Totally Tools 2017 – Once More


It is a well-trodden path to the Ricoh Arena, but it must be admitted that it is a good place for trade shows as it has easy access, good parking, a hotel and catering built-in, so to speak, and room to expand if necessary. The annual Totally Tools Show may have missed a


trick by opening on Valentine’s Day, but the seventy plus exhibitors from the UK, Europe and the USA at least, did not seem to mind. There was plenty to see and the new product showcase was literally in the middle of the show to enable visitors to catch up on the innovations. New to the show was a series of free seminars


focusing on some of the challenges faced in the DIY and hardware industry. One in particular caught my eye – Nick Brackenbury of NearSt gave a talk on how small shops could compete with the internet and get shoppers back into local shops. It seems like enterprises have to be good at everything these days! One of the most interesting product innovations I


saw was the Trig Jig mitre tools for coving and skirting. Using a combination of physical fitting into corners and mitres, it also uses the ease of calculation and display of a digital screen to give users the perfect mitre or cove angle every time. Made in rigid stainless steel sheet with a quick lock hinge system it can be used with a basic handsaw or to adjust the angles on a powered mitre saw. A clever idea indeed, especially in an era where TV home improvement shows are stressing the importance of fine detail finishing.


On a much more basic level was the Finnish Leveraxe. Surely a tool that has


been around for so long that all improvements or developments must have been thought of by now? What is interesting about the Leveraxe is that it has an angled head and edge that when swung hard into the endgrain of a log, the angled edge tends to behave as a lever, thus creating a large splitting force. I doubt whether first time users could have emulated the person in the demo video who split a log into kindling in minutes – but a nice idea for enthusiastic log burner owners. Having had the problem of what to do about dirty work shoes especially in


client’s houses, the Shoe In kick–on kick-off overshoes are a good solution. They are not handed and come in a variety of designs for different surfaces including spiked versions. They are also easily cleaned and ultra-lightweight so are quite practical for everyday use. Campingaz had brought a wider range of gas torches, flashlights and lanterns to


the show. The lanterns looked stylish with many features that would appeal to the “outdoorsy” crowd who need reliable and well-priced lighting for gardens, angling or camping. Caterpillar had a range of tough site capable and portable generators on show.


They have been designed from scratch to be economical and have bigger than average fuel tanks to ensure long running times – up to 18 hours at a time. Also useful, but in a completely different way, were the adhesive products from


Araldite and Velcro. With many obvious applications in the home and elsewhere, modern adhesives can often be a better way to join, hang or repair things than using nails or screws. They are often stronger and easier to remove too.


6 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE www.toolbusiness.co.uk


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