can you use power tools on a sunday supplier

Late-night users of power tools, stereos, and pool pumps might want to take note of the lesser known noise pollution rules revealed recently in a public police campaign.

Late-night users of power tools, stereos, and pool pumps might want to take note of the lesser known noise pollution rules revealed recently in a public police campaign

They stated power tools should not be used after 8pm or before 8am on Sundays and public holidays, and not before 7am on weekdays and Saturday (stock photo)

Ever wonder who owns Craftsman tools? How about Milwaukee, Mac Tools, or Skilsaw? It may surprise you to know that only a handful of power tool companies own your favorite tools. That’s right, most tool brands fall under a parent company that also controls additional power tool manufacturers and brands. We break it down for you…with charts!

Stanley Black & Decker (SBD) turned heads when it bought Craftsman Tools in 2017 after Sears closed 235 stores in 2015. The company owns many brands, however. Dating back to 1843 with a man named Frederick Stanley, the company quickly formed its roots. In 2010, it merged with another company that started in 1910—Black and Decker. As of 2017, the company maintains a $7.5 billion business in tools & storage alone. SBD brands include:

As it turns out, TTI owns Milwaukee Tool and a host of other power tool companies. It also licenses the RIDGID* and RYOBI names for cordless power tools (Emerson owns RIDGID). TTI stands for Techtronic Industries Company Limited (TTI Group). Founded in 1985 in Hong Kong, TTI sells tools all over the world and employs over 22,000 people. TTI is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and had worldwide annual sales of over US$6 billion in 2017. Their brands include:

Not anymore. In 2017, Chervon acquired Skil Power Tool Brands from Bosch. This added two big brands to their portfolio: Skilsaw and Skil. Chervon started its power tools business unit back in 1993, launching the EGO brand of cordless outdoor power equipment in 2013. In 2018, the company rebranded Skil (including the logo) and announced new 12V and 20V cordless power tools. Today, Chervon tools and products are sold by more than 30,000 stores in 65 countries. Chervon manufactures the following brands:

First off, Bosch Tools only represents part of the Bosch Group which includes Robert Bosch GmbH and over 350 subsidiaries across 60+ countries. In 2003 Robert Bosch GmbH combined its North American power tool and power tool accessory divisions into one organization, forming Robert Bosch Tool Corporation in North America. The company designs, manufactures, and sells power tools, rotary and oscillating tools, power tool accessories, laser and optical leveling devices, and range finding tools all over the globe. Bosch also manufactures the following tools:

Husqvarna Group manufactures chainsaws, trimmers, robotic lawn mowers, and ride-on lawnmowers. The Group also makes garden watering products as well as cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. They have a presence in more than 100 countries and employ over 13,000 people in 40 countries. Husqvarna Group also owns the following tools:

JPW owns several large brands including Jet, Powermatic, and Wilton. The company has its headquarters in La Vergne, Tennessee but also has operations in Switzerland, Germany, Russia, France, Taiwan, and China. They sell products in 20 countries throughout the world. Their tool brands include:

Apex Tool Group has its headquarters in Sparks, Maryland, USA and employs more than 8,000 workers. They operate in more than 30 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Annual revenues exceed $1.4 billion on the sale of hand tools, power tools, and electronics tools for the industrial, automotive, aerospace, and construction/DIY markets. The following tool manufacturers belong to APEX Tool Group:

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), Emerson controls power tool manufacturers and products in the industrial, commercial, and residential markets. While TTI licenses the RIDGID name for power tools, Emerson controls the following tools (among others):

Based in Wendlingen, Germany, TTS or Tooltechnic Systems owns Festool (electric and pneumatic tools), Tanos (not to be confused with the guy who destroyed half the universe), Narex, Sawstop, and now Shaper Tools. TTS is truly behind the scenes as it doesn’t really have appear to have its own website (at least not in the US) or an official logo. In bullet point format, its subsidiaries include:

Yamabiko Corporation started in 2008 and has three core business segments: outdoor power equipment, agricultural machinery, and industrial machinery. Based in Japan, Yamabiko is a global company with major markets in Japan and North America, and a growing presence in Europe and Asia. Tool brands include:

Founded over 100 years ago, ITW manufactures specialized industrial equipment, power tools, hand tools, and consumables. ITW operates in 57 countries with over 50,000 employees. They also have more than 17,000 granted and pending patents. ITW brands include:

Who makes Harbor Freight Power Tools remains a mystery—possibly because they may have switched suppliers in the past. Some have suggested LuTool, a company established in June 1999 supplies their power tools. LuTool has headquarters in Ningbo, China, and a North American office in Ontario, Canada. LuTool is owned by Gemay (Ningbo Gemay Industry Co Ltd) which also has its headquarters in Ningbo, China.

Not to be outdone, others have suggested Powerplus as the manufacturer behind the Drill Master, Warrior, Bauer, and Hercules lines of tools. Powerplus is a division of European company Varo with headquarters in Belgium.

Hilti and Makita are just Hilti and Makita. Hilti doesn’t have any subsidiary companies underneath them or a parent company over them. Makita, on the other hand, did acquire the Dolmar brand, bolstering its already-impressive line of outdoor power equipment tools. It’s pretty impressive the market share each of these companies enjoys!

We can’t leave out the popular house brands available at those big-box retailers and home improvement warehouses. Note that many (if not all) of the brands below represent ODM or OEM solutions. That means the tools get specified by the store but executed by another manufacturer. In other scenarios, tools are “offered” to a retailer and then manufactured in bulk upon acceptance of a buyer’s order.

While you may have thought you knew who owned all those power tool manufacturers, consolidation has changed the playing field. By far, Stanley Black & Decker demonstrates the largest buyout pattern. Companies like TTI, Apex Tool Group, ITW, and others also enjoy adding to their numbers.

Powered garden tools can be used any day of the week between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. This does not include gas-powered leaf blowers, chainsaws, and wood chippers, which have special limitations. Gas-powered chainsaws and wood chippers can be used Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, they can be used from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Powered garden tools, with the exception of wood chippers and leaf blowers, are limited to 78 decibels, measured 25 feet from the tool. Sound from wood chippers cannot exceed 100 decibels.

Commercial buildings are required to have emergency standby generators to operate emergency lights, elevators, fire alarms and fire pumps during power outages. Also, in recent years it has become increasingly popular for homeowners to install emergency standby generators. Consequently, the number of noise complaints related to emergency standby generators has been steadily increasing.

COMMERCIAL POWER EQUIPMENT – All engine- or motor-powered equipment intended for infrequent service work in inhabited areas, typically requiring commercial or skilled operators. (Examples of “commercial power equipment” are log chippers, paving rollers, etc.).

DOMESTIC POWER EQUIPMENT – Electrical, battery or generator powered equipment intended for use in residential areas by a homeowner. (Examples include but are not limited to chain saws, log splitters, power saws, drills, grinders, lawn and garden tools.)

(1) Daytime threshold: During daytime hours, no person or persons owning, leasing or controlling the operations of any source or sources of noise shall willfully, negligently or through failure to provide necessary muffler equipment or facilities or through failure to take necessary precautions make or permit any continuous, intermittent, recurring, scheduled or seasonal activity which generates noise from a building, device, explosive, machine, commercial power equipment, construction device, recreation vehicle, motor vehicle or any other man-made source, if that noise, when recorded at a distance of fifty (50) feet from its source, exceeds levels shown in Table 1 for the applicable land use in the appropriate Zoning District. In addition, no person shall engage in any continuous, intermittent, recurring, scheduled or seasonal activity which generates noise from a building, device, explosive, machine, vehicle or any other man-made source if that noise is exceeds or is likely to exceed normal background noise levels by more than ten (10) dBA.

(2) Nighttime threshold: During nighttime hours, no person or persons owning, leasing or controlling the operations of any source or sources of noise shall willfully, negligently or through failure to provide necessary muffler equipment or facilities or through failure to take necessary precautions make or permit any continuous, intermittent, recurring, scheduled or seasonal activity which generates noise from a building, device, explosive, machine, commercial power equipment, construction device, recreation vehicle, motor vehicle or any other man-made source, if that noise, when recorded at a distance of fifty (50) feet from its source, exceeds levels shown in Table 1 for the applicable land use in the appropriate Zoning District. In addition, no person shall engage in any continuous, intermittent, recurring, scheduled or seasonal activity which generates noise from a building, device, explosive, machine, vehicle or any other man-made source if that noise exceeds or is likely to exceed normal background noise levels by more than five (5) dBA.

(7) Noise from domestic power equipment operated between the hours of 7:00 am. and 7:00 p.m. weekdays, and on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays between the hours of 9:00 am. and 7:00 p.m.

The regulations cover 57 types of outdoor machinery typically used on construction sites or in large parks and gardens, such as chainsaws, cranes, dumpers, excavators, lawnmowers, leaf blowers and power generators.

Equipment must display the relevant Guaranteed Sound Power label. Manufacturers must also declare conformity with all relevant legislation by affixing:

The City of Alexandria cannot regulate train noise due to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) regulations (Sec. 11-5-6-6, 8). However, construction on railroad property is regulated by Sec. 11-5-4 (b)15: "Construction Devices and Power Equipment."

In general, homeowners can conduct general construction work in the same permitted hours as those for power lawn and garden equipment. Homeowners are exempt from the Construction Hours provision of the Noise Code (Sec. 11-5-4 (b)10). This exemption does not apply when work involves use of power equipment, nor does it apply when the homeowner is acting as a general contractor and/or working for commercial purpose. Homeowners may engage in construction operations at their residences during the following permitted hours: