BowJak Board Straightener by Vaughan & Bushnell

When I first saw this tool I thought, "Hey, great idea. I remember doing that board straightening maneuver with just a hammer and my chisel on site but with all the trickiness to do it properly."

With the Bowjak Board Straightener, they wrapped it all up into one simple tool that takes away all the headaches.

As long as you have access to an open joist, you're in business.

You hammer the tooth into the joist, pull on the bar and it pushes the board into line.

Simple, and lightweight at only 26oz.

No extra accessories are required. Works on single or laminate joists. So for the person who knows they'll only ever need to do this one task, this could be the tool for you.   It also comes at a great price of only $40.

This tool however, may not be for everyone because it only pushes.

Although they say you can work it hands free, I found to do so requires that you set your nail into the board first, pull the tool and then with your other hand nail it down.  With a bit of practice you will get it.

It doesn't necessarily work well with T&G boards but you could use it with hidden fastener tracks because it doesn't require a joist gripper.

It can't be used it with a rubber water proofing system where you would drape the rubber sheathing over the joists.

But for a simple straight forward tool, it’s one of cheapest, simply designed and well made tools on the market. Learn More...

MSRP $40-$65

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This article is from the 2011 Spring issue of our Deck INSIDER newsletter. If you're interested in getting knowledge, tips, and tricks about all aspects of decks straight to your email, sign up below or click here to learn more.

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This article is from the 2011 Spring issue of our Deck INSIDER newsletter. If you're interested in getting knowledge, tips, and tricks about all aspects of decks straight to your email, sign up below or click here to learn more.

Sign up for our newsletter here.