Archive for April, 2010

There is nothing worse than when you reach for your work light, hit the switch, and nothing happens. Whether it is because the bulb burned out, the battery drained too quick or because the bulb shattered from a drop or during a rough ride in the back of your truck, you are not going to be happy with your old work light. Well this light is the solution to your problems!

The new Milwaukee 49-81-0090 LED Upgrade Kit Work Light Bulb solves this problem. A direct replacement for most 9.6V to 28V work light bulbs, the versatile LED module fits easily most manufacturer’s work lights. Featuring advanced electronics, the new LED module automatically adjusts for voltage and offers over 3X the run-time.

This bulb is so durable that Milwaukee is even backing it up with a limited lifetime warranty. They can do this due to its unmatched resilience to damage from impact. Coupled with a durable aluminum case that dissipates heat for cooler running temperatures, a 50,000-hour solid state light emitting diode delivers over 250X the life of incandescent bulbs.

But is it bright enough? We have all been blinded by that car coming the other way down the road with fancy new led bulbs, well this is the same deal, it’s bright.

If you already have a cordless system and are just not happy with the cordless work light you have then this is the perfect solution. Simply replace your old incandescent bulb with the new Milwaukee 49-81-0090 LED Upgrade Kit Work Light Bulb and you will feel like you have a whole new work light. This little bulb packs a whole ton of power to meet your work lighting needs.

If you are in the market for a whole new light check out the New Milwaukee M18 LED Work Light 2735-20

ezwoodshop - Wood Plans and Designs  

One of the most valuable (but mostly ignored) features in a cordless drill is the torque adjustment ring. Now I know it’s tempting to overlook all the techie-looking controls spattered around the handle of a modern drill. I certainly did when I bought my first Makita cordless drill. After all, how complicated can it be to drive a #8 woodscrew into plywood? Not too complicated, really. But that doesn’t mean features like a torque adjustment ring have no use. You might be surprised just how much this little control can change the way you work with wood.

 Staying in Control

The best way to understand what a torque adjustment ring does is to think of how we use hand-held screwdrivers. We let the of the screwdriver tell us what to do – when to bear down on the screw to prevent stripping the head – and when to back off to avoid driving the screw too deep. However, put an 18-volt power drill in our hands, and we no longer have that kind of subtle control over what’s happening. In a second we can completely strip out the head of a woodscrew, or drive a woodscrew so far into a board that comes out the other side.Enter the adjustable torque clutch! This is a great feature that lets you decide just how much power to unleash on a woodscrew. On most cordless drills, the torque clutch is located just behind the chuck. It’s a twistable ring that starts at 0 and goes up to something like 20 or 25. Zero means full brakes are on – providing a super gentle twist of the bit. At 25 your drill is totally unleashed – giving all the muscle it has to offer. So what does that mean for you?

Using the torque clutch to avoid stripping heads We’ve all had this problem. A stubborn woodscrew won’t go flush to the board. So we bear down and force the screw in. Sometimes that works. Sometimes not. More often we end up stripping the head. Of course the problem has nothing to do with the drill itself. It usually means the pilot hole is too small for the screw. The nice thing about a torque clutch is that it gives us advance warning of this kind of trouble. A noticeable clacking sound tells us the clutch is engaged, and that the drill is holding back it’s muscle to prevent stripping the head.

Using the torque clutch to avoid buried wood screws

Just as much a problem as screws not going in far enough are screws that go too far. Be assured that when you see the head of a screw start to disappear into the face of a board, you’re asking for problems. The adjustable torque clutch can help prevent this. If you can get your pilot holes and screw sizes matched up the way they should be matched, the adjustable torque clutch will do a nice job of knowing exactly when to stop driving the screw.

It’s a trial-and-error process more or less, so the numbers themselves on the ring (0-25) don’t really mean anything. For example, if your project calls for brass woodscrews that can easily get stripped out, start out at zero just to see how far in the drill will take them. Then gradually move up in numbers till you have just right amount of torque to set the screw flush to the face of the board – without going too far in. Once there, you might want to keep a note of where the clutch is set for doing similar projects in the future.

Milwaukee 2735-20 LED Work Light

If you are looking for a powerful and long lasting work light to go along with your Milwaukee M18 Lithium Ion tools then the Milwaukee 2735-20 is the LED work light for you. Whether you have the M18 XC High Capacity Lithium Ion Batteries or the M18 Compact Lithium Ion Batteries this versatile work light will work for with both. With a weather/impact resistant sealed aluminum head this light can stand up to tough conditions just like all Milwaukee tools can. Get up to four times the run time of your old work lights thanks to the LED bulb used in this light. Get a brighter- whiter beam and longer bulb life than incandescent models thanks to the bright 160 lumen, 50,000 hour LED bulb in this work light. With the 135 degree swiveling head and the integrated hook you can direct the beam where you need it and still have your hands free to work with your other Milwaukee M18 Lithium Ion Cordless Tools.

Lead dust can be spread through most any renovation work you may do, such as sanding, cutting and demolition, if there is lead paint in the area. To protect people against this risk posed by lead, the EPA has passed new regulations. Under the new rule, contractors that disturb 6 square feet or more of lead-based paint in homes, or child occupied facilities (built before 1978) must be certified in these new procedures and work practices.

ZIPWALL dust barriers are a fast and easy way for contractors to contain any dust in their work environment.

The Zip Wall SLP Zip Wall Dust Barrier Kit is great when you need a bunch of poles for a big job. It’s also an economical way to add SLP™ poles to your ZipWall® system. The strong yet light SLP™ pole weighs in at just over a pound and a half. This makes them hard working on the job yet easy to handle and transport. The poles extend from 4′ 9″ to 12′, just right to reach any standard ceiling.

The Zip Wall KIT20 2 Pole Package is ideal for any job with a ceiling height from 6 feet 9 inches to 21 feet. Just try putting up a 20 foot high barrier using a step ladder, it’s impossible. But with the ZipWall® Kit 20 poles, you can have a tight barrier up in just minutes without your feet ever leaving the ground.

Contain dust the easy way using a ZIPWALL dust barrier system.

For more information check out the zipwall.com.

From April 6th to April 12th 2010 save 29% off of a Jet 708457K Model JJ-6CS 6″ Closed Stand Jointer. Normally this Jointer is $699.99, during the sale it will be just $499.99! That is a $200 savings!!!!
Need flat and straight wood every time? This is the jointer for you! The precision-machined extra-long cast iron table on this 6” Closed Stand Jointer ensures accuracy. Easily change or replace all three blades thanks to an exclusive auto-set quick change knife system. At this price, with all of these awesome features, this is the jointer for you!

• Three high-speed steel knife cutter head provides rapid cutting and a superior finish
• Cast iron table has a precision-machined finish to ensure accuracy
• Built-in rabbeting ledge adds versatility
• EXCLUSIVE front-mounted table adjustment handwheels make quick, easy and accurate corrections
• Two-way tilting fence with positive stops at 45° and 90° to handle bevel operations
• Heavy-duty, one-piece steel closed stand includes mounting tabs for increased stability
• Industrial push-button controls are conveniently placed for easy access
• Built-in dust chute with 4″ port connects to your collection system for efficient dust/chip disposal
• Center fence controls are conveniently mounted to allow quick adjustments
• Powerful 1HP motor easily handles the toughest jointing tasks

Jet 708457K

Don’t forget about the 5 Year Warranty! If your Jet 708457K needs service or repair, one of Jet’s Authorized Service Centers located throughout the United States can give you quick service. In most cases, one of these service centers can authorize warranty repair, assist you in obtaining parts, or perform routine maintenance and major repair on your Jet 708457K. With the high quality construction, the great features, and this awesome warrantee this jointer will be producing great results for a long time to come.

Check out this awesome deal on the Porter Cable 55160 16″ OMNIJIG Joinery System. Save $140 while this rebate and supplies last!

Wednesday, March 31, Tools-Plus had an odd encounter with a criminal. A man walked into our store, picked up a DeWalt DC330K Heavy Duty XRP 18V Cordless Jig Saw Kit, and then proceeded to try to “return” it for cash. He hung around for almost an hour trying to talk our counter guy in to giving him cash for his “return”. When he became aware that his cunning plan to get money was just not going to work, he grabbed the jig saw and left. We caught the whole thing on our cameras. If you know this man, please give us a call so we can turn him into the police.

Brazen Criminal

Our prices are so low that we are practically giving these tools away, but that does not mean that we are ok with people actually stealing!

Check out the newspaper article and video here.