The evolution of the workshop

There’s no question that tools have evolved a lot in the 35 years since Canadian Home Workshop’s first issue. The average workshopper of today has access to a broader array of tools that are more powerful and easier to use (and safer) than ever before. In fact, they’re likely to be a lot better than the average pro would have had 35 years ago.

That’s also true of building materials. Engineering wonders such as structural insulated panels, insulated concrete forms, spray foam and composite roofing are widely available and easy to use. And, for the most part, these materials are vastly superior to the ones we were using a few decades ago. Sounds like it’s not such a bad time to be a workshopper.

THEN	NOW
Pickup truck meant for the farm	Souped-up toolbox on wheels
Estwing steel hammer	Stiletto titanium hammer
Fibreglass batts	Spray foam
19-lb corded Skil saw	Cordless lithium-ion circular saw
Tape measure	Laser measurer
White, brown or clear silicone	Paintable latex caulking
Cement, sand, gravel	Ready-mix post-hole fill
Canvas work gloves	Contoured ballistic nylon gloves
Blue or green work pants	Pants with built-in knee pads
Wooden toolbox	Rolling structural foam toolbox
Corded incandescent trouble light	Cordless LED work light
Drain snake and shovel	Drain scope with TV screen
Prybar and sledgehammer	Reciprocating saw
Six screwdrivers	Picquic multi-bit screwdriver
Paint store, hardware store, lumber yard	Big-box building centre
Wise old handyman friend	The internet
Cedar	Pressure-treated SPF
Corded drill	18-volt drill/impact driver/hammer drill combo tool
Varnish	Wipe-on, water-based polyurethane
Propane, copper pipe and solder	Shark Bite tool-free fittings
Oil-based paint	Latex paint
Napkin sketch	Cellphone camera
Trip to the hospital	Saw Stop tablesaw
Hammer and nail set	Cordless nail finisher
Duct tape	Duct tape
Bob Villa	YouTube