It’s the end of the year, the transitional period between peak holiday deals and regular content seasons.
There are still plenty of tool deals, but the “WOW, that’s a great bargain” ones either ended or sold out, and you probably don’t need to be reminded about the best of the rest.
I spend some time this part of the year recovering and doing some ToolGuyd housecleaning – literally and figuratively.
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The image above is of the Husky Pro mobile workbench I reviewed a few years ago. You can still buy it from Home Depot, but only in black.
META HELP?
Before we get into things, Does anyone know someone at META that can potentially help a friend? Their business Facebook page was taken over by scammers, and every round of support has led to “we don’t see a problem.” It looks like their Instagram page is also now compromised.
The impact has been devastating, and my friend is considering shuttering their business.
It seems like a hopeless situation, but maybe we can get the attention of someone who can help get this resolved. Please?
2026 Planning
As usual, I am starting to recover from the chaotic November-long Black Friday build-up. It’s always a lot of fun, but also exhausting, and I get tired of all the deal posts.
Things are slow this time of year, and so I usually take the opportunity to plan out 2026.
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I’m still working on a site redesign. Even before that, you might see some experimentation with post formats, styles, and maybe limited page navigation tests. I don’t have much updates there.
The goal right now is to get in more workshop time, but that still allows for some content, review, and project planning.
Tool Review Suggestions & Requests?
I still have some test sample funds leftover – do you have any tool review suggestions or requests?
More 3D printing content or reviews? I have a bunch of offers for review samples, and also have test sample funds for trying other options.
A lot of 3D printing content topics (e.g. how to get started, why to get one, etc.) are saturated, and so it didn’t make sense to add more of the same to the mix. That said, we can explore requested topics.
The same goes for most other types of tools. I can’t accommodate everything, but I can try to work in as many reader requests as possible.
Project Content Plans
Once I’ve made more progress with ToolGuyd’s site redesign, I intend to relaunch an adjacent site for maker-type projects that I have been putting off for a very long time.
For example, there’s a robotic/mechatronic project I have wanted to work on. I can make a small panning and tilting platform. I can mount a light payload to it. I can program it for wired control, maybe even wireless. Scale it up and switch to autonomous control? That’ll require a lot of small skill-building projects I still haven’t gotten around to.
My goal is to increase the amount of time I give to projects like that, and hopefully a place to occasionally share progress will help ensure steady progress. It makes sense to host that content separately, there could potentially be a lot of it over time.
I used to do freelance work for magazines, but that’s no longer viable. So, I’ll create project logs outside of ToolGuyd, and potentially expand upon different topics as needed. Since most projects will involve tools, I can put relevant tool content here and expand upon the project or parts aspects there.
There are other places to host content (such as Instructables), but I’d rather be in full control of my content.
Even though some of my project content will go outside of ToolGuyd, there’s a reason I bring this up.
Off-Topic Reviews?
And that’s because I’m also thinking about more off-topic content here.
A company reached out and invited me to review their gaming chair. Wow, a free gaming chair! meh. Other tool reviewers featured their products, but I do NOT intend to and declined.
From a business sense, maybe I could have found use for a new chair. Maybe it could have been a paid sponsorship opportunity. But the chair looked generic and a review sounded boring, and that’s why I declined.
If I find it boring, so will you.
A mattress company wanted to partner with me over the summer – that was also a hard “no.”
A company sent me an invite for a makeup sample package. I asked them why they thought that ToolGuyd would be a good fit, and they never responded. So I filled out the form and am curious if they’ll actually send it. No, that wasn’t the strangest “collab” opportunity pitched to me.
An idea did come up over the weekend – something I saw sparked my curiosity about European-style stand mixers where the motor is on the bottom.
I tried finding info online, and so many of the reviews were of the “look at ME” type of shallow time-wasting influencer content. 10 minutes later and I didn’t actually learn anything useful.
So, I spoke to my boss and convinced them that “kitchen tools” are still tools, and that this one might be worth exploring. They green-lighted the sample purchase.
Thus, you’re probably going to see a review on that at some point, maybe as a “weekend review” that doesn’t take away from regular content.
I do veer off-topic on occasion – see I’m Trying out an Oxo Nylon Grill Brush.
Are there any off-topics you’d like to see explored or reviewed, potentially as part of a regular roundup post?
Any Other Ideas, Suggestions, Requests, Feedback?
I can’t promise I can accommodate everything, but I consider all feedback and requests.
Questions?
Ryan
Is there a reason why you want to put the maker stuff on another site? I guess depending upon what it is, it may fit here.
IMO, there’s a lack of information regarding the practical uses of 3D printing. There’s a good thread on GarageJournal with people’s practical 3D printer
projects, but the bulk of content is something along the lines of “here’s a file you can download and print” and “I’m printing a Star Wars head.”
For me, the 3D printer is another tool. I believe there to be a market for content catered towards people who believe similarly.
As for non-tool reviews, YMMV. I’m only one person and I only speak for myself, but there’s nothing more annoying than a tool site/channel that starts “reviewing” random Chinese junk that’s not tool related. See: Den of Tools and the power banks, chairs, etc. l
Stuart
For here, I might only feature a summary of the final result. On a separate site, I can go into more granular details.
One thing I’ve wanted to do is automate a nerf blaster. One particular newer style features a spring and piston pump, and I can’t find examples of how it operates internally. So, a breakdown might help with that, and be in its own post, kind of in lieu of a lab or project notebook.
That’s not exactly suitable for a ToolGuyd post.
A skill-building project required sourcing retaining compound for some of the bearings. That was appropriate for here (https://toolguyd.com/retaining-compound-selection/ ).
For 3D printing, my biggest challenge is designing, going from concept to result. I always seem to find a lot of content where someone goes through steps A1, A2, and A3, and then all of a sudden they’re done with step Z. I’ll be exploring that more, as I have a lot to learn, but it’s also not strictly tool content.
Content creation is difficult these days, and messy. It can be a challenge to balance “what the audience wants,” “what the algorithms will show to more people,” and “what I’m interested in.”
Frankly speaking, posting about no-name and cheap tools on Amazon, Walmart, or other marketplaces gets a lot of interest and affiliate clicks. Thus, *not* posting about such leaves money on the table.
More people are searching for cheap tools, cheap machines, cheap lifestyle tech and accessories, and so there’s potentially a lot of money to be made there.
Vevor? They offer a lot to reviewers. I never accepted because I don’t see it as good stuff. They have a walk-behind floor push sweeper https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Floor-Sweeper-Non-Electric-Adjustable/dp/B0CF212GM3/?tag=toolguyd-20 for around $85, and Amazon says they sold 5K+ in the past month. A post about that would definitely make some money.
Let’s say you were a content creator. Would you post about “random junk that’s not tool-related” for $100? $500? $1,000? More? It can be hard to turn down money.
If a sample opportunity aligns with my interests, I might accept. But there’s a high bar for what’s interesting and suitable. I never forget that I am lucky to be able to have this choice, and that might not always be true.
With the mixer that came up, I couldn’t find a review I found helpful. I can’t be the only one wondering, so ToolGuyd ordered one. It’s about what I want to explore, rather than what is pitched for me to feature or promote.
It can be a tightrope, which is also why I felt it worth bringing up.
Josh R
Oddly enough, everything I’ve bought from Vevor has worked fine, and it’s usually dramatically cheaper. I’m usually pretty picky about what I buy from them though.
fred
When I needed a rolling magnetic pickup tool (my old one had disappeared), I looked on Amazon and decided to give a Vevor QJ8012-18 a try. For around $42 it worked well enough and I was satisfied. Later that year I needed to move some machinery around and thought of the Jung (German-made) skates we had in our fabrication shop. After choking thinking about the price of Jung skates, I thought to give Vevor ones try. I bought 4 six-ton capacity skates from Amazon for about $45 each. The 3-piece Jung set (rated at 12 tons for the set) was over $3000 – so, I did.t expect much for under $200. I sort of got even less than. expected. With less than a 1- ton load on 4 skates rolling over a smooth concrete floor, 3 out for 4 skates started falling apart. I had to switch to rigging pipe rollers to complete the move. All 4 Vevor skates got boxed up and sent back to Amazon. The ones I bought are no longer listed on Amazon – so maybe newer Vevor skate/rollers are better – but my experience with the skates left me sour on the brand.
MikeK
3D printing often looks like a tool in search of a problem, but there are cool uses and makers who demonstrate problem-solving. One maker printed custom replacements for bits under the hood of his car (like an airbox or new ducting or just bits to hold wires in place). Other makers are 3D printing replacement bits for classic cars (emblems, side marker reflectors) that are just no longer available. As a photographer, I’ve downloaded STLs to make replacement film holders for flatbed scanners and such. There must be a need like this in the tool storage space. How many times have you looked at the various but generic drawer organizers and thought “Close but no cigar?” Maybe tool folks can think of problems that need to be solved and suggest or even provide the 3D printed expertise needed?
s
as long as you maintain reviewing the tools honestly, i really think chinese tool reviews would be fine.
as fred’s example of the rollers: “it won’t exactly move equipment, but would work well for a heavy fridge!”
a lot of vevor’s stuff really reminds me of how harbor freight broke onto the tool scene. they started with really low quality stuff, and as they built their brand, have slowly moved upmarket to the point that their ‘icon’ brand is actually respected similarly to haphazard-availability-tool-truck-tools within most mechanics circles.
at the very least, ANY honest review of cheaper tools price/performance is appreciated over the despised 5-start “vine free product review” stuff that’s currently populating amazon that give it 5 stars simply because it arrived at their front door…
Stuart
I don’t have much faith in a lot of the cheap tool and machine brands.
Reading through all of the pitches, the focus is always on the money or free nature of things, and not on the tools themselves.
They don’t ask me to promote their stuff because the tools are good, they focus on how much money or swag I could get out of it. It’s hard to take such brands seriously.
On social media too, brands will ask for my address so they can send me stuff, but when I look at the tools I wonder and sometimes as “why is this worth my time?” Just because it’s free?
It just rubs me the wrong way.
If I would never buy it, and cannot be convinced otherwise, it’s not good enough for readers.
Bonnie
On the Vevor angle, I don’t see why not talk about them. They’ll no worse than old Harbor Freight in my experience. Some junk, some good deals. I’ve bought a few different things from them. They also have just enough brand presence to not feel like no-nans Amazon trash (though personally I’ll avoid anything I can only get via Amazon as I no longer will shop there).
Put another way, an article about a Vevor vacuum pump or shop broom seems right up the site’s alley.
As for project stuff, I miss when the site had more of those from you and Stuart, like the old work ench build posts. I’d personally enjoy a regular small update on that mechatronics project or whatever else you’re working on. These also seem like good ways to include thoughts on tools you used that may not warrant a full article on their own.
Like, a project update about assembly, which includes your current thoughts on precision screwdrivers, or frustration with your bench light, that kind of stuff. I find context and details like that more interesting than just “here’s why these Wiha screwdrivers are awesome!”
Similarly I don’t see a problem branching out with some 3d printing or kitchen tool reviews. To me it’s all of-a-piece, but you know your audience retention and SEO numbers better than I do.
Stuart
Ah. Ben got busy with other things, and BenV went through an international move.
My hesitation about projects is that a lot of my bigger ones are business-focused. I’m thinking about an 80/20 stand for my mill before I (hopefully finally) convert it to CNC, and maybe workbenches for the garage wall(s) if/when I decide to clear out some woodworking equipment.
If I do build new workbenches, it’s going to be expensive. Because of that, I feel it’s unrelatable. There are DIY approaches that can lower the pricing, and I can discuss that. But it always seems a bit like showing off, or that folks won’t understand ordering precut and premachined extrusions means I can bolt together a workbench in a day rather than waiting months if not longer for the time to do the machining myself.
I typically prefer to focus on tools rather than myself. That way it doesn’t matter that I use a hot glue gun maybe everyday for a stretch and then not again for 2 years.
I just got the idea for a fun project – a DIY version of cheap floating ball target toys I saw online, for use with foam dart blasters or similar. How can I make something better either for indoors or outdoors use? That type of project seems like a fun skill-builder. I could post about it here, but a lot of the problems to solve don’t directly relate tools, such as determining what type of blower or compressor motor to use.
SEO is all over the place these days. I can guess what type of post might perform better than others, but that gets boring if I focus on it exclusively.
Can I become an authority on 3D printing or CNC? Sure. Will it happen? Probably not. Do I plan on aiming for that? No. So why touch upon it at all? Because I’m interested, it works into my project intentions and plans, and maybe some regulars have specific questions they’re not seeing answered elsewhere.
TonyT
There are quite a few 3D printed Nerf blasters, in many varieties, including open source, so you can look at the available files and build one.
Stuart
All of the ones I’ve seen are designed for handheld use. For automated, the basic concept is simple – motorized flywheels. But actually designing it would be new territory for me, even if I borrow from existing flywheel and cage designs.
I also have a powered Rival ball launcher from a few years ago, but it would require a very robust platform for motorized aiming.
The learning curve is part of the fun.
A long time ago I tried to make wheels for a servo-powered robot out of plastic circles. The holes I drilled were not perfectly centered. I made a TV stand back in college, and used a Dremel sanding drum to round over the front edge. Since those experiences I’ve picked up a lot of skills and techniques on how to do things properly, and in some cases it’s been more enjoyable than finishing some of my projects.
That tends to make skill-building and “proof of concept” projects especially enticing, where I work something out from scratch. But I’m always willing to lean on existing designs as a crutch or head start.
Rick
“Any Other Ideas, Suggestions, Requests, Feedback?”
How about the best and worst new products in 2025?
Stuart
I usually don’t post about the worst ones. “Best” with respect to what was new, what I’ve tested, or readers found interesting?
“Worst” would be AI nonsense. Google inserted a post into my news feed that claimed Home Depot filed for bankruptcy (they didn’t).
Rick
Well I should have been more precise: the best and worse tools in 2025 that you, or readers here, have actually used.
Given that, I see no reason not to post about the worst as well as the best. And doubly so since you are not shy about criticizing as well as praising.
It is trivial to obtain basic information on new products, and it is often easy to find video reviews of them on YouTube. But it is much harder to locate sources of trustworthy reviews and comments. I think that you and your readers are far more trustworthy than (say) posters/bots on YouTube.
(What specifically prompted my suggestion was the diversity of views I see for Milwaukee’s new(ish) M12 six inch orbital sander, though I am always interested in the experiences “real” users have with any new tools.)
Andy
I have the M12 6” RO sander with the 3/16” (5mm) orbit.
I’m extremely happy with it so far, super smooth and well balanced. I’ve only used it on end-grain maple and it’s had plenty of power for my needs. That said, I don’t have any experience with a comparable Festool, Mirka or 3M Xtract product, so there may be something I’m missing or not picking up on.
I also have a pair of 5ah and several 6ah batteries to use it with, so runtime hasn’t been a concern.
I’ve only used it hooked up to my “6HP” Ridgid shop vac but I’ve been really happy with how much of the sawdust is captured.
Bonnie
Those are always good for engagement… But it seems like every site that does them is just trying to bait commenters into argument with each other.
Daniel
ToolGuyd website….
The comment section will contain some great comments. Would be great to click like on a comment. I don’t really feel the need for a dislike, but having the ability to acknowledge a good comment would be cool.
Stuart
That’s not possible.
WordPress hasn’t reworked their comments code in years, presumably because most sites have comments turned off or barren.
There are plugins that allow for this, but it’s a bad idea with respect to server load and site security. There’s also no way to actually control it, leaving it open to abuse from shills and similar.
I look into it every now and then, and there’s no easy or secure way to enhance the comments section.
TomD
What I’ve seen others do (comics curmudgeon) is have a Friday post that highlights the best post of the week, and some runners up.
It’s a bit more manual work, but it can highlight interesting posts.
Of course you already do something akin where a good post triggers a new toolguyd topic post.
Bonnie
Honestly I appreciate the simplicity and bare-bones commenting here. Voting/liking tends to encourage showboating and tribalism, the dopamine hit of that vote number does a surprising amount to people’s psyche and starts to influence their behavior (there’s a lot of UX and marketing research on the topic).
Will
Wish I could provide some help re: Meta/Facebook. My original Facebook page, which I had for nearly 20 years, was hacked a few years ago. There was/is no ready customer support for getting it back. The person who took it over asked for $1,500 to return control to me. I never replied, and luckily the page has remained dormant with no changes for years.
Bonnie
Yeah. Unless you bring them a *lot* of cash from your page Meta couldn’t care less.
Adam
Sorry to hear about your friend’s Facebook and IG pages. I actually have the opposite problem, in that I created a FB business page for a carpentry business I had at the time and despite being out of that business for around 13 years, haven’t figured out how to delete the page and dissociate it from my main account. I get the feeling they really don’t want people deleting their presence on the site, though they obviously don’t much care when it falls into the wrong hands.
A small business I know of had their IG account taken over a few years ago and they ended up creating a new page using underscores where there used to be spaces and DM’ing all their known followers to let them know what happened. TBH, that seemed to work well enough for them in the long run, since once a majority of an account’s followers migrate elsewhere, there’s really no value in it to the thief, I’d imagine.
Stuart
It’s a content creator page with substantial following, and all of that will be lost if they simply create a replacement.
That they scammers are able to post to Instagram too is a new problem that worsens the situation.
Adam
Come to think of it, I start to get “We’ve made it easier to log back into your account” emails from IG when I haven’t used it for a while. I suppose it would be unlikely the thief left the original contact email address unchanged, but in the event they did, maybe your friend might be on the lookout for one of those emails to see whether there’s a password-reset option available? Though I have to imagine if they are an online content creator, they’re most likely internet savvy enough to have tried that. In any event – they should take this as a lesson to enable MFA for future accounts, if they rely on it as a source of income.
Aaron SD
The site is fantastic with great content. I check it a couple times a day.
One thing I don’t think covered was inflators, whether car tires or sports balls. Can the small cheap ones really work as advertised?
The business side of tools is also interesting and seems to be covered well now.
What about other trade shows outside of Dewalt and Milwaukee events? They showcase small companies making unique tools. I’ll see something interesting once in awhile in reels.
A W
Great point: and can the M12 and M18 inflators both pump up a full size truck tire.
TomD
The m12 can inflate a deuce and a half tire given time. But it might overheat.
Stuart
Cordless inflators? It’s a matter of ease of use, air pressure, volume, and time. Most are decent. I use Dewalt’s the most. I took a video last week of how long it took to top-off a car tire.
The really small ones are really best for bike tires and sports balls. Duty cycle becomes an issue if you try to inflate 4 car tires in a row by more than 1 or 2 PSI.
In other words, can small inflators work as well? “It depends.” I used to have a Craftsman Nextec 12V test sample that worked well. The design and engineering really matters more than the size.
I’ll add this to the discussion queue, and can poll to see if there’s anything I need to test.
Media events. Few tool brands have media events these days. Milwaukee is consistent. Some others I’m invited to but don’t attend, and others are more influencer events that I might not be invited to. I have (had?) open invitations to some HQs.
Staftda seems to have lost attendance, not that I’d go there either. World of Concrete is a possibility. A lot of influencers get sponsorship from one (or more!) brands in exchange for coverage.
One brand offered to cover my plane ticket and accommodation for this year’s WOC event, but I probably won’t take them up on it.
Any event is usually a 3-day hectic interruption. I go to Milwaukee’s whenever I’m invited and can make it because they pack my time with tool insights. Having dinner? There’s an aerospace engineer at your table talking about their lawn mowers. Lunch? There’s a product VP talking about their most recent challenges. Dinner and rinks? There’s a President talking about why certain tools cost more than one would think to design, test, and produce.
The National Hardware show tends to have a lot of smaller brands. That would be a 3-4 day trip. Frankly, I love trade shows for learning a little bit about products I’m interested in, but the format is very difficult for content creation and deeper insights.
One brand that wanted to pay me to attend a show wanted a guaranteed number of “hype generation” posts. And then you’d see a lot of just that – hype by influencers on their payroll – but without disclosures.
Thus, I avoid traveling unless it’s going to be advantageous for ToolGuyd.
When an invite talks about “networking” and “collaborate with content creators” and “unplugging for a bit” that’s an automatic no. Not that I don’t like other content creators, because I do – some of them are truly awesome to see and hang out with every year – but influencer “experiences” just don’t excite me.
I was working with a contributor who was going to do some traveling to small brands HQs on ToolGuyd’s dime, but they had to bail.
s
of note, the recent NHS video from ‘dirt monkey’ made a point to clarify that this year is the last ‘NHS’ in it’s current form, and will be splitting into two separate shows moving forward, which leaves a lot of people in a lurch.
he says it’s been broken up to “The DIY CON”, and a show “to get products to market faster”, which is more of a description than a title, but some googling turns up this about the second half being called “NHS Concept to Commerce”:
the real site:
https://www.nhsconcepttocommerce.com/en-us.html#/
this has the less-flashy plain-text press briefing:
https://thehardwareconnection.com/event/nhs-concept-to-commerce-2026/
928'er
I’ve got the same Nextec 12v inflator (plus a NIB spare I picked when Orchard Supply was clearing out Nextec at a 70-80% discount).
Really happy with it. The little thing will pump up the air forks on my Mtn bike to 170 PSI without breaking a sweat (of course that’s pretty low volume), but I don’t think any other battery powered inflators get near that. Ryobi claims a max of 160 PSI, but I’ve never used it on anything other than car tires, so I’ve never tested it’s limits.
KC
I would like to see a review / comparison of some of the multi-head drills that have been introduced recently. I know that both Dewalt and Milwaukee make them. Perhaps adding interest would be how they compare to the Festool option that’s been around for a while. Thanks in advance for the consideration.
Stuart
Festool’s tool is well-polished, but I wouldn’t recommend any of their cordless systems to most users.
Milwaukee’s is excellent but some people don’t like the format or direction switch placement. Dewalt’s is excellent. I like the 12V Max version better than the larger 20V Max Atomic.
Bosch’s is the best value among pro brands https://www.amazon.com/GSR12V-300FCB22-Brushless-Flexiclick-Driver-Batteries/dp/B084Q4143Y/?tag=toolguyd-20
The 2pc kit special buy is back in stock at $149 again https://www.amazon.com/GXL12V-270B22-Chameleon-Flexiclick%C2%AE-Oscillating-Multi-Tool/dp/B09VWMBN4V/?tag=toolguyd-20 .
I’d go with the Bosch 12V or Milwaukee M12 models. Maybe the Dewalt 12V Xtreme if you’re already in their 12V/20V systems since you can share a charger (with some exceptions).
Less expensive lower voltage tools are okay but only if you’re on a strict budget.
KC
Thanks for the reply. I already have a vast assortment of DeWalt 20V batteries in different sizes, as well as several of the Flexvolt batteries, so staying in that platform makes sense for me. Hearing that you find their version to be excellent just reinforces that. I was considering the Festool version because I would like to acquire a couple of their other cordless tools, especially the small table saw. I have a 3HP Powermatic TS that I bought about 20 years ago for the bigger projects and a DeWalt contractor saw. I think the Festool saw would be a good replacement for the DeWalt saw that i use when the larger saw is seemingly too big. And the dust collection on the Festool saw I feel like would be far superior to the DeWalt contractor saw I use for those smaller projects now. So buying their drill didn’t scare me too much. I am curious why you wouldn’t recommend their cordless tools to most users? I have also considered getting their cordless six inch sander because of the light on the front, but would rather have a corded one. If I have something attached to dust collection, a cord does not bother me at all. I am going to hold off on the six inch sander for a while as I anticipate they could add the light to a new corded version in the future. I have heard that the light has gotten positive reactions from end users. The Festool rep was at a local woodworking store last week doing tool demos and provided some useful information. Thanks again for the response!
ken
What about a group project to design and possibly manufactured a new tool that solves a problem for the trades. You could set parameters for what is acceptable for inputs and outputs. You could also moderate what happens if there is a success or failure. How it is funded, how profits are handled if there are any etc. For example, I have an idea for a better wallpaper scorer that requires less manual labor. I have a prototype created from commercially available tools that are slightly modified. It works well but does not survive long and helps reduce manual labor but with input from your viewers perhaps we could make something that eliminates even more manual labor and is more durable as this one does not last long until the parts fail because they are not heavy duty. I am sure many other viewers have their own ideas or prototypes that need improvement. Perhaps by combining everyone’s expertise we could create something that works and solves a problem. If that happens we could at least share the result with each other or perhaps create a commercial application and use the proceeds for something-ie charity, toolguyd, the investeros or creaters or some mixture of these or even for something else.
Stuart
It’s a good idea, but I’m not willing to take on the liability (or the potential headaches).
Fastcap has worked with inventors to bring construction solutions to market. Lee Valley has collaborated with some on woodworking tools or accessories. There are others that work with inventors and similar.
Crowd-sourcing product ideas here could also be problematic since it would be in full public view. What happens if everyone puts in a lot of time and work only to see their idea sold on Amazon the next day?
I’ve had ideas stolen before, it sucks.
I’m happy to give inventors a boost, but I can’t do much more than that.
I posted about the Allwrencher in 2018: https://toolguyd.com/allwrencher-smart-wrench-multi-size-ratcheting-wrench/
Wera’s came out in 2020: https://toolguyd.com/wera-joker-6004-self-adjusting-ratcheting-adjustable-wrenches-042020/
Sometimes the little guys can sue the big guys. https://toolguyd.com/viking-arm-stanley-black-decker-infringement-lawsuit/ But that’s not always possible.
Farmerguy
Toolbox organization, what’s in the drawer and how to organize the drawer. I would guess you have covered it before to varying capacities. Just a focus on how to organize organizers within drawers to optimize space and contents.
Maybe a little a little out in left field, but there are some great regular posters on your site that maybe a guest column on their favorite tools or tool topics or current hobby projects to share about. There appears to be centuries of collective knowledge that could be explored. Another avenue could be “what people carry” to show what people carry versus individual tools that may add to toolbox.
Stuart
Thanks, will add that to the list!
My tool boxes are always in flux, but one day might be presentable. Or I might modularize and explore different setups.
I don’t permit guest posts anymore. There could be paid opportunities, but there tends to be a learning curve that makes one-off posts a hassle for everyone.
TomD
I think unpresentable is more relatable, especially if you do “how it is now” and then a month later an update; perhaps even make it monthly or so.
Each post will be a big incentive to others to do some cleanup themselves and post about it.
s
if you’re not already watching “toolbox tours” on youtube, i highly recommend it, though your wallet won’t care for it. lots of different fields of tooling showcased, with a lot of different storage techniques.
along the same vein, the “what people are buying from amazon” post series is sort of inline with what you’re asking.
for me, i just like seeing if something someone else has is any better/different than what i have for tooling, whether it’s pocket knives, flashlights, keychains, or work tools.
the rovyvon a3 flashlight came up in a post here a while back, and it’s become one of my long-time favorite EDC flashlights, despite a very crowded field.
Stuart
I’m in the middle of my first “Toolbox Tours” video, where this guy has a Haas machining center in his garage. It’s interesting and I plan on seeing some of the others.
Makes me feel bad about my workshop being in such disarray.
A W
Speaking of grill brushes, I would love to get your take on the Smarter Everyday grill scrubber.
https://www.smartereveryday.com/smarterscrubber
The lengths they had to go to try to get all components made somewhere other than China it’s pretty crazy, and I think you’d appreciate the engineering that went into it.
Stuart
I haven’t seen that yet, thanks! $75 seems a bit much, but I like that it has rings and not sharp coils or bristles. I wouldn’t want to be an early adopter though. Will watch the video when I can.
MT_Noob
I was also wondering about toolguyd’s take on their scrubber.
Oarman
If a mattress company hit me up for a promo, I wouldn’t tell them no that quickly. At the very least I’d tell them I’d sleep on it.
The issue with reviewing the Vevors and no-names is they’re clearly slapping their name on something out of someone else’sfactory, and there’s next to no guarantee the SKU you see reviewed is what you’re going to get.
I see a lot of functional 3D printing stuff on Youtube (and do a lot of functional printing myself.) I can see text articles being hard to compete with video there, it’s just something that benefits heavily from being able to see things in action, multiple angles, etc. I think there is real value in text and photos in cases, and real value in video, and you have to look at which medium is most useful where.
TomD
The mattress world is full of scams and related “promotions” and probably best to stay away from.
Saulac
Think Project Farm for tools. Simple honest reviews that teaches people the basics and provides quick references (best of something) as they need them. Focus on trades and forget hobbies such as robotics or 3D printing.
Stuart
“Best of something” has been overdone. Generally speaking with respect to most channels and magazines these days, it’s rarely about teaching people the basics or what to look for, but to push a purchase and collect the affiliate commission.
Any “best of [tool]” post might trend for a day and then be squash by content farms’ auto-generated and auto-updated posts, because Google now values “freshness.”
I’ve neglected my interests too much, and 100% intend to spend more time on robotics and other projects.
BG100
Re: the robotics projects: please post plenty of ” lessons learned ” content, with mistakes and corrections as you refine the processes and hone the skills. That is hard to find content and very valuable, at least to me.
s
i for one would be very interested in the tools needed for robotics. i imagine there are some very specialty tools that can be used elsewhere that fit the ‘tiny electronics’ theme of robotics.
some of the best tools i’ve found are always intended for a very narrow field, but other fields face similar issues.
Stuart
It’s mostly different hex tools – good Allen keys, mini, and regular size drivers, T-handles, and whatever fits different spaces such as through clearance holes.
MT_Noob
Regarding kitchen appliances, I mean tools. I’ve often wondered if there were a way to create a system of gadgets that could be powered with an existing drill/driver. For example an immersion blender attachment would be simple/obvious. Or even a blender could be powered by drill/driver. It could be a base with a 90 degree 1/4 hex quick lease out the side that lets you use your driver of choice to mix your favorite drinks or smoothies. No more corded appliances and one universal attachment for powering them.
Stuart
I think there’d be too much liability with respect to work-created dust falling into food.
KitcheinAid has one with modular attachments – https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-Variable-Blender-Accessories-KHBV83AQ/dp/B0DB4W42VN/?tag=toolguyd-20
There’s zero incentive for them to make attachments that work with unspecified motors. When someone tries to mix a thick batter with a 4V screwdrivers, they’re not going to blame the tool or their choices, they’re going to leave negative reviews for the KitchenAid before sending it back.
A right angle attachment would reduce the chance of non-food debris flying into the food, but the ergonomics would be terrible. I haven’t used an immersion blender, but all the videos I’ve seen show the tool moving up and down, which would be harder to do from the side.
Scott K
This would require a different form factor for the tool. We have a Cuisinart immersion blender that can be removed and attached to a mini food processor- when something splashes up, it’s very easy to clean the tool/handle. I can’t imagine trying to get food out of the crevices on my drill. I also wouldn’t want my drill that close to food given the bits of saw dust and dirt on different spots.
blocky
The Kitchen-aid stand-mixers also have many attachments that attach via a square drive in the face of the unit. It’s a decent platform for light-duty use, and most home-users don’t need to have separate counter-top machines with separate motors for making pasta, sausage, and ice cream.
If you have a gadget idea, why not harness the existing platform? My most-used attachment is a third-party manufactured pasta roller.
For cordless drills, at the shop, I use a drill to grind my coffee. Hario Skerton with an M5 thread 10mm hex nut. At home, I used to use a beater from a burned out hand-mixer, chucked in a drill for whisking, but I also kept a dedicated ‘kitchen’ drill, for cleanliness.
Bonnie
Keep a cordless drill in the kitchen and you’ll pretty quickly realize quite a lot can be used with it. My first manual burr coffee grinder I just used a drill to turn into an electric grinder. Throwing a whisk or hand-mixer paddle into the chuck is super easy as well.
Those top-mounted food processors (Ninja was the first I remember seeing) are all compatible with a three-jaw chuck in a pinch.
The venerable KitchenAid mixer is actually basically that kind of system already. Since it has an accessory drive socket on the front they sell all sorts of attachments to use the motor for whatever else you need that power for, like meat grinding or pasta rolling.
Nick
You had some long ago, but I’d love to see more about working with aluminum extrusion. Knowledge of it seems to be very scattered, with no great explanation for a lay person. I managed to figure out some stuff with 80/20 and built a great outfeed table, but I’d love to learn more.
Tucker
I’ve got a couple projects I am looking for organizing tool/parts cases. I’d be interested in anything to help shorted the learning my mistakes learning curve.
Stuart
Do you have specific questions?
I sometimes cut extrusions down to size, and will tap end holes or cut clearance holes, but most of the time I order new project parts pre-cut and machined for end anchor fasteners. The pricing tends to be prohibitive and even outlandish. I buy as a business and can tolerate it, but it’s difficult to recommend this approach to others for personal projects. There are some ways to lower costs, and I can showcase them if there’s interest.
I have a small project pending that uses parts already in inventory – will work in an assembly log and let everyone’s questions direct future posts.
Stuart_T
@Josh R and fred, re Vevor
It seems to be a “hit or miss” vendor. I have a 5K diesel heater which has been very useful and reliable. But I was looking at an X-Y table I could add to my drill press (solely for accurate positioning of holes for drilling/tapping, NOT using the DP as a milling machine, which is a no-no), but reviews were mixed enough that I’ve shelved the idea, not least because it uses non-standard sized t-nuts and they don’t supply any.
Ross
There’s an Ave video where he tears down a kitchenaid mixer and he’s super impressed that a kitchen tool could be well built. Clearly a guy who’s never kneaded bread before! I have a bottom mount mixer (whatever the old Electrolux is called now) and it’s a beast.
Adam
How about reviewing some of the online fabrication services companies (laser cutting, CNC, 3D printing, etc.). I’ve used SendCutSend several times over the last few years and while I love how easy they are to use and get quotes from, I think their prices have crept up quite a bit and their lead time isn’t the greatest. I’d love to hear about alternatives as well as get req’s on where I can upload 3D models (STLs) to have printed and shipped to me. Same for CNC fab (SendCutSend has limited CNC fabrication), though I imagine it’s cost prohibitive.
Stuart
I recently added that to my list! My plan is to design something, prototype via 3D printing, maybe then machine out of aluminum, and then order via somewhere to be machined and color-anodized since that’s something I’m not set up to do and unlikely to get into yet.
For 3D printing, there are now a lot of smaller print farms that will produce parts for individuals. I’ll have to look some of them up. There are also a lot of huge print factories, more than when I wrote it up for a magazine a few years ago. I can check some of those out as well, maybe compare quality against what I can print with my own machine.
Robert
Your current coverage is essentially random from a tool buyer’s viewpoint. It does show me tools I wouldn’t know existed, so it is fine to a point. But at this point in my tool purchasing, I need systematic examination of a tool category, “Best of” comparisons, but you have generally shot that format down in your responses.
fred
I can appreciate Stuart’s reluctance. Best is almost always in the eye of the beholder. We may have different use cases, different expectations/needs about longevity, runtime, tool weight, handle size etc. When buying a tool, I think about whether I’m buying for myself (less frequently as I age) versus to gift to others. When I was in business – we were always trying to get the input from the folks who’d be using the tools. best for them was not always dictated by the tool being the most powerful or fully featured. Sometimes best also did not comport with our existing fleet of tools – and we’d have to seriously consider options and long-term costs when we were thinking about switching brands/battery platforms. What fits in my hands may not work in yours, what I feel comfortable hefting around others may find too heavy etc. Then we need to factor in things like cost, and battery platforms that fit with a particular user’s needs
Robert
Fred, you are absolutely right, “Best” can having different meanings to different end users. I didn’t elaborate on that in my post, though I’m well aware of it. You can have your cake and eat it too if the “Best of” review is constructed well, explaining in detail the pros and cons and how they weighed those to come to a selection. The guys at Toolboxbuzz did that extremely well IMHO. They went deep into the individual sub-ranking components that combined to give their overall ranking. And they encouraged the reader to use the detail sub-rankings and weigh them to come up with what was best for the reader. They also did some of that already, with proposing “Best of” for individual use cases. Unfortunately, they don’t appear to be updating Toolboxbuzz web site much at all.
Stuart
Rob (TBB) does a great job, but also has a crew to help out.
One YouTuber was ranking cordless drills based on speed. However, they were doing this by measuring RPMs out of the box. Did they recheck after x-number of holes drilled or fasteners driven, once the new bearings broke in a little? No. Because of that, all of the measurements were of low confident.
Qualitative comparison is easy. Quantitative is very difficult and requires a lot of controls and checks in order to be repeatable.
Robert
Understood. Your call on where you want to devote resources. Just answering with my take on your initial questions on what readers want to see. I’m not complaining, truly enjoy your site.
Stuart
My plan was originally to create tool guides, hence ToolGuyd (ToolGuide). But nobody really wants that.
Everyone has different needs and wants.
Now with AI overviews, you can get a shopping list for different projects in seconds.
But the idea of using say a prick punch to layout holes and then a center punch to create a starting indent to avoid drill bits from walking, that’s something folks might not know to ask about.
“Best of” is highly subjective and there are plenty of places where you can find that.
If there’s a lot of demand I can do one per week for the entire year. But it’s difficult to put huge effort into expansive roundups, given the low interest and low reach outside of regular audiences given the competitive landscape.
Do a google search for “best cordless drill.” EVERY channel is producing “guides” like this.
Consumer Reports’ highest ranked cordless drill is a 15 year old Dewalt 12V Max brushed motor screwdriver model priced at $132 to $150.
And they say mindless things that aren’t factually accurate, such as “The voltage of a drill dictates the size of the job it can tackle.”
Someone should tell them you can have 12V Max drills that deliver faster application speeds than some 18V/20V Max models.
I’d rather stay out of the “best of” cesspool.
fred
Consumer Reports may try to be objective – and they have the resources to sometimes do long-term testing and estimate things like lifetime maintenance/operating costs – but even with their best intentions you need to take their reviews in context. I’m sure if they were rating the entire range of wristwatches – many of the high-end mechanical ones would get low ratings based on losing time over days/weeks/months. But people buying such watches may be looking more for statement jewelry than precision time keeping.
For tools, I’m sometimes interested in what I’m getting (extra, more, less, different etc.) if I buy a new model. When I’m asked to pay more for a tool or brand (Mafell, Lamello, Festool come to mind) I wonder for what I might be paying extra. If some new tool seems cheap, I wonder what compromises have been made. In my business life – we’d try new tools out – usually passed around on a onesy-twosy basis) to see what we thought. Some were adopted and phased into our tool inventory while others proved to be duds. I we had some unbiased assessments (beyond manufacturer’s hype) going into this process we might have refined our expectations and maybe even avoided the duds. With new tools – we were certainly looking for breakthroughs – but paradigm shifts come infrequently – and when we saw one it was easy to spot an opportunity for us to test a tool out. More often we were looking for new tools that might improve our productivity, enhance worker safety, reduce noise, be more ergonomic, reduce worker fatigue and repetitive tissue injury etc.
TomD
Consumer reports has problems where they focus so much on repeatability that they end up devising test that aren’t terribly appropriate.
I much prefer Stuart’s retrospectives where he mentions that he loved this tool, but always finds himself reaching for this other similar tool that is “worse” on paper.
BG100
Have you covered BBQ grills here yet? I just got a Blackstone on a decent sale. I went into it thinking it would supplement my regular gas grill. The more I use it, I begin to doubt ever using the gas grill again. I wish I’d known more about the sizes offered and gone a size up.
Basically I was uninformed about the pros and cons of a griddle in BBQ form; about the paradigm shift leaving open grill bars and using flat tops. No more grill marks on my picture perfect steaks (usually lol)…
Comparing and contrasting Traeger smokers vs pit style smokers. Gas vs charcoal vs combo cookers…
There’s a lot to cover in the ‘grill’ world and think ToolGuyd would be a good place to discuss it.
Stuart
I typically get some offers or there could be easy request opportunities around Father’s Day, but the ones I’d be interested in testing tend to be pricey and would be time-consuming to get into, such as Traeger. I’ve never used a pellet grill, and it’d take time to get proper exposure.
TomD
Longtime readers like me would likely benefit from the research and reporting; but it probably won’t drive much traffic additionally.
Brian
CNC and laser engravers could be covered more. Woodcraft and Home Depot (online at least) sell them and they can be useful in various projects. I have a cheap, generic 3018 (lots of issues) but even midrange ones aren’t outside the price range of “normal” woodworking tools.
Btw, thanks for occasional “meta” posts like this that show the thinking (and human) behind the site!
Stuart
I’m iffy about laser engravers. We’re now seeing more enclosed engravers that are actually engravers and not light cutters that spew hazardous fumes into your home or workshop.
I started looking at machines, and there aren’t many that look to be reputable and safe.
For CNC, I was considering a Sienci Altmill, but their safety-certified enclosed spindle controllers won’t be available until they run out of the non-certified unenclosed controllers. They last advised that they don’t expect this to happen until next spring.
Onefinity just launched new updates to their machine.
There’s a small company that makes the Shariff DMC 2 Mini CNC in kit or assembled formats, but I’ve heard a lot of complaints about it.
I’m not interested in generic brands.
The difficulty with CNC machines is not necessarily the price, but the time and content requirements to justify them.
The Shariff benchtop CNC mill kit is $2500, and has an estimated 20 hour build time, not including the setbacks people online seem to be experiencing. I’d be interested, but is there enough interest in content to justify that?
Taig has a benchtop CNC. I emailed them 2 years ago with a question when they came out with new machines and they never responded.
There’s also Sherline, but they look to have a pricey controller to a very lightweight machine.
The new Kickstarter machines look exciting, but it’ll be a while until the verdict is out.
I’m over my Shapeoko and Nomad machines. They’re not bad, but I ultimately couldn’t recommend them at all.
I love exploring the CNC space but actually testing out different machines would require considerable investment in time and effort. Is there enough interest in such content?
My short-term goal is to either focus on a couple of large-size wood projects that have been on my to-do list for a long time, or give up for a few years ago and find new homes for my larger machines. Do I even want a woodworking bench with vises anymore? Can I justify the footprint of my band saw? Router table? There’s a lot to think about.
I’m finding that I don’t have the space for large woodworking projects, or the dedication to do something about that.
10 years ago I wanted to focus on manual tools and machines because 3D printing and benchtop CNC were cost-prohibitive. But these days it’s far easier for someone to buy a small CNC machine or 3D printer than the handheld or benchtop machines needed to produce the same parts.
Woodworking, metalworking, and CNC/3D fabrication tools aren’t mutually exclusive, but I don’t have the space for all of it, content-wise or for personal projects, and I’m not interested in leasing, buying, or building a larger workshop.
If I need a cabinet, it’ll take me far less time to buy and assemble one from IKEA than it would take to clear the space to spray or hand-finish a DIY project, let alone build it.
With my conflicting feelings about woodworking and what I’ll reasonably work on in 2026, I’m understandably hesitant about throwing cash and time into more CNC/3D reviews.
JJ
As far as hand tool reviews, you’ve written a little bit about a few of the Klein KNECT sets. I wouldn’t mind a deeper dive on which of them are really worthwhile and especially about their pass thru ratchets, both their particular tools and that category.
I appreciate reviews of yard hand tools, and I also think kitchen and grill tools (with or without motors) would be interesting and relevant.
Jason Watkins
My wife is DEEP in going crunchy. She mills her own flour and makes everything from scratch. She searched the Internet for the best bread dough mixer and ended on a ankerstrum mixer. It’s one of the ones were the motor is on the bottom and turns the bowl rather then the attachment. She absolutely loves it. The bread dough was killing her kitchen aid mixer.
So now with her fancy flour mill and mixer we have fresh bread daily. Her high end pasta maker can pump out fresh pasta in the amount of time it takes to boil the water.
I have never eaten this good my entire life. Bread with a very single meal. My joints stopped hurting, I’m sleeping better, my clothes fit looser, overall just healthier. I had blood work done a few months back and the doctor was impressed with all the results and said keep doing what ever it is I’m doing.
isosceles
That’s fantastic. If I lived with someone who made fresh bread and pasta in such quantities I fear it might end up having the opposite effect on me! Lol cheers man
Jason Watkins
“bread makes you fat” was what I believed prior to this.
That’s false. It’s the over processed nutrient void bread from the store that makes you fat.
Real bread holds onto its nutrients unlike pre-processed bread. Something like 70-80% of it’s nutrients are lost in processing.
Removing processed food from your diet is the best thing you can do for your health. We eat things like donuts, cinnamon rolls, muffins, and pancakes allllllll the time. But we still are losing weight. Real food made with real ingredients is a game changer.
Stuart
Can you please share more about your flour mill and the grains?
That’s probably way beyond what I know myself to be realistically willing to do, but I’m curious.
My grandfather had a bakery, and I have yet to find onion buns or rye bread that are as good as I remember his to be.
Stuart
Ooh – what kind of pasta maker?
Tim+E.
Yes, very curious as well as I’m in the market for a good one that will last! Have heard varying reviews on every single one I’ve researched, and the two people I know personally with automatic pasta makers wouldn’t recommend theirs (both were Philips I believe). One has since reverted to making it by hand and just using an motorized extruder for spaghetti and the like. The other puts up with it because they don’t have to deal with kneading pasta dough.
We absolutely love fresh pasta though, just rarely have time to make it, and yet another year has gone by where I thought about it as a Christmas present for the wife, but couldn’t settle on one. An Ankarsrum mixer is also on the wish list, but that’s admittedly more for me than her, I’m the only one who ever even gets out the old kitchen aid, she’ll do with a handheld mixer or won’t use one.
Scott K
I’d be interested in getting more informed on battery powered outdoor equipment. I have a few 18v Ryobi outdoor tools that have worked well- but my snow blower, mower, backpack leaf blower, and generator are all gas. I expect my gas tools to have a lot of life in them, but a neighboring township is phasing out gas blowers and I know this will come to us at some point.
Stuart
Outdoor power tools tend to require extended testing. I pushed the new Milwaukee M18 Fuel cordless snowblower through ~6″ of snow today. It’s better than the Dewalt, but boy do I miss the EGO dual stage I recently gave away.
Cordless OPE has come a long way. I tested the Milwaukee MX Fuel backpack blower recently and have a writeup on that in the works. I’ve used all of their M18 blowers and a roundup is overdue.
Others will have to wait until May or so. There’s usually a small window for testing different tools, and I try to limit how many duplicates are on-hand each season.
Scott K
Given the cost of higher voltage OPE batteries (not 18v), does it makes even more sense to invest in a single platform? Is EGO good enough across the board?
James
For me, yes.
TomD
If I had to recommend a brand to someone without their own tools already, specifically for outdoors, it would likely be EGO, even though everything I have is red Wisconsin
fred
Today I was waiting on my landscaping contractor to come and plow my driveway. It’s much too long to shovel and my gasoline engine Ariens decided to be finicky. Anyway, I’m probably getting too old to be dealing with this – but Hurricane Ian did-in my Sanibel retreat. My wife thought I should buy a plow for my pickup – but like the generator that sits on its pad in our backyard – it would likely be more expensive ornament than getting regular use – and putting it on ahead of a snowstorm would be a chore. Maybe an Ego would have some utility – but if Makita made a competent 80V (2x40V) model I probably would buy one – even though rational thinking favors paying the landscaping crew to take care of it.
Jim
I wasn’t looking for batteries yesterday in HD but did come across (2) 4ah Ryobi batteries for $69!
I have never bought them this cheap.
Note: This year’s BF sale was (1) 4ah and (1) 2ah battery.
I’m invested in the 18v Ryobi platform mostly for yard tools, lights, a portable compressor as well as there stick Vaccum.
Direct tools “factory blemished” is my friend.
The new batteries will eventually take the place of a pair I bought in Dec. 2015
Short story long, this brings me to my question.
Have you ever ranked the 18v Ryobi batteries by part number?
I have probably 8 batteries with at least 4 different part numbers maybe more.
Also, as far as a review idea, I’d like to see a comparison of belt/disk sander machines, 3/4 to 1 HP. $300 range.
I’d like to upgrade my sander to a Burr King, but that is just a dream, therefore the $300 figure.
Thanks for all your efforts Stuart as well as holding your line on ethics.
Don’t compromise!
Scott K
I was just looking on direct tools’ website to see if they had a worthwhile deal on a Ryobi stapler (didn’t need 2 weeks ago 🤦🏼♂️). $15 flat rate shipping seems expensive for a $50 item…
Jim
I have it shipped to a store that my sister in law drives by everyday.
She’s good for something Hahaha
Stuart
Belt/disk sanders are tricky – I’ve looked into them and there’s not much in between consumer/hobby grade where most are all the same, and high-end commercial units that tend to be specialized and pricey.
Even if you look at just one brand, such as Rikon, the differences depend on the size you want. Once you settle on a size, there are typically other brands with nearly identical machines at slightly different price points.
For my own needs, I’d likely look at Rikon first for simplicity. Maybe Grizzly since they look to have some of the same machines.
Few brands have innovated in the benchtop tool space over the past 15 years.
I haven’t ranked Ryobi’s batteries, but they tend to make it clear which are standard, performance, and premium performance.
At the time of this comment:
PBP005 – standard, $99 for one or two
PBP004 – high performance, $119 each or $199 for two
PBO1104 – highest performance, tabless 21700, $129 each
Those are all 4Ah batteries. I see little reason to buy any of the compact batteries – they’re only worth it when included with kits.
The 2Ah is $89 each or $99 for 2, and the 1.5Ah is $45 each (but not available)
Roger
Not sure if there’s much interest but I’m looking at purchasing a laser engraver next year. Maybe a 10 watt.
Any reviews or advice for me on these would be appreciated.
I too enjoy this forum and check it usually twice a day or so. I’ve purchased a lot of products due to the advice given here. Very practical.
Thank you for your time and effort!
s
this might come off as harsh, but i haven’t figured out a better way to say it.
i don’t think tool comparisons are where tool guyd shines. and while i respect sometimes-brutally-honest opinions on the gear, it’s downright expensive to be buying multiples of an item and comparing them for 5 minutes of content.
for the 3d printer content, what i see is “what can toolguyd offer to 3d printing that isn’t already offered?” and i don’t see an immediate avenue that isn’t covered better from too many other sources.
in this case, i think it’s similar to a concrete contractor making video reviews of electrical tools. i’m not saying that you specifically lack the skills , or appropriate usage of the tech (or that a concrete contractor ‘can’t’ use electrical tools), but that your historical precedence for reviews and opinions on the matter are diffused and diluted by that precedent that you’ve always reviewed primarily physical hardware instead of tech tools like 3d printers.
my opinion on this is based entirely on reading toolguyd posts over the last number of years, though i genuinely don’t know your individual background enough to make any assertion that you don’t or can’t know technology stuff. only that the content on the site so far leans away from such technology, and tends to undermine some points you might try to make within the tech (ex. creality: “why is a guy that normally reviews hammers and pocket knives telling us our hot end sucks?”).
i very much enjoy reading the content here, and i also really struggle with the definition of “tools”. for the most part, any ‘tool’ to me is a device that makes a job easier. 3d printing definitely fits that definition for me, same as many kitchen devices. but website product review dilution in reaching all audiences also plays a significant role. the more you reach out to ‘new’ audiences, the less you focus on what makes you so great, and the more vague the guardrails on what’s acceptable, and you stand to lose what makes the brand you’ve built over time. and suddenly you’re bob villa .com, who reviews power tools, and also gives real estate and interior design advice…
part of the community respect that this site engenders is due specifically to your high editorial quality, as well as your stringent guardrails on tooling definitions, and i don’t want to see that forgotten in the process.
i think the recent planning thread asking about integral battery tools needs to come into play here somewhat. there’s still a very large market of genuinely good ‘tools’ that without that specific guardrail, that could be considered.
the first comment is on products from ‘vevor’. and i’ve got extremely mixed feelings about it. on one hand, i see them as a chinese reseller, same as how harbor freight started(which brings up a whole other set of feelings).
as long as expectations are checked for the price point, honestly, i’ve never been disappointed by any of the couple products i’ve ordered from vevor. but that said, i never had the expectation of quality from them that i had from more mainstream brands–i expect that their product is a knockoff, and i expect that something about the quality/materials are lesser–it’s the easiest way to achieve a lower price point.
i’ve spent untold thousands at harbor freight, and am slowly working my way into vevor as well, as harbor freight moves upmarket, into a region of tool quality/cost that i’m not always comfortable with for certain low-frequency uses, but both are definitely needed within the marketplace in terms of the ever-present ‘cost/quality’ conundrum.
i personally find the concept of non-workshop tool reviews interesting, though i’ve always found your flashlight and knife reviews interesting, and those aren’t really ‘workshop tools’ either.
Stuart
Comparisons are challenging.
We can have a back and forth right now about which cordless drill is right for your needs. I’ve tested so many models; depending on your needs or preferences, there could be 10 different recommendations I can make. But how would I boil that down to a singular “top recommendation”?
Regarding product categories, competency requires exposure.
In some more cost-prohibitive categories, such as CNC and 3D printing, my familiarity and exposure can be deep but not broad.
The point of asking is to give me ideas about new categories to dive into (such as laser engraving, potentially), and to also help me determine what is of high interest to spend time posting about.
I recently donated dozens of flashlights. I gained exposure over the past few years, but not each purchase or sample justified a post.
ToolGuyd has everyday readers coming from all different backgrounds and interests. The potential reach of content depends on different things.
Certain categories require extensive workshop pivoting to accommodate. For others, it’s about time, interest, and the tolerance of everyday readers for the amount of content detailed exploration would warrant or requite to justify.
For example, I can broaden my exposure to vacuum clamps, including professional and DIY methods. But the cost and time would require more than 1 post.
If there’s strong interest in benchtop CNC, for example, there are lots of posts I can prep without spending a single penny on samples or minute on researching. A lot of them don’t have enough weight on their own, and only make sense to write up as part of a series or new category, and that requires a level of commitment that depends on established reader interest to justify.
TomD
I think toolguyd reviews are most powerful at the “this thing is absolute crap – avoid” – mainly because yellow or red coming out with a complete dud is so rare now.
I look more for keeping up to date on new developments and a pulse of the world, really.
Part of this is that a large percentage of people reading tool sites have already made their decision, a tool would have to be both incredibly cheap and amazingly capable to break you out of your battery choice.
AP
Love the idea of 3D stuff, especially if it’s for a household, tool storage, etc. Be nice to see more OPE stuff too. Great job so far, though!
Richard
Speaking of mattresses, I just built my own split king mattress this afternoon. It’s a luxury grade latex/coil hybrid. Here, I’ll C&P my Facebook post.
Building a luxury grade mattress…
Rize Contemporary IV adjustable frame
Texas Pocket Coil 8” Quad Coil
Texas Pocket Coil 3” Quad Mini
Latex Mattress Factory 3” Dunlop Latex Medium
Texas Pocket Coil Premium DIY Stretch Cover
This is a Twin XL. Now we are going to assemble a second one, and put them side-by-side for a Split King.
Cost per mattress was $904.05. That’s $1,808.10 for the Split King.
The frames were $1,143.85 each (including tax), or $2,287.70 for both. I bought them at Dreamland Mattress & Furniture in Myerstown, PA. The best price I could find elsewhere was $1,900 (plus tax) each. So if you’re in the market for this frame, now you know where to go. His price did reflect a 10% sale discount.
My total price for this set up is $4,095.80. Buying a similar grade mattress was going to cost me $7,000-$8,000 minimum. But I didn’t just do this to save money. I did it so that I can change out layers if it doesn’t work after six months. Or, down the road when the comfort layer wears out, I can replace it for $400 to $600 and have functionally, a brand new mattress.
Looking forward to trying this out.
Tim+E.
On my own side I would be particularly interested in your 3d printing adventures as well, mostly because I think you will have a similar “what are ACTUAL uses for this thing” approach rather than just printing desk decorations or similar. I finally traded up from my (very) old delta-style printer that got used a lot for a few months when I got it, then maybe printed a half dozen things a year after that. What a difference 10 years of 3d printing becoming more mainstream makes, going from that to the Bambu A1 was a night and day difference. I strongly debated the P1S, or just splurging on the P2S, and appreciated the timely commentary on those from both the posts and the comment sections during the sale, it was more consumable than searching reddit. I think the result is going to be getting a P2S during next year’s sale, if it’s come down a bit by then, and if I’m still using the A1 enough to justify it. Or have needs beyond the A1, which was the major point of debate this time around, as being able to print in ABS for toys like Playskool pipeworks parts, Rokenbok parts, etc. would be useful in theory. But I also need to break out from that last printer getting used often for only a short while, then sitting dormant mostly. Having a young kiddo I think makes it more likely I’ll continue to find uses for it, even if just for toys, and it’s a heck of a lot more convenient to use than the old printer. I can actually set it and forget it with reasonable confidence, which is huge for being able to print full plates of parts overnight and during work. Bambu’s cyberbrick stuff is pretty neat and plays up to my electronics and robotics interests, while being approachable and easy so things we just want to work and play with can do that, and when we’re ready to expand into some basic programming and logic, that ability is there too. Plus I love RC vehicles, reminds me of the Rokenbok toys I had as a kid, so I’ve been printing the construction vehicles, a crane, probably will do a train shortly, and want to make the tanks as something we could play together eventually.
The biggest thing I need to learn is what filament type to use where, and how does part design affect that. Especially when you get into some of the engineering filaments, which I hope to graduate into one day when I get an enclosed printer. Back when I started, the options were ABS or PLA, and that was it. I didn’t have a heated bed, nor a well ventilated printing area, so ABS was pretty much out. Or you had to have/make a bunch of add ons to build a setup that could deal with the ABS fumes and printing concerns. There was no PETG, no glass fiber or carbon fiber reinforced this, wood-like that, marble, matte, plus, 3 grades of TPU, 3 grades of nylon, the options today are so much better than there was back then, and even mid-grade printers are made to just be able to handle that out of the box, it blows my mind. But that also makes it hard to really select the right filament, particularly for functional parts. I’ve seen opinions that range from “print with whatever material you have in the color you want; if it fails, print it again in a different material” all the way to “if it’s anything more than a desk ornament you need to print in at least PA6 and anneal it”.
The different industries have kind of settled on their standards, like ABS for vehicle parts, but then also how does that translate to design tradeoffs I need to make to optimize for ABS, or how do I determine if ABS isn’t the right choice for a certain part. That’s proved elusive to me so far, probably moreso because I want to know some of the science and theory involved, and thus basically discard where it’s just a gaggle of people printing in a material and it working.
The playskool pipeworks are in interesting intersection there, the one guy selling prints of expanded connector designs prints in PLA+ supposedly. This is supporting a child’s full weight, and possibly jumping on it or swinging on it. I’m not confident to the point I’m not sure I’d ever actually let my kid on a structure built with 3d printed connectors, but I digress. Is PLA+ really the right material? Would PETG be better, or ABS, or ASA? Is the design more correct using chamfers, or fillets, should I be increasing the number of walls for certain materials, altering the infill? Heck, should I alter the orientation of the print and deal with the tradeoffs of supports in order to lessen the impact of layer adhesion with certain materials? I’m probably putting too much thought into it, but that’s my next avenue of exploration.