The concept behind Hart Tools’ Quick-Tatch system is that one handle can be attached to many different trowel blades or float heads. At first this may not seem like a good idea, if you lose or break the handle you’re not just out the one tool, but the removable handle offers some other features you cannot find in separate fixed-handle tools.
The soft grip handle can be locked anywhere along the rigid metal spine of the trowel or float. It works in the same way as a quick-attach dovetail system. This means you can place the handle in the middle, like a regular trowel, or way at the edge if you need to extend your reach, or anywhere in between.
The handle is also designed to be reversible, so lefties don’t have deal with a right-handed tool. This could also come in handy when you’re laying down adhesive with a notched trowel in a tight bathroom, you can quickly reverse the handle to get in close to both the left and right sides without changing position or holding the trowel funny.
When you’re done working, the removable handle has another advantage – you can store all of your trowel blades and float heads in less space without the bulk of a built-in handle. If you buy the storage box, you can neatly hold several blades securely without worry.
The trowel blades are stainless steel with an aluminum spine riveted to them for the handle to grab. The floats have the same aluminum spine, but Hart Tools doesn’t mention which metal they use in the base of the gum rubber floats.
Here’s a list of all the trowels and floats in this system:
- 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″ Square-Notch Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- 1/4″ x 3/8″ x 1/4″ Square-Notch Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- 1/4″ x 1/4″ x 1/4″ Square-Notch Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- 3/16″ x 5/32” V-Notch Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- 1/4″ x 3/16” V-Notch Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- Finishing Trowel (11″ long x 4.5″ wide)
- Gum Rubber Grout Float (9.5″ long x 3.9″ wide)
- Oversized Gum Rubber Grout Float (11″ long x 3.9″ wide)
- Epoxy Grout Float(9.5″ long x 3.9″ wide)
Over at Home Depot, you can buy two different sets of the Quick-Tatch tools. The 3 piece combo ($15) includes a 1/4″ x 1/4″ x 1/4″ square-notch trowel, a gum rubber grout float, and a soft grip handle.
The 7 piece combo ($40) includes a 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″ square notch trowel, a 1/4″ x 1/4″ x 1/4″ square notch trowel, a 1/4″ x 3/8″ x 1/4″ notch trowel, a 3/16″ x 5/32″ V-notch trowel, a gum rubber grout float, a soft grip handle, and the blade storage box.
You can also pick up individual trowel blades or gum rubber floats for $8, an extra handle for $5, and the storage box for $13.
Buy Now (3 pc combo via Home Depot)
Buy Now (7 pc combo via Home Depot)
Buy Now (Individual Quick-Tatch components via Home Depot)
Update (in Response to Comments)
I stopped by one of my local Home Depots to see if I could answer some of the questions about the Quick-Tatch system.
First, the metal they use for the base of the floats appears to be aluminum, which would make sense. The floats don’t need to be as rigid, and the aluminum can sit in water for hours without rusting.
Second, the aluminum extrusion seems to be one piece. It appears that the trowel blades are spot-welded to the rivets in the aluminum. I’m not sure why it’s designed this way other than they needed somewhere to spot-weld the stainless steel trowel blade.
Third, the sample handle hanging on the shelf fit the aluminum track very sloppily at first. Even with the lever engaged it would slide along the extrusion. Then I noticed a Phillips head set-screw on the back of the handle. I gave it a few turns with my Leatherman, and this time the handle firmly gripped the extrusion and it felt more like a one piece tool.
Here’s Home Depot and Hart’s promo video, which also mentions another potential benefit – “over 20% savings” compared to buying individual tools: