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October 2001 |
No More Drips
 Until
I recently discovered the Stop Drip caulking gun, I had always
dreaded most caulking jobs. Caulking an outdoor project wasn’t
such big deal; sure it was messy, but most outdoor applications
typically lend themselves to a slightly cruder finish, so wiping
off the extra caulk that oozed out of the tube at the end of
the bead was really no big deal. The finer tolerances of interior
jobs were another story. I just never seemed to be fast enough
to click the tab to release the pressure on the tube.
A recent shower stall leak prompted
me to try something new. The all-important feature of the Stop
Drip is a simple spring that engages immediately after the trigger
is released slightly, backing off the plunger to release any
built-up pressure in the tube.
At first the promise of the dripless
caulking gun sounded too good to be true, but after piping the
first bead of silicone I was convinced—it worked like a
charm. Release the trigger and the flow stops. Simple as that.
The trigger does seem to require
slightly more pressure to engage than a standard gun, which
might be tiring for larger jobs, but in such cases the Stop
Drip feature can be switched off to allow the gun to operate
in free-flow mode.
The Stop Drip ratcheting model
I tired is made by Great American
Manufacturing Inc., but is just one of several
types of dripless guns on the market. It’s available a
Home Depot stores
for about $6.
—Douglas Thomson |
 See
The Light
As the name suggests, the new 10" Laser Trac compound mitre
saw from Craftsman features a laser guide that indicates the
blade’s cutting path. The laser, powered by three 1.5-volt
batteries, is mounted on the saw’s arbour, adjacent to
the blade. This allows the laser to shine directly along the
edge of the blade. A centrifugal switch activates the laser
once the blade spins up to 1,500 rpm.
The blade guard is perforated
to allow the laser to project on the workpiece as a dotted line
when the blade in its raised position. As the guard retracts
on the downstroke, the laser becomes a solid line. All pretty
nifty stuff.
As well as the laser guide, the
saw features a 4' sliding fence with built-in bevel indicators
at 0°, 15°, 30° and 45°. The saw will crosscut
a 2 x 6 at 90° and a 4 x 4 at 90° and 45°. A retail
price has not yet been set by Sears. For more information contact
Sears at www.sears.ca
or 800-267-3277.
—Douglas Thomson |
Not Your Average SUV
 It’s
not like the automotive world really needs another SUV, but
this one’s a little different. The Chevy Avalanche, based
on the tried and true Suburban platform, has one truly unique
feature, something Chevy calls a midgate. It gives the truck
the appearance of an open-bed SUV with four doors up front,
but when the mood strikes (or a load of lumber or sheet-goods
demands it) you can convert into full pickup truck mode.
It’s a pretty versatile
vehicle. With the midgate fixed in place the open bed measures
just over 6', when lowered it extends to a more useful 8'; with
the tailgate lowered the bed extends to 10'—more than enough
to get most loads home. A removable aluminum and plastic lid
covers the open bed to provide security for tools and equipment.
Versatility doesn’t come
cheap: the two-wheel drive model starts at $39,000 and adding
four wheel drive is an additional $3,000—but that’s
not out of line when compared to most other full-size SUVs on
the market. For more info on the Avalanche go to gmcanada.com
or call 800-463-7483.
—Douglas Thomson
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