Although they are a bit late to the party, Bosch has announced that they will be jumping on the 4.0 Ah battery bandwagon in early 2013 with the European release of the 18V Cool Pack. While releases of thins kind have lost their novelty after Metabo, Milwaukee and Dewalt have all announced 4.0 Ah batteries, the thing that really sets the Bosch Cool Pack is their claim of 65% more runtime over 3.0 Ah batteries.

Yes. 65% is the figure they are using.

Now I’m no rocket surgeon, but adding 1 Amp-hour to a 3 amp-hour battery should add a 33% extended run time to your battery, because of math and stuff. However, according to Bosch the reason why these batteries have such a high run time and the reason why they have their really (ahem) cool name is the heat management system in place in the batteries.

With a battery that has that long of a runtime heat management becomes an increasingly important factor. The fact of the matter is, a Lithium Ion battery cannot be operated when it is a temperature in excess of 158 degrees Fahrenheit. Most batteries simply have a failsafe that prevents the battery from working when it reaches temperatures in this range, but Bosch creatively positions the batteries within the pack and uses heat sinks to keep heat away from the battery pack. This results in fewer “forced breaks” while your battery pack cools down, as well as a healthier environment for both the battery and the tool. Along with their boasts of increased run time, Bosch is claiming up to a 100% increase in overall battery life, and a bevy of other factoids (smallest, lightest in class, check out the picture below).

While any guess about a US release of these batteries is purely speculation, you can still get any other Bosch Battery or Charger at Ohio Power Tool. Ohio Power Tool also happens to be a Bosch System Specialist, so if you have any questions about Bosch Tools, be sure to call a pro at (800) 242-4424.

A big shout out to our friends in the UK at www.toolstop.co.uk/blog for the pictures.

Read the full (European) Press release below:

Cordless tools need to be compact and powerful for professional tradespeople to be able to work efficiently. What matters is a long runtime and lifetime of the batteries. Bosch is now meeting and exceeding these requirements by launching 4.0 Ah batteries for 14.4 and 18 volt lithium-ion professional tools.

Jan Breitenbach, who worked on the battery technology for Bosch professional tools as a project leader, knows that the increase in battery capacity offers advantages to professional tradespeople: “Tests by SLG Prüf- und Zertifizierungs GmbH, an independent testing and certification company, prove that the runtime of our GSR 18 V-LI cordless drill/driver is increased by 65 percent when using a 4.0 Ah battery compared to a 3.0 Ah battery.” The basis for this is a higher energy density in the battery packs and an improved internal resistance. This also has a positive effect on the performance capability of the batteries at low temperatures. “Our 4.0 Ah lithium-ion batteries are now clearly superior to both nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries in this respect”, emphasizes the battery specialist.

Cooling technology prevents forced breaks caused by overheating
The longer the runtime, the more important it becomes to prevent the batteries from heating up too much, too quickly, therefore protecting them against premature aging and damage. Breitenbach: “Lithium-ion batteries must not be operated at a temperature over 70 degrees Celsius. Many competitors use a system of electronic cell monitoring to shut down the battery or machine in the event of overheating.” This means that the user is forced to take a break and loses valuable work time. This is why Bosch has gone about it another way: “Since 2006 we have been using the Bosch CoolPack technology in lithium-ion batteries and have also equipped the new 4.0 Ah batteries with it”, says Breitenbach.

Bosch CoolPack batteries have a special housing geometry: the lithium-ion cells are pressed precisely into a red heatsink and thermally bound to it. “It is made of HDPE, a very high density polyethylene. This material is very good at conducting heat, while being electrically insulating and increasing the safety of the battery”, explains Breitenbach. The cooling fins fitted on the bottom offer an enlarged surface for heat exchange and dissipation of the heat outwards, similar to the effect in a refrigerator. As a result, Cool-Pack batteries have a considerably longer life: “Our measurements have shown that the lifetime of these batteries is double that of those without CoolPack technology”, says Breitenbach. Although the batteries are very robust and compact due to their special design, they are the lightest batteries on the market.

The proven “Flexible Power System” is also being used for the 4.0 Ah batteries with CoolPack technology: they are freely interchangeable between 14.4 or 18 volt tools within the same voltage class.

The new 4.0 Ah lithium-ion batteries with CoolPack technology will be available from January 2013 onwards for 14.4 and 18 volt professional tools. The prices are 110 and 135 euros (14.4 and 18 volt) plus VAT. Compact batteries with 2.0 Ah and CoolPack technology will also be available from May 2013 onwards.

With the Mayan apocalypse rapidly approaching, a lot of people are finding themselves woefully under-prepared. For those of you that still have a little shoring up to do for your emergency kit, bug-out-bag, or whatever you happen to call it, I have gone through the trouble of identifying a few tools that can help you keep on keeping on after the end of days.

The first tool I would want in an apocalypse situation is a Stanley Fatmax Fubar Forcible Entry Tool ($90, Amazon). Let’s just say if there is a locked door between me and the second tool that I think I need, the Fubar will help take care of the locked door problem. What Stanley calls “the evil son of the hammer” is actually 8 tools-in-one designed for use by firemen and the like. It has the ability to turn gas lines and fire hydrants on and off, has a striking head for use as a hammer, a prying edge for use as a nail remover/pry bar, and a jaw that hold conventionally sized lumber. It is made of one piece of solid forged steel, and has flame resistant grips as well as an integrated carabiner hole so it is more easily packed and transported. Coming from someone who would have a lot of suburb to get through before a real wilderness survival situation presents itself, a big sturdy tool that combines a spanner wrench with a variety of forced entry applications is not something I would want to leave at home. While people are locking their doors to secure their valuables from looters and fleeing, the Fubar would be a skeleton key of sorts, giving me an edge. Its weight and durability would also make it a decent weapon if push came to shove.

One of the most important things to have would definitely be a first aid kit of sorts, luckily those are carried and sold by Ohio Power Tool, and typically come in a box that can be easily transported. Even though they are supposed to be for 10-100 people, the stuff in them will eventually run out, so periodically resupplying may be a good idea as OSHA typically requires them to be on site in a lot of different types of places. Another item that should not be overlooked is a water purification system. The Platypus GravityWorks Filter ($109, Amazon) is generally recognized to be a good one and will effectively filter 1500 liters of water per fileter cartridge, but unlike chemical purification systems it will not filter out any viruses that are present in the water, which could be an issue in a zombie apocalypse type situation. This is why I would be sure to supplement my first aid kit and water purification with a few cheap bottles of iodine solution. Along with the ability to sterilize cuts and wound, iodine can be used to purify water, making it a smart thing to bring along considering its compact size and life-saving benefits. I would also be sure to try to bring a few books, let’s say three, on survival, hunting, and first aid. In the event of complete systemic collapse of the government, I would still probably go to my public library. Another situation where the Fubar may come in handy.

Another thing you would need is the capacity to make fire. I never quite got the hang of rubbing two sticks or banging rocks together to make fire, so for a reliable, multi-use option that would not depend on electricity or accelerant I would have to lean toward a flint and steel option like the Blastmatch ($22, Amazon). The Blastmatch in particular actually makes the biggest, most controlled spark I have ever seen from a flint and steel tool, and can easily turn a pile of kindling into a full fledged fire.

Back to tools. I would really like to have a hatchet or camp axe to take with me for its obvious wood cutting applications. I would also want it to be a one piece construction like the Kershaw camp axe ($30, Amazon) so I wouldn’t have to worry about axe heads flying off and makeshift means being used to reattach them. The camp axe would be useful not only for cutting firewood, but also cutting lumber to build a shelter if need be. However, not all cuts can be made with a hatchet, so I would be sure to bring along a survival saw like the Sabercut ($22, Amazon) by Ultimate Survival Technologies. The Sabercut would allow me to make saw cuts while easily fitting in any pack and weighing less than half a pound. I would also be sure to get some of the single use tubes of Gorilla Glue, mostly so I wouldn’t have to worry about my whole supply being ruined if the cap came off the or the bottle was compromised in some other way. Also, what multipurpose kit of any sort would not see some use out of duct tape?

And, of course, what survival toolkit would be complete without the Dragon Saw from Diamond Products. I honestly have trouble thinking of situations where I would rather not have a dragon saw (desperately trying to stay afloat, maybe). Need to make some bunker modifications, from the inside out or the outside in? Dragon Saw. Need to cut something out of a multi-car pileup? Dragon Saw, again. Need a saw that will make you the most intimidating mother on the block? Dragon Saw can take care of that, too. Dragon Saw? Dragon Saw.

For those of you aren’t conviced that the world will be ending on Friday, and have work to do, remember that Ohio Power Tool has Dragon Saws, as well as other Diamond Products and lots of other power tools to help you out with whatever job me might be doing. If the website isn’t enough, remember you can always call a pro at (800) 242-4424 with whatever your power tool question may be.

Before you get too infuriated we are certainly not saying this is always the case but we want to highlight a few specific tasks where a track saw really is our personal choice over other more common tools such as a table saw. We also want to try and understand a little better why the track saw is not that popular in the USA when it is one of the most common tools used in Europe and other countries.

Large Sheet Materials

When it comes to ripping large 4’x8’ sheet material and working as a one man wolf pack it is really our preference to use a track saw over the table saw, call us crazy. When placed on the floor with some thick panel insulation under it is very easy for an individual to handle and setup for an extremely high level of precision with almost zero margin for error. More so than even with a large table saw and rollers on each side from our experience. With a track saw there is much more freedom to make angled cuts or plunge cut into a sheet with a very high level of accuracy, that would be much harder to tackle with any other method we’ve found. If you have a good panel saw ($1224, Ohio Power Tool) in your shop and you are making perfectly strait cuts this would obviously be a good option as well but a large investment in money and space with no jobsite application.

On the Jobsite

Even in the shop we prefer this method of using the track saw on a large piece of thick insulation for making long precision cuts, the great news is this technique works exactly the same anywhere you can find a level 4’x8’ slab of concrete to work on. Jobsite tables saws like Bosch’s 4100-09 ($599, Ohio Power Tool) or compact GTS1031 ($369, Ohio Power Tool) and excellent options and ideal for jobsite durability with incredible accuracy. We have no issues with these saws in any way but for handling large sheet material it should be a 2 man operation (according to the safety director & common sense) and both of these units will eat up considerable space in the jobsite trailer. Most track saws come in a case no larger than a standard circular saw case and while the traces can be over 8’ long they are have a very small profile and can hide easily out of site in a well organized trailer.

Circular Saw vs Plunge Track Saw

Certainly we’ve all clamped a 2”x4” to a piece of plywood and it makes fairly strait cuts which works ok for plywood in many applications. For a precision cut however that’s like comparing a shotgun to a rifle and after using a track saw for a little while it’s pretty hard going back, if you care at all about the precision of the cut. Even when fitted with high performance circular saw blades like we recently tested a circular saw is not a finishing tool. For framing lumber circular saws work great but even used without the track in many cases we still prefer to use the plunge cutting track saw over our circular saw. While the  6.5” track saw blade is slightly smaller than the standard 7.25” circular saw blade because of the design it is really hard to see any loss in cutting depth.

ShopBot vs Plunge Track Saw

Ok here is where we blew it. We had previously designed a pedestal bar height table measuring 54” square which could seat 8 if needed. During conception it was always intended as an excellent project to use the ShotBot, a CNC router, which we have access to at the Columbus Idea Foundry for an extremely reasonable $25/hour. For the design of the table top we wanted to cut tons of 1.5” strips of oak plywood, then biscuit joint and glue them together. This may seem completely absurd but at the Idea Foundry there are tons of production jobs continuously going on with lots of large panel scraps from that ShopBot left over. The thought here was if this worked as a building method it would be easy to collect others scraps and salvage an endless supply of these 1.5” strips in various lengths for zero cost that would otherwise go to waste.

While it would have been very simple to cut these strips on fresh new plywood with the ShopBot, if we were going to use others scraps it would not be practical to layout CNC cutting paths around others already cut out shapes (at least not with our limited knowledge of the machine). It would be pretty easy however to cut them down with the track saw simply going right over empty space but definitely not safe to try on a table saw. Then we could stock pile these pieces until we were ready to make something. You probably still think it’s a crazy idea, which after all the time it took to make this table we might not disagree.

After spending several hours cutting these strips and the shapes for the pedestal we’d be happy to go back and scrap that proof of concept for a few minutes of laying out a cut path on the computer and letting the machine do all the work. The time cutting did payoff however as all the strips were more precise than we had really thought 8’ pieces could be with this method. We attribute this to the saw much more than our novice skills and have no doubt in the future we could build this table top mostly with others scraps.

The strips alone of course were not sturdy enough to support such a large surface on top of a smaller pedestal so we used another 4’x4’x1/2” sheet of oak plywood under and trimmed the top with solid oak which made for a very sturdy surface. Apparently enough wood glue will do make anything as hard as Mt Everest.

Some simple work with the Makita compact plunge router, a fair amount of sanding, stain, matte finish poly and it’s ready to take all the beer we can spill on it. We are very happy with the finished product, which has a great distressed yet finished feel we were going for.  While it seemed to work out we are not foaming at the mouth to jump into another project using this technique any time soon. See more in this Facebook Album.

So Why Don’t We See More of the Track Saw in the US

We haven’t found a great answer to this question yet, Festool, Makita and Dewalt do all have nice units here in the US market. Bosch has a very nice unit (from the looks of it) in the rest of the world but has yet to bring it the US market, perhaps for a simple lack of demand. We would also like to encourage them to bring it state side please, if you bring it they will come! In Europe space constraints are a much larger concern for storage and transportation in work vehicles. Perhaps the larger jobsite table saws are just too big and folks have been force to find other ways to get the job done.

Whatever the reason we still think these are very nice tools that belong in anyone’s arsenal if they can afford the investment. While it is a great tool we still would not recommend getting a track saw before investing in a table saw, we are not completely crazy, a table saw is the most used piece of equipment in many shops. We just wanted to highlight some of the features/benefits of the track saw as compared to other more common methods.

For more information on any shop or jobsite saws give the pros at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424.

For reasons I do not fully understand (perhaps as a tax write off), December always seems to be a good time of the year to buy a Ridgid SeeSnake Inspection System. While SeeSnakes are flying off the shelves, I thought I would take an opportunity to discuss the different recording systems that are available for the full size Ridgid SeeSnake reels and talk about what each can and can’t do.

The Ridgid DVD Pack comes in an LCD and OLED version. The LED version has a slightly larger screen and it will not work as well in extremely cold temperatures as the OLED, but other than that they are pretty much the same exact products. As far as recording features, the self-explanatory DVD PACK record the video captured by your SeeSnake onto a DVD. A lot of contactors like this, because not everybody is computer savvy enough to make different file formats and whatnot work on different computers, and as a plumbing contractor you don’t want to have to add Mac and PC compatibility to the list of problems you tackle on a daily basis. At the same time, a pack of CDs are relatively cheaper per disk, so you can give a DVD to your client and never have to worry getting it back. Personally, I have had less than perfect luck burning DVDs in the comfort of an office chair, so I can’t really say how well that would work on a jobsite they can be touchy. You will want to find the right brand of blank DVDs and method you are comfortable with before using this on a paying job.

The Ridgid CS10 and CS1000 are both digital video recorders for your SeeSnake. The CS10 comes equppied with aUSB port for recording onto thumb drives, while the CS1000 comes with two USB ports as well as a hard drive that is autoloaded with the RidgidConnect System, which is a full-on program for creating and editing videos as well as preparing quotes and maintaining records. However, with all this added functionality comes a pretty steep price point. Both record video in a fairly universal AVI format as well as take pictures (JPEG) and have an autolog format for smaller video files. These digital recorders are preferred mostly because USB thumb drives are 100% reusable and are rapidly declining in cost (if you are paying more than $1 per GB you probably could do better), and having the video on a thumb drive makes for easier transition to a computer and e-mail and the customer without needing to rip files from a DVD.  This way you can e-mail files to customers, post them as link on YouTube, or burn them to a DVD on your own computer and give that DVD to your client.

The third option for recording SeeSnake video is the LT1000 laptop interface. This simply provides and intermediary so you can hook a laptop directly to a SeeSnake, and use software that comes with the system to record, edit, and archive your video. With this system the sky is really the limit. Any way you can store and transmit data with your laptop is a way that you can create and transmit the video you take with your SeeSnake. The Ridgid website lists USB and SD as options for storing data, but the fact of the matter is a tech savvy contractor could have the video on his client’s computer before he even leaves the jobsite. The system includes a keyboard so that you would not have to touch your actual laptop while on the job, but the problem I see with this particular system is that there are some jobsite where I would not be comfortable taking and using my laptop. Unless you already have a $4000 jobsite ready laptop, this might not be the solution for you. At the same time, those that have been to the Ridgid School tell me that those with the laptop adapter tend to run into problems based on becoming dependent on the internet.

Remember that the Ridgid Seesnake and all the recording systems discussed above are available at Ohio Power Tool, and if you have any questions about them, Ridgid Products, or any other power tool, don’t hesitate to call a pro at (800) 242-4424.

A lot of people are caught up in the holiday buzz right now. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t bought presents for someone on my list from Ohio Power Tool in the last week (shameless plug), but it is important to remember that there are people with much bigger problems than trying to pick out an extra item so your order qualifies for $25 off and free shipping, or how long the line at the Honeybaked Ham store was yesterday (problems I have recently faced).

The video below gives some details about a project a few British electronics designers undertook in their spare time to try to bring sustainable light to the developing world. However, instead of building another solar powered solution they made a “person” or “gravity-powered” light that runs on the energy created from lifting a bag of ballast (possibly dirt or rocks) off the ground and letting it fall. The video says the light can run for up to 30 minutes, and it is configured to be able to run other small devices.

Basically, this thing is cool enough that I would put it in my own house, and it provides a list of benefits over commonly used kerosene and solar lamps in the developing world. All in all, a very noble undertaking by a handful of Brits to try to make the world a better place.

They are currently looking for some funding to try to get 1000 lights in the hands of people in the developing world, as well as R&D funds to build a “Mark 2″ light, which will boast a longer run time and a radio.

The GravityLight indiegogo project can be found here, and a donation of $50 or more will get a light shipped to your door (in the US or UK) if I interpreted the details correctly. So maybe, when you flip on your light switch so you can find the Kohl’s cash that expires today and run out to the store to do some shopping (another thing I have done recently), you can think a little bit about people that don’t have the luxury of “flipping on a light switch,” and throw a few bucks toward a project that is trying to help them.

Milwaukee has recently announced their plans to release a six-bay sequential M18 charger, lining up well with the recent release of their higher amp hour M18 batteries. The Milwaukee M18 Six Pack Charger is the first multi-bay charger for the M18 batteries, and arguably the first multi-bay charger for the M series of batteries, unless you count the M12/M18 multi voltage charger.

The Six Pack Charger will feature six charging bays for sequential charging of any M18 battery, integrated hang holes to enable vertical mounting of the charger, and a pass through plug, so it does not take up a valuable outlet on the jobsite. I haven’t seen one in person to check it out myself, but it claims to charge one of the new M18 CT 2.0 Ah batteries in 45 minutes, and a M18 XC 4.0 Ah in 90 minutes. The regular compact and XC batteries will charge in 30 minutes and an hour, respectively.

The unit itself does not appear to be much bigger than the three bay chargers of the past, which means they are roughly the size of a medium toolbox, and as a result the hang holes for wall mounting make sense, especially if it is to be used as a battery organizer as much as a charger, or if you are using it in a shop with limited table space for a bulky item. The fact that it charges sequentially is a bit disappointing, but you would probably need some pretty serious power if you wanted to charge 6 M18 batteries all at once in a reasonable amount of time. It also does not have a roll cage to protect it from rough handling, which raises some questions about durability.

All in all, I am sure this will be a great product and will find a happy home in lots of workshops due to its organizing and space saving features. Milwaukee’s multi-bay chargers have been a popular product on jobsites for quite some time, and some of their older Milwaukee Chargers are still in use today, as you can see in the picture below.

The M18 Six Pack Charger has a scheduled release date in January, but you can pre order one at Ohio Power Tool, as well as finding a wealth of other Milwaukee Tools. Don’t forget, if you have any questions about the Six Pack Charger, Milwaukee tools, or anything else power tool related, you can call a pro at (800) 242-4424. You can read Milwaukee’s full press release about the Six Pack Charger below.

Milwaukee® Powers Up the Jobsite with New Six Pack Sequential Charger

12/11/12

MILWAUKEE, WI – Milwaukee Tool Corporation continues to deliver productivity-enhancing solutions to the professional tradesman with the introduction of the M18™ Six Pack Sequential Charger.  The new Energy Star rated charger will sequentially charge up to six battery packs of any Milwaukee M18™ LITHIUM-ION battery, allowing the user to walk away confident they will have enough power to complete their job.

“With the expansion of the M18™ system and the wide adoption of the platform, users often have many tools that require multiple M18™ LITHIUM-ION batteries,” says Justin Hermsen, Assistant Product Manager for Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation.  “With the new six pack charger, users can reduce the amount of time spent changing out batteries, increasing productivity on the jobsite.”

Available in January 2013, the new Six Pack Sequential Charger will feature a compact design, integrated hang holes for vertical mounting, and a pass through plug to conserve outlet space. The new unit will charge M18™ compact batteries in 30 minutes and extended capacity (XC) batteries in 60 minutes.

With the introduction of the new six pack charger and an unrelenting commitment to grow the M18™ cordless platform, Milwaukee® continues to expand its leadership position in LITHIUM-ION cordless.

It seems the folks at that design the Ridgid pipe and tubing cutters have seen the err in their ways after the release of the PTEC 2550 and have sought to correct the most major issue with it. The PTEC 3000 features an open, rather than closed, design for 1-1/2″ pipe. This feature allows you to cut pipe that is single or double flanged or already has a fitting or something that increases the diameter of the pipe.With the earlier version of the product, it could only be slipped on to a pipe due to the closed design, and as a result could only cut pipe that was already 1-1/2″ in diameter on at least one end. With this new feature that will no longer be a problem, which in my humble opinion is a class improvement for this tool. Of course, it also comes with all the features that made the earlier version a worthwhile tool, such as de-burring, beveling and cutting at the same time and cutting in six rotations or less. You can see how the tool works below, as demonstrated by a Ridgid product manager.

You can get your Ridgid PTEC 3000 at Ohio Power Tool, and keep in mind that Ohio Power Tool carries a wide variety of Ridgid products for the plumbing professional. If you can’t find what you need online, you can always call a pro at (800) 242-4424 for any power tool related issue, Ridgid or otherwise.

There are several options to consider where you want to drill a hole into concrete, and for anything larger than 1-2” diameter you will probably want to consider using some form of a core drill bit. Of course, not all concrete core drill bits are created equal, and selecting the right core bit will depend greatly on the type of concrete material, depth, wet vs. dry and specific application. We will take a very quick look at the different types of core drills and core bits available.

SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Drill & Carbide Core Bits

This will probably be the least expensive and also the most limiting option but the SDS Rotary Hammer is a very common tool available on most jobsites, so it is often the go-to choice. The SDS-Plus core bits use multiple carbide cutting segments to pound the concrete into dust (drill used in rotate & hammer mode) and take it away. This type of drilling is done dry so it creates a good amount of silica dust but no wet slurry mess to deal with. This is a good option for concrete block walls but will not perform well in poured concrete. The bit will simply overheat if used in deep concrete or other dense materials, at which point it will degrade very quickly. Also, they are relatively shallow with only about 2” of drilling depth.

The motors on these hammers are fairly small, so the bits are often thin wall and range in size from 1” to as high as 4-3/8” but we would definitely recommend a high performance SDS drill like the Bosch Bulldog Xtreme RH228VC ($259, Ohio Power Tool) or Bosch RH328VC ($274, Ohio Power Tool).

As for the SDS core bits themselves, there are 2 types of setup: one with a carbide pilot drill bit and the other with just a guide pin/plate. The pilot bit option drills right through and keeps entire core more centered. It is also harder to remove the cut out material from the bit and possibly over-drills  into material you don’t want to hit. With the guide pin/plate the hole is started then the guide pin/plate is removed and the hole is completed without additional guidance. This does make removing the cut away material easier and doesn’t require replacing the carbide pilot as often. However, the guide pin/plate is easier to misplace and you need to be more careful when drilling without a pilot.

Large Grinder & Dry Diamond Core Bits

This is another very good option for concrete block walls but should definitely not be looked at as an alternative to wet core drilling. A larger 7” or 9” grinder should be used because of the slower RPM and more torque needed to power these bits. With the dry diamond core bit (up to 6”) in this setup the bit grinds the concrete, not pounding it like a hammer drill so the holes will actually be much cleaner with less chance of blowout on the backside.

The temptation to use these bits for poured concrete walls is very high because of the 9”+ drilling depth but the dangers of running these bits dry in that type of application are very high. These bits are almost identical to the wet diamond bits but with a thin wall design so they will overheat very quickly if not given enough fresh air and time to cool. These core bits can be used wet as well to keep them more cool which we would recommend if that is a safe option.

SDS-MAX & Spline Rotary Hammer Drills & Carbide Core Bits

This setup is very similar to the carbide core bits with the SDS-Plus but uses a larger Spline or SDS-MAX rotary hammer drill. The bits themselves are also deeper (3”+) and have thicker wall with wider carbide inserts. These bits again work terrific in block walls and while it is very tempting to use them in solid concrete as well, they are really not intended for that kind of use. This kind of prolonged deep drilling will easily overheat the bit to the point it will significantly decrease wear life. These bits aren’t cheap (none of them are) so our guess is you’ll be pretty frustrated if you end up burning up your bit after only a few uses.

These larger carbide core bits also come in two types with a pilot drill bit and a guide pin/plate version. Our personal preference is the guide pin/plate set up because we’ve gotten the remaining cut concrete jammed in the bit a few to many times. We’ve also seen guys bash these bits against the ground to get the core out (our guess would be those bits were being billed to the job) which of course makes them warp, crack and wear out prematurely.

Core Drill & Wet Diamond Core Bits

For most applications in solid concrete this is going to be the best way to drill your holes. For holes up to 3” diameter a hand held core drill like the Weka DK12 ($1497, Ohio Power Tool) or Eibenstock END 130/3 ($1229, Ohio Power Tool) are  very easy ways to go with little setup time. For larger diameters up to 14”, a core rig like the Diamond Products Core Bore M1 ($1950, with Milwaukee 20A motor) is the way to go, but it will certainly require a lot more setup time to anchor down.

No matter what diameter the standard length of a wet bit will give you about 12” drilling depth (much longer if special ordered) which means it will easily pass thought poured concrete walls. These bits will need to be run wet, which certainly can create a new set of issues if working in, say, a finished basement or other sensitive spaces. There are some simple slurry containment options such as the Bit Buddy 1-4” or 4-8” as well as a host of other products, but odds are you are still going to make some mess. With proper usage even though the Diamond Core Bits can be pretty pricy this really is often the most economical option when averaging cost over many holes.

So which Core Bit is Right for You?

That’s a loaded question for sure. Of course we don’t all live in a perfect world where we have the absolute right tool and bit for every specific job. If you already own a large SDS-Max rotary drill and a 3” carbide core bit from a previous job, could you get through a poured wall with a fairly clean hole? Sure you could, it’s just not recommended. We are not the core bit police, we just wanted to highlight some of the different options and recommended usages so you know if you are over using your tool/bit to be careful. If you have any questions about core bits and drills you can always call a pro at Ohio Power Tool 800-242-4424 and they can guide you to the best options.

Based on the success of their 18″ Bandsaw since its release in 2008, Powermatic has recently announced that it will be releasing a 15″ bandsaw with many of the features that made the 18″ so popular. The 15″ bandsaw has a heavy-duty 3HP motor and a huge 14″ resaw capacity. Another neat feature for this particular model is in the electronic controls. A common practice for woodworkers is to releive the tension on the blade when not in use, but this could be dangerous or damaging if the saw is turned on while the blade is not tensioned. The Powermatic PM-1500 will not turn on if the blade is not tensioned, which is a nice addition to an already feature-rich machine.

You can read the official press-release below, and don’t forget to check out the new line of Powermatic products available at Ohio Power Tool. Remember, you can always call a pro with your questions about Powermatic or any other tool at (800) 242-4424.

NEW 15-INCH POWERMATIC PM1500 BANDSAW 

BLENDS TOP CUTTING CAPACITY, INNOVATIVE FEATURES

Lavergne, TN – Powermatic^® engineers didn’t skimp when they designed the new PM1500, 15” Bandsaw as the little brother of the popular PM1800, 18” model, which is the gold standard in commercial woodworking shops across the country. Just like its elite 18” sibling, the PM1500 features bigger-than-average resaw capacity, exclusive fully adjustable fence, multi-step blade tensioning, precision guide and thrust bearings and heavy duty steel and cast iron construction throughout.

“The Powermatic PM1500 Bandsaw has a full 14” of resaw height and 14½” of blade-to-frame width, creating a class of its own,” said Joan Duvall, Powermatic’s Director of Product Management-Wood. “This heavy-duty, high-performance bandsaw offers a solid blend of accuracy, innovative features, durability, ease of use and value for small to mid-sized woodworking shops and serious enthusiasts. It’s engineered to be the last bandsaw a proud owner will ever need to buy.”

Destined to be one of the most versatile machines in the shop, the Powermatic PM1500 can be used to resaw and rip lumber to size, cut curves for cabinetry or furniture making, create decorative scrollwork or even cut joints such as tenons and dovetails. Name a precise woodcutting task, and the PM1500 handles it smoothly, quickly and easily.

At 394 lbs., the PM1500 is no lightweight. The bandsaw’s sturdy cast iron table and trunnion assembly provides maximum rigidity for heavy work pieces. Even the steel cabinet doors are secured with all-metal, rotating cam locks.  Overall dimensions of the saw are 30¼”L x 34-3/8”W x 80¼”H.

The bandsaw is driven by a 3HP, 1PH, 230V motor that’s hungry for hardwoods and other tough cutting jobs.  Power is transmitted to the drive pulley system via a durable Poly-V belt, delivering a blade speed of 3100 SFPM.  A magnetic switch protects the motor from potentially damaging power variations, and also guards the operator by preventing the motor from starting unexpectedly after a power interruption. Removing a magnetic key disables the machine when left unattended.

The PM1500 Bandsaw’s spacious 21½” x 16” cast iron table is precisely ground to insure flatness.  The table tilts 45° to the right and 10° left, by using a cast-iron handwheel. A large scale makes setting the desired table angle and locking the table in place fast and easy. The table surface is a comfortable 40” from the floor.  A standard miter slot is provided, along with a miter gauge that features a pivoting head with stops at 45 and 90° left/right.

The bandsaw’s exclusive Accu-Fence measures 19¾”L x 6½”H and slides along the fence arm on a steel guide rail. This large, extruded aluminum fence can be used lying flat on the table for inlays and furring strips or upright for crown molding and other materials.  It also can be adjusted front-to-back, as needed to suit the project. This true T-style fence is fully adjustable to be square to the table surface vertically and parallel to the blade front and back. Drift correction adjustments are easy and accurate.  An included solid-steel, chrome-plated resaw post can be mounted to an aligning slot in the fence, using a finger-operated knob.

The upper and lower blade wheels are crafted from iron castings that are precisely machined, painted and fitted with tires before they are computer balanced.  They accommodate 153”-long blades, ranging from 1/8” to 1” wide. Both wheels run on dual ball bearings to assure smooth operation and minimize drag. The blade wheels’ massive weight creates consistent inertia that helps make smoother cuts in hardwoods.  The bandsaw’s foot-operated braking system helps stop a coasting blade more quickly. A micro-switch automatically shuts off power to the motor when the brake pedal on the front of the saw is depressed.

All controls for blade tensioning are easy to access on the outside of the upper cabinet.  Turning a large, cast iron handwheel sets tension by precisely moving the blade mount block up and down.  A blade tracking window and white tires make viewing the blade easier during critical adjustments.  In addition, a handy blade tension release lever provides full-tension, partial-tension and blade-release settings for making blade changes and relaxing the blade when not in use.  The blade tension release has an electrical interlock to prevent the bandsaw from starting when the blade is de-tensioned or released.

The PM1500 Bandsaw is equipped with high-quality, ball-bearing blade guides. Adjustment of both the upper and lower guide sets is tool-free.  A specially designed thrust bearing has a groove to accommodate different blade designs, including smaller scrolling blades that would otherwise require aftermarket blade stabilizers.

A 4”-diameter dust port located on the back of the bandsaw below the table is designed to evacuate debris in conjunction with a dust collection system having a minimum capacity of 600 CFM.

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If you win, you will presumably never have to do any of these things again. I know I have tried a couple myself with mixed results.

If you are still looking for gifts, or perhaps want to treat yourself to something, remember that Ohio Power Tool has great deals running from now until Christmas. There is currently free shipping on all Milwaukee purchases over $100 (Coupon Code: mil2012), and free shipping plus a $25 instant savings on any Bosch purchase over $100 (Coupon Code: bosch2012). They also have several models of Generac Generators in stock, but they are still going fast so you probably want to call a pro at (800) 242-4424 for generator availability.