Welcome back power tool fans, this week! Robillard builds a fractal clamp to test recip saws. Taylor sees if RIDGID has passed up Milwaukee, I’ve got a new ridiculous tool to show you. We find all 5 of Makita’s XGT Circular saws, and of course, we have an all-new Platinum Tool Deal! This is your Power tool Week In Review!
Welcome back guys, we have a ton of great tools to share, Our platinum tool deal is a good one this week, and it once again stacks on other deals! But first, we’re going to head over to Massachusetts where the Tool Box Buzz Crew is testing recip saws.
Tool Box Buzz | Recip Saw Head to Head
Now we’ve grown to expect a big production whenever the TBB Crew does a major head 2 head. But this is the first time we’ve seen them 3D print and build a fractal clamp. We saw this last year on Teaching Tech, and this genius design is perfect for securing the many different shapes you find in modern power tools.
In Rob’s case, it held every one of their 16 recip saws from companies like FLEX, Milwaukee, Makita, Metabo, Ryobi, HART and many more. But the fractal clamp was only for a gas pipe cutting test. His crew also tested nail embedded wood, detailed and ranked features, and looked at ergonomics, size, noise, and price. And in the end, the team provides a VERY detailed summary and a scoring system you can adjust yourself to find the best saw for your own applications.
And as always, they posted an enormously detailed write-up over at toolboxbuzz.com. You can watch the full testing and review over at Tool Box Buzz right here on Youtube.
Tools & Stuff | Makita Circular Saws
If you’re a Makita fan, you know by now that Makita really wants you to consider their 40V XGT line as a complete solution for your professional jobs. And to prove it, they decided to launch 7 different XGT circular saws. But they don’t just use different-sized blades.
I mean, they DO have different-sized blades. Specifically here in the states we can get a 6 ½” plunge, 7 ¼”, 7 ¼” with a track base, a 7 ¼” rear handle, a 9 ¼”, a 10 ¼” and a 10 ¼” rear handle. That’s 7 circular saws, just in the 40V XGT lineup. But there are even more that are only available in other markets. Fortunately for us, our buddy tools happens to live in one of those markets. New Zealand to be specific. AND he imports even more options that are only available in japan. And this week he’s covering a 125mm, 165, two 185s, a 235, a 270, 185 rear handle, 260 rear handle and the plunge saw.
So how exactly are you supposed to choose the right saw? That my friends, is where Tools comes in. In this latest video, he specifically covers the differences between each saw, talks about their unique uses, and even reveals which he chooses to use the most on the job. You can find his recap, and links to detailed videos on each saw, over at Tools & Stuff.
Tinker With Tools | Hammer Drill Comparo
Taylor got a hold of the all new RIDGID High Torque Hammer Drill, and wondered out loud whether it might beat Milwaukee’s Gen 3 hammer drill. Let’s find out.
That’s the RIDGID R86-11-52B 18V Brushless 1/2 in. High Torque Hammer Drill/Driver, and while it comes with a bunch of fun specs, like 2000 RPM, and 32,000 BPM, it’s the torque that has Taylor tickled. It claims 1,250 inch pounds of torque, which just so happens to match the torque rating on Milwaukee’s 2803. Now that’s Milwaukee’s 3rd gen hammer drill, which was replaced this year by their 4th gen, boasting even more torque, but you can still buy the gen 3 for about the same price as the RIDGID, so the comparison is worth a look. To test the drills Taylor relied on several fastener driving tests with some GRKs, a few 6” and 8” timberlocks, and of course a few spaddle bits for good measure. In the end, well, I’m not going to completely spoil it.
But I think it’s safe to assume no one already deep in the red will switch to RIDGID, but it’s also clear that if you’re already on team orange, you just got a fantastic new addition to your Christmas wish list. You can see the full comparison at Tinker With Tools.
BodgeItWithBrian | Makita Screwdriver
Every Monday, we go live with our Production Crew members, and they help us choose the content for our weekly show, and find new channels we may have otherwise missed. And this week, they helped us find Brian, and his channel, Bodgeitwithbrian.
While I presumed correctly, I decided to look up Bodge just in case, and in the UK, it mean to make or adjust in a false or clumsy way. And Brian is usually up to the task, but this week he took the time to detail his brand new Makita DFR550Z Cordless Auto Feeding screwdriver, and honestly, after watching Brian bodge it, I suddenly need one.
Brian has been testing tools on youtube since 2010, and just recently crossed 1 million views. Besides his new Makita auto Feeding screwdriver review, he’s got a bunch of entertaining and informative tool videos for you to watch. So if you’re looking for a new channel to add to your sub list, I suggest you stop over at BodgeitWithBrian.
New Tool Update
Before we get to the rest of our videos, I wanted to share a new tool I got this week. I actually got two. These are both ratcheting screwdrivers. This one is from Linus Tech Tips, which I have been super excited to receive. I’ll be using it this week and talk about it on next week’s show. But it’s this one we’re going to talk about today. Now a couple months back, I shared this unique wrench from Metmo. This team like to dig up unique old designs, long lost in the patent office, and re-engineer them today.
This wrench was not only functional, but a unique piece of artwork, and I’ve really enjoyed adding it to my collection. So when they asked if I’d like to be one of the first to see their all-new MetMo Driver, I jumped at the chance. And I was not disappointed. THIS thing, is an absolute unit. This ratcheting screwdriver was originally patented in 1950, and fell out of production over 50 years ago. The Metmo team re-enginnered it, and designed it with modern materials, creating what they call the most satisfying driver in the world. They also refer to it as the perfect desk toy, and I can see why.
First off, it’s huge. It weighs in at just under ¾ of a pound. The ratcheting feature is completely external, and easy to see. You simply use this tiny brass arm to rotate the tooth to choose ratcheting in either direction, or fixed. It features a standard ¼” hex magnetized socket, and a hardened stainless steel power drive handle that swings down, and give you the leverage to deliver, no joke, up to 672 in-lbs of torque. So we’re not just talking about twisting in screws, we were even able to drop a spaddle bit in this thing, and make this 1” hole, easy as pie. This is not designed to replace your impact, or your regular ratcheting screwdriver. This is a toy, a treasure, or just a good gift.
Either way, I love this thing, and I’ll be toying with it for a long time. These are still in preproduction, but they are aiming to ship them out in March of next year. You can get it in either black like mine, or silver. Either one is available for around $131 USD through Indiegogo. While you’re there you can check out their detailed making of video, and read about additional accessories they have planned like this amazing leather tool roll.
Torque Test Channel | Laser Pointers
Moving on to the Torque Test Channel, where the crew is once again taking a break from torque testing, to instead expose illegal laser pointers on Amazon.
It can sure be tempting to grab a laser pointer to play with your cat, or maybe even have some fun in the office, but as the team finds out, MANY of the options on Amazon, are not even legal to sell. “Are these cheap products advertised for office use, in the classroom and for your pet fluffy safe to play with? No. No they are not.” That’s because of a law that limits laser pointers for casual use, to only 5 milliwats.
But as they quickly find out, most of them are far more powerful, some going so far as to start fires from a distance. And I don’t even want to imagine what these would do to someone’s eye. To determine just how bad they are, they use a special laser power meter to measure the output and even treat us to a laser show in their garage. That’s not to say none of these are safe for playing with your pets. Just be sure to visit the torque test channel first, to make sure you buy the right one.
Project Farm | High Mileage Motor Oil
Todd was busy again over at project farm, this time he’s testing high mileage motor oil.
Now we’ve made no secret of the fact that Sarah and I watch every video Todd makes. They’re not only super informative but simply fun to watch. And while normally I wouldn’t bother including a motor oil comparison here on our tool show, this one came with an extra surprise. Over the years in other oil testing videos he’s made, commenters have made a trope out of referring to the tested oil as Todd’s coffee.
So in response, Todd decided to start a coffee company. Seriously. Three types, beans or ground. We immediately ordered a few bags, but they haven’t arrived yet. This just goes to show you, that if we like your Youtube channel, we’ll buy anything you tell us to. Coffee or not, if you have a high milage car, you should check out Project Farm this week.
Mark Thomas Builder | Milwaukee Lasers
Did you think that Milwaukee’s line of lasers has grown to 5? If so you’re wrong. Because now there are 6, and Mark has them all.
His latest addition is the all-new M12 4 points laser, which sits right in between the top of the line 360 degrees, and the cross line with plumb points. And Mark thinks this new 4-point, just might be the sweet spot for most users. It has all of the same benefits of their other green lasers, including all-day run time, ultra-bright green laser, micro controls, and a 125ft working range that extends to 165ft with a detector.
This version features vertical and horizontal lines, plus 4 points to level, align, plumb and square. Also like its brothers, this doesn’t come cheap. At $549 you should probably have more than one job lined up that requires it. But as Mark discovers himself, it can make a huge difference on the jobs that need them. Mark has all of the details, plus a quick overview of the other 5, at mark Thomas builder.
Doresoom Tool Reviews | EGO Leaf Blowers
It’s been a while since we last caught up with our buddy nate over at Doresoom Tool Reviews. But this week, he got a hold of EGO’s now legendary 765CFM blower, and decided to directly compare it to their 650, and 530.
Nate covers physical differences, attachments, runtime tests, and of course blowing force and air speed. I’m sure you’re going to assume that the 765 is more powerful. And yeah, it is. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only one that will work for you. While I have been thrilled to have 765 CFM here on our 5 wooded acres in the fall, Nate can help you decide if you really need the extra power, or to spend the extra cash. You can find his full review at Doresoom Tool Reviews.
Production Crew Update
Alright, before we get to our PLATINUM TOOL DEAL, a quick reminder. We’ll be going live on Monday, December 12th, at 8pm EST, for our final Production Crew giveaway, where we’ll be calling two random channel members, and give them our 2 remaining $2,000 tool shelves. We’ll also have a ton of great prizes from Spyder, Milwaukee, and even a rear handle saw from FLEX, and a bunch more, all for people who just show up in the live chat! So set a reminder, and we’ll see you then.
PLATINUM TOOL DEAL
Alright it’s time again for our PLATINUM Tool Deal, powered by our friends at Ohio Power Tool. If you’re new to the channel, every Friday we reveal an exclusive code that will only work for the first 25 people, then automatically retire, so you need to be fast! So be sure to subscribe, and if you already are, be sure to click that notification bell so you don’t miss a single show.
OPT is currently running several deals that get you a free M12 battery when you buy specific M12 tools. With this week’s code, you’ll get an additional M12 High Output 2.5 battery, worth $80, as long as you spend at least $150. So spend $150 on M12 tools, and you could already get a free battery, and with our code, you’ll get another $80 battery for free. This week’s code is BABFBB. Head over to Ohio Power Tool.com to cash in, and good luck!
We want to thank FLEX and Spyder for sponsoring this episode, guys we couldn’t do it without you. If you can, do something kind for someone else this weekend, and we’ll see you this Sunday on our Talk Shop Live! Bye!
