After 25 years cleaning windows, I knew exactly what tool I needed. The problem? It no longer existed. So I did what any slightly obsessed tradie would do: I made my own. What followed was a crash course in plastic injection moulding, overseas manufacturing, and the humbling realisation that the more you learn, the more there is to learn.

Every window cleaner knows the feeling. You've carefully squeegeed the glass, stepped back, and there it is: a soapy dag, a mineral deposit, a stubborn mark that a microfibre won't touch. The answer, as all good window cleaners know, is 0000 steel wool. It's been the answer for decades. The problem has never been the steel wool itself. It's been everything about how you hold it.

Sick of your ladder slipping at the worst moment? The XPRT Grip Clip is a lightweight, easy-to-use ladder stabiliser that clamps securely to gutters in seconds. Invented by a tradie after too many close calls, it’s built for real-world use—fast, strong and actually gets used. Learn how this Aussie-made tool went from idea to essential safety gear for tradies and DIYers.

I didn’t realise aluminium kicks like a mule. One chunk of cut-off metal barely missed my wife’s car (this was literally in the garage). I also learned not to wear a good shirt while cutting - the hot metal filings melt straight into the fabric.