To be a painter these days, one has to be able to create many types of finishes in a variety of situations. Knowing which products and tools to use is a big part of that. Producing a trim or cabinet grade finish that looks sprayed without needing to set up a sprayer (and clean it […]

Oil-Based Primer: Still Necessary Sometimes Over the past decade, we have shifted heavily from oil based paints and primers to latex technologies. We’ve tested and used many of the current generation of latex primers, always looking for one that can meet our interior and exterior priming needs. However, there are still times when oil is […]

Muscles not Motors: Festool Hand Sanding Line Grows in ’17 If you use soft Granat and synthetic steel wool much, check this out… Festool USA and Festool Canada will introduce a complete line of premium hand sanding products. We’ve been testing these handy new abrasives for many months now. While at first the thought seems […]

2017 RTS and DTS400 Festool Orbital Sanders If you own previous versions of the Festool orbital sanders (RTS/DTS400EQ), those are still nice tools. No cause for alarm, but you may be interested in knowing… Festool has improved the functionality of these tools in the new generation for 2017. The new orbitals (RTS/DTS400REQ) sport a new […]

2017: Year of the Comeback for Handheld Sprayers? There is a new line of Graco Ultra handheld airless sprayers for 2017. If you have used handheld sprayers in the past, keep reading because the technology has changed considerably. The new offerings from Graco are no longer called “ProShots”. And they have very little in common […]

[Publisher Update: Graco Ultra Handheld Full Review now available] Graco’s 2017 lineup includes a total remodel of the handheld sprayer, now to be referred to as Graco Ultra (or Ultimate) Handheld Sprayers. We all recall the ProShots and TrueCoats from over the years. They’ve had their ups and downs. We’ve been working with handhelds for […]

Pivit Tool Could be the Best Under $100 Investment You Make If your work involves much use of extension ladders, then you’ve likely encountered awkward set up locations. The Pivit tool from ProVision is a safe, convenient and cost effective solution. A stout, wedge-shaped implement made of durable polypropylene, the Pivit weighs in at 14 […]

There are so many choices in products and tools for fine finishing, and of course, the products and tools define the process to a large extent. We are frequently asked which tools continue to rise to the top in our shop and in the field. Here is a compilation pulled from a recent cherry table […]