Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Experience:

I think there are 5,000 staples in a box and I know I’ve emptied a half-dozen boxes. Seeing as I’m in ‘general construction’ I get a part of everything but don’t have to do one particular thing around the clock… well sort of. What I mean is, a hammer tacker is on my job to get the wrap on a house. I’ve used this one on a few roofs and it’s always handy for tarping down open construction projects. I have a use for this tool on a year-round basis but to really know how long it will last you’d have to put it in the hands of roofers, who are hammering down day after day.

Comments:

Until I came across the H2B I hated the hammer tackers I’d used. Some guy I worked with had this ugly Bostitch H2B on a job. I trusted his opinion and saved up the $70. The H2B is a heavy tool. When it does jam it’s easy to free. It doesn’t jam as often as my pneumatics do and it takes a beating. I’m impressed with how clean and well-working my Bostitch H2B is after all this time.

The Bostitch unique crown staples aren’t available everywhere. I was afraid to order them but they arrived well-packaged with minimal breakage. There’s nothing worse than a bunch of broken rows of staples. No matter what I end up dropping the box and spilling the staples.

Links:

Staples for the H2B – Bostitch SHCR5019 3/8

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Joy Joy, this tools brings memories! I got my start in construction in an earthquake city. Tying rebar became second nature work and was repetitive to the point of achy fingers. This bar tie twister has fixed dozens of spools of bar ties. I own a few of these twisters but, thankfully, they haven’t seen the light of day in years.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Description:

• 7″ long.
• Steel hook.
• Wood handle.
• Manufacturer number: 14731
• Marshalltown Trowel Co.
• Made in U.S.A.

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Experience:

I have spools of experience on this tool which is of little use to me here on the East Coast where rebar is a foreign substance in Residential Construction. Laying out grids of bar, bending and tying it all off; sometimes on projects with mind-bending requirements, using the Bar Tie Twister was the most entertaining part.

Understanding this tool is simple; A strong concrete foundation has a grid of interwoven steel bars at it’s core. Before pouring concrete into forms around the steel, all the bars have to be tied together with wire. To facilitate the process of manually cutting a length of wire for every single knot, the bar tie was created. Bar ties are pre-cut tie wire with a loop at each end. The pre-cut tie is wrapped around the steel and the looped ends are aligned. Pass the tie wire twister through the aligned holes and twist until tight.

Ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance well, all I can say is there’s a true zen to tying bar ties. The Marshalltown tie wire twister brings memories of hard work with good characters in an interesting city. The tool reminds me of a bond that forms between workers on a tough project. If I knew where they lived today, I could call any of the guys I worked with 20 years ago and say, “Remember that project…”

(I talked to one of them last night and he’s living around New Haven. I forgot to ask if he remembered that job… Hey Sparks, care to comment on this article?)

Links:
Marshalltown Bar Tie Twister on Amazon.com

Ok, I admit to having no idea what this tool was called until a few minutes ago. The small tool for this week on Toolboxblog.com is the American made L.S. Starrett & Co. No. 162B Pin Vise from Starrett’s Machinists’ Precision Shop Tools. It’s one of my favorite small tools and once you’ve got an assortment of Pin Vise Twist Drill Bits you’ll find it to be an indispensable part of your woodworking shop.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Description:

• 0-.040″ (0-1mm) Range 162A
• .030-.062″ (0.8-1.6mm) Range 162B
• .050-.125″ (1.3-3.2mm) Range 162C
• .115-.187″ (2.9-4.8mm) Range 162D
• Pin Vise Set, Sizes 162A/B/C/D in Protective Vinyl Case S162Z

Experience:

Finger drill, mini drill, tiny drill? Hand drill is closer. My Pin Vise has written on it:

L.S. Starrett Co.
Athol, Mass U.S.A.

I knew it was a Starrett but I didn’t know it was called a pin vise. Here’s the description from Starrett‘s site:

Pin Vises
Starrett pin vises are useful for holding small stock, taps, drills, reamers, scribers, wire, small files, and other tools. The jaws on all are hardened and with a few turns of the binding nut, a firm grip may be obtained. Handles and binding nuts are nickel-plated except for the No. 166 Series.

No. 162 Pin Vises
A hole extends through the full length of the handles so that wires of any length and any diameter up to the full size of the tool can be held. The handles of these pin vises are reduced in size so that they can be rapidly rotated between thumb and finger when filing small work.

I mostly use these ‘pin vises’ as little drills. I love this tool for some common woodworking tasks including installing small hinges in hardwood, predrilling for nails, brads and pins and for making the perfect starter hole for a larger drill bit. I also use my pin vice to hold a scribe point when working with the hardest of woods. Sometimes used in combination with an awl; 1st marking the exact center then drilling with my pin vise. I have a few different manufacturer’s pin vices but the Starrett is the one I use most often due to it’s hollow handle and never failing chuck.

Comments:

I own a few of these tiny drills (Pin Vises) but they are each different and I prefer this Starrett. For instance, one of my little finger drills is just like those micro screwdrivers with the spinning top. The spinning top is great for this finger drilling application but without the bit being able to extend into the hollow handle my bits would break. The bits can be 2″ long but I usually don’t need more than 3/8″ exposed. Starrett & Co. tools, synonymous with quality, are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Links:

No. 162 Series Pin Vises at Starrett.com

Starrett S162Z Pin Vises Set of 4 in Protective Vinyl Case at Amazon.com

The Journeyman Carpenter who taught me to use a ‘Ramset’* used to yell: “Fire in the hole!” BAM! into the concrete goes the nail. Firing nails with my Remington 496 tool never seems to lose it’s appeal, even when the recoil occasionally hurts my wrist.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• Uses .27 caliber 10-shot strip loads.
• Fastens up to 3″ power fasteners.
• Up to 8 fastenings per minute.
• Metal construction with high impact molded housing and a cushion grip handle.
• Lightweight, superior balance for easy handling.
• Weighs just under 4.25 lbs.
• Comes with lockable carrying case, goggles, spall shield, hex wrench, and cleaning brush.

Experience:

Well, it’s fun to use! I bought the Remington 496 for use when framing out basements. My 496 only sees limited use in my field but I’ve completed some big jobs with it, firing hundreds of nails. I finished my own shop using this tool to fasten 2x to the walls. I insulated between the 2x and screwed on plywood sheets, which is great for attaching cabinets, shelving and thumbtacking plans to.

Comments:

There are several other fasteners on the market but since my paycheck doesn’t depend on this tool I picked up a reasonably priced model. The only drag to this tool regards feeding the ten-shot strip. If you insert a half-used strip, it’s hard to tell if you’re at a good charge. This only sucks when you’re holding the material with one hand and have the shot all set up and there’s no load.

I have a funny story about my Remington 496 and there’s a lesson with it. After working with my Remingon 496 I left it on my kitchen counter. My mother stopped and asked what it was. I picked it up and pressed it against a tile on my kitchen floor and said it was for shooting nails into concrete, you just push hard and pull the trigger and BAM! I shot a 1/2″ hole right through my kitchen floor and through the subfloor. Nope, there wasn’t a nail in the gun but there were charges. When you pull the trigger a rod slams the nail home… or in the absence of nail the rod will slam into whatever is in the way. Never play with Powder Actuated Fasteners. You might just shoot a hole through your kitchen floor. …or worse.

Links:

Remington 496 Semi Automatic Powder Actuated Tool at Amazon.com
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*Ramset is a company with over 50 years of innovation and leadership in the development of powder actuated fastening systems. In the construction world ‘Ramset’ is synonymous with Powder Actuated Fastening.

Wow! Really one of my coolest tools. At first I thought these tools were too beautiful to use but it didn’t take me long to break them in. Today my limited edition Signature Series CT-1 Squevel is in constant use, though writing this post has brought to my attention it’s need for some TLC.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Specifications:

• Handle milled from a solid 1-1/2 lb. chunk of #360 half hard, tempered brass.
• Accurate to within 0.002″ over the 6-1/2″ blade length
• The bevel blade length is 3-7/8″ in a 90° setting.
• Identified with a special commemorative logo and signed by the creator, John Economaki

Experience:

The Squevel! Interesting name, even more interesting construction and story behind it’s fashioning.

Buried forever in the handle of each Squevel is a 1992 U.S. penny

I received my CT-1 Squevel as a gift. It is dated 1993 and bears the makers signature and edition number. Although I own a number of bevel gauges, the precision of the short bevel blade on my Bridge City Tool is reserved for a few specific tasks. As a carpenter, I carry a bevel gauge. I should show you a picture of it because it’s wasted from being a proud tool on a belt that’s been dragged from under to atop of way too many houses. The bevel gauge, a tool that works wonder. I love it.

Back to the shop and a different kind of bevel blade for a much more precise application. My Squevel sits next to my TS-2 Master Square. These are my fine woodworking tools and I’m not sure they’ve seen many softwoods. I read people collect these. Well, all I can say is, as predominately a case/cabinet maker in my shop I have a set of gouges that might as well be collector’s items since I never put them to use. All of my Bridge City Tool Works tools are put to use as often as my pencil. It’s a square, right? …and it’s accurate to 0.002″. I hope you enjoy reading a bit on BridgeCityTools.com. I got really caught up in their website looking at the incredible tools. It’s 1:30am and I’m up at 6 so now it’s your turn. I have to get some sleep. Enjoy.

Links:

CT-1 Squevel at Bridge City Tool Works – discontinued product.

Every woodworker has a few prized tools that are put to use often. A few of the finest tools In my shop are made by Bridge City Tool Works, including the TS-2 Master Try Square which is engraved with my initials, birthday and the year of 1990.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Product Specifications:

• Accuracy: 90 degrees, plus or minus 0.002″ over the blade length, inside and outside
• Blade Length: 8″ (heel to toe)
• Blade Thickness: 0.125″
• Blade Width: 1.50″
• Blade: 360 alloy, half-hard brass
• Handle: Solid rosewood, faced on both sides with 360 alloy half-hard brass wear plates, rivets are anchored in solid brass seats, both sides

Experience:

I received the Bridge City Tool Works TS-2 Master Square as a birthday present from a fine cabinetmaker and an influential person in my life. Unfortunately he died before I grew up enough to share woodworking stories, experiences and learn from him. As we talked during his last few days I felt like I was being cast out alone into the woodworking world with no teacher since we had lived on opposite coasts of America during my beginnings and I had just returned to the East Coast; “How will I learn to be a craftsman without you?” He replied, “You are going to have to go out there and learn it for yourself like everyone else.”

I don’t own a tool more accurate or more beautiful. I value these tools more than any other for obvious reasons… but still I use them almost every day!

If you like the TS-2 check out my Bridge City Tool Works CT-1 Squevel.

Links:

TS-2 at Bridge City Tool Works – Out of production.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Features:

• Durable metal handle.
• Fast attachment on smooth, nonporous flat surfaces.
• Red-line indicator warns user of any vacuum loss.
• Check valve allows repumping without loss of remaining vacuum.
• Release valve lever permits quick and complete release.
• Eligible for Powr-Grip Exchange Program.
• Supplied with protective carrying case.

Experience:
My second job, last year, requiring Vacuum cups was a 31 window upgrade on a Modern home resembling The Glass House. The finished glass panels were 6 feet square, 1″ thick and heavy as sin. The weather ranged between 15º-30ºF; at times snowing. Oh the joys of a being a builder. Using my beautiful Wood’s Powr-Grips we were able to safely manuever the monsters around the house and into place.

On a previous job, these Vacuum Cups handled 4′ x 4′ skylights safely to a rooftop on the back of one very strong fellow. I put the safety of my materials and my men in the good hands of Wood’s tool quality.

Comments:
Working with glass is a regular part of Home Building. Safety is paramount when working with large sheets of glass. Reminding carpenters to remove their tool-belt when carrying glass panels is important, keeping your vacuum cups clean and protected from debris and damage at all times is critical. You don’t want foreign material, including small dust or dirt particles, between your glass and the soft rubber cups. This is one tool that doesn’t lie around on my job. I put them to use and put them away. …and yeah, I love these!

Note: I lucked out. Needing vacuum cups for a large job, I asked my local glass shop to order me “two of the nice ones” from their supplier. Not knowing what to expect, I was very happy to find I’d purchased a pair of Wood’s Powr-Grip N4950 – 8″ Flat Vacuum Cup with Metal Handle!

Links:

1. Wood’s Powr-Grip Vacuum Cups at Powrgrip.com (Product Data)
2. Woods 8″ Powr-Grip Vacuum Cup With Metal Handle at Amazon.com