Nationwide program throws BFGoodrich support behind America’s skilled trades GREENVILLE, S.C., March 1, 2019 — BFGoodrich® Tires has launched a first-of-its-kind tradesmen support program in the U.S. for the men and women in construction, agriculture, landscaping and other trades that rely heavily on pickup trucks to get work done. This is the first time a tire brand has Read more
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Nationwide program throws BFGoodrich support behind America’s skilled trades
GREENVILLE, S.C., March 1, 2019 — BFGoodrich® Tires has launched a first-of-its-kind tradesmen support program in the U.S. for the men and women in construction, agriculture, landscaping and other trades that rely heavily on pickup trucks to get work done.
This is the first time a tire brand has launched such a program for the estimated 30 million skilled trades jobs in the U.S. The BFGoodrich® Tires Tradesmen Support Program will make work easier for tradesmen and women by reducing downtime and costs because of tire and vehicle issues.
BFGoodrich will partner with associations representing a combined 1 million tradesmen in the U.S. in 2019. Members of these trade associations will receive the following from the program:
- $100 off a set of four BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A® KO2® tires for association members and $70 off for non-association tradesmen and women – a substantial discount on the brand’s toughest all-terrain tire capable of handling virtually any job site.
- Roadside assistance for two years, with towing up to 150 miles.
- 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
- Chances to win VIP experiences to races such as the SCORE BAJA 1000 and the MINT 400.
BFGoodrich is working to offer the Tradesmen Support Program to associations, including the National Association of Home Builders, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, the American Quarter Horse Association and the American Subcontractors Association.
Members of partner associations receive the largest tire discount, but any tradesmen or women can take part in the program and still receive a significant discount on a set of BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A® KO2® tires and take advantage of the other benefits of the program.
“For the men and women in trades, downtime because of equipment equals lost money. Our All-Terrain KO2 tire is an essential piece of equipment that can withstand the toughest job sites,” said Jessica Parris, BFGoodrich director of consumer communications. “BFGoodrich is putting its support behind this critically important community with our Tradesmen Support Program.”
Tradesmen and women can find out if their association is offering its members the BFGoodrich® Tires Tradesmen Support Program by visiting www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tradesmen. Those who are not members of an association can still access the Tradesmen Support Program by visiting an authorized BFGoodrich® Tires dealer or going to www.bfgoodrichtires.com/tradesmen.
Now that the Turkey and Grandma’s famous stuffing is gone its time to start checking off the list for those who were “nice” this year. I’ve put together a short list of tools that we feel would be perfect gifts for just about anyone on the job site. This is not a paid advertisement, these Read more
Now that the Turkey and Grandma’s famous stuffing is gone its time to start checking off the list for those who were “nice” this year. I’ve put together a short list of tools that we feel would be perfect gifts for just about anyone on the job site. This is not a paid advertisement, these are tools we use ourselves and would buy again based on experience and the value we find in them.
Stocking stuffers under $25
C-RHEX™ Dual-Sided Magnetic Hex Drivers $6.99
These are truly 2 bits in-one. Perfect for the service bag or those that prefer to keep the little stuff in their pockets. This bit switches from 1/4″ to 5/16″ hex drive effortlessly. The bonus is being able to clean the magnet easily and go on with your work. Strong enough for install work but they seem to be a better fit for service in my opinion. Totally worth having a couple in your arsenal.
Milwaukee Cut 1 Dipped Gloves $2.99
I’ve been wearing these gloves since the spring and I can honestly say these are some of the toughest $3 gloves I’ve ever tried. Dexterity is a must when working with your hands but protection should not be overlooked and these cut level-1 protection gloves offer the best of both worlds. I’ve got as long as two weeks of use out of a single pair. Click the link on the “buy now” pic here for the lowest cost we have found.
OLFA LA-X 18mm Fiberglass Rubber Grip Heavy-Duty Utility Knife $10
These knives are impressive! So impressive we gave away 300 of them to our friends and followers on The Hub. Pair this knife with their super sharp 18mm LBB heavy-duty ultra-sharp black snap-off blade and it will likely be the last knife you ever want to buy. I’d recommend buying a handful, you can never have too many knives around!
“Wrap-able” tools $25 – $$$
Felo Flexible Shaft Bit Holder/Driver $25
This is a game changer. It may seem simple and it is but without this flexible shaft driver I would be scrambling often to figure out and make thing work with less than desirable tools. Do yourself a favor, if you do any type of plumbing or hvac service, buy one and put it in your bag right away. You won’t regret it. Watch a video from my service call showing the driver being used.
Milwaukee M18 Heat Gun $129
Here’s a tool I thought was going to be a dud, or at the very least only somewhat useful but man was I wrong. Its not going to replace a corded heat gun entirely but having it on my truck has proven invaluable. I never have to run a cord because I can do literally every daily job with battery power and this is no exception. Click here or on the pic for the lowest price we have found.
PVO1 Pipe Vise Portable Vise $150
This may be my favorite new tool buy of the year! This heavy duty cast iron vise eliminates the fumbling around of two pipe wrenches and helps you finish the job faster, without busted knuckles. The Pipe Vise team consists of long-time plumber and his college age son down in Texas who are putting all their resources into building a useful tool business from the ground up. Not only will you be getting a super useful tool, you’ll also be supporting the American dream. Watch the video here to see what how the pipe vise works.
Makita 36V Right Angle Drill $359(bare tool) – $469(kit)
Long gone are my extension cords. Rough-ins are a breeze without running a cord for this high demand job. I’ve been using this drill for months now and I have nothing but good to say about its power, smoothness and runtime. The 36V capacity not only packs a punch but keeps you working longer between recharge. This is the strongest, smoothest cordless right angle drill on the market. Click here or the pic to find it in stock and at the lowest price we have found yet.
VetoProPac Tech OT-MC $179
If you haven’t owned a Veto then what I’m about to say is worth paying special attention to. Veto Pro Pac tool bags are the best tool bags available. Sure you can buy a less expensive bag but you’ll be getting a lesser bag. There’s no contest here. Buy once and use it for a decade or more, that’s much less expensive than buying a lower cost bag. The OT-MC is my favorite bag ever. It has forced me to cut the clutter and weight but it has made me 10X more organized and a lot more efficient.
I hope this list has been useful, I’ll be sharing more before the end of the year.
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) is manufactured using three different methods of cross-linking. PEX-A is produced by the peroxide (Engel) method. Common brands sold in North America produced under the Engel method would be Uponor, Rehau & MrPEX. One unique property of PEX-a is its ability to be heated, using a heat gun, and repaired if kinked Read more
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) is manufactured using three different methods of cross-linking. PEX-A is produced by the peroxide (Engel) method. Common brands sold in North America produced under the Engel method would be Uponor, Rehau & MrPEX.
One unique property of PEX-a is its ability to be heated, using a heat gun, and repaired if kinked in the handling process which eliminates the need to cut the tubing and install a coupling. This information is widely known by plumbers having experience with this type PEX but for those not familiar I thought I’d take a couple minutes and put it all in a quick video. The total time it took to make this simple repair was about 5 minutes using the cordless heat gun. I edited the video to speed up the process, using a corded heat gun would also quicken the process. No manufacturer condones the use of a flame (torch) as a heat source.
At Bradford White, our business is being there for your business. We are proud to be FOR THE PRO®. We recognize that your quality professional installation delivers our quality product right to the customer. So every day, we support you and help you be more successful in a number of important ways. Bradford White is Read more
At Bradford White, our business is being there for your business. We are proud to be FOR THE PRO®. We recognize that your quality professional installation delivers our quality product right to the customer. So every day, we support you and help you be more successful in a number of important ways.
Bradford White is Here FOR THE PRO® –and Here’s Why that’s Important to You.
At Bradford White, our business is being there for your business. We are proud to be FOR THE PRO®. We recognize that your quality professional installation delivers our quality product right to the customer. So every day, we support you and help you be more successful in a number of important ways.
Bradford White is Loyal to You, the Professional Installer.
Bradford White is committed to quality in everything we do. We recognize that our quality product requires a quality installation.
So while Bradford White remains committed to the highest quality manufacturing, we also remain committed to a quality, professional installation.
We Are Here for You with 24/7 Tech Support.
When you’re in the field working on a Bradford White product, we always have your back. That means you can call for support at any time and get the answers you need – FAST.
At Bradford White we recognize this important truth: when you give quality service to your customer, you are showing them the quality they expect from Bradford White. We see you as our business partner. We are in this together.
Our Exclusive FOR THE PRO® Website Gives You the Tools to Help You Save Time… and Do Your Job Right.
At Bradford White’s exclusive FOR THE PRO® website, you’ll find technical documentation on every Bradford White product. You can search by model number or product name and find all associated technical documents for any of our products. All the information you need is here.
You’ll also get a variety of videos to help you troubleshoot and maintain Bradford White products, as well as smartphone apps and answers to your customers’ most frequently asked questions.
Our online RightSpec® Tools can make your job easier. You can properly size and install, find the Bradford White equivalent for a competitive model, calculate efficiency of a unit and more.
You can stay up-to-date with the latest energy efficiency ratings, so you can help your customers save money. You can also help your customers take advantage of Bradford White product rebates (this might also help you when you sell products to your customers).
Grow Your Business with These Valuable Sales Tools.
At Bradford White, we recognize you’re always trying to grow your business (and make more money) while you’re doing your job. So we’ve loaded up our FOR THE PRO® website with valuable tools to help you with that goal.
With our FOR THE PRO® Sales Materials, you can communicate the benefits of Bradford White products more effectively to your customers – and increase your sales! From marketing literature to videos and even webinars, we provide the resources you need to talk about Bradford White products with your customers.
You’ll also find logos, product images and other graphics you can use to create your own digital and print materials to help you better promote your business.
Take Advantage of Valuable Cutting-Edge Training from Bradford White.
Bradford White is committed to providing training to help contractors like you stay on top of all the latest advancements.
Bradford White’s International Technical Excellence Center in Middleville, Michigan is a cutting-edge 18,500 square foot training center where we allow our contractors to go “hands on” the latest technology so they can better serve our customers.
You can also take part in training at our secondary training center in Rochester, New Hampshire. Here you’ll sharpen your skills with various Bradford White hydronics products.
Help Your Customers Find You with Our New, Improved Contractor Directory!
Right now, customers are searching online for Bradford White contractors. You can list your name in our Contractor Directory so local customers can find you FAST. You can also provide details about your business, your skills, photos from recent installations and use valuable lead capture tools to help you connect with interested customers. You’ll find complete information about our Contractor Directory on our FOR THE PRO® site.
Give Your Customers the Financing They Need – with Fortiva® Retail Credit.
Another way that Bradford White is here for you is through our Fortiva® Financing Program. As a Bradford White contractor you may be eligible to give your customers up to $40,000 in financing through this program.
Your customers can use this funding for a Bradford White Water Heater plus other installations, products, repairs, warranties and other service work they might need. You can finance any amount with no minimum. The process is easy, approvals are instant and you get paid FAST.
By offering your customers the financing they need, this program can help you grow your business and increase your income. See our FOR THE PRO® site for details.
Bradford White is here for you, the professional contractor. Click below to visit Bradford White’s exclusive FOR THE PRO® website.
The Milwaukee 3pc Close Quarters Tubing Cutter set #48-22-4263 has been available for about a year now, I recently added it to my tool bag. The cutters can be bought separately but I definitely have a need for all three sizes (1/2″, 3/4″ & 1″) so the kit made the most sense for me. I Read more
The Milwaukee 3pc Close Quarters Tubing Cutter set #48-22-4263 has been available for about a year now, I recently added it to my tool bag. The cutters can be bought separately but I definitely have a need for all three sizes (1/2″, 3/4″ & 1″) so the kit made the most sense for me.
I purchased the kit at the Milwaukee factory service center here in the Twin Cities for about $50, a price point I would expect for all three sizes and a case. So far I have only used the cutters for a few weeks and I’m still on the fence. Having used similar style cutters for twenty years, I have to wonder if I didn’t get a bad set or if they simply need some “breaking in” time to exercise the tension springs. Let me explain.
The cutting wheel articulates under spring tension, this is how the cut happens. When you place the cutter on the copper tubing the wheel is spring loaded and pushing against the outside wall of the tube, as the cutter turns the wheel and spring does the cutting. My problem so far is that when the cutter is placed on the tube and not yet cutting, it tends to jump off the pipe. This is annoying. Check out the video below for a visual.
I’ve talked with dozens of other plumbers using the cutters or similar styles, some having the same issue, many who are not. I intend to continue using the set for a full month before I decide to keep them or try another cutter.