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Best Home Improvement Equipment

Updated on May 9, 2014

Who Has Power Tools

For those that are looking for new power tools and don't know where to start to look, then check out what power tools are highlighted to get your DIY jobs done the right way. We will cover what power tools are the best in the fields of performance, durability, and aggression as well as cover the specifications for certain tools.


As I want to talk about mechanical power tools that the licensed mechanics use in their automotive shops and dealerships, their is one tool that comes to mind that turns on a light bulb in my head that most mechanics rely on to change a tire or knock rusty lugs and bolts off an automobile. The tool I want to talk about is the Ingersoll Rand impact wrench, precisely with the most popular impact wrench being the all new Ingersoll Rand 1/2 inch drive 450 torque impact wrench. This impact wrench has an easy 2 piece construction made out of aluminum, great handle grip, variable speed, and performs at over 7,000 RPM's that can zip those lugs off the tires and dominate any workbench job in the line of mechanic work.


When I think about a cordless drive, I think about my grandfathers Dewalt 20 volt hammer-drill that I have seen him use quite a few times like with jobs of drilling out pop rivets, constructing that garage he works out of, and installing a new dead-bolt lock into one of his doors. The Dewalt 20 Volt hammer-drill is reversible, has a hand chuck, runs on a 20 volt 2-lithium ion battery, and averages about 2 hours on the job that is compact for comfort, control, and performance.


As the two examples of power tools that I listed above, those power tools are really the best in their name brands. However, when you go find a retailer that stocks other name brand tools like Harbor Freight, Amazon, or Northern Tool to name a few--think about a few things that you are looking for that would benefit you the most as in durability, reliablity, and power. The reason why you would want to think about these options is because you don't want a certain tool to fall apart, burn out, or stop working all the sudden just because you are saving money on cheap tools.


What Is Harbor Freight

The name really defines which retailer we are going to discuss...we are going to talk about Harbor Freight tools and determine if Harbor Freight is cheap or too cheap. As everyone probably already knows, Harbor Freight has been in business since the late 1970's with over 500 stores nationwide in the United States. This company has been good for supplying air tools, generators, and shop equipment mostly since they do get millions of customers.

From my observation with Harbor Freight is by the fact that Harbor Freight offers low prices for their tools and their clearance sales are the biggest that I've seen from other retailers. I've seen clearance items from Harbor Freight go on sale for up to 80 percent off from retail costs...surprised. The fact of the matter is that I've heard that Harbor Freight has quality tools, but some of their equipment comes from China and not Japan where most name brand tool-makers produce their ratchet sets, pliers, hammers, and any other hand tools that most construction and mechanic category workers use.

So the question anyone maybe asking about Harbor Freight is..."If Harbor Freight is bring Chinese made tools over to the U.S., are there still any good name brand tools that Harbor Freight stocks on the shelves?" Believe it or not, Harbor Freight does stock name brands like Pittsburgh, Chicago Electric, and other name brands that are not well known; but, are worth trying out for any typical beginner or novice DIY worker that just needs some tools to fill up the tool bag.

From many individuals that I got answers for Harbor Freight on the Garage Journal forum have had mixed opinions on how good this retailer is when it comes to power tools, hand tools, saws, generators, and more that you can think of to use around the old workshop or garage. Some have said the tools are too fragile, they work out of the box on the first day and break the next day on a downside. From other feedback, some including my own grandfather have talked about finding some great deals like with getting packs of electric tape, hoists, lawn engines, and even racing jacks like the one my grandfather gave to me as a Christmas gift this past Christmas.


Home Improvement Tools

It is not a surprise that we all talk about Amazon as the number one online retailer on the planet that features their homemade Kindle, famous music downloads, home and garden, and.......what about home improvement equipment. Sure, since Amazon is like a Wal-Mart and Home Depot combined--they have to have everything department to get their customers interested.

Amazon is headquartered up in Seattle, Washington as the biggest place to go when it comes to anything that you want to have for your new home, garage, and as a quick pick-me-up for your on-the go mobility that includes i-Pods and cell phones that most wealthy people like to get their hands on since 23 million individuals believe so according to their Facebook page.

To change the subject, I am not wanting to talk about electronics and books that is most of what Amazon is about. I am here to talk about the 5 types of home improvement tools that most individuals like to get from Amazon. Lets get started....


  1. Headlamp or Headlight- It is okay to blind anyone that wants to look into the light, but it is also the best idea to use a headlamp since you may have situation where you maybe looking for your fluorescent fishing line in the dark on the water or possibly walking out in the woods with plenty of risks of stepping in a hole where just holding a regular handheld flashlight might become a hand-full. What a headlamp could be used for could be easy for looking for fallen bolts and screws that you might have lost out in your own grassy lawn.
  2. Levels-When you are hanging that new Picasso painting on the wall that you got from the art gallery or maybe doing a little bit of framework, you got to believe that the picture or that door-frame has got to look straight and leveled out. The manual I-beam levels are the best since you can get a straight balance than the laser type levels since the laser really can't give you the best readings with your own eyes.
  3. Vises- There is nothing better but by locking horns with a strong vise that is durable, mobile, and quite handy when it comes to fabrication work since 90% of the work that goes into a vise is with piping and tubing that is more common into what most race car mechanics can use for constructing roll-cages and bracket fabrication (modifying procedures). You can bolt down a vise to your own homemade workbench or tailgate to do any work that you want. There are some vises that do allow you to work at any angle more like a 360 degree angle which is better playing field when moving around task to task.
  4. Rotary Tools-I can remember awhile back that I would have trimming issues that was involved with cutting out wheel wells for my LEXAN radio-control racing bodies that I used for my 1/10th and 1/18th scale R/C racing. What a way to say I learned a tip from an "old" racing pal that he used a Dremel rotary tool with a sanding band type bit that he used to smooth out his wheel wells. He also showed me how to use a rotary tool with smoothing out kingpins so there is no hesitation in spring rebound that was used as a major difference in speed with the 1/18th scale BRP cars that we used to race indoors.
  5. Tool Organizers-No matter where you go and what you do whether you're fixing a car on the side of the road or working out at a construction on that new office building that is will debut in the next few months, everyone has to have a way to have their tools hand and Charlie on the spot. I've seen most diesel and 4 door pickups have those diamond-plated tool boxes that look good; but, the problem is they can't take that big and heavy box up to 30-story building. If you need a way to access your tools on the spot, use a roll-around tool organizer that you can use to store anything that you have in way of hand-tools, power tools, measuring, and more miscellaneous items that could be useful on the spot. This will help so you don't have to take that elevator down 30 stories 150 times to just get 300 tools every 5 minutes.

Woodworking Project Images

A woodworking project for the castle children's playground tower
A woodworking project for the castle children's playground tower | Source
Brand New outdoor swing that was one of the blueprints mentioned on myshedplans.com
Brand New outdoor swing that was one of the blueprints mentioned on myshedplans.com | Source
Here is a layout of a new storage shed that is under construction by myshedplans.com
Here is a layout of a new storage shed that is under construction by myshedplans.com | Source

Woodworking Blueprints Made Simple

If you ever wanted to build a storage, utility, or another garage shed to put your motorcycles, lawn mowers, tools, and more that you value the most. Then you can with an easy way with a blueprint or plan that will get you there immediately. Ryan Henderson has come up with a great way to reduce time and planning with his set blueprint kits and designs that you can use to make anything from a playground set for your kids, picnic area for your family gatherings, garden house, or maybe that new back-porch that you never got around to doing when you moved into your new home. There are 12,000 plans for what you can imagine that you want to add-on for your home in line of decorations. You will find the right measurements that you need, materials, illustrations, schematics, woodworking patterns, and the plans themselves that can get your job done. As a bonus to what Ryan teaches, he'll give you tips & tricks and the follow-techniques that will make it easier on you if you are not a 100% expert in wood-working.

Click Here for more details

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