Yup, it’s that time again. Our inbox has been crushed with an onslaught of tool news announcements, and we are ready to share some of the latest news with you in this 2nd installment of Tool News Nirvana!
“What Can Your SKIL Build?” Contest
Now, through June 22, you’re invited to upload photos of your best DIY projects to SKIL’s Facebook page for a chance to win a gift card up to $1,500 and up to $500 worth of SKIL Tools! Considering many people are too lazy to DIY, and out of those that DIY many of them botch the job, and out of those that DIY well many are too lazy to enter contests, we say your chances are looking good for some gift card love and our sponsor SKIL’s free tool tastiness! At the close of the contest, the seasoned experts at SKIL will narrow the entries down to the 10 most impressive DIY projects. Then, consumers will cast their vote for the winning project (FYI, that time you washed your car probably isn’t going to cut it). The three entries that receive the most consumer votes will be rewarded with various cash prizes and SKIL Power Tools. For more deets about the SKIL “What Can Your SKIL Build?” photo contest or to enter your impressive feats of DIY, drop by www.facebook.com/skil (Update: Ten Finalists have been chosen! Visit SKIL’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/skil and click on the ‘Vote’ tab to place your vote. Voting will be open until midnight on Sunday, July 3rd and the winner will be announced next week).
Ohio Power Tool Father’s Day Dealio
Our sponsor Ohio Power Tool is offering a Milwaukee FREE Shipping deal – Valid until Father’s Day, June 19th. They’ll give you FREE Shipping on all Milwaukee Tool & Accessory orders over $59! Good anywhere in continental US and under 80lbs. So many great gift ideas from Milwaukee Tools! Simply use the ultra-covert, highly secret Coupon Code “FATHERS” at checkout or call Ohio Power Tool at 800-242-4424 and mention the no-longer-top-secret code.
More Father’s Day Deals from TylerTool
Father’s Day Shop Early and get Free Shipping on all orders over $99 @ tylertool.com and this special DeWalt deal –
$20 Instant Savings on all orders of $100 or More! at tylertool.com Speaking of DeWalt, this was a big week for DeWalt news. . .
DeWalt Bucks the 18v Marketing Trend with Their New 20v MAX Line
DeWalt has their Lithium Ion guns and marketing strategies blazing with the release of their new 20v MAX Line. Aside from the array of tools noted below, we’re struck by the fact that this marks the first major lineup of power tools to forgo the 18v nomenclature and dive into using 20v MAX branding. If the 18v market behaves like it’s smaller 12v MAX siblings, we can probably expect some or all of the other major tool brands to start referring to their 18v products as 20v MAX as well. Our buddy Stuart over at ToolGuyd did a nice write-up on the 10.8v vs 12v Max saga recently. I would love to see a standard naming convention agreed to in advance by all the major tool companies to avoid consumer confusion, but it’s probably a little too late for that.
However you’d like to describe the voltage, DeWalt has put out a solid array of new tools. Included in the 20v MAX lineup are 1/4″ impact driver, circular saw, compact drill/driver/hammer drill, SDS rotary hammer, work light, premium drill/driver/hammer drill, reciprocating saw, right angle drill, and various combination kits. 
Milwaukee Releases A Bazillion New Grinders
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation isn’t taking any prisoners with the launch of 18 Small Angle Grinders. They are described as delivering up to 3X more durability and up to 50% more power than the competition. They’re also delivering about 18 times the number of small form factor grinders each of their competition carries. Of course, they’re all purple. Oh wait, they’re all actually Milwaukee red, my mistake! Andrew Plowman, Product Manager for Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation states, “With our new cutting-edge electronics, patent pending motor technology and a 100% tool free design, these new grinders deliver unbeatable durability, power and ease-of-use, without the tradeoff.”
All the grinders feature overload protection to maximize motor life and prevent you from getting too crazy with your grinder. A safety “Line Lock-Out” feature prevents automatic start-up after power loss, which is nice for keeping extremities and other body parts intact and un-maimed. Milwaukee has figured out a way to cram more copper into each new patent pending motor, which reportedly delivers up to 50% more power than the competition. Since we love tools, but not when it comes to changing accessories, we’re excited about the 100% tool free design which allows users to change all accessories, including hubbed products, without a wrench. The new grinders are backed by the MILWAUKEE® Heavy-Duty 5-year warranty. Your toughest decision might just be figuring out which of the 18 new models you want.
Eight 4-1/2”- 5” Compact Small Angle Grinders, featuring 11 Amp, 1,400 MWO motors will launch in June that are ideal for industrial long duration grinding. Ten 5”- 6” High Performance Grinders, featuring 13 Amp, 2,100 MWO motors will follow in July/August that are better suited for larger capacity materials that require the highest power available.
New Makita WT01W Impact Wrench
Makita has expanded its 12V MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless line-up with a new 3/8” Impact Wrench, which is available as a solo kit (model WT01W), and as part of a 3-Piece Combo Kit (LCT309W), which also includes a 3/8″ Driver Drill and L.E.D. Flashlight. It’s engineered with 1,000 inch lbs. of Max Torque but weighs only 2.1 lbs. The new impact wrench is also available with the 12V max 3/8″ driver-drill in a 3-piece combo kit (LCT309W). The WT01W is powered by a Makita-built motor with variable speed (0-2,300 RPM and 0-3,000 IPM) to cover your RPM needs.
“The new 12V max impact wrench is the latest in Makita’s long line of best-in-class impact products,” said Ethan Haughawout, Makita Product Manager, Cordless Tools. “Three-eighths-inch square drives rule in automotive, so the new WT01W presents an ideal solution for automotive technicians who demand fastening power in an ultra-compact design, without the cord.”
Little Giant Ladder Systems Goes High Tech for Ladder Safety
Little Giant Ladder Systems unveiled a new use for QR, or quick response, codes: they’re now included on product packaging and ladder labels so consumers can easily view safety, instructional and product demo videos in-store, in the comfort of their home, or in the discomfort of a job site. We think it’s a clever way to inform more tech-savvy users. Of course, if you’re still using a briefcase-style cell phone from the 80’s instead of a smartphone, you’ll have to stick to the paper manuals included with their products.
View the Select Step™ ladder QR Code instructional safety video at:
New Super-Duper-Extra-Really-Compact Makita LXSL01 18v Cordless Miter Saw
Have you ever wished your miter saw was just a little more compact, light weight and maybe even cordless on lighter duty projects? I have. Like a genie popping out of the lamp, Makita has granted this wish with their new 18v compact and portable LXSL01 Miter Saw. Billed as a “a must have tool for flooring, case & base”, we think it’s so small and compact, we almost want to give it a snuggle. In fact, the sharp looking 7 1/2″ saw blade is the only thing deterring our snuggling this 27.5 lbs of dual slide compound miter saw. Considering most miter saws rely on copious amounts of AC power, our only question is how well it cuts and number of cuts from a single 18v charge (which we suspect is pretty lumber dependent). The LXSL01 comes either as a kit with charger and 2 batteries, or with the saw only for those of you with a solid collection of Makita 18v gear (or should we start calling that 20v MAX now?).
Grab a Festool TwinBox for your cordless drill!
Check out the new, innovative bit holder from Festool, the TwinBox, a great complement to the CXS or any cordless drill. It consists of two separate compartments which come with a total of 10 hex shank bits (Pozi 1/2/3, Phillips 1/2, Torx 15/20/25/30, Slotted). What makes the TwinBox unique is that the two compartments can be hooked to one another into a single unit for transport and storage. Or, you can take a single bit compartment and clip it to your belt, keeping your bit assortment close at hand. Since onboard bit storage is lacking on most cordless tools on the market, this little accessory promises to come in very handy.
