Heavy emphasis is put on the tech world”™s i-and-lite capabilities, but the realm of sweat and labor has gadgets all its own that appeal to the manly-man who can be reduced to jelly by geeky offerings.
Take for example the Milwaukee M-Spector ($99), a digital inspection camera for small holes and tight spaces. It might sound like it belongs in an exam room, but it is meant to ride the tool belt right alongside the flathead and the Phillips.
The M-Spector uses digital imaging technology to display a 320 x 240 resolution image on a 2.5-inch color LCD screen of what”™s happening on the other side of that wall. The head is made to snake through tiny holes and will give you an idea of the job you”™ve signed up for before you”™ve gone too far.
With this long necked friend, Joe Plumber can show you that there is actually a pipe behind that wall before he swings the sledge.
Milwaukee also makes a heavier duty and more heavily priced gadget that gives your walls, marble, concrete, re-bar or studs a full-on x-ray. The 12-volt Sub-Scanner Detection Tool ($349) is able to differentiate between ferrous and non-ferrous metal, and has a rechargeable battery that hooks up to all other Milwaukee 12-volt (M12) tools. Items like these can benefit both sides of the contracting equation by letting everyone know where they stand before an estimate is given, a wall is gone or time is wasted.
The still low-tech world has also taken a turn toward to the high road and even toward the palm-sized. Saying the Skil iXO3 Screwdriver”Skil Power Tools”™ iXO3 ($48) screwdriver is four inches is being generous, but what it lacks in stature it makes up for in agility.
Perfect for small, tight jobs, the iXO3 comes with a right-angle head attachment.
Craftsman brand also sought to bolster the basics with its Hammerhead ($99), a stationary take on the hammer, the tool that arrived on the scene right after the rock. The Hammerhead drives nails at 3,600 impacts per minute and covers the head of the nail with a hood, preventing any chance of walking away with a swollen thumb. Again, this gizmo doesn”™t take the place of its predecessor, but is perfect for the situation: tight spots, awkward angles, low light. It allows you to line up your target with an LED light, pull the trigger, and drive like you”™re Mario Andretti (or Bob Vila).
Though not breaching any boundaries of brilliance, even these little devices are the type that can help make the most strenuous part of a backbreaking job a bit more bearable.
