New DIY Products

The latest tools tested and reviewed by Fred-in-the shed

Updated 9th March 2010

New 26mm Deep cut version Exakt precision saw( DC 270)

New Exakt EC320 Saw and combined Planer Sander (SP180)

New 18v Impact Driver from Durofix

New 14.4v and 18v cordless vacuums from Makita

New Evolution Rage Compact Circular saw

New Bosch cordless multi-tool

 

Ryobi Plus One Range  - New Colours and Li-ion Batteries The superb 18v range of powertools from Ryobi is undergoing a makeover with a new colour and new products. The blue  range has been available for about 8 years with 18v Nicad batteries and is popular with DIYers and also builders who don't want to spend the big bucks on the likes of Dewalt and Makita. Ryobi ( who also own premium brands AEG and Milwaukee) have been very clever and reverse engineered their new Li-ion batteries to fit all the old tools in their range. You will need a new charger for the Li-ion batteries but this development will enable many people to upgrade their batteries and get years more life from their tools. I am testing some of the new (and old) 18v Ryobi tools with the new Li-ion batteries and am so far impressed. The best Ryobi Li-ion battery still has a bit less power than Makita (2.6 vs 3 amp/h ) but it is still impressive and costs considerably less.

The Ryobi  plus one range is changing colour from blue to Lime green in 2010 There are over 20 tools in the range with more to come! I would advise going for the Lithium ion batteries now.

Exakt precision saw - a new safer way to cut flat materials

The latest PS 150 Professional model was launched here in September 2008!

A Deep Cut (26mm ) version known as the DC 270 is being tested by Fredshed now

The EC310 has now been re-designed and a more Ergonomic EC 320 model is available too.

check out my special Exakt pages or mail me for more details!

 

The Exakt precision saw is one of the most exciting and innovative products that I have seen for a long time. If you have laminate flooring or plywood to cut then you will probably be thinking of using a circular saw or jigsaw. Both these machines have serious drawbacks. Circular saws can be dangerous, and cant make small, accurate cuts.  Jigsaws great for curves but are difficult to keep in a straight line. This new tool has a small circular blade that can be precisely adjusted to cut material up to 14mm deep. The blade is retractable and only appears when you press on the handle to start cutting. The tool is incredibly good at cutting straight lines and can be use on the floor or bench with a sheet of scrap wood underneath. There are 2 models available, the EC310 is the DIY/budget version and cuts to 12mm The new PS-150 has a deeper 14mm cut and is aimed more at the professional user. It replaces the old PS-140 and is available in 240v and a 110v for site work will follow in 2009. Both models take a variety of different blades that will cut wood, metal and ceramic, in fact everything except glass! The best blades are the TCT (tungsten carbide) ones which last at least 20 times longer than an HSS blade when cutting wood or laminate and cost about 30% more. If you want the cheaper DIY version click below This is a new tool from my recommended retailer and not a graded refurbished old model as sold on ebay click here to see my page on Exakt Precision Saws Including the new Deep cut DC270 shown below!	HSS 44 Cutting blade shown with the retractable, dust collecting safety guard removed Click here to buy the Pro Version Exakt PS-150 saw kit £117.99 inc Uk delivery  * safety update The new EC 320 DIY  version below has a 11m cut but is easier to use as it has better ergonomics
Exakt precision saw - more info Cuts wood, metal, plastics and ceramic tiles A wide range of blades are available between £8 - £14 HSS (high speed steel ) blades are the cheapest but you can also get longer lasting TCT (tungsten carbide blades) The most expensive blade is the G50 diamond blade or cutting ceramic tiles and removing grout.. The tool can also be used to quickly cut pipe using a special pipe cutting guard.  The tool has won a top award from the flooring industry where it is widely acclaimed for cutting laminate flooring.. To prevent the blade clogging up dust must be extracted by attaching the black tube  to the tool and a standard vacuum cleaner..	PS-150  (14mm cut) Price guide £117.99
AT LAST - A REAL DUSTLESS SANDING SYSTEM 2008 GOLDEN SHED AWARD WINNER After years of disappointment from testing sanders with useless dust boxes I have finally found a way of sanding without covering everything in dust. The Abranet sanding system requires hand power and a vacuum cleaner to attach the hose to so is harder work than using an electric sander but amazingly effective. The really clever part of the Abranet sanding system is the mesh sanding sheets that allow dust particles to pass right through and then into the vacuum hose. These abrasive sheets use aluminum oxide to remove material and seem to last at least 5 times longer than normal aluminium oxide sheets. The Abranet abrasive is velcro backed so can be cut to shape to fit other makes of sander.  The new Abranet sanding system from Mirka of Finland who have been supplying an industrial version of their sanding system to the marine and automotive industries from many years. The DIY version of the system fits a Henry vacuum but performs best with the dedicated Mirka dust extraction vacuum. Sanding sheets - Which are best? Another "hidden" problem with sanders is the cost and availability of the sanding sheets. This applies mostly to the velcro style pads for DIY models which can be very expensive. One of the big problems with sanding sheets is clogging, especially on gloss paints and varnish. This clogging is made worse by powered sanders as the heat melts the paint into a sticky goo. The new Abranet "dustless sanding system2 uses mesh to enable dust particles to pass through and be extracted. If you want to buy the excellent new Abranet dust free sanding set click the link below to purchase from a fredshed partner site.  buy the Abranet starter kit (Approx £30)     Coming Soon - New Powered Orbital Sander!
Latest News -Under testing Bosch bring out cordless version of the 3 in 1 multi-tool. This Bosch GOP tool uses 10.8v lithium ion batteries and is the same blades as the Bosch mains 3-in1 tool featured on this page. The new 10.8v GOP costs about £140 and comes with a range of accessories. 1 sander head, 5 sheets of abrasive, a saw  blade, and 2 Lithium Ion Batteries that also fit other Bosch tools. UK company CEL have launched a one battery 10.8v multitool to cater for the DIYer rather than the professional user.   use the links below to see prices from my retail partners  buy Bosch GOP from a fredshed partner also extra blades for this tool  small detail plungecut blade  buy the bi-metal segment sawblade for the Bosch all rounder  buy 6 wood sanding sheets for the Bosch all rounder  buy 6 paint sanding sheets for the Bosch all rounder	The powered plunge cut saw is extremely useful for small fiddly jobs. I have a friend who is a locksmith and uses this tool to cut new lock catches in. The tool paid for itself in around 5 jobs! The GOP multi tool is also one of the best cordless sanders available as it has superb batteries and uses small delta shape sanding pads that can get into corners and up to edges. Finally you can use the GOP to cut through sheets of wood like a circular saw with the segment blade. OTHER PROFESSIONAL QUALITY TOOLS IN THE RANGE You can use the same batteries in a10.8 volt impact driver and also a drill driver

The best circular saw? - Cuts Wood and Metal!

 

Multi Purpose Circular saw with dust collection This new design of circular saw has built in dust and debris collection to cut down the mess and discomfort of working with these potentially scary tools. The new rage circular saw has a number of innovative features that make it easier and safer to use than standard circular saws. The rage blade can cut through wood and metal so will not jump out of your hands if you hit a nail in some wood. A diamond tipped blade is also available for cutting concrete and masonry.   240 or 110v for site work

Evolution Rage circular saw for wood metal or concrete  check price on 240v Evolution Rage Saw  110v version of the Evolution Rage 185mm saw  Buy Diamond Blade for Masonry for Evolution Rage 185mm saw

My master builders (Fred &Barney) have been testing the Evolution rage saw whilst working at the the shed. They were uncharacteristically impressed with it and particularly like the dust collection feature. Tim the plumber also used it to cut channels in a concrete floor for pipe work. (see image page right) The saw made easy work of this job and created significantly less dust than an angle grinder. The Evolution Rage saw has one minor drawback in that the rotating blade cover cannot be easily retracted for angled plunge cuts. This is a trade off from having the dust collection box but is  small price to pay for having that excellent feature. The saw retails for £99 with replacement blades at £20. Evolution also make a range of larger chops saws. more details on the evolution rage circular saws and blades Breaking  News Chopsaw for wood & metal New compact version ! Evolution has just released this 36v version of the rage saw. It comes with 2 massive 36v lithium ion batteries. It has a 7 1/4 inch TCT blade for metal and wood and costs approx £100 This product is ideal for plumbers and electricians and anyone who needs to do a lot of small but accurate cuts.  check price and spec of the new Rage 4 lightweight chopsaw

The Rage 4 Chopsaw cutting a metal fixing.

 

Bosch bring out cheaper version of the award winning Fein Multimaster. I don' generally like copies of innovative tools but as the 25 year patent has run out on the fantastic Fein MultiMaster there is nothing illegal about Bosch making a copy of it and using their vast marketing machine to make this superb genre of powertool more widely available. Also the Fein costs about £180 which is too much for most DIY users. The Bosch PM180 E has less power (180w against 250W) but is under £70 which is more affordable. Also the blades are cheaper too. I have extensively used the Bosch PM180E and can report that it does the job well, but with a bit more noise and vibration than the Fein. The tool comes with 2 saw blades and a sander attachment with 6 pads. It has a 19mm dust extraction hole. Watch this space for more test updates. use the links below to buy from my partner tooled-up.com  buy Bosch PMF 180 from fredshed partner  small detail plungecut blade  buy the bi-metal segment sawblade for the Bosch all rounder  buy 6 wood sanding sheets for the Bosch all rounder  buy 6 paint sanding sheets for the Bosch all rounder

The Bosch All rounder 3-in 1 multifunction powertool (shown with a plunge cut saw blade).   to compare price with another supplier use link below  more details on the New Bosch PMF 180E

Want the real Mcoy!

More power -more blades (more money)

 

New Model Fein MultiMaster wins Golden Shed Award   This is David Makintosh, product manager of Fein UK at the Homebuilding and Renovation show with his 2007 Golden Shed Award for the fantastic Fein MultiMaster power tool. This tool is like a Dremel on steroids and can be used to saw, sand, chisel, file, grind, and polish. I have seen it and many other specialist tools at trade shows over many years. Most come and go and are cleverly marketed gadgets, but the Fein Multimaster is one of the few tools that performs as well on the job as it does in an exhibition setting. The Fein MultiMaster is a serious professional tool and is here to stay. The original tool has been in production for 25 years and has now been revamped with an easier tool exchange lever- that's why gets the 2007 Golden Shed Award - as featured in Loaded Magazine.	2007 Golden Shed Award Winner
Plunge Cutting Blade The Oscillating saw blade can get right into edges which no other tool can do. Used horizontally this saw is a must have for fitting laminate floor under skirting board or taking the bottom off doors. Powered Scraper The scraper blade will save you so much time and arm ache when removing paint, varnish or adhesive. The Tungsten Carbide rasp is a heavy duty long life sander. For finer sanding the usual range of papers are available and this tool has optional dust extraction. The Fein MultiMaster is also one of the best sanders I have ever used. The rapid sideways movements seem to clear dust form the paper and clogging is minimal. The Fein MultiMaster has many more blades and applications. To see or buy the new Model with quick release click this link for my New Fein MultiMaster page The New MultiMaster top set comes in an Orange plastic box. If you see one for sale with a metal box it is the OLD MODEL without the quick release blade mechanism. use the links below to see prices from my partners at tooled-up.com  buy Fein Multimaster top set  buy the cheaper Fein Multimaster start set
The smallest and most powerful torch in the world? 2008 GOLDEN SHED AWARD WINNER New technology bulbs and reflectors now enable torches to be significantly brighter AND last longer! The torch shown right is the latest hi tech torch and is designed for the Police to use. It is only  5 inches long and weights 148g but is bright enough to dazzle a criminal  at 100 yards. It also runs of 3 normal AAA batteries, and has gold plated connectors for maximum efficiency. This makes an excellent and practical present for anyone, buy one now and forget one Christmas present! use the link below to compare the price against tooled-up.com  check price of the Ultimate Torch -The LED-Lenser Police tech	The Police Tech Focus Torch    I have now owned and used this torch for 2 years and am so pleased with it. This is a small torch but throws out an amazing light and keeps on shinning for ages on the same batteries. If you want to buy someone a useful present you cant go wrong with this one. Keep one in your car and kitchen for emergencies!

Dremel now with Lithium Ion Batteries The superb Dremel tool has been improved with a cordless version that now has the latest Lithium Ion Batteries. The cordless Dremel is one of those tools every home should have. It is so useful for grinding, sharpening, polishing, and much more. There are dozens of attachments and now the Dremel comes in a handy soft case and not that annoying plastic one that annoyed me so much. The new cordless Dremel is designed so it can stand up on your workbench which is a feature I love as my workbench is always a mess and anything that stands up is more likely to be found! The big advantage with a Lithium Ion battery is that if you leave this tool unused for a while there is a good chance that the battery will have held it's power. Also when it does go flat you can charge it much faster than the old model.

buy any Dremel tool or accessory online

18 v Combi Drills A must have tool for builders and DIY enthusiasts   Dewalt Improve the XRP Combi drill again? The Dewalt 18v cordless drill is the No1 tool for many builders but I was never overly impressed with the Dewalt drills and  preferred Makita for performance and durability. The reasons I gave for this have been confirmed now by the fact that Dewalt have redesigned their best selling XRP yet again to include features like metal gears and more power. This new models also has a heavy duty self tightening chuck to prevent bit slip in tough conditions. And at last the  new drills are available with Lithium ion batteries. (these are only 2 amp hour compared to 3 from Makita) Also I am pleased to see that the new Li-ion "Nano" batteries are retro fit so can be used in all older De Walt tools, but you will need a new charger too.   compare to normal 18v kit

A cordless combi drill and separate impact driver is a must for any serious builder or DIY fanatic. The 18v DeWalt is one of the most popular amongst builders. I prefer the lighter powerful Makita drill as it has a 3 amp hour battery. DeWalt 18v batteries       Although I use a Makita impact driver I am also impressed with this Hitachi version as it performs as well but has a very useful belt hook and soft grip. I also love the Concept developments 10.8v tool that is similar to the original Bosch GDR 10.8v Li and the new copycat 10.8v tools from Makita and Hitachi and now similar 12v tools from Ryobi and Milwauke.

Quick Adjustable Spanners

 

The adjustable spanner is a plumbers favourite and an essential part of any workshops toolkit. (Though a well equipped workshop should not need them too much) Two new designs for quick adjustment are now available . One has a  manual  mechanism which requires you to push the jaws for rapid and accurate adjustment. It is a well made tool and  does not slip. The Black & Decker Auto wrench is heavier and powered by 3 AAA batteries and can be operated quickly with one hand. The British designed Milligrip is lighter and is  adjustable in 1mm increments which is ok unless you have a rounded off nut. An imperial sized version known as the Amerigrip will also available.

Milligrip Quick Adjusting Spanners approx prices 25mm version £16 32mm version £19   e-mail fred@fredshed.com

 

A Sander with Dust Collection that works? I thought I had found a sander that actually collects the dust for more than 5 minutes and you can empty without getting covered in it. The new Black & Decker cyclonic sander really surprised me as I was expecting it not to work - (call me a cynic) I have sanded a large area of wood floor, painted doors and rough timber and was so happy to see the dust in the little container and not in my face. Everything was fine and dandy until I tried to sand some bare plaster - then the filter blocked and I got covered in dust as usual. However , all is not lost as it is possible to discard the filter and fit vacuum hose to the dust extraction cavity. Overall this is a very good sander and would be greatly improved if it was supplied with more filters. This version is the 4-in-1 that adapts to become an orbital sander, detail sander and delta sander.    see the largest range of delta sanding sheets

This new cyclonic sander passed all the tests except plaster dust. If you know a sander that can deal with plaster and collect the dust let me know.    check price and more details of the Black&Decker Cyclonic sander

Silicone Rescue tape This new product was developed for the US navy to repair leaks and holes in boats. It is now available to everyone and is a potentially lifesaving product that will make a valuable addition to every boat owner and auto repairers tool kit. The MAGIC property of this tape is that it melts into itself and forms a very strong, watertight and heat resistant seal. The tape comes in a reel and is not sticky in any way. Only when you stretch it does it begin to melt , stick together and form a seal. I deliberately cut a hole in this hose and repaired it with rescue tape. It held for quite a while until a severe frost got at it. To be fair I should have extended it further up the hose though. I also used it to hold the tubes of my wheelchair together as an emergency repair when it snapped in half! This was very successful and now I keep my rescue tape handy at all times. I am very impressed with this new technology product and will be reporting on its long term performance. * it can be applied to wet material - even underwater!

New LED inspection Lamps Thanks to new LED bulb technology a new type of cordless inspection lamp is now available that has much longer run time and is extremely durable. The  Black and Decker light bar is one of the toughest lanterns in the world and I can be seen on youtube trying  (unsuccessfully ) to smash one. The incredible light bar costs about £30 and is available from Argos. An alternative is the concept inspection lantern which has 3 light settings and 360 degree coverage, a magnetic hookup and top shade which makes it a rather nice camping lamp too.  more details on the concept LED inspection torch

Cordless LED Lanterns

Cordless Screwdrivers tested and reviewed

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