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/

CST/Berger TLM100 Review: Handheld Laser Distance Measure

The CST/Berger TLM100 is a hand-held laser distance measurer that is well-suited for use around the home, for basic DIY tasks and for hobbyists. Like other laser measures, it allows you to quickly get a highly accurate reading when measuring distance and works by using a laser. Here, the laser is projected from the front of the device and will then travel in a straight line to your chosen end point. Once it makes contact with the wall, the pillar or whatever else you are trying to measure, it will be reflected and bounce directly straight back. The device will time how long this process takes and that way, you’ll be given an accurate measure of the distance!

This can be useful for tiling estimations, for making window fittings considerably easier, for painting, for hanging wallpaper, for laying carpets and for measuring gaps for furniture. There are plenty more options and applications for laser measures too, but is the CST/Berger TLM100 a good pick?

Product Description: Basic Specs With Good Performance

The CST/Berger TLM100 has a range of 100 feet, meaning that you can use it to measure distances 100 feet long and no larger. This in turn means it is really best for indoor applications. The minimum distance is 2 foot, meaning that it may not be precise enough for some woodworking applications.

Within that range, it has a good accuracy of 6mm (meaning that it will be accurate to within 6mm). This is not industry leading but it is a good number for the price.

The device does have some other decent bells and whistles. For instance, it comes with a graphical LCD screen and has a decent case with rubber grip to ensure that a) you don’t drop it and b) it won’t break if you do drop it.

The device is light at 12.8 ounces and small enough to be slung in a bag or even to slip into a pocket (with definite, noticeable bulge).

Pros and Cons: Not the Most Powerful or Functional but Good for What it Does

• The pros of this device revolve largely around the convenience, the small size and the price. On the other hand, the cons tend to revolve around the lack of advanced features.
• This device is very quick and simple to use. In our testing, we found it to be quick to pull out and very accurate with just the touch of a button. That’s good news of course because it saves a lot of time and means that you aren’t waiting for things to boot up or find your way around complicated interfaces. The battery life is good too and the exterior – though not particularly attractive – is great in terms of ergonomics and durability.
• This is better than the comparable product from Stanley and anything cheaper is likely not a true laser measure but rather an ultrasonic measure – these aren’t as accurate and you need to be very careful when buying!
• On the downside though, there are really no bells and whistles here. There is no fold out attachment which means you’ll have to hold it in place and rely on your steady hands. There’s no on-board memory, 100 foot isn’t a huge range and there’s no attachment for a tripod.

Conclusion: What do You Want From a Laser Measure?

As is always the case, the suitability of this device for you is going to depend entirely on your intended use case scenario and the kind of work you do. It ultimately comes down to what you expect to get from a laser measure and what you’re using right now.

If you’re comparing this to a top of the range laser measure, then of course it’s going to lack advanced functionality. But if you’re currently using a tape measure and a pencil, then this will be a huge step up that will improve your accuracy and your productivity. It saves time and makes more accurate measurements.

It’s not over-designed and it really is the bare minimum in terms of what you can expect to get from a laser measure. But for the right kind of user, that’s going to be perfectly fine and possibly even desirable. A great choice in 2017 and 2018!

source http://www.toolerant.com/cstberger-tlm100-review-handheld-laser-distance-measure/

The best Roofing Nailer Review: BOSTITCH RN46-1

The BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a nailer that, as the name suggests, is intended specifically for use on roofing. If you’re going to find yourself on your hands and news driving nails into your roofing, then you want to make sure you have a trusty and reliable tool up there to help you. Apart from anything else, you really want to minimize the number of times you end up going up and down that ladder!

And if it’s a reliable roofing nailer you’re looking for, then this product should be more than up to snuff. We spent a few weeks with it to give it a proper run and we found that it was highly reliable, very powerful and had a number of smart features to make it that much more convenient. Let’s take a closer look in this full review….

Product Description: Reliable, Sturdy and Well Designed

The title says it all really: the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a reliable tool that is sturdy and has a number of useful design features.

To look at, this is a nicely put together nailer with a yellow and black chassis and a rubber handle to grip. It is a pneumatic nailer, so of course it needs to be attached to a compressor. If you don’t have one of those already, then that’s going to slightly increase the price so that’s worth considering for those new to nailers. Pros are already going to have one of these though and they’re a good investment seeing as they’ll be useful for a range of pneumatic tools.

The device is light enough at just 5.8 pounds, which is an important consideration when you’re using it for extended periods. And it is also very powerful and reliable. Capable of up to 410 in/lbs of force at 100psi, this should have no problem with most roofs or nails. It is also capable of driving up to 100 nails, although an interchangeable trigger will allow you to change firing modes if you don’t want to fire too many at once!

The magazine is also relatively high capacity for a roofing nailer and can hold 120 coil nails at once. The magazine is also ‘quick load’ so it should be easy to change when you do need a top up.

Pros and Cons: Lots of Pros for Pros

When it comes to the pros and cons, the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is mostly pros. BOSTISCH make great nailers and this is no different.

While you can get lots of specs from the manufacturers, what they won’t tell you is what it is really like to use in a real-world setting. That’s why we tested the device to find that out for you!

And we’re happy to report that the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a powerful and accurate tool that will reliably drive nails home with no problems. In our time with it we didn’t experience any jams or misfires and it’s something that all the reviews on Amazon seem to agree with.

We’re also happy to say that the device is great to use. It fits very comfortably in the hand and is light enough to use for a long time without growing tired.

So, what of the downsides? There are always downsides… In this case though, they’re really not so bad. Everything it claims to do, it does well and you’ll be able to rely on this nailer to keep on nailing without error. Of course, you might be able to get more power, a bigger magazine or fancy extra features for more money but that is about it. It’s also worth noting that this is a roofing nailer and whether you want something specific or more general is another point to consider.

Other than that – nailed it!

Conclusion: Perfect for Roofing

In short, this is a really, really good nailer from a company that makes really, really good nailers. It does everything should and is powerful, reliable and well designed. There are more powerful nail guns out there and there are bigger magazines – but for the price this gives you everything you could need and top notch performance.

 

source http://www.toolerant.com/the-best-roofing-nailer-review-bostitch-rn46-1/

BOSTITCH N66C-1: The best Coil Siding Nailer? Read this Review!

The BOSTITCH N66C-1 1-1/4-inch to 2-1/2-inch Coil Siding Nailer is a powerful nailer that can be used to drive wire weld and plastic inserted coil nails. It is a reliable performer that will handle the vast majority of jobs you can throw at it and that has a number of good design features that make it an all-round great choice for many home improvement fans and other professionals

But of course, just because it’s a good nailer, that doesn’t mean it’s the right nailer for you! We put this tool through its paces for a few weeks to see how it held up on repeated use and so that we could deliver you an in-depth review!

Product Description: Never Fail to Nail

To look at, this already feels like a relatively premium nail gun with a nice glossy orange finish and a very ergonomic handle that feels good in the hand. This is an important point, seeing as you can find yourself using these for long periods and it’s crucial that they don’t get uncomfortable to use after a while. It uses an aluminium housing, so it is a little more high-end than a plastic tool but it’s also not going to weigh a ton. This is again important if you plan on using the tool for a long time.

To use, the nail gun is powerful and precise. It will work with a large number of siding materials, including soft woods and steels and in our tests it never backed down from a fight. The pressure is of course adjustable and has a range of 70-120 PSI. This will ensure that the nails go in to the right depth and provides a driving power of 515 in/lbs. It can work with nails of a variety of sizes and will also work with a range of air compressors.

For those who are new to nailers, do note that this does require an air compressor. If you buy this tool on its own, then it won’t have a power supply and for that, you’ll need a battery operated nailer (these are rarer and less powerful). Air compressors are a good investment: they are useful for a wide range of different applications and they are relatively affordable and last a long time. Just don’t buy this tool without one!

Pros and Cons: Siding Made Easy

The positives here are the lightweight construction, easy use and impressive power. This is a nailer that you’ll be happy to use for extended periods and that’s also possible thanks to the impressive 350 capacity magazine. This means you can go a long time without needing to reload.

It also has a redirectable nozzle, which means you can ensure that the exhaust isn’t blown in your face. This is a nice touch, as it can get pretty irritating after a while otherwise! The soft foot is also useful to prevent damage to softer woods.

Most importantly, this product is very reliable. We never had any jams during our review and we never experienced any misfires.

Of course, it’s also important to remember that this is a siding nailer specifically. That means it is designed to be used to add siding to your home or to fix up what you already have. Does that mean that it won’t work for a range of other applications? Not at all – but it is worth noting that it isn’t designed as a general ‘all round’ tool specifically.

The only other downside is that there is no switch for changing the nature of the trigger – you need to switch them out manually. Not a big issue!

Conclusion: On Your Side

To conclude, the BOSTITCH N66C-1 1-1/4-inch to 2-1/2-inch Coil Siding Nailer is a great choice if you need to nail down some siding. It’s affordable and reliable. Unlike some other products, we never had any problems with jams or misfires and the design is very smart with a few clever touches. Of course you might be able to get a little more power at a higher price but you’ll see diminishing returns. For siding in particular, this is a great buy and comes highly recommended.

source http://www.toolerant.com/bostitch-n66c-1-the-best-coil-siding-nailer-read-this-review/