Just a warning to those who aren't interested in tools or reviews of tools; you might want to skip to the end where I'll have some pictures for you to look at.
I probably could have titled this blog "I Love Irwin", but it might have given people the wrong idea. I've been negligent about my tool reviews for the past....oh....year or so... so I'm going to do some quick reviews now. Real, full-length reviews will be posted in the "Reviews" section soon.
Irwin:
I have several tools to comment on here, so sit back and grab a cup of coffee.
I'll start with the most basic. Irwin utility knife blades. They seem like a simple item, eh? It's a blade. It cuts things. Irwin blades stand out for me though, because they stay sharp for a long time and they seem to be sharper than other blades. They cut better than others, at least. Plus....they're blue.
Irwin Bar Clamps:
Another basic tool. It clamps things. However, the release mechanism and the ratchet mechanism are smoother than other bar clamps I've used. Also, the screw turns effortlessly. I've used these clamps for several projects now, and they haven't failed me yet.
Irwin Long SpeedborTM Spade Bits:
These were great for drilling holes for wiring and plumbing through 8 inch sills, joists, rafters, etc. They cut very quickly, stay sharp for a long time, and don't run down the battery on the cordless drill as fast as other spade bits. If I hadn't just found something better, I'd say they were the best spade bits I've ever used.
Before I get to the embarassingly glowing review to follow, I want to report on the one disappointment I had.
Irwin Corner Clamp:
This tool would have made me happier than anything; except...
I bought this tool with the idea of using it to assure I had nice 90º corners on drawers, cabinets, and such. The first time I tried to use it for that, one of the E-clips went flying across the garage. I can't really blame it on the tool though, since I just read on the website that it's for small projects like picture frames and such.
Irwin SpeedborTM Max Spade Bits:
OMFG!!!!!111 These bits blow anything I've ever used away. They have a self-feeding screw thread tip, a twisted 3-edge "spade", and they cut faster and cleaner than anything I've seen. I drilled (8) 5/8" holes through 4" thick rafters in about 45 seconds. Stop whatever you're doing and go buy these bits! Lowes had a 3-pack, 5/8" 3/4", and 1" for around $15.
My last tool review for now concerns the DeWalt Plate Joiner.
I debated for a LONG time over which biscuit joiner to buy. I considered Freud, Porter-Cable, Ryobi, and DeWalt. Amazon having a sale decided it for me. I ordered the DeWalt. I'm glad I did. Once it arrived, I took it out of its case and looked it over. Everything was clearly marked, and it looked very well put together. I took it out to the garage, plugged it in, and made a few practice cuts on some scrap boards. Adjustments are easy, the cut itself is effortless, and the tool just feels like a quality product. I've used it a few times since then, and I love it more each time. It's very accurate, and the biscuits fit and align perfectly.
While at Lowes today, I played with some of the other plate joiners I had considered. The Freud felt cheap (which it is, at $90), the Porter-Cable still strikes me as a whole lot of money for a tool that can't be THAT much better than the others (Normal retail: $220), and Ryobi wasn't present at Lowes of course, it being Home Depot's brand.
I can recommend the DeWalt plate joiner with confidence. It's a great tool at a reasonable price ($140 on sale on Amazon).
As for work on the house, there was a little bit today, but not a whole lot. We lost 4 hours to driving, Lowes, and lunch at Roscoe's Tacos. At Lowes we bought more beadboard paneling, some halogen lights for the laundry room, a dimmer switch to replace the one that died on Sian's side of the bed, the Irwin Speedbor bits (see above), and 4 rolls of insulation.
Progress today consisted mainly of wiring the ceiling light boxes and putting up insulation and beadboard. I'll throw some pictures at ya, then head off to bed.
I forgot to mention the vent thingies in my list of purchases from Lowes. Since the ceiling is nailing directly to the rafters, I gotta have vent channels. So, here they are. lol. You can also see one of the new light boxes for the halogen track lights.
Ditto for the other side of the room...
The red circle and arrow bring your attention to the evil, demonic piece of pipe that I've been fighting off and on since January. That's gotta come out so that the drain pipe (that's facing the wrong way in the pic) can go through there.
I changed my mind on the recessed light trim and decided on these. But you didn't see the first ones, so it doesn't matter. lol.
This is the wall where the hidden door was.
This really bad picture just shows that there is now beadboard on every part of this side of the laundry room, except the wet wall.
Well, that's it for now. I'll be updating a little more often for now. Sian's Dad is coming from Malta for a visit in June, so the laundry room and the office/guest room gotta be done. Lots of work means lots of interesting things to blog about. And much fun will be had by everyone. :p
Comments to date: 3. This is page 1 of 1.
Al My Old House
Posted at 6:50pm on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
Concerning the knife blades, I don't know if this is true for utility blades or not, but back in my graphic artist days, the X-acto knife blades that were made from steel were always sharper and lasted longer than the ones made from aluminum.
Sian The Old House
Posted at 5:02pm on Monday, April 30th, 2007
My Dad said that once he retired he planned never to do any DIY ever again. He said that he is, however, happy to stand around and give orders, if that helps! :P
Luis&Laura (VJ) Puerto Rico
Posted at 9:46pm on Sunday, April 29th, 2007
Oh! The in-laws are coming. How exciting! Maybe they can help out with a bit of renovating. Hehehe!
