Dewalt recently announced a new line of SDS Plus drill bits that they’re calling Solid Rock Carbide. These new bits are designed with twice as much carbide than standard SDS Plus drill bits, which should decrease downtime caused by tip or flute breakage. (I wonder how these bits will compare with the new carbide-head Bulldog Xtreme bits Bosch recently announced.)

The new Solid Rock Carbide SDS Plus bits can better withstand difficult drilling applications, meeting users’ demands for greater bit durability. The bits are manufactured using a welding system that affixes a solid piece of carbide to the tip of the flute. With solid carbide leading the cutting action, bit durable should be greatly improved.

These new bits will be available in a range of sizes (3/16″ to 1/2″) and lengths.

Depth and Dust Control

Dewalt Depth Setter DWA5537DS

Dewalt also recently announced a new adjustable depth setter (DWA5537DS) and dust collector (DWA500DC) that are designed to work with their SDS Plus drill bits. Used together, the components form a depth and dust control system that works well for installing drop-in anchors.

The adjustable depth setter can be used with Dewalt’s 3/8″, 1/2″, and 5/8″ SDS Plus bits, corresponding to common drop-in anchor sizes 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″.

The flexible dust control attachment fits tightly flush against the application material to create a debris and dust collection area. It fits over the depth setter to further minimize dust and to provide a cleaner workspace.

Available later this month, the depth setter will be priced at $40 and comes with a 1/2″ Solid Rock Carbide bit. The dust control shroud will be priced at $20, and can only be used with the depth setter attachment.

Bosch GLM50 Laser Distance Measuring Tool

Bosch recently added the GLM50 to their laser distance measuring tool lineup. The new addition features accuracy up to 1/16″ 165-foot range, slim design, large 3-line backlit display, round buttons with silicone overlay, large soft grip areas, IP54 rating and 3-ft impact protection rating. It small size, reasonable accuracy and medium range make it suitable for interior length, area, volume and surface measurements. ETA is Feb 2012.

Bosch Daredevil Saw Blades

Bosch’s Daredevil framing blades feature thin-kerf extra-hard steel plate blades with triple-sharp micrograin carbide teeth and a friction-reducing finish. These blades are currently available in common 6-1/2″, 7-1/4″ and 8-1/4″ sizes, and there are plans to introduce 10-inch and 12-inch blades at around May 1st.

Bosch SDS-Max Rotary Hammer RH850VC

The new rotary hammer is said to be best in class in terms of amps, impact energy and drilling speed. It’s also said to offer the best vibration dampening in its class. The RH850VC features a 14A motor, 1100-2750 BPM impactor, 12.7 ft-lb impact rating and 18.7 lb weight. MSRP is $800 and ETA is August 2012.

BullDog Xtreme Max Rotary Hammer RH228VC

The RH228VC is said to be best in class in all meaningful measures. It features more power (2.4 ft-lbs) and less vibration (12 m/s^2) than most others in its class. It can drill holes up to 1-1/8″ in diameter, and has an 8A motor that delivers 0-5460 BPM. A longer piston and impact bolt allow the tool to strike harder and faster with fewer BPM, meaning quicker work with less wear on the motor.

Bulldog Xtreme Rotary Hammer Bits

Bulldog Xtreme bits feature a full-head carbide design for greater durability and cutting performance. New Bulldog SDS-plus bits are designed for next-generation hammers and feature optimized flutes that cut with lower friction and enhance dust removal.

Airsweep Wet/Dry Vacuum Updated with HEPA Filter Option

Bosch is upgrading its 13-gallon wet/dry vacuum cleaner with new filter and containment options. The new 3931A-PB Airsweep features a plastic bag that augments the tank-only receptacle system found in the original 3931A. The 10-gallon bags are tear resistant, hold twice the amount of concrete as paper bags and help to reduce clogging. New VAC019 HEPA filter cartridges allow the 3931A-PB Airsweep to exceed EPA lead remodeling, repair and painting regulations.

Inline Demo Hammer DH1020VC

A new inline demo hammer was also released, replacing the 11316EVS. It’s said to have the best power to weight ratio and vibration dampening in its class. It features a 15A motor, 900-1700 BPM impactor, 3.7/20.7 ft-lb impact rating and 24lb weight. MSRP is $900 and ETA is also August 2012.

Grinder Dust Collection Attachments USG-5, USG-7

These new polycarbonate universal grinder attachments fit all of Bosch’s 5-inch and 7-inch grinders, respectively, as well as many competitors’ grinders.

Wallscanner D-Tect 150 Floor and Wall Radar Scanner

The D-Tect 150 is an ultra-wide-band radar scanner designed to determine the material type, depth and relative width information of metal and non-metal objects such as wooden studs, plastic pipes and live AC wires.

GRL400H Self-Leveling Rotary Laser

The GRL400H is a self-leveling rotary laser designed for exterior applications. Accuracy is up to ±3/32-inch at 100-feet, and maximum range is 1300-feet. Battery life is 50-hours, and the fully-enclosed top housing is rated at IP56.

Included in the basic kit is a LR1 receiver with bracket, 2D batteries and a carrying case. Included in the GRL400HCK complete kit is a LR1 receive, aluminum tripod and 8-foot grade rod.

HDC Hammer Dust Collection

The new HDC dust collection system is designed to reduce the airborne dust created on the jobsite by chiseling, drilling and demolition applications. There will be 3 attachments – HDC-C1, a chiseling-only shroud; HDC-D1, for drilling and chiseling; and HDC-D2 for demo-use-only.

All attachments feature tool-free clamping, a quick adjustment mechanism, and vacuum dust port. The C1 and D1 fit Bosch’s SDS Max Spline hammers, and the D2 fits Bosch;s 1-1/8 hex breaker hammers. Included adapters ensures compatibility with a variety of other brands’ hammers. The C1 and D1 versions are priced at $99 and $129, and the C2 $169.

If you’re a regular Amazon shopper, you’re probably aware of their Subscribe & Save program, where you can save 15% off certain items. You subscribe to receive a certain consumable product, such as razor blades or toothpaste, at set intervals (1-month, 2-months, etc), and in return you save 15% on each order.

It looks like Amazon is now testing this pricing model on select power tool accessories, such as MK Diamond saw blades, Irwin reciprocating saw blades and SAIT carbide grinder burs.

The power tool accessory Subscribe & Save selection is a bit limited at the moment, but there’s definitely potential for expansion if it works out well. Don’t forget that you can cancel the Subscribe & Save subscription at any time. There are no commitments, obligations or fees, and you can cancel the subscription at any time, even after the first order.

Subscribe & Save orders always ship free as well.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Over at Amazon, this Precision Twist 13-piece drill bit set (C13R10P) is priced awfully low at $14.09. These drill bits are bright-finish uncoated high speed steel (HSS) and jobbers length with 118° points, round shanks and spiral flutes. The set includes sizes 1/16″ to 1/4″ in 1/64ths increments.

All of the Precision Twist drill bits I’ve ordered in the past were made in the USA. These are bits that you can count on, unlike the painted pot metal ones mentioned in our recent cheap drill bits warning post.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

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.

Over at Amazon, this Irwin 81-piece drill and screwdriver bit value pack is on sale for $15, and it even comes with a bonus tool bag. The set includes 27 1-in and 2-in screwdriver bits, 15 black oxide twist drill bits, 3 Speedbor spade bits, 35-piece “deluxe driver set,” and the tool bag.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

It looks this was a retail holiday special that was closed-out after Christmas. We purchased a couple of similar Irwin sets a few years ago, and the twist drill bits were disappointing. The screwdriver bits are not a favorite of ours but do come in handy every now and then, and the spade bits were top-notch.

First, check out the Bosch Multi-X oscillating tool homepage. Then, ideally after learning a little about the tool, look for the button that says “free blade offer” (it has a yellow background as shown), and fill out the request form. While you’re still on the page, also check out the “intro” tab, which contains a video that shows some great usage examples.

Please, please, PLEASE don’t request a blade if you don’t own an oscillating multi-tool or plan to own one in the near future. If you’re looking to buy one, check out this great deal Amazon is running right now on these Bosch multi-tools – $106 after $20 auto coupon (reg. price is ~$150)!

Actually, that’s a heck of a good deal, $106 is about $45 off the regular price!

Buy Now(via Amazon)

To repeat, NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY to get the free blade. We don’t know which blade you’ll get, but our guess is that it will be a straight wood-cutting blade.

Rotary Tool Accessories & Attachments

Remember the Dremel shield (model A550) that we discovered more than 6-months ago? It has reached production and will soon be available in stores for about $15.

Dremel is also releasing new sanding discs into the EZ Lock family, which eliminates the need for screwdrivers and miniature screws to change accessories. We’re HUGE fans of the EZ Lock system since it makes blade/bit swaps amazingly quick and easy. The sanding discs (EZ411SA, EZ412SA, EZ413SA) are designed to be twice as durable as non-EZ discs, while removing twice as much material, and will be available in 80 grit, 120 grit, and 240 grit versions. MSRP is $5.

Oscillating Multi-Tool Accessories

Dremel is also releasing new higher-performance cutting blades to match the new MM40 and MM20 2nd-generation oscillating tools. Included in the launch is the MM480 wood and MM482 wood/metal flush-cutting blades, which feature increased blade length and width that allow for quicker and easier cutting performance. MSRP is $18 and $19 respectively.

There will also be a MM452 BiM segmented saw blade, compatible with all of Dremel’s multi-tool models, that can flush-cut through wood and metal materials faster than other segmented blades. MSRP is $22.

Woodcraft’s popular drill bit set promotion has come around again as part of an early holiday sales promotion.

Included in the 50%-off sale is a brad point drill bit set, and a HSS twist drill bit set. The former is intended for use on wood products, with the latter being more of a general purpose set good for use on wood, light metal, and plastic materials.

There are better quality and higher performing drill bits out there, but you won’t find anything better for the money. Both sets offer 19 bit sizes from 1/16″ to 3/8″, with 5-10 bits of each size.

170pc TiN Brad Point Drill Bit Set via Woodcraft ($40)
170pc TiN HSS Twist Drill Bit Set via Woodcraft ($50)

The sale ends Nov. 23, 2011.

Dewalt 18V Hammer Drill + Reciprocating Saw Combo for $200

In a comment to our $90 Dewalt cordless drill deal, Jonathan gave us a heads-up about a better deal that he found. For $200, you get a Dewalt 18V premium hammer drill, fully-featured reciprocating saw, and two extended run-time XRP NiCd batteries.

Don’t walk to the store, run! Or reserve one by ordering online with free shipping or free in-store pickup. A price comparison of the DCK251X combo via Amazon shows an average price of $320!

Buy Now(via Lowes)

Makita LCT300W 18V Drill + Impact Driver Combo for $130

Amazon, via Northern Tool (check under “more buying options”), is offering this Makita 3-tool combo kit for $130 with free shipping. The kit included Makita’s compact drill/driver, compact impact driver, Xenon flashlight, and 2 Li-ion batteries plus a charger and carrying case. The average price is $230 and up.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

UPDATE: The Makita deal appears to be OOS as the $130 listing has been taken down. It might be worth checking back in case it comes back, but as of now we consider that to be unlikely.

Dewalt 100-Piece Drilling & Screwdriver Bit Set for $20

Lowes is also offering a decent price on this 100pc drill and screwdriver bit set. It includes 17 drill bits, a RapidLoader hex bit holder and 2 magnetic bit holders, a large bit selection, and durable storage case. Even though the 100-piece count includes 30 #2 Phillips bits, this kit looks to be a great value.

This set was a $20 Black Friday special two years ago, and back in June it was a special-buy at $30.

Buy Now(via Lowes)

Over at Amazon, our deep discounted tool search revealed another crazy-good deal: a 114pc Precision Twist jobber drill bit set for about $140.

The set (part number 90114 ) includes:

• 1/16″-1/2″ in 1/64″ steps
• 1mm-13mm in 0.5mm steps
• #1-#60 wire gauge sizes

So it looks like there are 29 fractional bits, 60 wire gauge bits, and 25 metric bits that make up the 114 bit set. Here’s a link to the same Precision Twist over at Enco, and at MSC.

These are made from high-speed steel and have a 118° drill point angle, suitable for general purpose drilling of wood, plastic, non-ferrous metals. You can use them on steel, but cobalt or heavier duty bits might be a better option. There are a couple of other decent Precision Twist sets on Amazon at reasonable but not as great discounts.

114pc Precision Twist Drill Bit Set via Amazon
Precision Twist Drill Bit Sets via Amazon

Quite some time ago, we reviewed Dewalt’s Impact Ready drill bits. While I’m not a fan of hex-shanked drill bits, these uni-bodied bits were actually quite decent. These impact-rated bits are the only ones I’ll ever use in an impact driver. The fit is not quite as secure as if I were to use a standard jobber-length twist bit in a 3-jaw drill chuck, but it’s fine for most applications.

Previously only available from industrial suppliers for ~$60, this 10-piece impact drilling set is now available on Amazon for $38. I’ve used these bits in everything – wood, steel, aluminum, and (if I recall correctly,) plastic, and their performance has been stellar.

You can also use these bits in an ordinary non-impacting drill, but you’ll get more out of your money using standard bits, such as these Dewalt Pilot Point drill bits that we recommend.

Buy it now via Amazon

Tim from Charles and Hudson photographed this new Milwaukee doohickey at a recent product unveiling. From the looks of it, this is an insert bit storage holder with a built-in magnetic bit holder.

Without any official information to go by, my best guess is that the bit holder is removal and can be inserted into the tool at the bottom of the tool. This would turn the whole shebang into a screwdriver!

One of the handles of the accessory looks to be able to pivot, which may allow you to also use the tool as a T-handle driver to apply greater torque! Probably not, though, if the tool is made of plastic as it looks to be.

The right handle/arm is grooved to accommodate the tips of the insert bits, with the exposed metal notches at the front of the tool serving as handy wire strippers.

Photo by Timothy/Charles and Hudson

UPDATE:

This new photo from OneProjectCloser shows that I had been right about the assumed function of the tool.

Photo by Ethan/OneProjectCloser

A few months after Milwaukee introduced their Ax reciprocating saw blade, they announced a new flush-cutting Sawzall reciprocating saw blade. The flush-cut blade has been designed to tackle the frustrations normally developed when cutting window and door cut-outs.

A double truss geometry helps guide the blade for straighter cuts, and a new Floor Guard design feature helps protect the blade against floor contact.

No, that’s not an optical illusion – the flush-cut blade really is flexing that much! This is probably only possible due to the thin and open blade profile.

Milwaukee Flush-Cutting Saw Blade via Amazon

Check out this video overview of the saw blade that was just posted up by A Concord Carpenter:

While you’re at it, you may want to take a look at some of A Concord Carpenter’s other videos. Our YouTube Channel has far fewer videos, but we’re working on it!

I recently discussed a bit about  Gyros’ Rotary Tool Guard, which is designed to control the ejection of debris and sparks. I have been taking a hands-on look at the guard and some of Gyros’ mini circular saws and cut-off wheels, and I have to admit, I wish I had found out about Gyros’ accessories sooner.

Whereas Dremel offers only 2 wood-cutting circular saw type accessories, Gryos has several blade styles and sizes to choose from. Just to give you an idea, Gryos offers ripsaw blades, coarse tooth blades, fine-tooth and ultra-fine tooth blades, all available in several sizes. As always, by choosing the appropriate blade for the task at hand you can be sure to achieve the best possible results.

Talking about fiber-reinforced cut-off wheels, Gyros offers different disks for use on: low-tensile materials such as glass, plastic, wood, and non-ferrous metals; medium tensile materials such as hardened and unhardened steel and hard bronze; and super tensile strength materials such as hard ferrous and non-ferrous metals, stainless steel, and titanium.

Thus far I am strongly inclined to give these blades and cutting disks a huge thumbs-up. It is quite tough to do a direct Gyros vs. Dremel comparison, and I can see reasons for recommending both systems’ accessories. Overall, Gryos offers blade styles and options that Dremel just doesn’t have on the market (yet?) at all.

I like both brands as they both offer top-quality accessories, but find myself leaning towards Gryos’ better wood-cutting blade style and size selection. On the other hand, Dremel does have a clear advantage in terms of more widespread availability, and their EZ Lock system and accessories are absolutely marvelous to use.

Buy Gyros 7pc Cutting Disk Variety Kit via Amazon
Gyros Rotary Tool Accessories via Amazon
Saw Blade Info via Gyros
Reinforced Cutting Disk Info via Gyros