Tool Reviews & Buying Guides by Trade

If you want to read articles and reviews that are trade-specific, try our Tool Reviews by Trade section. This organizes our site into topics suited particularly for a specific trade such as plumbing, electrical, framing, roofing & siding, concrete/masonry, and carpentry. Roofing and siding pros will find pneumatic roofing nailers as well as tools like cap staplers and hammer tackers. Tile & Flooring Pros will gain easy access to our tile saws, flooring staplers, and floor scrapers. As a painting professional, reviews of airless sprayers and cordless sprayers may interest you the most. You can count on one thing: whatever your craft, you need good tools. Our tool reviews by trade will help you drill down to quickly find the information you need. If you want to avoid anything that sits outside of your trade, this way helps you do it. If you can’t find a tool here, let us know.

Ridgid 65S stainless steel tubing cutter

Ridgid 65S Stainless Steel Tubing Cutter

The new Ridgid Model 65S Stainless Steel Quick-Acting tubing cutter is designed to make quicker cuts to stainless steel and other metallic tubes such as steel, zinc, copper and aluminum. The tubing cutter features something Ridgid dubs the “X-CEL” knob – a larger, ergonomic knob which gives the user a more firm grip allowing more force to be applied when cutting through tubing. It makes the process faster and easier. The 65S comes with a spare wheel that is stored in the knob and the X-CEL’s wheel pin allows for rapid, tool-less wheel changes.

How High Should I Mount a Light Switch?

How High to Mount a Light Switch?

We covered placement of outlet receptacles in another article, but we were also asked about the location of switches when wiring up a room. While the NEC doesn’t specify the height of switches, it is pretty much standard procedure in most places to put them at 48″ on-center. The exception would be for homes where wheelchair-accessibility is a major concern (in which case you can place them around 40″).

Bosch Full Force Technology finish nailer

Bosch Full Force Technology Pneumatic Nailers

Bosch moves into the area of pneumatics with the introduction of their Full Force Nailers. Theses nailers are a ground up fresh design that utilizes new Bosch technology that makes the tools 10% more powerful and 20% smaller. Along with the new nailers will come a line of matching air compressors.

Ridgid RP 210-B 18-volt press tool

Ridgid RP 210-B 18-volt Press Tool Preview

RIDGID shows off how less is more with their new press tool. The RP 210-B is more than 2 inchs shorter and 25% lighter then the previous compact press tool. This model comes with an incredibly long service interval of 30,000 cycles and an improved 270 degree swiveling jaw and barrel. Merge these features with the dependability of 18V Lithium-Ion batteries and you have a winning combination.

Milwaukee Deep Cut Bandsaws Preview

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation introduces four new Deep Cut Band Saws that deliver industry leading performance, durability, and productivity. The new band saws deliver on the heritage of long-term reliability and performance that make Milwaukee Band Saws the standard in industrial metalworking.

Milwaukee M18 Compact Impact Wrench

Milwaukee M18 Compact Impact Wrench Preview

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation expands its LITHIUM-ION system with the new M18 Cordless 3/8”and 1/2” Compact Impact Wrenches. The new additions to the M18 line set the industry standard for power, speed and run-time in the compact impact wrench category.