Stanley FatMax XL Open Mouth Tool Bag Review

Finding something large enough, tough enough, and flexible enough to carry around the multitude of tools used on daily basis is not an easy task. I have gone through many tool boxes, including the clanky old metal type (which I suppose have their place). Then came the second, third and... fourth tool box. Arriving at a customers premises often resulted in a ten minute unload before work commenced. It's be nice to have something large enough to carry around all those first job essentials... here I take a look at the Stanley FatMax XL Large Open Mouth Tool Bag.

This bag is a real beast. It is made of very tough (1200D) fabric, which is reinforced with leather trims. The main compartment base is rigid plastic, which means that if the bag is laid down on a wet floor, the water does not get to your tools. Inside you get a multitude of pockets (four on each inner side), large enough to slide a power drill into, and still eave room for a spirit level, measure, laser level, batteries, charger... this can only be described as cavernous. The pockets on the outside of the bag are just as useful. Each side has three pockets, so six in total. Four are zipped and magnetised (so your tools don't fall out), one has very tough protection and a velcro flap, the other is open with dividers for organising smaller items. Each end of the bag has a further two pockets (so four in total), each big enough for a some pliers (or similar sized tool).

Carrying the bag is comfortable. There is a rubber handle on the top with snaps securely together. You also get a removable padded shoulder strap. The padding is essential, as you can really build up some weight if you are fully loaded.

In day-to-day use the Large Open Mouth Tool Bag performed admirably. You really can fit so much stuff on-board, that if you dedicated it to your essential tools, you would be able to go into a job fully prepared. The build quality is superb, this is one bag that is very strong, I am certain it would last for a long time. The rigid base is also very useful, as it means you do not have to worry about where you put the bag down. This is one well thought out tool bag, well worth getting hold of one if you are serious about your work.

Product: Stanley FastMax XL Large Open Mouth Tool Bag
Price: £69.95 (average UK £40)
Supplied by: Stanley UK
Contact: 0114 244 8883

Metabo PowerMaxx Li Pro - Good things in small packages

Having used power tools for my job in the building and electrical trade for many years, there is one tool that I have always shunned away from. The electric screwdriver... always under-powered, and running out of battery just when I needed it. Because of the poor products on offer, I had always relied on the standard screwdriver. For assembly jobs, the standard cordless drill driver came out of my tool box, saving me hours of time, but for most jobs, a full sized drill driver is just too bulky. When Metabo sent me their new (2nd generation) PowerMaxx Li Pro, I was really excited. I knew how good Metabo products are meant to be, so surely this had a good chance of delivering some professional performance...

Lets kick off with what you get for your money. In the nice moulded case you get the 7.2V power driver, an LC60 (one hour) charger, two 2.2Ah lithium ion batteries, an angle attachment (for getting into awkward spaces), a 17 piece bit set (very nice) and a quick action keyless chuck (so you can use the PowerMaxx Li for simple drilling jobs). All this for a price of around £120 and things are already looking good, you just seem to get so much for your money, but the important thing is how well this tool performs.

My past experience set me on a quest to make the PowerMaxx Li fail, so I wanted to really stress this tool. The first job that I set it to was assembling kitchen cabinets. The carcasses went together with no problem at all, and the first battery, after about an hour of continuous use was still going strong. Attaching brackets and batons to the walls also proved no problem and the torque settings allowed the job to be completed with ease. I mentioned you get an angle attachment in the kit too, well this really came into good use when getting tight into the corners of the cupboards. About half way through the day the battery had been exhausted, but thanks to a second one being supplied, I could carry on working without interruption.

Charging whilst I was working is really fast. The LC60 charger takes an empty battery cell to full in just one hour. The 2.2Ah battery cells have a 'balancing function' which ensures that the cells inside get the same amount of juice. This means that they perform very well, right up to the last bit of power they have left. The manufacturers claims are not glossy marketing hype, these compact batteries pack to much power that I was really impressed.

There are two speed settings on the PowerMaxx Li, one for drilling and one for driving. This is the only area where things seemed a little scratchy. You change the speed with the driver rotating, which makes a little clunky noise, but I suppose is a necessity to get the gear to change. This did not effect my overall impression of the unit though, as I took it out on job after job and it never let me down once. Of course it is really designed for driving screws in, and this is where it really excels. The fact that it is so versatile just adds even more value. Drilling pilot holes, getting screws into to tight spaces and at awkward angles, are all in a days work for the PowerMaxx Li.

Where I had walked away from this type of tool before. The Metabo PowerMaxx Li Pro has opened my eyes as to how far Metabo has developed this technology. This little tool has to stay with me, and should be part of any professional's tool kit. It will be the best £120 you have ever spent!

Product: Metabo PowerMaxx Li Pro
Price: £114.95 (average)
Supplied by: Metabo UK Ltd
Contact via this form

Draper Ratchet Pipe Cutter - Tight spaces anyone?

Working in the plumbing trade, you often find yourself in very tight spaces. For a long time now I have always insisted that their must be a better way to cut copper pipes, but never really found a solution. The Draper Expert Ratchet Pipe Cutter was given to me to test and I must say that this piece of kit is pretty good.

I have been using this for about two weeks now, and found that as a general pipe cutter, it performs really well. When working with plenty of room, I still find myself using my regular cutters, but that could be just out of habit. Where these come into their own is in tight spaces. For example, when working in the corner of an airing cupboard, the cutter can be clamped onto the pipe, with the handle facing forward. Due to the ratchet system, it is really easier to keep the cutter rotating and the pipes can be cut really efficiently. It would be nice if this auto-tightened too, as the small tightening screw is a little fiddly at times.

Accuracy of the cuts are also a lot easier with this tool. Regular cutters often slip and you end up with an extra millimeter or two. With the Draper Ratchet Pipe Cutter it is easy to keep it still whilst doing the initial tightening, and the cut is more often than not, spot on. They are capable of cutting 6-23mm pipe and the build quality seems really good too, as though this will last a long long time. I will be sorry to see it leave my tool box. If you need a good pipe cutter, that is especially suited to awkward and tight space cutting, then this should be in your tool box. Draper have done a great job with this one.

For details of your nearest Draper stockist telephone 023 8049 4333, or visit www.draper.co.uk and click on "Find a Stockist".

Product: Draper Expert Ratchet Pipe Cutter (69731)
Price: £20.99 inc. VAT (you may well pay less if you visit a Draper stockist)
Supplied by: Draper Tools Limited
Contact: 023 8049 4333

Stanley MaxLife 2 369 Tripod Review

Day-to-day working with the general use of hand and power tools is fine, for most of the time... except when it comes to getting into tight spaces, more often than not these are dark. If you work in the electrical industry, switching the power off also leads to many a dark loft space. The Stanley MaxLife 2 369 Tripod Flashlight could well be the answer to a lot of problems.

This compact unit in its simplest form is a nice handheld flashlight. It works off either 3, 6 or 9 AA batteries, which fit into the three legs. Legs on a torch? I hear you say... well, this handy unit has tripod legs so that it can be stood on a surface and used hands-free. At the push of a button, the magnet catch releases the legs and the MaxLife 2 stands pretty stable. The legs can then be clasped back in with one hand and the magnet latches them into the main body.

The torch itself is a 1watt LED affair. It has two brightnesses (low and high) and a focus control. Sliding the control focuses the beam into a spotlight, or spreads the light into a wider area. The 1watt power may not sound much, but this is more than enough for the jobs I tested it with. Another nice feature is that the LED blinks when the battery is running low, so you never get caught short of power. When you stand the unit on its tripod, you can angle the torch head. It only has three positions, but these are more than adequate and at least allow some control.

The build quality feels pretty darn good and it is pretty robust too. The anodized aluminum construction should see it take a knock or two. In fact, in our tests we managed to knock it over a couple of times, and it survived without any problems at all. It is the usefulness of the MaxLife 2 that wins our vote though. The easy conversion from a handheld torch to a tripod mounted one is excellent. It makes the product very flexible in different work situations and worth every penny.

Product: Stanley MaxLife 2 369 Tripod Flashlight
Price: £24.99
Supplied by: Stanley UK
Contact: 0114 244 8883

Early Impressions of Metabo Goodness

Having spent over a week with the massive selection of kit that Metabo sent me, at the moment I am a little overwhelmed... not with the number of toys, but with the quality. I will not go into detail here of what I think of each individual tool, but must point out that every single one has performed superbly. All of them are built-like-tanks, well balanced and feel really great in the hand.
The SBZ18 combination drill is absolutely fantastic, the pulse action for getting those stubborn screws out has helped me on more than one occasion. The torque and overall power on offer has also amazed. The ASE18 reciprocating saw has also performed well and impressed me with its flexibility in all different types of job. The tiny PowerMaxx Li Pro has also opened my eyes to how a small screwdriver should work. There is no comparison between this and other run-of-the mill brands. Within the first week I had used the PowerMaxx on a job and it worked like a trojan for three hours and still had more to give.
Before I sign off on this early impression of the Metabo kit, I must mention the lithium ion batteries. They charged in the stated 30 minutes with the supplied AC30+ charger. They also have neat little LED indicators on the back of the battery, so that a push of the button lets you know how much power you have left, ingenious! To say that at this early stage of testing "I am amazed at the quality and power that Metabo offer", really is an understatement. Check back next month for the full review.

Makita 8280D 14.4V Combi Drill - Early Impressions

Having used the Makita 8280D 14.4V Combi Drill for a week now I am happy to give you my early impressions of this unit. The build quality is really good, it feels very solid in the hand and is nicely balanced. When you consider the price it is in the same bracket as a top of the range DIY type product, like a Black & Decker that you can pick up from any large DIY store. In comparison, you don't get that weak plasticky feel that you do with some products, this Makita really fits the brand and there has been no skimping on build quality at all.
Having used the 8280D on a few small projects, I went prepared with the charger and a spare battery just in case (the fact that you get three is a real bonus). I set about creating a wooden frame to take some boarding above a door. Plenty of drilling pilot holes, attaching metal brackets and driving in long wood screws. The job was finished with ease and I did not have to reach for that second battery once. The 8280D was still going strong when the job was complete. The torque has impressed me so far and my early view is that if I had a £100 budget, the Makita 8280D would be on my shortlist for sure.
Check back in around four weeks for the full review of this unit.

Even more reviews on the way!

It gives me great pleasure to announce even more reviews on the way to 'Tool Review'. The format we are going to follow for all our coverage is to give you an 'Early Impressions' article on each piece of kit. This will be roughly after a week of use and will give you an brief insight into the build quality and features. Around 4-8 weeks later we will bring you a full in-depth review of the product.

To kick things off Metabo have agreed to send us a bumper goody bag, and we will be bringing you reviews of the following;
SBZ18 Impuls 18V Li-ion Combi Drill
BHA18 18V Li-ion Rotary Hammer Drill
KSAP18 18V Circular Saw
ASE18 18V Reciprocating Saw
ULA Cordless Portable Lamp
and their PowerMaxx Li PRO 7.2V Driver

This is a fantastic collection of power tools, using their latest Air Cooled lithium ion batteries and charger. We are really excited about this one, so keep your eyes peeled.

First Reviews Under Way

Our first reviews are under way, and within the next few days we will give you our early impressions of the Makita 8280D 14.4V Combi Drill. This kit, which is available for a little over £100, comes complete with 3 batteries. The only caveat is that it uses NiCd battery cells, which manufacturers are rapidly moving away from in favour of Lithium-Ion cells. Check back real soon for our early thoughts on the 8280D, followed by a full review towards the end of February.

Welcome to Tool Review

Well, it has been a long month, discussing the format and how we are going to handle the reviews on the website. Finally, the decisions have been made and Tool Review has finally come to fruition. We will bring you reviews of all the latest DIY and Professional tools to hit the scene. What makes us different from the rest is how we test. We do not go into a workshop (or studio designed to look like one), we put the tools into REAL working environments, to see if they are up to doing the job they were designed for. Unbiased and detailed reviews are guaranteed... so keep checking back, or subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date.
Expect to see our first reviews early-to-mid February, you will not be disappointed.