The company that pioneered the world’s first chainsaw is joining forces with the Forestry Commission to help train the next generation of foresters. STIHL has announced that it will sponsor the 2015 Forestry Commission England Apprentice Programme, supplying 14 apprentices with the tools and safety equipment they will need for their two years of training. The programme will equip them with skills crucial for the management of the UK’s forests, enabling them to make an important contribution to rural communities. More than 1,000 people applied to join the Apprentice Programme, and the successful applicants will now be trained in every area of forestry work including health and safety, pollution control, clearing, tree felling, planting and fencing. STIHL is supporting the programme by supplying each of the 14 apprentices with: STIHL MS 261 C-M chainsaw STIHL C-M clearing saw STIHL protective clothing Ian Gambles, Forestry Commission Director for England, says the programme is a fabulous opportunity and teaming up with STIHL makes perfect sense all round: “There could soon be a shortage of foresters as much of the current labour force begins to retire. This programme will give these young people the best training available, teaching all the fundamental skills to put them in prime position for future job opportunities. There is no other programme like this in the country. Forest management and tree felling are highly-skilled activities and we must always remember the importance of well-maintained and reliable tools alongside quality protective equipment to ensuring a job well done and getting home safely.” Rory Stewart, Rural Affairs Minister, said: “Forests and woodland are one of the most precious elements of our natural heritage. I am delighted that the 2015 Forestry Commission England Apprentice Programme will help ensure the forestry sector has a passionate and skilled workforce for the future. Increasing the number of apprentices is also a key pledge of the Government’s Rural Productivity Plan – designed to harness the enormous economic potential England’s rural areas have to offer – for the prosperity and benefit of everyone in the UK. This is fantastic news.” Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, says the decision to support the initiative was an easy one. “STIHL is committed to encouraging a thriving and enduring forestry sector in Britain, and we are proud to support this scheme that will bring valuable and skilled newcomers into the industry.  We wish all the new apprentices the best in their future careers.” The new agreement builds on STIHL’s 2014 Forestry Commission Apprenticeship of the Year sponsorship, which rewarded apprentice Cameron Williams for his efforts on last year’s programme. More information can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk.

Rugged mains/cordless LED work-light Carbide reciprocating saw blades for wood and metal Diamond hole-saw set, 6-25mm, with water feed Makita continues to expand their accessory range constantly adding useful new lines and improved blades, bits and cutters for best possible performance. The latest additions include a rugged site work-light that can be powered by mains or by Makita’s high performance Lithium Ion batteries; a new series of carbide tipped reciprocating saw blades that will efficiently cut through timber and nails, and a new set of diamond tipped hole-saws ideal for cutting accurate holes in tiles for bathroom installations. The new Makita DML805 LED work-light will run on 240v mains power or 14.4v and 18v Lithium-ion batteries from the Makita range. The twenty 0.5watt LED’s provide a bright and even light and there is a full beam and low level setting on the simple push button control. The light unit is mounted in a rugged moulded carry cradle with flat base and top handle that can serve as a hanging bar. A simple rotating knob releases the angle setting which can spin through 360°. Ideal for site operations this work-light features Makita Extreme Protection Technology, XPT, against water and dust ingress. It has three tripod mounting options as standard. Using a 4.0Ah 18v Makita Li-ion battery the DML805 LED work-light has a continuous run time in high setting of a useful 6.5 hours. “It is wise to remember that high performance Makita power tools will achieve the best results when used in combination with our quality accessories,” says Kevin Brannigan, marketing manager, Makita UK. The new Makita Tungsten carbide-tipped reciprocating saw blades have a new shape of saw tooth which gives faster cutting and longer life. Designed to cut through timber where metal nails or fixings require cutting, these new 1.25mm width blades are available in three lengths: 152mm, 228mm and 305mm. All these saw blades have 6-8 teeth per inch. The new Makita diamond-tipped hole-saw kit brings together the individual hole-saws available in the range. Users will find these hole-saws invaluable for cutting through ceramic and porcelain tiles or glass in bathroom and kitchen installations. The electroplated diamond-tripped hole-saws must be used with the water feed tube supplied in the six piece kit which includes 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 and 25mm diameter hole-saws. For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com.  Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK and Facebook.com/makitauk

To support fast and efficient working, FLEX has now replaced the existing “Box on Box” transport case system with the proven L-BOXX. The familiar system was developed for secure storage, protection during transport and portable use. The L-BOXX is suitable for tools, accessories and consumables.   The L-BOXX is available in four different sizes and is designed for a loading capacity of up to 25 kg per box. Inserts inside the boxes allow professional and clean storage. In all box sizes, the case lids have a load-bearing capacity of up to 100 kg and provide reliable protection for the entire contents even during rough transport and conditions of use. At the workplace, the robust, splashwater-protected cases impress with their quick accessibility and clear, organised storage.   All it takes is a click to join and separate the boxes All L-BOXXes can be individually combined and comfortably transported with a robust “Easy-click-and-go” system, up to a total weight of 40 kg. This means that tools, compatible accessories and the associated consumables are intelligently pre-sorted and quickly available where they’re needed. No more time-consuming backwards and forwards between the vehicle and the building site. For additional loading safety, the L-BOXX system can be integrated into the crash-tested vehicle racks of Sortimo and Aluca.   Company: FLEX-Elektrowerkzeuge GmbH Nadine Hofmeister, Marketing/PR Bahnhofstraße 15 71711 Steinheim/Murr, Germany Tel: (0049) (0)7144 / 828-888, Fax: 25899 Mail: nadine.hofmeister@flex-tools.com  

Dewalt is (hopefully soon) coming out with a new 20V Max brushless impact driver, model DCF887. It is unclear whether the Dewalt DCF887 will replace either of their other brushless impact driver options, or whether it will be sold alongside them. Dewalt’s other impact drivers include the DCF885, which dates back to the launch of the 20V Max platform, the DCF895 brushless impact driver, which comes with a stubby button-operated bit chuck and features 3 speed and torque settings, and the single speed DCF886 brushless impact driver, which is our best cordless impact driver editor’s choice pick. The new brushless impact driver, DCF887, is said to be shorter than the DCF886, and nearly 22% more powerful at its highest electronic speed and torque setting. Ergonomically, the DCF887 appears to be closely based off of the DCF886 design. Going by specs, the DCF887 is 1/4″ shorter in length (5.55″ – 5.3″ = 0.25″) than the DCF886, although Dewalt’s product description explicitly says it is 2 mm shorter than the previous DCF886, which would be a paltry 0.079″ (a little over 5/64″). The previous DCF886 part could suggest that this model is meant to replace the DCF886. Features & Specs 1/4″ hex bit chuck 3 speed settings Max torque: 240/1500/1825 in-lbs Speed: 0-1000/2800/3250 RPM 5.3″ length Precision drive in speed 1 for increased control for precision applications 3 LED worklights around chuck for shadow-free illumination 20 second LED trigger-release delay The new cordless impact driver will launch with 3 bundle options: DCF887B is the bare tool, a DCF887D2 kit comes with (2) compact 2.0Ah Li-ion battery packs, and a DCF887M2 kit comes with (2) 4.0Ah battery packs. The kits also come with a fast charger, belt clip, and kit box. ETA: TBA Pricing: TBA

As two of the biggest names in the power tool market, Milwaukee and Dewalt have many similar products in their ranges, with the consumer ultimately left to work out which one they believe to be best suited to the job at hand. In order to assist with this often difficult decision, the team at CBY Tools have created a Top Trumps style graphic which pits the Milwaukee M18BPP2A-402C 18V Heavy Duty Twin Pack against the Dewalt DCK255M2 18V XR Li-Ion 3 Speed Twin Pack to see which comes out on top. Factors under consideration include max torque, drilling capacity and accessories, with points awarded to the winner of each round, with an overall winner announced at the end. As a great little resource to assist when making the difficult decision between the two products, check out the interactive product battle by clicking here and discover which of the Milwaukee or Dewalt comes out on top.