That brick wall probably looked good at some point, but then someone covered it with paint. Why? Who knows. We could sit around questioning the aesthetic preferences of someone else till we’re blue in the face. But at the end of the day, that classic brick surface still has a layer of old, rubbery garbage smeared across it, and we still want to restore the original look. It’s a challenge, so we wrote this article on how to remove paint from brick without ruining it.

How to Remove Paint from Brick: Inspect Before You Quote

Unfortunately, the top 10 “stubborn jobs” list probably includes paint removal from brick. Many DIYers have begun the job only to be disappointed with the results. Or, perhaps they’ve been pleased with the results, but have unwittingly weakened the brick in the process.

That being the case, if you have clients that have requested a quote, it’s wise to inspect the job thoroughly first. You may find that the best-case scenario still won’t yield the desired results. It’s more likely you’ll find that you need to adjust your quote for this often time-consuming job. If you follow some of these tips for removing paint from brick surfaces, you might just save some time and mitigate some frustration.

Assessing the Integrity of the Wall

First, you’ll need to determine if the brick will look nice enough to be unpainted. Ask your client if you can inspect and even test a removal process in an inconspicuous area. How many layers of paint are there? What is the brick’s condition? It’ll be much easier to quote (or not quote) using a test area. After testing, you and your client might decide that the cost of paint removal outweighs the benefits, and they’ll just learn to live with the painted brick.

Avoid Pressure Washing or Sandblasting

However, if the project gets the green light, there are a few things you’re going to want to avoid. First, while it seems like it might make sense to sandblast or pressure wash the painted brick, don’t. This treatment can weaken or damage older, brittle brick. That might be the reason it was painted in the first place.

It’s also possible that if the paint is old, it might contain lead that sandblasting releases into the air. Although sandblasting or pressure washing can reach all the nooks and crannies of porous brick, it’s often too risky.

Avoid Using Caustic Chemicals

You’re also going to want to avoid caustic chemicals when removing paint from brick. These solutions tend to have the same adverse effects on older brick surfaces as sandblasting does. It can also make old brick more brittle.

Ultimately, you’re going to want to find a solution that does the least amount of damage to the underlying brick, and using these methods could potentially leave you with a bigger problem than a coat of stubborn paint.

So what to do? Read on. There’s another solution.

How to Remove Paint from Brick Using Gels and Paper

One of the most effective methods for removing paint from brick surfaces comes via a two-step process. A gel or paste compound, used in conjunction with a paper or fiber material, makes paint removal a less tiresome affair.

Basically, you’ll scrape off any peeling paint that might be present, and then apply the remover. Fiber or paper strips are applied next. As the remover cures, usually in 24 hours or less, a chemical reaction occurs. The paint bonds with the fiber and you gently peel it away, taking the paint with it.

Of course, there will likely be some stubborn paint that will put up a fight, but agitating the brick with a drill and fiber brush bit can remove any remaining paint. You may be surprised how well this works and it doesn’t make the brick brittle.

Final Thoughts on How to Remove Paint from Brick

Appropriate safety gear is a must when working with chemicals. Protect eyes, skin, and lungs from harm with the right PPE. It’s also a wise idea to tape down a plastic drop cloth to protect everything under the work area.

While a chemical application is probably the best course for this job, it can create a rinse-water disposal challenge. You’ll need to check local codes for that. And be sure to read the labels carefully. Some chemicals can weaken the brick. By applying the right chemical stripper and agitating (for example, using a cordless drill with a fiber brush bit) or scraping properly, you can remove a great deal of the paint. A second application might be necessary.

We hope you’ve benefitted from this article. If you’re a Pro and have any tips for removing paint from brick, please share them in the comments below.

The post How to Remove Paint from Brick Without Ruining It appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Table saws are one of the most common and helpful tools in the workshops of both Pros and non-Pros alike. A healthy respect for all tools is important. However, the need for safety around the table saw’s large spinning blade is obvious. We’ve written more extensively about table saw safety standards, but these 7 table saw safety tips could save you from serious injury.

1. Use Push Sticks and Push Blocks

It’s our contention that the best way to not be cut by a table saw blade is to be sure no part of your body is near it. All fingers, hands, arms, and so on should have a good alibi when the blade is spinning. Those alibis should all include that they were nowhere close to the blade. If fingers or hands do come near the blade (like when it’s time to change it), be sure to unplug the saw first. Of the 5 essential table saw safety tips this may be the most obvious and most important.

2. Be Sure to Install the Blade Guard

Blade guards are good safety features that remind us to beware of the spinning blade while in the heat of the cut. They allow the stock to be pushed through the cutting line without exposing the blade.

3. Kickback Pawls are an Essential Table Saw Safety Feature

The riving knife discussed below does a lot on its own to prevent kickbacks. However, you get even more benefits from using the included kickback pawls. Both features together help prevent a Type 2 kickback as described in our article Setting the Optimal Table Saw Blade Height. If during the cut, the stock crosses the teeth coming up out of the table and begins to lift, the kickback pawls grab it and help keep it in place. You may damage your workpiece, but anything preventing your material from turning into a projectile is a plus in our book.

4. The Riving Knife Helps Prevent Kickback

A riving knife performs the same function as a splitter but moves with the blade as it’s raised and lowered. The splitter remains stationary as the blade is raised and lowered so it’s most safe (and most like a riving knife) at its higher extreme. But as the blade is lowered, the gap between the splitter and blade increases and therefore the chance that a piece of stock gets in between them increases, too. This is the reason that we think the riving knife is superior to the splitter.

5. Stand to the Side When Making Rip Cuts

The safest area around a spinning table saw blade lies anywhere not in the blade cut line. Make a habit of standing to the side of the blade while making rip cuts. As much as possible, you want to ensure any material suddenly thrust towards you has a fighting chance to miss your body.

6. Wait Until the Blade Stops Spinning

Before removing your waste material, wait until the blade stops spinning. Then you can collect stock from the table. This holds especially true when making rip cuts that leave material between the fence and blade. A related tip—unplug the saw when you finish making your cuts.

7. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

You could probably come up with a list of many more specific table saw safety tips. We’ll classify this as a general tip to be wise. Are there power cords or scrap stock that you could trip on during the cut? Do you have safety glasses on? Ear protection?

We hope you’ve found these 7 essential table saw safety tips helpful! If you’re a Pro, and you have table saw tips, add them in the comments below—or contact us with your own Pro tips. Happy sawing!

The post 7 Essential Table Saw Safety Tips from the Pros appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Even if you’re not a professional tradesman, the chances are you’ve probably used a traditional spirit level around the house. You set the level on the surface you’d like to level and adjust until the bubble is between the lines. This bubble or spirit level has been used for hundreds of years. But do you ever wonder how builders make things level when the two points of interest are far away from each other, the ground is uneven, and there’s not yet a surface on which to set the level? A little modern technology—in the form of lasers—has augmented the old method and allows us to quickly find elevations between distant points and make the foundation level even if the ground is not. The tool for the job is the rotary laser and this is our handy guide to choosing a rotary laser.

Essential Features to Look for When Choosing a Rotary Laser

Self Leveling

Rotary lasers have two main components. A transmitter, typically mounted on a tripod, with a spinning diode that emits a laser beam and a receiver, mounts on a large ruler called a transit—or grade—rod. This detects the laser and indicates whether it’s higher than, lower than, or level with the beam.

Ironically, less expensive transmitters may have bubble levels since they themselves must be leveled before sending out the laser. But higher-end transmitters are self-leveling within 4 or 5 degrees. While this is technically optional, it isn’t in our book. We won’t use one that doesn’t have this feature.

Accuracy

Rotary laser levels are measured by how accurate they are at a certain distance with some measured at around 30 feet to as much as 100 feet. As you might imagine, the tolerance tightens up as the price point rises. When you’re choosing a rotary laser, you’ll find most around 1/8-inch accuracy at 100 feet while the high-end models like our DeWalt DW079LG dial it into 1/16-inch.

Range

Increasing the range also increases the price, but you’ll typically find a distance between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. Keep in mind that the further the range, the more important the accuracy. If you’ll be shooting elevations at points far away from one another, not only will you need a rotary level with a long-range but also a high degree of accuracy.

Durability

Needless to say, jobsites are tough environments where crewmembers tip over and otherwise damage sensitive equipment.  But since the spinning diode of a rotary laser level’s transmitter is delicate, it’s even more important to keep it protected from danger. Be sure you choose a rotary laser level with some built-in defense like rubber bumpers or arms/handles for shock absorption.

If it takes a lot of abuse, you’ll want to get it back to a service center for recalibration at least once a year.

Rotational Speed

You’ll also want to consider if you’ll use the rotary laser level indoors as well when deciding if the variable rotational speed is important. Variable speed might seem like a strange option since it seems like the laser should spin quickly enough to detect at all points around the circle easily. But it turns out that while high speeds allow the receiver to more easily detect the laser, slower speeds make the laser more visible. You won’t likely see the laser outside, after all, that’s what the receiver is for, but visibility is important indoors where you won’t use a receiver.

A Few Good Options that Aren’t as Critical

Rechargeable Batteries

When you’re choosing a rotary laser, features make a difference. After all, this isn’t a $50 drill. One of our must-have features is a rechargeable battery system. We love the fact that our DeWalt Green Tough Rotary Laser is a 20V Max tool – so we have plenty of other tools and batteries on the system. We’re not tossing alkaline batteries out and we’re not stuck on a battery platform with only a handful of tools.

Color

You probably think of a red beam when you’re choosing a rotary laser, but over the last few years, the green laser got a photon the door (terrible joke alert!) because it offers a few advantages. Green lasers are much more visible to our eyes than are red lasers, making them better tools for indoor applications while also giving us a shot at seeing it outside within reason. It still has its limits, though, and you’ll need your receiver beyond a handful of yards in bright sun.

Editor’s note: Adam’s pretty snarky and full of good humor, but photon the door? Really? That’s pretty rough. You’re going to end up babysitting David C. Smith if you don’t reign it back in.

Green lasers do have their drawbacks, however. They don’t work in freezing temperatures, they are more expensive than red lasers, and they’re more power-hungry. Since it’s less likely that you’ll be using a green laser outside in freezing temperatures, that might not be a big drawback, but a higher price point might be. But once you see the remarkable visibility of the green versus red, you might very well go green.

Adjustable Rotation Angle

Whether you’re using your laser indoors or out, limiting the diode’s rotation angle can keep the laser on target more frequently. Inside, you keep it visible on your workspace. Outside, you keep it on your receiver more and limit the laser beam reaching a coworker’s eye behind you. Our DeWalt rotary laser gives us options of 15, 45, and 90 degrees.

Mounting Accessories

Most Pros have their rotary laser on a tripod or freestanding. But mounting accessories can make life easier. Many of these will be kitted with the laser and include helpful mounts that can clamp to any material or magnetically stick to steel beams.

The Bottom Line

So how do you go about choosing a rotary laser level?

Most critical are range, accuracy, and durability in that order. We won’t leave the shop without a self-leveling model and adjustable rotation speed is a must if you’ll use it indoors. Green lasers will also net you great visible range than red, but either color is fine for outdoor applications when you’re unlikely to see the beam.

From there, you’ve got some wiggle room if your budget allows. We really prefer a rechargeable battery and adjustable rotation angle in case we need to keep the laser dialed into a smaller area. Also, take a look at what accessories come with the kit. A magnetic, clamping, or keyholed mount can make life easier when you’re not able to use a tripod.

The post Choosing a Rotary Laser Level for Professional Use appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

We’ve reviewed a few drain snakes and drain augers over the last year, as there have been marked innovations in the world of cordless plumbing solutions. In almost all these new products, the drum and the drain snake make up integral parts of the tool. And, in those tools, the drum and drain snake do most of the dirty work. The water, grease, and grime of clogged drains will eventually take their toll on the business end of your plumbing equipment. However, performing some simple, routine maintenance on the drum and drain snake will help keep your drain auger unclogging drains for years to come. Here are some drum and cable care tips from the Pros in case you’re new to the trade.

Drum Auger and Cable Care Tips

1. Lubricate The Snake

Pros use snake oil, gear oil, and even regular motor oil to lubricate the snake after each use. This helps prevent rust from forming on the metal and prolongs the life of the drum auger cable.

2. Pull the Plug

Some drain snakes have plugs to allow excess water to escape the drum. Be sure to pull the plug and let the drum drain into a bucket at the end of the day. If it’s an extremely cold winter, you may have to do it after each job to ensure you don’t get a frozen snake.

Even if you lubricate your drum cable regularly, excess standing water always leads to rust.

3. Remove the Drum to Access the Cable

Every so often, it’s good to remove the drum to expose the cable and clean the grime that accumulates inside. Let it sit open to dry if you have time.

4. Soak the Snake

Periodically pull the snake all the way out of the drum and coil it up in a bucket full of water with detergent. Just be sure to move on to the next step before too long to avoid rust.

5. Dry It Out

Use a rag to dry off the snake after soaking it in detergent. Then, let it lay out to fully dry before lubricating it.

Or, Avoid the Drum and the Snake Altogether

We recently took a look at the Milwaukee M12 AirSnake, which not only works well for lighter duty clogs, but it eliminates the use of drums and drain snakes altogether. Instead of running a snake down the drain, the AirSnake uses air pressure and the existing water in the line to push clogs through the pipe. A Pro plumber will still need the drain auger for some clogs, but this product will take care of grimy stoppages.

Final Thoughts

If you follow these drum and cable care tips, you can expect to get years of use out of your equipment. A little oil, some TLC, and mere minutes of work, and these tools can keep you earning money without letting you down.

If you’re a Pro and you have any drain snake tips, add them in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

The post Drum Auger and Cable Care Tips from the Pros appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Springtime often catches us off-guard every year. We once again have to move leaves, grass clippings, and general detritus from lawns, driveways, and sidewalks. What? You don’t want to rake and sweep all day long for a week? Neither do we. Joining our aversion to unnecessary work with our love of power tools causes us to quickly reach for a blower. As with most tool categories, there’s a smorgasbord of choices: corded, cordless, gas-powered, backpack, handheld—even wheeled. Some have four-stroke engines, some are 18V or 36V or 56V…Then you have the blower MPH vs CFM issue. We aim to answer those questions by starting with the issue of gas blowers vs battery powered blowers.

What Matters Most?

Gas-powered and battery-powered blowers greatly outrank corded electric models, so we’ll focus there. Still, blower principles remain the same, so don’t abandon ship now if corded or wheeled models interest you. You should consider several things before deciding on a gas vs battery leaf blower.

We start with some basic questions. That helps you determine the actual power, speed, and airflow you need to get the work done. Just because a product has the highest speed or CFM possible, doesn’t mean you need all that power for your 1/8-acre lot. It may, however, mean a world of difference to someone clocking several hours a day with a backpack blower.

Gas vs Battery for Commercial Work

The type and volume of debris you regularly need to move help determine, in large part, the blower power needed. If you have dry leaves and clippings lightly scattered on concrete you need less power than if you consistently have piles of damp debris.

Although battery technology continues to gain on petrol products in the area of performance, in general, gas engines still win the power contest hands-down.

For those working 8 hours a day on a landscaping crew, the power of a backpack battery has yet to be matched. With that said, most users of backpack blowers probably don’t need quite as much power as the top-performers deliver. Still—you get more done with greater CFM and airspeed.

Verdict: Gas backpack blowers produce, by far, the most blowing power (measured in Newtons of Force). For commercial applications, battery power has yet to compete on this level.

The Exception to the Rule

If you don’t find yourself blowing difficult loads, or you live in a climate that doesn’t produce much moisture, a battery-powered leaf blower might be a great alternative that can save you money over the long term. You also need to be aware of the many laws coming down on landscaping tools that seem to be targeting loud leaf blowers in particular.

Gas vs Battery Leaf Blower Weight

Those gas engines may pack more power, but they come with another potential trade-off. Some are heavier than battery-powered blowers. Yes, those lithium-ion batteries are dense and heavy themselves. However, they still don’t tip the scales as much as that two- or four-stroke engine, fan, throttle, and accompanying parts.

The exception to this comes with some Pro manufacturers who offer heavier-duty commercial systems with high-capacity battery backpacks. Some of those products actually tip the scales even against the top-performing gas leaf blowers.

Let’s make some quick comparisons to get an idea of what we’re looking at:

Gas Leaf Blower Weights

• Stihl BR 800 C-E Magnum backpack blower – 25.8 lbs
• ECHO PB-770 backpack blower – 24.5 lbs.
• Stihl BR 600 backpack blower – 21.6 lbs.
• ECHO PB-255LN handheld blower – 10.2 lbs.
• Husqvarna 525BX handheld blower – 9.48 lbs.

Battery-Powered Leaf Blower Weights

• Husqvarna 550iBTX backpack blower – 34.6 lbs. (w/battery)
• EGO LBX6000 and BAX1501 backpack battery – 25.9 lbs.
• Stihl BGA 200 with AR 2000 backpack blower – 24.5 lbs.
• EGO LB6000 backpack blower – 18.8 lbs. (w/battery)
• EGO LB6500 handheld blower – 9.8 lbs. (w/battery)
• ECHO CPLB-58V handheld leaf blower – 8.5 lbs. (w/battery)
• Husqvarna 320iB handheld leaf blower – 8.15 lbs. (w/battery)

In general, you can find lighter options for handheld battery-powered leaf blowers vs gas blowers. For backpack models, the battery-powered models stay more similar in weight due to the presence of larger backpack batteries. Typically, however, this weight stays closer to the body and ergonomics are much-improved.

Gas vs Battery Leaf Blower Maintenance

If you’ve been using battery-powered tools for a while, you recognize the many things needed to keep them running. You also understand having to keep a small container of gas around for refills. You know about having to mix the proper ratio of gas and oil for your two-cycle products. Fiddling with the pull string, priming bubble, choke (especially after winter or a period of disuse) becomes second nature. Fouled spark plugs and rebuilding carburetors could also take some additional time out of your schedule.

Of course, we’ve done tons of good work with gas-powered tools, but you still need to contend with these issues when using them.

So what about the maintenance of battery-powered blowers? Well, remember to charge the battery. It’s cleaner—and fewer parts have to work correctly after a period of disuse. They also don’t generate the heat that gas-powered blowers generate.

The potential downside? Parts and support. Many battery-powered tools have very few parts available—particularly on a local dealer level. Instead, you often have to send the tool in, losing the use of it for several weeks at a time. Even warranty coverage tends to be a tad difficult depending upon where you bought the tool. Pros definitely need to keep this in mind when making the switch to battery or setting up a dedicated battery-only trailer.

Noise Levels (dBA)

It might not make or break your buying decision, but the decibels produced while the work is done are no small matter both for your ears and your neighbors’ ears. Battery-powered blowers are quieter than their gas counterparts.

For this reason, many municipalities like Washington D.C. have managed to completely ban gas-powered leaf blowers. Similar legislative moves are in process all over the country.

Until they can’t, Pros typically still choose gas-powered blowers. Some Pros, however, have begun supplementing their gas tools with battery-powered ones in those neighborhoods with noise restrictions. In any event, we don’t recommend using either one at 7 am on Saturday morning!

What Really Matters: CFM and MPH

All of the above considerations are important, but we really need to know if the blower can get the job done. To determine that, we look at two inextricable metrics: Cubic feet per minute (CFM) and miles per hour (MPH). That represents volume and speed, respectively.

Some smaller blowers showcase their MPH as measured at the end of the nozzle while some larger blowers advertise their CFM. Although we consider CFM more important, having higher numbers in both areas lets you accomplish more work.

Conceptualize it like this: If you could hook a powerful air compressor up to a drinking straw such that the air was coming out of the drinking straw at 500 MPH, would it be an efficient leaf blower? No, because the volume of air is so low. Conversely, if you set an industrial fan 5-feet in diameter at the edge of your property and fired it up, would it be an efficient leaf blower? No again: you’d produce volume but not necessarily speed.

All that to say that higher CFM moves more debris while higher MPH moves heavier, wet debris. Consider both metrics and compare them to the work you’ll be doing. We also measure Newtons—which equates to the actual force (power) of the blower. Regardless of whether a blower emphasizes speed or volume, Newton force reveals the true blowing force.

How Good are Battery Powered Blowers Really?

So let’s take a look at some highly-rated blowers and how they have increased in power and speed over the years.

2014 EGO LB4800 – 480 CFM

EGO, available at Acme Tools, Lowe’s, and Amazon, began its battery-powered blower offering back in 2014 with the LB4800 blower, producing 480 CFM and 92 MPH. This blower has a noise rating of 64 dBA, and weighs just 5 pounds (without the battery). The price? Around $109 or $189 for a kit with a 2.5Ah battery. You can still get this excellent blower.

2016 EGO LB5300 – 530 CFM

The next generation EGO LB5300 blower hit the market in 2016. It moved up to 530 CFM and 110 MPH while keeping the noise level down and weighing just 7.4 pounds with the kitted 2.5 amp-hour battery. You can find the kit for $199.

2019 EGO LB5800 – 580 CFM

Compare that to the battery-powered EGO LB5800 blower which arrived next. Also available online or in-store, it boasts 580 CFM and 168 MPH. It also carries a noise rating of just 65 dB and a weight of just 9.6 pounds. The price stays low at $169 for the bare tool.

2020 EGO LB6500 – 650 CFM

The EGO LB6500 blower marks the latest and greatest to arrive. Pushing an astounding 20.8 Newtons in our ANSI-based testing rig, this blower outdid every other handheld model we had tested. If you need the best handheld blower battery can offer, this model runs about $299 as a kit with a 5Ah battery.

What About Battery Backpack Blowers?

2016 EGO LB6004 – 600 CFM

For even more power and a big boost in run time over either of the handheld models, we got the EGO battery-powered backpack blower (model LB6004). This system produces 600 CFM and 145 MPH. Noise peaks around 64 dBA, and the entire tool weighs just 13 pounds. The price comes in at $319 for the kit with a 5Ah battery.

2019 EGO LBX6000 – 600 CFM

For Pros, EGO also released the 600CFM LBX6000 Commercial cordless blower. It’s designed to work with the EGO BAX1501 backpack battery. You can get just the blower for $399 or the kit for $1,299.

Gas-Powered Backpack Blowers Still More Powerful

When considering gas blowers versus battery-powered blowers, backpack designs remain the “Holy Grail”. Although the EGO backpack blower might rival some commercial blowers, we’d be remiss if we didn’t feature some excellent gas-powered options. Check out these options from Stihl and Husqvarna.

The the BR 700 remains Stihl’s most powerful commercial gas-powered backpack blower. It packs 912 CFM and 197 MPH, has a noise rating of 75 dB, and weighs 23.4 pounds. The price? About $550.

One of Husqvarna’s most powerful commercial gas-powered backpack blowers, the 580BTS Mark II, might blow you away with its 941 CFM and 206.2 MPH power. It has a noise rating of 112 dB and weighs 26.3 pounds. The price point comes in around $550. These are not “homeowner” models unless you live on considerable acreage or need to move a lot of leaves.

Other Considerations

You still can’t beat the run-time of gas—unless you carry a lot of charged batteries. For this reason, Pros are likely to stick with gas-powered blowers for their primary load-outs.

When comparing gas blowers versus battery powered blowers, you rarely see slanted nozzles on the former. Nozzle shape influences the tip speed (MPH) so for some applications, you can consider changing the tip shape to accommodate the work. Just don’t fall for gimmicks where higher speeds are achieved by battery models through thinning out the tip of the tool.

Also, be sure to estimate the average length of time you’ll use the blower. Not only do you need to consider how comfortable it is to use, but it could also help you determine if a gas-powered blower is best or if you can get the job done on one battery charge or less. Many new models run continuously in excess of 20-30 minutes.

The Answer (to Gas Blowers Versus Battery Powered Blowers) is Blowin’ in the Wind

When comparing gas blowers versus battery powered blowers, seriously consider the scope of work. Specifically, look at CFM and MPH, then decide what type of blower power you need to produce. We hope you’ve benefited from this guide. If you have more ideas, leave us a comment below!

The post Gas vs Battery Powered Leaf Blowers appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

If you’re a professional tradesman, the power tools of the trade are how you make your living. They also represent one of your largest expenses! Of course, this also holds true in the garage or workshop for the DIYer or hobbyist. Knowing how to care for power tools properly helps you improve both the safety and longevity of these moneymakers. We gathered several key tips from our Pro reviewers and staff.

Where Do You Store Your Tools?

It’s unlikely that your power tools are stored in an air-conditioned space. That means they can be exposed to humidity. This isn’t good for the metal components. The best place for a tool is in its original case. Of course, it’s not always convenient to “unpack” each time you want to use it. Keep your storage area as dry as possible, and consider placing some moisture-absorbing containers nearby. You can place these on the shelves or in the cupboards where your tools reside.

Heat Kills Batteries

For cordless power tools, heat really kills lithium-ion batteries. Taking good and proper care of your power tools also means caring for the batteries. When possible, ensure batteries are stored and charged at room temperature. If you don’t, the life expectancy of your batteries diminishes more rapidly. Heat is the enemy of lithium-ion, so anything you can do to mitigate heat helps prolong the life of these expensive components. With batteries costing upwards of $100 or more, you really want to take this to heart.

Inspect, Sharpen, and Prepare

Giving your tools a close inspection to make sure they’re in proper working order also makes good sense. Ensure all blades remain sharp and aligned if applicable. Dull blades and bits cause the motor to have to work much harder. It also generates more heat which can be conducted back to the motor.

No copper wires should be exposed on your corded tools. Confirm there are no cracks in the tool housing. When using battery-powered tools, check the condition of the batteries. You also want a regular system for recharging batteries at the end of the workday. That way, they’re ready when we need them.

See our article on 6 Quick Home Workshop Hacks.

Keep Your Tools Clean

The job really isn’t done until the tool is clean and ready for its next task. This is where the rubber meets the road of power tool care. It doesn’t matter if your tool looks dirty. But you do want to blow or wipe off dirt and dust that can cause premature wear and failure. That includes dirt, grass, metal shavings, and other contaminants that might get into the motor or other moving parts.

One of our reviewers uses a Senco PC0968 air compressor to blow out tools when they come in. Any air compressor will do. Also be sure to lubricate moving parts as advised by the manufacturer (Now, where’s that user manual?).

Pay Attention!

One of the things that can help you prevent catastrophic tool failure is simply paying attention. Is a tool creating more vibration than normal? Is it running hotter than you remember? Signs like these can clue you in that something needs maintenance or cleaning.

On the other hand, if a tool like a saw or a grinder doesn’t seem to be operating at its full potential—you may need to replace the motor brushes and springs. This relatively simple fix can get that tool back into top working condition and even prevent damage to the commutator.

Maintenance Schedules

Some tools, like measurement equipment and many 2-cycle and 4-cycle products, need regularly scheduled maintenance. We recommend putting this on the calendar—preferably during your downtime. Keeping up with a maintenance schedule can aid in making sure you don’t spend unnecessarily on repairs that could have been prevented. In this case, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.

Power cutters, mowers, chainsaws, and other tools need regular care and maintenance (not to mention proper winterization) to keep them ready for service each season.

Your Tips About How to Care for Power Tools

We hope you find these ideas on how to care for power tools useful! If you’re a Pro, and you have a tip on how to care for power tools, add it in the comments below.

The post How to Care for Power Tools Properly appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

A little healthy paranoia can go a long way. This is especially true for electrical work around the home where electrical accidents are the cause of tens of thousands of fires, injuries, and deaths each year. What you don’t even know that you don’t know is a dangerous area. Ignorance is definitely not bliss! The first rule? Know what you are doing! We surveyed several of our Pro electricians and they gave us some electrical safety tips to help guide you aspiring tradesmen and apprentice electricians when wiring a home.

Make SURE You Turn Off the Power – Lock Out/Tag Out

You can greatly reduce the immediate danger of electrical work by being sure that the power is off and stays off during the job. This has to fall under the most critical of electrical safety tips. Even if you’ll be near the switch or service panel, it’s a good idea to tape switches off and even lock panels. There’s a reason industrial sites use “lock out/tag out” safety procedures. It’s not that everyone will flip the switch. It’s that one ignorant person might.

Include a note that alerts anyone approaching the panel that the power must remain off. Just as you would treat every firearm as if it was loaded, treat each wire as if it was live. Use a small, non-contact voltage tester to verify there’s no current. I’ve known several electricians with horror stories about “helpful” coworkers who flipped a breaker on a little too early.

Wear Proper PPE

Many new electricians neglect to wear proper protective gear because they think the job will only take a few minutes. The danger only exists for the other guy who didn’t watch enough YouTube videos about parallel circuits, right?

But how often do you see the scope of work increase, the job take longer, or an accident happen that you didn’t intend? (Isn’t that what an accident is, after all?)

For that reason, be sure your eyes are protected from stiff copper wire, electrical arcs, attic insulation, and other risks. Wear boots or thickly-soled shoes to reduce the chance that you slip in an attic and become part of a remodeling project. Gloves are always a good idea, too.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

No matter what precautions you take, always be aware of your surroundings. Never stand in water or a puddle while you work on electricity. It sounds obvious at first, but a good portion of a house is taken up by laundries, kitchens, and baths where water and electricity exist in close proximity. One of the most important electrical wiring safety tips includes simply avoiding anything that would make you become part of the circuit.

Practice Makes Perfect – Details Matter with Electrical Safety

Electrical work itself must ensure that the house and its occupants remain safe after the job is complete. Ensure you wire outlets correctly and make all of your connections securely. If you have an older home, don’t just replace a two-slot outlet with an ungrounded three-slot outlet…even if the homeowner really wants to save money.

Use GFCI outlets in laundries, kitchens, and baths. Check your work with circuit testers. Junction and outlet boxes ensure that sparks caused by faulty or loose wiring don’t touch combustible building materials.

Also, when doing new electrical work, leave enough wire to easily complete the outlet. Many newbies leave the wires too short. This results in weak connections that loosen over time. Inexperienced electricians also attempt to fit too many wires into a single junction box or use shallow boxes that can’t handle the amount of wiring needed. Neither condition passes our electrical safety tips threshold.

Keep the wires neatly folded and labeled in multi-switch boxes. Boxes must also be flush with the wall and not recessed, so potential sparks don’t have access to anywhere they might cause a fire.

Getting into those habits now will make them second nature to you as your career grows. They will help you maintain an excellent reputation, keeping your clients calling back and referring you to their friends.

Pro Tip: The habits you form as an apprentice will be the foundation of your reputation later in your career. Train to be the guy everyone calls first!

Final Electrical Safety Tips

Safety during and after the job is of the utmost importance, so err on the side of caution. If an outlet or service panel is hot, it may be time to call in the Pros. The same is true if an appliance greets you with a small shock now and then. Troubleshooting miswired grounds can be dangerous if not handled properly.

Exposed wires need to be run through conduit and placed out of the way. Loose outlets can wiggle with use, and the attached wires can loosen over time. This can cause sparks—and potentially a fire. Remember, electrical fires need a fire extinguisher, not water. Come to think of it—do you have a fire extinguisher in your vehicle? There’s more than just electrical wiring safety tips to consider!

One other thing you want to be sure of is your local codes. Newer codes require things like installing Arc Fault interrupters, which prevent slow draws of current from starting a fire. This is typically required for bedrooms and other areas where you may puncture a wall and create a short that doesn’t instantly trip a breaker.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t encourage all work to be done to code and inspected. It’s not worth losing your license or reputation doing work off the books just to make a few extra bucks.

Having the skill to complete home electrical jobs is very satisfying—use these tips to be sure it’s very safe, too. We hope you’ve learned something good from these electrical wiring safety tips. If you’re a Pro and you have wiring tips to share, add them in the comments below—or contact us with your own Pro tips.

The post Electrical Safety Tips and Guidelines for Apprentice Electricians appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

We’re always looking for better ways to serve our customers and grow our businesses. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consider ways you can expand the services and products you offer. A case in point: learning how to install epoxy flooring for garages and workspaces. These handsome floors don’t require a lot of training to install, and they are tough as nails. The durable, shiny epoxy flooring resists scratches, cracks, stains, and chips. The resin and hardener cure into a low porosity surface that’s also easy to clean.

A few years ago, we looked at how to go about painting and sealing garage floors. While there are definite similarities between epoxy paint and an epoxy overlay, we like the true epoxy overlay for its durability and finish. It might be a more expensive solution, but it won’t delaminate under hot tires. Plus, aggregate additives give an epoxy floor good traction without compromising its appearance. For these reasons, we think that adding epoxy flooring installations to your list of available services is a good idea.

How to Install Epoxy Flooring

Prepare the Surface

Before you install epoxy flooring you need the surface prepared. Be sure to assess the concrete’s condition before quoting. Epoxy is thin, so any surface defect will show through. You’ll need to fix any cracking or spalling before you really get going. Next, pressure wash the floor and let it dry. Remove oil stains as much as you can, either with a bleach mixture or with a cleaner specifically designed for the task. Then, tape the boundaries of the epoxy with painter’s tape along the floor and walls.

Acid Etch to Roughen the Surface

You’ll need to make the surface rough so the coating for the epoxy flooring strongly adheres. Prepare a solution of two parts muriatic acid (the same kind you use in swimming pools) to one part water and apply with a pump sprayer. Be sure to wear the appropriate safety gear and follow jobsite safety guidelines. The acid shouldn’t come in contact with metal. Consider neutralizing the acid with an ammonia solution. Then wash and let dry.

Apply the Primer Coat

Avoid bubbles in your epoxy floor by applying a primer coat with a roller. Let it dry.

Apply Your First Base Coat

Pour the mixed resin and hardener onto the floor and spread with a serrated or notched squeegee. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for applying decorative flakes.

Roll Out the Base Coat

When you install epoxy flooring, a paint roller might be your best friend. Roll the base coat with a roller to ensure even coverage. The serrated or notched squeegee will leave a pretty even layer, but the roller will perfect it. Now, let the floor dry overnight.

If You Didn’t Prime, Get Ready To Buff

If you didn’t prime the floor then you’ll see bubbles when it dries. You’ll need to gently abrade the surface with a buffer and light grit to remove the bubbles. Then sweep and mop the floor and wait for it to dry.

Apply a Second Base Coat of Epoxy

Apply this coat just as you did the first coat. Use the squeegee and then the roller.

Let the Epoxy Flooring Cure

Read the manufacturer’s instructions, but be prepared to let the epoxy flooring cure for about four days after you install it.

Apply the Top Coat (Sealer)

Use a roller to apply the top coat to seal. The surface should really pop.

When you install epoxy flooring, you add a great product and service to your arsenal. It sounds like a time-consuming process—and it can be—but the results are worth it!

The post How to Install Epoxy Flooring for Garages appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Back in 2010, we wrote about better batteries using graphene nanotech. That was a collaboration between the Department of Energy and Vorbeck Materials. Scientists used graphene to enable lithium-ion batteries to recharge in minutes rather than hours. It’s been quite some time. While graphene has yet to materialize, we’re back with some more of the latest lithium-ion battery technology advancements.

New Battery Packs

New Li-ion battery packs have surfaced from the likes of Milwaukee, DeWalt, Hitachi, Bosch, Makita, and others. This list represents some of the more advanced technological lithium-ion battery pack leaps made in the past few years:

• DeWalt 15Ah FlexVolt battery pack
• Milwaukee 12Ah High Output battery
• DeWalt FlexVolt batteries
• Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt batteries
• Metabo 15Ah Li-HD batteries
• Bosch 12Ah Core18V batteries
• Makita 18V X2 tools

A majority of the battery pack advances have to do with either the use of new battery cells or the use of multiple voltages. Milwaukee, Metabo, and Bosch fall under the former. DeWalt and Hitachi, the latter. Makita makes the list simply because they opted to maintain backward compatibility through the use of two parallel batteries in their 18V X2 LXT platform.

Tabless 4680 Lithium-ion Battery Cells

On Tesla Battery Day we saw the announcement of a new tabless 4680 battery cell. It delivers 6X the power and 5X the energy of a 2170 cell. It also delivers 16% more range on EV vehicles like those produced by Tesla. Just the form factor of this cell alone results in a 14% reduction in dollar per kilowatt-hour.

With these battery cells, you coat the active materials onto films like you would with any battery. However, you get a dramatically accelerated winding process for these cells because you don’t need to stop for the tab. They then assembled the “jellyroll” into the can where the electrolyte is added and everything is finished up.

The new tabless 4680 battery not only produces a larger cell. It also increases the production capacity for these cells and allows for faster charging and discharging. This occurs because the tabless design dramatically shortens the distance the electrons need to travel.

The other thing to note is that these new tabless batteries use “Tesla” silicon for the anode design. This produces a highly effective but extremely economical design with up to a 20% range extension for cells. On the cathode side, Tesla is working on using higher concentrations of nickel without cobalt for some cells.

Will we ever see these batteries in power tools? Who knows—but I sure hope so! You can get a whole lot more information about these batteries by watching the Tesla Battery Day presentation here.

Graphene Batteries

Vorbeck and researcher Ilhan Aksay at Princeton University, [DOE] has demonstrated that small quantities of graphene in batteries—an ultra-thin sheet of carbon atoms—can dramatically improve the power and cycling stability of lithium-ion batteries and maintaining high storage capacity. Combined with Georgia Tech’s work on self-assembling nanotech, the pioneering work could lead to the development of graphene-based batteries that have two major advantages:

1. They can store larger amounts of energy in the same size package, and
2. they can recharge much more quickly.

Graphene allows more ions to transfer between cathode and anode, decreasing charging time. But there’s a catch: although graphene improves efficiency, it increases the length of the path the ions must travel. This has impeded improvements in graphene-based batteries, but new research may have a solution.

Ars Technica recently reported that scientists can use magnetism to align graphene and straighten paths taken by the ions. They coated the otherwise non-magnetic graphene flakes with iron oxide nanoparticles and introduced a magnetic field. Consequently, the “tortuosity of the paths through the electrode decreased by a factor of four” when compared to the control group. That represents more than just coincidence or average.

Solid State Batteries

Recently, the inventor of the Li-ion battery discovered solid-state battery technology that could replace lithium-ion. With what, you ask? With a much more available resource: sodium! John Goodenough is that inventor, and our article referenced above offers a sneak peek into what might be the next dominant battery format.

Self-Healing Batteries

One of the more impressive technologies came about with a report on self-healing Li-ion batteries. With batteries, damage accumulates over time. As a result, the efficiency of the batteries degrades leading to eventual failure. Self-healing batteries promise to extend the life of these cells and packs beyond what’s expected.

Nano-sized Lithium-ion Batteries

The development of nano-sized Lithium-ion batteries also caught our eye. With these, we’re looking at miniaturization of components and technology. While these don’t promise power tool power levels, that leaves plenty of opportunity for electronics we have yet to even imagine.

You Might Say That’s Attractive

What does this mean? Well, if reproducible at scale, we might experience another wave of lithium-ion battery improvement. These are fascinating times. We’ll keep you apprised of new developments as we discover them. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the latest lithium-ion battery advancements.  If you’re a Pro and you have any lithium-ion battery tips, add them in the comments below.

The post Latest Lithium-ion Battery Technology Advancements appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Concrete floors are usually utilitarian, but every so often even they need a facelift. Scaling, spalling, checking, and mildew degrade the look and function of concrete. Sometimes the pour was poor, and the concrete isn’t level or smooth. If the floor is structurally sound but the surface isn’t acceptable, there are options besides breaking it up, tearing it out, and starting from scratch. Consider installing a concrete overlay. You can apply a concrete overlay using a 1/16-inch decorative coat or even a several-inches-thick concrete slab on top of an existing floor.

We’ll mostly focus on thinner overlays designed to dress up a countertop or floor.

Tools Used to Apply a Concrete Overlay

When applying a concrete overlay, you can typically use one of two kinds of tools. A standard float features oval ends and either a flat or slightly rounded middle. The float lets you push and pull concrete as needed in a thin layer to spread it across a wide surface.

Another tool more closely resembles a trapezoidal squeegee. Some call this a “magic trowel” or knockdown knife. It features a flexible blade and takes a little bit of technique to use it.

The two tools deliver different finishes—and that determines which you want to use. Similar to how you might apply a skim coat of plaster or mud using a trowel, the magic trowel gives you a nice way to apply a thin coat of concrete.

Prepping for Applying Your Concrete Overlay

The first thing you’ll want to do is clean the existing floor with an appropriate detergent. Apply with a push broom and then pressure wash the concrete. Then, you’ll want to profile the existing floor with an acid made for concrete resurfacing or you can use diluted muriatic acid. Apply your acid with a push broom and wear appropriate clothing as well as breathing and eye protection. This is particularly important when you plan to apply a thin concrete overlay as opposed to new slabs.

You might also consider applying a densifier, like these, to make the concrete less porous. Densifiers prevent moisture migration through the existing floor. Basically, a concrete densifier is a chemical you would apply to a concrete surface in order to fill pores. This increases the surface density.

Next, you’ll want to patch large spalling or scaling. These are areas missing large chunks of material that need to be filled. Making sure the existing floor is as level and smooth as possible will make for a better-finished product. As with the acid resurfacer, this is more significant when you apply a thin concrete overlay compared to a new slab.

Consider using a bonding agent. Pros debate this step, but the difference of opinion probably lies with the smoothness or roughness of the concrete you’re resurfacing. Rougher surfaces usually don’t need a bonding agent.

Pour and Float the Concrete Overlay

Next comes the part you’ve been waiting for—pour and apply the new concrete overlay on top of your surface. This might be a floor, sidewalk, or even a concrete countertop. Thinner, decorative overlays might have resins or other additives that require special priming (or even two prime coats).

Use a float, trowel, or concrete broom to level the wet concrete. As mentioned above, you can get different effects from the use of different tools. It just depends on what works for you and what kind of look you hope to achieve.

When applying an overlay, the big deal is getting a nice, even coat. You also want to make sure the new coat gets into corners and edges—completely covering the old surface. If not, you risk ending up with a very uneven look to your project. We typically start around the edges and work our way back and forth inward and towards the area behind you (assuming you’re on your knees doing the work in a larger area). This helps us not only ensure we don’t get ourselves into a corner, but it often makes the most efficient use of the material as you get a good feel for how much additional mixture you may need to complete the job.

After the Concrete Sets

After the new concrete sets, you’ll want to sand or scrape the floor till it’s smooth. Use a diamond disc or concrete scraper to smooth the surface to the desired smoothness or to prep for the second coat if necessary. Most of the time, this involves a floor sander or similar tool designed to take off any ridges and smooth surface ready for any finish coating.

If you do sand for a product designed as a multi-coat process, you often need to reprime after sanding. Then go ahead and apply that final coating. When applying new concrete to repair a driveway, walkway, or patio, you typically finish with a brush or other means of creating a nice flat finished surface.

Finally, you’ll want to seal the new surface. A sealant helps ensure the new surface lasts for years to come.

We hope you can save some time and effort for yourself and your customers by knowing how to apply a concrete overlay.  If you’re a Pro and you have concrete overlay tips, add them in the comments below – or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

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