DC Brushed Motors

Dewalt Brushed Motor

A basic brushed motor has an armature (rotor), commutator, brushes, axle and permanent magnets. Current is applied through the brushes, which are in physical and electrical contact with the commutator. Current then passes through the coiled armature, creating a magnetic field.

The created magnetic fields interact with those of the permanent magnets that surround the armature, causing the armature to rotate around the axle. If you apply greater current, such as when you squeeze the trigger of a cordless power tool harder, you will create stronger magnetic fields in the armature, resulting in greater interaction forces and thus faster rotation.

As you can see in the diagram, highlighted in red, the brushes are in contact with the commutator. Friction between the brushes and the commutator results in a slight drop in speed and thermal energy losses. In addition, the brushes may need to be replaced periodically as they wear out over time with use.

DC Brushless Motors

Dewalt Brushless Motor

In a brushless motor, there are no brushes, and thus no physical contact that could lead to frictional energy losses. Instead of the armature being located on the rotor with permanent magnets fixed to the surrounding shell (stator), permanent magnets are located on the brushless rotor with the armature’s electromagnetic coils in fixed positions surrounding it.

In a brushed motor, the commutator reverses the current flow through the armature coils, flipping the magnetic fields so that the rotor continues to spin. In a brushless motor, an electronic control switches the phase of current through the armature windings at precise timings to accomplish the rotational response.

Brushless vs. Brushed Motors

Brushless motors are more expensive to design and manufacture, but they are typically more efficient than brushed motors. This leads to:

• less maintenance and longer life
• more power
• longer runtime

Brushless Cordless Power Tools

Several brands already offer a couple of cordless power tools with brushless motors. With Dewalt and Milwaukee joining the club, we predict that others brands are going to follow the trend, if not in 2012 then most certainly in 2013. Initially, brushless motors will only be found in drills, drivers, and impact wrenches, but we anticipate that saws and other tool types may be redesigned to accommodate the new tech as well.

Additional Considerations

A brushless vs. brushed motor comparison is not exactly as black and white as described. For example, moving the armature from the rotor to the stator also results in a decrease in mass and radial mass distribution of the rotor. In other words, the rotor of a brushless motor often has a much lower moment of inertia than that of a brushed motor. This means that a brushed motor rotor is more resistant to rotation. (Visualize a spinning ice skater with their arms reaching out vs. at their sides.)

So it’s not just about boosting efficiency by reducing brush-commutator frictional energy losses. Additional fundamental advantages of brushless motors include improved heat dissipation, flatter torque, reduced electrical noise, and greater power output.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Casio G-Shock watches, and if not, you have probably at least seen them in person or in movies. These watches are claimed to be nearly indestructible and are often considered to be the toughest and most resilient watches on the market.

G-Shock watches are shock-resistant, waterproof, and there’s an almost dizzying variety of  features. Prices range from $40 to you spent how much?! on a digital watch.

A lot of people consider G-Shocks to be the best sports and EDC watches available at affordable prices, but are they as well suited for jobsite use as well? What are your thoughts?

Browse or Buy Now via Amazon
More Info via G-Shock

I bought my first G-Shock almost 12 years ago, but misplaced it when its battery died maybe 4-5 years later. I’m set to purchase a Mudman in a couple of days, but if anyone can suggest something better for the $$, I’m all ears!

It’s a fact of life – accidents happen. A slip-up here, mistake there, and you’re off to the first aid kit. (You do have a first aid kit in your shop, right?!) Following are 5 hand tools, well 4 hand tools plus 1 kitchen tool, that liberated unexpected levels of blood from my fingers and hands over the years.

Everyone is careful about utility knives, general purpose cutters and scissors, or at least they should be – it’s the small tools, not just the sharp or point ones, that one has to be especially mindful of.

1. X-Acto Hobby Knife

While all of my X-Acto pricks and cuts healed years ago, the experiences left me with a respect and slight fear of sharp hobby knives, no matter how small. Pssht, that little thing, I used to say, how much damage can such a small blade actually do?

X-Acto blades will usually cause more pain and bloodspill than severe damage, unless you’re careless or unlucky. But then you’ll try to explain to others how such a small blade almost brought you to tears, and they’ll just laugh, making things worse.

2. Wood Chisel

A little over one year ago, I slipped while paring with a new wood chisel, and cut a gash in my thumb. Not a huge gash, but it was big enough that I probably needed stitches. If the chisel was sharpened properly and not an out-of-the-box Craftsman chisel, I probably would have hit bone. Maybe I did hit bone, as I noticed a chip in the blade when cleaning up the blood.

3. Pliers

While it takes skill to draw blood with pliers, it can be easy to pinch your skin, leading to a painful blood-filled blister. Blood blisters can range from small to oh goodness, what do I do now?!, and usually hurt a LOT. Some people drain their blisters with a sterilized X-Acto knife (see above), but I prefer to leave them alone.

In my experience, multi-tools and poorly designed pliers are a leading cause of tool-induced blood blisters.

I was going to include a link to a Google image-search for those who may not know what a blood blister is, but wanted to spare you the ickiness. Because everyone clicks even when you tell them not to. Oh well, here it is – Blood Blister Google Image Search - please don’t click before lunch, in the morning, evening, or anytime in between.

4. Hooks, Picks and Probes

I have a nice 3/16″-long scar on my left pinky finger reminding me to be careful with picks and probes. You know how they always say never cut towards yourself? Never pick or pry towards yourself either. And don’t hold the item being worked on if you could help it.

Here’s what happened – I was using a curved hook pick to remove an O-ring from a part. It was a water cooling hose fitting, if I remember correctly. I almost got it, and increased the pressure just a little bit to catch the O-ring. I slipped and caught my pinky instead. The pick pierced my finger and pulled down, tearing a bit of meat. Respect pointy tools.

5. Food Processor Blade

This isn’t a tool in a literal sense, but is responsible for one of the worst injuries I accidentally inflicted on myself. I don’t remember what happened exactly, but I think I was putting it away after leaving it overnight in the drying rack. We keep the blade assembly in a Ziploc bag to keep it dust-free for immediate use.

Sliiiiice. I still remember the feeling as the mishandled blade cut into my finger. I actually don’t think I physically felt a thing, due to the sharpness of the blade, but I have an intangible sensory memory that I just cannot shake.

I don’t remember which finger was cut , but I do remember that there was blood – LOTS of blood. And then more blood. And even more blood. The cut closed up a bit and the bleeding finally stopped. But only for a few minutes, after which there was more blood. I wasn’t gushing or spouting blood, but it was an experience I prefer not to repeat. Again, I probably needed stitches, but survived without.

Additional Tools

I imagine that every tool on the market has injured at least one DIYer or professional at one time or another. Some tools are more notorious than others for their propensity to inflict pain on their users – take hammers for example.

So which tools have you had less than friendly physical encounters with? In addition to edged and pointed tools, what other types of tools have you found to be the most painful to slip up with?

Following are 5 resources that can help turn a complete newcomer into a beginner woodworker.

1. Buy a Woodworking Magazine

This is usually a quick way to expose yourself to a new hobby or activity. There are plenty of woodworking magazines, with each focusing a variety of topics. Reading through new tool and product previews, woodworking plans and projects, tips and even the advertisements can help bring you up to speed.

There are also many numerous books available, but they usually have a very narrow focus. Which can be a good thing, but pre-beginners need wider exposure before they’re ready to tackle texts on say, dovetail joinery and hand plane techniques.

2. Join an Online Woodworking Forum

Like magazines, forums can help you develop a broader view of woodworking. Forums are great places to ask questions and contribute, but there’s also benefit to just lurking around at first. New and popular archived threads offer insight and experienced perspectives that are more varied than in single-author articles. Plus there are usually oodles of projects just waiting to inspire.

Recommended forums: Lumber Jocks, SawMillCreek

3. Sign Up for Free Catalogs

When first getting started, you’re going to be thinking about what types of tools to buy. Catalogs can help you develop a better sense of what tools and supplies are available, and what you can expect to pay.

Catalogs can also help you visually distinguish between different products you may be hearing about, such as bar clamps and parallel clamps. Certain other tools and supplies are also best learned about through visualization, such as cross-dowels.

The next step is to visit a woodworking store, or even a regular home improvement center, and look around. Make a note (or take a photo) of interesting or unfamiliar products for later Googling.

Favorite woodworking catalogs: Rockler, Woodcraft, Lee Valley, McFeelys

4. Jump Right in With a Starter Project

Plan out a small project, or follow one that you found in print or online, and get to it. There are tons of simple projects that you can make with few tools. You can get boards and sheet goods cut down to rough size at a lumber yard or home improvement center for minor working at home. Nothing is more encouraging than experience and a sense of accomplishment.

There’s a lot one can do with just a saw, drill/driver and $40 pocket hole jig.

5. Join a Club or Partner With a Friend

This can be an effective way to correct misconceptions and rapidly gain understanding and knowledge. These days there’s no reason to make common and perhaps even costly mistakes if you can help it.

Clubs and friends can also offer access to tools you cannot afford, don’t want to invest in or don’t know about as a beginner. Early on, about 8 years ago, I used a Dremel with a sanding drum accessory to round the edge of a project – a DVD player stand and TV riser. If I had joined a club or consulted with a woodworking friend, I would have learned about routers much sooner. That project also taught me about saw kerf thickness and how tight-clearance dimensions should account for it.

Additional Resources

The web can be an excellent resource for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced woodworkers, but such sources are most effective if you know what you’re looking for.

If there’s a Woodworking Show in your area, consider going. Admission is usually $10 or so, with many vendors and expert exhibitors willing and ready to share their knowledge and experience with you. There are some opportunities for hands-on training, and usually reasonable discounts as well.

Have you heard about “Kid Wood” and “Real Construction” tools? These sets have been out for a year or two now, so you may have already spotted them in stores or a TV commercial. Kid Wood is an orange foam-like product that’s designed to simulate real wood, and Real Construction tools, made out of plastic, are used to saw and modify the foam. These products are recommended for kids 6+.

From the manufacturer, Kid Wood material is specifically created to look, saw and nail like REAL wood, but is designed for safety and easy for kids to use.

While I can understand the rationale behind these products, that plastic tools and foam project boards are safe for kids, aren’t these just toys? On the bottom of the products you’ll see a warning that “adult supervision suggested.” Although children can be creative, I doubt that most 6 year olds can create the type of projects shown in the many sample photos on their own.

Quite a few online reviews complain about the lack of instructions, but we saw full instructions online, although in a non-printable one-step-at-a-time format.

An add-on "Real Construction" tool set

I remember having a small project set when I was young, maybe 9-12 years old. It came with a mini hammer, mini coping saw, a bunch of hardware, and some wood. I could have used a little more guidance with it, but I don’t remember ever injuring myself. But then again, I was exposed to tools and woodworking at a younger age.

I don’t think anyone will disagree that kids can benefit from adult supervision when woodworking or faux-wood working. So if there’s going to be supervision, why not bust out the real tools? There are plenty of kid-sized tools available, and there’s no real harm in teaching them properly at a young age.

You can check out the line of Real Construction starter kits, tools and hardware at Amazon.

During a recent trip to Lowes, I spotted a couple of Red Toolbox project kits for kids. If their tools and kits are a serious as the Red Toolbox workbench I wrote about a while back, then the kits may be worth a closer look.

1. Festool Plunge Track Saw and Dust Extractor

A couple of months ago, I went a little nuts and splurged on a Festool track saw and Dust Extractor. I heard good things about Festool’s Dust Extractors, and wanted to use test one out for an article I was writing. While in talks to borrow one for testing, I did quite a bit of research, reading through reviews on various enthusiast forums, and convinced myself that I needed one.

I didn’t really need a track saw, but my long circular saw cuts were always a bit sloppy, and I was looking for a way to keep my work area cleaner and as dust-free as possible.

Now, when cutting plywood or other sheet goods, I don’t have to worry as much about how to cut a straight line or keep things dust free, the saw, guide rails and vac make the whole process easier. I’m slowly saving up for the next addition to the Festool system.

Buy Now (via Amazon)

2. Porter Cable QuikJig Pocket Hole Jig

While a bit pricey compared to Kreg pocket hole jigs, the Porter Cable pocket hole jig is remarkably efficient and simple to use. Pocket hole joinery is definitely a great technique for both beginners and advanced woodworkers, and the QuikJig sort of just accelerates users from start to finish. It makes the layout and hole-making process blissfully effortless.

Buy Now (via Amazon)

3. Dewalt DWS780 12″ Sliding Miter Saw

I was plenty impressed with Dewalt’s simple 10″ compound miter saw. But the DWS780, it just blew me away. Yes, it’s large, but it’s also powerful and feature-rich. Things were off to a good start when I played around with the new built-in XPS work light, but the saw’s performance and capabilities are what really kept my attention. To be honest, I think it may even be superior to Bosch’s super-sexy Axial Glide miter saw.

Buy Now (via Amazon)

4. Dewalt Heavy Duty Work Stands

I expected to like Dewalt’s heavy duty work stands from the start, but I wasn’t quite prepared for how useful they actually proved to be. Coupled with Dewalt’s universal brackets, they make excellent benchtop tool or custom jig supports.

Buy Now (via Amazon)

5. Japanese Waterstones

I hate sharpening and honing my hand tools, but it needs to be done. I started off with one 4000 grit stone to try things out, and have since added several more to my sharpening kit. Choosing the right stones and learning proper technique and practices has made my sharpening experiences less dull and burdensome. I still use fine-grit sandpaper on occasion, but not often.

Buy Now (via Amazon)
Buy Now (via Lee Valley, our waterstone vendor of choice)

Of course these are just my top 5 favorite woodworking tools and accessories of the year. If the list were to continue, Woodpeckers and Veritas tools would hold most positions from 6 through 15 or so, after which things level out and there’s only like and don’t like.

I remember reading the same post, and when my search efforts failed, careful meditation (or luck) refreshed my memory and I tracked down the original article.

$5 for a 1/8″ Twist Drill? Only in America describes what John, from Bridge City Tool Works, observed in a Chinese factory 11 years ago. He saw cheap bench grinder motors being wound with scrap copper wire, and drill bits being coated to make them look like they were properly hardened.

Factory workers were mixing in good (or at least better quality in comparison) drill bits with junky pot metal bits. Why? Because these many-piece drill bit sets were so low-priced that American consumers continue to let them get away with it.

John’s post is an interesting and illuminating read. It is important to realize that not all import bit sets are going to be be similarly comprised of a few good bits and many garbage bits. But there’s only one sure way to be sure you don’t get stuck with only 4 good bits out of 115 – spend more upfront and buy better brand-name bits.

I sometimes hate gift cards, store credit too. They always nag at me, constantly reminding me that their balance must be spent before I lose or forget about them. And then under pressure, I browse and browse and buy something in a hurry.

But most of the time, I really enjoy spending tool-related gift cards. Back a few years ago when I was still building up my essential tool collection, I redeemed hundreds of dollars worth of credit card reward points for gift cards. I then used those gift cards to whittle down my wishlist of hand and power tools.

Now, there’s not so much that I need anymore, but I still have a growing wishlist full of wants. And that’s the beauty of gift cards – they almost give you permission to buy some of the things you want but don’t necessarily need.

Right now I have a couple of hundred dollars in Amazon gift cards that were converted from accumulated credit card reward points. Will I splurge for some more Bosch L-Boxxes or Festool Systainers? A Festool woodworking router? Knipex bolt cutters that I would only use sparingly? Or maybe that $45 pepper grinder that everyone’s raving about. And then there’s the Stanley Fubar III that’s been on my wishlist for over 3-years now – it looks bad-ass but I have zero need for one.

What about you? Do you love or hate gift cards? Retail stores will try to convince you to spend your gift cards on after-Christmas and end-of-year tool sales, but I say spend them on something you want but wouldn’t feel right spending cash on.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an Amazon gift card that’s burning a hole in my pocket.

A few weeks ago, someone over at the Garage Journal forum asked about whether you can drill with an impact driver. The discussion then turned towards how much play there is in a 1/4″ hex chuck.

The short answer is that you can use hex-shank drill bits in an impact driver. But should you? Before I answer that, I must insist that you only use impact-rated drill bits in an impact driver. If you use regular bits and encounter enough resistance to engage the impact mechanism, there’s a high risk of potentially hazardous bit failure.

So should you drill holes with an impact driver? Well, it depends on how precise your hole needs to be. For rough construction needs, such as boring a hole to pass wires through, then it should be fine to go ahead with the impact driver. But if precise hole placement, size, and roundness are crucial, then stick with a drill and regular drill bits.

It is worth pointing out that you can generally only find general purpose bits with 1/4″ hex shanks. Thus far I haven’t seen numbered or lettered bits with hex shanks, or specialty bits such as brad point or cobalt bits. That should also tell you something.

Do you have a different opinion? Please share it with us in a comment!

Whether you subscribe via RSS or email, return on occasion to check out what’s new, or are a first-time visitor that found your way here via Google or another site, we appreciate your visit and hope you leave satisfied.

You might not think so, but running a tool blog is hard work, especially for one person to manage solo. Colleagues or family members occasionally help out with certain projects, but as often I say “we,” and “us,” it’s mostly just me behind the scenes here. It can be hard work keeping things up and moving forward, but you all make my efforts worthwhile.

I started ToolGuyd way back at the end of 2008 when I had a lot to say about tools and no place to go. I had purchased new tools I wanted to review, learned a few tips and tricks that I wanted to share, and had a couple of neat stories I wanted to tell. ToolGuyd was also supposed to be a tool guide. That project is taking longer to work out than anticipated, but I still work on it as I can. Who knows, maybe it will turn into a book.

Now, I still buy new tools to review, I continue to learn more tips and tricks to share, and I have even more stories to tell. But a few things have changed. I have grown more experienced and have learned much, more than I know how to describe. Friendly PR guys and gals send me information on the latest tools, product managers answer my incessant questions, and my wife tolerates the mountains of product samples and Amazon orders that occasionally build up everywhere.

To sum it up, thank you all for your continued support! Without you I would have lost the motivation to keep ToolGuyd going a long time ago. Hopefully my content has helped you along the way, and will continue to be a valued resource for you moving forward.

So what’s in store for 2012? Videos, videos, and more videos. Videos are time consuming to put together, but you guys seem to like ‘em, so I’ll work at it. I’ve also got tons of new reviews planned. If there’s ever something in particular you want to see me review or at least take a look at, feel free to contact me!

Lowe’s

Shopping in-store at Lowes is fairly enjoyable. A wrench set we purchased for $25 dropped to $15, and customer service had no problems adjusting the price for us. Returning an order that was purchased online and shipped to us should have been easy, but we got stuck with a less than steller associate that we’ve had issues with several times before. We’ve heard other Lowes associates describe him in less kinder ways. But that’s a complaint about this individual associate at one store; overall our experiences have been great.

It’s also a pleasure to shop at Lowes.com. We ordered an item for in-store pickup, and although it was shown as in-stock, I received a phone call 22 minutes later telling me that it was actually out of stock. We understand that these things happen, and it’s great to know that someone at Lowe’s gets to work on your online order as soon as it’s placed. There’s great integration between Lowes.com and Lowes stores, but we did find that price changes are sometimes reflected sooner in-store than online. Just ask, and they will honor the lowest of the two.

Lowes Stores: A
Lowes.com: A

Lowes Customer Experience Grade: A!

Home Depot

Most of our Home Depot shopping is done in-store, but we placed a few orders were placed online. HD now has a free in-store pickup option for eligible items, but we haven’t tried it out yet. We have no complaints about the in-store shopping experience, everything usually goes quite smoothly.

Home Depot.com, though, could stand a little improvement. Most of the errors we’ve seen were pricing mistakes, usually in favor of the customer. The search engine could also stand to be improved, but the same can be said about Sears.com and Lowes.com. One thing we didn’t like is how little care was put into packaging a shipped order. We ordered a 4-pack promo set of Stanley tape measures, and it arrived with the product packaging banged up and mangled a bit. The products themselves were fine, as tape measures are robust tools, but we would like to see delicate tools or gift items better protected during shipped.

Home Depot Stores: A
Home Depot.com: B

Home Depot Customer Experience Grade: A-

Sears

Shopping in-store is a relative breeze. Our local store hired extra staff that are friendly and helpful, and we can usually find what we’re looking for with ease. Ordering online for in-store pickup produced a few snags.

3/4 of the items we ordered on Black Friday were reported as unavailable and not-in-stock, but were found them in abundant supply when we checked the store that Sunday. Without hesitation, the cashier honored the online prices. We picked up 3 orders – one on a Saturday afternoon, one on a Sunday evening, and one on a Monday morning. All three took over 5-minutes, netting us 3X $5 off $5+ coupons..

Price-matching in-store or online is quick and easy, but there’s a 14-day window. Beyond that, you’ll have to do a “return-rebuy” if the difference is worth the hassle to you.

Sears.com, on the other hand, is still frustrating to shop through on occasion. One example – a Craftsman tool box was priced as $21.50 via a mobile device browser window, but $24.99 in a full browser windows. After placing an order, a quick price guarantee form fixed things, but should not have been necessary. A bigger issue – we used a $10 off $100 coupon code on an order. The $10 was deducted from a Craftsman Club sales item (anti-fatigue mat). We were shown one price (with incorrect tax estimate) at checkout, but later the order confirmation showed a higher total. Sears.com customer service got back to us and said that they cannot make the adjustment, so we’ll probably end up having to dispute the $14 unautorized additional charge via the credit card company. We’ve also heard of a few other technical glitches from several readers.

One thing that we didn’t care for were the many, many receipts that print out in-store. When buying tools, do we need coupons off of oil changes and clothing? Does it look like we need $10 off $40+ womens’ fashion boots? But on the other hand, a very welcome $15 off $100 tools coupon printed out after purchasing a pillow. We also like how you can now opt for receipts to be emailed to you – a great way to keep records on big-ticket items.

Another nuissance – we started automatically receiving Kmart emails after browsing at Sears.com. “We noticed you browsing, here are some deals you might like…” A couple of days and  repeated settings changes later and the emails still continue.

With Sears.com, our experiences this month have ranged from excellent to downright blood-boiling. As we discussed in a recent post, great prices and selection keep us coming back for more. Also worth noting is that there are so many frequent sales and coupons that we almost never pay full price.

Sears stores: A
Sears.com: C (we’re being generous here)

Sears Customer Experience Grade: B-

Summary

As you can see, our in-store experiences have been positive across the board. Perhaps not perfect, but definitely close. So why shop online? With Sears, we’re drawn in with lower prices and better selection, but ease of use and consistency issues with the website drag the score way down. Home Depot.com also offers the occasional coupon code, and we’ve also noticed a subtle but gradual expansion of their online selection. And with Lowes, it’s mainly about convenience since prices and selection seem to be consistent across the board.

We shop at all three retailers for different reasons outside of just the customer experiences they provide. Of the three retailers, we shop at and spend the most at Sears, followed by Lowe’s, and then Home Depot. But if those other factors, such as price and product selection were to be held constant across all three stores, Lowe’s and Home Depot would gain a much larger chunk of my business.

About a week or two ago, I took a stroll around all of the big box home improvement stores and tool departments. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, each store’s new products are on display, with a sprinkling of cheap special buys spread throughout to squeeze an extra few dollars out of each shopper.

Browsing around Home Depot, I came across a few utility knives, by Iron Bridge Tools. Iron Bridge Tools is based in Florida and makes some of Home Depot’s Husky and special buy tools. Which brings to mind the Husky rotary wrench shilling incident from last year, where we received multiple highly favorable comments and user reviews from a single Florida-based IP address. Home Depot investigated the incident, but we never got to the bottom of things.

But I digress. Back to the point, when I came across this knife, I had a twinge of excitement. Right smack on the front and back of the knife it says USA Quality Guaranteed. And then I turned the package over. Turns out that USA Quality Guaranteed is just a decoration, with the utility knife being made in China.

Heck, I would have even been okay with “Made in USA with domestic and global components.” I suppose it should have been less of a surprise, since the brand is called tattoo, suggesting tattoo-inspired designs. But I was still caught off-guard and disappointed, even a bit enraged.

At least the knife’s packaging gave me a quick laugh once I cooled down. Do not project flashlight beam directly into eyes. Eye impairment could result. A usually valid safety warning, but shouldn’t there be a laceration warning instead? This is a utility knife, not a flashlight. Hopefully nobody injures themselves opening the package, although there does appear to be a plastic blade guard.

Call me gullible, but I was almost misled by this. And if I was almost misled, how many others shoppers only saw the USA part but not the bit about the tool being made in China?

Gallery:

A couple of years ago, I could fit all of my hand tools into a single portable toolbox, and two small cases housed all of my power tools. But as my needs grew, so did my tool collection. Quantifying how many tools I own today is a frightening prospect, so let’s just say I own more than your average DIYer.

After sending some feedback to Sears regarding my holiday shopping experiences online and in-store*, I realized that I had a lot more I could share in a post. I usually source my tools from a number of places, mostly home improvement centers, retailers, online distributors and industrial suppliers, but Sears still remains one of my favorite places to shop for tools.

So what’s so great about Sears’ tool department? In a nutshell, they have a great selection and (usually) reasonable prices. When I was a hobbyist, I found the tools I needed at prices I could afford. When I was a beginner DIY, they had the upgrades and specialty tools I wanted. Now, as an advanced user (for lack of a better description), I continue to shop at Sears, often chasing after great deals and picking up tools that are difficult or too costly to find elsewhere.

(FYI: Current Sears.com sales and promos can be found here, and tool-related promos right here.)

Sears’ In-Store Selection

It’s hard to say for certain, but I do feel that Sears’ tool selection at least rivals that of competing home improvement centers. If there’s something I need right away for a project but cannot find at a home center, I can usually be sure that they’ve got what I need at Sears. Last week I spent nearly an hour at a home improvement store trying to find items to buy with $60 in store credit I had from a return. At Sears, I would have spent that $60 in 5 minutes (seriously, my wish list is huuuuge!).

For casual users with modest budgets, Sears’ Craftsman line usually offers the most value, but there are often other brands to choose from as well. Advanced users with larger budgets have even more options to choose from.

Sears.com Tool Selection

Sears 2011 Holiday Tool Catalog

As much as I enjoy walking around and shopping at my local Sears, I absolutely LOVE browsing through their newest catalogs. Sears.com can be somewhat overwhelming to browse through, but I usually find what I need in a jiffy. At the surface, I quickly see some of the top name brands available elsewhere, but when digging in deep new or unfamiliar brands will occasionally pop up.

In addition to Craftsman tools, I have purchased Channellock, Crescent, Stanley, Footprint, GearWrench, Evolution, Leatherman, Knipex, Wera, Bosch and other brands’ tools via Sears, often at better prices than they’re available for elsewhere.

But what really gets me coming back for more are the unique or exotic that are difficult if not impossible to find elsewhere. For example, take a look at my Popular Mechanics article on 5 off-brand exotic hand tools. 4/5 of those tools I had purchased from Sears.

Note: The latest Sears.com tool deals can be found here, and here are a couple of coupon codes: SEARS2011, SEARS5OFF50, REALJOY. The first two are for $5 off $50, and the last for free shipping on $99+ orders, valid until 4pm on 12/19. One coupon per order.

Why Else to Buy Tools From Sears?

Low risk and easy returns. Craftsman tools are backed by a lifetime guarantee, and Sears’ return policy on most tools is quite lenient. On the back of a recent receipt, it says If for any reason you are not satisfied, return your purchase in its original packaging, with your receipt within 90 days of purchasing. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

There are a couple of new guarantees as well, mentioned below.

Sears Tool Gift Guide

Since it’s that time of year, here are a couple of gift ideas for you to consider. There are also a couple of great bargains in-store, not only around the holiday displays but in the regular aisles as well.

Homeowners and Casual Tool Users

1. Craftsman 9pc Standard and Metric combination wrench sets
2. Craftsman 94pc Socket Set
3. Craftsman Nextec 12V Cordless Power Tools
4. Craftsman Work Bench
5. Craftsman Universal Max Axess Socket Set
6. Craftsman 7pc Universal Wrench Set - Standard and Metric
7. Craftsman Adjustable Pliers Set
8. Crescent Long-Reach Pliers Set
9. Craftsman 18pc Screwdriver Set
10. Gearwrench 20pc Ratcheting Wrench Set

There are so many other top-picks for casual users, but these are among the most useful ones I usually recommend. A gift card is also a great idea, that’s how I was able to afford some of my higher quality tools early on.

Professionals and Advanced Users

1. Grip-on Hands-Free Clamping Pliers and Holder Set
2. Fisco 25-foot Tape Measure
3. GearWrench 9pc Reversible Ratcheting Wrench Sets - Standard and Metric
4. Wera 12pc Screwdriver Set
5. Knipex 10-inch Plier Wrench
6. Craftsman Max Axess Pass-Thru Socket Set
7. Wera Zyklop 3/8″ Ratchet
8. ToughBuilt Handyman Tool Belt
9. Montezuma Portable Tool Box
10. Gladiator GearBox Wall Cabinet

All of you DIYers and advanced users out there, what would you add to this list?

Sears “Real Joy” Guarantees

After passing along feedback to Sears about recent shopping experiences, they mentioned their “Real Joy” Guarantees. I’m familiar with some of these policies, but others seem new, so I took a closer look. Full details can be found here.

• Satisfaction Guaranteed return policy – as mentioned, 90 days on most tools, 30 days on other stuff.
• Lowest Price Guaranteed – I took took advantage of this policy a while back when buying my wife a digital camera. It’s a great policy, but be sure to check out the fine print.
• Free Shopping - If you cannot find an item in-store, you can usually order it from a kiosk with free shipping to your home. (Also works with catalog/online-only tools.)
• Ready in 5 Guarantee – If you order online for in-store pickup and, after you receive email confirmation, it takes longer than 5 minutes for them to pull your order, you get a $5 coupon. (Sometimes you need to remind the associate about this, other times it prints out automatically.)
• Return/Exchange in 5 Guarantee - Start your return online and complete it in-store. If it takes more than 5 minutes in-store, you get a $5 coupon. This one’s new to me. Returning online purchases sometimes requires a trip to the HR backroom, so this should save a bit of time.
• Craftsman Hand Tool Lifetime Guarantee - If a covered Craftsman hand tool fails, it will be replaced or repaired for free. I’ve never been declined an exchange, but certain tools such as consumables (e.g. taps) and tape measure blades are not covered.

Shop Sears Tool Deals, or browse through their 2011 Holiday Catalog, which has clickable purchase links.

* Disclosure: for my feedback (which I will probably share separately), I was provided with a small gift card to ensure that I did some prompt shopping.

When working on a project, in addition to the right tools, you need good lighting. Sometimes room lighting is not enough and a little extra brightness can make your work go quicker, easier, and more safely. These days, LEDs are are a great way to go, and hands-free products have obvious benefits. Which do you prefer to use more, headlamps or cordless work lights?

The main benefit of a headlamp is that the beam moves with you and can be perfectly aligned with your vision. A major downside is that headlamps are limited in how large and heavy they can be.

Cordless, or even corded work lights, can be a lot larger and brighter. Many offer multiple support and positioning options, but must still be carefully aimed at the work area. Depending on the surroundings, this can sometimes be tricky.

My preference? I tend to use work lights for larger projects, but whip out a headlamp for quicker projects or tasks. Overall, I use headlamps far more, with my current favorite being the Petzl Pixa 1.

Petzl Headlamps (I’ve got 3 of these and love ‘em!)
Dewalt 12V Max LED Worklight (My favorite work light, but it’s sold without a battery. It’s one incentive to buy into the Dewalt 12V Max lineup. Second-favorite is a Craftsman 12V fluorescent model.)

Later on when you’re resting and digesting, be sure to head back here to check out our updated Black Friday Deals List. Lowes and Home Depot already kicked off their Black Friday deals, with Sears scheduled to go live with theirs sometime between tonight and tomorrow.

And if you find a super-stellar deal? Feel free to share it with the rest of us!

Have a great weekend!