Had my old Roberts knee kicker finally give out on me last Tuesday

I was starting a job in a split-level in Akron, trying to get a good stretch on a 15-foot run. Gave it a solid kick and the head just snapped clean off the shaft, bounced right under the customer's china cabinet. Had to run to the local supplier and grab a new one, cost me about $220 and an hour of time. Anyone have a good trick for checking those old rivets before they let go?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_derek5d ago

Man, that's the worst kind of break. When a tool fails right in the middle of a stretch, it throws your whole rhythm off. I've had a rivet pop on an old kicker before, sent a spring flying across the room. Now I give the head a good wiggle check before any big job, listening for any play or weird clicks. It's saved me a couple times from a similar trip to the supplier.

ninasanchez5d agoOG Member

My old impact driver gave up halfway through a deck rebuild last summer.