5 comments about Milwaukee 8988-20 Variable Temperature Heat Gun.

1. This heat gun is ultra fast-to-heat-up and stays put at your set temperature because of its high-tech thermo-reactive properties. It has an ultra-accurate, cool-looking, bright green temperature LCD display on a black background, which makes it visible in the dark. It is located in the ergonomically correct location (on top). Three different air-flow settings allow for ultimate control and air pressure/heat ratio exertion.
   
   The intuitively-designed shape includes separate temperature control (by 10 degree increments) and fan speed control buttons. Unlike most variable guns, the integrated stand allows for a fully erect stance--when needed--with optimally located trigger controls located side-by-side on the handle.
   
   The double-insulated, ceramic-encapsulated heating element is safe and efficient. If you vaporize herbal substances such as tobacco using a heat gun, you want a ceramic core so that it doesn't give off toxins. Moreover, this product has a stunning five-year warranty, partially because ceramic heating elements last longer.
   
   I highly recommend this item to everybody ranging from heat gun novices to legendary heat gun users. It has great controls, a sturdy feel, and a long warranty to back its obvious integrity. Enjoy the control of a professional product with luxury features. A lot of thought went into the multi-faceted, ergonomic design and I am a proud owner.



2. I bought this heat gun primarily for heat shrink tubing, which it does nicely and it beats using an open flame for this task. I also ordered the 3/8", 9/16" and hook nozzles for the unit.
   
   I found another use I hadn't intended...soldering wire to an automotive rocker switch. Soldering electronic components is not my strong point, and my little soldering iron just couldn't handle a lousy 1mm piece of rosin core solder, a 3/16" terminal tab and 18GA wire. I put on the 3/8" nozzle, cranked up the heat, soldered away, and then cooled the switch down with the gun's air only blower. Worked great!
   
   The gun heats up rapidly, and cools down quickly too. The tripod base is stable, which was a great surprise considering the top heavy nature of heat guns. This allows one to use two hands to manipulate the work piece if need be.
   
   I would like to see Milwaukee make a few minor improvements; but this is splitting hairs on an excellent heat gun. A longer throw switch would make setting temperatures easier. A switch to display the temperature in degrees F or C would be nice, and a case would be helpful.
   
   Best of all was that the tool was made in Switzerland and the nozzles in Germany. I was so happy NOT to see the evil "Made in China" label.



3. The heat gun is very nice and works great! Gives you a wide temperature range. And the digital readout is perfect, the tool should have come with a case to protect it.



4. Well built, reliable, does what it's supposed to. The LCD temp gauge is great. Heats up fast, vertical built in stand is nice.



5. I had never used a heat gun to remove paint, but now this heat gun is what I turn to first. I have layers and layers of paint to remove from trim on an older house and this heat gun does a great job.

5 comments about Porter-Cable 690LRVS 11 Amp 1-3/4 Horsepower Fixed Base Variable Speed Router.

1. I chose this one because of the favorable reviews, but it wouldn't start out of the box. I took it to the local PC distributor and they offered to exchange it. After a week, I called for status and they said it was on backorder until mid Nov. Bummer, but they did refund my money, so I'm buying another one...I'm hoping the product lives up to its reputation. This is the 2nd time I've purchased an item from Amazon where the motor did not work out of the box...the other was the motor on a Delta jointer. It took 4-6 weeks to get a new motor...tough sledding when you're trying to work on a project!
   Revised 1/14/07 - I was able to buy a new router - same model. It's performed very well so far with a fair amount of use. The switch is sealed and is not very large, so it's difficult to tell if you've switched it on or off immediately. This could be a safety issue, but eventually I'd like to set up a switch that I can mount on the side of the cabinet so I don't have to reach under the table to turn it on/off. I haven't had an issues with frozen bits getting stuck in the collet and it's easy to switch between 1/2 and 1/4 shank bits. Variable speed is a nice touch to avoid burning.



2. I wanted a non-plunge router for my router table and this fit the bill. It has all the power I need and is easy to adjust from under the table. This is my first 'soft start' router and I like this feature.



3. I just got one of these, and it's my first PC router. When I saw how you adjust the depth of cut I thought, "You've got to be kidding." In all the pictures it looks like you turn an adjustment ring to adjust the height of the motor in the base, but that ring doesn't actually adjust anything. All adjustment is accomplished by rotating the motor in the base. The motor has four small round pins that ride in two spiral grooves in the base, so turning the motor adjusts the height. The ring just has marks denoting the height adjustment corresponding to the amount of rotation of the motor, and the ring turns so you can zero it on a mark on the motor. Here are the problems I find with this approach:
   
   - The switch and cord change location based on the depth of the cut. Maybe I'm just weird, but I like having the switch on a power tool located in the same place every time I use it.
   
   - The weight of the motor is enough to cause it to rotate down in the base when the locking clamp is off. This is partly because, IMO, the pitch of the groove is too steep.
   
   - When I turn the motor in the base it makes kind of a grinding sound because the grooves in the base aren't machined very smoothly. Definitely not impressed.
   
   - There is no "fine" adjustment mechanism. All adjustment is done by turning the motor. Another consequence of the steep pitch in the adjustment groove is that fine adjustments are tricky. Rotating the motor 180° lowers it 1". That's 2.8° for 1/64". 2.8° isn't much, and in a router I think of 1/64th of an inch as a course adjustment. When the locking clamp is off, the motor is fairly loose in the base, so this thing really doesn't give me a feeling of tight control over the height setting.
   
   I'm kind of mystified as to why no one has commented about this adjustment mechanism. Now I know that people are referring to PC routers when they review other routers by other manufacturers and like that they don't have to rotate the motor in the other brand. I just don't know why no one has mentioned it here.
   
   In a separate issue, I wouldn't use it without first sanding the base smooth to remove flash from when it was molded. If I didn't, it would scratch my wood as I slid the router over it. Also not impressive. I expect to be able to use something like this right out of the box without fixing it.
   
   The reviewer who said he could hardly tell it had a soft start must have had a defective one because it's very noticeable to me. No jerking at all and much nicer in that regard than the old 1hp 1/4" router I'm replacing.
   
   I'm sure it's very powerful, the soft start is great, and the variable speed seems nice as well, but several brands offer power, soft start, and variable speed. The height adjustment on this is just crude IMO, and that makes me think I'd get frustrated with it in actual use. So I'm going to try to find something I like better and there's a good chance this one is going to be returned.



4. Great router and the variable speed is a must for using larger bits which can burn the wood if used at too high a speed. Top notch Product! Have used this model in my furniture business daily now for over three years and still going strong. Also, it is much quieter than the old dewalts and milwakees that I used for years.



5. Yup. This thing has fully met my expectations. A previous reviewer suggested purchasing the clear base plate - I agree.

5 comments about PSI TCLPROVS Turncrafter Pro VS Variable Speed Wood Lathe.

1. Right out of the box the lathe centers were right on the button... Every thing worked great, it is a little light on instructions for setting up all the electronics, but any one with half a brain can figure it out...
   all projects attempted so far finished with minimum effort... Very pleased with the purchase.... Would suggest that the user make some baffles to divert the wood chips from building up on the motor which is located between the bed ways.. small strip of metal or cardboard should take care of this easily.....



2. I purchased my PSI Lathe in Dec 2007, found it was damaged during shipping PSI replaced the bend part. But since then they are really weak on support and responding to e-mails, 1st problem motor was stopping and had to turn off for a few minutes to start it back up. 2nd the variable speed is great but don't think it should be speeding up and slowing down while running without touching the dial. Was told to buy new brush's so I did and still have the same problems. I think it is the variable speed unit bad but cannot get PSI to reply to e-mails. I like the Lathe but will not purchased anything else from PSI since I spend over 400.00 dollars buying the extended bed, jaw kit and three set of turning tools with my purchase. Next one will be from some one that will stand behind there product, I'm writing my review after I had time to work with it and do a few turning projects so I could give a good review "not that it worked right out of the box" like others I see, I would hope so work right out of the box.



3. I researched many midi-lathes and happy I made the right choice. The unit is everything as advertised. I also bought the PSI chuck system and this has proved to be a necessity. I also like the 3 year warranty.
   
   Jeff



4. Out of the box this lathe worked great! However, the instruction manual leads a lot to be desired. (Actually, it is poorly designed.) The manual assumes the new owner has had experience with wood lathes and wood turning. In my case, none. Prior to receiving the lathe, I viewed several online training videos and did some research, so I was able to manuever through the set up within thirty minutes or so. (There are still some areas I'm not too clear on, but I have friends who have offered to guide me through them.)
   
   In deciding to buy this Turncrafter VS, I spent several hours reviwing the features and benefits of this lathe and also competitive models such as the comparable Jet lathe. The price was the deciding factor for me. The Turncrafter VS was about $100 less than the Jet model. Including shipping, the Amazon price was $227.00. Best deal I could find. E-bay offered it at about the same price, but I decided on Amazon because of customer support if I needed it.
   
   I'm very satisfied with my purchase. I've read some of the "negative" reviews regarding the "finish" of this lather, but I chalked it up to "nit pickin". This is a fine model for beginners. It does what I want it to!
   
   Don, Pineville, NC



5. Fantastic lathe. Using it in my personal shop in my basement. Nothing to setting up. Just plug in the cords and start turning. Only about 16" beteen centers without the bed extension. (I have one) That makes it 39" between centers. I turned my first peice and was more than staisfied. I am now building a Heavy stand from ShopNotes Issue no. 10. It fits perfectly. I would like to have a longer rest and may change that. But all in all I got more than I paid for.
   
   You have to change the belt setting for some of the speeds but I have found that the middle speed on the belt gives me a lot of variable speed on the electronic speed control box.
   
   A+ Thanks Amazon! I love shopping online!!! NO GAS NEEDED!!!

5 comments about T-Jak TJ-104D Drywall Kit Includes a 2 Extension and Two Drywall Extension Tabs.

1. I bought this thing initially to use in cabinet installations. After the first I became an expert with it. I've also used it for installing crown, the big microwaves over the range, and sheet rock on ceilings. I don't install a lot of sheet rock, but a full sheet is more than one man wants to deal with. So I fastened 1x4's on top of the plate of the T-Jak. It gave me a lot more stability and I was able to get the job done by myself.
   
   Out on sites where there are more than one unit being remodeled, I've had guys come over and offer me money to borrow it to use it to install cabinets.I may go a week without touching it and then use it every day for a week. I don't dread those microwaves anymore!



2. I recently had to remove an upper cabinet, take three inches of the height of it, and get it back in place without disturbing the molding at the top. Working solo, I secured the cabinet to the top of the T-Jak and cranked it up into place. Also, I received excellent customer service from T-Jak. Mine shipped without the threaded rod. I sent an e-mail and had the part in hand in two days.



3. Tool arrived in damaged box. Poorly packed. Simple design, I expected more for the price. So I altered mine with additional sections of standard 1/2" rigid iron pipe with another section of standard all thread rod and coupling nut. Should be cheaper for what you get. Works well enough, I guess we are making the distributor a lot of profit.



4. It did not look like much when it arrived. I was surprised it actually works. I installed new kitchen cabinets with it.
   Since almost all kitchen cabinets are modular there not that much weight involved. The trick is the weird adjusting nut. The nut allows major coarse or fine adjustments to be made quickly. I mounted the base to a 16"X16" piece of plywood so the T-Jack it would stand by itself on the floor. One person is able to set a cabinet on top. Yes you can make your own but it's not worth it (5/8" all thread, EMT electrical conduit, and 1/2 " pipe brackets, 3/4 plywood).
   I almost purchased the $600 cabinet lift but found it is over kill for the average job.



5. Great product easy to use and very helpful. Glad I bought this to help with my remodeling.

3 comments about Calculated Industries 6425 DigiRoller Plus II Digital Measuring Wheel.

1. Only had this newer model for a few months, but it's everything good I remember from an earlier model. Great range of measuring units including feet in decimals, feet/inches, inches, yards, and metres. Good display and backlighting option for measuring in low light. Good display even in bright sunlight - numbers don't get washed out. Has many features for measuring areas which I haven't tackled yet. An earlier model I had encountered problems with the battery terminal connections staying tight. This would result in a loss of battery power and loss of all data, usually in the middle of measuring a long length! I had to rig the battery compartment with a piece of tin foil in order to keep a tight battery connection. Doesn't appear that the newer model has significantly changed the design of the battery compartment, so time will tell if I encounter the same problems with this newer model.



2. This item was damaged when it arrived. The hubcap which holds the wheel in place was broken and therefore the item did not function properly. I purchased this item for work and I did not have time to return it and wait for a new one. Instead I had no choice but to super-glue the hubcap to the thread that holds it in place. Considering the cost of this item, I would expect it to be packaged and/or shipped more carefully. I am extremely disappointed.



3. I use this in my work. I also own a Rolatape 300RP. There is no comparison in convenience and functionality--the DigiRoller wins hands down. It has lots of buttons and features (like figuring sq ft areas) that I don't use (that's what a CAD program is for). I just use these wheels to measure dimensions. Since the Digi's buttons are up on top, it's easy to zero it and reset it, without having to lift the wheel up like you do the Rolatape. Also the Digi's readout can be lighted with the touch of a button--I just used the Rolatape today, for the first time in years, and, measuring a darkened area, really hated to have to walk over to a light source to see my readout. BUT here's the rub--the reason I took my Rolatape to today's job was that it was in a city that is easier to get to by train than by car, and since convenience dictated I could only bring one wheel, it had to be the old Digiroller--because it folds up smaller for public transit, and is perfectly reliable, even if a bit of a nuisance to use. I own three DigiRoller 6425's--here's the story. The first one had its handle break after a couple of years, so I epoxied it, and it works fine except that the handle only telescopes partly down now. So I bought another one, just so I'd have one that was perfectly functional in every way. That one worked flawlessly for about 3 years, then one day its readout went blank, even though the batteries were good. The next day, it worked fine again, and continues to work, but I can't afford to have anything that's not reliable, so I bought another a couple of weeks ago. So, with what you might consider a reliability problem, how come I gave 5 stars to the DigiRoller? Because I wouldn't want to be without it. It's convenient, and more accurate than the Rolatape (it shows tenths of a foot in decimals). My customers and I deserve the accuracy and ease of use available from this unit. But the bottom line is, if you're a professional and need to measure things as part of your work, I recommend you buy this unit AND a Rolatape for backup to keep in your car trunk (or take on the train!), just in case!

No comments about Makita 784810-A-A 4-5/8-Inch Bit Tip Holder and 3-1/8-Inch Bit Tip Holder with #2 Phillips Bit Tip and Slotted Bit Tip.

No comments about Dremel 686-01 Sanding/Grinding kit.

5 comments about DEWALT D51275K 1-1/4-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer Kit.

1. Great product, used several times with moldings and casings, as well as furniture. Finished jobs 5 times faster than by hammer and nails. No jambs and no mechanical problems, you can even nail into small pieces with no splitting, nails sink below the surface and straight every time.



2. This nail gun has been flawless. The nails are easy to load, and visible when loaded so easy the check size and qty. (No shooting blanks with this gun)
   
   The only issues I have had with it are, limited selection of nails for it in the big Orange Store. And then using it for small trim when my Sears Brand 18 guage finish nailer wore out. This means now I need to upgrade and get the dewalt 18 gauge. I will aslo need to get a framming gun as well since this is not big enough to fasten 2X's.



3. This gun started out bad for me, first I was using nails left over from my old Senco sfn2 gun. Turns out they are 14ga. Nails and are a little too tight for the 15ga Dewalt. They worked but had a lot of sticking. So I went to my local lumberyard a bought some generic 15ga nails. The new problem was the gun that held the nails together colleted in the nose of the gun and jammed things up. Out for a new box of senco 15ga nails and things work like a charm. But it was touch and go for a while with this gun, but I very happy now.



4. I'm a contractor and use this gun everyday for everything from exterior trim in New England temperature extremes (many days in single digits)to interior trim and hardwood flooring. Thousands of nails fired, including stainless all sizes without jamming. Oil the gun daily and use 34 degree nails, you won't be dissapointed. Belt hook is good too, especially on pump jacks and wall brackets doing trim.



5. This nailer has worked very well for me. It is very light weight. The depth control is very easy to use. I use Senco nails with virtually no problems.

5 comments about Dremel 2222 Flex Shaft Tool Stand.

1. The advantage of the flex shaft is that it lets you hang the Dremel on the stand, using a pencil-like tool at the "business end", to which you attach your bits (drill, polisher, engraver, or whatever). Because you're not holding the Dremel itself - only the flex shaft - you don't need to deal with the vibrations and weight of the Dremel, letting you do finer work. With the engine parked on the stand, you can grip the flex shaft like a pencil, giving you much more control over what you're doing. Get this stand, along with the flex shaft attachment for your Dremel model, if you're doing any sort of fine craft work or engraving - it's well worth it.



2. If you have, or plan on getting the flex shaft, then this is a must have. I have this permanently mounted to my dremel work bench.



3. Just got this as a gift from my wish list, makes a good low-cost gift. Ditto on the previous reviews, this is a must-have with the Flex Shaft.
   
   The vertical support is made up of 3 tent pole-style tubes, so you can use any number of them, and the c-clamp allows you to slide the poles to any height (can extend below the clamp).
   
   Also, the c-clamp has holes and provides 3 screws for a more permanent installation - 2 at the front and 1 at the top.
   
   By the way, the description doesn't list it, but it is compatable with the 400 Series XPR tools.



4. Love this item! Very handy, keeps my flex shaft out of the way when not in use, yet creates very easy access to it when needed. You have the option of either clamping it down to your workbench or actually screwing it in (comes with the screws) which is nice. I highly recommend it if you love using your Dremel flex shaft!



5. I don't own this handy little item for my 'Flex Shaft Attachment', however; I'm sure I could rig something similar for nothing from the stuff in my junk box.
   A piece of pipe and a clothes hanger would do the job nicely. After that, it's a simple matter of attaching it to your work bench.

4 comments about Stanley 12-101 Small Trimming Plane.

1. This little plane is more than a toy. It is a great tool for small jobs. Very controllable and easily adjustable, it fits well in your hand. I started using it to trim up some doors I was working on, but soon found it indispensible for any kind of trim work. Small enough to fit in any tool belt, it provides a great alternative to running back to the chop saw to take off a sliver of material. It slices clean and square (unlike sandpaper) and leaves a smooth cut end on even the smallest trim. Beats the heck out of a razor knife, too.



2. This little plane is not just a toy! It is a great tool for anybody doing trim work. Having this tool in your belt beats running back to the chop saw to take off a sliver of material. It cuts square and clean, unlike sandpaper, and can even plane end grain smooth. You can also back-cut crown molding and hand-cut angles to fit.



3. I am in the remodeling business and have recently been using this little plane on a cedar siding job. I am often up on a ladder and needed something small that would fit in my tool belt or pocket and this one does the trick.

   Size - While you obviously wouldn't use this for all your planeing needs, for the small detailed work, this is perfect.

   Blade - I have been using this extensively on this job and the blade has managed to stay nice and sharp. The blade was coming loose a little so I now just tighten it down with a pair of pliers and so far the looseness has ended.

   If you need a small planer, I would recommend this one. The Stanley name tends to be a quality hand tool.




4. Don't let it's small size (and price) fool ya. This is a serious little tool. Perfect size for those small trim pieces I sometimes use on my boxes. It does a superior job of trimming end grain on lids to get that perfect fit, and is more accurate than sanding sponges for breaking those sharp edges on the box. It works equally well on softwoods and hardwoods, even those super hard exotics. It takes a very good edge and keeps it quite awhile. I have made a small "shooting" jig for it, so I can shave off that silly little mm on mitered trim for a perfect fit, it really excells at this job. Though quite small it is easy to hold and control. I haven't had any problems with the lock down mech. or movement of the blade once adjusted.
   All things considered I am very pleased with this little guy and would recommend it to everyone.