Cordless electric impact drivers allow everyday mechanics to access the power of air tools at a fraction of the blah, blah, you’ve heard it before.

But — DeWalt’s thrown a doozy into the works by adding another 18V to the usual power rating for battery impact wrenches. Gentlemen, meet the DC800KL, a 36V 1/2″ impact driver with DeWalt’s latest and greatest battery technology on board. It’ll deliver 325 foot-pounds of torque, and ships with two batteries and a 60-minute charger for $479. Keen observers of the DeWalt range will notice that this is only 25 foot-pounds more than a cheaper 18V model, but the 36V battery has nearly 3 times the life of an 18V equivalent.

DeWalt DC800KL Via Amazon [What’s This?]
DeWalt DC800KL [DeWalt]

DeWalt has recalled about 9,000 framing nailers because “the bump action trigger…could have been incorrectly asssembled during production, which would allow the nailer to eject a fastener unexpendedly or cause the trigger lock-off not to function” says the Consumer Product Saftey Commission. The affected nailers are models D51825 and D51850, pictured above.

Thankfully the CSPC has seen no injury reports so far, but if you own one of the nailers they ask that you immediately stop using it and contact DeWalt at 877-437-7181 (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) for instructions on receiving a free replacement bump action trigger.

DeWalt Recalls Framing Nailers Due To Serious Injury Hazard [CSPC]

Thankfully Toolmongers who’re required to wear steel-toe footwear now have a number of non-work-boot options from which to choose, including the ever-popular hiking shoe. DeWalt’s Baltimore (above) looks more like something you’d find in REI than the shop floor, but still exceeds ASTI standards for compression and impact protection.

Admittedly these look more than a little like DeWalt’s previous Oxford work shoes, but as far as I’m concerned, the more options steel-toe wearers have, the better. Maybe this will encourage more DIYers working around heavy equipment to ante up and protect their toes. Remember: you won’t know you need steel-toes until, well, you already did. Street pricing starts around $70. Keeping one’s toes starts around, um, priceless.

Baltimore Steel-Toe Hiker [DeWalt]
Street Pricing [Google]

If you own a DeWalt miter saw but find yourself left out in the dark when trying to make detailed cuts, you may want to take a look at DeWalt’s miter saw work light system.  It fits on all DeWalt miter saws, and the angle of the heavy-duty 200W LED bulb allows you to use the blade shadow to easily measure for repeat cuts and angles, without removing the light.

DeWalt’s miter saw work light sells at Lowe’s for $60.

DeWalt Miter Saw Work Light [Lowe's]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Air tools are generally lighter and more powerful than their electric cousins, but if you’re using an electric compressor, you still need a source of electricity.  With gas-powered air compressors you’re truly free of the plug.  While they’re not a new concept, DeWalt has added a couple new models that you might want to consider.

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Lithium ion technology in cordless tools is fast moving away from the “new gimmick” to the standard type of battery being marketed across most brands.  Now DeWalt has taken a step beyond the standard lithium ion design — they’ve formulated their own proprietary “nano phosphate lithium ion” battery.

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On the face of it, these general purpose 1/8″ cut-out bits from DeWalt are just another bit, but start reading about the features and one pops out at you — when cutting into walls, the bit’s left-handed spiral pushes chips and dust into the wall cavity rather than out into the room.  Less mess to clean is always a good thing in our book.

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DeWalt’s TrackSaw system makes performing long straight cuts easier on-site, but their router adapter really caught our eye. Just mount your router and it slides right into the 59″ or 102″ tracks from the TrackSaw set — perfect for routing long channels for rails in built-in bookcases.

There’s just one downside:  While the adapter’ll set you back just $60, you’ll have to pony up a cool $500 for the least expensive TrackSaw kit (read: the saw with the 59″ track). So if you already have a TrackSaw rig, this would be a cheap way to add some additional (and handy) functionality. If you’re just utilizing your circ saw as a poor man’s table saw — because you’re a cheap-ass like us — you might want to look for a less expensive alternative.

TrackSaw Router Adapter [DeWalt]
Street Pricing [Google]

As I’ve mentioned often here on Toolmonger, I love my portable band saw. This simple-looking tool can simplify — and often make possible — endless jobs.  So what makes the DeWalt model pictured above newsworthy?  Easy:  the extra space between the handle and blade allows you to cut objects a full 1/2″ to 1″ larger than most similar saws.  And while that 1/2″ may not sound like much, I’ve run into numerous situations where whatever I needed to cut wouldn’t quite fit in the mouth of my saw.  This one would’ve saved me some hassle.

Other than its gaping maw, DeWalt’s DW120 is similar to their other (and competitors’) offerings, including a 10A motor, steel blade shrouds, and rubber bumpers to protect the jobsite (and your truck bed).  Pricing is about what you’d expect: around $300.

DWM120 Deep Cut Band Saw [DeWalt]
Street Pricing [Google]

These laser enhancement glasses from DeWalt both look cool and help you see your red laser lines in bright or outdoor lighting.  They also extend the usable range of your equipment, because they increase the visibility of otherwise marginally detectable laser lines.

Made in China, expect to pay anywhere from $7 to $15 for a pair of these glasses.

Laser Enhancement Glasses [DeWalt]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Amazon is offering the perfect combo of DeWalt swag for $550, with free shipping. DeWalt loads this sturdy “Bag O’Tools” with a great selection of 18V heavy-duty cordless tools: a cordless hammerdrill, an impact driver, a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, a cut-off tool, a flexible floodlight, a one-hour charger, and two 18V batteries.

If you want to save some more coin, you can get a refurbished kit from Hardware Sales Inc. for $400.

XRP Combo Kit [DeWalt]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] [B000IBJ7KK] [What's This?]
Refurbished Combo Kit [Hardware Sales Inc.]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

DeWalt recently released a new line of “high-performance” LED flashlights featuring prominent branding. The model pictured above is a three D-cell model and features a textured anodized aluminum body — and rubber O-ring seals that provide “moisture resistance” (read: not water-tight, but probably OK if you don’t submerge it) — sound familiar? A hex-shaped head prevents the light from rolling away when you set it down.

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Tool Authority is currently listing this DeWalt plumber’s bi-metal hole saw kit for the not-too-shabby price of $35.50. The kit contains two quick-change mandrels and six hole saws in sizes 3/4, 7/8, 1-1/8, 1-1/2, 1-3/4, and 2-1/4-inches, all housed in a heavy-duty plastic case. DeWalt also offers similar kits with standard sizes for electricians and for locksmiths.

Hole Saw Kit [DeWalt]
Hole Saw Kit [Tool Authority]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] [B00005LF00] [What's This?]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Get a free DeWalt bare-bones power tool with the purchase of selected 18V lithium ion cordless tool kits. Choose between a circular saw, reciprocating saw, car charger, impact driver, 4-1/2″ cutoff tool, dual port charger, or lithium battery pack. This means you can get a customized three-tool/two-battery kit starting at around $430. If you’re thinking of going lithium, check out this deal.

Free Tool Form [What’s This?] [Dewalt PDF]
Hammerdrill/Impact Driver Set Via Amazon [What’s This?] [What's This?]

Brooklyn-based company Scrapile makes furniture from old offcuts and scrap pieces of wood that would otherwise be discarded. They glue and press the scraps together and run ‘em through large planers, a process that inspired me to write this post. Brand Tools Online is selling the DeWalt DW734 12-1/2″ portable thickness planer for $370, down from $690, and shipping is only $7.

Powered by a 15A, 10,000 RPM motor, this bench-top planer will plane material up to 12-1/2″ wide and up to 6″ thick, with a three-knife cutting head that makes 96 cuts per inch. The plane features a four-column carriage lock, and it comes with a dust hood and one-year warranty.

My shop is cluttered with bins full of scrap wood, and the possibility of turning that scrap into furniture totally justifies the expense of this planer. If you need more justification, check out this refurbished unit at Tool King for $290.

DW734 Planer [DeWalt]
DW734 Planer [Brand Tools Online]
Refurbished DW734 [Tool King]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] [What's This?]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

With so many worthy belt sanders on the market, it’s hard to go wrong, but also hard to choose between them all — the choice of accessories available for a particular model can sometimes swing the purchasing decision. Both DeWalt and Bosch offer belt sanders that can be used in their traditional manner or, with the aid of accessories, converted into bench tools.

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In the aftermath of my nail-gun accident I’ve gotten on a safety kick, so I’ve been looking for a good pair of safety goggles. I stumbled upon these DeWalt DPG82-11C clear, anti-fog, dual-mold safety goggles over at Amazon for $12.  DeWalt makes the goggles from a tough polycarbonate for impact-resistance, and they feature a replaceable lens and built-in ventilation channels to cut down on fog.  An adjustable cloth head-strap and an injected rubber seal provide a comfortable fit.

I own a few pairs of those horrid, $3 splash goggles that cut into your face because of the underwear elastic that’s used to hold them on your head, but they spend most of the time on top of my head.  I hope these DeWalt goggles’ll serve less as headwear and more as eye protection.

DPG82-11C [DeWalt]
Street Pricing [Google Product]
Via Amazon [What's This?]