece.  There are numerous advantages of a two piece system over a one piece.  For instance, with a one piece system, you will have a hard time finding one to fit you as nice as the pouch. With a two piece system you have the freedom to move it around, so if you want the pouch towards the front you can move it there.  If you prefer to have the pouch towards the back you can move it there also.  One great feature with a two piece is when you are climbing a ladder, you can move the pouch towards your backside so it doesn’t get in the way or get caught on something on the way up the ladder.  Another great feature with a two piece system is if something breaks, or you need to replace an item, you are only replacing that item, not the whole belt.  The biggest reason to go with a quality tool belt and pouch like Graber is the way they create a quality product.  Quality rivets and leather.  The Chrome Oil Retan process makes the belt strong and durable, but with out the added weight.  These are only a small sample of reasons for why we are recommending Graber belts and pouches.

Over all, if you are looking for an incredible tool belt system, we would go with Graber.  They are the highest quality and made to last.  We have worn a lot of belts over the years, but none have been crafted as well as the Graber system.  You are not going to get a better fit anywhere else, at least we haven’t found one. 

 

                   

For those electricians or plumbers who might be looking for more loops and pockets, Graber will be launching their new line in early 2009 that will fit your needs.  Currently you can buy Graber products direct from Graberharness.com or Tylertool.com

Makita LXT702 18V 7 Tool Combo Kit Lithium Review

Makita LXT702 18V 7 Tool Combo Kit Lithium Review

We will be writing up the individual review shortly as we are very excited about this Makita kit.  Below is an overview of the kit and each review will go into more detail, plus how we tested each tool.

There are many power tool manufacturers to chose from.  When you narrow your selection down to professional power tools, the list becomes even smaller.  One of the best known professional power tool manufacturers is Makita.  You can go to all most any job site and you will find someone using a Makita product.  They are reliable, priced reasonably, and will last you a long time.  That is why when we got the Makita LXT 702 Kit, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on these tools.  For this review we will give you a brief overview of the kit and in days to come we will do individual reviews of each power tool that comes in the kit.  We found this kit at Tylertool.com.  Tyler Tool  offers many combo kits that have more tools or less tools, so you can always find a kit that is right for you.  We ordered this kit and received the tools in about two days, shipping was free.  When we first received this kit we couldn’t wait to tear open the box, we were like kids at Christmas morning.  This kit comes with seven different tools, which are all listed below.  We knew we would like this set as we are use to Makita.  The LXT702 didn’t disappoint us.  When you pick up the tools you could just feel the quality, they felt good in your hands.  The balance was extremely nice.  Over all there wasn’t much to complain about. 

Below we list a little more detail about each tool and as we said before, we are going to test each tool and will include write ups under our power tool section for every part of this kit.

 

 Makita BHP452 Drill Driver

 This driver definitely “drives” home the quality of Makita! It’s 4-pole max. torque motor delivers 450 in. lbs. of efficient torque in a compact size, and it only weighs 3.5 lbs. Ergonomic shape fits like a glove with even pressure and easy control.

It has great balance and can be used for lengthy jobs without creating fatigue. It’s shift-lock drive system sleeve quickly shifts from “hammer drill” to “driver mode.” Boy, its fun to use!

 Makita BTD141 Impact Driver

  This compact driver has a built 4-pole max. torque motor that delivers 1330 in. lbs. of torque. This baby only weighs 3.5 lbs and is balanced to perfection to minimize fatigue. It has an electric brake for immediate stops and minimizes kickback.

 It also has a built-in LED light to illuminate the work area. The grip on this tool makes use so simple, you could watch T. V. while getting the job done. Just kidding!!

 

 Makita BJR Reciprocating Saw

 Makita builds the high torque motor that delivers 50% faster cutting with a 1-1/8″ stroke that cuts 2,900 SPM with this saw. The tool is very compact and light for all the power it delivers. It only weighs 8.1 lbs. You can make one-handed, fast tool-less blade changes and shoe adjustments.

Like all other Makita tools in this kit, this one is very ergonomic, and fits like a glove with even pressure and easy control. Happy cutting!!

Makita BSS611 Circular Saw

 The D35 high torque motor delivers maximum power for cutting 2x material at 45 degrees with 50 degrees maximum capacity. This saw has an excellent compact design. It is only 13-5/8″ long and weighs in at 7.1 lbs. A good tool to have in your corner!!

One nice feature with this saw is the built-in dust blower, as it helps to keep the line of cut clean. Even though it is light to handle, it has a heavy-gauged machine base for smooth and accurate cutting.

Makita  BGA452 Grinder

 The makita grinder has a 10,000 RPM motor that produces 50% faster grinding, just what you need if you are the grinding type! It is compact and weighs only 5.6 lbs. I wish my wallet weighed that much! It has a built in electric control circuit with LED warning lights for overload protection.

Also important in the design of this little hotty is the slide switch with lock-on. This is a feature we all would like to have on our back- scratchers! We will review the handle in more detail shortly. While there is some soft grip, we noticed some hard plastic, which can cause sliding. We have to review this tool before we really can comment, though.

Makita Contractor Bag

 One of the best bags we have used, love the metal clips. More than enough room for a full set of tools, plenty of pockets for incidentals. One item we don’t feel is a must are the rolling wheels and extended handle option. The weight it adds probably is not worth the benefit it provides.

Makita BML185 Flashlight

 This is a high illumination light that emits high power at 4500 Lux! it is well built and doesn’t even weigh one lb. It comes with a new Xenon bulb for extra brightness. You can run this light for almost 4.5 hours before it needs a charge. It uses a LXT Lithium-ion battery.  This has a nice base, so the light can stand on its own.

Makita BMR100W Job Site Radio

 What good is a job site without a decent radio to keep us company? This baby is designed for rugged weather and rugged use. Features include a digital backlit quarts display, 10 pre-set FM/AM buttons and mp3 compatibility. It also has a protective bumper design for added durability.

It runs one full working day, (8 hrs) on a single makita Li-Ion battery (1.5Ah) charge. Fits in most tight spots and only weighs 9.2 lbs. Let’s jam while we work, not whistle while we work!

    

Makita LXT Lithium Ion Batteries and Charger 

(2) LXT Lithium-Ion3.oAh batteries - As you can see by the picture, the battery locks into place and stays in place.  Click on the picture and you can see the nice beefy lip that holds the battery in place.

(1) Rapid Optimum Battery Charger - The charger gives the user a lot of valuable information about the battery such as fully charged, bad battery and more.

 

 

Craftsman Combo Kit

 

    

This is a review of the Craftsman Drill/Driver, Work Light, and Charger.

 This is a great starter kit for the tool enthusiast that is on a budget and wants to buy his/her tools one step at a time, or as he/she needs them. The Craftsman C3 19.2-Volt kit comes with a powerful 3/8 in. Drill/Driver and Worklight. The drill’s Variable Speed Motor (0 - 650 rpm) allows for low speeds when starting holes and high speeds for drilling. This drill has a 24 position clutch that allows the user to match the right power for all the different types of jobs possible.

The Ergonomic design of the drill handle gives the user the comfort needed to avoid fatigue. The 19.2-Volt work light has a 180 degree pivoting head to illuminate a large work area.  Other nice features of this drill are the free standing design and push on button that allows for hands free use.

 When we tested the Craftsman Drill/Driver to write our review, we decided to do it in a low visibility workplace in order to simultaneously test the Worklight that came along with the kit! So what we did was go down into Eric’s basement and drill away. We took a  oak 2×4 and drilled about 45 to 50 screws into it, and had no problems whatsoever. We also used an oak 2×4 to drill multiple holes using a 1 1/2″ spade bit. The drill bogged down just a little, but still got the job done , no problem!

The Work Light was very bright, and we love the design with the battery serving as a free standing base. We also like the maneuverability of the 180 degree rotating head on the light. The battery easily lasted through our job, and the light still was shining at full power. The charger is light, which makes it mobile, we like that.

Overall, this is a nice tool package for the home user.  The drill is well balanced and feels like a good fit in the hand. Craftsman makes a lot of 19.2 power tools to compliment this package. This makes growing your tool collection much more manageable. The only criticism we have is we would like to see a 1/2″ chuck as an addition to 3/8′ that comes with the kit.

Mini Maglite Review

 This is a mini Maglite that was sent to us from Tylertool.com to illustrate their new engraving tool and how it works on metal.  You can see more about this Maglite on Tylertool.com.  We were going to test this flash light, but as Tony pointed out, these flash lights are used by law enforcement and other agencies that require reliable and sturdy products.  So we are pretty sure these are fully tested and meet anyone’s needs.  We decided to tell you a little bit about this light.  Below you can see the mini mag beam against the mag 3D beam. 

The mini Maglite uses everything that is great about the bigger lights, but makes it in a smaller version, hence mini.  This comes in a nice case with two AA Duracell batteries.  As with all Maglites, you can change the light from Spot to flood depending on what purpose you need.  The flashlight is made of alumunum and is water resistant. It has a peak 2200 candlepower.

The scratches on the case are from us when we were carrying it in our toolbag and from sliding on the work bench. 

As with all Mag lights, there is a spare bulb under the tailcap.  Just pull the spring off and you can access the spare buld.

 

One cool feature with this flashlight is the ablity to convert to a free standing candle (Click on above picture).  This is a great feature when you need to use both of your hands and can not hold the light, such as when you are working under a sink or other awkward spots. 

 

No, the above pictures are not UFOs.  This is a comparision of two maglite flash lights shining on a wall about 10 ft away.  The left light is the minimag light and the one on the right is a 3D mag lite.  Obviously the 3D has more power and a bigger bulb and that is why the light is more concentrated and brighter, but we were very suprised that the 2 AA was still extremely bright.

Overall, if you are looking for a flash light, take a look at any Maglite.  They make some of the best flash lights around.

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