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About The Author
Clint DeBoer

Clint DeBoer

General Manager

When he's not playing with the latest power tool, Clint DeBoer enjoys life as a husband, father, and is an avid reader—especially the Bible. He loves Jesus, has a degree in recording engineering, and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.

Clint’s career has covered nearly the entire realm of audio and video production. After graduating at the top of his class with an Associates Degree in Recording Engineering, he began working for the famed Soundelux studios in 1994, one of the largest post-production companies specializing in audio for feature films & television. Working on a myriad of feature films, Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer. Years later, he moved into the expanding area of video editing, where he served as the company’s senior AVID video editor for three years.

Working for such clients as Universal Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, NASA, Universal Studios, Planet Hollywood, SEGA, NASCAR, and others, Clint DeBoer dealt extensively with client management as well as film & video editing, color correction, and digital video & MPEG compression. He also carries several THX certifications (Technician I and II, THX Video), and is ISF Level II Certified.

After founding the CD Media, Inc. publishing company in 1996, he went on to help start or grow several successful online publications, including Audioholics (as Editor-in-Chief for 12 years) and AV Gadgets. In 2008, Clint founded Pro Tool Reviews followed by the landscape and outdoor power equipment-focused OPE Reviews in 2017. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades.

Crediting God and his excellent staff for the success of what is now the largest power tool review publication in the industry, Clint DeBoer hopes to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Pro Tool Reviews critically reviews hundreds of hand tools, power tools, and accessories each year to help inform users about the best and newest products in the industry. Reaching everyone from the construction industry professional and tradesman to the serious DIYer, Pro Tool Reviews helps tool consumers shop better, work smarter, and stay aware of what tools and products can help put them at the top of their game.

Estwing No 1 Hatchet head
News & Opinion 0

Old Tools – Estwing No 1 Hatchet

This is a Vintage Estwing S No. 1 Hatchet with a matching Estwing sheath. The hatchet, which was (and is still) made in the USA, has beautiful leather grips that are custom wound by hand. When new, the 3-1/4″ head and handles were fully polished and the steel was forged in one piece. The total length of the tool is 14 inches and it weighs around 2 pounds. What gets us about this hatchet is that Estwing still makes it! It’s now dubbed their “Sportsman’s Axe”. They also have a line of leather carpenter’s hatchets which are nearly identical, except that they changed the head so that you can choke up on it and use it as a knife. These are tools that practically define the word “durable” and “long-lasting” and it’s great to see a decades-old hatchet still running strong.

Hand Saw Reviews & Buying Guides 0

Warranted Superior Hand Saw Circa 1921

We’re going to just admit this up front – we have no idea how old this saw is. We do know, or at least surmise, that it is in excess of 90 years old due to how it came into the family. It belonged to my great grandfather and was used on a number of lumber-cutting tasks. This is a Warranted Superior Hand Saw, which is to say that it’s commonly referred to as a “lower class” of saw since it doesn’t bear the Disston seal, but rather a more generic moniker. Warranted Superior is actually a company by Warren and Ted Superior, makers of a ton of hand saws back in the early 1900’s. The blade on these saws is actually reminiscent of those old two-man saws used by loggers before the advent of chainsaws and gas-powered cutting machines in general.

News & Opinion 0

Rockwell Model 4420 Type 2 Finishing Sander Circa 1971

In continuing our “Old Tools” mini-series, we wanted to follow up on our last installment and cover a Rockwell 4420 (96) Type 2 1/3rd sheet Finishing Sander that was purchased for a penny back in 1971 and has been in use ever since. It was purchased alongside a Black & Decker 7301 Circular Saw and a corded drill for $19.99 (for the pair). When you purchased the two Black & Decker tools you received your choice of another tool for just a penny. Needless to say this was a good deal at the time – in 2011 dollars that would equate to around $120 for three tools – and this was before the advent of Chinese manufacturing and cheap parts and materials. Add to this the fact that both the Black & Decker Circular Saw and the Rockwell Finishing Sander are still in usable operation and you really have a great deal!

Mall drill
Corded Drill Reviews 0

Mall Drill Model 143-T Circa 1947

This “Old Tools” mini-series has gotten pretty popular, so we went deep down and pulled out an antique drill from 1947 a Mall Drill Model 143-T one-speed corded drill. This tool was actually purchased when my grandfather got out of the Army right after World War II ended. He used it for his antenna installation business where it was employed heavily up until 1969. After that, this tool saw part time usage for the next 20 years. For the past 20 or so years it has seen only occasional use, mostly due to the advent of cordless technology and variable speed tools with integrated brakes.

Bosch DDS181 Compact Tough Drill/Driver Review
Cordless Drill Reviews & Impact Drivers 0

Bosch DDS181 Compact Tough Drill Review

We don’t normally romance our tools, but it’s hard not to fall in love with Bosch’s new DDS181 Compact Tough Drill/Driver. It’s sleek, ergonomic, and will literally run all day long on one battery. The design is new from Bosch and the tool presents itself as a super-compact drill/driver that will run seemingly forever when set to work on fasteners or drilling pilot holes in dimensional lumber or furniture. This compactness and power come at a price to be sure, but with the benefits, it’s actually still a pretty good value for professionals looking to get the most dependability, features, and power-to-weight ratio out of their tools.

Chicago Electric Rotating Handle Reciprocating Saw Review
Corded Saw Reviews 0

Chicago Electric Rotating Handle Reciprocating Saw Review

Everybody – and we mean everybody can use a cheap reciprocating saw to accomplish household maintenance and repair projects (well, OK, maybe not your mother-in-law). It’s just a super-convenient tool that lends itself well to being a multi-purpose “grab-it” solution. Harbor Freight’s Chicago Electric Tools 4-1/2″ Rotating Reciprocating Saw looks to be the cheapest product we’ve seen in some time, retailing for $25 and often being on sale for less than $20 (we know, that’s less than a combo pack of recip saw blades ). We had wanted to review this product for some time and finally were able to procure one – on an out of town trip, no less. Never truly off the job, we latched onto the tool and opened up the box to begin our testing. Within, we quickly found the 6-amp 4-1/2″ reciprocating saw, a 10 tpi wood-cutting blade, 24 tpi metal-cutting blade, and even a pair of replacement brushes. Lifting the saw from the box to feel how well it was made, our initial impression was that it was not exactly top-notch in the build quality department, but it did feel like a great occasional-use power tool.

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