Toolbox

IRWIN®, the leader in hand tools and power tool accessories, announced today the launch of SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ self-feed bits and auger bits. The new line of SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ bits are engineered for high performance wood drilling and are designed to withstand repeated nail strikes. The bits’ high-speed steel cutting edge maintain sharpness due to the durable bi-metal construction.

The SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ self-feed bits and auger bits provide users with 3X longer life* and durability on the jobsite, even cutting through nail embedded wood.

IRWIN SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ self-feed bits and auger bits are sold in a variety of lengths and diameters, allowing users to tackle challenging wood-drilling needs with ease. The bits are made to deliver fast, high performing drilling by cutting through both clean and nail embedded wood and feature a re-sharpenable cutting edge, aggressive screw tip and black oxide coating for enhanced corrosion resistance.

“Professionals know that durability is crucial on the jobsite, “said Harry Zhong, Senior Product Manager at Stanley Black & Decker. “IRWIN is committed to providing our valued users with accessory solutions that are designed to stand up to the toughest challenges every time they are put to use.”

SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ Self-Feed Bit Features:

The self-feed bits have a high-speed steel cutting edge and an aggressive screw tip that quickly drills through lumber. Engineered to cut through the most challenging drilling applications, IRWIN® SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ 2-9/16″ self-feed bit drills 6.3X holes vs. IRWIN previous model, when drilling into 1-1/2” thick Brazilian oak hardwood.** Designed to make quick, clean holes with minimum interruptions, the self-feed bits have an extended shank that can cut 4”x4” lumber without extensions and an included replacement tip. The self-feed bits can be used in standard drill chucks and the 7/16” quick change hex allows for compatibility with quick change ready right-angle drills. The self-feed bits are suited for drilling holes to run electrical cabling, conduits, PVC pipe for water, drain and waste lines.

SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ Auger Bit Features:

The auger bits cut through wood with ease to make clean holes. The aggressive screw tip pulls through material and the optimized flute geometry allows for fast and efficient chip ejection. Engineered to withstand repeated nail strikes, the bits have a durable bi-metal construction. The IRWIN® SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ 7/8″ diameter auger bit drills 236 more holes VS. IRWIN Weldtec® auger bits, when drilling into 1-1/2” thick pine with a 8D common nail.*** The 7/16” quick change hex allows for compatibility with joist drills. The auger bits are suited for drilling holes to run electrical wires and conduit, PVC piping for water lines and drilling through holes to bolt large wooden beams.

Delivering 3x longer life*, the new SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ self-feed and auger bits are suited for plumbers, electricians and general contractors. The bits are available for individual purchase in stores and online where IRWIN® tools are sold. Product pricing ranges from $19.98 to $59.98 USD.

For more information, please visit IRWINtools.com/product/speedborsupreme.

*With respect to IRWIN® SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ Self-Feed Bits – on average compared to IRWIN® SPEEDBOR Self Feed Bits.
 * With respect to IRWIN ® SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ Auger Bits – on average compared to legacy IRWIN® ship auger bits.
 **IRWIN® SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ 2-9/16″ Diameter Self Feed Bit (SKU: IWAX2009) compared to IRWIN 2-9/16″ Diameter Self Feed Bit SKU (3046013) drilling into 1-1/2” thick Brazilian oak hardwood.
 *** IRWIN SPEEDBOR SUPREME™ 7/8″ Diameter Auger Bit (SKU: IWAX3018) compared to Weldtec® 7/8″ Diameter Auger Bit SKU (1779343) drilling into 1-1/2” thick pine with 8D common nail.

Not all ball valves are the same. For PEX piping systems, whether plumbing or hydronic heating and cooling, the type of ball valve can actually impact system quality and performance. That’s why Uponor, the leader in polymer piping solutions, has launched a newly redesigned offering of ProPEX^® lead-free (LF) brass ball valves for both residential and commercial applications.

Committed to providing professionals with products they can trust, Uponor is offering the newly redesigned ball valves to provide greater value by delivering on quality and reliability all at a competitive cost. Now, engineers and installers can have greater confidence in meeting the performance and budget demands of today’s residential and commercial projects.

ProPEX LF Brass Commercial Ball Valve (group), LFC4825050SS< LFC4827575SS, LFC4821010SS, LFC4821313SS, LFC4821515SS, LFC4822020SS,

Manufactured from premium, lead-free, dezincification-resistant brass, these full-port ball valves feature positive tube stops that ensure installers insert the valve into the pipe far enough without overextension. The valves all feature a blowout-proof stem design to ensure a lifetime of trusted reliability that professionals have come to expect from Uponor. In addition, the ASTM F1960 connection method offers a solid, strong seal without the need for glues, torches, or fire watch, providing greater safety and cost savings on job sites.

The residential valves are available in sizes from ½” to 1″ and feature a chrome-plated ball along with a stop and drain (waste) option. The commercial valves are available in sizes from ½” to 2″ and feature a stainless-steel ball and stem along with stem extension kits to accommodate insulation thicknesses up to 2″.

Both ProPEX ball valve offerings are backed by a five-year warranty and meet IPC, UPC, and IRC building codes in addition to being listed to NSF 14, 61, 359, and 372 for residential and commercial construction. To learn more about this newly redesigned offering, visit https://go.uponor.info/ballvalves.

When selecting your next Y-strainer, consider upgrading to the new Pro-Pal® Ball Drain Strainer™ from Webstone, a brand of NIBCO®.  Designed to protect the system against debris in the pipes, this patent-pending valve combines a Y-strainer, ball valve, and hi-flow hose drain. Its forged brass construction takes the place of eight individual components; eliminating assemblies needed to isolate, drain, and separate loose particles from the flow. Its flexible design can be installed in a vertical or horizontal orientation, depending on your system’s needs.

The Ball Drain Strainer allows you to isolate the strainer from upstream flow, simplifying the servicing of the strainer port without the need for additional assemblies. During normal operation, the main valve is open to create a straight flow path which allows debris to fall into the plugged blow down port. To remove accumulation, simply close the valve to restrict the flow from the port, unscrew the strainer cap, and clean the debris from the screen. The exclusive multi-function flow path is also ideal for diverting fluid into the drain from either side of the ball. With a turn of the handle, you can choose between a variety of applications including draining before or after the ball, flushing the valve with fresh water, or flushing with reverse flow from the system.

The Ball Drain Strainer is available in sizes ½” to 1¼” in press or FIP connections. It features lead-free dezincification resistant forged brass construction, replaceable 20 mesh screens, and O-ring sealed and plugged strainer port for easy removal of the filter and installation of the drain valve.

Refrigerant lines are push fit into Quick Connect fittings within seconds without brazing, flaring or expensive crimping connection tools

RectorSeal^®, Houston, a leading manufacturer of quality HVAC/R equipment, has added the Quick Connect push-fit, flame-free, refrigerant line brass fitting system to its PRO-Fit^™ tools and accessories product line for the North America and Australia markets. Quick Connect is the new generation of refrigeration pipefitting designed for ductless mini-split and ducted unitary single-family residential air conditioning systems. It’s the HVAC/R industry’s only refrigerant fitting system not requiring flaring, brazing or expensive crimping connection tools.

After cutting, deburring and marking for proper depth, the refrigerant line installation requires less than five seconds to push into the fitting until the depth marking appears in the sight glass. Each Quick Connect fitting port consists of a patented factory-assembled tight-fitting double O-ring, protector, grip ring and an endcap–none which the installer needs to address.

No special tools are required except for a reusable, inexpensive support kit that’s sold-separately and consists of a universal five-diameter pipe depth marking tool and five sizes of horseshoe-shaped release clips that disengage a connection within seconds.

Quick Connect comes in five fitting types–union, 90° elbow, reducer, 90°elbow reducer and socket–and the four most common lineset diameters of 1/4-inch (6-mm), 3/8-inch (9-mm), 1/2-inch (12-mm), and 5/8-inch (16-mm). Quick Connect also includes 3/4-inch (19-mm) and 7/8-inch (22-mm) sizes, but only for union and 90° elbow styles.

Quick Connect is UL certified and third-party tested under UL 157, UL 203, UL 250 and UL 1963. Passed test conditions include long-term helium leak, vibration, burst pressure, tensile strength, reusability, salt spray, fatigue, chemical compatibility and six other reliability tests. Quick Connect fittings accommodate system pressures up to 870-psi and are designed for both HCFC and HFC refrigerants–R-22, R-410A, R-744, R-134a, R-407A, and R-507.

Other Quick Connect features are:

• Double O-rings’ leak-resistant elastomeric materials are specifically designed and third-party certified under UL 157 test standard for minimal shrinkage (less than one percent) and swelling in R-410A/POE oil refrigeration systems;
• Service valves (1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8-inch) are available on an OEM basis;
• Reducers and 90° elbow reducers step down from 5/8 to 1/2-inch, 1/2 to 3/8-inch, 3/8 to 1/4-inch line sizes;
• Ideal for copper as well as coated aluminum refrigerant lines;
• Separate depth marking and release clip tools are available for each the 3/4 and 7/8-inch diameter fittings.
• A four-color 14 (w) x 8 (d) x 8 (h)-inch (35.5 x 20 x 20-cm) wholesale counter display where contractors can push-fit a pipe into a fitting and use the release tool to disengage it;
• The 26-sku system is packaged in individual cardboard hangtag see-through bags;
• Five-year warranty;

For more information on Quick Connect or other PRO-Fit and RectorSeal products, please visit www.rectorseal.com email: marketing@rectorseal.com; or call 800-231-3345.