Flair-It Plus Plastic PEX Fitting Assembly Tool

Flair It Plus PEX Fitting Assembly Tool

We met with a representative of Flair-It Plus who demonstrated to us a new tool for joining PEX tubing to an all-new range of plastic fittings. The tool is going to be priced at under $50 and will be available later this year. What’s exciting is that it eliminates all brass fittings and seems perfect for markets such as California, Nevada and other states which have extremely corrosive water and eat brass fittings quickly.

DeWalt DC927KL 18V Hammer Drill Preview

DeWalt DC927KL 18V Hammer Drill Preview

DeWalt showed us a product that has been on the market for a while, but which is still pretty impressive in its own right. The DC927KL is a 1/2″ hammerdrill/drill/driver that is built for high power, high speed use. The high efficiency motor delivers 425 unit watts at max power to ensure that all drilling and fastening applications are met with plenty of power and speed.

Craftsman 11910 C3 19.2V Drill/Driver Preview

Craftsman 11910 C3 19.2V Drill/Driver Preview

The Craftsman C3 19.2V Compact Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver 11910 is the most recent addition to the already extensive line of the C3 tool system. The latest technology was used to build this compact and ergonomic drill that is 30% lighter and has features normally associated with a full size drill. Standard with a 1/2” keyless chuck, two speed gear box, 24 position adjustable torque clutch and a built in LED work light in the handle.

Rockwell RK5100K SoniCrafter Preview

Rockwell RK5100K SoniCrafter Oscillating Tool Preview

The SoniCrafter from Rockwell is a versatile and efficient multi-function tool. Featuring microsonic oscillation that will help give smooth cuts, this tool can be use for all kinds of cutting, sawing, scraping, shaping, polishing and removing grout. Since there is an extensive line of accessories available from Rockwell there should be no problems with working in materials such as plastic, masonry, tile, fiberglass and wood.

RYOBI WS730 7-inch Tile Saw

RYOBI WS730 7-inch Tile Saw

Perfect for tiling projects in and around the house, the Ryobi WS730 tile saw includes a 7-inch diamond cutting wheel, wheel wrench, hex key, rip guide, bevel block, end of cut reminder, splash guard and operator’s manual. Ryobi has a motto: “Pro Features, Affordable Prices”. Since this is the first overhead motor tile saw to be offered at under $200 they’ve certainly seem to be delivering.

Swanson TL041M and TL043M Savage Levels Preview

Swanson Savage Levels TL041M and TL043M

This week we got to do some hands on with the new Swanson Savage Torpedo levels. These new levels are made of solid billet aluminum and feature new “Brightview” vials which almost seem to light up from within. The way they are designed they really tend to suck in light to make the level easier to read, even in dimmer areas. The Savage series of levels (including the Lil Savage) have 4 really strong rare earth magnets which, in the demo we tried, allowed us to pick up a 12 pound block of steel without losing grip. If you’re doing commercial work with steel studs this could really come in handy.

Hitachi NT65MA3 15 gauge nailer

Hitachi NT65MA3 15 Gauge Finish Nailer Review

With a nifty color scheme and futuristic styling, the Hitachi NT65MA3 2 1/2-Inch 15 Gauge Finish Nailer has the good looks to back up its strong performance and fancy features. With the 34 degree nail magazine, you will be able to get the head of this nail gun into the tightest corners. Don’t let its light weight of 4.4 lbs fool you either because it packs enough power to drive 2-1/2” finish nails into almost any material.

difference between cpvc and pex

Copper Piping vs PEX Tubing

Dealing with copper plumbing is a job I love to hate. Not because I don’t understand it. Not because I can’t accomplish the plumbing tasks that I set out to achieve in various projects. No, I hate dealing with copper because it’s unashamedly unpredictable.