https://www.old.toolrank.com/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/images/stories/toolrankcom_100x358.png https://www.old.toolrank.com/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-1805-0025-job-site-power-tape-measure-review-20110322920/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-1805-0025-job-site-power-tape-measure-review-20110322920/ The simplest tools are often the hardest to review. How much different can any two tape measures be? They are all basically as simple as a thin piece of metal with lines and numbers. So simple, yet, I have the hardest time finding one that I like. I have used tape measures from all of the major brands and have a good understanding of what I like and need, but none of them on the market fit the bill. Design is what makes or brakes a tape measure. It spends a lot of time in our... ]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:00:00 -0500 920 2011-03-22 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/staedtler-771-13mm-mechanical-pencil-review-20110321919/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/staedtler-771-13mm-mechanical-pencil-review-20110321919/ Remember a few days ago I went on a rant against carpenters pencils? I also talked about my new favorite carpenter pencil replacement, the Staedtler graphite 771. Well, I put together a little video to show you its cool features. The 771 is now my go-to pencil throughout the day, though I do keep a .7mm on hand when greater accuracy is needed. I don't think this pencil was designed for carpenters, but it has a lot of great features on it that suit our needs. ... ]]> Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:00:59 -0500 919 2011-03-21 https://www.old.toolrank.com/media/listing/photos/original/15/a5/9c/919_staedtler-8648-1340497564.jpg https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-40-0918-manual-leveling-rotary-laser-level-review-20110210873/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-40-0918-manual-leveling-rotary-laser-level-review-20110210873/ Lasers have been one of the most useful and most popular tools in the last 10 years or so. Technology in a whole has been advancing more rapidly then ever before. This allows us to buy more advanced tools from the past at a much lower price today. Case in point is the Johnson Model: 40-0918 manual-leveling rotary laser level that Johnson sent over for review. Just a few years ago it would have been impossible for a DIYer to go out and buy a rotary laser level, but today the 40-0918 can be purchased for... ]]> Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:00:00 -0600 873 2011-02-10 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/porter-cable-12v-clampsaw-reciprocating-saw-review-20110112853/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/porter-cable-12v-clampsaw-reciprocating-saw-review-20110112853/ Introduction Porter-Cable first announced their ultra compact line of 12-volt tools back in August of 2010. They were one of the last of the major brands to make tools in the ultra compact category, but they had a few extra features that set them apart, as well as a lower price. One tool in the new line that caught my eye was their version of the ultra compact reciprocating saw; it had a new simple clamping feature that looked like could really come in handy. Porter-Cable was awesome enough to send their ClampSaw to... ]]> Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:32:44 -0600 853 2011-01-12 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/black-a-decker-ratcheting-readywrench-review-20101217843/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/black-a-decker-ratcheting-readywrench-review-20101217843/ Up for review today is the Ratcheting ReadyWrench that was provided without cost by Black & Decker. The Ratcheting ReadyWrench is a dog-bone style wrench that features selectable sockets on both ends of the tool. Each end consists of four universal sockets that are capable of fitting both Metric and SAE nuts and bolts. This feature gives the wrench a total of 16 sockets in one tool. The main selling point of the Ratcheting ReadyWrench is the 16-in-1 design coupled with a new ratcheting system. Offering a total of 16 wrenches in one small... ]]> Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:00:00 -0600 843 2010-12-17 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/channellock-high-leverage-369-lineman-pliers-review-20101112824/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/channellock-high-leverage-369-lineman-pliers-review-20101112824/ A while back Channellock sent over a pair of their 369 lineman pliers and I had the pleasure of putting this tool to the test. Now I am not an electrician, which the tool was originally designed for, but who couldn't use a good set of pliers to help out with life's daily problems. The pivoting action on the pliers was really smooth and a tell tail sign that these are quality made. Channellock recently updated these pliers by reducing the size of the pivot. This change allowed them to move the point closer... ]]> Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:00:00 -0600 824 2010-11-12 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-glo-view-48-level-review-20100923786/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/johnson-glo-view-48-level-review-20100923786/ A level is just a long flat piece of material that houses a few vials and lets you know when things are plumb and/or level. It is one of the simplest tools we use on a regular basis. Being a tool that is so simple, it is hard to see how much it can be improved. But what is the most important part of the level? In my opinion it is the vial. A good easy to read vial can make all the difference. Even the most accurate level is useless if the vial is... ]]> Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:14:48 -0500 786 2010-09-23 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/review-bosch-26618-01-18-volt-switchable-impact-20100721734/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/review-bosch-26618-01-18-volt-switchable-impact-20100721734/ What exactly is a switchable impact? Well, as the name suggests, it is an impact driver with a switch. This switch then allows users to completely turn off the impacts from the tool. It basically turns your impact driver into a standard drill/driver. One of the questions often asked of this tool is why one would need a switchable impact. The answer is simple; you now have a single tool that can take the place of two tools. When you are up on a ladder, do you want to have two tools to worry about,... ]]> Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:45:06 -0500 734 2010-07-21 https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/dewalt-magnetic-toughcase-review-20100429668/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/dewalt-magnetic-toughcase-review-20100429668/ DeWalt recently introduced a new storage container for tool bits called the Magnetic ToughCase and they sent one to me for review. The new ToughCase is made from the exact same material that DeWalt uses as the body of their heavy duty XRP drills. I should think that a material good enough for a top of the line drill, should be good enough for drill bit storage. Some of the design features you will notice are the black rings around the magnets and the black strip along the back. Theses are not there because they are DeWalt... ]]> Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:00:00 -0500 668 2010-04-29 https://www.old.toolrank.com/media/listing/photos/original/38/af/70/668_toughcase-open-1343610224.jpg https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/rockwell-sonishear-sonicrafter-attachment-review-20100428667/ https://www.old.toolrank.com/tool-blog/reviews/rockwell-sonishear-sonicrafter-attachment-review-20100428667/ Rockwell might not have been the first company to make an oscillation tool, but that didn't stop them from trying the make the world of oscillation accessories a better place. The SoniShear attachment for the SoniCrafter quite simply turns your oscillation saw into a pair of power shears cutting at a whopping 20,000 strokes per minute. At only $25, the introduction of a low cost power shear should be a welcomed addition to DIY world... if it works. Rockwell sent out a SoniShear so we could find out for ourselves. ... ]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:35:43 -0500 667 2010-04-28