The Dremel Creators Combo Kit – Check it out!

This is an excellent kit for just about any homeowner, DIY’er, or creator. I’ve been using the entire kit here and there and have come to appreciate the quality and attention to detail Dremel is putting into their tools.

The skin of each tool is mainly made from ABS molded plastic that is lightly texturized. The plastic bodies are also over-molded in  what feels like Buna rubber which is nice and tacky to the touch.  Not only does this make handling the tools very easy and comfortable, but it really helps out with just keeping a good firm grip on the tools.

The Dremel high speed rotary tool offers a pretty cool built in “nose wrench” for the collet chuck making tool changes fast and easy. The nose wrench has a deep texture to grip onto as you tighten down the collet with the help of the spindle lock button. I’ve made several small cuts using the cut off wheel and have yet to use the available 32,000 RPMs this thing has available. Included in this tool package is a couple of small cut-off wheels, and aluminum oxide grinding stone, polishing wheel, and a conventional mandrel wrench.

The Saw-Max is pretty well sorted miniature circular saw….miniature as in, the blade diameter is 3” and then max cut depth is 3/4”. Because the cutting blade is so small, it lends itself to a very controllable tool when holding it with one hand only. Unlike a conventional circular saw, the applied torque at the edge of the cutting disc is very low due to the small disc diameter and the fact that it turns 17,000 RPM!

Adjusting the deck is super easy by way of the large lever on the side. Turn the lever 1/4 to the right and the shoe of the saw is ready to dial in to whatever depth you need. Naturally, Dremel included a depth scale that features both metric and standard units. One thing to look out for is the arbor bolt and its tricky left handed threads. From the factory these come with a directional sticker but I would be cautious lending it to a friend who may not know to look for something like that….don’t ask me how I learned this lesson. Lol.

Which brings us to the Multi-Max oscillating tool. Unlike the battery powered options, this corded model has the grunt required to cut through some pretty nasty stuff as it soaks up 3.3 amps at a max output of 23,000 OPM. Like the other tools this oscillating has a robust body and nice grippy texture for keeping positive control as it removes material.

Out of the box the Multi-Max oscillator comes with 2 accessory blades; one straight blade for wood use and one half-circle for wood and drywall. Dremel incorporated a sneaky built in wrench into the body of the oscillator that makes blade changing quick and easy. Hit the quick release button to deploy the 10 mm hex wrench and you’re ready to swap out the accessory by backing out the right hand threaded bolt. This wrench also fits the arbor bolt for the Saw-Max so they’ve got you covered there also.

The most appealing part about this lot is the quality of tooling at a crazy low price point. The Home Depot has this 3 tool kit on the shelf or delivered to your door for $129.00. For me it would be an easy choice if I were in the market for any one of these tools since the cost of the entire lot is not much more than any one of the tools if purchased individually.

I appreciate you stopping by to learn more about these products. Dremel has done a good job in the design of each of them and they would fit perfectly into the tool box of any home owner, DIYer, or creator. If you’re interested in learning more about this kit feel free to use this link or one of the links from above. This review was provided in support of the ProSpective Campaign sponsored by The Home Depot. They supply the tool and I supply an opinion. The links in this review are affiliate links and provide a small kick-back to the website which helps to keep the wheel turning. Regardless, I genuinely appreciate your support.

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DIY Kitchen Update Under $1000 - Home Improvement – Today's Homeowner

How to update your kitchen cabinets, countertops, and hardware for less than $1000.

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A Power House Drill and Impact Combo Kit from RIGID – Check it Out!

I was first introduced to the RIGID brand back in the 90’s when I worked as a plumbers helper threading pipe. To be honest with you I don’t remember seeing a lot of RIGID cordless power tools in the market back then. Nowadays, you can’t hardly throw a rock in a hardware store without hitting one of their many products (I do not support throwing rocks in the hardware store by the way..lol). Today I want to turn your attention to a drill and impact driver combo kit from RIGID. In short, the impact driver has the most grunt in it’s class of compact drivers at a bolt breaking 2,250 in-lbs and the 700 in-lb drill driver may be one of the few on the market with the bomb-proof Jacobs brand chuck. Suffice to say, these tools are intended for some serious work.

When I got this kit I really figured the impact driver would be the meat and potatoes out of the two but Ive come to respect each of these tools pretty equally across the board. The main reason for that is the inclusion of the Jacobs brand chuck on the drill driver.

If you are not familiar with the Jacobs brand chuck, that’s OK. I bet it’s safe to say however that you are familiar with the frustration of bits coming loose from your run-of-the-mill 3 jaw chuck. I’ve had my hands on more drills than I can shake a stick at and have seen many-uh chucks manage to work loose somehow or another during a drilling operation. Admittedly, I don’t have the hand strength that a lot of you brutes are walking with so I may be at a disadvantage when it comes to putting heaps of torque on the chuck to ensure my bit stays put. Thats where this chuck goes to work.

Yes I’m carrying on about the chuck…bear with me. A.I. Jacobs patented his first drill chuck in 1902 which completely replaced all previously designed chucks in American production shops. He was the guy that got tired of busting his knuckles over slipped spanners on conventional drill chucks so he developed what we now recognize as the “keyed” chuck. Safe to say it was a hit, which is no real surprise considering the simplicity and effectiveness of the design.

Since developing the “toothed sleeve and key” we’ve all come to know as the industry standard for stationary drills, Jacobs has supplied innovative ratcheting chucks to the hand tool industry as well. In the early days, DeWalt was first to market with a Jacobs chuck (if memory serves me correctly). Nowadays, we are fortunate enough to find them on other drills such as this RIGID unit we are discussing today.

So, as you may guess, the chuck is certainly my favorite feature of the drill itself. Now it’s not all down hill from there by any means. This drill offers an aggressive hammer feature for concrete and mortar work, a micro adjustable clutch for driving screws, and a 2 speed metal geared transmission coupled to a brushless motor.

The drill looses points in only one minor area for me; the position of the built in work light….which may sound like a trivial detail but valued by some nonetheless. The work light has an independent switch built into the lower portion of the grip. Press it once and the light remains on for 10 seconds. Because the light is positioned down near the battery, it shines upward at the workpiece, inadvertently casting a shadow on the top side of your workpiece which is less than ideal. The impact driver is arranged differently however with three lights positioned around the center of the 1/4” driver head. This results in nice even lighting all the way around the workpiece and eliminates shadows.

If we look at the impact driver, it’s hard to carry on about anything other than the raw power this thing puts out. Yes it’s ergonomically comfortable, reasonably light weight, and it has a three speed metal gear box. But the part really worth sharing is the current class leading torque. I mentioned above that this cordless impact will easily lay down 2,250 in-lbs of torque; spread that out in units of 12 in-lbs to every 1 ft-lb and it amounts to 187.5 ft-lbs which is a bit easier to conceptualize. 

If you’re into tools, this torque number should kinda freak you out. Freak you out in a good way since it’s just staggering in my opinion that we’ve come to the point where we can go to The Home Depot, purchase a drill and impact combo kit, and easily employ the impact driver to torque down axle and lug nuts in the shop. It seems like it was just yesterday that if you did not have a good air compressor and an Ingersol Rand or Matco impact driver, guess what, you were turning the sockets the old fashioned way lol. Nowadays, impact drivers are not coming off the tool truck for a steal of a deal at $600 and the rights to your first born, but instead are attainable at the hardware store for just over $200.00 if you’re purchasing as a kit. Sign me up!

The torque is very noticeable on this unit compared to other models on the shelf. If you put the driver in gear 3 and plan to drive lags or screws into solid wood like I have, you’ll need to pay close attention to not strip the hole and turn the wood to saw dust. The lower gears help with that scenario but finding the sweet spot of lower gears limits and the target fastener torque can be a bit tricky and will only come with time in the saddle.

All and all I feel like this is one tough kit to beat at the moment when we are considering drill and impact combo kits. The kit comes with the two drivers, two 4.0 Ah batteries, hanging hooks, the aux handle, and a carrying bag. Not to mention RIGID is the only brand offering a lifetime service agreement that covers parts, service, and batteries. Simply provide proof of purchase to RIGID and you’re in the club….it’s a no brainer, especially if you demand a lot from your tools. 

That pretty well wraps this one up. Thanks for stopping in to learn more about this powerful little combo kit. This review was provided in support of the ProSpective Campaign sponsored by The Home Depot. They supply the tool and I supply an opinion. If you are interested in purchasing one of these units, consider using this link or one from above. These are affiliate links and provide a small kick-back to the website which helps to keep the wheel turning. Regardless, I genuinely appreciate your support.

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Check out the new Compact Table Saw from DeWalt!

Today I’m leaning in for a closer look at a table saw I’ve been using during my recent shop build. It’s a compact unit from DeWalt that soaks up a whopping 15 amps and offers a lot of grunt in a tight package. Overall I found this table saw to be compact and easy to move around the site, it has a well thought out fence, and t’s very affordable – it’s the DeWalt DW745S

My favorite feature on this saw is the fence. From the factory the width capacity is 12” to the left and 20” to the right of the blade. The positioning is controlled by a rack and pinion design with very coarse gearing and feels smooth in it’s action. Both front and back sides of the adjustable fence feature gear racks that ride along pinion gears connected to the adjusting knob. When you set the lock for the fence in the desired position, the over center locking handle assures the fence will not “walk” during a long rip cut.

When the fence is opened up all the way there is a large void between the fence and the deck of the table saw. Typically, this is the area where the workpiece will droop down below the plane of the table saw during the cut. DeWalt addressed this problem with a handy support system that folds away when it’s not needed and easily deploys when you’re ready. It’s a simple solution to a simple problem.

The positioning scale is in both metric and standard units and easy to read.  The red indicator on this saw was perfectly dialed into the fence position but can be easily adjusted if you happen to change over to a blade with a different kerf and need to adjust it’s position.

I used the miter gauge a number of times lately on the shop I’m building and….while I’m not crazy about, it does the job. It would have been an easy choice to make the miter slot a T-track rather than a square channel in my opinion but that’s really the only thing I found that worked against this unit.

This saw will not accept a dado stack. Although the motor sure feels like it could handle a dado stack the compact size of the saw does not allow for it. Accessing the arbor nut is surprisingly easy with the supplied wrenches that live on the side of the saw when they are not in use. DeWalt also built in a clever storage spot on the back side of the fence which makes it super easy to grab the push stick without taking your eyes of the workpiece.

Right outta the box the saw blade was at a perfect 90 when the bevel control was set to zero. The action on the bevel adjustment is as equally smooth compared to the rack and pinion of the fence. At 45 degrees the saw will cut through 2-1/4” material which is pretty good for most construction or hobby wood working. Again, when the bevel was set to 45 degrees, it too measured a perfect 45 when using a speed square.

DeWalt included an anti-kick back pawl which is optional for installation, a quick connect blade guard, and a riving knife. The blade guard was very easy to install and never really got in the way of pushing material through it. DeWalt included some simple storage for the blade guard on the side of the saw frame but for some reason did not offer a storage solution for the miter gage.

The dust collection duct is HUGE for such a compact saw. Let me tell you though, it really is effective even with out a DC connected. I had to make several rip cuts of OSB and the dust collection duct was really blowing that itchy saw dust like crazy out the back side of the saw frame. The port on the back measures 2-1/4” and will accept most standard DC plumbing. Fortunately there are simple wing nuts holding the access panel in place on the dust collection duct. If and when something gets hung up in there it will be a simple job the sort out.

The stand for the saw is made from simple square tubing and it held to the saw frame with some 6mm bolts and lock nuts. At 45 lbs the saw is not terribly heavy and lends itself well to portability at the minor expense of some stability.

If you consider using this saw in a shop setting it would be time well spent to build a proper stand for it to feature in and out feed. The frame of the saw features  only 2 adjustable feet on one side with rubber bumpers on the other. With that in mind, whatever deck you plan to build and align to your saw needs to be bang on plane with the deck of the saw.

The saw has a lot going for it. It would be ideal for a small shop, garage, or portable job site applications. Although my saw came from the factory very well dialed in, it’s still a good idea to check yours if you decide to move on one. I personally feel like $299.00 is a pretty decent sticker price for all that the saw has to offer. The 15 amp motor is a real horse, the rack and pinion fence feels ultra solid, and the compact size make it easy to store when not in use. 

Thanks for stopping in to learn more about this compact table saw. This review was provided in support of the ProSpective Campaign sponsored by The Home Depot. They supply the tool and I supply an opinion. If you are interested in purchasing one of these units, consider using this link or one from above. These are affiliate links and provide a small kick-back to the website which helps to keep the wheel turning. Regardless, I genuinely appreciate your support.

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New Faucet Finds at KBIS - Home Improvement – Today's Homeowner

Check out the latest trends in bath appliances from the 2018 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, such as Gerber Plumbing’s new Avalanche Elite toilet.

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Bath Trends from KBIS - Home Improvement – Today's Homeowner

Check out the latest trends in kitchen and bath fixtures from the 2018 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, such as Danze by Gerber’s new Foodie Caliente faucet.

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20 Years of Bath Renovations - Home Improvement – Today's Homeowner

This year Today’s Homeowner is celebrating its 20th season on the air, and we’re taking a look back at some of our most popular bath renovations from the past.

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Straighten Up with a Cross-Line Laser. Check it out!

As it turns out, I’ve been doing things the hard way for wayyy to long : ) We recently moved into our new home and I finally got the chance to start hanging up some of our old pictures, framed achievements, and so on. Believe it or not but I have a freakishly good eye for hanging pictures on a nice even lay-out without the need of a tape measure or level. However, even I miss the mark occasionally. : ) Fortunately, I have just the tool for such work; it’s the GLL 2 cross-line laser level from Bosch.

Since the Bosch name has been associated with quality tooling for years, I expected good things from this cross line laser level right out of the box. So far, it’s lived up. After unboxing it, I clamped the laser level to my camera tripod so I could easily adjust the height I was aiming for. The mount on this laser level is pretty clever.

The mount works a lot like the modern “RAM” mounts in that it basically has two spheres that are joined together through a compression link. This allows for loads of adjustability in nearly any direction you want. That sphere and link assembly is permanently attached to an adjustable C-clamp that will grab onto anything from a 1/2” to a 2-1/2” piece of material.

Although I clamped this unit to the tripod, I later realized the laser body itself features a standard 1/4-20 female thread on the bottom side which jives with all of my current camera mount gear. Total win! Nonetheless, a camera tripod is not always around so I am sure I will make more use out of this clever clamp assembly.

So how about the actual laser level portion? As far as I can tell it works flawlessly. It has a one button design to turn the unit and to choose the operating mode between horizontal, vertical, or cross line. There is also a handy pendulum lock which keeps the leveling pendulum from banging around during transport. 

This unit is accurate within +/- 3/16” at 30’. I’ve yet to push that tolerance but definitely see myself getting close once I start installing cabinets in my new shop I’m building. The laser worked best indoors. I attempted to use it recently when setting up a foundation for a small building and was unsuccessful simply due to the bright light outside. The sunlight washed out the laser line making it very difficult to see clearly.

As you can see, the laser is very vibrant when casted on finished drywall. Before mounting these diplomas, I simply pointed the laser at the wall, adjusted my tripod to height, then used the vertical line to establish my separation distance. Now that I’ve used this clever tool, I will definitely be reaching for it the next time I have a need for a solid horizontal or vertical reference.

This laser level would be ideal in a large variety of creator’s tool boxes. Cabinet makers, carpenters, tile installers, and general DIY’ers like myself could all benefit from its ease of use and versatility.

Thanks for stopping in to learn more about this product. This review was provided in support of the ProSpective Campaign sponsored by The Home Depot. They supply the tool and I supply an opinion. If you are interested in purchasing one of these units, consider using this link or one from above. These are affiliate links and provide a small kick-back to the website which helps to keep the wheel turning. Regardless, I genuinely appreciate your support.

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Hold on tight, it’s a new magnetic bit set from DeWalt. Check it out!

This bit box from DeWalt came to me at just the right time. I’m in the process of building a small metal building which requires hundreds of small sheet metal screws as well as some wood-to-metal screws. This MaxFit Driving Bit Set from DeWalt features a new twist on magnetically coupling a screw head to the driver bit with the use of a universal sleeve that adapts to various bit types.

Magnetic bit heads are nothing new to the driver bit industry.  The thing that separates this unit from others is the use of a circular magnetic sleeve which is adaptable to almost all of the bits in the box. The box comes with a 1/4” and 5/16” hex drivers as well as a 1/4” drill guide which all have rare earth magnets permanently installed in them as you would expect.

However, the magnetic sleeve is intended for all the other standard bits that typically do not have a magnetic feature; i.e. the torx, #2 and #3 phillips, square, and flat head bits.  Just snap the sleeve onto the shoulder of the bit and away you go. Once you start to align the bit to you screw, the magnetic sleeve quickly slides into position, keeping the head of the fastener nice and centered on the head of the bit.

At first I was a bit skeptical of how well it would work on the small metal building I’m erecting. However, the sleeve really does an excellent job of keeping the screw head concentric to the bit and reduces the amount of head wobble of the screw as it self-taps into the 18 gauge galvanized steel.

I feel like this little “widget” has been a long time coming. The sleeved drill guides we’re all familiar with do not work with screws which feature a large head diameter. If you wanna drive in a deck screw, the sleeved drill guide has been the way to go. Get into larger screws, such as the #12 x 2-1/2” wood to metal screws like I’m using, and it’s just you and the bit doing what you can to keep it all centered. That’s where this bit steps up to bat. Yes it will work on smaller head diameters like what you find in deck screws. But, it will also accommodate the big fat cats and keep the head from wobbling around as you spin it to the moon.

And that’s all folks. I really appreciate you stopping by to learn more about this little bit box. This review was written in support of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign…They supply the tool and I supply an opinion. If you are interested in purchasing one of these units, consider using this link or one from above. These are affiliate links and provide a small kick-back to the website which helps to keep the wheel turning. Regardless, I genuinely appreciate your support.

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