Toolsday

Tool Review: BOA Versa Saw

Tool Review: BOA Versa Saw

A regular hacksaw frame is fixed to the blade at both ends. These restricted-access hacksaws, on the other hand, are fixed to the blade only at the back end, closest to your hand, and support the front end using a reciprocating, spring-loaded bar with a thin guide slot and a rubber shoe. The shoe rests up against the workpiece, during the stroke, and the blade moves back and forth through the guide slot, which keeps it from flexing away from the intended cutting path. The upshot is that, unlike a regular hacksaw frame, you can make cuts in stuff with almost zero backside clearance.

Tool Review: Schröder 9″ Hand Drill

Tool Review: Schröder 9″ Hand Drill

I picked up a pair of these German-made drills from Garrett Wade: the 9″ Mini Hand Drill ($25.50) and the 12″ Larger Hand Drill ($46.50), which has an additional wood knob opposite the crank handle. Since the Mini reminds me more of the old eggbeater, I’m using that. It looks shiny and new, but the solid construction and tight engineering hark back to the days when tools weren’t considered disposable.