We received official word that Stanley Black & Decker will finalize the sale of Delta Woodworking Machinery to Chang Type Industries in early February. The new independent company will be called Delta Power Equipment Corporation, and will be based in Anderson County SC as previously reported. Both the Unisaw and Biesemeyer brands will be moving along with […]
Dremel Pinewood Derby Days at Lowes are Back!
Dremel Pinewood Derby Days at Lowes are back! This is a great way to get your kids off their video games and out of the house this winter!
Power8 Cordless Workshop to be Refreshed with Lithium Ion Batteries
Buzz from Chris Elsworthy, designer of the Power8 Workshop, is that the cordless multi-tool workstation is currently being refreshed with Li-Ion PowerHandles and a new smart charger. The revised model is due to hit store shelves soon, and may include additional upgrades. I wrote about the Power8’s design before, and while I don’t think it looks too good on paper, user reviews seem […]
Stanley Black & Decker to Sell Delta Brand to TOTY
Popular Woodworking has reported that Stanley Black & Decker is set to sell its Delta brand to TOTY, a Taiwanese company that currently produces many benchtop power tools for Black & Decker, Craftsman, and Ryobi. The new company, Delta Power Equipment, will be run by Bryan Whiffen, who is currently listed as a senior VP for […]
Matco Tools and Snap-on Place in Top 25 Franchise Ranking
Entrepreneur Magazine recently placed Matco and Snap-on high in their 2011 Franchise 500 Rankings. Matco earned itself the #19 spot, with Snap-on not too far away at position #25. According to a recent Matco press release, franchisors are judged by an independent auditor according to a set of objective criteria such as financial strength and […]
Bosch System Specialist Program Coming to a Store Near You
Bosch’s new System Specialist (BSS) program is being launched at Ohio Power Tool and 19 other small tool dealers around the country. The BSS program is about new product introductions, smart retail layouts, loaner tools, certified repairs, and so much more. You can read more about this new initiative at Coptool, and check here to […]
Ryobi Cordless Drill Recalled
An older model Ryobi cordless drill has just been recalled. Sold at Home Depot from January 2001 to July 2003, drill model HP 1802M is being recalled due to a flawed switch that can potantially overheat causing a fire and burn hazard. If you have a drill that looks like the one shown above with […]
Perceptron & Bosch Partnership to Develop Optical Inspection Devices
We’re told that Perceptron and Bosch have entered into a partnership to jointly develop new optical inspection devices. Perceptron is known for their non-contact measurement and inspection solutions, and as you should already know Bosch is a strong competitor in the power tool market. Details are very vague at this point, but it looks like […]
SK Hand Tool Warranty Policy Now Up
Ideal/SK Hand Tool posted new warranty information on their website. As expected, it states that they are not obligated to fulfill warranty requests but will do so anyways starting in March. At that time you can bring your warranty claims to a local SK distributor at no charge, or mail them to SK along with […]
SK Hand Tool Warranty & New Tool Production Update
We have heard additional word about some of Ideal’s short-term plans for SK Hand Tools. As you may recall, Ideal recently purchased SK Hand Tools after their bankruptcy, and has been working to revitalize the brand.
New SK Hand Tools Facility is Under Construction
Ideal Industries purchased the bankrupt SK Hand Tools last month, but at the time it was uncertain where the tools would be manufactured. Construction on a new facility has since began at Sycamore, IL.
First Craftsman Experience Store Opens in Chicago
The first ever Craftsman Experience store opened this evening in Chicago. Designed to be a DIY and enthusiast haven, the Craftsman Experience will feature Craftsman tools as far as the eye can see, with most if not all tools available for hands-on demos. There will be a workshop and space for projects, how-to clinics, demonstrations, restorations, […]
It’s Official – Ideal Industries Purchases SK Hand Tools!
Official word just came out that Ideal Industries has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase certain assets of SK Hand Tools. The headline of the press release is also very reassuring: Ideal expands its commitment to its Made in America mission by keeping manufacuring of iconic tool brand in the United States. This may […]
SK Files for Sale to Ideal Industries
If you recall, SK Hand Tools recently declared bankruptcy. It was rumored that Ideal Industries would make a bid to buy the debt-stricken hand tool manufacturer. This rumor has turned out to be true, although the sale has not yet been finalized
SK Hand Tools Declares Bankruptcy!!
It’s official, SK Hand Tools has declared bankruptcy. Rumor of the bankruptcy was relayed by a GarageJournal forum member, and then confirmed by another after receiving an email from an SK distributor. It is also rumored that Ideal Industrials, who recently acquired Pratt-Read and Western Forge, is interested in buying up the company. We have our fingers crossed. If […]
Sears to Sell Craftsman Tools at Ace Hardware
To help improve sales, Sears has agreed to sell Craftsman branded tools through Ace Hardware. Early reports are saying that the partnership will start with 100 Ace stores carrying about 10% of the Craftsman product line by May. It has not yet been decided if Sears will roll out this “store-within-a-store Craftsman offering” to all 4500 […]
Update About Home Depot Patent Infringement Suit
Yesterday we mentioned a judgement against Home Depot for copying a patented saw design that they refused to pay the inventor for. I searched for additional information about this online, but without pulling the court documents, we have no choice but to rely on secondary sources. After scouring the web a bit, a few additional […]
Home Depot Duplicates Invention, Loses $25M Lawsuit
Just saw this on the Consumerist – Home Depot lost a lawsuit and was ordered to pay $25 million for copying a saw guard invention that it refused to buy for use in its stores. Home Depot Called Arrogant and Ordered to Pay Inventor Millions
Yet Another Table Saw Safety Lawsuit
Breaking News: Man buys $600 saw, injures self, sues over lack of features included in $1600 saw. Although you cannot see it, I am rolling my eyes and sighing dramatically. Following a recent lawsuit where an injured man won a settlement against Ryobi, a Chicago man is now suing Bosch over injuries inflicted while using […]
Stanley Black & Decker Merger Complete
The anticipated merger between Stanley and Black & Decker was finalized about two weeks on 3/12. I don’t think that the new company will start joint branding their existing product lineup, at least not anytime soon, but one thing is certain – they definitely need a new logo. Stanley and Black & Decker Merger Complete