24 Tools For Professional Hardwood Flooring Installation by Jason Spangler | August 6, 2014 As with any trade, hardwood flooring professionals need an assortment of tools to install a floor properly, safely, and in a timely manner. The choice of which tools to have on hand, however, can be daunting. While the number of tools is considerable (more than 50, according to the National Wood Flooring Association), here’s a list of 24 essential tools every flooring contractor should have on hand when installing a hardwood floor. Although some of these tools are also used during sanding and finishing, our emphasis is on installation. Safety First: Protect Yourself The last thing you want to do is risk your health or your livelihood at an unsafe job site. Fortunately, there are a number of tools to help you stay protected. 1. Safety Goggles Eye injuries can occur when you least expect it. You never know when a piece of wood or metal or a bead of finishing material will hit you in the eye causing temporary or permanent damage. It’s why OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) regulations require eye protection when using most power tools. Safety glasses should meet performance standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

There are many safety glasses to choose from. They come in a wide variety of styles and color choices. Normal glasses or contact lenses do not qualify. Goggles are a better choice for certain conditions. They protect the eye socket more effectively and completely than either glasses or face shields because they fit tightly against the face. If you have a vision prescription and you don’t wear contacts, then buy prescription goggles. Not being able to see at all isn’t very safe either. 2. Dust Mask and Vapor Respirators Sanding or applying finish requires the use of a respirator. Failure to use one can cause inflammation of the nasal tract, tightness of the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, asthma, and mucosa irritations. A dust respirator will protect your lungs and upper respiratory tract from wood dust. Some people are highly sensitive, and even allergic to wood dust, especially the dust from certain wood species. The best ones have an NIOSH N95 rating and the letters N95 printed on the mask. A vapor respirator is necessary when applying a finish. Check the finish manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the appropriate respirator. Another good tool for protecting your lungs is a shop vacuum.

The less wood dust laying around, the less dust to fly around. 3. Ear Plugs or Ear Muffs Prolonged exposure to loud noise, especially when using certain types of power equipment, can result in hearing loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the noise levels from a wide variety of power saws are over 100 decibels, which makes them dangerous to your ears after just two minutes! Many flooring professionals today have 30 to 70 percent hearing loss because they weren’t aware of audio hazards. Earplugs are easy to use and inexpensive. They come either as foam inserts or pre-molded plugs. If you’re concerned about earplugs getting lost in your ears, there are earplugs called “semi-inserts” that have a band or string connecting them together. Foam inserts are rolled and compressed into tiny cylinders that slowly expand inside the ear once inserted. Pre-molded plugs are reusable, flanged plugs that you insert into the ear. Foam inserts come in different ratings, so make sure to get the proper inserts. Ear muffs are dome-shaped protectors that fit over the external ear and employ a cushion or pad that seals against the head.

Although bulkier than ear plugs, they are effective in keeping out sounds. Headphones used for music are not considered ear protection. 4. Knee Pads Since you will be spending some of your time on your knees, knee pads will prevent strain and pain. Use contractor-grade pads, made of cloth, that are adjustable and fit well. Since they come with a soft non-marring outer surface, they will not damage floors like hard plastic or metal versions. There are also ergonomic type knee pads containing fluid that offer considerable comfort. 5. Work Safety Boots The dangers to your feet are obvious. When you select a boot (athletic shoes are not acceptable) here are some features to consider: Slip-resistant: Keep the treads cleaned out, or they’ll become less slip-resistant. Safety toe: You have some choices here, they don’t necessarily have to be steel toed, which can get heavy and cold. Some good safety toe alternatives are carbon composite toe, aluminum toe, or composite toe. Regardless of which material you select, make sure it meets or exceeds the ASTM Standards for compression and impact testing of I-75/C75. Consider how high up the ankle the boot should go, or whether a safety shoe offers enough protection.

Don’t forget that they should be well-cushioned and comfortable as well. You won’t wear them otherwise. 6. Heavy Gloves Now that your feet and knees are protected, protect your hands and fingers as well. Heavy work gloves with reinforced fingertips should a last long time. When you’re laying down adhesive, a simple latex glove may be sufficient. 7. Feather Boards Whenever you use a table saw, use the feather board to push the stock past cutting edge. The feather board not only creates a smoother cut but also protects your hands from kickback and from getting too close to the blade. You can buy them or make them. Whichever option you chose, just make sure the feather board fits your specific project. 8. Electrical Testers Electrical testers check for the presence and amount of current in an outlet. They let you know if a certain machine can be safely operated from that outlet. Make sure your extension cords are the proper rating to prevent fires. Too little power will burn out an electric motor. Protect Your Investment If you’re not measuring accurately, you’re laying the foundation for flooring failure. Flooring failure can occur quickly now or even years into the future. Here are some of the needed tools to keep your flooring installation precise: 9.

Wood Moisture Meter Determining the moisture content in wood flooring is crucial to doing a quality job. If the wood has too much moisture, the floor that fit so well when first installed may eventually show cracks, cupping or buckling, and that could mean costly callbacks for the installer. According to marketing data, more than $500 million is spent each year on repairing flooring failures. That’s why flooring materials should be checked with an accurate wood moisture meter before, during, and after installation. There are two types of wood moisture meters: pinless and pin-style meters. Pinless meters use a sensor plate that’s held against the surface of the wood. The plate projects an electromagnetic signal to penetrate the wood surface. The meter can sense changes in the electromagnetic field caused by moisture and wood. The meter then converts the change to a moisture content reading. Their design enables users to “scan” many board feet of wood easily and quickly. This is handy when having to check a large volume of flooring or simply doing a quick check of current conditions. Because they have no pins, they do not damage wood surfaces as do pin meters, but when using a pinless meter, one must apply adequate pressure to get a correct reading or a reading at a fixed depth.

Pinless meters may also be susceptible to scratches or damage to the sensing pad. Pinless meters are less prone to breakage during normal use, but must be properly calibrated (as both styles must) in order to provide accurate MC readings. Fortunately, most pinless meters can be easily and quickly calibrated on the job site using a “calibration verification block” purchased directly from the manufacturer. Pinless moisture meters generally operate at two standard reading depths: ¼ inch below the wood surface and ¾ inch below the surface. These depths provide the necessary MC readings required for all flooring jobs. The Wagner Meters MMC220 is ideal for measuring wood moisture in all wood species – hardwoods, softwoods, and even exotic tropical wood species. It offers moisture measurement to the tenth-of-a-percent precision. The MMC220 is nowhere near as affected by wood temperature – or even surface moisture – as are most other meters, and it’s easily programmed for species settings. It’s a fact that surface moisture can skew a meter’s reading when it’s absorbed by the wood. The MMC220, however, with its proprietary IntelliSense™ technology, is virtually unaffected by the absorbed moisture.

In this regard, it performs much better than other pinless meters as well as most pin meters. It also reads moisture content ranging from 5% to 30%. Learn More about the Wagner MMC220 With only two buttons to push, the MMC220 is easy to operate with just one hand. With its Press and Hold feature, this meter can take an MC reading and its display will hold the reading once the meter is removed. This enables you to quickly and easily document MC readings. Like all Wagner meters, the MMC220 is built for exceptional dependability and reliability. It comes with an industry-leading 7-year warranty and a complete customer satisfaction guarantee. Pin-style meters are equipped with two metal pins or probes that must penetrate the wood’s surface in order to take a moisture reading. They work on a resistance principle that measures the effect of moisture on an electric current passed between the two pins. Because water is a good conductor of electricity and wood is a poor conductor, the meter can tell how much water is in the wood by how much current travels between the pins Because pin meters take readings between the two pins, they offer slightly more variability in reading depths than a pinless meter.

That is, the moisture content (MC) reading will always be taken at the depth the pins are driven into the wood. Pin meters that use longer pins with insulated shafts offer the user an advantage of testing at different depths in the wood. However, this advantage is negated if the insulation surrounding the meter’s probes is peeling or has come completely off. Uninsulated pins measure the wettest layer of wood they come in contact with. So if the wood is stored where it can absorb a lot of moisture, it may have a higher moisture content on the surface than the core. In that event, uninsulated pins will only take a reading of the wetter outer surface no matter how deep the pins penetrate. Problems with Pin Meters Leaves unsightly holes in the wood Measures moisture in only a relatively small area surrounding the pin insertion Uninsulated pins measure the wettest layer of wood they come in contact with, potentially causing inaccuracy More sensitive to temperature changes than pinless meters There are other disadvantages. Pin-style meters measure moisture in only a relatively small area surrounding the pin insertion. The pins also put unsightly holes in the wood surface with each test. This can be a problem for fine hardwood floors.

Another concern is the possibility of broken pins or inaccurate readings because of improperly-driven pins. This can happen because of the force necessary to insert a pin meter into wood. The longer the pins, the greater the risk of breakage during use. If replacement pins are not on hand, the meter becomes unusable. Pin meters are more sensitive to temperature changes than pinless meters. Because of that, pin meters always come with temperature correction charts. 10. Concrete RH Testing System When installing flooring covering on a concrete slab, it is important to know the moisture content of the slab. Slabs with excessive moisture can cause adhesive failure, wood warping or cupping. Relative humidity (RH) testing that uses in situ probes is the most reliable method for testing concrete moisture conditions within the slab. Other test methods, including calcium chloride testing or the poly-film test, often are unreliable and are being discontinued. Surface concrete meters might help determine the most likely areas for necessary RH testing, but they do not provide an in-depth picture of moisture conditions within the slab as does RH testing. While some RH testing systems appear quite complex and cumbersome, the Rapid RH® 4.0ex from Wagner Meters is easy to use.

The sensor is pre-calibrated and installed directly into the slab where it stays equilibrated. Tracking or monitoring the RH in the slab is fast, accurate and, after the initial ASTM-required equilibration period, takes only minutes to ensure the concrete is truly ready for the flooring application. Wager Meters offers a complete professional flooring installer package, the WFP400. This package includes Wagner’s top-of-the-line wood moisture meter, the MMC220, plus the Rapid RH® Starter Kit. This Starter Kit has everything a flooring installer needs to test concrete, including sensors, insertion tool, masonry drill bit, the Rapid RH® Bluetooth® Smart Reader (to be paired with the DataMaster™ app – a separate purchase on you mobile device’s app store), an infrared (IR) thermometer, the TH-200 thermo-hydrometer, and much more. Learn More about the Wagner WFP400 The WFP400 Professional Flooring Installer Package from Wagner Meters’ Flooring Division provides everything you need for accurate moisture testing on concrete or wood floors, with relative readings available for other building materials. Learn more 11. Tape Measure A tape measure is an inexpensive tool every installer should have.

It’s best to invest in one that you can read easily, is retractable and has a hook at the end to stay in place. Without an anchor to keep the tape measure secure, you can get measurements up to 1/8 of an inch off. The cumulative effect of this kind of inaccuracy can have a great impact on your installation. 12. Level A level will tell you if the subfloor’s surface is even and ready for the wood flooring to be installed. Installing the wood on an uneven subfloor is another way to create the circumstances for future flooring failure. You’ll want a large level to accurately measure the subfloor’s level. You can find them in lengths of four and six feet. A complete level will have two bubble readings at both ends, one each to measure horizontal and vertical levels. The level edges should also be made of either metal or brass-edged wood. 13. Solutions for Straight Lines and Angles A Carpenter’s square helps you measure out perpendicular edges and 90-degree angles with precision to mark cuts on your stock. They come in metal or plastic. A Protractor will help you set the proper angles on your saw so you’re cutting corners and moldings correctly.

You can select either a manual or digital protractor. As with your moisture meter, you’re going to have to get the protractor into some challenging spaces, so make sure it’s easy to use. Chalk Lines create straight edges for laying boards. Align your planks against it for even, precise flooring. Aligning the first row of boards with the chalk line assures that all subsequent rows will be straight. A chalk line (also called a chalk reel or chalk box) is a metal or plastic case with powdered chalk and an 18- to 50-foot string line inside. It will make quick work of making a long, level line across a floor. If you lay a translucent moisture barrier over the subfloor before installation, snap the chalk line first. If the barrier is opaque, lay it in place before you snap chalk lines. Always store your chalk line in a dry place. If the string gets wet, you’ll need to leave the line unwound until it dries completely. If the inside of the tool gets wet, you’ll have to replace the caked chalk with fresh powder. Have fun with different color chalks. 14. Spacers Spacers are used to measure what’s called an “expansion gap”.

Because wood either absorbs or releases moisture when relative humidity increases or decreases, it can cause hardwood flooring to expand and contract. The use of spacers will enable you to leave a small space around the perimeter of the room for the flooring to “breathe”. Saws, Saws, and More Saws Any wood floor installation job will likely need a variety of saws. Obviously, you’ll want to review the job’s specific requirements to determine exactly which kinds of saws, and what sizes, you’ll need. However, as a general rule, having one of each kind of the following saws with you is a good idea: 15. Saws Hand saws are great when you have a small sawing job; a hand saw will do just fine. They’re also better for cutting down on noise and dust.

Some hand saws you may want to purchase are: Standard hand, crosscut and rip saws for basic straight cuts Backsaw, a shorter, fine-toothed saw, used with miter boxes Coping saws used for fine, intricate cuts as well as curved or circular cuts Hacksaws and mini-hacksaws, similar to coping saws, have longer, deeper fine-toothed blades and are used for cutting metals and plastic Jamb saws come with an offset handle that allows for undercutting door jambs Power saws come in a variety of options: circular saw, reciprocating-type saws, and band saws. Circular saws come with a circular blade run by an electric motor. It makes fast, straight cuts, with blades ranging from less than five to more than ten inches in diameter. It also comes with tooth designs that cut hardwood, softwood, plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), masonry and tile. Different blade angles are available and they come in various horsepower ratings. Portable power saws cut from the bottom, so keeping the face of the board down yields the best quality cuts.

There are saws, however, that cut from the top down and which require the face of the board be up when cutting. They include power miter saws, jamb saws, radial arm saws, and table saws. Reciprocating-type saws include saber saws, reciprocating saws, and scroll saws. They all operate on the same principle: a small, straight blade that moves in an up-and-down or back-and-forth motion. They all cut in the same direction; up, so cut with the face of the board down. Band saws cut with an endless band blade traveling around an upper and a lower wheel. They provide high-production guided cuts, resawing (cutting thinner boards from one thick one), and freehand scrolling cuts, when equipped with a fine blade. Since they cut down, saw with the face of the board up. They work well on parquet floors. Miter saws (also called chop or drop saws) are really a type of circular saw and also uses a rotating blade. However, a miter saw lets you cut more precise angles. You’ll use the miter saw to cut a variety of features, such as molding, borders, and trim.

Most miter saws let you fix the blade in one-degree increments relative to the fence. In fact, when choosing your miter saw, make sure it has the ability to cut past 45 degrees. This gives you the most versatility. Test out how easy it easy it to adjust the miter index (that’s the measuring tool on the saw that fixes the degrees), and fix it in place. Many miter saws will come with pre-fixed stops on the index at commonly used angles, like 15, 22.5, 30, and 45 degrees. You can also find miter saws with laser beam guides that provide a visual marker of where a cut will go based on the saw’s current configuration. The standard miter saw cuts just on a horizontal angle. If needed, you can get a compound miter saw, which has both a horizontal and vertical pivot. This sort of dual angle is quite common in crown moldings. When selecting the right miter saw for the job, be careful not to mix up a compound miter saw, which has the dual angles, with a dual action miter saw.

Most miter saws are single action, which means they only tilt into one side of the vertical. A dual action miter saw tilts in both directions, which you’re not likely to need on a flooring job. Always check to make sure angles are correct when starting a job. Jamb or undercut saws are designed specifically to cut door jambs, molding, and trim. They’re available as either a power or hand tool. The power tool version is a rotating blade that can usually be set at different heights based on the requirements of the job. The hand saw version is usually rectangular or in a trapezoid shape. It’s not adjustable, but if you have the right size, it’s certainly lighter and easier to carry around. Routers are a popular specialty tool, but can be extremely dangerous to handle. They’re basically motors with a cutting bit on an arbor and handles. They come with a wide range of bits and jigs, and on many models, the cut depth is adjustable while in use. Flooring installers can use a router for removing wood for decorative inlay and borders. Special bits also allow them to cut grooves on end joints for tongue-and-groove strip fits and molding.

They’re also handy for repair work, especially floating floors that have been glued by tongue and groove. A few simple passes and the proper router and slot cutter bit can clean the glue to accept any new boards. Locking It Down The exact tools you’ll need to fasten the wood flooring to the subfloor will vary with the job, but here are some high-level options that you’ll need on every job: 16. Nail Set & Nailing Machines Nail sets look like awls. You use them to drive nail below the surface of the wood. When hand nailing tongue-and-groove flooring, use the nail set on its side to avoid damaging the corner of the flooring strip. Nailing machines help keep nailing time to a minimum and eliminate time spent reaching for nails. They work as fast as you can position the machine. There are different styles of nailing machines. The ratchet and spring-loaded nailers release nails when you strike them with a mallet. Pneumatic nailers, also known as air nailers, use compressed air to operate and require a higher degree of safety consciousness. The ratchet-style nailers are easier for novices to use because they can operate with several strikes.

Spring-loaded nailers operate on the one strike, one nail principle. The pneumatic nailers shoot fasteners into wood (some are designed to nail into concrete) in one of two ways. Some require hitting it with a mallet while others require you only pull a trigger. These machines come in two configurations: side (45-degree) and face (90-degree, for work against walls). They can be adjusted for installing varied thicknesses of flooring by using changeable adaptor plates. Another issue to consider is the nail magazine. You have a choice between a stick-style or circular (also called “coil-style”) magazine. A coil-style magazine can hold up to 300 nails, far more than a stick-style magazine. That means you don’t have to refill it as often, but it also means that it’s heavier in the hand, and more expensive. Also, consider whether the nail gun lets you adjust the fastener depth into the wood’s surface, and how it lets you do this. In some nail guns, you can adjust depth by hand while other nail guns require additional tools in order to make a depth adjustment. 17. Fasteners Installers use fasteners to attach the subfloor to the concrete.

They allow for wood movement in a highly efficient way. Cleats are barbed nails with a T- or L-hooked head. Most are proprietary designs for use only with a specified type of nailer. Their thin rectangular shape guards against nail splitting. Some nailing machines use staples rather than cleats. They, too, can be effective. Installers can also use case nails, cut nails, finish nails and screws to fasten wood flooring. Hand nailing is best for the first and last few rows of flooring in a room when there isn’t room to operate a nailing machine. Screws can be used to fasten plank flooring. 18. Hammer/Rubber Mallet Since most wood flooring materials join together using a tongue and groove system, it helps to have a rubber mallet to give them a good whack when nailing. If not, the gap between the boards will remain and creaks will occur. Use a good quality rubber mallet, one approved for wood flooring. If not, you may find that a non-approved mallet will leave marks and stains on the flooring.

A flooring type of mallet may still have a rubber head, but it’s encased in a soft, white material that won’t leave scuff marks on the floor. The white casing can also be replaced after it gets too grungy. You can also find them with graphite handles, which make them lighter and easier to handle. Mallets are great for the edge boards where you’ll manually knock in the nails instead of using a mechanical flooring nailer. Another option is a dead-blow hammer. The hammer’s hollow head is filled with steel shot to deliver a solid blow without rebounding. This minimizes surface marring when used to tap planks together. 19. Trowel To get any adhesive down on the subfloor, you’ll need a trowel. As with the mallet, buy one specifically designed for use with a wood flooring adhesive. For wood flooring jobs, you’ll have two notch design options: V-shaped or square. Some people believe the v-shaped notch design is best for wood flooring adhesives. Regardless of their shape, the notches on the trowel also come in different sizes. The quarter inch v-notch is considered best for wood flooring installations.

You also want the trowel plate itself to be on the larger size, around 11 inches. The plate should be made of steel, but test out grips to select the one that feels most comfortable for you. They’re available with rubber handles, which may offer a very natural feeling and stronger grip. To keep your trowel in good condition and remember to clean it off before any adhesive on it dries. If the adhesive dries, you’ll have to chip it off, which may create chips in the trowel plate. A chipped up trowel will only mean poorly spread adhesive on the next job. 20. Tapping Block and Pull Bar These tools will help you move the wood planks tightly into place. It might be tempting to use a stray piece of cut board as your tapping block, but that’s not a good idea. First, using the cut board is the easiest way to chip the installed wood plank, especially the tongue or groove you need to make the next plank fit in nicely. It also risks splits because the cut board won’t distribute the pressure of the tap well. This is all unnecessary, especially since a specifically designed tapping block is so inexpensive.

Most will be made of high-density plastic, which won’t chip or damage the wood plank. There are also new tapping block designs that include a small groove running along the block’s long edge. This groove aligns with the tongue of the plank you’re tapping giving it a cushion. Providing this protection makes it less likely the tapping will cause damage to the tongue. You can even find some tapping blocks with multiple groove lengths and depths cut into them so they can fit with different tongue specifications. There are also ergonomically-designed tapping blocks with ball-shaped handles. This type lets you grip the tapping block more gently and naturally so your hand doesn’t tighten up. A standard consumer tapping block is usually in the seven-inch range, but you can find them up to 20 inches long. The longer block will distribute the pressure better, which better protects the plank. Pull bars are useful for doing floating installations as well as nailed and glued floors. They are used for engaging boards as they run vertically across the installation or for pulling in that last row or finished baseboard. Some pull bars come with interchangeable blades, handles, and fulcrums that make installations go faster and easier. You can also configure components to pry up hardwood and subflooring.

Look for pull bars that include an extension for greater leverage and an ergonomic grip for greater control. Avoid the cheaper pull bars. They tend to bend easily. Better-quality pull bars can take the major blows of a hammer. Also, get an adjustable pull bar with unique magnetic adapters to fit different flooring thicknesses, from 8mm to 20mm. Ones with thick felt padding on the bottom of the bar prevent damage to flooring, yet comes with a hard rubberized hammer-tip for maximum strength and durability. Finishing It Off 21. Wood Filler and Putty These terms are often used synonymously since they can both be used to fill in gaps and holes in the wood once it’s been installed. However, there are differences between them. Wood fillers are usually water-based and dry much more quickly than wood putty, which is oil-based. Because wood putty is oil-based, it will only work with oil-based finishes. Therefore, the decision whether to use filler or putty to fill in seams may be made for you based on what finish you’ll be using. Wood fillers can be made with a variety of binders. A latex or epoxy filler works well with unfinished flooring.

Polyurethane or lacquer fillers are only going to work well with pre-finished or pre-lacquered surfaces, respectively. Choose a filler that most closely resembles the color of the wood being used. Keep in mind that this means you might want a few different colored fillers on hand, as there can be considerable color differences in the wood. However, this isn’t a putty filler like you would use to fill in a nick on a finished floor, so the color doesn’t need to match exactly. More important is that the filler can absorb the color of the stain that will finish up the floor. 22. Sander Obviously, floors are wide spaces, so you want a walk-behind sanding machine. The two main options are a drum or orbital floor sander. Whichever you choose, these standing sanders both come in a variety of sizes, usually to support either eight, ten, or twelve-inch pads. A drum sander is the most efficient sander, but it has some drawbacks. It’s an aggressive sander, which is why it works well to sand off a finish. However, if this in a floor installation of unfinished wood, it can cause scratches and grooves.

This is especially true when used at a right angle to the wood’s grain. Instead, the round pad on a random orbital sander moves in an elliptical pattern, but also oscillates back and forth. This prevents the sanding pad from sanding in a fixed pattern, which is when scratches and grooves are most likely to occur. Sanding the floor will take longer with a random orbital sander, but it may well be worth it to prevent scratching and grooving the floor. It’s important to note here that not all orbital sanders are random orbital sanders. Only the random style uses both the elliptical and oscillating motions designed to work well against the grain. Regardless of whether you use a drum or random orbital sander, you’ll also want a flooring edger. This is a special type of sander where the sanding pad is at an angle, allowing it to get into the tight spaces at the edges the floor. If the room does have some small or intricate spaces, you may want to bring a hand sander as well. There are hand-held random orbital sanders. Depending on the job’s specific needs, a finishing or detailing sander may be appropriate. Different sander models will use different power sources.

Many will be electric, so with these, you want to make sure you have enough extension cords to cover the floor. There are also models that use air compression. If you’re bringing an air compressor for your flooring nailer, make sure the volume and pressure specs of the air compressor meet the needs of both tools. You might want to look for a sander machine that has a power-on lock. A power-on lock means you don’t have to keep your thumb pressed down on the power button to keep the sander moving. Therefore, you can focus your strength and concentration on controlling the movement of the sander. Another issue to keep in mind is whether the sander has its own dust collection mechanism. If it doesn’t, you may need a separate dust collector. Regardless, you’ll want a vacuum at the job site to keep things clean and safe anyway. You can rent these large machines if you determine that a specific job calls for a sanding machine you don’t own. As an alternative, there are also sanding machine models that can be used to sand, edge, and buff. Additional Essential Tools for Wood Flooring 23.

Air Compressor There are a number of air compressors available for job site operation of pneumatic staplers and nailers. Choosing one is simple – get one that’s the right size to produce adequate air volume (cubic feet per minute) and air pressure (pounds per square inch) for your pneumatic floor stapler or nailer. A one-horsepower electric compressor with a four-gallon tank produces about three cubic feet per minute of air volume at 90 pounds of pressure. It weighs less than 50 pounds and is adequate for running one tool at medium speed. A 1.5 to 2-horsepower electric compressor with a five-gallon tank produces roughly six cubic feet per minute at 90 pounds per square inch. It weighs less than 70 pounds and is adequate for one fast operation tool or two at medium speed. A 1.5 to 2-horsepower unit with an eight-gallon tank weighs about 125 pounds and is adequate for two fast operation tools. When in doubt as to which one to get, select the larger unit. You won’t be forced to wait for the compressor to catch up. 24.

Shop Vacuum/Broom A powerful portable shop vacuum is useful to pick up any powdery sawdust generated from sawing. Be sure to get one with sufficient amps in the motor. Low amps in small motors typically mean less power and less suction. Consider getting one with wide wheels to prevent damage or marring to the flooring. Also, consider systems that link their vacuums directly to dust-producing tools to collect dust and debris at its source. A good quality push broom is also quite handy for moving and gathering sawdust and other debris. Use it with a matching hand sweeper and a dust pan. A natural bristle (horsehair) broom pushes more dust with each sweep and doesn’t kick up as much dust as one with thin synthetic bristles. Closing Comments… While there certainly are many tools not covered in this article, these tools are the most essential ones needed by flooring professionals. Some of these tools can be rented, but rental equipment often may have improper settings from the previous rental or not be in the best condition. Owning one’s equipment is a better option. Many of these and other tools can be tried out at an NWFA training seminar.

Also, your distributor may be an excellent resource and starting point for learning about these and other tools. The following two tabs change content below. 36 Inch Bandsaw Tires | Products & Suppliers | Engineering360 36 Inch Bandsaw Tires Products/Services for 36 Inch Bandsaw Tires Tires - (35 companies) Tires are flexible casings made of rubber that cover the rim of a wheel. They cushion the wheels of a vehicle to provide an enhanced surface grip. These products apply to an array of vehicles and equipment, including automobiles,&nbsp... Rolled Rings - (37 companies) Rolled rings (or seamless forged rings) are hollow metal cylinder shapes used as starting stock blanks for wheels or rail tires, housings, bearings, gears, valve seats, ring gaskets and couplings. Rolled rings (also known as seamless forged rings... Fixed Gages - (78 companies) Fixed gages are designed to access a specific attribute based on comparative gaging. These gages are used for quickly assessing approximate size in a go / no-go manner. Cutting Services - (2257 companies) Saw-Based Cutting. Many cutting services perform band-saw cutting operations and other saw-based processes.

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For example, an eight foot door lift requirement can be achieved with a horizontally or vertically mounted 36 inch (read more) Browse Door Operators Datasheets for Branham, W.C. Inc. Branham, W.C. Inc. DoorTec® Jack Shaft Mount Door Operators Jack Shaft Operators integrate with the overhead door shaft taking a mechanical advantage of the circumference of the cable drum. For example, an eight foot door lift requirement can be achieved with a horizontally or vertically mounted 36 inch stroke Jack Shaft Operator. The smaller footprint of (read more) Browse Door Operators Datasheets for Branham, W.C. Inc. Branham, W.C. Inc. DoorTec® Overhead Door Operators, Pneumatic Car Care retail centers like car wash, oil change and automotive tire replacement stores as well as auto dealerships will benefit from DoorTec® technology that offers worry-free pneumatic operation and reliability even in cold weather.

Warehouse distribution centers, fire stations as well as Local (read more) Shopping In Other - Big Bruin Jet Tools 414483 - 414483 1HP 1PH 115/230V 14" Vertical Bandsaw 14 in. 1 HP 1-Phase Vertical .... Blade &amp, Tire Cleaning Brush. .... • Milwaukee 9 Milwaukee 18 Teeth per Inch Compact Portable Band Saw Blade (Package of 3). .... Page: ««First 1 2 3 35 36 [37] 38 39 123 124 125 Last»» . Bookshelf and Unified Agenda > Independent Agencies / Commissions > Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission > Commission Decisions > 2001 > [FDBKF2003... 17, 23, 25-26, 36 , 44, 61-62, 81, 89, 91-92, 98-101, 104-105, 109 ....

The seam paste knob is located 17 inches above floor level, requiring anyone adjusting it to bend … order vacating a citation where anemployeestood approximately1 foot from the unguardedblade of a bandsaw while setting it .... Kelly Springfield Tire Co., 10 BNA OSHC 1970, 1973 (No. 78-4555, 1982), aff’d 729 F.2d… Code of Federal Regulations > Title 29 - Labor > Occupational Safety and Health Administration > [29 CFR Part 1910] Occupational Safety and Health Standards (a) No bandsaw wheel shall be run at a peripheral speed in excess of that recommended by … that is fully enclosed with mesh material with openings no greater than 2 inches (5.08 cm .... 36 . ....

(i) All rubber- tired , self-propelled scrapers, rubber-tired front end loaders, rubber-tired dozers, agricultural and… The Wiley Dictionary of Civil Engineering and Construction Complete Document …particles on their surface: extra coarse (12, 16, 20), very coarse (24, 30, 36 ), coarse (40, 50 .... per inch ) hand saw reinforced along its upper tempered steel mounted vertically on pulleys. .... SECTION REPAIR Casing repairs made when a tire injury has extended through 75% or more of the … boards of proper thickness are split and then run diago- nally through a bandsaw to produce two… Benchtop Metal Cutting Band Saws | Products & Suppliers | Engineering360 Benchtop Metal Cutting Band Saws Information: Catalog and Supplier Database for Engineering and Industrial Professionals. Saw Blades - (730 companies) Saw blades are cutting implements used in conjunction with saws and other cutting devices. There are many different types of products. Examples include band saw blades, circular saw blades, diamond saw blades, scroll saw blades, reciprocating saw...

Sawing and Cut-off Machines - (849 companies) ...sawing uses diamond or silicon carbide blades or discs. Metal sawing requires a saw with a fine-toothed blade. As a general rule, at least three teeth should touch the material. The blade of a band saw machine is a narrow band of toothed metal. Band... Hand Saws - (164 companies) ...in wood. The blade is rectangular, 8 to 14 inches in length, with a metal-reinforced back edge to keep it from bending while cutting. Their blades contain 11 to 20 TPI and cut similar to crosscut saws. Keyhole saws are used to make small holes... Hole Saws - (48 companies) ...the tendency to bind if choked with dust, and the core plug can become lodged inside the hole saw. The saw consists of a metal cylinder, usually steel, mounted on an arbor. The cutting edge either has saw teeth formed in it or industrial diamonds embedded... Cutting Services - (2257 companies) Saw-Based Cutting. Many cutting services perform band-saw cutting operations and other saw-based processes.

Band-saw cutting services use a power saw with an endless, toothed steel belt or band that is driven continuously around the circumference... Wheels - (382 companies) Pneumatic wheels are filled with air for better shock absorption and usually consist of a rubber tire on a metal rim. Tube and tube-less versions are available. Phenolic wheels are created by applying heat and pressure to layers of paper or glass... Product News Grob, Inc. The Most Dependable Metal Cutting Band Saw! Grob 4V-18. 18" Throat Depth, 12" Work Height Saw Blades 1/8" - 1" Wide 150" Max., Net Weight 1510 lbs. Optional Equipment. Air Hydraulic Feed. Butt Welder. Air Chip Blower. Rip Fence. Miter Gauge. Work Light. Flood or Mist Coolant. Magnifying Glass. Circular Cutting Attachment. 20" Work Height Available. more option info -->. Band-Saws. 4V-24. 24" Throat Depth 12" Work Height. 4V-36. 36" Throat Depth 12" Work Height.

6V-36 Friction Saws. 36" Throat Depth 20" Work Height. About Grob: Founded... (read more) Browse Sawing and Cut-off Machines Datasheets for Grob, Inc. Grob, Inc. The most powerful metal band saws in their class The most powerful metal cutting vertical band saws in the class. Grob 4V-24. Metal Cutting Vertical Band Saws. 24" Throat Depth, 12" Work Height. Saw Blades 1/8" - 1" Wide 179" Max.,. Net Weight 1670 lbs. Standard Equipment. The most powerful metal cutting vertical band saws in the class. Heavy Duty Grob Inc. manufactured transmission with all cold rolled gears and splines for unequalled strength. Infinitely Variable speed range for complete control of your sawing needs. Completely manufactured... (read more) Browse Sawing and Cut-off Machines Datasheets for Grob, Inc. J&S Machine, Inc. Metal Cutting Machines YL-280CA & YL-350CA. Single head descending blade. Two blade rotation speeds. Adjustable tube stop for consistent cut lengths.

Automatic blade rotation start / stop with cutting cycle operation. Cycle start controlled by push button or foot pedal activation. Automatic blade rotation stop / return at the end of each cycle. Pneumatic cutting head and clamp. Easily adjusted cutting head angle, 45 left and right. Coolant circulation system for reduced cutting abrasion & extended blade life. Contact... (read more) Browse Sawing and Cut-off Machines Datasheets for J&S Machine, Inc. LaserStar Technologies Corporation Benchtop Laser Welding System The 980/990 Series iWeld Benchtop Laser Welding System is easy to use, simple to maintain and incredibly powerful, the iWeld fits neatly into any work environment. iWeld laser welding machines are the highest peak powered laser machine in its class. This machine welds SILVER along with other complex alloys. The iWeld laser welding system is ideal for a wide range of metal joining and repair applications. The system's compact, portable, space-saving design, coupled with LaserStar's well-known... (read more) Browse Laser Cutting and Welding Machines Datasheets for LaserStar Technologies Corporation Metal Cutting Corporation Does Metal Cutting Do Metal Fabrication? Does Metal Cutting Do Metal Fabrication?.

The answer is not as simple as you 'd think!. At Metal Cutting Corporation, we often have people come to us and ask if we do metal fabrication. The truth is, the answer depends on how you define the term. While we don 't consider ourselves a "fabrication company, " we do a lot of fabrication in the sense of producing small metal parts used by our customers to fabricate other larger structures and products across a wide range of applications... (read more) Browse Tube Fabrication Services Datasheets for Metal Cutting Corporation J&S Machine, Inc. J&S Machine Metal Cutting System MC-400YL MC-400YL. Single head descending blade ( o275-400mm). Two blade rotation speeds. Servo driven automatic feeding, maintains +-0.1mm length tolerance. Touch screen programming w/ multi-length capabilities. Precision, open style clamps at cutting & feeding area for strengthened clamping force & stability. Automatic coolant circulation system. Idle stop function when no tubes are in the feeder. Contact us for more details and a quote (read more) Browse Sawing and Cut-off Machines Datasheets for J&S Machine, Inc.

Hymark/Kentucky Gauge Turnkey Automatic Sawing Solutions The Kentucky Gauge turnkey automatic saw system is specifically developed for high precision cutting of steel profiles, solids and tubes. Its superior performance and reliability ensures for a burr-free, milled finished on every cut. Standalone pusher or stop system also avaible for any existing saw or cutter!. Gauge. * Rack and pinion drive with linear encoder. * Controller with program memory & PC download. * Pusher or Stop operation, Semi or Fully automatic. * Repeatabillity of +/-0.001... (read more) Browse Sawing and Cut-off Machines Datasheets for Hymark/Kentucky Gauge Branham, W.C. Inc. DURATRK™ Rodless Band Cylinders WC Branham launches DURATRK TM pneumatic rodless band cylinders with one of several goals in mind. Should an automation systems require rodless cylinders, WCB rodless cylinders are the solution. Just look at our many different rodless cylinder choices and you can see how we make it easy for automation design engineers to standardize on the WCB brand. Standardization offers many advantages. Combining cylinder quantities for the best prices is just one of them.

Share your application with us... (read more) Browse Rodless Cylinders Datasheets for Branham, W.C. Inc. Branham, W.C. Inc. DURATRK™ DTK Rodless Band Cylinders accessories. Pin-type air cushioning. Guiding over the entire stroke length. Same-side porting available. Interchangeable wear parts. ------. 8/28/17 --- RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT ON YOUR ORDER BY SIMPLY TELLING US YOU SAW W.C. BRANHAM INC. ON GLOBALSPEC. Enjoy your special discount now through 12/31/17*. W.C. Branham Inc. is a leading fluid power and power transmission manufacturing company, with over three decades of industry experience. We are always on the move providing innovative, quality... (read more) Browse Rodless Cylinders Datasheets for Branham, W.C. Inc. Branham, W.C. Inc. DURATRK™ DTS Rodless Band Cylinders accessories. Pin-type air cushioning. Guiding over the entire stroke length. Same-side porting available. Interchangeable wear parts. ------.

8/28/17 --- RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT ON YOUR ORDER BY SIMPLY TELLING US YOU SAW W.C. BRANHAM INC. ON GLOBALSPEC. Enjoy your special discount now through 12/31/17*. W.C. Branham Inc. is a leading fluid power and power transmission manufacturing company, with over three decades of industry experience. We are always on the move providing innovative, quality... (read more)

Question: What is the name for a mechanical saw with a (usually vertical) blade, formed by an endless toothed band?
Answer: Bandsaw