NuMax SFR2190 21 Degree Framing Nailer Reviewed!

There are some tools you’ll keep in the workshop and rarely use. These are your specialist tools that aren’t going to be that practical on a daily basis, but which are rather specialist tools that you bring out for particular purposes.

The nailer is no such tool. This is something you’re going to be bringing out on a highly regular frequency if you’re a professional and for a range of tasks. Hobbyists may use these a little less often but will still find they have a surprising number of applications. So, it needs to be good! Is the NuMax SFR2190 21 Degree Framing Nailer up to the task?

Product Description: Nailed It!

If you’re looking for a powerful and capable framing nailer, then this is it! A framing nailer of course will save your arm when it comes to firing lots of nails and is far easier to use for long stretches when compared with something like a framing hammer. It’s also very useful when you need to get into tight spaces and can be used in a surprisingly wide variety of scenarios when you’re tightening up furniture etc.

This specific device has a range of useful features. It has an adjustable depth for instance, which makes it easy to switch between different sized nails. There’s also a very useful jam removal hole, which will make it easy for you to quickly solve any jams and get right back to work! But it is well made enough that this isn’t much of an issue anyway, as it hardly ever jams! You’re also unlikely to experience misfires.

The nailer may be a little heavy for some but it is very well made and very durable. It is light and dark grey with a comfortable handle and a rather large head. It looks like a quality piece of equipment for the price.

Pros and Cons: Not the Best but Not Bad!

This is a great framing nailer for many reasons. The price is very welcome for instance, the power is good and the system is easy to use. You can adjust the pressure and it goes plenty high enough for the vast majority of applications.

But there are downsides too. There’s no bump fire switch and rather you need to swap the trigger out (the bump fire trigger is included). That’s not a big deal but could take a little more time for production nailing. The depth adjuster is a little stiff at times and there’s no specific jam removal tool. This again isn’t the end of the world but it is a bit of a disappointment considering that most of the biggest brand names do include a jam tool for this price. But this is less of a problem than you might think, seeing as it hardly ever jams. We have run a good few hundred nails through it in our testing and found that it hasn’t jammed once – so that’s very positive.

It’s also important to consider that there’s no belt hook or ladder hook and that the tool can be occasionally inconsistent depending on the hardness of the wood and how you hold it.

One more odd and annoying feature we found is that the magazine would stop when it gets down to three nails. Of course, that isn’t the end of the world, it essentially means that the nailer has a slightly (3 nails) smaller capacity in practice.

But while it’s not a deal breaker, it’s certainly an odd choice and would be better were that not the case. Who knows what is going on there!

Conclusion: A Great Purchase

In short, this is a great purchase for those looking to save money but who still want some good power and performance from their framing nailer. This won’t jam on you, won’t misfire and will be powerful enough to handle the vast majority of jobs. Nevertheless, it is also very affordable and not too heavy. There might seem like a lot of negative points in this review but these are small niggles rather than serious issues. On the whole, you’re getting something that is powerful, reliable and that never misses a beat. That is really what matters and for the price, we really were very impressed with this nailer!

How does it compare? Read this!

source http://www.toolerant.com/numax-sfr2190-21-degree-framing-nailer-reviewed/

PORTER-CABLE 382 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander Review

Sanding off a piece of furniture is a great way to improve the finish and to prevent splinters and imperfections. It ensure that your surfaces are level and gives everything a professional sheen that makes it look like it came from IKEA.

A belt sander is a highly powerful sanding tool that will allow you to create curved edges and perform a range of other applications. But for hobbyists and casual DIY fans, that’s going to be overkill. Instead, an orbital sander might prove to be more appropriate and in that case, you can do a lot worse than the PORTER-CABLE 382.

We decided to put the PORTER-CABLE 382 through its paces for a few days to see how it would measure up to other products and whether or not we could recommend it. We’ve found that it’s a great tool for a lot of reasons and can recommend with only a few reservations.

Product Description: A Good Design All Round

The PORTER-CABLE 382 isn’t terribly attractive to look at in all grey and does have a couple of design faux-pas in our opinion. Other than the color choices, the off putting thing for us is that the wire comes from the top of the device. This means that it’s going to get in the way more than it would in another location and that can be slightly problematic when you’re using a tool that requires manual dexterity. There’s also no handle as such, just an area to grab around the top of the device.

That’s not a deal breaker though and actually, during our review process, we found it to be satisfying to hold and relatively easy to operate for the most part.

The sanding speed meanwhile is very good and there is dust collection here too, which will allow you to collect dust as you go and then throw it out.

Pros and Cons: Very Good but Not the Best

The best thing about the machine is the decent performance and high RPMs. This really does sand things down quickly for the size and cost and is very enjoyable to use on the whole. If you have been using belt sanders until now, then you might find that this makes certain jobs a whole lot easier. Of course it’s still not as powerful as a belt sander and you can’t use it to create rounded edges etc. It will just about remove paint but this can take a while.

It does what it sets out to, is light and easy to use and comes in at a very fair price.

But as mentioned, there are a few design mistakes here too though and it’s certainly not perfect. We don’t love the wire positioning for example and we also find the color a little off-putting. Something else we noticed is that during extended use it can get a little hot and unfortunately the majority of that heat seems to be just where you hold it…

Another issue is the dust collection attachment which is a bit loose, drops a lot of dust and fills up very quickly indeed. So, there are a few cons here as well…

Conclusion: Consider the Rest

This isn’t a bad orbital sander and it will certainly make sanding quick, easy and a little more fun. But as mentioned, it’s also not the best. If you’re in the market for an orbital sander, then you might want to shop around.

And that’s really the most damning thing we can say about the PORTER-CABLE 38: it’s just not as good as some of the competition. Take the BDERO100 from Black and Decker for example. That comes in a little bit cheaper, it doesn’t get hot, the wire comes out the bottom and it has a much nicer looking design that is actually appealing to use.

When there are clearly better options on the market, it’s hard to recommend this and especially as the Black and Decker model is a little more powerful. Some people also say that the last PORTER model was also superior.

So, shop around and look for something better. But if you do end up getting the PORTER-CABLE 382, it will still do a good job. Make sure to read this review to find the best random orbit sander.

source http://www.toolerant.com/porter-cable-382-5-inch-random-orbit-sander-review/

Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer Review

The Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer is a versatile micro pinner that is perfect for cabinetry, furniture, carpentry or a range of other home improvement applications. In case you’re unsure precisely what a micro pinner is, it is essentially a tool that is well suited to letting you attach small 23-gauge headless pins into light, delicate materials. It works well on baseboards, crown molding, chair rails and more – whereas something more powerful or a bigger nail might look unsightly or cause damage.

Why not use a hammer you cry! Well, you can of course use a hammer and if you’re going to very gently tap away, then you can usually do this without any risk of causing damage. But with a micro pinner, you’ll get the same job done much quicker (often these applications require a lot of nails to be added) and you’ll reduce the likelihood of causing damage to the material. That’s because a micropinner will insert the nail in a single, short, sharp burst of pneumatic pressure which will come from a separate air compressor. If you find yourself doing this a lot, then this can improve your end products, save you time and make your woodwork that much more enjoyable. It can also be useful for holding things together during glue ups and has various other applications too.

With all that said, let’s take a closer look at the Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer and see if it is a good fit.

Product Description: Quality, Durable Product With Useful Design Features

In short, the Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer knocks it out the park and should offer everything you need it to. The Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer is a well put together micro pinner/23 gauge micro pinner. It looks good quality, feels very durable but is also light and comfortable to use over long periods.

There are many useful design features as mentioned and in short, it has everything you could ask for. That includes a soft nose tip to ensure you don’t mark your softer material. This is especially important for a pinner, seeing as you will be working with soft woods! It’s quiet too and pleasant to use with no powerful jolt and the low pin indicator is easy to see. The minimum specified pin length is 5/8” but actually while we were testing it, we found that it worked just fine with 3/8” pins too – so it overdelivers in that regard!

Pros and Cons: Affordable But Reliable

There are few cons worth noting here. The only thing is that it isn’t as big a brand as some of the competition and this can be off-putting for some people. It is made in Taiwan and it seems that the company didn’t invest in an English writer.

But the good news is that Hitachi hasn’t cut corners where it matters. The product feels surprisingly high quality and as mentioned, it is very good to use. Most importantly is that during our review period, we didn’t have any jams or misfires.

Other than that, the pros include the easy access to the magazines which slide in and out very nicely, the automatic adjustment to different pin sizes and of couse the price.

Conclusion: Quality Where it Matters

The Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer is not the most expensive nailer but there’s no reason to buy the most expensive nailer when it comes to pinners. You don’t need that much power and there’s ample here on offer. Operation is smooth and reliable and the tool is light and pleasant to use.

When buying cheaper products, it can sometimes be worrying as you wonder if the company has cut corners resulting in inferior performance. The good news is that any corners cut here are not essential and this tool works well at the lower price point and is a handy thing to have around.

In short, we can recommend the Hitachi NP35A Gauge Micro Pin Nailer – buy with confidence! And if you’re on the fence about whether or not to get a pinner, just wait until the next time you have to hammer in hundreds of tiny pins and then ask yourself how much more quickly you could have finished that job…

source http://www.toolerant.com/hitachi-np35a-gauge-micro-pin-nailer-review/

Rockwell RK3441K Review: The best compact circular saw ?

Professional carpenters, woodworkers, and other crafts people understand just how important it is to invest in power tools that offer the most amount of versatility and adaptability on a jobsite, but all of these experts also know that every now and again you need a specialist tool capable of handling a certain set of tasks better than anything else every now and again.

The Rockwell RK3441K is absolutely one of those specialist tools, the kind of 4 ½ inch compact circular saw that you may not find yourself reaching for anywhere near as often as your tradition also cordless or corded circular saw, but a specialty device that comes in handy in a pinch when you need to make precision cuts in small spaces or on smaller pieces of material.

Not sure if you need – or should – add the Rockwell RK3441K to your toolbox just yet? Is it the best compact cirular saw for the money ? Check out this quick guide and in-depth review to determine whether or not this is the kind of power tool worth investing in.

Initial Impressions

Pretty much everything about this subcompact circular saw looks and feels completely different than most every other traditional circular saw out there, but that’s by design!

With just 4 ½ inch diameter blades capable of being used in this circular saw, we are talking about a unit that can fit in much smaller and much more compact spaces. This is going to open up a lot of utility that wouldn’t have been possible with a larger saw, making difficult cuts almost effortless.

Sure, the 5 AMP motor is only going to spin this saw blade at speeds of 3500 RPM when it’s at load, but that’s plenty enough to work through most pieces of plywood and finish material and trim. You’ll be able to make quick work of baseboard, crown moldings, and other pieces of furniture of finish work with this saw – cuts that would have been a lot rougher with a more powerful tool.

But how does the Rockwell RK3441K stack up against more full size units when it comes to cutting through material like 2x12s, for example?

Well, according to independent comparisons the only real difference between this 4 ½ inch circular saw and full-size circulars going all the way through a 2×12 is about a half a second of speed – though you do lose a little bit of control because of the lightweight material used to construct this saw and the lack of heft to keep you on line.

Standout Features

The absolute biggest standout feature that the Rockwell RK3441K brings to the table has to be the fact that it is tremendously smaller and tremendously lighter (not to mention a lot cheaper) than the overwhelming majority of other circular saw options that are currently available on the market today.

By making the choice to invest in this particular unit you’re abandoning a lot of extra bulk and a lot of extra weight that just isn’t necessary for all but the most challenging of cuts and heaviest duty material.

Sure, you probably won’t be able to comfortably cruise right through thick panels of oak with this circular saw the way you would with a more traditional unit, but if you are tackling lighter weight material and softwoods this is going to cut right through them like a knife through butter.

Other standout features include the ergonomic design of this unit, the effortless every dexterous operation that it offers, and the dust collection system that helps you more effortlessly manage and keep your workspace clean.

Pros

• Incredibly lightweight construction materials eliminate a lot of extra weight on a tool that can be almost too heavy to use comfortably, though there are some sacrifices on control and power.
• The 5 AMP motor drives this blade at 3500 RPM to the bathroom most construction materials without any real trouble at all, though this isn’t quite powerful enough to be used consistently as a trim or finish saw.
• Ergonomic design and ambidextrous operation make the Rockwell RK3441K super simple and straightforward to use for those that are both right hand and left hand dominant. This makes precision cuts a lot simpler for those that are left-handed without forcing them to purchase a left-hand strong circular saw at almost exorbitant prices.

Cons

• This is nowhere near the most powerful or the most capable circular saw you’re going to find on the market today, and much more of a “niche” style device. It probably isn’t going to become your daily driver for ripping through construction lumber on a jobsite anytime soon.
• You’ll be able to cut right through softwood materials without any challenge, wind comes to working on hardwood materials like oak and the like you’ll have to upgrade to a more powerful and more traditional unit.
• The price is attractive when compared to more traditional circular saws, but is a little bit on the more expensive side of things when you’re talking about a niche device that may not be used every day.

Who’s going to be able to get the most out of this tool?

Professionals, carpenters, and woodworkers will be able to use the Rockwell RK3441K on a routine basis for sure, but the folks that will probably be able to get the very most utility out of this compact circular saw have to be homeowners, DIYers, and those that are going to be slapping together the occasional construction project and will not have to depend on this circular saw every day for hours at a time.

Final Verdict

When you get right down to it, specialty tools and niche devices usually fall into two different and distinct camps – the ones that are incredibly useful in a pinch and the ones that are almost never handy in any situation, including the one that they have been designed for.

The Rockwell RK3441K isn’t a novelty saw by any stretch of the imagination, but instead a capable, powerful, and impressively compact saw that you can trust to get specific tasks done without any difficulty.

source http://www.toolerant.com/rockwell-rk3441k-review-the-best-compact-circular-saw/