The right tools.

• Position: What's New

* Our contractor leaves us high and dry with only the molding to go on our almost-finished basement. No problem; my wife completes the job in a couple of afternoons. I buy all the materials to build a loft in our just-purchased shed, but fail to tackle the job right away. No problem; my wife builds it without even breaking a sweat. Her secret? No, not her all-thumbs husband; rather, the right tools.

Two recent additions to her burgeoning arsenal are the Navigator handsaw/jigsaw and Firestorm high-performance cordless drill, both from Black & Decker, Towson, Md.

The Navigator ($59.99)--sold with handsaw, curved-cutting, and metal blades--cuts wood, plastic, and metal. Although designed like a traditional handsaw in look and function, the Navigator is power-assisted, thus it has the accuracy and control of a handsaw, but eliminates the physical effort of cutting. Moreover, its 1/16"-wide blade prevents deflection and ensures straight 90[degrees] cuts.

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It converts from a handsaw to jigsaw in seconds, without any tools--simply attach the specially-designed jigsaw blade and you're ready to cut and shape rounded and curved work pieces. The powerful 3.4-amp motor provides up to 6,500 strokes per minute.

Power also is a key feature of the second-generation Firestorm drill, which comes in 12, 14.4, and 18-volt versions. (We opted for the plenty-powerful-enough 14.4 unit, $79.99) Besides more muscle, the new Firestorm features a Quick Connect Bit Change System, featuring a removable 3/8" keyless chuck that accepts both round and hex shank drill bits...