Tool in Action Most people may associate leaf blowers with fall cleanup, but blowers are great OPE tools that can help with yard maintenance all year round. Because blowers are so multipurpose it makes sense to invest in a quality one. We compared five blowers from five popular outdoor power equipment (OPE) brands to help you find the best one for you. OPE Brands Black & Decker Husqvarna DeWALT TORO Milwaukee Best Blower What Makes a Great Leaf Blower? In order to find the best leaf blower we have to consider what we find most important. For us, we thought overall power level or CFM and ..read more

Tool in Action Spring is here and so are the spring projects…along with the leftover paint and project scraps that go along with them. Before you just toss these items in the trash, pause and think about how to dispose of paint and other building materials safely. You may not think tossing these project scraps in the trash can be harmful, but the more you DIY the more your impact adds up. Plus, you can be hit with fines for improper disposal. Let’s avoid the safety issues and fines, and instead learn how to dispose of paint and other construction materials. Plus, Earth Day is April 22; let thi ..read more

Tool in Action Well the spring snow storms are finally ending here in the Midwest. The sun is out, buds are blooming, we are finally ready to step outside…to the busted branches, misshapen shrubs, and the tree you promised is coming down this year. Good news, four new SKIL OPE tools designed for shearing, pruning, and cutting have arrived to help you make your yard ready for all the spring and summer parties. Today we’re sharing with you the four new SKIL OPE’s, their features, prices, and where to buy them. Let’s get to it. New SKIL OPE 20V Shear/Shrubber 20V Pruning Saw 20V Telescopic Pruni ..read more

Tool in Action It’s National Pet Day and what better way to celebrate your favorite four-legged family member than with pet-safe products for your home, garden and more? Okay, yes, we added a few treats and toys too. But here are some of our favorite pet-safe products to keep your pet happy and healthy. Pet-Safe Home & Garden Products Check out our favorite pet-safe products to use across your whole home and yard and for each season. Turf Nurture Natural Base Lawn Fertilizer Pet owners can have nice lawns too. In fact, this Turf Nurture Fertilizer claims to restore your lawn in as little ..read more

Tool in Action Did you go to buy an OPE power head recently and were overwhelmed by the options? We’ve been there. Picking an outdoor power equipment (OPE) brand to commit to is just as serious as picking a power tool brand, especially with the rise in OPE battery technology. So, for the month of April we are digging into the most popular OPE brands product-by-product. Today we are on a quest to find which brand has the best power head and power head attachments. This week we are looking at power heads and power head attachments from Greenworks, EGO, Makita, RYOBI, ECHO, and Stihl. Each week w ..read more

Tool in Action Over the month of March we have been featuring various women in skilled trade professions and craft or artisan fields. For our last feature, we are highlighting the female DIY’ers who have taken over social media and the hashtag #WomenWhoBuild for showing off their impressive projects. However, it’s not what these women can do that makes them inspiring, it’s that they are teaching other women that they can do it too. Let’s meet our female DIY’ers! Female DIY’ers Katie Scott | Camille Kurtz | Michelle McRae | Tay Nakamoto | Chelsea Smith | Stephanie Bloom | Shayna Alnwick | Emily ..read more

Tool in Action Hey readers, I just want to take a moment and thank you for supporting Tools in Action. Everyone at Tools in Action has been working hard to provide you with great content. However, it’s Spring Break and we have all been taking some much-needed time off. We have one more article this week to round out our March features on women in the skilled trade and artisan professions. We will be back from Spring Break at the start of April and return to our regularly scheduled content and will highlight all the best tools and outdoor power equipment (OPE) coming out this spring. This week ..read more

Tool in Action In the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in women going into the trades and performing their own DIY projects. However, you still have to search high and low for durable, functional women’s workwear for female DIY’ers and skilled trade professionals, meanwhile men have extensive workwear options available at major retailers. This lack of options makes the trade professions and hardware stores continue to feel like a boy club. Thankfully, new brands have popped up in the last decade and many favorited workwear brands have invested in their women’s workwear lines as w ..read more

Tool in Action For the month of March we are featuring different women in the skilled trade and artisan professions who are creating an impact in their industries. This week we have female welders, silversmiths, and jewelry artists who bring their own unique flare to their respective crafts. Read last week’s article 9 Female Woodworkers & Carpenters That You Should Know. Meet Our Female Welders, Silversmiths, & Jewelry Artisans Jen Phillips | Page Buursma | Sarah Stork | Mikayla Gilman | Amber Rae Jen Phillips, Female Welder & Metal Sculptor This female welder is not just pro ..read more

Tool in Action Woodworking and carpentry have traditionally been male-dominated fields. Today we’re introducing you to nine female woodworkers and carpenters that have shaken-up the industry for the better. Learn how they got their starts, what they offer, and what you can learn from them. Stay tuned for more articles on female skilled trade professionals this month! Meet Our Female Woodworkers & Carpenters Jen Woodhouse | Sadie Mae | Anika Gandhi | Alma Rose Villalobos | Claire Baldwin | April Wilkerson | Brittany Bailey | Ana White | Charlee Ostrander Jen Woodhouse, Carpenter & Desig ..read more