We have a chat about how they started their website, the sort of tools they enjoy using, how they get a hold of their tools and how their website is commonly used.
We also ask them to identify their favourite tools and what they think will be the “next big thing” in tools in 2011.
This is part 1 of our full report from our visit to RIDGID. You can listen to us talk about RIDGID Tools with Mike, John and Walter from Ridge Tool Company on the podcast.
Neil and I have travelled the globe visiting the bastions of power tool design and manufacturing with the sole purpose of bringing power tool lovers, via the magic of the interweb’s tubes, the latest and best in blog posts and videos.
Well, when I say “travelled the globe” that’s only true if you count Milton Keynes as another country.
Yes, we’ve been to Bosch in Denham, Makita in Milton Keynes, Draper in Southampton and now we’ve visited the seat of European parliamentary power, Brussels.
Brussels. Home of mussels, sprouts, beer, chocolate and eurocrats.
However, we didn’t stay there too long. Once RIDGID’s Mike was allowed through customs (which gave Neil and I enough time to sample a couple of Belgian exports – see right), we were off down the road to Leuven, European base to pipe-wrench purveyors Ridge Tool Company, better known to us as RIDGID.
Right away we felt completely at home, a feeling that was helped by the fact that everyone we met spoke better English than us. And that it was peeing down with rain. Home from home.
However, we checked into our hotel in the centre of Leuven, once Ridge Tool’s John had manage to negotiate the narrow, cobbled streets that were choked with parked bicycles (he only went down one pedestrian precinct. Oh, and a one-way street the wrong way. Pesky roadworks…), and then embarked on a quick recce to find an eatery that would allow us to sample the finest in Leuven hospitality.
We settled on a rather grand affair situated on a wonky, cobbled thoroughfare of indeterminate age (it was at least 500 years old, but that’s a rough guess) and were waited on by the quintessential European waiter. Open any dictionary to the word “waiter” and you’d see a photo of this guy. He was brilliant with his slightly haughty-yet-hang-dog laissez-faire, an attitude that said “Meh, here’s your table. Here’s your menu. And wipe your feet.”
The food was exceptional, of course. As was the local beer.
In fact, it’s hard to know what was most impressive about Leuven.
The beer, of which there was hundreds of choices (see left for one example), the food, of which all previous power tool manufacturer excursions have met their match, the scenery, of which you were spoiled for choice; the pretty European bicycle riding students or the grand, Gothic spires of the town hall, or the hand and power tools on display in Ridge Tool’s Leuven base.
We’ve enjoyed the clinical beauty of Bosch’s European training headquarters. We’ve felt at ease in the dusty technical workrooms of Makita’s training facility. We’ve been overawed at the scale and scope of Sealey’s product range and distribution warehouses.
But with RIDGID we had it all; clean, European, technical efficiency. And that was just John’s new Volvo 4×4.
In truth, we are very impressed with Ridge Tool Company’s operation in Leuven. First of all the training facilities were top-notch.
What we expect from a tool company’s training operation is simple; we name a tool. You quickly get the tool. You show us how to work the tool. We get to use the tool.
And this all happens in a safe, well lit and ventilated space.
With RIDGID it was “check”, “check” and “check”.
Not only did they have what seemed like every single hand and power tool in the RIDGID catalogue to hand, they even had a team of guys available to us who knew everything there ever is to know about these tools and were able to show us, in a succinct fashion, how to use them and explain who’d benefit from owning them.
Seriously, you cannot ask for more when you’re on one of these fact-finding trips.
First up we had Enver. He’s a product manager. Traditionally, we expect product managers to be a bit prissy and overly protective about the products. You know, acting as if the product in question was actually birthed by them.
Not so with Enver. Yes, the guy was protective of the products he demonstrated for us, but not in a highly-strung maternal way. More in a proud uncle sort of way.
Right away he pointed out that the new range of measuring and metering tools from RIDGID are smaller, more compact, more efficient, more accurate and have had a new “lick of paint”, namely they’re all now black with red detailing. And yes, they look pretty good.
Enver’s favourite little nephew (if we’re continuing the “proud uncle” analogy”) seemed to be the P-TEC 3240 pipe cutter. We’ll bring you a video of it in action soon so that you can see it, and you’ll hear him talk about it in part 2 of our RIDGID interviews.
In short, this is an ingenious idea. It cuts plastic pipe while at the same time preventing swarf . It even bevels the cut for you.
A little later we demo’d the brand new pipe and drain gun, the K-45. Mike explained the pricing of it; basically if you need two Dyno-Rod callouts you would have paid for a K-45.
What does it do, though?
Again, this is where being in a top-notch training facility pays off.
Mike led us over to workbench. Lying beside it was the K-45, encased a signature red RIDGID box.
On top of the workbench were two pipe openings, the sort of pipes that lead into drains. These openings led down into a snaking procession of pipe work that simulated a lavatory ‘S’ bend or a drainage system.
Parts of the pipe were clear perspex, allowing us to see that the pipes were, in fact, severely blocked with toilet paper and hand towels.
Using the K-45’s powered handle, Mike inserted the end of the cable into the pipe opening. Then by depressing on the arrowed levers, the cable was fed down into, and around, the pipe bends until it made contact with the blockage.
The end of the cable spins itself into the mess of paper, at which point Mike reversed the direction of the motor. This drew the cable, with blockage attached, back up the pipe work, quickly, cleanly and efficiently unblocking the drain.
We’ll have a video of the K-45 in action soon, keep your eye on our YouTube channel.
All in all, day 1 of our visit to RIDGID’s Leuven base was inspiring. And that was before they set Walter and the SeeSnakes onto us…
Stay subscribed to the Toolstop blog for part 2 of our report from RIDGID Tools!
This is a guest post by Erin Couch, the sales and marketing manager for the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA), an organization that supports and helps independent hardware store retailers become better and more profitable merchants. When she is not painting chalkboard walls, she enjoys hiking with her dog, scouring antique stores for one-of-a-kind pieces and learning the ropes of becoming a DIYer.
When I was little, my grandparents had this fantastic chalkboard in the hallway of their farmhouse. As a very creative, and sometimes ornery six-year old left in the deep country of Northern Indiana, the chalkboard was a perfect outlet for me to stay out of my Grandmother’s hair and away from trouble.
This deep desire for the ability to inherently “draw on the walls” has since translated into adulthood and now, my home.
I have been a first time homeowner for almost two years now and have begun the slow process of getting into the grove in decorating my home to my personal style and taste.
I love vintage inspired decorum and will go for anything that is a little adventurous…like chalkboard paint.
My initial plan for this project was to break up one of the two tall, white walls that separate my kitchen from my living room with a simple chalkboard “menu” where I was to write the week’s dinner plan.
After a couple of months of a swatch of black paint on my white wall, my inner six-year old started to think how great it would be to paint both walls, ceiling to floor in the chalkboard paint and turn that area into a place where anything goes.
As a novice DIYer, this project was perfect for me. It took about 30 minutes to complete and involved very little prep time. However, since you are dealing with black paint, I recommend laying down tarp in your painting area to protect your flooring from paint splatters. (Click the photo on the left to enlarge. You can see that it’s perfect for lists and doodles! Just be sure to leave at least 24 hours before you start chalking the wall.)
You can get chalkboard paint from your neighborhood hardware store and for those that are feeling really adventurous, you can get a magnetic paint to turn your wall into a bonafide schoolroom chalkboard.
As for me, I bypassed the magnetic paint and kept my walls as a place where my visitors can leave messages and I can post my grocery list and doodle.
For those on the conservative side, this paint is also perfect for labeling. In my case I took some plain storage canisters and turned them into identifiable holders for my flour, sugar and baking powder.
Whether you are doing an entire wall, half of a wall or labeling recycling containers or kitchen storage, chalkboard paint is a great way to shake things up and give your household an eclectic and fun look for all ages.
Follow Erin as she covers hardware and industry related news in North America on Twitter: @NRHA_Erin For a more personal look at social media marketing and shopping the independents follow her personal Twitter: @ErinCouch
Today we were visited by Mike and John from Ridgid Tools. Such is the draw of the Toolstop Podcast that it took John 13 hours to get here. Listen to the podcast to find out if it was worth it!
In the podcast we discuss Ridgid’s toolmaking traditions, we analyse the benefits of their pipe wrenches and their fairly recent divergence into tech tools such as their SeekTech and and SeeSnakes. We also mention their fantastic social media presence, including their forum and Facebok Page.
Steve Webb - Steve explains what PDP (Premier Diamond Products) do and we ask him to share some funny anecdotes from the world of diamond drill bits
Mark and Neil ponder over Chelsea’s changing fortunes in the Premiership
Remember to subscribe in iTunes to make sure you never miss an episode, and while you’re there, please right a review! Reviewing the Toolstop podcasts on iTunes is an excellent way to help other people find us.
Sometimes Makita get things right. Get things very right.
Other times, they get things just a little bit wrong.
And there are occasions like with the BSS611R-ID 18v li-ion triple pack that they get it very right. And just a little bit wrong. All at the same time.
Here we’ve got Makita at their very best. We’re not just talking about their fantastic lithium-ion battery technology nestled within these 18v packages of power. We already know how the batteries are going to perform.
We’re also not just talking about the fact that the BHP453 combi-drill in this triple pack will drill upto 13mm diameter holes into steel and masonry and 36mm into wood. It’s not even the BTD140 impact driver’s huge 3200 blows-per-minute nor the fact that BSS611 circular saw is going to munch its way through 57mm thick pieces of wood at 90°.
No, it’s not the performances on these tools that Makita have got right; that’s just what Makita does. We almost take it for granted.
So, what – if anything – have they got wrong? Watch the video.
What they’ve got wrong this time – and it doesn’t happen often – is leaving the BHP453 out of the picture on the box! Yes, no big deal. But think how much the box will be worth; a collector’s item, surely!
Toosltop are one of the biggest distributers of power tools in the UK. We blog about the latest power tools, plus we bring you exclusive video footage from Makita, Bosch, DeWalt and more. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!
We have a chat about how they started their website, the sort of tools they enjoy using, how they get a hold of their tools and how their website is commonly used.
This is a guest post by Erin Couch, the sales and marketing manager for the 
Today we were visited by Mike and John from 