Abstract: A plank and tile cutter incorporating a back gauge, the apparatus having a table incorporating a cutting blade for cutting tiles, operated through a pivotal and leveraged handle, cam operated, to forcefully lower the cutting blade into a cutting operation. The back gauge secures to the backside of the apparatus, and the gauge includes a scale to provide for precise measurement of the tile to be cut, and includes a guide that not only supports the backside of the tile to its precise dimension to be cut, but also furnishes support for the lead end of the tile during performance of the shearing function. The guide of the back gauge can be easily loosened, for resetting, simply by viewing its applied scale, and then refastened tightly to provide the guide for repeat cutting through the use of the cutter during application. Related types of side rails and angled guides may be provided upon the surface of the table, to further angulated cuts, as may be required.

Abstract: A carpet installation apparatus is provided. The apparatus can have inner and outer telescoping tubes that are operated by a threaded rod wherein one end of the rod engages a nut or receiver on the inner tube and the other end of the rod extends through an end wall of the outer wall for attachment to a handle. Turning the handle rotates the rod and moves the inner tube inwardly or outwardly relative to the outer tube. The apparatus further includes legs extending substantially perpendicular to the tubes, the legs having pin blocks disposed on the ends thereof for gripping carpet during the installation of the carpet.

Abstract: A modular trowel handle device comprises a handle section to provide a handle interface for a user of the trowel handle. A post extends from the handle section and a mounting surface is coupled to the post and extends generally parallel to the handle section. A trowel blade receiving plate includes engaging structure configured to engage a connector of a trowel blade. The trowel blade receiving plate is coupled to the mounting surface and is formed from a different material than the mounting surface.