Hand Tool Reviews & Buying Guides

Milwaukee 10" Reaming Torpedo Level 48-22-5109 Preview

June 19, 2012 0

Milwaukee 10-inch Reaming Torpedo Level 48-22-5109 Preview

Milwaukee has a couple of new torpedo levels. We already looked at their 10″ Electrician’s Level ($30 retail) and now we’re taking a good hard look at their 10″ Reaming Level. This new torpedo level has two ways in which it can be used to ream or de-burr PVC. The first is used for reaming the inside of PVC pipe from 1/2″ up to 1″. But it can also ream pipe by placing the level flat against the end of a pipe and using the grooves on the torpedo to clear off 1.5″, 2″, 2.5″, 3″, 3.5″, 4″, 5″ and 6″ PVC pipe. That is extremely versatile and should make for a pretty innovative tool that can save tons of time in the field. Anytime you can grab one less tool or shave off minutes from a repetitive job, you’re going to save money. At $24, the Milwaukee 10″ Reaming Torpedo Level should pay itself off in a few days.

May 10, 2012 0

Rockler Universal Fence Clamps with Clamp-It Review

by Clint DeBoer

This won’t be a long review, mostly because the tool under scrutiny is so easy to use. Rockler introduced its Universal Clamp-It Kit several months ago. This is a clamp set designed to give you a “third arm” when assembling frames, drawers, or any two pieces of stock wood at 90 degrees. Anyone who’s done this type of work will recognize that clamping a perfect 90Â° angle can be a pain without the right jigs and clamps. Rockler’s new Clamp-It and Fence looks to be a good “one person” solution that simplifies the process of tightly and securely joining stock.

Irwin 250 Series 9" Magnetic Torpedo Level Review

April 12, 2012 0

Irwin 250 Series 9-inch Magnetic Torpedo Level Review

by Clint DeBoer

It’s easy to say that all torpedo levels are the same. It’s just as easy to think that if you have one you don’t need another, or that any 9″ level will do. For some that might even be the case. But as we’re introduced to more and more products, like the new 250 Series Magnetic Torpedo Level from Irwin, we are being made away of more and more handy features that will appeal to some trades over another. Let’s dive right into the 250 and talk about some of the stand-out features. A mirror on a level isn’t something you see every day, but Irwin put one on the 250. They dubbed it, sensibly, the “Plumb Site” and it’s there so you can check if you’re plumb without having to look around the level or move it to the side.

March 26, 2012 0

Milwaukee Diagonal Pliers 48-22-4106 Review

by Ben Parker

As an electrician, diagonal pliers are definitely a tool I use a lot in the field. This is especially true with commercial work where you have to cut a lot of cable and wire. Milwaukee’s Diagonal Pliers (48-22-4106) made a clean cut every single time I went to use them. This week we’re working on a remodel job on a commercial building built in the 1930â€™s. While some walls have been torn down and rebuilt, there are still some that are the original concrete block. On these I have had to put conduit and electrical boxes. Normally, this would be easy, but the wall was literally riddled with nails and screws. I found that these pliers were able to cut through the nails and screws with little to no difficulty. It sort of became my go-to tool for getting through the nitty gritty of clearing my area.

Milwaukee 12'' Tongue & Groove Pliers 48-22-3212 Review

March 26, 2012 0

Milwaukee 12-inch Tongue & Groove Pliers Review

by Ben Parker

Tongue and groove pliers are one of the many tools that are used by commercial electricians, especially when working with conduit. One of the main reasons is because of the compression couplings that are used to put conduit together, but also, they just plain come in handy. I would definitely recommend buying two of these if you work on putting up conduit. You will get your money’s worth if you find yourself frequently using compression couplings. I really like that Milwaukee angled the head of the tool at 45 degrees and not 80-90 degrees. It makes it easier to tighten the couplings in hard to reach places. Plus, the smooth transition grips are especially nice because it feels like the tool is a part of your hand. The grips also don’t feel as if they’re likely to slip, even when you’re applying significant pressure to the tool.

March 23, 2012 0

Milwaukee 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers 48-22-3068 Review

by Ben Parker

Having just taken a look at Milwaukee’s 6 IN 1 Combination Pliers, we weren’t too thrown off guard by the 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers, which are a different tool, but similar in many ways. If anything, the 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers feel like they are meant for things that are a bit more heavy duty. These pliers are 1/4″ thicker than the combination pliers, which is good since they can be used to pull nails. We found that the design – particularly, the head of the tool which is squared off – does a pretty decent job at pulling nails out of wood. This really is a good tool if you are an electrician and need something heavy duty in the field. I really enjoy having it in my tool pouch at work and have recommended to other electricians to go buy one as well.

March 19, 2012 0

CRKT Shenanigan PPS Ken Onion Knife Review

by Clint DeBoer

I always have a knife in my pocket. I have to, because I work in a place that is always needing […]

March 8, 2012 0

ZipWall ZipDoor Dust Barrier Solution for Doorways

by Clint DeBoer

We attended the 2012 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida and were making our rounds when our eye was caught by the ZipDoor. This is a dust barrier product that makes it super-easy to cover a doorway and seal off a room from dust ingress and/or egress. The ZipDoor kit comes with everything you need, including a roll of tape and plastic lining and is designed for use in residential or commercial applications. Featuring ZipWallâ€™s new double-sided tape and heavy duty, glued-in zippers, the ZipDoor installs – literally – in under one minute to provide a complete dust barrier. The ZipDoor is made of 4 mil plastic sheeting and comes in both standard (doors up to 3’x7′) and commercial (doors up to 4’x8′) sizes. In addition to being larger, the commercial version of the ZipDoor is also fire retardant.