TACWISE “Ranger” Nailer/Stapler

The ideal cordless power tool solution for the Maintenance Ranger.

Whether for putting up or repairing a wire fence, nailing boards to a wooden fence, or what-have-you, the TACWISE “Ranger” Nailer/Stapler is the tool to make the job easy and fast and if you have to chase around a large Park, like a National Park or even a Country Park, an Borough to maintain all the Parks and Open Spaces or, even, and entire county, then this is sure going to beat hammer and nails or, depending on the task, hammer and fence staples.

Yes, sure, a hammer is cheaper and even lighter, much cheaper and much lighter in fact, but while a job with a hammer might take you the best part of the day, with the “Ranger” Nailer/Stapler from TACWISE it is going to be done in less than half the time. Also, even though the tool is weighty, swinging a hammer all day knocking in fence staples or nails sure makes your arm ache. Over time, I am sure, the investment of such a tool that come to just under the £200 mark, would pay for itself in time and effort saved.

The “Ranger” Nailer/Stapler will nail/staple up to 40mm in length/depth and, yes, I do know that 40mm is less than 2inch. So, there will still be times when building a fence, and especially a bridge or stile or gate, that you may have to use hammer, drill and 4inch or even 6inch nails. However, in a great many cases, I am certain, the “Ranger” Nailer/Stapler from TACWISE will make your tasks much faster and easier.

Tacwise Group plc
Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5DF
England
http://www.tacwise.com

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Gorilla Tubs – Product Review

Is there really anyone out there who does not know the Gorilla Tubs by Faulks & Co. at Barwell, Leicestershire? If so, then let me tell you a little about those tubs and their uses.

Tubtrugs are the slightly more “domestic” relations of the Gorilla Tubs. The latter are intended for the more industrial use and are equally at home with the professional gardener as a “basket” in which to deposit weeds from weeding flowerbeds or Rose cuttings or what-have-you, as they are on a building site for mixing cement or plaster or for removing rubble from confined spaces. Anything you can do with a bucket you can do with a Tubtrug and a Gorilla Tub.

In our time now where we all need to think “green” and recycled Faulks & Co have been leading the way for years with the timeless range of recycled tyre rubber products, and the rage of those is just way too large to list here. You can see them at http://www.tyrerubber.com.

With all the ranges of tubs from Faulks & Co. anyone will be able to find one that is just right for his or her job.

The ordinary gardener at home or the allotment will be served well enough with just the standard flexible Tubtrugs, and it has many more uses around the home too, while the professional gardener, whether landscape or parks, would be better served, no doubt, with either the various sizes of the Gorilla Tubs ot by the “baskets” of the “Tyre Rubber” range of recycled products.

For further information see the websites at:

Tubtrugs

Gorilla Tubs

Recycled Tyre Rubber Products

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Bristol Needs More Trees

The independent charity, Trees for Cities, launched a new campaign in November 2007 - Bristol Needs More Trees, to help raise funds for tree planting in Bristol.

Following the launch of the charity’s work in Bristol in 2006 and two successful volunteer planting events in partnership with Bristol City Council and with the support of HSBC and the Forest of Avon, Trees for Cities has teamed up with the creative agency Lunar, to kick off a media campaign which aims to encourage the planting of some 10,000 trees around Bristol by 2015.

Trees or Cities aims to get local people, involved in greening urban areas. The Bristol needs more trees campaign will aim to involve young people, local residents and businesses in doing their bit for the environment and encourage them to get their green fingers a little greener.

Graham Simmonds, Chief Executive for Trees for Cities, comments: “Through this campaign we are aiming to encourage residents to leave their mark in the city by sponsoring trees, as well as plant more trees in Bristol, which will make a big difference in tackling climate change, creating new wildlife habitats and adding beauty and calm to the busy urban landscape.”

Councillor Rosalie Walker, Bristol’s executive member for health, culture and leisure, added: “Trees and green spaces in urban areas are more important than ever and I hope this campaign will kick-start our drive to engage more proactively with the public and local businesses to plant more trees in Bristol.”

http://www.treesforcities.org/

Trees for Cities launch Bark for the Bark Campaign

With the start of a new planting season, the independent charity Trees for Cities has launched an awareness campaign, Bark for the Bark, calling for dog owners to be aware of the potentially fatal damage caused to trees by dogs chewing and gnawing tree bark.

By ripping off tree bark, dogs effectively starve the trees to death - water can still rise up through the middle of the tree, so the leaves may continue to look healthy through the summer - but the tree needs to store the sugar produced in the leaves down in the roots. The sugars travel down through a layer called the cambium, which is just under the bark. Once this is stripped, the tree’s reserves dwindle and it eventually dies - in a mature tree this can take several years.

Sadly there are dog owners who are unaware of this threat, and Trees for Cities’ landscaping staff sees evidence of the damage caused by dogs on a regular basis, particularly in parks.

Graham Simmonds, Chief Executive at Trees for Cities, says: “Through our Bark for the Bark campaign we want to raise awareness of the fatal damage that dogs can potentially inflict on trees. We know that dog owners love walking their dogs in attractive parks and woodlands and I am confident that when they realise the danger to the trees they will stop fido sinking his fangs into the wood bark.”

http://www.treesforcities.org/

Pest Stop Mouse Traps – Product Review

There can hardly be much new as regards to mouse traps, many a reader, I am certain, is probably thinking now. But, well, there can be.

Pest Stop presented new mouse traps at the DIY & Garden/Totally Tools Show at Earls Court during 13-15 January 2008

I must say I actually must have missed seeing the stand when I was at the show but the kindly provided press goody bag in the Press Office gave me enough samples to test.

The first one we shall be looking at is the Sure-Set Plastic Mouse Trap.



This brand-new mousetrap is simple to set and use; once baited, simply click the lever down to set. The mouse has to tread on a platform to reach the bait-well, which triggers the trap, meaning that the mouse cannot take the bait without triggering the trap. It is simple to set and empty. There is no need to touch dead mice and the plastic construction makes for easy cleaning. They are sold as a twin-pack, as it is advised to set more than one trap in an infested area to increase catch-rate and they are quick and humane.

The second one in the pack was the Pre-baited Snap Trap Mousetrap.



This plastic mousetrap is pre-baited with a mixture most mice find irresistible, and is extremely safe and easy to set. It is pre-baited with a mixture of peanut oil and molasses, extremely attractive to mice. The Snap Trap sets with a simple click, and can even be set using just one hand even. There is no need to touch dead mice; simply release by pressing down on the tab - the trap will then be ready for re-use

This trap is absolutely, in my view, ingenious, as it is, basically, out of the box, so to speak, ready to roll and catch mice, as it is pre-baited.

The only question that might come to mind is their environmental impact as they are plastic and a lot more sophisticated than the humble simple little “Little Nipper” traps which have a wooden base and a wire mechanism.

NB: Mice carry a variety of diseases, and should never be handled without protection.

In addition to this if you are dealing with dead rats then it is an absolute must to wear disposable gloves (and they MUST be disposed after) and ideally also a face mask.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Cable Buddi – Product Review

Cable Buddi is a unique safety cable clip on device from the Stadium Group plc.

We all know the trouble with the trailing cables of electric lawn mowers, hedge cutters, and other such tools. How easy it is to cut through through the power lead we also, I am sure, have found out to our peril. Now Cable Buddi can eliminate all those problems to a great degree; operator error excluded.

Cable Buddi is ideal for all kinds of electrical tools, whether lawn mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers, rotavators, garden vacs, chain saws, woodworking tools, drills, and much more.

Cable Buddi helps reduce the risk of cutting through electrical cables and reduces the risk of tripping over same. Both rather a health and safety issue.

Cable Buddi allows the equipment to be used with two fully operational hands, thereby reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) and increasing efficiency.

Cable Buddi allows full concentration on the job in hand without the need to worry about the cable, as the cable is safely towed by the side of the user.

At a retail price of GBP 1.99 is it well worth getting a couple of them for sure.

For the professional user, like many professional gardeners who more and more now are using electric power tools for their works rather than the gas powered ones Cable Buddi is also the right choice and a Cable Buddi Pro is available for those. The difference, I understand, between the Standard and the Pro is the fact that the Standard takes cable up to 8mm in diameter and the Pro version from 6mm upwards. I do now know the retail price of the Pro version but estimate it, due to also a slightly sturdier construction, to be in the region of GBP 4.

Cable Buddi should be available from most Hardware Stores or Tool Shops and large DIY outlets, I should think, like Homebase and B&Q. If not ask the store to get Cable Buddi for you.

Cable Buddi is brought to you by:

Stadium Group plc
Jubilee Avenue
Highams Park
Chingford
London E4 9UD
Tel: 020-8531-6767
www.stadium-ventilation·co.uk

New Pro power tools from Silverline

Silverline Tools launches a new range of Pro power tools and their new Catalogue at the DIY & Garden Show and Totally Tools at Earls Court 2, London, 13 to 15 January 2008 (stand number D58).

Included at the show are Race professional touring car driver, Jason Plato; a chance to win a Scalextric set; a chance to view the new Silverline Pro range; to order your new catalogue, as well as to receive expert advice

Silverline is renowned for their winning formula of providing competitively priced quality tools backed up by excellent service quality, which is why they are the winning choice for professional powerboat and motor sport teams, for trades people and for discerning DIY enthusiasts.

The new Pro range of power tools has been designed and engineered to deliver outstanding performance backed by a three-year guarantee.

The comprehensive range includes cordless and mains power drills, angle grinders and woodworking tools.

Television celebrity and SEAT’s number one British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) racing driver Jason Plato will be challenging visitors to a Scalextric race on the Silverline Tools stand Jason, is the lead driver for the Silverline-sponsored SEAT Team, which won the 2007 BTCC Teams title.

Jason, who presents Fifth Gear on channel 5 and Mission Implausible on Sky 1, will be signing autographs on the Silverline stand and inviting visitors to battle against him in the ‘Silverline Scalextric Challenge’. Whoever sets the fastest time of the day while completing against Jason will win their very own Scalextric set.

Commenting on the event, Jason said “The guys at Silverline Tools have given our BTCC team tremendous support this year, and this seemed a great way to thank them in person and have some fun at the same time”.

One of the SEAT team cars will be on display on the Silverline stand and Jason will attend on Monday 14 January between 10am and 5pm.

For 2008, Silverline will continue to sponsor leading competitors:

• Jason Plato and the SEAT Team in the BTCC.

• Drew Langdon, driver and manager of the Silverline powerboat team, which was the highest placed UK team in the 2007 Powerboats P1 World Championship finishing in second place.

• Dave Wilson, driver and manager of the Silverline Drag Racer team which was crowned 2007 European FIA Champion, winning decisively with an unprecedented five consecutive race wins in the series

Silverline’s Managing Director James Goddard-Watts, commented: "Motor sport teams of this calibre offer us great product feedback. We are always striving to increase and improve our products. The new Pro range is an excellent example of taking our Power Tool range to another level of performance whilst maintaining our commitment to excellent value for money.”

Silverline Tools is the fastest growing supplier of top quality hand and power tools to wholesalers, merchants and retailers in the UK. Established in 1978 and now based in Yeovil at a new purpose built office and warehouse complex.

The company carries huge stocks enabling it to supply ex-stock and offer next day delivery. The company's product range is constantly being reviewed, tested and extended to meet the needs of today's tool buyers, and their customers. Silverline is ISO 9001 accredited.

www.silverlinetools.com

The DIY and Garden Show is the key trade event where retailers and trade buyers can source the latest products and get great special show deals from suppliers. Running alongside the DIY and Garden Show, for the fourth successive year, Totally Tools is also a crucial part of the DIY and building trade calendar.

The shows take place on 13, 14 and 15 January 2008 at Earls Court 2, London.
www.diyandgardenshow.com