Tool Competition, and 5 Reasons Women Should Own a Drill

comments (8) July 22nd, 2009 in Blogs

Justin Fink, Senior Editor

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Photo: ToolGirl struttin' her stuff...from her article titled "Chicks and Tools"

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People think that Fine Homebuilding is in competition with other related magazines; that we are trying to out-do each other to get the most readers. Well, ok...the part about wanting the most readers is true...but in most respects we are all on the same team. We all want to help professionals and DIYers build better, and shop smarter.This is especially true of tools and materials.

I often get phone calls and emails from readers that are asking my thoughts on "this" new tool, or the performance of "that" old model. I had a recent conversation where a reader asked me if FHB was going to test Ridgid's up-and-coming cordless finish nailer that he had (I swear I could hear his heart-rate increase) heard about in a brief mention he saw in the Journal of Light Construction.

I think he was surprised when I said "Hmm, I don't know much about a new Ridgid nailer...but let me ask the guys at JLC for a bit more information."

I am proud to be able to call Jeff Kolle (This Old House), Andy Engel (Professional Deck Builder), Michael Springer (Tools of the Trade / JLC), Patrick McCombe (formerly at JLC, and soon to be snatched up by our sister magazine, Fine Woodworking), Gary Katz and Roe Osborn (THISisCarpentry) and Joseph Truini (Home section of Popular Mechanics) close friends of mine.

Well, today I'm adding a new friend to that list. I've never met ToolGirl, but when I came across her blog this morning, and especially her top 5 list (below), I knew we'd get along famously.

I wonder what numbers 6 through 10 would be? Maybe if we finish it up we can get Letterman to do the list on his Late Show... in the meantime, here are ToolGirl's 5 reasons for women to gear up with power tools:

1.      Owning your own cordless drill makes you want to rush home after work.

2.      You get to use suggestive terms like 'torque' and 'ratcheting chuck'.

3.      You can say stuff like, “With this much torque, screwing is more satisfying”.

4.      Putting on a tool belt makes you look like Cat Woman, only with more torque.

5.      When they watch you working, your male friends will experience an increase in their angular momentum.

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posted in: Blogs, cordless drill, impact driver, tool, women

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Comments (8)

RomarioAgro writes: http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=6921
Posted: 3:37 pm on August 10th

peggydo1 writes: Why do I own power tools? A) I inherited a love of tools from my dad, as he enjoyed teaching me, and was proud that his daughter could use a jigsaw and drill press. B)Tools grant me control over my quality of life. C) I'm not young, pretty, rich, or married anymore, so I do my own work and enjoy it, 53% of the time. I buy the tools I can lift with my woman strength, and that fit my woman hands. D) I pay men to do the work beyond my strength. The last couple of fellows I paid were a carpenter friend and his helper, and I left out a couple of my power tools I knew they would need. At the end of the day, the helper loaded my tools into his boss's truck, and left behind the girly looking unopened plastic 2' level which my friend had just purchased. Fortunately, I caught my buddy before he made it through the pub doors, and he swung back to my house and returned my tools, with the always-ready quip, "say, isn't that really my Sawzall?"
Posted: 3:21 am on August 6th

aquacat writes: you go girl i say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh my I have a tool room! NOt just any toolroom. IN my toolbabe shop i have one hell of a 17"bandsaw. oh yes and it is a General and I have a General standing drill press. oh yes router tables and bits and three routers oh yes and including the milwaukee 3hp router-that is a real beauty.
Posted: 7:49 pm on August 4th

KParrilla writes: Her Incredible Hulk impersonation scares me.
Posted: 10:36 am on July 31st

stevenplane writes: To John316:
As a Christian and as a man, I suggest you lighten up. You can easily browse past anything you find offensive. Statements like yours indicate to the world that male Christians lack both a libido and a sense of humor, neither of which serves as a very good witness.

Asking a blogger for your subscription money back is pointless. Contact the FHB subscription department for that. You don't go to the plumbing section of the hardware seeking answers for your lumber questions.
Posted: 10:09 am on July 26th

BoilermakerLo13 writes: Wow my wife has her own fully stocked tool belt, 16oz & 12oz hammers, coil nail gun and cordless drill. She is very capable and not afraid to use them. Ceder reroof, addition, plumming, floor refinishing, stone work, tree work, dump truck driver.....I am very proud to have my wife work by my side as we improve our home. Although she may look as pissed as the woman in your photo from time to time, I have never seen her with two screw guns in her hands at any time..... not too sure why you would really want to do that..... and look so pissed. If she was holding a pair of framing guns.. I would run.
Posted: 9:36 pm on July 23rd

SpikeLeed writes: Aw c'mon. Can't a girl have a little fun? Anyway, the blogs are free, so if you paid, go look at the tons of good stuff.
Posted: 7:46 pm on July 23rd

John316 writes: Hi,

This is very disappointing that you would post something like this on your website. When I purchased the subscription to the website, I expected and would like information about building homes and the like - not this stuff. If someone has to have this type of crud, they can go to the grocery store and purchase it there.

Does management at Taunton know about this, and approve of these kind of posts? Is this a policy change, and can visitors expect to see this stuff in the future? If so, I would kindly ask for my full subscription money to be refunded.

Posted: 8:50 am on July 23rd

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