The Tradie June - July 2023

FASHION

FORWARD

Student develops tradie belt for ladies

MX STARS hit the trails

Tools put to The Tradie test Flash in the van

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Rainwater Goods

The Tradie WELCOME TO…

Harry Murtough

lucky enough to live closer to the equator, you’re enjoying lovely warm weather. Take our fishing contributor Tim O’Reilly for example. He’s written an awesome guide on fishing in sweetwater around Far North Queensland.

Winter is a cruel month for tradies. Not just because of the frozen bogs on the worksite, but managing jobs with the weather factor can get hectic. The work you can get done needs to get done quick. We’ve harped on about Paslode’s PPNMaster in previous editions, but it’s hard not to. The exposed tip on the nail gun makes jobs quick and accurate for chippies.

In this edition of The Tradie: What Tradies Want, we chat with a few people from the Paslode team who helped develop this unique tool.

With time being such an important factor during these months, you need a ride that can carry its fair share. We look at a few trucks and vans in this edition that have helped tradies get around a day’s work without having as much as a pitstop.

It’s not all de-frosting windows and hand-warmers this time of year. If you’re

The tradie landscape is getting more diverse everyday, which is fantastic, but sometimes you discover barriers exist where you least expect them. I’ve learned women getting into trades can struggle to find correctly-fitting gear, such as tool belts. Students at RMIT University did a course earlier this year to design a tool belt specifically for lady tradies. We spoke with one student about her design which has gained plenty of popularity since it was unveiled.

Speaking of popularity, who misses Grant Denyer regularly on their TV?

Australia’s favourite short king is quite the biker too, it turns out. He’s in this edition checking out Yamaha’s latest e-MTB.

Take a break from getting your tax return ready and bust open this latest edition of The Tradie. •

A bit brisk. The midpoint of 2023 is well upon us.

Leap of faith

Diving off cliffs looks like a hoot in places like Croatia or the outback, where half-sauced Aussie backpackers try for the perfect Insta shot.

Then there’s people like Aidan Heslop, who dive competitively, and do so in places no one in their right mind would – like Plymouth, UK.

Here we see Plymouth native Aidan leaping off the port city’s famous Royal William Yard, some 21m above the freezing water. The jump was a preview for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series which gets underway in June.

The leap also celebrated Aidan’s 21st birthday, which hopefully means he’d hit the sauce at some point after jumping.

The birthday boy completed a double half, triple half, flying front, flying reverse and running double half dive (try saying that three times).

When most of us do something half-arsed, it’s usually our tax return. But doing things by halves in diving appears to take on another meaning, with this image showing all Aiden’s twists and turns before plunging into depths. •

want.

Picture: Olaf Pignataro / Red Bull Content Pool

CAT

scan

How often do you think cats are out there saving lives? It’s apparently so prominent in the UK there’s an entire national awards event around it.

The National Cat Awards are a celebration of British felines and look to find the ‘purrfect choice’ (smh) of the people.

While it does sound like a mass gathering of crazy cat ladies, some of the nominees have done some wild stuff to get the call-up for the awards. Take Willow from Liverpool, who saved Amanda – her diabetic owner – from falling into a coma. Amanda fell unresponsive in bed one night, suffering from extremely low blood sugar. Willow somehow sensed something was wrong and rushed downstairs and dialled 999…

Not really, but wouldn’t that be some crazy s***?

Instead, Willow harassed Amanda’s partner Ray, who had passed out on the couch. Not from diabetes, but from watching Liverpool play (probably).

Willow then somehow led good ol’ Ray upstairs where he

SUB-STANTIAL

ALLEGATIONS

found Amanda unconscious and called an ambo.

We’re not sure what the other nominees for these awards have done, but the most useful things our cat ever did was unload a massive turd in our Lego box or eat our Siamese Fighting Fish. •

Gimps are an interesting bunch, to say the least. We don’t kink shame at The Tradie, but it seems a few bad eggs have decided to soil the good name of all.

A notorious black sheep of the gimp flock recently found themselves in a spot of bother after menacing people on UK streets. Apparently, since 2016, there have been roughly 20 incidents where the grunting ‘Somerset Gimp’ has chased randoms in the night.

Picture Pulp Fiction, but British.

It doesn’t seem like any harm has come to those chased, other than emotional scarring.

The Somerset Gimp’s antics have landed them behind bars a few times since becoming regular nightmare fuel for the people of the town. They were taken into custody in 2022 after reportedly just ‘flopping on the floor, writhing and grunting’ in the early hours of the morning.

Think about that next time you get up for a 6.00am stroll.

Other gimps have come out of the woodwork to show not all gimps are as terrifying as they seem. The Essex Gimp has shown their concern about the Somerset Gimp giving gimps a bad name (bet you didn’t think you’d see a sentence with gimp four times in it today, eh?).

Gimps are people too, everyone! Don’t assume because someone approaches you in the dark, covered head-to-toe in black leather and with a zipper over their mouth, that they’re up to no good.

They might just need directions. •

Not long now until someone floats cat nurses to combat shortages in the industry.

Does each town in the UK have its own dedicated gimp?

Life-saving feline up for national award.

GIMP ON THE LOOSE.

TEEDOFF

Blokes come to blows over golf feud.

HOME RUN

A romantic fly-ball.

This might go down as an all-time rizz.

We’ve seen proposals at sports games, but how about a bloke straight up shooting his shot while hundreds of people are watching?

A man at a Chicago Cubs’ baseball game did just that.

Presumably dragged along by mates, this guy decided his time was better spent trying to get to first base than watching the game. He notices a girl five rows back and musters up the courage most of us can only have after a few pints, and it’s here where true mateship shines.

The bloke pleads with the people between him and his future wife to get his phone up to her to get her number, and the complete strangers start forming an assembly line to pass the phone from person to person. It’s the bro code in action! The phone eventually gets to the girl, who appears impressed by this bloke who went from ‘bored at baseball’ to ‘s**ting himself’ rather quickly.

Golf disputes can produce all-time viewing for those not involved. We all have a mate who gets pissy when they’re denied a second shot off the tee, or who starts mouthing off when the group in front takes halfa to sink their putts.

When it comes to actual blows being swapped, a bunch of boys in polos frolicking around each other in a macho display is quite laughable.

A recent incident at Lakeside, Florida featured a few blokes chasing each other about over a golf dispute. Being golfers, there’s not much fighting to be had, mostly just a group huddled around trying to outpush one another. The real coupe de grace comes towards the end of the 45-second scuff, where one bloke tries to kick another, misses the mark, and ends bottom-up on the green launching one of his boat shoes skyhigh. Of course, no one was injured during this encounter, with the worst outcome most likely a few revoked memberships – maybe a bruised ego for the bloke who thought he could kick in a normal scuffle.

It’s even funnier when the narrator filming the incident declares, “Dude, we could go viral.”

What’s the biggest argument you’ve had

She taps a few buttons on the phone then hands it back to the assembly line as cheers rain throughout the section. The video has done the rounds of TikTok generating more than 4.5 million views.

Did she say yes? Did she see a Facetime from his actual girlfriend?

We’ll leave it to your imagination. •

Onlookers had quite a chuckle while these bozos tried to act tough. Images: Instagram

Images: TikTok

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Popcorn bowl with kernel catcher

Picture this: you’re chilling on the couch watching a movie and gorging yourself with some delicious popcorn (buttered because you’re not a psycho). All’s well with the world.

What could go wrong?

Then…crack! An un-popped kernel destroys one of your molars after concealing itself amongst the actual popcorn.

It’s excruciating and can ruin the cinematic experience you’ve worked so hard to create.

Fear no more! This bowl is designed to catch those rock-hard, unpopped kernels and save you a trip to the dentist. No more will you have to try and calculate the precise microwave time to pop as many as possible while avoiding scorching the whole bag (those are the only outcomes).

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What better way to hide your beers than by pretending your gut is sagging out over your belt? You might get a few odd looks, but hey, The product description for the pack says it’s for ‘Halloween, a Christmas party and all interesting occasions’. We’re not entirely sure why you’d want a fake beer gut at a Christmas party, and we don’t even want to know what ‘interesting occasions’ might be. Maybe if you did dress ups as your favourite boss whose gut is

Coronation Flakes

Australia – like the rest of the world – sat and watched the coronation of King Charles in May. There’s plenty of hilarious memorabilia to commemorate the event, but this one snap, crackles and pops above the rest!

Made by Dr Imran Haq, a surgeon working in Britain’s National Health Service (NHS), Coronation Flakes are an actual cereal released to celebrate Big Charlie. Why is a surgeon making boxes of cereal with the king’s face on

Like all good cereal boxes, Coronation Flakes come with a carboard cut-out mask of the king and a maze. And of course, what would a box of cereal be without a possible prize inside – a pair of cufflinks! Of course, you’d have to open the box, reducing the piece of history to just a cardboard container. Coronation Flakes can be yours for $51 per box.

Too many ANDREWS

Eight comedians. One name (sort of).

Melbourne does have some pretty weird names for pubs, but we found out the hard way that ‘North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House’ is not an irony-infused drinking venue.

In fact, it’s what it sounds like: a community centre that hosts gardening groups, canasta players and kids’ karate classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

But Sensei Helen must have had a night off that week, because the Thursday night we went, it was playing a new role as the venue to comedian Andy Lewis’s ‘new solo improvised stand-up show’ Pupper Doggo Biscuits Face.

We’re told some people pay big money for an interactive theatre experience where a show revolves around them alone, or as part of a very small audience, so that night we were well and truly on the cutting edge. When we arrived, Andy shook our hand, grabbed another chair and started the show. We had doubled the size of the audience and yes, we were first to arrive. There were more than 7000 performances of more than 600 shows during this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, taking over venues across the city, with many wellknown comedians turning up at some of the bigger venues for their hour-long set.

Instead of going with household names, this year we had decided to see every comedian with the name Andrew, plus its variants – after a period of pretty bad press for some of its well-known namesakes.

Of all those performing, Andrew Hansen was likely the most well-known. The musical one from The Chaser was playing almost every night of the festival in the Music Room of the Victorian Trades Hall.

Hansen has always been a great musician and lyricist. He rolls from keyboard to guitar, singing his way through a litany of complaints about the cost of everything these days to a grey-haired audience that gets a lot out of a joke about the ABC’s iView service.

The room was a bit younger at The Charles Dickens Tavern –an English-style pub which was hosting live comedy down one end of its large underground floor-space and playing a Sydney Swans match to a big crowd of punters at the other.

Portuguese comedian André de Freitas, who’d opened for Jim Jeffries, Jim Gaffigan and Tom Rhodes, well and truly overcame any sound leakage from across the floor, telling stories from a life building a career as a working comedian, including stints in the USA and UK, where he’s struggled to build a name.

“Do you know what it’s like to tell your dad that you’re

failing at your comedy, that you’re sleeping under some stairs and working as a charity mugger AFTER you’ve been fired as a charity mugger?”

Andy Balloch was nominated for the festival’s Golden Gibbo award for his show Am I the Drama? which weaved a message about equality and allyship into a show about family history, theme park rides and growing up in the 1980s.

Sporting silver sequins and a bleached blond hairdo, Balloch could have made that a lecture, but instead it was a laugh fest with an uplifting message and a lot to think about.

Andrew Hamilton also left us with a lot to think about, having secured official permission to visit Melbourne after a stint in Sydney’s Long Bay jail, where he’d used the time to develop a comedy act. Taking place underground at a Melbourne establishment so narrow you couldn’t stand in front of the bar without ruining someone’s evening, Hamilton’s show Jokes about the Time I went to Prison scored him a nomination for the Festival’s Best Newcomer award. He pulled a good crowd and had them eating out of the palm of his sleeve-tatted hand, particularly the two men in front of us who saved their biggest laugh for a description on the lengths some prisoners will go to in order to avoid being searched.

“Hey, have you done it?” Hamilton asked.

“Not yet.”

Of course, not all comedy needs to leave you with message – in fact, much of it doesn’t.

We saw Andy Moratis, who managed to squeeze in an opening act, a couple of songs, a talk about a few former girlfriends and his daughter coming back to live with him in a South Melbourne comedy bar called The Rubber Chicken.

UK expat Andrew Silverwood, whose rapid-fire comedy had the crowd in stitches at Melbourne’s Belgian Beer Café and taught the group a new Scrabble word we won’t be using in front of anyone’s parents any time soon.

And there was Andrew Portelli, who told the crowd he’d walked away from a law career to perform stand-up, that night doing it in an oversized storage cupboard facing a fulllength mirror and with the toilets directly to his right.

All legit performers and all a good night out. Despite being wildly different, every Andy, Andrew and André left us with a smile on my face after what’s been a rough patch for comedians – and a reminder that you can’t always judge a comedian by their name.

North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House, on the other hand? We reckon you’re safe. •

Inspired Design

Tradie-led innovation with Paslode’s PPN-Master™.

You’d be hard pressed to find a tool more fine-tuned for Aussie carpenters than the Paslode PPN-Master™. It’s agile, efficient, and most importantly, allows carpenters to easily install metal connectors within installation guidelines. The PPN-Master isn’t a concept dreamt up overnight, even if it’s a chippy’s dream come true.

With demand for skilled labour and residential housing on the rise, carpenters more than ever need to ensure they are adhering to manufacturers installation instructions, on all products especially structural products that need signing off. Paslode had this in mind when developing its latest tool: the PPN-Master.

This tool is unique to Australia, and developed with special features that make it invaluable for local carpenters.

But developing a tool like this was no straightforward process, The Tradie spoke to a few of the Paslode team who worked closely with carpenters to ensure the PPN-Master was the right tool for the job.

PINPOINT PROCESS

Paslode Innovation and New Product Development Manager Pete Johnston said the overall process for working on the PPN-Master began several years ago. Across that time, Pete’s team worked with a number of carpentry teams across Australia and New Zealand. The process started by observing the frustration builders were facing in correctly installing joist hangers, triple and multi grips.

“Paslode has tools in other regions that do this

kind of job, but they’re much larger,” Pete said. “We could have just picked up one of those and brought it to Australia, but looking at the type of construction being done here, and the needs of the user, we needed to develop a specific tool – one that had specific requirements around size to be able to get into tight joist spacings.”

Chippies being such a crucial part of the design process meant Pete’s team were regularly checking up on their feedback. Pete said the team went through multiple iterations of the PPN-Master prototype.

“Depending on how much some users were using it, we might have kept the tool with them for the entire period,” he said.

“This allowed us to get the most varied feedback we could.”

You could say the PPN-Master was put through its paces well before it hit the shelves, with hundreds of thousands of nails shot between all the development sites.

SIZE MATTERS NOT

When it came to figuring out what carpenters wanted, a few factors stuck out the most. Size and manoeuvrability were big ones. Pete said the

→ Paslode’s Development and Trade Specialist teams found convenient size was vital for carpenters who worked in tight spaces at various angles.

BRAND Paslode

PPN-Master would appeal to carpenters who care about quality, efficiency, understand the regulations and know the importance of using the right tool for the job. Those jobs are filled with plenty of tight spaces needing brackets, joists or connectors nailed in. A larger nailer in those instances simply isn’t gonna cut it.

Measuring up at 310x345x138mm (L,W,H), and only weighing about 3kg, the PPN-Master is built to handle with maximum comfort. Whether it was the engine, magazine or nose of the tool, Pete said size was a key driver of those parameters.

“This is often a job that’s being done overhead, so we needed to keep the tool as light as possible,” Pete added.

Queensland-based Paslode Trade Specialist Tony Ryan worked on the ground with the end users in developing the tool. He said being able to angle the PPN-Master into tight spaces, use it with a left or right hand, as well as its left or right belt and rafter hook, made it incredibly adaptable.

A magazine size of 25 nails was also designed to keep the PPN-Master compact.

“Your average joist hanger takes 20 nails so they’re gonna get a bracket out of every strip,” “Obviously, you don’t wanna make the

The PPN-Master’s rapid-fire rate of up to 1000 nails per hour is more than enough for most chippies to get through a huge amount of work in a day.

too long to fit nails in, because that size and weight convenience goes away with a big mag hanging off the end of the tool.”

SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE

The PPN-Master’s development really reaches a new level of ingenuity with its exposedtip design. The crafty piece guides the nail through the hole at any angle with elite accuracy. Tony said this inventive piece not only allows seasoned chippies to perfect their craft.

“I’m a chippy myself, and I wish the PPNMaster was around in my days,” he said. “In a majority of these sites it’s young apprentices putting these connectors on. Feedback from tradies has been that they can give the tool to apprentices and know the job’s being done correctly.”

PLAYS BY THE RULES

Ensuring a job meets the installation guidelines is key for any carpenter. When it comes to work with connectors and joists, there’s no negotiating on delivering a perfect job. This is not only important for said guidelines, but preserves the warranty of the connectors. Most importantly, of course, correct installation of all components delivers a high-quality job to the client that will last for generations.

It’s with this in mind Pete and the team at Paslode developed the PPN-Master.

“The installation guidelines are clear so it was about delivering an efficient and user-friendly way of delivering the nail through the hole for the installer, the work and the effort then is around making the package as desirable for the end user as

↑ Even the trickiest of angles are no problem for the PPN-Master with its exposed tip design.

↓ The PPN-Master is an ace when it comes to delivering nails accurately and efficiently.

LIKE CLOCKWORK

Time is a valuable asset. The PPN-Master’s thorough development process involved trying to make the tool as efficient as possible in this regard.

Off the bat, the PPN-Master is a cordless singleshot solution with no pneumatic hose for users to drag around the worksite.

The long fan run time ensures the engine is purring along while carpenters rapidly work through magazine after magazine. The PPN-Master fuel cell has enough juice to last 800 nail shots, and the battery can handle up to 10,000 shots per charge. With a rapid-fire rate of 1000 nails per hour, chippies can get a lot of work done quickly without the need to stop.

Aussie chippies have two specially designed nails for their PPN-Masters: a 35mm nail for dayto-day application, and a 40mm nail specifically designed for securing joist hangers.

“They’re both hot-dipped galvanised steel for durability and to tackle corrosion,” Pete said.

The nails are also marked on their heads to re-assure certifiers they’re correct for the job.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

There’s always room for improvement, but in terms of knocking the nail on the head first time around, the PPN-Master does a pretty darn good job. This is thanks to the years of development put into it by Pete, Paslode’s Development and Trade Specialist teams and the carpenters who played around with prototypes.

The process has led to the right tool for the job when installing metal connectors. •

You can find more information on the PPN-Master, PPN Nails and other Paslode products at www.paslode.com.au.

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PROJECT piece

Jess’s journey in electrical contracting.

Fortune favours the brave, and a wild shift from paramedics to electrical contracting has seen Jess McKenzie flourish for 16 years in the industry.

A job during university is usually just a way to keep the lights on while preparing for your real career. But for Jess, it turned out to be quite the opposite. The 34-year-old is a project director at Stowe Australia – one of the nation’s larger electrical contractors.

Jess studied two years of paramedicine but reached the conclusion that it wasn’t for her. While studying, she was working admin at Stowe. In a moment of complete ‘serendipity’, Stowe advertised apprenticeships at the same time Jess decided to step away from paramedics.

She thought she’d give it a go.

“I applied for a position and got it,” Jess said.

“I spent four years doing my apprenticeship, and continued studying management courses once I had finished.

“My father and grandfather were both electricians, so I am a third-generation sparky, but when I was considering career choices at high school I never would have imagined I’d end up in the industry I am in.”

Jess’ study path came in the form of a four-year Certificate III in Electrotechnology, followed by a Certificate IV Project Management and a Diploma of Building and Construction, both of which were done via night school.

HANDS-ON WORK

Jess started out with a lot of hands-on stuff as she progressed through being an apprentice, grade and leading hand. She helped coordinate on-site installations which included work on switchboards, submains and cable trays all the way to general lighting and power.

“This is the reason you get to drive past jobs

you have completed - to tell your family and friends - ‘I built that!’,” she said.

From there, Jess’ roles moved further into the area of managing others. Through her roles as project coordinator, project manager and on to director, Jess handled laying the groundwork for foremen, leading hands and grades.

“At a high level, our job is to ensure the design is correct and approved by the client, the procurement of all materials is correct and onsite when the team needs it, ensure there is enough labour onsite, and the programme allows enough time for us to complete our installation,” she said.

While managing complex projects with tight deadlines can be stressful, Jess said the variety and innovation in the industry made every day fun.

“I know I am biased, but I find the electrical industry very exciting,” she said.

“Projects and technology are constantly changing and evolving, which allows you to constantly learn and experience new systems, concepts and ideas. Our team is very lucky as we have been able to complete many complex and interesting projects over the years.”

THE NEXT GENERATION

Her seniority within the ranks at Stowe has resulted in Jess mentoring other project managers within the company.

“My advice to any other leaders in the industry is to not overlook the importance of your teams’ culture. Happy teams are more successful and productive. Also, leaders should always look after and listen to your team members. They are the biggest asset you have and are a wealth of knowledge, information and ideas. →

← As a Project Director at Stowe, Jess (bottom, second-left) does plenty of work with project managers, leading hands and grades in the company.

“No one can build a project alone. It is the cumulative effort of many that achieves success.”

As a woman in a typically male-dominated industry, Jess has noticed a sea change of late.

“More and more I see higher numbers of women, indigenous and other minority groups onsite in integral roles,” she added. “I think it is great the industry is growing and changing to encompass everyone who wants to be involved.”

Jess said Stowe had a strong culture of embracing diversity and inclusion in its workplace, which allowed it to foster a welcoming atmosphere. She said Stowe’s Melbourne construction workforce was 10 per cent female and five per cent Indigenous. The Melbourne contingent was bolstered by a 2023 apprentice intake that was 25 per cent women.

“I think it’s important to note Stowe does not hire personnel to meet targets or quotas, but because we want team members who are the best people for the job,” Jess said. “It is this mentality that has helped us grow what I think is the strongest team in the electrical industry.”

A SPARK

So what drew Jess to stay in the industry for so long?

“A major factor that has kept me involved in the construction industry for 16 years are the people, especially the people in my team,” she said. “I am so lucky to work with such supportive, hardworking, fun individuals. It makes coming to work a pleasure. I look forward to seeing them every day.”

Jess is also a long-standing member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), having been part of the organisation since her fourth year as an apprentice. A notable member in her own right; Jess credited fellow NAWIC stalwart Fiona Mitchell for getting her involved with the organisation.

“Fiona is a wonderful advocate for women in construction and has an amazing amount of experience in the industry,” Jess said.

“Fiona nominated me for a NAWIC award for female apprentices, which I won., and the experience I had working with Fiona on my application, and then meeting everyone at the awards night, showed me what a supportive environment NAWIC was.

“It is great to be around other women in construction and hear about their experiences and ideas.”

Jess continues to mentor the next generation of leading hands, grades and managers in Stowe, which includes the growing female demographic.

Jess said ever since she got started in NAWIC, she’s encouraged others to join.

“Some people don’t realise women in construction do not always get to work side-by-side other women, and this is especially true for women in trades,” she said.

“A group like NAWIC is invaluable to provide that touchstone for women to talk to other women and assist in the sharing of information and networking.” •

↑ Jess started studying at Stowe, then fell in love with electrical contracting and has been with the company for more than 16 years.

↓ Jess said the diversity in the construction industry continues to increase.

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Braking uphill on a pushbike is not something you experience every day. Moderating your speed while descending is something we are all familiar with, but everyone knows pedalling uphill is a slog. But that’s all changed now thanks to pedal-assist e-Bike technology. Today’s e-Bikes have made climbing fun, and, in the process, opened up a whole new activity to riders not cut out for Tour de France competition.

THE LAUNCH

After 30 years of making e-Bike motors, Yamaha has finally put one in a chassis of its own design. And the result, in a word, is FUN. The launch event of the YDX-Moro 07 took place at Wylde MTB Park, a council-run collection of smooth, cross-country style trails in Western Sydney Parklands. Mountain bike and motorcycle media had the chance to test the new e-MTB along with five racers, including the national MX champ Aaron Tanti, national MX women’s champ Charli Cannon, and national roadrace champ Mike Jones. TV celebrity and Yamaha owner Grant Denyer also came a long for a spin.

← Cru Halliday, ASBK competitor, Yamaha Race Team: “Very impressed

provided by a frame-mounted motor that helps spin the cranks. Moro is powered by Yamaha’s own PW-X3 motor – its lightest, most compact and most powerful motor yet – with 85nM on tap. But what sets this bike apart from the e-MTB crowd is the way that power is delivered – as well as Yamaha’s unique dual twin chassis.

SIZE MATTERS

The Power Assist System (PAS) Yamaha has so smartly refined measures rider effort and provides seamless assistance to that input based on four sensors that measure speed, steepness of terrain, pedalling torque and crank rotation. Out on the

“I quickly realised I am not as good on an MTB as I am on a motorcycle. But I still enjoyed every bit of the ride.”

↓

“The bike is impressive – I just need to work on my style a bit more.”

trails that means when you step on the pedals you get the right amount of smooth additional power without lurching or delay. Yamaha calls it the most natural-feeling system available, and when you set it to MTB mode – one of five modes available –the Moro really does seem to read your mind.

The chassis is also unique to Yamaha and draws inspiration from the brand’s championship winning YZ and WR twin-spar aluminium frame design. The Moro’s top tube and down tube are both twin spar, allowing the designers to place the 500Wh battery and rear shock inside the bike for maximum protection and to centralise mass for sweet handling. Another benefit of the design is a low standover height.

The frames come in three sizes – small, medium and large – to suit a wide variety of rider sizes. Wheels are 27.5-inch, which really suited the fast and flowing nature of Wylde’s trails. The smaller wheel size makes for agile turns in the tight switchbacks. Some riders prefer the larger 29-inch wheel sizes suited for taller riders and rocky, more technical terrain. On the other hand, 27.5inch wheels are stronger with shorter spokes, lighter and more suitable for a wider range of applications and rider.

At the end of the day wheel size is down to personal preference and it’s a case of horses for

GREAT STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Suspension is taken care of by the new RockShox Lyric Select 160mm travel fork up front and 150mm RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shock out back. A smooth-shifting Shimano XT drive train – the second down from the top XTR gear from

↑ Charli Cannon, WMX Champion, Yamaha Yamalube:

Aaron Tanti, current Pro MX1 Champion, Team CDR Monster Energy Yamaha:

the Japanese firm – makes shifting a breeze, and one-finger stopping is courtesy of the Magura MT5 four-pot calliper system, all high-end components for the Moro sticker price. The bike also comes with a dropper post that allows the rider to get down low on the bike for technical descents at the press of a bar-mounted lever.

During the presentation, Yamaha indicated the target customer is an existing Yamaha dirt-bike guy, and in order to appeal to him it intends to distribute the new e-Bike via its own Yamaha Land Mobility dealer network. So you won’t find a Moro in a bicycle shop. But what you will find is a Yamaha transferable warranty and the ability to purchase using Yamaha’s convenient inhouse finance – YMF.

A WINNER

The YDX-Moro 07 is the first Yamaha e-Bike to land in Australia but it almost certainly won’t be the last. Yamaha Europe and US already has a range of PAS models for road, dirt and even gravel. And if those models are as much fun as the Moro 07, Yamaha is set to be a big player in the e-MTB space.

Sales of e-Bikes are set to overtake non e-Bikes in a few years and they really have opened up a new fitness and adrenalin combo to people who thought they’d missed the boat. Visit any local trail and there will be 100kg-plus grey-haired dudes on e-Bikes overtaking much younger and fitter blokes on human-powered MTBs. Meanwhile, those younger and fitter riders are able to ride longer and harder on e-MTBs for an extended adrenalin hit. E-Bike owners also rave about the convenience of smashing local trails after work – something not generally possible

with an enduro bike typically trailered to the trailhead. More riding means more fun, with fitness and laying off the fossil fuel a bonus.

SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER

How did the racers get on at Wylde?

They sent the bike at every opportunity and proved there is a massive crossover between motorcycle and bicycle riders. And especially between MTB and MX pilots. Which is why Yamaha feels it is really tuned into what its e-mountain bike customers want. Think of the Moro as the missing link between MTBs and dirt motorcycles. So, if you have a YZ or WRF in the garage, why not stop by one of the 55 Yamaha stockists around the country and get on the Moro?

It’s due to drop in May, priced $8999 RRP including GST.

•

↖ Mike Jones, current ASBK champion, Yamaha Race Team: “Had so much fun shredding the trails on this new e-MTB.”

↑ Luke Clout, 2021 ProMX1 Champion, Team CDR Monster Energy Yamaha: “First time for me on one and I may have given it a crash test – it survived.”

Welding GLORY

Outtasite Mobile Welding is a well-established mobile welding company based in Margate in Hobart’s south. Owner-director Brendon Wass, otherwise known as ‘Wassy,’ has built a solid reputation throughout the region, known for his welding skill and attention to detail.

Wassy is a veteran welder and general handyman who has been applying his considerable skill in and around the Hobart area for two decades.

No job is too small for the Outtasite Mobile Welding family, the team focus primarily on mobile welding repair and field service work no matter the size or scope of the job. Be it fabricating an excavation attachment or repairing plant equipment, Brendon’s ability to get just about any job done is becoming the stuff of legend.

WELDING THE FAMILY TOGETHER

Wassy doesn’t hold down the fort alone and Outtasite Mobile Welding is not a one man show.

Amanda Wass, Brendon’s wife is at the heart of the business, taking care of the paperwork, clientele, and overall strategic direction of this growing family business.

“Wassy does a lot of odds and sods,” Amanda said.

“Welding, earth moving, repairs…he can do it all. We haven’t really had to advertise too much, it’s all word of mouth, which has been great.”

The business thrives on hard work and in that vein, Wassy has taken on a young apprenticeMarcus, who started with Outtasite through a school-based apprenticeship. Marcus is a high school senior but has proven his determination to become a welder.

“He’s doing really good work,” Amanda said.

In true tight-knit community spirit that Tasmania is characterised for, the Wass’ have known Marcus’ family for donkey’s years and can remember back to when he was a young child.

“He only started with us in 2022 because he did some work experience with us. We were pretty keen to put him on because he’s doing such great work already,” Amanda said.

A TRUCK FOR ALL SEASONS

Outtasite’s reputation is growing day by day so Amanda and Wassy made the big decision to purchase an NPS 75-155 4x4 cab chassis in 2021, →

↑ Outtasite’s NPS 75-155 4x4 helps Brendon get around jobs easily with all he needs for a day’s worth of welding jobs.

the first new vehicle the couple had ever purchased.

“Of course, our first ever new vehicle was a truck!” Amanda joked.

A tried and tested staple of Isuzu’s famed 4x4 offering, the rugged NPS 75-155 is a serious set-up designed to tackle environments and conditions most vehicles wouldn’t dream of approaching.

“Brendon finds himself in some pretty random and inaccessible locations around Tassie,” Amanda reflected.

He’s in safe hands though. The NPS 75-155 with Isuzu’s automated manual transmission (AMT) is Australia’s first two-pedal 4x4 light duty truck and is extremely popular with Australia’s emergency services and fire-fighting community.

Featuring a GVM of 4,500 kg and a GCM of 9,000 kg, the NPS has towing capacity of 4,500 kg, meaning all of Wassy’s towing and payload needs are met and exceeded.

Powered by Isuzu’s four-cylinder 4HK1-TCN engine, the NPS has plenty of punch at 114 kW (155 horsepower) @ 2,600 rpm and torque of 419 Nm @ 1,600 – 2,600 rpm. The truck features a crane fitted to a custom-built tray, put together by none other than Wassy himself.

“I tell people the truck was made by a welder for a welder,” said Amanda.

“He knew exactly how he wanted it, and he likes things to be perfect.”

Thanks to the top-notch work done by the

Outtasite Mobile Welding team and the tight knit communities around Tasmania, the company has not had to invest in expensive advertising to get their name out there. Quality work speaks for itself.

“I think that attention to detail is why we’ve never had a great need to do much advertising,” Brendon said. “Word always spreads about the quality of his work.”

SIGN AWAY

Although the team has not had to rely on advertising, Outtasite and their NPS 75-155 4x4 mobile welding truck were plastered across a giant billboard in Hobart last year, after the business won the Tasmanian division of the Isuzu 50th Anniversary Billboard Competition.

“We’re really happy with the billboard. It was a fantastic opportunity,” Amanda said.

“We took our young son out to see it and he was so excited, he said, ‘oh my goodness, it’s Mummy and Daddy…and our truck!’”

A well-loved Isuzu truck can become one of the family, especially when businesses like Outtasite Mobile Welding who are driving it day-in, day-out, and relying on the NPS welding truck to transport Bredon and Marcus to jobs all over the state and carry valuable capital equipment.

Amanda’s eye for business strategy, and Wassy’s deft skill on the tools support the reliability and attention to detail that Outtasite Mobile Welding has become known for throughout Tasmania.

Now that the family business is backed with the Isuzu reliability with the addition of their NPS 75-155, the future looks bright. •

↓ Brendon and Amanda Wass have built Outtasite Mobile Welding from the ground up.

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Sweet Sweet TOOTH

Tim O’Reilly takes us into the jungles and sweetwater streams of Far North Queensland.

LOCATION Far North Queensland

Some of Australia’s - and indeed the world’s – most secret places reside in the tiny creeks which feed into rivers. Being shallow and thick with riparian jungle, sweetwater locations are often the hardest to reach.

North Queensland provides myriad access opportunities to these pristine and life-filled jungle streams set amidst some of the most scenic, mountainous and densely vegetated locations.

Let’s take a look at some of the fishing opportunities that arise for anglers willing to get off the beaten track.

CARE IS NEEDED

By tiny boat, kayak or on foot, access is the main challenge to overcome when fishing these locations. Unlike some of the trout streams of the southern end of the country, far-northern streams tend to be rather impenetrable places. Being on foot is only for the agile, as every conceivable barrier will be placed in front of forward progress. Most banks are steep and just a slip away under foot to float downstream.

Kayaks or any method of paddling is suitable in some of the streams, however this tends to be chasing fish like sooty grunter or jungle perch way above the tidal limits. A tiny boat sometimes allows anglers to drift down and rendezvous with a second vehicle downstream to ferry back. This can provide some incredible sweetwater fishing opportunities, picking the eyes out of all the best spots drifting past.

Pretty much any far-northern creek or river will have a crocodile population, and local knowledge, as always, is paramount before wading, swimming and walking the edges. But so much depends on where the upper limit applies. Crocs definitely inhabit more upstream reaches than most people remember from bygone years.→

↙ Don’t forget you’re in someone else’s backyard when traversing the sweetwater of FNQ.

SPECIES

Barramundi is perhaps the most iconic farnorthern species of fish right across the top end of our continent. It inhabits both the coastal fringe and right the way up most northern rivers, at least until a natural barrier blocks their progress upstream. Barramundi will travel huge distances up tiny creeks and streams to gorge on prey coming off floodplains and out of feeder creeks, especially during the northern wet seasons.

Targeting barramundi is not hugely challenging, but equipment and tackle will need to be up to the task. Plenty of people will get blown away by a healthy barramundi when expecting smaller fish. Remember, most places you get

barramundi, you also get crocodiles.

Mangrove jack are often a surprise packet for those fishing the sweetwater.

Better known as a saltwater species, they are happy to live right up in the fresh. They will need access back to saltwater at some stage, so expect them to pop up at the end of the navigable limit of most northern systems. These red devils absolutely crunch a lure and are super aggressive when they decide to attack. They taste great. even out of the freshwater reaches, so long at its flowing.

Tarpon make it right the way up many northern systems, well past the saltwater influence and up in the fresh. Although not a sought-after table fish, they provide endless fun for enthusiasts fishing the sweetwater with light spin and Jungle perch is a lovely little freshwater species that lives in the jungle streams of FNQ. They have many similarities to bass further south, only they have a lovely spotted colouration and are even more aggressive at chasing surface lures. These little carnivores will chase anything that hops, jumps, digs or falls into a little creek. They hang in small groups and are super competitive to get to a meal first.

Sootie grunter are one of the

↓ (Top) Mangrove jack can be really aggressive when pursued, but taste fantastic.

↓ (Bottom) This sootie grunter looks like it’s ready for a smooch.

mainstays of the tiny freshwater creeks that crisscross the farthest north. Almost every system will have some form of sootie in its upstream reaches, ready to dish out punishment to any small prey the falls foul of this little river thug.

Sooties have strong mouths and jaws and will really thump a small lure, especially anything replicating a wounded morsel on the surface.

Saratoga are a prehistoric-looking river monster that resides in many of the upstream and freshwater systems across the top end. Although missing from much of the east coast of northern Australia and in WA; much of Cape York, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arnhem Land and Kakadu hold these majestic creatures. They have an incredibly bony mouth and are challenging to hook and even more challenging to land. Their colouration of gold on pink spots is one of nature’s wonders.

Archer Fish are prolific in most northern sweetwater streams and creeks. These are the little fish known for shooting a jet of water at prey flying overhead or sitting in branches. They only grow to around a kilo at best, but are a willing adversary on very light lineaggressive and fishing hard.

Rounding off the species list are sleepy cod, catfish, coal grunter and, these days, bloody tilapia in many systems of north Queensland.

IN THE HOUSE

There’s an encyclopedia’s worth of fishing advice written about the type of lures to trick these predatory fish. However, matching the type of prey likely to be found in your destination is key. A weedless frog imitation works very well around wetland areas. A little surface walker might be great where cicadas and terrestrials fall from the trees. Little paddletailed plastics will work well when small baitfish are the primary target of predatory fish.

If your lure is not touching down within 30cm of your target, often the cast will be a miss. Too far to one side or the other, up in a tree or snagged on the million-and-one places there are to snag – miss. It can be a game of persistence as much as a game of accuracy. At times the fish need to be lured into action, peppered over and over. And some days they just seem to chase everything in sight.

Either way, the more time with your lure in the water and in the perfect spot, the more you increase your chances to catch fish. Interacting with so much terrain is actually a very fulfilling way to fish. Fly fisherman in the sweetwater know

↓ Saratogas can be found around Cape York, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arnhem Land and Kakadu.

well the frustrations of back casting in riparian jungles. All sorts of rod angles to throw all manner of casts helps big time in this situation, but nothing beats having your lure or fly in the water.

One of the best ways to do this is with weedless soft plastics. This type of fishing has revolutionised fishing in extremely snaggy country. The lure is cast into structure without fouling up, giving resident fish the chance to ambush prey from their living room. There are some great products on the market at the moment, with many of the fish taken in this feature on ‘In the House’ jig heads. Made by Barra Hank up in Cairns, they provide great innovation to a sweetwater problem. A light gauge wire protects the hook point, making them virtually snag-proof.

Working a lure in a way that mimics a wounded or fleeing prey item takes a little time to master. As does making long accurate casts through or into vegetation. But these are two skills very much required for those wishing to be productive fishing the sweetwater. Combining exercise with catchand-release fishing has grown enormously popular in recent years. Applying stalking techniques with today’s incredible tackle makes this type of fishing really feel like a sport, especially when most of the fish captured are returned unharmed.

THE RIGHT SPOTS

Travelling downstream through a creek will show reaches absolutely devoid of fish, and others where fish of numerous types are congregating. It’s a strange phenomenon exacerbated by fish coming on and going off the bite. An ideal situation finds many fish in an area all on the bite, but every fisherman knows this isn’t normally the case.

Lily pads and weed banks will usually offer good cover for fish and bait, especially those with a little water moving past. Fallen timber and weed beds are other habitats to look for as they tend to hold many prey items and provide cover. Working steeper banks, points and deeper pools at the end of funnelling water are good places to start.

A resident fish will often be found in the tiny little backwaters and bays and behind corners in the creek banks. One accurate cast to the back of each of these should be attempted during a drift downstream. For those fishing down the creek, try and make casts to the upstream side of a structure. Most predatory fish will sit facing upstream, awaiting prey to come to them with the current. The pressure edge created by the structure gives them the perfect ambush point from which to attack.

→ Barramundi are aplenty in far-northern creeks and streams during the wet season, but be wary of crocs.

↓ A small boat, or even a helicopter, can help get to those hard-to-reach fishing sweet spots.

Points and the ends of braided channels provide great ambush places. Anywhere that has a neverending supply of food items being washed downstream will hold a swag of fish. Where prey items are mixed up with oxygenated water, a deeper pool and some nearby structure, all the better.

Fishing the tiny far-northern streams and creeks is a hugely addictive form of fishing. If you love fishing, hiking and the great outdoors, but are not too sure where to start, perhaps this is a pastime you will love. A light spin or overhead outfit or for those who are crazy enough to try a light fly rod outfit will suffice.

Sturdy walking/wading shoes are a good idea for those planning to do this fishing on foot.

It takes quite a bit of research for this style of fishing. Planning is crucial, as is understanding the type of fish and terrain likely to be found. Get out and amongst the wonders of fishing the sweetwater for yourself. •

fasten

UP

The future of women’s tool belts.

Something as simple as putting on a tool belt mightn’t seem like a big deal for most tradies. But for a percentage of Australians, many of whom are women, finding the right tool belt can be more frustrating than using a blunt saw.

A group of fashion and vocational educations students at RMIT University took up the challenge of filling that gap in the tool belt market.

ANYTHING BUT PINK

Like many fashion students, Charlotte Hunter didn’t expect she’d be designing belts for tradies as part of her studies.

The 20-year-old is in her third year of a Bachelor of Fashion Design, and took up a unit that had students pairing up with other cohorts at the university.

“Mine involved partnering with the Vocational Education Training [VET] students and coming up with a design for a female tool belt to suit the growing diversity in the industry,” Charlotte said.

RMIT Built Environment and Sustainability Director Mel Tinetti said the idea for the collab came from an encounter she had with a VET student.

She said the roofer had to hand craft her own toolbelt as there was no other option available. Mel said in her own experience in construction as a commercial architect, she noticed the lack of gear designed for women.

“There’s diverse people struggling to find something that fits them,” she said.

“It shouldn’t just be about a band-aid fix, it’s about finding what’s comfortable to wear for different tasks on a daily basis.”

A 2013 report from the now defunct Board of Vocational Education and Training revealed that small issues like correctly fitted items were a daily irritation for lady tradies.

A quick Google will also reveal few options in the market, with a few light-duty belts coated in pink to choose from.

CLOSING THE GAP

Charlotte started her design by liaising with VET students to figure out what goes into making a good tool belt.

“In the first class we had, we spoke to the trades students to ask them about what’s missing in current designs, what they like about a belt and what improvements can be made on what’s in the market,” she said.

Something Charlotte found out during this process was how important anchoring was for a comfy tool belt.

The average bloke’s tool belt will be anchored on the hips, however that doesn’t typically sit well with women tradies.

another way.

“I did a lot of hiking in high school, and I found that the packs were comfortable even though I was carrying so much weight,” she said.

“I think bringing that concept into a tool belt was a good move to avoid injuries.”

DESIGNED SUPPORT

Using comfy upholstered fabrics and a few heavy-duty clips, Charlotte was able to make her design a reality. It features a universal loop to fit any belt, and a design that’s anchored to the waist and shoulders like a backpack.

“My design’s symmetrical so there’s an even weight distribution, making it safer,” Charlotte said.

“It’s anchored around two points on the body: the shoulders and the waist.

“I based my design off a hiking pack because they can carry more than 10kgs and still won’t cause injury because they’re anchored on the shoulders and waist.”

Not only was the belt well-received by Charlotte’s VET colleagues, it’s also gained quite a bit of attention from companies and outlets on social media.

“It blows my mind how much it’s been re-shared,” she said. “It’s really exposed me to how much design can actually help people.

“If I took anything from this, even if it’s not put into production, it’s that I have the ability to design for people who need it.”

RMIT’s VET cohort is about five per cent women, which is higher overall than the percentage of women in the workforce.

Mel said it was great to see students – girls and guys alike – take up the elective subject and contribute to the growing demographic of lady tradies.

“We’d love to continue being involved in this project. Vocational education has so much to give… and as a dual sector education university it gives us an advantage,” she said.

“The plan for the future is to continue this project with the fashion school. It’s something the students elect to do which I think is wonderful.” •

TRADiE PACK

COVERED DIGITS

Serious work-related hand injuries are still high - but can be avoided with the right gloves.

Unfortunately, serious hand injuries including major cuts, loss of fingers, and severe long-term crush or impact injuries continue to be some of the most common types of injuries on worksites in Australia. However, we know many tradies often have a variety of reasons for not wearing good quality cut or impact protection gloves.

Some may find gloves uncomfortable or restrictive, while others may believe they are unnecessary or inconvenient. However, new advances in premium cut protection gloves have seen significant improvements in both protection and comfort. The development of new materials and technologies has led to gloves that offer higher levels of cut protection, greater durability, inbuilt impact resistance, increased comfort and breathability as well as improved functionality and sense of touch.

One of the most significant advancements in cut protection gloves is the use of engineered yarns such as HPPE (highperformance polyethylene) and Kevlar®. These materials are extremely strong and lightweight, providing excellent cut resistance and gloves that are much thinner, flexible, and

breathable. Thus, allowing for better movement and reducing hand fatigue with workers wanting to wear gloves for extended periods.

Another recent innovation in cut protection gloves is the use of nanotechnology. Some gloves are now treated with nanoparticles that create a protective barrier against cuts and punctures. This treatment does not affect the flexibility or breathability of the gloves, making them more comfortable to wear.

New technologies have also led to gloves with improved grip and dexterity. Some gloves now feature specialised coatings or textures on the palms and fingers, providing better grip and control when handling tools and equipment. Additionally, some gloves now include touchscreen compatibility, allowing tradies to use their smartphones and other devices without having to remove their gloves.

Another benefit of premium cut protection gloves is their durability. Ordinary work gloves can wear out quickly, especially where the hands are constantly exposed to rough surfaces or sharp objects. Cut protection gloves are designed to withstand such conditions and can last much longer, reducing the need for frequent replacements.

Not all cut protection gloves are created equal

It is important to note that not all cut protection gloves are created equal though. Gloves such as the Ninja Razr SlashTec range of cut protection gloves use unique manufacturing methods with aramid fibres like Kevlar® to provide either Cut D or the highest Cut Level F, full 360 degree cut protection, and are more lightweight and ergonomically designed, providing a better fit and breathability. The gloves are finished with a class leading palm coating of Nitrile New Foam TechnologyTM (NFTTM), which not only offers some of the best abrasion resistance on the market, but durability, grip, as well as contact heat resistance.

The Ninja Slash-Tec range also includes a Cut F glove featuring solid impact protection on the back of the hands and fingers to reduce the risk of impact and crush injuries. •

Stylish and durable enough to handle all you can throw at them, Eyres’ range of glasses have you covered.

IMPACTFUL

Safety Solutions

Keeping your eyes safe with Shamir.

Safety eyewear has become an important and integral part of life. It’s no surprise that over 60 per cent of eye injuries occur either at work or while participating in active sports. No matter whether you’re at work, home or play, the high number of risks causing eye injury reinforces the need to wear quality safety eyewear.

In a dark but not too distant past, eye protection was ugly, clumsy and uncomfortable… and don’t even think about prescription glasses… those bulky over specs that didn’t fit and obstructed vision – yuck!

Luckily, thanks to innovations in technology, now you can purchase sexy eye protection that looks as good on the boat as it does at workwhile still providing the best protection available.

There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to eye protection.

The frame and lens will be different from person-to-person, and from activity to activity.

Eyres not only offers an extensive range of safety and sun eyewear for both prescription and non-prescription, but also has one of the largest available ranges of impact resistant lens materials, high performance coatings, and frame technologies. Eyres’ safety eyewear range allows wearers to customise their frame and lens combo to suit their specific needs, whether they’re wanting to change to prescription or simply need a combination of specific elements. Eyres’ range

caters to an assortment of industries and activities with an expansive range of frames. No matter what level of protection you need, we have the product to suit.

Eyres’ lenses are Australian-made and tested to Australian and New Zealand Safety Eye Protection standards, meaning that not only are they designed and made by Australians, but they’re certified to keep your eyes safe during almost any activity. For safety products to meet the stringent safety compliance requirements, Eyres needed to ensure that its frames and lenses are designed and manufactured to the highest standards.

Eyres’ in-house critical impact testing laboratory allows its team to put its safety products through a series of tests which mirror real-life situations. They use High Velocity Impact Testing to push the strength of glasses further than you’ll ever need them to go. HVI testing propels a steel ball bearing at up to 190m/s or 684 km/hr. Eyres does this from every angle to ensure that all possible impacts are accounted for. •

For more information, check out our full range online at www.eyresbyshamir.com.au.

Protect your livelihood Aussie Tradies:

With Personal Accident & Illness insurance.

Many Aussie tradies rely on their own two hands to get the job done. But accidents can and do happen, and there’s a real risk your hands won’t be doing much work if you’re injured or sick.

Fortunately, Personal Accident & Illness (PA) insurance can cover you for loss of income if you can’t work due to injury or illness. It provides a weekly income benefit up to 85% of your salary up to maximum limits following an accidental injury or illness once signed off from work by a medical practitioner for a set amount of time.

Sound too good to be true?

Take this example of an Aussie tradie who benefited from PA insurance:

Dodgy finger

A 22-year-old builder sustained a severe laceration to his finger while working. He had only started his business one month prior to sustaining the injury.

Fortunately, his PA policy covered him, the insurer accepted the claim, and he was paid $1000 per week within three business days*.

The rugby game

Another great thing about PA insurance is it’s generally available regardless of whether you sustain the injury or develop an illness at your work.

Take the example of a scaffolder who ruptured some ligaments during a social rugby game. He received a weekly benefit of $1600 per week during his recovery period and the insurer also worked with him on a rehabilitation plan which helped him return to work sooner*.

Get protected today!

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

With an estimated monthly premium of $92.36 for trades and services through BizCover^, you’d be silly not to consider getting protected. •

contained in the policy wording.

↑ Accidents happen anywhere at any time, that’s why having the right insurance is vital for peace of mind.

Jump online and visit bizcover.com.au or call today.

should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance,

EXPO EXPERTS for

Inside Construction

Expo brings out the best in industry.

↑ Inside Construction Expo will bring together minds from across the construction industry to share ideas, products and expertise.

The biggest players in the Aussie construction scene will be converging on the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre in September. But it won’t just be for a cheeky chinwag. The Inside Construction Expo serves as a forum for stakeholders to come together on some of the industry’s biggest issues.

Bigwigs abound

There’s no doubt the building industry has tackled its fair share of issues across the past couple of years, with tradies copping plenty of the brunt.

The theme of 2023’s Inside Construction Expo – ‘engineering the future’ – aims to tackle how the industry will keep pace with massive demand

given skills and material shortages, Covid-19, and massive firm insolvencies.

Across four stages, more than 150 speakers from businesses and organisations across the building and construction industries will present their experiences and input into what the road ahead may look like. Seminars will be hosted by speakers from Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors, and constructors from associations such as Scaffolding Australia, Working at Heights Australia and the Formwork Industry Association.

A particular focus will be women in trades, with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) a major supporter of Inside Construction Expo. This focus will translate onto the stage as well, with guest speakers including Empowered Women in Tradies founder and Chief Executive, Hacia Atherton, as well as The BCW founder, Teagan Dowler.

Not only will Inside Construction Expo be a forum for the major stakeholders, but also a great opportunity to check out the tools and equipment shaping the industry.

Across 15,000m², exhibitors will be showcasing everything a tradie needs, from adhesives, power and hand tools to the latest larger equipment for the big jobs. •

Inside Construction Expo will be held on September 20 and 21 between 10.00am and 5.00pm. Entry is free, and registration can be found at insideconstructionexpo.com.au.

TRENCHES In the

Better outcomes possible with No-Dig Down Under 2023.

No-Dig Down Under proves year after year it’s the southern hemisphere’s marquee event for plumbers, and Brisbane 2023 will be no different. This year’s conference and exhibition will play host to all manner of products and training for working with piping and other trenchless technologies.

The know-how

The Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology (ASTT) will play a major role in delivering information and training for those plumbers looking to take their expertise to the next level. This includes a tailor-made course by the ASTT on the renovation of pipes by lining – the first course of its kind providing basic and vital info for those working with trenchless pipe-lining technologies.

Starting with an overview of typical host pipes and their mode of deterioration, the course flows into topics such as lateral lining, including the pros and cons of the technique, how it works, and its ranges and limitations.

Courses on new installation methods and horizontal directional drilling are also available, provided through the ASTT via its North American counterpart, NASTT. Registration for the courses runs from $515 for ASTT members to $615 for nonmembers.

As with much of the event, CPD points are available for course attendance and completion.

Taking a dig

No-Dig Down under will not only be a chance to learn, but to catch up with the latest tools and faces in the industry. Hundreds of companies will exhibit their latest wares, including inventor of the modern pipe wrench,

Ridgid Tool (Australia), and pipe-lining technology experts, Denso.

The No-Dig Down Under conference will provide a platform for conversations affecting the industry, with a focus on ‘better outcomes through trenchless’. This could include delving into improving the environmental, community and financial outcomes of trenchless projects.

There’ll be tonnes of chances to chat with fellow stakeholders in the industry, with a few social events scattered across three days. The openingnight reception and ASTT Gala Dinner and Awards to wrap up the event will be major highlights. No-Dig Down Under will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre between September 12-14. Registration to attend the exhibition is free, however the conference, training

You can find out more at nodigdownunder.com.

↑ Similar to previous years, No-Dig Down Under 2023 will cap off with the ASTT Awards and Gala Dinner.

↓ Hundreds of companies will be showing off their latest products and the

BIG TIME

CHANGES

Budget outlines overhauls for apprenticeships.

Multiple massive overhauls for apprenticeships are on the horizon after the Federal Government tabled changes in its 2023 Budget, including a financial boost totalling $4.1 billion.

The overhaul will see $3.7 billion injected into the National Skills Agreement (NSA). That funding will combine with the $400 million in place for 300,000 more fee-free TAFE and VET places.

The apprenticeship changes include:

Assessing apprentices at the beginning of their training to identify if additional supports may be required;

Make mentoring more accessible early on in apprenticeships, including specialised support to assist First Nations apprentices, apprentices with a disability, remote apprentices, or women apprentices in male-dominated professions;

An increased focus on supporting apprenticeship completion, including emphasised support during the first two years of the apprenticeship when wages are typically low;

Working with each state and territory to improve the workplace experience for apprentices;

Ensuring employers can create a positive learning environment that encourages apprentices to succeed. This will apply particularly to under-resourced or inexperienced employers who might be taking on apprentices for the first time; and

• Streamlining claims processing and program admin for employers to allow them more time actually training apprentices.

The goal of the changes is to ensure apprentices are given the tools to not only succeed during their apprenticeship, but complete it and find a long-term career.

The announcement comes as a result of the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills summit in late 2022 which aimed to address the dire skills shortage facing the nation.

Tick from Master Builders

Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said 10 per cent of Australia’s 1.26-million-person construction population were apprentices. She added the announcement for targeted help for apprentices would help address the shortages Australia would face in the long run if the shortages were not addressed.

“With Australia’s population projected to grow by over 50 per cent between 2022 and 2060, reaching nearly 40 million people, the industry will require a significant workforce to undertake the necessary building and construction work,” Wawn said.

“Work-integrated learning pathways – Including apprenticeships, traineeships and cadetships – are critical to ensuring the building and construction industry has a pipeline of skilled workers.

“The early stages of an apprenticeship are the most tenuous. Pastoral care can benefit apprentices, is a core element of the group training organisation model, and likely one of the main reasons GTOs have higher completion rates than small employers.

“The construction industry attracts more male than female workers. Improving the attractiveness of the industry to women presents a massive opportunity to increase the pool of potential workers.” •

For a spin

Bosch Professional Power

Tools’ 18V 180mm BITURBO

Brushless Grinder.

of issues tradies have to put up with when

“So far it hasn’t had any problems bringing the goods for

“I’m able to go from working on the bench to trimming something over my head without the hassle of a cord or moving my hands to a different part of the handle,” said Dave.

Despite using a 180mm blade, thanks to its gear housing, which is smaller and doesn’t impede the blade, this tool can meet the demands of a 230mm blade and then some.

TEST 2: PEAK PROTECTION

The grinder also benefits from several great safety features that keep carpenters safe while on demanding jobs.

Your standard BITURBO Brushless Grinder will come with a clip-on and protection guards, and both are super easy to adjust around the blade to suit the users’ needs.

“I’m a big fan of the guard,” he added. “You’re always changing the angle of the guard on the job, and Bosch has made it super easy. With the press of a button I can spin the guard in any direction I want to. That is super useful.

“There’s so many times where you’re cutting two things on different sides, and trying to move that guard around is crucial.”

As well as drop control and restart protection, Dave found a few key safety features stood out. One was the run-out brake, which brought the blade to a complete stop mere moments after his finger left the trigger, and the other was the kickback control, which brought the grinder to

a sudden stop in the event of kickback.

“When my mates use a corded 230mm grinder, they complain about the hefty kickback from the power they put out,” Dave said.

“Because of that we’re so happy this grinders’ come out. It has all the safety features, it cuts just as deep and it’s so much easier to handle thanks to its size.

“It ticks all our boxes.”

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY Dave’s hard-pressed to ever go back to corded LAGs, with Bosch Professional Power Tools demonstrating the cordless era can go big. This grinder from Bosch is more dynamic, can work the bigger jobs and is safer than many of its alternatives.

“I had a few of the boys give it a shot, and they say it’ll blow all the competitors out of the park,” Dave said.

“It’s a beauty.” •

* For 115mm and 125mm Diamond metal wheels.

You can find more info about the BITURBO Brushless Grinder at www.bosch-pt.au. Available at Sydney Tools and Total Tools.

1 The grinder can cut the same depth as 230mm blades, despite only being 180mm.

2 Having everything run on a 90-degree angle makes handling this grinder extremely comfortable no matter the application.

3 The BITURBO Brushless Grinder can work with the Bosch Expert Diamond Metal Wheel, which lasts up to 100x longer than standard bonded cutting discs*.

4 The tool made short work of any metal trimming Dave needed to do.

5 Dave said having the power of a larger grinder in a small, high-quality package made day-to-day grinding so much easier.

Clean cut

Diablo’s Multi Tool Blades.

The hassle to get replacement blades for multi tools is a struggle many tradies deal with. Like shaver blade heads, the hassle and cost of constantly replacing them after a few uses does our heads in. Diablo is known for leading the pack when it comes to delivering blades that take a licking and keep on kicking time after time. They’ve done it again with their massive selection of Multi Tool Blades, both for metal and timber cutting.

BRAND Diablo

The Tradie caught up with Dave Simpson from JTR Carpentry to test out these blades. He’s working on a new property in Mount Martha, south-east of Melbourne.

The house is about half-way through development, so Dave needed an oscilating multi tool for working on metal brackets and some tough timber cladding.

TEST #1: NOT A SCRATCH

A big bonus when working with Diablo blades is that tradies are using the brand’s in-house manufactured carbide. This meant these durable blades were built to last for extended use in their specific application.

Dave went through a tonne of metal brackets

for us, testing out both the 32mm general purpose and metal carbide blades.

These bad boys last 50x longer than standard bi-metal blades, and Dave noticed the difference immediately.

“It didn’t take long for us to see how awesome these blades are,” he said.

“We cut uite a few brackets and every single time it’s cut just as quickly and efficiently as the first one.”

An issue tradies run into when using blades like this is, the more blades heat up, the quicker they go blunt.

This simply wasn’t the case with the Diablo carbide blades, which have Black I.C.E (Industrial Cooling Element) coated teeth to minimise this.

“It’s the absolute worst when the blade starts heating up and the teeth start to melt away,” Dave pointed out.

“This blade reduces that a tonne, so we found we can use these for a lot longer.”

Combine these elements with a tooth geometry that allows for quick cutting, and this small job was done in record time.

TEST #2: THE CHOPPING BLOCK

Next up was the timber cladding, where Dave needed to make accurate cuts into window frames.

Dave put the 65mm bi-metal plunge-cutting blade to the test for this, using the curve contact edge on clean wood. He also used the 32mm universal bi-metal blade for some smaller cuts.

Both made quick plunges into the wood, making for an accurate job for Dave.

These blades last up to 5x longer than standard blades, and Dave loved the lack of mess they left.

All blades come with Starlock and Universal attachment options, and Dave tested both using various multi tools.

“My favourite ones are the Starlock system blades. It’s the best mechanism I’ve ever seen to quickly attach a blade,” he said.

“I regularly switch between the bi-metal general purpose and plunge blade for timber, and having the Starlock system makes that so easy to change the blades, but also to change the angles I’m working with.”

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

Dave was grinning ear-to-ear knowing how quickly he’d be getting multi tool jobs done in future. These jobs are often small yet numerous, meaning a tool that’s quick and durable is needed. Whether it was the carbide or bi-metal blades, the Diablo Multi Tool Blades excelled in both the aforementioned departments.

You can get blades separately, or you can get an Ultimate Oscilating Blade Set which comes with five bi-metal blades with either Starlock or Universal attachments. •

DIABLO Starlock and Universal OMT Blades are available at: Bunnings Warehouse and Total Tools

1 The bi-metal plungecutting blade was perfect for making quick cuts into timber.

2 This 92mm bi-metal blade made general cuts cleanly and accuratly thanks to the the curve contact edge.

3 As well as metal brackets, the carbide blades chewed through exposed nails with little effort.

4 Diablo’s Multi Tool Blades come in Starlock and Universal attachments.

OUR

innovation to work

RotoFlex by Blundstone. Setting a new standard in steel safety work boots.

Blundstone has spent years researching what the industry needs from its safety and work boots.

It was important to understand the concerns of the modern workforce. You shared suggestions and Blundstone listened. From there, the development of a new range began that would be ready for any kind of work on any kind of worksite.

That’s how the ground-breaking RotoFlex was born. It’s Australia’s largest safety-footwear launch in over a decade, and every individual component in Blundstone boots has been extensively trialled and tested for safety, durability, and all-day comfort.

Real-world tech

Now, Blundstone’s introducing its toughest, most advanced RotoFlex range yet: RotoFlex Steel.

Broad-fitting, cut-resistant steel toe caps are tested to resist a 200-joule impact while maintaining the same outstanding levels of style, comfort and flexibility you’ve come to expect.

Everything comes down to the biomechanical principle of stability meeting the freedom to move.

Bundstone’s overarching comfort system brings balance and manoeuvrability while reducing the risk of falls, and a super-elastic energy foam technology was engineered to reduce the impact of every step. Using cutting-edge materials, Blundstone developed a selection of outsoles that offer next-level comfort and protection. The cushioning footbed is anti-bacterial, washable, and breathable, and the custom-designed thermal-regulation system increases airflow and reduces sweat.

Available soon

RotoFlex Steel are the boots you can wear anywhere, and you’ll want to wear every day. There are 17 new steel toe cap styles to choose from, all developed using next-generation RotoFlex components and technology.

•

The full range will be available at your local Blundstone retailer from July 2023. Learn more and put Blundstone’s innovation to work. blundstone.com.au/rotoflex.

↑ Rotoflex Steel is as hard as they come, able to withstand an impact of 200 joules.

TURBO

↓ The HD600’s super turbo flame can transfer heat up to 25 per cent faster than its major competitors.

Did Somebody Say Hot Devil?

If you hadn’t already heard, Hot Devil has the hottest blow torches in town. And the HD600 Trade Map Super Flame Turbo Torch is yet another great example! This torch kit includes a solid metal assembly, and an oversize burner tube specifically designed to give you the ability to braze, silver solder, pre-heat metals for welding and other heat-based work, all at an incredibly fast heat transfer rate.

A quick glance at the solid metal build on the hand piece and you know this torch has been built tough for the trades. As is the easy-start auto ignition, which incorporates a clever ignition lock switch and adjustable gas flow valve. And what does all this mean?

Yep. You guessed it. Using this torch makes any job a breeze.

The simple durability of the design, accompanied by the super turbo flame can transfer heat up to 25 per cent faster

For more information on the HD600 Trade Map Super Flame Turbo Torch and all other quality gas torches and soldering irons brought to you by Hot Devil please contact: Phone: (03) 9775 0713, Email: sales@lnmarketing.com.au www.hotdevil.com.au

Rapid Hexa

The latest innovation in chainsaw chain from STIHL.

It’s not often developments in chainsaw chain technology cause a stir, but STIHL Rapid Hexa is fully deserving of the attention it’s gained around the world. Consisting of a patented ‘V’ shaped cutting tooth and hexagonal file, Hexa offers professional forestry chainsaw users a 10 per cent boost in cutting performance and a much-enhanced sharpening experience unlike anything else on the market. So, how has this been achieved?

Firstly, the top plate kerf of each cutting tooth is narrower than the equivalent Rapid Super chain, leading to improvements in cutting speed and efficiency. Shrewd readers may see a similarity to the Rapid Super Pro chain available in .325 pitch – this too features a narrower kerf and cutting speed improvements. A second optimisation is the 25-degree sharpening angle. Testing has found that a slightly reduced angle performs better in diagonal felling cuts.

Finally, the most striking update to the chain is the 60-degree, V-shaped side plate angle. The hexagonal file sits perfectly in the tooth’s profile, leading to simplified and faster sharpening. With

Rapid Hexa, it’s easy to achieve a high-quality cutting edge. Due to the less acute angle of the leading cutting corner, the tooth is less prone to wear and therefore stays sharper for longer.

STIHL Rapid Hexa chains need to be used with a Hexa file. The lower 1/6th of the file is smooth, meaning that it’s impossible to accidentally graze the file on the drive links. A top ridge makes it clear which orientation the file needs to be held, and because the Hexa system is so simple to use, a file guide is not necessary.

These features combine to deliver a chainsaw chain that cuts faster, takes less time to sharpen, stays sharper for longer and boosts productivity. Compatible models include professional STIHL chainsaws ranging from an MS 362 C-M up to MS 661 C-M, and every professional petrol model in-between. •

If you’re not sure what pitch or drive link gauge specification your chainsaw is, visit your local STIHL dealer who will be more than happy to help you out. Find yours at stihldealers.com.au.

↑ The Hexa’s V-shaped cutting tooth allows for a 10 per cent boost in performance.

A must tradie

Alemlube diesel fuel storage & dispensing kits.

The need and uptake of portable mobile diesel fuel storage & dispensing kits is now greater than ever for serious tradies and construction workers.

Alemlube has built a solid reputation for its Australian-designed and engineered range of diesel fuel storage & dispensing kits with an emphasis on strength, stability and security.

The comprehensive range of sizes - 600L, 450L, 200L and 100L means that everyone can take advantage of the unique benefit of carrying your ‘own servo’ in the back of the ute.

There are options in configuring a kit to suit your specific needs too. This includes automatic nozzles with the option of adding an electronic fuel meter to assist in accuracy and volume of diesel fuel dispensed, bringing the number to six models on offer.

Security of the dispensing pump, nozzle and stored fuel was a major consideration in the development of the range.

This resulted in a four-point, key-operated locking system being built into the lid.

As well as providing essential security for your investment, these kits have added protection from foreign particle contamination and the elements.

Locally manufactured, this exciting new range of polyethylene 400L diesel fuel storage tanks with dispensing kits has been designed to house the pump in a recessed position. This ultimately generates a lower centre of gravity which produces a greater degree of strength, stability and original shape retention. Another benefit is the integral nozzle holster which applies to the majority of the versions. The others have a nozzle holster attached to the pump.

Stating the obvious (as mentioned earlier) the Alemlube diesel fuel storage & dispensing kits are ideal for carrying in the back of a ute or in a service vehicle and are easily moved from one location to another (when empty) and provide a convenient on-demand system for refuelling and diesel fuel transfer wherever the need arises.

The dispensing kits include a 12V diesel fuel pump, antistatic fuel delivery hose, battery cables with clips, a stainless steel & brass fuel filter and an automatic nozzle.

No assembly is required, each unit is supplied completely assembled, delivered with keys attached and ready to put to work. •

It’s a must for all trades and industries. Visit www.alemlube.com.au for further information.

↑ Strong, reliable and long-lasting. Alemlube’s diesel fuel storage and dispensing kits are invaluable for traveling tradies.

EXPERT WORK

Experience effortless precision metal cutting with Bosch EXPERT’s Cutting Discs.

With a robust and responsive Peugeot 2.0L HDi turbo diesel engine, Expert Van delivers a powerful, fuel-efficient performance. Choose the hands-on sixspeed manual transmission, or zip between locations effortlessly with the eight-speed automatic.

Metal cutting is a demanding process that requires the right tools for efficient and effective results. The Bosch EXPERT Range of Accessories metal cutting discs offer exceptional performance that can make cutting through the toughest metals seem effortless. As a professional on the field, you want a cutting disc that is reliable, efficient, and easy to use. The Bosch EXPERT Range of Accessories offers a line of metal cutting discs that promises to deliver on all these fronts and more.

This top range of metal cutting discs are engineered for durability. With high-quality materials like Bosch Carbide and Diamond Technology, they can withstand even the toughest cutting jobs, ensuring long-lasting performance you can rely on.

For unbeatable metal cutting performance, look no further than Bosch EXPERT’s hero product - the EXPERT Diamond Metal Wheel X-LOCK Cutting

Disc. Experience the ultimate solution in precision cutting with this superior cutting disc. This disc is equipped with the latest Bosch Diamond Technology that ensures a longer lifespan of up to 100 times*. Unlike many other discs in the market, this cutting disc is shatterproof and does not emit any chemical odour, and it has no expiration date, making it an ideal long-term investment for metalworkers.

The Bosch EXPERT Range of Accessories also has an impressive price-performance ratio that makes it the perfect choice for cost-effective solutions on the work site due to their reliability and topquality manufacturing materials.

For a reliable, high-quality metal cutting disc that pays off in the long run, choose Bosch EXPERT Range of Accessories. Their durable, efficient, userfriendly, and affordable range of cutting discs is a smart investment for any professional who cuts through metal regularly. •

Available exclusively at Sydney Tools: https://sydneytools.com.au/category/bosch-expert-accessories

Unlike other cutting discs out there, the Bosch Expert Cutting Disc doesn’t have a chemical odour, nor does it have an expiration date.

than Bosch 2608603169 Cutting Disc

↑

Primed AND ready

RIDGID® RP350 and RP351 Standard Press Tools.

Highly engineered to deliver superior quality and durability. The All-Day performance press tools.

Professional Tools Australia has added to its line of quality press tools with the new RP350 & RP351 Standard Press Tools as part of a commitment to continual development of technological precision products. The new press tools are ideal for making connections on residential and commercial plumbing jobs and are built for the most demanding job sites.

The new RIDGID RP350 and RP351 feature a brushless motor that is capable of over 100,000 press cycles and requires no scheduled maintenance. Gain access hard-to-reach locations with an endless 360° swivel head. Bluetooth connectivity allows the tool to be connected to a phone using the RIDGID Link app to manage important information like cycle count, battery life and other tool diagnostics. With the most advanced LED lighting and colour-coded status indicators for easy operation, the RP 350 and RP 351 have been upgraded from top to bottom. Unmatched performance. Zero timeouts.

The capacity of the new standard press tools is ½” to 4” copper and jaws for copper are available up to 2”. The hydraulic ram output is 32kN and the crimp cycle time is 4.5 seconds. Both tools are powered by an 18V advanced lithium battery which gives around 325 presses depending on various factors. Each tool weighs 3.2kg (excluding the

battery). The press tools are available in a kit with six jaws for copper, in a jawless kit or there is a gun only option.

The Ridge Tool Company is a world leading manufacturer of professional quality pipe and tube working tools serving the plumbing, mechanical, construction, HVAC, location, electrical and facility maintenance industries. The RIDGID® trademark is recognized by professional tradespersons and engineers for uncompromising product quality, performance, dturability and service.

RIDGID is committed to continual product improvement and new product development. Investment in talented people and state-of-the-art equipment allows RIDGID to produce innovative, high-quality products that help our customers get the job done right.

RIDGID is a business unit of Emerson of St. Louis, Missouri. Emerson’s global Professional Tools business offers a broad portfolio of reliable tools, connected equipment and software technologies for those working in mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades. The professional tool brands RIDGID, Greenlee and Klauke deliver trusted products that provide dependable performance to handle the industries’ toughest challenges. •

To learn more contact Ridge Tool Australia

Ph: 1800 743 443 or e: ridgid.australia@ emerson.com or www.ridgid.com.au

↑ Long-lasting and efficient – the RIDGID RP350 and RP351 is primed to tackle demanding plumbing jobs.

Eye-line

Sunnies that work as hard as you doUgly Fish photochromic safety range.

Every year, thousands of Australians suffer work-related eye injuries. The good news is many of these injuries are preventable through the use of appropriate safety eyewear .

Safety glasses have come a long way in the past decade. Tradies can now choose from more fashionable designs, new flexible and lightweight materials, and a range of choices in fit and shape to suit individuals.

Photochromic safety lenses

One exciting development is the introduction of photochromic lenses to safety frames.

Photochromic lenses automatically darken from clear lenses to smoke-coloured sunglass lenses when exposed to UV. So one pair of Ugly Fish safety glasses can now protect your peepers in any light conditions. For workers who move from indoor to outdoor, or early-morning starts to full sun, having a pair of glasses that works all day long means you’re less likely to forget to carry the right pair with you.

How does it work? The carbon molecules in photochromic lenses react to UV by changing their shape and absorbing light. This makes the lenses begin to appear darker. The more UV rays there are, the darker the lenses will become. It takes just 30 seconds for the lenses to darken!

The Ugly Fish Photochromic Safety range offers:

A range of styles from wrap-arounds to angular frames

• UV protection: Australians face some of the highest UV levels in the world. Ugly Fish photochromics offer up to Category

3 maximum UV protection

Shatterproof polycarbonate lenses –the lightest and most impact-resistant of all plastic lenses

Anti-fog coating for maximum visual clarity

Tough but lightweight Grilamid TR90 frame for all-day comfort. TR-90 provides high stress resistance and flexibility, combined with low density for reduced weight, and

• All certified to the Australian Safety Standard AS/NZS 1337.1 for medium impact, and the Australian Standard for Sunglasses and Fashion Spectacles 1067.1. •

Contact:

Website: uglyfish.com.au

Email: sales@piranhaeyewear.com

Phone: 1300 369 574 or +61 2 4284 7888

↓ Ugly Fish Twister Photochromic in Black.

Here, there, everywhere

PEUGEOT Expert Van delivers more for tradies.

With its strong design, the PEUGEOT Expert Van exudes robustness, reliability and the efficiency you demand. Packed with a wealth of features designed to support you and your business needs, PEUGEOT Expert helps you to pack more into every day. PEUGEOT gives you more too – because right now ABN holders can get a $3,000 Factory Bonus1 on new MY22 Expert Vans. Simply purchase and take delivery of a new MY22 PEUGEOT Expert Van before 30th June 2023, and you’ll receive a limited time $3,000 bonus1 towards your purchase.

Choose the PEUGEOT Expert that suits your needs with multiple short and long body versions ready for delivery. A mid-size van with a big heart, the Expert Van boasts a 1.4 tonne payload and a practical design that delivers up to 6.1 cubic metres of cargo space. Big enough to get all your jobs done, the Expert Van comes with a fuel efficient, yet responsive PEUGEOT 2.0L HDi turbo diesel engine.

Whatever the day ahead holds, you can rely on

this super capable workhorse to deliver cuttingedge tech, advanced safety, all-round comfort, maximum flexibility and uncompromising car-like driving dynamics thanks to PEUGEOT’s ergonomic i-CockpitTM layout.

Expert Van is available with plenty of safety technology too, including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Stability Control, and Speed Sign Recognition. A wide-view rear camera and sensors make short work of reversing, often a problem in a fully laden van.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard across the range, as is a steel bulkhead (with a glazed security mesh window) keeping you and your cargo separate. •

Discover more about the new PEUGEOT range in this issue of The Tradie: What Tradies Want. Or contact a Peugeot Professional dealer today to take advantage of the limited $3,000 Factory Bonus* for ABN holders.

↓ Peugeot’s Expert Van comes with a tonne of safety and utility features that make it invaluable to tradies.

*Factory Bonus applies to ABN Holders and will be applied in the form of a discount on the advertised driveway price, at the time of purchase on all new MY22 PEUGEOT Expert vehicles. Offer available while stocks last at participating PEUGEOT Professional dealers on new MY22 PEUGEOT Expert vehicles sold between 1/5/23 and 30/06/23 and delivered by 30/06/23. Offer excludes fleet, government, and rental buyers. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. PEUGEOT Australia reserves the right to change, supersede or extend this offer at its discretion.

Roof rack storage tips for work and play.

ALL SORTED

As the old saying goes: “time is money”. This applies to both recreational four-wheel drivers as it does to tradies who are using their vehicles for work during the week, and as an escape machine after Friday afternoon rolls by. You can’t buy time back, so why waste it?

One of the frustrating things about camping can be how long it takes to set up and pack away all your gear. And for tradies using roof racks for storage of ladders or tools, this is a daily battle that eats into productivity and overall profit if the process isn’t streamlined.

Here are some tips and tricks to help make storing gear on a roof rack easier, safer and quicker for both work and play using quality accessories from the Rhino-Rack range.

Eye Bolts with Zwifloc

Do yourself a favour and get some quality tie-down points or eye bolts like the PEB Eye Bolts Rhino-Rack offer. These will, however, open up your storage possibilities dramatically, by providing a secure tie down exactly where you need it when you need it.

Eye Bolts with Zwifloc will give you the correct place to tie down your load without having to loop around the slats of the roof rack. They are perfect for securing swags, kayaks, toolboxes, ladders… anything basically. And they make the physical act of securing your tools or camping gear much quicker. Now, that’s the aim of the game.

Rhino-Rack’s Eye Bolts with Zwifloc are a game changer when it comes to securing loads too. They are simple and easy to install on any Pioneer Platform or the Reconn-Deck system. Costing just $79 for a four-pack, they are also an affordable solution for a wide range of uses.

Tie-Down Straps

You won’t find a more versatile product than a good quality tie-down strap. They are strong, adjustable in length and secure loads to roof racks safely. Rhino-Rack offers a large range of loadsecuring tie-down straps and tie-down points to suit a variety of applications.

For everyday tasks like securing a ladder, storage box or a swag, Rhino Rack offers a twin-pack tiedown strap, which will work with fixtures up to 25mm in diameter. They are ideal for use with their Eye Bolt Kit, and have a lashing capacity of 225kg which shows just how strong they are.

Another innovative tie-down strap from Rhino-Rack is the Rapid Locking Straps, which are available in a 3.5m length, and the Rapid range of straps which are available in 3.5m, 4.5m and 5.5m lengths. The cam buckle system results in an easyto-use tie-down strap, and the 3.5m Raid Locking Strap, as the name suggests, is also lockable for added security and peace of mind.

For more task-specific tie-down points, RhinoRack have you covered. There are tie-down solutions including Recovery Track Straps, Paddleboard Tie Down Straps, Bonnet Anchor Straps, and a Kayak/Ski Bow Strap Bonnet Tie Down.

Stow It Utility Holder

Having a place to store long items like fishing rods, a paddle or a shovel can be a hassle. Rhino-Rack has a solution for this problem, the Stow It Utility Holder which can hold items that are 10-50mm in diameter and weigh up to 8kg.

The Stow It Utility Holder is a universal fitment item - a single-person installation on the RhinoRack Pioneer, Heavy Duty Bars and Vortex Bars. It’s

↑ Rhino-Rack has a massive range that are handy for the worksite, or weekend.

↗ The Stow It Utility Holder is simple to use with its ratchet-style locking mechanism.

also simple and easy to use thanks to the ratchetstyle locking mechanism. Best of all, you can store your longer items, such as a shovel out of your vehicle safe in the knowledge that it isn’t going anywhere thanks to the durable design.

Pioneer Rollers

If you are on the shorter side of life or just want to make things easier, something that shouldn’t be overlooked is a set of rollers mounted to your roof rack. Rollers on a roof rack have been traditionally used for sliding an aluminium tinnie into place. This couldn’t be further from the truth these days, as there are so many more uses for them.

Rollers are perfect for tradies wanting to transport long ladders on a roof rack, as well as getting long bits of wood to the job site. This method is safer, quicker and won’t potentially scratch the roof rack surface in the process, by relying on the roller to slide the item into place.

You can also use rollers to put a long double swag into position on your roof rack, or even a kayak after a long day exploring on the water.

Using Stow It to Mount Accessories

The neatest way to mount accessories such as an awning or high lift jack to your roof rack is to use the correct bracket that is specific to the task. Gone are the days of drilling holes into roof racks and using ugly U-brackets from the hardware store to

bolt on an awning. The same goes for your high lift jack.

Having specific mounting brackets, such as those offered in the Stow It range from Rhino-Rack, makes the installation of accessories quick and easy. More importantly, they make removing accessories simpler. This is important when you are bogged in the sand and need to access your shovel and jack as quickly as possible. It’s also handy in the event you need to alter the roof rack layout to suit a different job or trip.

Rhino-Rack’s Stow It system is super versatile and will save you time and effort every time you need to use it. The Stow It Base Bracket will allow you to secure anything from vehicle-mounted awnings, an LED light bar, the Utility Holder for your shovel or even the large Utility Holder to secure a high-lift jack.

To take a closer look at the massive amount of mounting possibilities offered by the Rhino-Rack Stow It range, visit www.rhinorack.com/stow-it. •

With the EOFY upon us, it’s the perfect time to upgrade your roof rack with gear from Rhino-Rack.

Unrivalled CAPACITY

Renault’s latest Trafic bringing the goods.

With a robust and responsive Peugeot 2.0L HDi turbo diesel engine, Expert Van delivers a powerful, fuel-efficient performance. Choose the hands-on six-speed manual transmission, or zip between locations effortlessly with the eightspeed automatic.

For tradies looking for the ultimate in utility, efficiency and comfort, look no further than Renault Trafic. The trusted van for tradies across a decade brings unparalleled upgrades in its latest version.

Day-to-day convenience

Renault Trafic boasts the longest load length in its category, with up to 4.15m available giving massive stowage potential for everyday work. It comes with the options of a long and short wheelbase, along with a max cargo area of 6.7m³. Overall, Trafic delivers the space and options to ensure you have all your day’s tools, equipment and materials accessible.

Trafic’s height of 1.97m is also a huge advantage for those who need to access roofed or underground areas – such as car parks. But it doesn’t just end with capacity

convenience, with Trafic also proving an efficient mate when it comes to fuel consumption. Its best-in-class 6.5L/100km with the EDC automatic gearbox means tradies devote less time to the bowser spending money and spend more time on

↓ A class-leading load length of 4.15m gives Trafic plenty of stowage.

This is complemented by a large 80L tank and 2.0L turbocharged engine, giving you the power for a full day going between jobs.

Quality comfort

Trafic not only provides the goods when it comes to convenience, but it also delivers peak comfort for drivers.

Improvements in ergonomics, design and finishes give Trafic a professional, car-like feel that’s more than just a work vehicle. Its modular seating allows for various configurations, including a workspace for those who need a portable office when they’re on the road.

The latest tech is also at your fingertips in the form of an eight-inch easy link touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth, DAB+ and USB connectivity.

Has your back Renault also brings a litany of safety features to Trafic to ensure the ride is not only efficient, but worry-free.

As well as adaptive cruise control, Trafic Pro and Premium variants come with the latest in vehicle safety tech. Trafic Pro features lane-departure warning and car-to-car Active Emergency Braking Systems. Trafic Premium adds blind-spot monitoring and tyre-pressure warning, traffic-sign recognition, electric folding door mirrors and front and rear parking sensors. •

Trafic is the ultimate mate for tradies on the job, and starts from $49,000 before on-road costs. For more information visit www.renault.com.au.

↑ Trafic’s cabin is designed for all-day use, including as a mobile office.

Supporting the fighters, admiring the survivors, celebrating hope.

SUPPORTING THE FIGHTERS, ADMIRING THE SURVIVORS, CELEBRATING HOPE.

Worklocker is proud to support the partnership between Bisley and the National Breast Cancer Foundation and is committed to joining them in the fight against breast cancer.

Worklocker is proud to support the partnership between Bisley and the National Breast Cancer Foundation and is committed to joining them in the fight against breast cancer.

Worklocker is delighted to be an official stockist of Bisley's Platinum Partner NBCF shirts. For every shirt sold, a $3 donation is sent directly to the NBCF.

This donation will help fund game-changing research for effective prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

Worklocker is delighted to be an official stockist of Bisley’s Platinum Partner NBCF shirts. For every shirt sold, a $3 donation is sent directly to the NBCF. Visit worklocker.com.au for more!

↑ Pretty in pink, and for a good cause!

This donation will help fund game changing research for effective preve ntion, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

Purchase your Bisley NBCF shirt at your local Worklocker store or on our website to join the mission to stop deaths from breast cancer.

•

Purchase your Bisley NBCF shirt at your local Worklocker store or on our website to join the mission to stop deaths from breast cancer.

HARDCORE COATING

Ute beds as good as new with Herculiner.

Utes have achieved a level of popularity never imagined when Ford built the first unit in Australia in 1934.

Keeping a work vehicle looking sharp is tough when it spends its weekdays humping tools and machinery to work sites and having all kinds of abrasive materials loaded in the tray.

Even on weekends a ute is likely to be hauling trail bikes, camping gear and even rubbish for a quick run to the tip.

A ute floor gets quite a beating, and if it’s not cared for, the devaluation of an otherwise sound vehicle can considerable, not to mention the heartbeaking effect it can have a good ute’s appearance.

There’s a product that can put a stop to all that.

Herculiner

Herculiner is a two-component bed-liner that prevents rust and is resistant to petrol, oils, solvents and other chemicals. It has high scratch resistance, adhesion, impact resistance and chemical and skid resistance, and provides a non-slip coating with a textured, tough, durable layer that won’t chip, flake or peel.

Herculiner’s proprietary solventbased formula adheres better to surfaces than water-based products, and it can bond to virtually any surface or material: metal, concrete, aluminium, asphalt, rubber, fibreglass, and plastics including PVC. It even adheres to itself, so it can easily be repaired with additional applications.

Get it on

Herculiner can be applied with a brush, roller or spray compressor, and the application process begins with cleaning the surface of all dirt and grime and masking off areas to be painted. All paint areas must be scuffed to remove gloss

and the surfaces wiped down with Xylene (Xylol), Acetone or MEK solution.

The Herculiner parts must be thoroughly mixed before use and during application so the rubber particles remain suspended and to ensure an even application. A light first topcoat acts as a primer, then, after about four hours when the product is dry to the touch a second coat is applied.

After 24 hours of curing it’s ready for light use, and after three to five days it’s in good shape to protect the ute floor from the heavy knocks and scrapes of a solid work day. •

Find

↓ Herculiner is a twocomponent bed-liner that prevents rust and is resistant to petrol, oils, solvents and other chemicals. It provides unparalleled protection to a ute tray.

TRIPLE THREAT

Variety and unparalleled security go handin-hand with Gainsborough’s Trilock designed hardware.

The Trilock’s unique 3-in-1 technology makes it the most secure lock for Australian front doors. This kind of top-notch design gives tradies the peace of mind they’re installing the best for their customers. Its simple, yet effective, design combines these three features:

users can just turn the knob or lever. This ease of use is not only convenient, it improves safety in the case of an emergency.

Deadbolt for security – The Trilock’s keyoperated double-cylinder deadbolt and a 20mm throw will have homes and everything inside securely fastened. A single cylinder Trilock features an inside turn-button.

Passage set for convenience – Users can set the Trilock to be unlocked or unsnibbed, allowing free passage in and out of the home.

You can find more information on Trilocks technology at www.gainsboroughhardware.com. au. As with all quality locks and door pieces from Gainsborough, there’s plenty of variety in terms of styles.

Of course, there’s the classic chic look of the Trilock Traditional. There’s also the more modern aesthetic in Trilock Contemporary. Chasing a minimalist design? Why not go with Trilock Eclipse? There’s also the bold and impressive Trilock Omni which sports a concealed lever behind an eyecatching 600mm pull handle.

All Trilock sets have state-of-the-art tarnishresistant finishes with a solid-brass, double-fivepin Euro cylinder which can also be keyed to match other Gainsborough locks for added convenience.

Trilocks are tested and developed in Australia and have a lock body that can easily replace old locks in standard 54mm holes. •

↑ Gainsborough’s Trilock system is simple for installation and secure for its user. Picture: Joel Barbitta @ dmaxphotography.

↙ The Trilock Contemporary provides a sleek look for a bespoke entryway.

You can find more information on Trilocks technology at www.gainsboroughhardware.com.au.

Secure and simple: Gainsborough’s Trilock technology.

GRIP

Meet the MegaFlex

Tradies need a tool with jaws of steel that can be relied upon day in, day out. This is where the Xtreme Griplox range from Excision comes into play.

The latest Excision offering sports plenty of pliers in a tonne of configurations, including the MegaFlex, which sets itself apart from the pack with its bevy of features.

MegaFlex by name and mega flex by nature, this bad boy is perfect for those bigger applications – like holding large piping. Its precise and powerful clamping is second to none, as is its new ergonomic lever action with easy-release trigger and easy-to-use finite adjustment with a capacity of 100mm.

The MegaFlex also sports a unique five-step adjustment which makes it even more versatile and user-friendly.

All tools in the Xtreme Griplox arsenal offer professionalgrade strength, quality ergonomics with a quick and smooth release, as well as extra-wide jaws for those situations which need a serious grip. •

The Xtreme Griplox range also includes the Original, Welding, Long Nose and C Clamp pliers.

Excision’s newest offerings are available now, and more information can be found at excision.com.au.

↑ The MegaFlex plier has a unique five-step adjustment allowing it to be quickly set for larger applications.

You can build it with Fielders.

Evolved style

Fielders is a leading Australian manufacturer of steel building products, providing a wide range of high-quality solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. Fielders roofing, walling, fencing and rainwater products are designed and manufactured to meet the needs of the Australian building and construction industry and its clients.

Roofing products are an essential part of any building, and the Fielders range of roofing products is comprehensive. Fielders roofing is available in various profiles, including the familiar S-Rib™ corrugated cladding, bold deep corrugated CorroMax® roofing, the contemporary Finesse® range plus many more, giving architects and builders plenty of options to choose from to match the design of the building.

In addition to roofing, Fielders offers a comprehensive range of walling solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. The Fielders walling range also includes traditional corrugated cladding, as well as the more delicately corrugated Mini-Flute™ profile, the economical TL-5™ profile with its specially designed capillary grooves ensuring complete watertightness plus a suite of other products, all available in both ZINCALUME® steel and COLORBOND® steel finishes.

Fielders also offers a wide range of fencing solutions. S-Rib™ fencing is a popular choice, known for its sleek and modern design that provides a stylish look to any property. It, like all products in the Fielders fencing range, is made

from high-quality COLORBOND® steel and is available in a range of colours and sizes to suit different preferences and requirements. S-Rib™ fencing is durable, strong, and resistant to harsh weather conditions, making it ideal for Australian homes.

TL-5™ fencing is another popular option, with a unique design that provides a contemporary and attractive look to any property. It too is available in a range of colours and sizes, ensuring that customers can find the perfect fit for their home.

The Fielders fencing range also includes MiniFlute™ and versatile Slat Screening which offers a design that is ideal for privacy, screening, or decorative purposes. All Fielders fencing solutions are available in a range of colours and sizes, ensuring that customers can find the perfect fit for their property.

The Fielders® steel building products range is extensive and offers a wide range of choice to suit almost any building design. With a strong reputation for quality and innovation, Fielders is a trusted supplier of steel building products to the Australian construction industry. •

↓ Whether it’s roofing, walling or fencing, Lysaght has you covered with a range of contemporary options.

A real catch

Ryco’s best comes through in RCC360.

Whether you’re making long treks between worksites or taking the ute out for a weekend roadtrip, having a catch can you can rely on is vital.

Ryco has been perfecting its offering of catch cans since entering the industry with the RCC350 in 2018.

Its latest iteration: the RCC360 brings the best in innovation and testing to drivers who push their rides to the limit.

There’s been plenty of changes in the catch-can industry across the past five years. Catch cans have been used on a massive array of engines, and it’s been proven engine modifications, engine wear, driving style and other things can heavily impact gas flow. It’s over this time Ryco has been working on ways to better extend engine life, reduce sludge build up and stop power loss with its catch cans.

Enter the RCC360. This elite piece features a service indicator at the top of the can to notify drivers when to change the filter. The RCC360 has an upper outlet position which prevents contamination from returning and removes contaminants down to 1µm (micron) from crankcase emissions.

This elite system is suitable for petrol and turbo-diesel engines with positive and negative crankcase ventilation, while the RCC360’s quick-connect features allow the hose to be disconnected quickly and plugs to provide a superior seal.

The RCC360K Universal Catch Can Kit comes with:

• An RCC160F replacement filter

• A black universal mounting bracket

Hose reducers, joiners, clamps

1m hose reducers, joiners and clamps, and High-strength, M8x35mm bolts, flange nuts, washers and zip ties.

Additional accessories are also available for purchase. • You can find out more about Ryco’s catch cans and other filter products at www.rycofilters.com.au.

↑ Caption

FREEtools!

Kincrome’s Tools for Life apprentice program

Oi! Are you keen on some free tools? Well check this out…

Australia’s premier tool company, Kincrome, has built a toolkit program aimed at giving apprentices access to quality tools.

Kincrome’s Tools for Life program will get new tradies off to a great start with quality equipment which could well last their entire career.

Get tooled up

The Tools for Life program gives certified apprentices free tools by redemption if they purchase a Tools for Life toolkit. It’s excellent value under any circumstances, but to youngsters starting out on their trade journey, usually struggling to meet meagre financial obligations with an even more meagre income, it’s a godsend. Instead of buying second-rate tools with scant funds, Kincrome is offering trade newbies an opportunity to get off to a flying start with trade-quality tools, right from the get go.

Naturally all Tools for Life tools are backed by Kincrome’s lifetime guarantee.

Tools are made from high-quality materials ensuring apprentices can concentrate on learning and completing jobs, not spend time worrying if their cheap spanners and sockets will know the corners off nuts and bolts.

Easy access

For a first toolkit or an upgrade, Kincrome and Morris Finance offer tailored finance solutions to suit everyone’s needs.

The Kincrome payment method allows collecting the tools today and paying them off from as little as $8.00 per week.

Specialists are on hand to help buyers make the right choice for finance and will be pleased to discuss the options on any Tool for Life kits.

On top of the tools for Life program, apprentices may also be eligible for an Australian government-supported ‘trade support loan’. Check out Kincrome’s website for details. •

If you’re a new apprentice or changing to a different trade, check out Kincrome’s full range of apprentice toolkits and the free tools available now at Kincrome.com.au/tfl.

↓ Free tools are available to any certified apprentices who purchase a Tools for Life kit.

Smooth as butter

Compact and accurate – the GHO 12V-20 from Bosch Professional Power Tools.

Comfortable, quick and clean – the GHO 12V-20 cordless planer from Bosch Professional Power Tools is an essential for tradies.

Gone are the days of elbow grease and manual planers, with this 12V plane slicing through timber with little effort. Its compact size and ergonomic handling make it great for smaller planing jobs great for smaller planing jobs with 0-2mm planing depth and 0-17mm rebating depth.

Despite its size, the GHO 12V-20 has plenty of nifty features. The easily removable battery pack houses a hex key to remove the planing knife, and a second knife stored inside the handle makes for a swift exchange.

The dial at the head of the GHO 12V-20 means quick and accurate depth setting, and a V-groove allows for easy setting for edge chamfering.

You can switch sides for dust extraction, and attaching a dust bag or vacuum takes no time at all, making the GHO 12V20 as clean as it is compact.

Specs:

Planing depth – 0-2mm

Rebating depth – 0-17mm

No-load speed – 14,500rpm

Max planing width – 56mm

Weight (excl battery) – 1.5kg •

You can find the GHO 12V-20 at any Total Tools, Blackwoods or Sydney Tools store. For more information on it and other Bosch Professional Power Tools, visit bosch-pt.com.au/au/en.

↓ The GHO 12V-20 features a V-groove to allow for efficient edge chamfering.

MAXIMUM PRO POWER. MINIMUM FUSS.