Where's The Deals?

This week at Canadian Tire genuine Vise-Grips and Vise-Grip clamps are on sale at 30% off. A pair of the 9" size clamps are good ones for installing heavy gauge track on curtain walls. They have enough jaw depth to clamp 3" leg track and have better reach than the heavy duty 11" size and much less weight in your pouch. The 6" size with c-clamps with swivel pads are the best ones for hanging studs and building bulkheads. They are very light and the swivel pads give them better grip on shear loads. Also are on sale this week are Picquic multi-bit screwdrivers at 35% off and there is a good deal on Stanley FatMax tool box saws that are on for 1/2 price at $10.99. I am on my second one and haven't used my full sized hand saws for a couple of years. The only drawback to them that I have found is I can't set the teeth when I sharpen them. The teeth are hardened so they will stay sharp longer and they only break off with my saw-set. Lastly, there are several new styles of Mechanix work gloves on sale at 40% off and starting at $14.99. This time of the year I couldn't be without mine. I rarely have to take them off for more dexterity and with the temperature in this range they are plenty warm enough.
If you are looking for a skill-saw there is a good deal on a DeWalt at Home Hardware this week for $99.97, $50 off. It is the style that Dewalt has started to make in recent years to compete with the industry standard Makita. DeWalt's traditional style that went back to the Black and Decker SawCats were heavy saws with longer base plates that pivoted at the back and adjusted at the front. This saw is light and has the same adjustment mechanics as the Makita and features a 56 degree bevel capacity and a base-plate with the thick cast edge that is better for following a straight edge.

Where's The Deals?

At Canadian Tire this week Channellock brand pliers and wrenches are on at 35% off. There is a big difference between cheap pliers and good ones (good ones being brands such as Klein, Ideal, Crescent and Channellock) and this is a good time to get a pair of 9" linesman pliers and a pair of side-cutters. You will thank yourself over and over again every time you cut no. 9 wire with the linesman's or cut away ties with the side-cutters. Canadian Tire unfortunately does not stock Channellock nippers, but they can be found at TSC. Olfa blades and knives as well as Estwing hammers, bars and cat's paws are also on sale at 25% off. For some background on Olfa knives check out my blog from October 3rd, 2008.
Home Hardware has some drywall tools in their flyer this week including a hawk for $13.64 and a grunt for $20.27, both by Marshalltown and 30-35% off. The grunt or drywall lifter is the aluminum stirrup style I prefer that is also just the ticket for hanging solid core doors.
Zellers has Dickies brand denim carpenter's jeans on sale this week for $22.47. As with pliers, there is a difference between products made to work and ones made to play. Unlike $5 pliers and most of the jeans marketed as "carpenter's" these ones are made to work. They are made from good heavy denim, are triple stitched and have properly sized rule/tool pockets and hammer loops, plus they are cut in a relaxed fit that you will appreciate when layering with long underwear.

Where's The Deals?

There's some good deals this week. Canadian Tire has the 2-pack Dewalt DW272 screwguns on sale for $129.99. This is DeWalt's top of the line gun that just a few years ago was selling for about $170 each. Also on sale are selected Stanley hand tools and Wiss snips at 25% off and selected safety products at 35% off. Among the Stanley tools are Fat Max tapes and levels and among the safety product are TommyCo knee pads. Winter workwear is on too, including a 5-in-1 duck jacket, overalls and balaclavas at 25% off, some winter work gloves at 50% off and ski-doo style work boots for $20 off at $69.99.
Home Hardware has a flyer full of tools this week. Items that might be of interest are Makita 1/2" mixing drills for $134.97 and Dremel engravers for $19.47. If you don't have an engraver you should and this is a good one. The $20 cost will pay itself back over and over again just in guys returning your hand tools that you have dropped and may save you big money from theft. I once noticed a Hilti rotary hammer in one of the local pawn shops that was engraved by a local contractor. I let the contractor know it was there and they went right down and found it as well as several items that had all been stolen at a break-in on one of their projects. Unfortunately, they were not all engraved and so the police could only recover the ones that they could prove ownership to. The moral of the story is to engrave all your tools and keep a list of all your power tools and their serial numbers. I keep track of all my power tools using an inventory template that came on my computer. It keeps a running total of the value as well as where I purchased it etc. and if the worst case happened I'll have all the information for my insurance company. Just in case of fire or that they steal my computer too, I keep a copy in my online email account.
The November flyers are up online for KMS Tools and House of Tools now. If you have been thinking about a Stabila level there are several on at House of Tools including a 3 piece magnetic set with the 2', 4' and the torpedo level.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire hasn't much for name brand tool deals this week but they do have selected Mastercraft Maximum hand tools on sale for 1/2 price.
The Zellers flyer is listing Dickies brand workwear at 25% off and TSC has more deals on work clothes this week featuring overalls, coveralls, and hydro parkas from 20 to 30% off. Insulated Baffin rubber boots are on just in time for the cold weather as well as Misty River Polymax long underwear. There are some deals on traffic safety clothes at 25% off including lined and unlined overalls and 2 different parkas. The one Parka is a 3 in one with a zip out vest and all are available in lime or orange. For $29.99 you can pick up an orange fleece lined, zippered hoodie that's regularly $42.99. Dickies quilted flannel shirts with the hood are on for $19.99 at 30% off. If they are all out and give you a hassle over a rain check you might try taking the TSC flyer over to Zellers and ask for a price match.

Where's The Deals?

There are 10 pages worth of tools on sale in this week's Canadian Tire flyer. Again, there is another new Mastercraft power tool. It is corded electric nailer that functions much like a pneumatic palm nailer in driving regular spikes. It caught my eye because it looks like a small rotary hammer with a d-handle and transverse motor. I can't imagine it being of much use when compared to a palm nailer - the idea of a palm nailer is in driving large spikes in confined areas, where as this electric model is so large and long. It is on for $79.99, regular $129.99 and seems like many of their tools to be targeted to the do-it-yourself market.
There are a few good deals on some DeWalt items including their skilsaw with the thick base-plate that is better for following against a guide. It's on for $99.99, regular $139.99. Stanley tool boxes and hammers/wrecking tools are on for 25% off and there is a great deal on the Stanley Fatmax Extreme torpedo levels on at 1/2 price for $13.49. It features plumb and level vials plus an adjustable vial and powerful rare earth magnets that will give good service on scaffold work or steel framing. Also on is workwear for 20% off including: jackets, jeans and some boots - check out their website or the store to see what is included. For the fans of the Mastercraft aviation snips they are on sale for 1/2 price from $8.99 - $11.49 with the 3-piece set (red, yellow green) for $14.99.
Home Hardware has some of their Benchcraft brand tools on sale for 1/2 price this week including 6 and 12" combination squares and 2 and 4' magnetic levels.
TSC has deals on work cloths again this week, including Tough Duck jackets, overalls and coveralls at up to 30% off. There are also work boots and safety rubber boots on among other things. Check out their flyer at: http://www.tscstores.com to see the full line-up.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire has several pages of tools on sale this week, but mostly hand and power tools from their Mastercraft line. For $499.99 you can pick up a Lincoln Mig-Pak wire feed welder at $100 off and for $99.99 a Lincoln auto-darkening welding helmet at $50 off. The ad doesn't say much about the helmet, so just make sure that it has variable shades before you buy. For more information and spec's on both, check out Lincoln's website at:
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/
TSC has some Dickies brand work clothes on sale. Quilted flannel shirts and double front logger's jeans are on for 50% off at $16.99 and $19.99 respectively. They're claiming limited quantities on the shirts so don't wait if you need one. Also on sale are unlined overalls, work pants, and flannel shirts from 20 to 35% off.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire's "Gigantic Tool Sale" continues this week. Deals that might be of interest are 30% off assorted genuine Vise-Grip pliers and clamps and 50% off various Mastercraft levels. There is a new power tool - a Mastercraft heavy-duty palm planer - on for $69.99, regular $99.99.
Porter-Cable/Rockwell used to make an electric block plane but haven't for at least 20 years or more. For a careless worker they are a dangerous tool in that you hold the tool with only one hand and are liable to get your other hand into trouble trying to hold a small work piece. After Porter-Cable cancelled production they tried making a safer alternative with an abrasive drum instead of blades. It didn't last very long and today Porter-Cable makes a mini-one-handed-belt-sander that will do the same tasks. I have an original Porter-Cable 167 that has given good service scribing millwork and trim. It doesn't replace either an electric-plane or a traditional block-plane but fills the small gap in between. I can't say what the Mastercraft version will be like, but it is interesting that they are trying to revive that class of tool.
KMS Tools and House of Tools flyers are up and there are some great deals in both if feel like shopping online. Links to both sites can be found in my list of suppliers.

Where's The Deals?

There is a big tool sale at Canadian Tire this week with many name brand tool deals. You'll find a large assortment of Stanley, Estwing and Olfa products on at 25% off as well as assorted Channellock pliers on at 35% off. The Olfa sale includes their replacement blades and their range of snap-blade knives including the extra heavy duty 1" snap-blade cutter. Like many name brand tools Olfa knives have their share of imitators. Some of these imitators might give you satisfactory service, but many of them are simply pathetic. Olfa is the original and still my choice. The founder of Olfa, Yoshio Okada worked as a printer and supposedly had the idea of the scored snap points along his blades from eating chocolat bars that were formed to be broken into segments. Breaking off the dull tip reveals a fresh sharp point and would have been a big improvement over the razor blades he was using. The name Olfa apparently comes from two Japanese words - the first meaning to fold and the second meaning a blade. He brought out his first snap-blade knife in Japan in 1956 and the company has led the market ever since. If anyone is familiar with the rotary cutters used for cutting fabric, they are another Olfa first from 1979.
Also on at Canadian Tire this week are some coveralls and other work clothes if you are needing to get ready for this cooler weather that's coming along.
On the front page of the TSC flyer this week there is a pair of Kodiak workboots for 1/2 price at $79.99 as well as more boots and work clothes inside.

Where's The Deals?

The Canadian Tire Flyer is a dud this week as far as tool deals are concerned, but the Home Hardware flyer carries over from last week and there are a few items in it.
There are good deals on work clothes at both Zellers and Mark's Work Wear. Mark's has some nice looking sherpa lined, hooded, cotton duck work shirts at 25% off, as well as some other work wear and several models of work boots on sale. Zellers has a big sale on Dickies brand work wear, including short and long sleeve shirts and hooded insulated shirts. Dickies work pants, jeans, carpenter's jeans and cotton duck bib overalls are also on as are their work belts, socks and boots.
If you are looking for a nice set of cordless power tools I saw a great deal on a 4 piece set of 18 volt lithium Makitas on the Mississauga Hardware website. The kit includes the hammer drill, impact driver, sawzall and skillsaw along with 2 batteries and the charger in a soft case for only $489. The tools are the blue ones with the full sized batteries and not to be confused with the cheaper white compact models. I have used the compacts at work and was disappointed with the run time on the batteries. The full sized tools are still very light and handy compared to the nickle cadmium batteries and their tools that most of us are used to.
The October flyers for House of Tools and KMS Tools should be up later in the week if want to check them out.

Where's The Deals?

Pickings are slim At Canadian Tire this week with only some Mastercraft items on sale. At Home Hardware though, until October 4th, 20oz. Estwing ripping hammers are on sale for $23.99 . Also on are Stanley Fat Max 25' tapes for $19.97, regular $27.99.
TSC, the Tractor Supply Store is the place again this week for deals on workwear. They have a special buy on quilted flannel shirts for only $9.99. At 1/2 price are the quilted flannel shirts with the fleece hoods are only $14.99. There are several styles of work boots on at 25% off and some Tough Duck outerwear on at 20 and 25% off. If you have been thinking about an auto-darkening welding helmet, they also have the Hobart auto-darkening with variable shades on for $149.99. Hobart is owned by Miller and so they should be decent helmets. The 9-12 variable shade will allow you to adjust the tint for different conditions or welding processes - as in lighter for arc welding and darker for MIG welding. If you want the best and are willing to spend $300 plus check out the ones from Miller or Speed Glass at Praxair or at Liquid Air.

Where's The Deals?

There is a large selection of tools on sale in this week's Canadian Tire flyer. Several Stanley toolboxes including the mobile tool chest are on at 25% off, as well as assorted Stanley hammers and Fubars. There is a nice looking 149 piece black chrome Stanley socket set on for $119.99, regular $299.99. Assorted Johnson levels are on for 25% off and Irwin Quick Grip clamps are on for 40% off.
New flyers are out for House Of Tools and KMS Tools and there are items that caught my eye in each. You'll find their web pages in my list of links.

Where's The Deals?

I'm back up and running with a new and larger power supply thanks to some excellent and speedy work by Island Microtek.
This week Canadian Tire has the genuine versions of two often copied tools on sale. Wiss brand aviation snips are on for 35% off at $11.29. Also on, at 30% off are Picquic multi-bit screwdrivers from $4.89 - $9.39. If you are not familiar with Picquics check out my blog entry from June 27th, 2008.
If you find yourself looking at the Wiss snips and are unsure which pair to buy I'll give you a couple of tips. If you are buying snips for steel stud work, ignore the right hand vs. left hand designations on the packaging. They are correct for how you would use them in other applications, but exactly opposite for steel stud work. If you are right handed you will be best served with green snips and if you are left handed you will be best served with red snips. Many guys get caught up with what is on the package and learn to make do with the opposite pair and thus you will see an awful lot of red snips in use with right handed guys who would be better of with greens. As for the yellows, there are a lot of guys who use them, and there are other uses they are good for, but in my opinion yellows are not a good choice for interior systems work. If I have the time I will try to upload some pictures to demonstrate why the one works better than the other. If you already have the wrong pair and are kicking yourself, don't worry, you really need both. There are some applications like shadow wall mold where you have to make cuts from both directions. The difference is the amount of use you will put on the "off" pairs. In over 20 years of use I am only on my 3rd pair of reds, but have likely gone through 10 times that in greens. Wiss makes 2 other types of snips that are very good for some parts of interior system work. The first type is bull dog or notching snips. They feature heavy short blades for cutting thick materials. The other type are the Wiss Multi-masters with the long blades. They work great for cutting expanded wire lath. My last tips are to carry at least 2 pair in your tool box and a replacement spring. This way you can save your newest pair for finish work like t-bar ceilings and vinyl and metal trims, while using the older pair for framing. With a replacement spring you'll be back up and running when you inevitably break a spring
It's a good week to buy work cloths at the Tractor Supply Store, a.k.a. TSC. On sale are Dickies unlined cotton duck overalls for 25% off at $33.49. At 40% off, are Dickies work socks. Several styles of workboots are on for 20% off and Riggs denim and their cotton rip-stop carpenters pants are on for $23.99 at 40% off. For the girls, at 30% and 50% off respectively are Dickies' women's hooded flannel shirts and Dickies' women's work pants.

Technical Difficulties

Sorry guys, I'm suffering major technical difficulties (my power supply burned out in the heat wave) and will not likely be able to do the "Where's The Deals?" entry this week.
Hope to have my own computer back up and running soon.

Where's The Deals?

Short and sweet this week. Assorted "Vise-Grips" - including the framing clamps - on at Canadian Tire for 30% off .
Have a great long weekend.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire has "Hi Dexterity Pro-Fit" gloves on sale at 40% off with prices from $11.99 to $23.99. Also on are 30m, 16ga Noma extension cords for 1/2 price at $19.99. If you are looking for a socket set, they have a 207 piece Mastercraft Maximum with 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch drives plus deep sockets and both combination and stubby wrenches. All for $129.99, $170 off.
At Zellers, Dickies carpenter's jeans are on again; this time for $22.47, regular $29.97.

Where's The Deals?

There is not much for serious tools in the sales flyers this week, but you will find some deals on Dickies work clothes at Zellers. They have Dickies' denim carpenters jeans on for $24.47 as well as several styles of Dickies' work shirts on for $7.47.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire has Channellock brand pliers on sale for 35% off this week. The 9" lineman's are $19.49, regular $29.99. Diagonal-cutters are $12.99, regular $20.99. Often one company's trademark name for a tool become synonymous for any tool in that class regardless of the manufacturer, either because their tool was the first on the market or that it so out performs the competition that it sets the standard. Examples that we commonly use are: skillsaw for a circular saw (Skil Tools), sawzall for a reciprocating saw(Milwaukee Tools), screwgun for a drywall screwdriver (Black and Decker I think), crescent wrench for an adjustable wrench (Cooper Tools), wonder bar for small pry bars (Stanley Tools) and channellocks instead of tongue and groove pliers. Several sizes of "channellocks" are on for 35% off including the 10" at $11.99, the 12" at $12.99 and set of 10" and 12" with offset heads for $19.49.
Home Hardware has Lufkin 25' or 25'/7.6m tape measures with 1 3/16" blades that are advertised for 10 foot standout for 40% off at $11.99. Also on are a pair of Tommyco knee pads for 35% off at $10.99.
TSC - the Tractor Supply Store has 25m extension cords on for 40% off at $12.99 and several styles of high visibility t-shirts on for 20% off with prices ranging from $15.99 to $35.99. I have heard several guys getting good deals on high-vis shirts at National Supply in the $16 range and for quality products.

Where's The Deals?

This week Canadian Tire's flyer has their Mastercraft Maximum combination wrench sets on for 60% off. The 14 piece sets are $23.99 and the 11 piece stubby sets are $13.99 and both are available in metric and standard.
I was in to Liquidation World today and they had Arrow T50 heavy duty staple guns for $14.69, which is about 40% off of retail. T50's have been made for over 50 years and have set the standard so well that other manufacturers make their staplers to fit the Arrow T50 series staple. Stanley makes most of their staplers to take the T50 staples, but they also still make staplers under their Bostitch brand that take their own "power crown" staple. They may be great staples and great tools, but I have only ever saw them for sale in the states so it pretty much rules them out locally.
It's already the start of another month so we can expect new flyers to be up soon on the House of Tools and KMS Tools websites. Remember that House of Tools is out of Alberta and KMS is from British Columbia so you only pay the 5% GST and not any provincial tax .
Have a great long weekend!

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire has the deals this week with a range of Stanley and Estwing tools on for 25% off. The standard Estwing 20 oz. ripping hammer is on for $20.99 , while the 22 oz. framing hammer is on for $28.99. Also on are the 28 oz. framing hammer and 16 oz. straight and curved claw hammers. Estwing's version of the wonder bar is on sale too, along with their cat's paws and a nice combination bar that features one wide thin end and one cat's paw end. There is a great selection of Stanley items on sale that include saws, snips, squares, hammers, nail sets, levels, chalk lines and measuring tapes. The scaffold carpenters and steel framers may wish to check out Stanley's magnetic torpedo level for $19.99. It has good strong magnets like the much more expensive Stabilas. There are a lot of good tools on, so stop in this week and check out the full selection.
The Zellers' flyer this week lists all Dickies brand denim and workwear on for 25% off. The denim carpenter's jeans are $22.47, while the double knee jeans and the brown cotton duck carpenter's jeans are $26.22. I have both the denim and cotton duck carpenter's jeans and I've been more than happy with them. I might give the genuine Carhartts a slight edge in quality, but with the Dickies going on sale at about 1/3 the price it's an easy choice.
TSC, The Tractor Supply Company has Fluid Film on for 30% off at $9.79 regular $13.99. If you haven't used Fluid Film before it's an all natural, lanolin based lubricant that is excellent on tools. Without containing solvents, it doesn't attack paint or plastics and won't evaporate away. It gets right into the surface of the metal and lasts and lasts. I got my first can as a free sample from an industrial supplier about 10 years ago and wouldn't be without it. For more information check out the frequently asked questions on the Fluid Film website at http://www.eurekafluidfilm.com/globals/faq.html

Where's The Deals?

There's not much worth mentioning at Canadian Tire this week, but Home Hardware has several pages of tools on sale in their flyer. Stanley Fat Max 2' and 4' levels are on for 25% off along with Stanley's Antivibe framing hammers. If your idea of relaxing after a long week's work is to throw on your tool-belt and tear apart your kitchen you might want to check out some of the power tools on sale. There is a page of Makita, another of Dewalt and a third of assorted brands. Included on the Makita page is a 4 piece lithium-ion 18 volt cordless package that features an impact driver, hammer drill, reciprocating saw and flashlight for $439.99, regular $529.99. If you haven't tried any lithium cordless tools yet you'll be in for a surprise, they are lighter and more compact - yet they will do much more work on a given charge. Also on sale is the Bosch Colt Palm-Grip Router for $119 save $40. The Colt is basically a souped up 5.7 amp laminate trimmer. I've had years of dependable service from a pair of less powerful Makitas and you'll find it will often be the first router you reach for, perfect for those quick little jobs like hinge gains or a delicate molding. At 1 hp the Colt should be ready to tackle some bigger jobs too.

What Was That Tool?

We have about 70 members working on the project I am on and I have had quite a few guesses, but nobody has been able to tell me the answer. The tool is a No. 49 Adjustable Bit Gauge. It was manufactured by Stanley from 1905-1961 and works as a depth stop for auger bits.


In the 1939 Stanley Tools catalogue I have, it is listed for $1.25 which was almost half the price of a No. 9 1/2 Block Plane at $2.75 and so would have been a fairly expensive purchase. In comparison, today a Stanley No. 9 1/2 sells for $42.50 while a bit gauge's closest living relative, the collar depth stop may be had as a set of five for only a few bucks. There is not really a direct comparison today though, as collared depth stops are for twist drills (a.k.a. steel bits) up to 1/2 diameter and the Stanley No. 49 was for auger bits up to 1".


To use the bit gauge, you feed the auger bit, shank first, through the gauge before putting the auger in the brace. The bit gauge can be spun up and down on the flutes of the auger to adjust the depth and locked in place with the two wing nuts.

Where's The Deals?

There is not very much to report again this week. Canadian Tire has almost no hand tools on sale this week, but for the Drywallers they do have Noma 16g. extension cords on for 40% off. Home Hardware is about the same. They do have a Benchmark measuring tape on for $12.99 that they claim will standout 11 feet. As with Canadian Tire's Mastercraft line I'm not much of a fan of retailer's discount brands like Benchcraft, but the price might appeal to some guys. The standout is comparable to the Stanleys that I use - the Max Steel at 9' and the Fat Max Extreme at 13' - but where the Stanleys feature 1" and 1 1/4" wide blades, this Benchcraft has 1 5/8" blade that should make it bulkier to the hand. Home Depot has a couple different wide blade Lufkins in the $13-$15 range that may also be less pricey alternatives to the Stanley Fat Max for some guys or for abusive work.

Where's The Deals?

If you've been wanting a couple pair of vise-grip c-clamps for steel framing, but have been balking at the price, Canadian Tire has assorted genuine Vise-Grip pliers and clamps on for 30% off. Also on is the 3-piece set of Mastercraft aviation snips for half price at $14.99. In general, I'm not a fan of Mastercraft tools, but some guys claim the aviation snips outlast the more expensive Wiss snips and have been switching over in recent years. I haven't tried them yet, but this looks like a good time to. The 3-piece set includes left, right and straight - green, red, and yellow. Mechanix gloves are on sale for 50% off again, from $9.99 to $14.99. The sale doesn't appear to include the top of the line gloves - they would be about $20 at 1/2 price. If you are just tuning in to my blog, check out the scoop on these gloves in my June 20th entry.
If you snoozed and lost out on the recent 2 for one screw gun deal at Home Depot you are still in luck, Home Hardware has them in their flyer this week for $134.99 for the two with 134 air miles. Home Hardware is listing them as a sale and not as a special purchase and give a regular price of $159.99 so maybe Dewalt plans on packaging sets for a while. I was wondering recently if they perhaps had a new model coming out and were trying to clear out the inventory of the current model. Either way, they are good solid guns and you can't go wrong.
If you feel like doing a little web surfing on a rainy day, KMS Tools and House of Tools both have their July flyers up online. You will find both of their web-sites in my list of links.

Where's The Deal?

There is only one deal for me to report this week, and that's Picquic screwdrivers for half price in the Canadian Tire flyer. If you don't know them already, Picquics are multi-bit screwdrivers that take standard driver bits that are stored in the handle. To change bits, you push the bit you want out of it's recess with the bit you were using. The bits are always secured and, unlike the multi-bit screwdrivers with hollow handles and threaded caps, you will never lose one. Proudly Canadian, Picquics set the standard for multi-bit screwdrivers and are shipped around the world. Prices range from $3.49 for the stubby with 1" driver bits, to $6.47 for the regular size with 3" driver bits.
What a deal, eh?
Happy Canada Day!

Saturday update: I was in to Canadian Tire today to pick up a Picquic for myself. My old one uses a ball-bearing detent to hold the driver bit in place, but the new "Sixpac Plus" has a magnet. They have also added a 1/2" hex bolster to the shaft so you can torque it with a wrench for stubborn screws. The stubby wasn't the same as mine either. It was a new model that is considerably smaller - same style but with smaller sized bits instead of the standard 1" driver bits. There was another new Picquic called the "Multique" that was like a scaled down Sixpac. I got one to try and like it. The only trade-off for the reduction in size is that 1/4" driver bits won't fit in one. The black Robertson and the 1/4" slotted bits of the SixPac are replaced with a yellow Roberton and a 5/32" slotted, and that's enough to earn it space alongside the bigger Sixpac in my toolbox. I might just have to stop back in and get one of those new mini-stubbies as well.

Where's The Deals?

Canadian Tire has "Mechanix" gloves on for half price starting tomorrow. There's several styles of the fitted gloves starting at $9.99 and up to $19.99 for the ones with padded palms and knuckle protection. If you haven't tried any of these types of gloves yet here's the scoop. They won't replace a pair of leather fitter's gloves for rough work such a stripping forms or hoisting scaffold, but they do have the dexterity to pull nails from your pouch or feed Kelly screws on a screwgun. On steel framing, the $9.99 ones will last me about 3 weeks before the finger tips start to wear through. Trim the worn tips off and they'll last for another run. If you are shooting three or four hundred Hilti pins a day into steel you'll appreciate the padded palms of the more expensive pairs.
Also on sale are a range of knee pads for 30% off. Your knees will thank you the next time you're crawling around on concrete.

Two For One Screwguns

There's a good deal for the Drywallers at Home Depot. For $129 they have two DeWalt DW272 screwguns for the price of one. This is Dewalt's top of the line 4000 rpm board gun, with the metal gear case, the metal nose piece and the heavier 6.3 amp motor. I called Home Depot and was told they have at least 10 sets in stock. A reminder to all the first year Drywall Apprentices; along with the increase in wages when you reach your second year, you will also have to supply your own screwgun, so you and a buddy might wish to put together your nickles and dimes and grab this bargain now. For pictures and full specs go to www.dewalt.com
Thanks to S.W. for passing along this deal tip!

The Jack Plane

The picture of the jack plane I am using is of one from my collection. It is a Bailey No. 5C by Stanley. From the variations in markings and features I know that it was made in either 1929 or 1930. It is in beautiful condition and features an exceptional rosewood tote and knob, a corrugated bottom, and the "Sweet-Heart" markings. The corrugated bottom reduces friction and eases use when working resinous woods such as white pine. The "Sweet-Heart" labels or markings feature the notched rectangular Stanley logo much as it is today with the addition of a small slightly overlapping heart with "S.W." inside for "Stanley Works". The heart is in honour of William H. Hart who joined Stanley in 1854 at the age of 19. He was elected Director at age 21 and retired as the Chairman 61 years later with much of the credit for the building of the company. The markings appeared on the Bailey planes from 1920-1935. No. 5's have been in production since 1867 and have been copied and imitated by many companies around the world, so it is little wonder that they have become such an enduring symbol of our trade. Bailey Planes range from smooth planes, to jack planes, to fore planes and to jointer planes and vary from about 5" for a No. 1 smooth plane to 24" for a No. 8 jointer plane. Although they are still made today, the current production can not compare with the classics. Their plastic totes and knobs are pale shadows of the heft, life and beauty of the originals.

Where's The Deals?

Home Depot has all Makita tools on for 20% off from June 12-15.
Home Hardware has the LED lights that clip on the underside of your hardhat brim in their flyer for $2.39 reg. $3.99. For the Drywallers, who have to supply their own extension cord to their screwgun, Home Hardware also has 25m 16/3 cords for $26.99, reg. $35.99. Hind-sight says I should have bought shares in a copper mine, the same cords just a few years ago were $12.99 and went on sale for $8.99. Flyer runs 'till June 28.
If anyone is looking for work clothes don't forget members of the Carpenters Union get a 10% discount at Marks Work Wearhouse, just pick up the discount card at the union hall. If you have been shopping around online you've probably noticed how much cheaper the Carhartts are in the States. A hassle free place to order from across the border is Cabela's, the huge hunting supplies mail-order catalogue. They put the taxes and fees on their price right at the checkout so there isn't a surprise when you receive your order and their shipping charges are the same as I've paid from a mail order from Winnipeg. They often have some good deals on closeouts and the like in their "Bargain Cave" too. Cabela's website is at: http://www.cabelas.com/

What's The Tool?

Hey, do you know the name of this tool or what it is used for? Up for grabs are bragging rights around the job-box in the morning. I'll be revealing the answer here and in the next edition of Local 446's Newsletter. Check back and I'll try to upload some action shots showing it in use.

Where's The Deals?

The Father's Day sales are on now and there are some good deals on tools.
Canadian Tire has a "Gigantic 2-Week Tool Sale" that started June 7th. Tools that may be of interest include 40% off a variety of Channel Lock brand pliers including their lineman's and diagonal side-cutters, and 25% off an assortment of Stanley tools including items from the Fat Max and Fat Max Extreme lines. If you are looking for some cheap measuring tapes to use in the mud and concrete they also have the 25' or 26'/8m Lufkin Classics with 1" blades on sale for $4.99, reg. $13.99.
Home Hardware has a great deal on the Stanley Fat Max Extreme geared chalkline reel that comes with a good strong line and a small bottle of chalk. They're on sale for $13.99, reg. $17.99 and there's a mail in rebate for another $6.00 that brings the price down to $7.99. If they run out of stock before you get there ask for a rain-cheque.

Welcome to the Tool Box

Welcome to "The Carpenter's Tool Box" my online podium to talk about tools, give some tips and help locate some deals.