Toolbits

At JLC, we continually receive press releases about new or evolving tools. I also go out into the wild and find out what tools people are talking about on site and what is on offer at local stores or online. While we can’t review every tool we hear about, we decided to highlight a few that have caught our eye and put them out there for you to think about. Here is a small assortment of such tools, a couple from small companies leveraging 3D printing to solve problems and the others from larger companies trying to build a better mousetrap for the tradesperson.

At a tool expo this past summer, I came across a Crescent Tool Siterunner three-shelf folding job cart. I like to keep my sites well organized, and a rolling shelf that can hold supplies or act as a job cart while I’m working would help me do that. In addition, it folds up, making it easy to transport and store. Features include a T-channel accessory rail to hang tools from and 5-inch casters, two of which lock and two swivel. The cart can hold 100 pounds per shelf but weighs a manageable 43 pounds empty. It costs $300. crescenttool.com

When I installed cabinets, I sometimes needed to drill holes for shelf pins, cabinet hinges, or hidden push-to-open pins for cabinet doors, on site. There is no chance for a redo, so accuracy is vital. Festool has come up with the MB40 mobile drilling attachment to solve this problem. The company promotes the attachment for use both on the jobsite and in the shop for drilling 90-degree holes up to 2 inches wide in panels or on the edges of cabinet boxes.
If you’ve done this work more than once and think you’ll do it again, this accessory might be worth a look. The MB40 comes packaged in its own Systainer case with 3mil and 5mil bits and base and guide rails. Cost is $270. festoolusa.com

All the major tool manufacturers sell toolbox systems for storing equipment and transporting it to the site. With a few exceptions, these are all open boxes that we pile our drills, guns, and so forth into, along with their accessories. We then rummage through the boxes to find what we need (or not) and then dump everything back in at the end of day.
10-Spot Tools looked at this and created 3D-printed inserts that fit into the boxes to keep tools and bits organized and accessible. These inserts are available for most types of storage systems and for the more common tool groups, with more options added regularly. Prices vary depending on the insert. 10spottools.com

A colleague had this tool on site for a job we worked on together some time ago. Miter clamps that pin together miters have been around a long time, but they can be expensive and leave too large a mark on a workpiece. His clamps were different, though. They sported Dark Horse Design replacement pads, which fit onto spring clamps made by some common brands. The pins that hold the workpiece make a mark no bigger than a nail and are replaceable as they wear. At $15 a pair, the pads are not hard on the wallet.
The company is pivoting to selling 3D printing plans instead of the product as international shipping has become more complicated. It’s another example of what 3D printing and a bit of creativity can provide for us on site. darkhorsedesign.ca

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