c/contractor-tools

Switched from a jigsaw to a circular saw for deck planks and wow what a difference

I was using my old jigsaw to cut pressure treated 2x6s for a deck job in Portland last month and it took forever. Finally picked up a DeWalt 20V circular saw and I cut through 20 planks in like 15 minutes flat. Anyone else make a similar switch and find it way faster?

Dropped $400 on a laser level and returned it the next day

Bought a fancy green beam rotary laser for a bathroom tile job and it kept losing calibration. Regular old bubble level and string line got the job done faster. Anyone else find high tech tools just create more headaches?

Just found out my torque wrench is off by 15 ft-lbs after 3 years of use

Rant: My favorite caulking gun seized mid-job on a kitchen backsplash yesterday

I was halfway through a bead on a granite backsplash in a $500k remodel when the rod just locked up solid, and after wrestling it for 20 minutes I finally tossed it and finished with a cheap squeeze tube from my truck, so who's got a brand that actually won't do that on you?

Old timers still using framing squares for everything

I was on a job in Austin last week and saw a guy trying to mark a 45 degree angle for plumbing with a framing square. Spent 15 minutes messing with it when a speed square would have done it in 10 seconds. Why do some folks refuse to pick up a simple triangle square for pipe work?

Stumbled on a stat that says 1 in 5 contractors get sued each year

I was reading a risk management newsletter from NECA and saw that stat, which got me wondering if anyone here has ever had to deal with a lawsuit over something like a faulty tool or a worksite accident.

Borrowed a laser level from a framer in Denver and learned why I was off by a quarter inch

I was doing a closet shelf job and my bubble level just wasn't cutting it. This older framer named Dave let me use his rotary laser for ten minutes. He showed me how the self leveling feature catches errors you can't see by eye. Got the whole thing square in half the time. Have you guys ever tried a good laser level for simple shelving or is that overkill?

PSA: Skip the spray foam gun kits from big box stores

I spent $80 on a kit from Home Depot last summer and after 3 uses the nozzle was junk, but my $30 can from a local supply shop in Austin still runs clean.

That $40 laser level from Harbor Freight actually held up for a whole kitchen reno

I’ll be honest, I bought one of those cheap laser levels on a whim last spring when I was doing a tile backsplash in Nashville. Figured it would crap out after one use or the line would be crooked. But after checking it against my brand name level on a 10 foot wall, the line was dead on. I used it for setting cabinet heights, aligning outlets, even checking floor flatness before laying vinyl plank. The battery finally died after like 6 straight weeks of daily use. For forty bucks I’m actually impressed. Has anyone else had good luck with the cheap red lasers or did I just get lucky?

TIL a drywaller at Home Depot told me to stop using pre-mixed mud for taping

I was grabbing supplies for a small bedroom job last Wednesday and this older guy in the aisle just straight-up said, 'You're making it harder on yourself.' He showed me how a bag of hot mud sets faster and sands cleaner. Anyone else switch from pre-mix and never look back?

TIL my whole approach to caulking was backwards for 8 years

A painter in Austin pointed out I was smoothing the bead instead of tooling it into the gap, which explained why every bathroom job I did started cracking within 6 months, so which method do you swear by, pushing caulk in or just smoothing it over the top?

Serious question, has anyone had good luck with those cheap oscillating multi-tool blades from Amazon?

I grabbed a 50 pack of those no-name blades for like 15 bucks a few months back. I figured for any rough demo work they'd be fine. First couple cuts on some pine trim and they did okay, a little wobbly but whatever. Then I tried to cut through a single nail and the blade just stopped cutting, like it was just spinning and not touching the metal. Switched back to a single Diablo blade I had sitting around and it chewed right through. So yeah, you get what you pay for I guess. Has anyone else found a cheap blade that actually holds up?

Finally hit 500 drywall screws in one day

Been hanging drywall solo for about 2 years now. My usual pace was maybe 300 to 350 screws a day. Decided to try a collated screw gun instead of my old manual driver. Grabbed one from the rental shop for a weekend job in Tacoma. Finished 12 sheets with 500 screws in 6 hours. No more hand cramps and way faster. Anybody else have a screw count jump from switching tools?

Realized I was using the wrong blade for cutting cement board for like 2 years

I always just grabbed whatever circular saw blade was closest, usually a framing blade with bigger teeth. Last month I was on a bathroom remodel in Denver and the dust was just insane, like a cloud you couldn't see through. A guy from the tile supply shop walked by and asked why I wasn't using a carbide grit blade. Swapped to a $35 Diablo blade and the dust cut by maybe 70 percent, plus the edges weren't chipping anymore. Felt dumb standing there with a mask covered in powder thinking about all those previous jobs. Anyone else just stick with what's in the truck without thinking about it?

Showerthought: That cheap oscillating multi-tool I laughed at is now my go-to

I bought a no-name oscillating tool from a flea market in Tacoma for like 25 bucks last spring. Thought it'd fall apart after one cut into a drywall corner. But I've used it on three jobs now, swapped blades five times, and the thing still runs smooth. It gets into tight spots my big Fein just can't fit. Honestly, I keep grabbing it for quick trim work and plunge cuts 'cause it's lighter and I don't worry about beating it up. The blade holder wobbles a tiny bit but for the price, it's been a beast. Has anyone else had luck with a super cheap tool that turned out way better than expected?

Had to pick between a 7 inch grinder and a 4.5 for a tile job

Grabbed the 4.5 for tight bathroom corners. Threw the 7 in the truck after I chipped four tiles in a row. Anyone else switch down to the smaller disc for finish work?

Hot take: cordless hammer drills are overrated for concrete work

I used to swear by my Milwaukee cordless for anchor holes until my buddy Wilbert brought his old corded Hilti to a job site in Phoenix last July and it chewed through a 6-inch slab in half the time with no battery swapping - has anyone else gone back to corded after being all-in on battery power?

Am I the only one who thinks Milwaukee's new cordless grease gun is overhyped?

Overheard two guys at the supply house yesterday raving about it. Said it's the best thing since sliced bread. I borrowed one from a buddy last week. Ran it for 3 straight jobs on a rental skid steer. Battery died halfway through the second job. My old pneumatic gun never did that. Anyone else run into battery issues with the newer cordless models?

Had a plumber tell me my impact driver was setup all wrong

I was using a 1/4" hex bit in my impact for weeks on a bathroom reno and kept stripping screws. This old plumber saw me struggling, grabbed my drill, and showed me I had the torque setting on maximum like a fool. Has anyone else had some random tradesperson save you from your own stupidity?

Warning: spent 2 days chasing a wire short that was right in front of me

Had a job last month wiring up a new breaker panel in a house off Highway 99. The neutral wire had a tiny nick in the insulation right where it bent into the box, took me 48 hours of checking every connection to find it. A $10 continuity tester would have saved me two days of lost work. Anyone else got a story about a simple fix that took way too long to figure out?

That painter who told me to never use blue tape on fresh paint

I was working a trim job in a house over near Oakridge last spring. The homeowner handed me a roll of blue tape and said his buddy, a painter for 30 years, swore it would pull off fresh latex clean. I tested it on a closet door, waited 4 hours, and peeled it up careful. Left a sticky residue that took me 20 minutes to scrub off with mineral spirits. Has anyone else run into tape that just doesn't live up to the hype?

Tried a cheap oscillating blade from Harbor Freight on a demo job last week

I figured it would break after 10 minutes but that thing actually outlasted my $30 Diablo blade from the same pack. For $8 a pop, has anyone else had decent luck with those budget blades or did I just get lucky?

Question about why so many guys still use a speed square for rafter cuts on complex roofs

Saw a crew out near Austin spend 45 minutes trying to figure out a hip jack layout with a speed square last week, and it beat me why nobody thinks to grab a construction calculator for that stuff... has anyone else run into this on a job site?

Ten years I've been cutting drywall with the wrong side of the knife

Was doing a basement refinish in Milwaukee last month and an old framer neighbor saw me scoring drywall with the curved side of the utility knife. He just stood there for a second and said 'you know the straight edge is for cutting, right?' I've been a contractor for 12 years and never even thought about it. Now I have 3 cuts to prove the straight side works way better. Anyone else have one of those embarrassing 'wait I've been doing this wrong' moments on a job site?

Just learned my rotary hammer bit needs grease every 20 holes

I was reading the manual on my Bosch RH328VC last night and found out they recommend greasing the shank after every 20 uses. I've been running mine bone dry for about 6 months here in Denver. Anyone else skip this step or am I the only one?