Professional Remodeler's 101 Best New Products of 2012-2013 Construction Tools & Equipment

Featuring products from Homax, Diablo, Gorilla Glue, 3M, LightStar, Werner, WD40, DeWalt, Irwin, Milwaukee, and Senco.

Quick textured wall repairs are now possible using the Homax oil-based Pro Grade Wall Texture for punch-list repairs, patches, and small remodeling projects. With a drying time of only five minutes, it is also tinted for better visibility during application. A pattern control dial and pressure adjustment toggle allows users to match a wide range of texture patterns, delivering an invisible repair.

Diablo’s Ultimate Flawless Finish 10- and 12-inch saw blades deliver precise, splinter-free cuts on fine molding with no rework required. These blades employ a breakthrough innovation that allows them to effortlessly glide through material and leave a smooth finish. The new Ultra Thin Kerf feature enables portable jobsite saws to perform at the level of workshop stationary saws. The blades are ideal for cutting fine molding, veneered plywood, melamine, and more.

Gorilla Glue Single Use tubes provide the versatility and durability needed for infrequent, small repairs and projects. They fit easily into a toolbox, glove compartment, backpack, or tackle box. Known for its bonding power and ability to stick to almost any surface, Gorilla Glue is the only true one-time use polyurethane glue available on the market. Once fully cured, Gorilla Glue is 100 percent waterproof and completely non-toxic, making it ideal for indoor and outdoor use.

4) 3M Patch Plus Primer

3M Patch Plus Primer is the only product on the market that uses nanotechnology to create a quick-drying, strong, and even patch in just one easy step. This product was designed to address the challenges painters typically face when patching a wall, such as cracking, shrinking, and flashing (change in paint sheen). Advanced acrylic resins offer great paint anchoring compared with traditional patching compounds, and specially engineered fillers pack together to resist shrinking and provide strength.

LightStar 80 from TerraLUX is the ideal flashlight for jobs in tight spaces and those that require the use of both hands. Made from airplane-grade aluminum, this product features a rubber BiteGrip instead of a metal handle, and the light weighs only 2.4 oz. despite its 80-lumen output. LightStar 80 has a five-hour battery life runtime; comes with two AAA alkaline batteries and a reversible pocket clip; and is available in titanium grey or high-visibility orange.

Werner’s new aluminum attic ladder is five times more energy efficient by reducing drafts, air leakage, and wasted energy from a consumer’s home. Working with Owens Corning, Werner incorporated insulation in the structure of a standard Werner aluminum attic ladder. This new product includes the Owens Corning R-5 Pink insulation, within a 1-in. thick door structure. The ladder features weather stripping around the frame that eliminates 60 percent of air leakage by creating a tight seal when the door is closed.

7) WD-40 Smart Straw Cans

WD-40 is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its Multi-Use Product in 2013 with these special edition red, white and blue Smart Straw cans. The special packaging is available on 8-ounce and 12-ounce varieties at select retailers, and are only available for a limited time.

Screwdriver The gyroscopic sensors inside the DCF860 recognize the user’s wrist motions—right to tighten and left to loosen—to enhance performance. An adjustable two-position handle allows both in-line and pistol grip, depending on the application. Other features include an LED ring light for illumination in confined areas; Battery State of Charge meter on top of the tool; and one-handed ¼-inch hex chuck that accepts 1-inch bit tips. DeWalt will offer both a one-battery and two-battery kit.

All three models in Irwin’s new utility knife line—including the FK100, FK150, and FK250—feature the company’s patented BladeLock technology, which keeps blades in place unless the release button is engaged. Safe one-handed operation is possible thanks to the standard liner lock. The FK100 is light and compact, with wire strippers, cast finger grooves, and trigger-grip handle. The FK150 holds up to two blades for quick changes. The FK250 boasts a foldout screwdriver for 1-inch insert bits. Storage room on the FK250 covers two blades and an insert bit storage compartment.

As part of Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel cordless power tool line, the Sawzall Reciprocating Saw offers all of the power of a corded tool in a cordless model. A PowerState brushless motor drives performance with no wearable components, no losses due to vibration, and less heat buildup. RedLink Plus Intelligence electronics are at the heart, maintaining communication between the tool, battery and charger. RedLithium batteries power the entire M18 Fuel line, providing up to twice the run time and recharge of standard lithium-ion batteries.

Senco offers two corded versions of its newest 2-inch collated auto-feed screwdrivers as well as two cordless models powered by an 18-volt lithium-ion battery. The cordless versions can drive 500 to 700 screws per charge depending on screw length and substrate. New features include higher torque motors; application-specific tool speeds of 2,500 or 5,000 rpm; variable speed trigger with lock and reverse options; patent-pending corner-fit feed system for tight spaces; and tool-free screw length adjustment.