THIS week, Makita launches a bunch of new goodies you didn’t know you needed. Tools & Stuff shares the ultimate track saw, and Rob and his merry tradesmen discover the best Multitool of 2021. THIS is your Power Tool Week In Review!
Workshop Addict | DeWALT Powerstack
Welcome back power tool fans, we have several great new videos for you to enjoy, starting with Brian over at Workshop Addict, who still isn’t done torturing the new DeWALT POWERSTACK battery,
this time, leaving it in his freezer for 24 hours, to see what freezing temperatures do to this new lithium-ion pouch technology. Brian, fortunately, had room for a few other DeWALT batteries so he was able to see if the cold did the same amount of damage to performance numbers. And after the first couple of tests, things did not look good. Now keep in mind, lithium ion batteries rarely look good after being subjected to extreme temperatures. As it turns out, when they’re both at 10 degrees, they’re worthless. But as they warm up, the improvement was quick, but it wasn’t equal. So if you work in the cold, and you’re considering adopting this new battery tech, you should head over to Workshop Addict.
VCG Construction | Makita STAFDA
While we were at STAFDA a couple of weeks ago, we ran into Vince, who was salivating in the Makita booth. In a recent video, the very cool guy himself, teamed up with the coolest guy at Makita to talk about a few of their newest tools. That’s Carlos, our favorite man in Teal, sharing the new Makita LXT Cooler and Warmer box. You heard that right. It will keep your stuff cold down to zero degrees, or as high as 140 degrees. But you’re not limited to the batteries, you can also plug it into the wall, or your 12v socket in your vehicle. Uhhhhh yes freak’n please man! Most importantly, it has a bottle opener… for your uh… coke. Vince also got a look at their new starlockmax multitool, and the mind numbing 80V MAX XGT 14in power cutter. <play Tim the toolman grunting> I think so Tim! Makita really showed up to STAFDA ready to impress, and their pitch appeared to work on Vince like it did the rest of us. For the full booth tour, head over to VCG.
Torque Test Channel | Low Battery Torque Loss
After last week, Rob promised me that if we had a segment on the Torque Test channel, I wouldn’t have to read it, because it’s hard to say The torque trio, Torque test and channel of the torque test channel where they test torque on their torque testing channel… is hard to say. But now that I said it, I might as well own it. This week they set out to ask a pretty significant question. Just how much torque do you lose, when your battery is low? In the 12th episode of “For Science”, they asked that very question. To test this, they used some heat guns to run down the batteries to specific levels, and then ran them over and over on the dyno. And yeah, you see some significant loss! We’re talking around 25%. But more surprisingly, were the losses recorded when the batteries were only 1 or 2 bars down. If your battery isn’t totally full when you go to do the job, you’re not working at max power. If you want to know exactly how much you’re missing, TTC can tell you.
Tool Box Buzz | Multi Tool Head to Head
The team of talented tradesmen over at Tool Box Buzz, take tool reviews very seriously. No matter the tool type, they go way out of their way to test the features and performance of each tool to ensure that when they’re done, you can confidently assume their finding are relevant and accurate. So you’ll understand why so many of us anxiously await the publication of each one. This week, they took on multitools. The lineup was absolutely huge this time, including contenders from Bosch, DeWALT, Festool, Makita, Metabo, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Ryobi and of course the Inventor of the multitool itself, Fein. But the real surprise of the group, was the first time player from FLEX, who not only soured up the charts, but came awfully close to topping it on it’s first day on the job. Every example was tested thoroughly for Accuracy, performance, features, ergonomics, vibration, noise, and of course price. I’m not going to spoil the results, as this is a head 2 head worthy of your 22 minutes. Grab yourself a drink, get comfy, and hit up Tool Box Buzz.
M4 Drum & Builds | Ridgid R4251
A few weeks ago, we pointed you to a new tool reviewer named Matt, from M4 Drums & Builds, who published a fantastic unboxing an overview of a new RIDGID R4251, which looked suspiciously like a Delta Cruzer. For good reason I might add. That video lead to a ton of question in the comments, so many that Matt decided to share a follow-up video covering the most common questions about this Delta in RIDGID clothing. Of course he’s now had plenty of time to actually use the saw, so he decided to update his review as well. The biggest negative being that the dust collection is less than ideal, however the pros far outweigh the cons on this one and overall he is very happy with how it’s performed. For the full details and the answers to all your questions, head over to M4 Drum and Builds.
Tools & Stuff | Mafell KSS 40
Tools & Stuff has been sharing a steady stream of Makita circular saws this summer, many of which we can’t even get yet here in the states. But this week, he’s finally stepping over the teal line, and found a fantastically unique track saw, from Mafell. THIS is the Mafell KSS 30 18 M BL Cordless Cross Cutting Saw and at first glance, this little guy has it all. While it’s loaded with features like a rollable track, cross cut plate, easy depth adjustment, riving knife, and more, there is still something the disembodied hands from Tools and Stuff can find to complain about. The depth adjustment isn’t quite deep enough for his framing work, and he doesn’t like the button placement to release the battery. But overall, he seems pretty smitten with the Mafell, so much so, that he’s hesitant to give it back to his buddy Robert, so kindly loaned it to him in the first place. The Lesson hear? Never loan anything to Tools & Stuff. To watch the full review you can find it at Tools & Stuff.
Man Caver Tools | 2 Min Tool Reviews
Dave over at Man Caver Tools started a new series called MCT 2 Minute Reviews which is for people with a short attention span like Rob! In 2 minutes or less, or some times a little more, Dave gives you the highlights of each tool, explains it’s significance, and even gives you a few test runs. Perfect if you only have a couple of minutes but still want to get your fill of power tool reviews. And with 11 videos in the series, and more on the way, you’ll have plenty to get you started. You’ll find each one over at Man Caver Tools.
Production Crew Update | Flash Sale
Are you guys on our Production Crew? I only ask, because this week’s Members-only FLASH SALE from Ohio Power Tools is here. We’ll be posting a code good for 15% off Anything up to $500 on their store. But the code can only be used by 20 people, and it’s only good for 48 hours starting… let’s say NOW. If you’re a Production Crew member, you’ll find the code on our community tab. Just a reminder that we meet with our Production Crew for a special 1 hour. Ok… 1 hour ish, sometimes 2, live stream where we let you follow along as we put together our show each week, and make suggestions for content we should include. If that sounds like something you’d like to do, and enjoy random limited use special coupon codes to Ohio Power Tool, click the “join” button below this video. We look forward to hanging out with you! For an hour.