Ok, so you saw part 1 of the wrap up here is part 2. Eric decided it was a good idea to drink up on Tuesday night until 6 am. I learned a few things that night the first being intoxicated friends should not be allowed smart phones with access to the toolsinaction.com Twitter and YouTube accounts. The second was that Denny s food in Vegas SUCKS. Last but not least do not gamble in Vegas. Bright and early Wednesday AM I tried to wake Eric up with no luck, so I set off on foot by myself to conquer the blistering desert heat to make it to the Mecca of tools the 2011 National Hardware Show on foot 4 blocks away. I could see the show in the distance, I was parched and my feet were tiring fast. Seeing the convention center in the distance and smelling the BBQ from the CharBroil Infrared Grill trailer, I had a last sudden burst of energy I had finally made it and an hour later Eric showed up looking like a ghost. Here is what we found:
Dorcy –
This was the first year that Dorcy has no incandescent lights in the line up its all LED. LED’s have come a long way in terms of brightness and they sip power compared to a standard incandescent bulbs. They had a new tactical and LED work shop light, but the show stopper was the LED flood light produces a blinding 500 lumen, its rechargeable and produces up to 2.5 hours of light. We turned it on and could easily see the beam in the bright convention center. http://www.dorcy.com
Gladiator by Whirlpool –
We all know Whirlpool, but who would have known that they had an awesome line of garage organization and storage products. The refrigerator has a diamond plate look on the outside and has a durable metal finish. The work bench has adjustable legs to allow you to raise and lower the bench top to your liking, the bench top is made of a quality hard bamboo. Make no mistake these are high end quality products that are designed to last in your garage for a long time. They also have an innovative slot wall system and all the products are modular. http://www.gladiatorgarageworks.com
LoggerHead Tools Bionic Wrench –
We have seen this tool around most hardware stores and finally got to see it in action. Overall we like this tool, it adjusts fast and has plenty of grip. They even have a fire hydrant version now plus they are made in the USA. http://loggerheadtools.com
Tool Guard –
The ToolGuard was a cool product that attaches to your tool box and activates if the box is opened. It has a remote arm feature. We hope to review one of these soon. http://www.toolguard.com
SpinDigger –
The SpinDigger was an interesting find. Recently I installed a mailbox at my house and it was a pain. I had to dig a hole, throw in gravel and concrete wait for it to dry etc. Well If I would have seen the Spindigger then I would have been done with the entire job in 5 minutes. All you do is spin the pole into the ground and your done! Another nice feature was that the poles are reflective, even the black ones as you can see from the pic. http://www.spindigger.com
Wiha Tools –
You may or may not have heard of Wiha from Germany they have been producing quality tools for over 70 years. They had a nice line of insulated pliers and screwdrivers and the show and also this small voltage detector. I personally liked the quality of these tools. http://www.wihatools.com
Infinity Level –
New and innovative products always catch our eye. The Moseley Infinity level is a great level, it is modular and it allows you to connect to other infinity levels either straight or at right angles. It also has holes that allow you to attach the level to your work so you can work hands free. http://infinitylevel.com
You can see part 1 of the wrap up here: http://toolsinaction.com/2011/05/2011-national-hardware-show-wrap/
There is much more to come. Visit Home Fixated’s coverage of NHS 2011 http://homefixated.com/2011-national-hardware-show/
