The National Association of Home Builders says its International Builders Show is the largest of its kind in the world, and after pounding the thinly carpeted halls of the vast Orange County Convention Center in Orlando for almost a solid week, it's hard to argue with that. And it takes almost that much time to sift through the myriad of products professional distributors don't handle to find the ones that are a good fit in your business.
While we know we didn't get to them all, here are a few that had our readers and their customers taking second and third looks.
DeWalt's 36-volt cordless tools
DeWalt was the latest in the power tool world to debut a new line of tools using lithium-ion technology. It introduced seven tools at the show, all powered by its new 36-volt battery. The lineup includes a heavy-duty hammer drill, reciprocating saw, 7 1/4-inch circular saw, impact wrench, rotary hammer, jigsaw and flashlight. The company reports that independent testing has shown its new battery to provide power and performance to match similar corded tools while delivering nearly three times the run time of traditional 18-volt systems.
DeWalt partnered with A123Systems, a developer of lithium-ion battery systems, to come up with a new power source that's an exclusive.
In addition to the power source, the new line of tools has been reengineered from scratch to provide additional features and make the most of the new battery platform
Bosch portable power in assorted shapes and sizes
Bosch Power Tools has taken a somewhat unique approach to the use of lithium-ion technology in portable power tools. Not only has it introduced a series of tools to compete on the top end, but it has added tools using lower voltages as well. In its new Litheon line, it's added an I-Driver — a compact drill/driver that has a five-position head that rotates 90 degrees. It's powered by a 10.8-volt lithium-ion battery that puts high performance into a small package. According to Bosch, the tool can drive 100 3-inch screws on a single charge and is capable of drilling 1/2-inch diameter holes. The tool comes with two batteries that can be charged in 30 minutes.
While a lot of attention has been focused on new battery technology, Bosch also offered a look at new tools powered by traditional 18-volt NiCad power sources. Among them is a 10-inch compound miter saw. This battery-powered saw can make up to 100 cuts on 1- x 6-inch pine on a single charge. It has a 21-inch base and a 3 1/2-inch fence. It comes in a kit with a 2.4-amp Bluecore battery, a one-hour charger, a 24-tooth blade, clamp and dust bag.