Hand Tool Reviews

Just put one on a Sears contractor saw. Definitly heavy duty. I think a 40" fence is about as long as is practical on this type saw. Since I have to move the saw around I didn't want the table legs or to buy the mobile base. Be warned this is a universal fence, I had to drill the saw table to mount it. No big deal just get a good 1/4" drill bit before the fence arrives. The cast iron drills easily. I love the way the fence works on the saw, no "play" when locked down and slides over the table easy. You do need to buy or make an extension table for the right side, the directions show how to make one. Don't do without a good fence!!

With the help of a friend, it took about three hours to install the Biesemeyer fence on my DeWalt 746X Woodworker's Table Saw. I was prepared to sell the DeWalt because I've been so incredibly disappointed with the fence.

Now, with the Biesemeyer on, I won't be selling. This fence is amazing. The construction and engineering is outstanding. Tolerances are very tight, design is simple, sturdy, and logical. The fence is in perfect alignment with the saw, and it took almost no time to get it that way. The allen wrench adjustment mechanism to make the fence perfectly parallel with the miter slot is brilliant and stable. Movement of the fence is smooth, and the positive lock into place is firm without creating excessive wear.

This is a magnificent addition to a table saw. Everything about it screams quality. DeWalt should add the option of buying this fence pre-installed on their 746X -- it would make it an acceptable lower cost alternative to a cabinet saw. What an eye-opener. I didn't think I could get this excited about replacing the fence on my table saw!

Worth every cent.

I've been using the Beisemeyer 40" Home Shop Fence for 12 years now. It is the best purchase I ever made for my saw. It's accurate, durable, and strong. It stays parallel and requires little maintenance to keep it true. I don't know how people use a saw without a fence like this.

I believe this is the best buy in aftermarket fences. Why spend your money on a cheap imitation when you can have the real thing. buy the Beisemeyer, you won't regret it.

I work for a finish carpentry company; one of our main stages is installation of doors, The Bosh planer is used to do edge bevels and trimmings fit. Good features are: Good weight distribution. Smooth cutting. Strong motor. Good and firm adjust cutting depth. Nice left or right option on the dischargeable port extractor. Good solid Guiding fence. Poor features are: The back shoe of the planer could had been 1 � to 2 inches longer. One or two smaller v groves in the front shoe with the deeper single one only available now. The metal caring box could had been 1 to 2 inches bigger all the way around for easier fitting the planer with the guide fence on, and not having to move the guide in or out every time to use it or store it, even if it is easy to move it. Would I buy this planer again? Yes.

The Bosch 3296K has excellent performance and functionality along with the best, most complete and versatile guide fence accessory available anywhere. There really is no comparing this unit to any of the other portable planers on the market today. The fence is so much better than the cheap, practically useless, guides offered by most manufactures and adds a dimension of accuracy and precision that could never be achieved repeatedly using a portable planer free hand. Only Porter-Cables top of the line model 9118, which I have used extensively, has a functionally comparable guide fence, but with only a 2-13/32" capacity, the PC is much more limited as to what you can do with it, and is also unjustifiably much more expensive.
The only minor complaint I have with the Bosch 3296K is that the chip chute lever is a little short and can be difficult to move forward after being fully seated in the rear position. It's possible that the lever may become easier to move as the unit gets more worn in, but right now it's a little stiff, even after being lubricated with silicone spray, and often requires two hands to operate. Also a chip bag might also be a nice extra for easier cleanup of quick, small, "hurry up", indoor plane jobs, such as shaving a door edge.
The really bad news is, unfortunately, if you don't already have one of these, you can pretty much forget about ever getting one. Right now, there is a very, very, limited availability of the 3296K. It took me over four months of scouring the web and local suppliers to finally locate and purchase one.
This is due to the fact that even though it is technically still available from some suppliers, Bosch is no longer manufacturing this unit because it is being replaced with a new model beginning in June 2002. The new model will reportedly have three chamfer slots in the shoe, a slightly higher amp motor, still maintain the 3/32" cutting depth capacity, the same excellent guide fence accessory and somehow actually cost a little less. Sounds like it's going to be another excellent unit.
Overall, from my own comparison and usage, as of this date, I personally feel that the Bosch 3296K is the finest and most versatile portable planer kit available from any major manufacturer and definitely money well spent, if you're lucky enough to still find one.

Had to replace 8 doors and make them fit old openings that were built out of real 2" lumber for the frames. Each one was different. This planer did the job just fine, never bogged down. With the directional chip ports, using it with either hand and any direction left the chips flying away from the operator. For a planer this one is not hard on the ears, not as loud as a circular saw. The fence on the planer never moved from where it was set and to adjust it was easy, its also about 2" high for great support. The only thing that I do not care for is the depth adjustment knob is marked in millimeters and not inches. But a minor detail for such a great tool. I since have used this planer instead of my belt sander on finishing the edges of some shelves, it leaves that clean of a cut. Great planer for the price.

I am very very pleased with my purchase of this bag. The construction is of excellent quality and it really can hold a whole lot of stuff. I bought this bag with the intention of carrying a selection of hand tools along with my cordless drill and some of its accessories to and from work. My main goal was to find something that would hold all of that and be easy to carry. It certainly holds everything I wanted it to and then some.

I had been planning on buying a smaller bag but then decided upon this model because I liked the look of it. Boy am I glad I did. One of the things I carry in it are my kneepads. If you are like me and you have a nice set of large kneepads make sure you take their size into account. I thought my tools would be swimming around in this large bag, but with those kneepads in there everything just fit. So if kneepads are one of the things you intend to carry choose your bag size and then buy the next one larger.

I gave this item four stars instead of five because of two, small quibbles. The first has to do with the internal pockets. Most of the pockets are pretty good sized, which is a good choice for holding a variety of tools, but it would have been nice if they would have placed narrower pockets on one of the sides for holding tools like screwdrivers or combination wrenches. As it is I have to put several screwdrivers or wrenches in each of the larger pockets. The second quibble is about the shoulder strap. Considering the potential weight that you might be carrying in the bag it would have been nicer if they would have included a wider strap with a real pad on it. Instead it is a fairly standard nylon strap with one of those useless rubber things that slides along it. If you have the bag loaded up and you have to carry it for more than a short ways you're going to be feeling it in your shoulder. I'll probably be investing some time at the sewing machine in fashioning a much beefier pad for this strap.

Those things aside I would highly recommend this bag to anyone at all, and I'm sure I'll be buying more of their stuff in the near future.

I bought this bag as a tool bag but it didn't get much use as one. After giving it some test runs with tools i wasn't quite sure how to fit it into my truck tool boxes. After bringing it into the house one day my daughter used it for a overnight bag and liked it. It works great for packing extra clothes for the little ones, and Daddy likes to show it off. Maybe some day it will end up back in the work truck or maybe i'll get another one. Just a well built bag {for anything}

This is one terrific bag! I haven't a clue how they produce such a well made bag at such a low price. Very heavy duty.
I don't have enough tools in my life to fill a shoe box and I am not a carpenter, so you know that I had another purpose in mind. In the 90's I had a Sony Prosumer shoulder mount video camera and I bought a generic carpenters bag ($55 & no pockets) to carry it. I recently bought a Sony PDX10 and needed a new bag.
Well this bag not only has enough room for my video camera it also holds my digital still camera, my laptop (to view my videos) and pockets to hold every accessory needed plus all my socks and underwear if I am travelling. If you have an imagination this bag is a worthwhile albeit small investment.

This is a good sized tool bag it holds the tools I need yet is not overwhelming.

This bag is the perfect size to tote around essentials. If it were any bigger and loaded with tools, it would be too heavy to lug around. I would have liked some more tool holding loops, perhaps some adjustable compartment dividers. It also has some kind of detachable fanny pack that could have provided space for something more useful like more handtool storage.

This is the perfect tool bag. I've searched a long time and have purchased numerous bags. The BucketBoss has all of the features I've been looking for: large pockets, adjustable dividers, waterproof bottom just to name a few. My only question now is what to do with all of these other bags?

I just bought one and will be returning it immediately. The main unit is okay and the vertical and horizontal bubble levels seem accurate (I did some rough verification). I was impressed that it was usable outside on a semi-cloudy day at well over 100 feet. But the main unit would not attach to either of my two photo tripods - the female screw hole is too deeply recessed into the underside groove to work. Also, the bubble sights are recessed so far that they are difficult to see at odd angles and in low light.

I was not at all impressed by the attachments. Mine came with the beam bender (reflects the beam 90 degrees) and beam spreader (creates a line). The BB was okay but the only thing that guarantees 90 degrees is the magnetic contact surface. Junk between the two surfaces could drastically alter the angle. I have nothing more than a guess to back this up but this attachment wasn't all that interesting to me anyway.

The BS I thought would be great. It has its own two bubble levels so that you can check the vertical or horizontal aspect of the projected line. Cool. But the problem is that it also attaches magnetically so getting it to be perfectly level is almost impossible -- you turn it and it wants to rotate back -- you turn it further and it either sticks too far or returns to not enough. I spent many minutes trying to get it vertical -- when it finally appeared to be verical, I used a another (very accurate) level to check the projected line -- it was about 1/4" off over 5 feet of vertical - that is simply not acceptable for anything more than rough work.

The angle dial (rotating bubble) is not very accurate at all. I set it to 90 degrees and found it way off from the built in 90 degree bubble. Same for 0 degrees. I take this to mean I cannot trust it for 45 degrees. And I was hoping for enough angle accuracy to do some rough site surveying and this clearly doesn't have that kind of accuracy....

Back to the store it goes.

bought it for my husband, he loved it said it was the top of the line!

My daughters gave me one for Father's Day. After playing with it in the house for a day or two I used it to help build another section of low brick wall around the patio. I'll never be a good brick mason, but that little laser level helped me keep this section within an 1/8 inch of level compared to a 1 inch mistake in the previous section. Plus it survived a 1/2 inch thunderstorm with no problem.

I own 2 of these, one serrated, one fine edge. I prefer the fine edge for ease of maintenance. The large finger hole provides for an ultra secure grip, the knife is extremely well fit to my hand, and i love the balance.

Unfortunately, the "one handed opening" doesn't work very well, on both of the ChameleonIII's I own, the action is quite stiff. I suspect that this is largely due to the sheer surface area of the blade pivot. causing the chameleon's biggest reccomendation, to also produce my biggest problem with them.

I love Gerber blades, they are always made of damned good steel, and always come with the best factory edge I have seen in my price range. But, I am still undecided about the balance of the extra safety vs. impeded opening on the ones i own. The stiff action makes little difference in daily use, but when i have a "one hand open" blade, i want to be able to open it quick enough to be mistaken for a switch blade, (which i can and have had happen with both a gerber EZout and a Buck Liner lock) instead of having to fiddle with it.

There are several qualities that commend this knife which I have had for several years:

1. this knife is capable of being opened with one hand by applying your thumb against the projections on either side of the blade near the pivot area.

2. the quality is first-rate and the one I have was made in USA. Expect it to be durable and long-lasting.

3. the handle fits very comfortably in a medium to large-sized hand. Most of the weight is in the handle and the blade is just under four inches, legal in most jurisdictions.

4. if I recall correctly, the handle is made of glass fibers, impregnated in a nylon type plastic, which makes it waterproof and very strong.

5. what makes this knife unique is the hole in which you place your index finger, which greatly reduces the chances of the knife slipping and cutting yourself.

(Of course, you will want to exercise care with this knife or any other sharp instrument.)

This is a fantastic knife, I mean, what other knife can you spin on your finger like a gun? I quality is excellent, great gerber blade and pantented lock system. Cant go wrong, just order it.

To start, this lock-blade folding knife is really quite good for the money. 425 Steel - made in the U.S.A.

It's about 5.5" open with a 2.375" blade and 3.125" closed. It feels semi-hefty for the size, The blade itself is a bit soft, but holds an edge well enough. The blade has the commonly seen thumb hole stamped into the top toward the pivot for quick ambidextrous opening. The blade opens easily and locks solidly.

It's a bit small for some heavier duty tasks and needs about an inch more of handle to bring your entire hand into play for strength, so it never quite feels like it's filling your hand. The clip is stainless and it's bolted to the knife pivot. It functions well on both belt or hanging inside a pocket, but tends to feel "in the way" when gripping the handle.

The handles are molded with a rough pattern in hard plastic (I don't believe it's fiberglass reinforced but I could be wrong) with 1.25" x .2" Kraton Rubber inserts for grip. These feel like hard rubber with only slightly more traction than the handle. All-in-all, it just ends up feeling a little too small, hard and never quite giving enough traction for full-size work.

Despite any complaints, it's a solid little knife, and I carry it often. I can't really fault it's size since I knew that going in and there are compromizes in this form factor. I would have appreciated a better handle; one which was entirely encased in a slightly softer version of the rubber inserts like my full-size Gator folder from Gerber. But it seems to disappear in a pocket and the knife you carry is the one that gets used. Since the blade lock is solid and the knife is pretty good, I'm overlooking some of the other things and going with a 3.5 on this one. I'll round up because of the quality construction.

This is a solid working knife. Mine lasted 3 years before I lost it during a move. I had the serrated version; half straight edge, half serrated. The knife opened easily, held a blade well, was easy to sharpen, and had a solid lock. I used for everything from gutting fish to whittling. For the 20 bucks I paid, probably the most use I've ever gotten out of a pocketknife.

You can pay alot more for a good knife, but for the money Gerber cannot be beat. They come with a razor-sharp edge and take well to resharpening. I've used mine at work for over two years as an electrician and have grown to really appreciate the quality of this knife.

I just received this kit today, and it did NOT come with a Maglite. They included a Gerber 3-LED 2AA flashlight. It's not a bad flashlight, but don't expect a Maglite if you order this kit.

This multitool and mini maglite are both very useful. Specially I very much liked the "Candle" property of the maglite. I live in a country that we time to time have power interruptions. And it came very handy when it happened to be when we were sitting a bar. And the multi tool from Gerber is something that I'd sleep with it. I am generally at the site. And you never know when you'll need it. Thanks to Gerber and Maglite very much for their very quality products.

Gerber enjoys quite an enviable reputation when it comes to knives. When they produce a multi-tool you know it's going to be good. I say it's the best. This is my fourth U.S. made multitool . It has out lasted the other three so far. I won't mention names but they are not as strong as the Gerber. They might sell more but they don't make a better tool. I love the metallic "snap" this baby makes when you flick it into position. That snap is your assurance that it's locked and ready to go to work. Not only do the pliers lock but so do all the rest of the tools.Besides all the normal tools you usually get this comes with a jig saw blade clamp. Why is that special ? Because you can put any blade in it you want. It comes with a carbide grit blade from the factory. This proved invaluable a few weeks back. Some friends went camping with us. We all took our 5th wheels. One guy had a blowout. His spare tire was Padlocked which is no problem until his key breaks off in the lock. There we were on the side of the highway. Well I remembered that my Gerber had a carbide grit blade on it and the mini mag had fresh batteries. After a few minutes of concentrated elbow grease ,we had his lock cut and we were back on the road. I never leave home without it now.

I have owned my MP600 for six years and use it almost every day. The only damage or severe wear on the tool is when I discovered that the wire cutters should not be used to cut hard steel wire. (Electrical cable, they are just fine, but steel nicks the cutters.)

The pliers can extend one-handed and slide out as smooth as silk, locking into place with a solid "click". (This does take some practice and a little wear.) All of the fold-out tools lock quickly and easily. The tools, especially the file and scissors are top-notch. The fact that the knife blade is half straight, half serrated is not the best design, in my opinion, and I would gladly give up the awl to get separate blades.

I own the optional toolkit, and use it quite often.

I work as a stagehand and have had this tool for about 7 years now and love it. I use it everyday and can see working without it. The fact that I can open it with one hand in just a snap of my wrist is amazing, it has been a true life saver when I am climbing light rigs upwards of 50 feet and can only have one had free to work. It's strong construction has proven itself to be a tool that I will carry till the day I retire. Many of my co-worker use other multi-tools and they have all said that mine is much better than the ones they carry and wish that they had bought a gerber instead. It's strong, easy to use, dependable, and worth the cost. In the end you get what you pay for.

I have had my gerber scout for about a year and have been totaly impressed with it. I have used at most of my boy scout den meetings and at all of our campouts. From opening a can to cutting open a pant leg to treat an injury it has never let me down. Easy and quick to open on handed! it's wonderful.

I purchased a similar 16" reel mower by Great States because I have a very small lawn and didn't want the hassle, cost, noise and environmental problems from the gas mowers I grew up with.

It took about 30 minutes to put together, with some detergent to slip the handlebars on and some elbow grease to get the nuts and bolts fastened.

When I started cutting with my mower for the first time, my neighbor saw what I was doing and rushed over saying, "you'll rip the blades of grass with that thing. You can borrow mine (big, gas-powered rear-bagger) until you can afford a REAL lawn mower."

I politely declined as he went into the house shaking his head, thinking I was nuts.

The mower cut pretty good - I had to do a few spots over again, because the cut was uneven, and it does a poor job of edging. I cut the tall grass around the tree in front of my house and edged around the sidewalk and my garden with a pair of hand shears. That took about 15 minutes.

When I was finished, I hung the mower up in my garage.

Using the reel mower was an adjustment after growing up with a big gas mower at my parents' 1960s suburban home, but my lawn is small, and I hate the hassle, noise and cost of the gas mowers (not to mention the environmental issues), I'm planning on keeping the reeel mower, but I would also recommend a good weed whacker and some grass shears.

I have a small patch of lawn for a front yard, and a large patch for a backyard. I just HATED dragging out the big noisy gas mower for the front.

I am still a bit taken aback at the price on reel mowers... but after using it, I understand.

This is no flimsy hunk of aluminum and plastic. This is a nice heavy chunk of metal. The blades will stay sharp for years. It made short work of my lawn and was NOT tedious to push around. The reel spins smoothly and is pleasant to listen to... compare it to the din of gas mowers.
I've already had a neighbor ask me where I got it.

I gave this mower only 4 stars instead of 5 because:
1. The T handle was difficult to attach to the reel. I had to whack at it with a hammer to get it into the correct position on the reel.
2. It does NOT work well on taller grass. Anything too tall just gets rolled over. (Incentive to keep the lawn in check.)
But these negatives do not outwiegh the positives.

Overall, I'm glad I got it!

I have used conventional, gas-powered, walk-behind rotary mowers my whole life. Having just recently moved to a townhouse with a smallish lawn that is in relatively good condition, I decided to experiment with a reel-type mower.

I was not expecting much, but was EXTREMELY pleased with the results. I believe this type of mower can give you a BETTER cut than you can get with your common gas mower.

On my lawn, at the 2 1/2 inch height setting, pushing the mower takes little effort. The sound this machine makes is sweet and satisfying: a sharp, whispery, snickering sound. Cutting with this instrument feels more PRECISE than with the common gas mower. You are manicuring your grass, not just ripping it to a shorter height.

The other benefits are just gravy: it costs next to nothing, it hangs in your shed, it is very light, it is safer, it takes no gas, requires no starting, and you could mow at night were you so inclined.

There is a certain simple sophistication about this kind of mower. If you have the right kind of lawn situation, getting this machine is a no-brainer.