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• July 12, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 21% on a Cook's Kitchen Must-Have

  The swing spout of this Oil Rubbed Bronze Brass Restoration Pot Filler Faucet is a beautiful and useful addition to your dream kitchen design. It supplements the regular kitchen faucet, enabling you to fill large pots right on the stove....

• 12:57

  Preview: Duo-Fast Cap Gun

  

  When I think “cap gun,” an entirely different image comes to mind for me than the one pictured above. However, this cap gun from Duo-Fast is a pneumatic-powered monster of a helping hand. Roofers and siding guys normally look upon cap staplers as a necessary evil with their jams and constant need to fuss over them. Duo-Fast’s DF150-CS claims to fix that.

  Offering a significant boost to productivity on the job is Duo-Fast’s exclusive 240-cap spool system. The system enables Duo-Fast to offer the best cap capacity in the category, a perfect compliment to the tool’s 110-staple capacity. When it is time to add fasteners, an open-loading design makes reloading quick and easy and eliminates the hassles that previously accompanied the process. Users can easily switch between three firing modes: bump, sequential, and staple-only. The three-mode firing system is new to the industry and is certain to make a lot of end users happy. When driving both caps and fasteners, the 18-gauge stapler drives 3/8” crown staples 1” in length. In staple-only mode, the DF150-CS is capable of driving narrow crown staples from ¾” to 1-1/2” in length.

  Actually, we have no doubt that the DF150-CS will do what it says it will. Mostly because it reminds us of another cap gun, namely the CS150 from Paslode.

  

  Just a guess, but we’re thinking that the Duo-Fast will perform much the same as the Paslode, which is to say well. So if you prefer blue to orange, this one’s right up your alley.

  Duo-Fast [Website]

• July 13, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 39% and Collect Mail in Style

  The modern look of this Umbra Postino Mailbox will give your curb appeal a boost. It is made of weather-resistant, brushed stainless steel and package includes what you need to mount it up on the wall. Get it today for...
• July 14, 2011
• 0:01

  Vintage Vermont maple-sap bucket

  These colorful steel buckets were salvaged from a Vermont farm approximately 50 years ago. They were originally used to collect sap from maple trees for making world-famous Vermont maple syrup. Now these vintage galvanized-steel pails are enjoying a second life, and can be used around the home, garden and patio for displaying and storing virtually anything from kindling and dried flowers to magazines and hand tools. The made-in-the-USA buckets are about 9 inches in diameter and 13 inches tall. They come in three colors (blue, yellow and orange) and are sold on-line for $30 apiece.
• 10:11

  Deal of the Day: Save $19 on an Outdoor Wicker Folding Table

  This little wicker table is ready for outdoor entertaining or relaxing when you are. It is weather resistant and light enough to move around different spots on the patio or deck. It is the right height to hold refreshments next...

• 19:34

  Incandescent Bulbs Might Live On

  

  If you’ve been following the whole compact fluorescent craze, you’ve probably heard about a bill designed to slowly force manufacturers to make light bulbs more efficient. It’s a serious issue — considering that each and every person in modern nations has at least a couple of these burning a few hours a day, this is fertile ground for big worldwide energy savings. But it could be a serious pain in the ass, too. The law’s “higher standards” have pretty much set the stage for traditional incandescent bulbs to become unavailable over the next decade, but CFLs (and LEDs) haven’t yet reached fully comparable price levels.

  Whatever your politics, I’m guessing you can see how this could become a charged issue, especially in times of governmental (and personal) financial duress.

  This week CNNMoney ran an article giving us a taste of the battle that’s forming around this legislation — and the possibility of voting it out before it takes effect. You can head over there via the link below to read about the politics, but honestly that part of it doesn’t interest me much. What does interest me are the arguments for and against the law.

  CNNMoney points out that the the NRDC (who has their own motivations, I suppose) believes that even with the higher prices of more efficient bulbs, “Americans would save a total of $12 billion a year by 2020 if the standards are left in place due to lower electricity bills.” Less energy used equals less pollution, too. Opponents, though, note that the mercury content of CFLs might offset some of the pollution benefits of the bulb’s more efficient use of power, and let’s face it: these bulbs aren’t cheap.

  A quick trip to the local big box’s website shows that a “100W equivalent” CFL bulb runs about $3.50 ($7 for two) whereas a 100W “soft white multipurpose incandescent” bulb costs just $0.34 ($8 for 24). A “60W equivalent” LED bulb runs a whopping $40.

  I haven’t done the math yet, but I’m guessing you’d probably come out ahead on the CFLs, though the ones I found were the twist-type, which don’t work (for me, anyway, visually-speaking) in exposed installations. And that’s assuming that you don’t break one early by other means. The LEDs are cool. I tested one for Popular Science a few years ago, and the one I got in for test is still burning in a lamp here in the house. It’s cool to the touch all the time, which is nice. But not $40 vs. $0.34 nice, at least in my opinion.

  So what do you think? (About the lights, not the politics, thank you. I’m sure your party is the best. You don’t need to tell me here.) Have you already made this swap at your house? Do you think it’s a good idea to take the old bulbs off the market? Let us know in comments.

  (Thanks, Jeff Kubina, for the great CC-licensed photo.)

  Light Bulb Ban Riles Up Lawmakers [CNNMoney]

• July 15, 2011
• 11:47

  Deal of the Day: Save 60% on Moving Men

  Not real moving men—but these little helpers will make your house move, furniture rearranging, or cleaning behind appliances much easier! A set of four large and four small disks, made of slippery polymer and a cushioned pad, slip under furniture...

• 15:09

  Cheap-Ass Tools: Composite Ratchets

  

  We’ll admit to being a little stumped on this one. Harbor Freight lists the above pictured item as a “composite ratchet,” but we’re not exactly sure which parts are plastic composite. The description page lists a “lightweight, rugged composite handle” but also touts “chrome vanadium steel construction.” Is it an all-composite handle, or does it just sport a cover-all “PVC composite” grip? Either way it’s just $10, and we’ve heard some positive buzz about it on various tool forums.

  It’s certainly not going to compete with your brand name, tough-as-nails ratchets when it comes to pure resistance to brute force — we’ve never found a Harbor Freight tool that does — but it might make sense for lighter-duty jobs, especially if they involve working around easily-scratched surfaces. (Whenever I think about that kind of work, I hear my polished-machine-screw Harley-riding buddy talking up the special tools he uses to service it without scratching the fasteners. Really.) We also noticed its high-tooth-count gearing (72 teeth), which should make it pretty easy to position accurately for working in tight spaces.

  It looks like the ‘Freightster offers a variety of ‘em, too: We found a 1/4″ model for $8 and a 3/8″ model for $9. Buy at your own risk. But hey, it’s $10. How much risk is that?

  1/2″ Heavy Duty Composite Ratchet [Harbor Freight]

• 15:29

  Where Not To Carry Knives – Jackass

  

  We often go on about the value of pocket knives and how handy they are to have around in everyday life. On occasion I stow a small Swiss Army knife with me in a checked bag (not carry-on) when I go on a business trip. However, that does not translate to carrying knives on planes in the carry-on section, as Mr. Amr Gamal Shedid of Baltimore attempted to do in D.C. earlier this week.

  All we can say is “Huh?” Mr. Shedid states he’s a collector of knives, but what kind of jackwagon decides it’s a good idea to try to bring gravity, switchblade, and butterfly knives in through security?

  The only reason the transit police will be able to come up with for you trying to waltz through security with knives like that is that you mean to do harm to someone else. The TSA may take a lot of heat in the media, but honestly — with this knife collection in a place like that, we can’t draw another conclusion either.

  Mail the damn knives home or wherever you’re going.

  TSA finds 13 knives in carry-on at DC-area airport [Yahoo News]

• July 16, 2011
• 0:01

  Great grilling--guaranteed

  Here's an incredibly simple and absolutely fool-proof way to grill meat to the perfect temperature--each and every time. The Steak Station meat thermometer has four color-coded probes that allow you to read the interior temperatures of four steaks simultaneously. And best of all, you don't have to worry about remembering degree settings; the monitor reads out the levels of doneness as: Rare, Medium, and Well. The stainless-steel probes are attached to 23-inch-long, heat-resistant cables, which plug directly into the monitor. Besides beef steaks, the probes can also be used to read the temperature of pork cutlets, chicken breasts, even hamburgers. The Steak Station runs on one AAA-size battery and is available on-line for $29.
• July 18, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 20% on a Rainshower Showerhead

  The trendy way to take a shower is in the rain! This new 8-inch diameter Moen S6320 Velocity Multifunction Rainshower in Chrome lets you choose between two different sprays. Refresh your bathing routine and start singin' in the rain for...

• 18:55

  Do You Really Need A Laser On Your Circ Saw?

  

  Yeah, we’ve made all the “frickin’ laser” jokes we can think of, and Sean even drew up a comic making fun of manufacturers’ predilection toward slapping lasers on anything and everything. But as we have yet to spend quality time with a laser-toting circ saw, we thought we’d ask you: Do you have any use for the laser guidance option on your circ saw?

  A few parameters to the question:

  First, have you actually used one with a laser? We haven’t, which is why we’re asking. Like you (probably), we suspect that it’s not necessary. We’ve never really had trouble finding the cut line with simple notches in the shoe. And how does the laser work in terms of showing you the 0 vs the 45 degree bevel cutlines? I’m guessing that, since the laser appears mounted in the blade plane, the bevel won’t change things and you’ll continue to see a good line on your workpiece.

  What about laser positioning? We’ve seen LEDs on saws that light the cutting area — but not all the adjustments — leaving them pretty useless in the dark. Is there always enough material in front of the saw to give a good line with the laser? Does it suck on short cross-cuts?

  As always, we appreciate your expertise in comments. And we’ll probably find one with which to snag some hands-on experience soon.

  7-1/4″ Skilsaw w/Laser (Pictured) [Skil]

• 19:00

  Review: DeWalt’s Folding Retractable Utility Knife

  

  If you’re looking for a small, easily-pocketable utility knife, you’ll want a folder. But non-retractable folders are a pretty serious laceration hazard: You’re prone to leaving it lying around with the blade exposed, and you’ve got to deal with an exposed blade every time you fold it shut. That — plus seeing a friend cut the living crap out of himself folding one once — kept me from owning one. DeWalt’s new model, however, both folds and retracts, offering the same tiny stowed form factor without the danger.

  I wrote a preview of this knife when I saw its announcement a while back, but this week we got one in the office to play with, and as promised, I thought I’d share the details.

  What We Look For

  You can pay anywhere from a few cents to over $10 for a utility knife. So what makes one stand out from another? Easy: feel, build quality, and utility. While cheap-ass knives will indeed cut open a box, we’ve noticed a marked difference in how accurately we can cut with one model over another, and after breaking down hundreds of shipping boxes in the TM offices, we discovered that some knives tire us out faster than others.

  Features

  The most significant factor in feel is the knife’s shape. A slight curve in the knife positions your hand more comfortably, allowing you not only to push harder without strain, but also to position the blade more accurately. Notice that most cheap-ass knives are pretty much straight, eliminating that benefit. When unfolded, the DeWalt mimics the shape of their more-recent curved knives. So not surprisingly, we found it easy to manipulate and comfortable to hold.

  

  The black rear of the blade handle — which doubles as the cover for blade storage — is made of thick plastic and slightly textured on the outside, making for a grippy surface under your palm when cutting. DeWalt also placed a small similarly-textured pad at the front of the knife, located to fall perfectly under your thumb when you grab the knife.

  Like when auto makers chop the top off a car to make a convertible, folding knife manufacturers have to up the build quality and design standards to make a product that isn’t floppy and loose. Thankfully, DeWalt hit this mark as well. When locked into the open position, the DeWalt feels like a one-piece knife with virtually zero play in the hinge mechanism. The rest of the knife feels solid, too — thick and well-made, but remarkably light.

  The DeWalt’s retract mechanism is unremarkable, working smoothly and efficiently. It offers two retract positions: one fully-extended and one exposing just the tip of the blade. To replace a blade, just fully extend it, then push the small black button on the side near the front of the knife. This releases the blade and you can pull it out the front. Storage in the rear of the knife (under the black cover and to the side of where the knife itself stores when folded) holds three blades. Unlike the small, super-tight clips we’ve found in most utility knives, the DeWalt’s wide, low clip makes it easy to slide in blades. And while it holds them firmly in place, you can pull them out without yanking — another non-obvious but significant safety feature.

  In Use

  This knife is quickly becoming one of our favorites around the shop and house. It’s great to be able to take advantage of the smaller size of a folding knife without actually giving up any of the safety or functionality of a good quality full-sized knife. Around the shop it often ends up clipped to (or sometimes just jammed in) a jeans front pocket. Or if we’re using it a lot, it stays lying around in the open position, easily mistaken for a normal knife.

  We specifically appreciate the DeWalt’s blade holder. It’s significantly easier to stow or remove blades than with other models, and we like how they don’t flop around — plus we don’t have to disassemble the knife to get at ‘em. The DeWalt’s cover releases via a big latch that’s easily accessible under the knife when unfolded, and we never found ourselves smashing down on a tiny button or fumbling around with sharp razor blades.

  Conclusions

  MSRP for this knife is $10, and we figure that’s pretty much what you’ll pay for one when they’re readily available. So it’s placed much more toward the high end of the price scale. But we feel the DeWalt justifies the expenditure. We’d readily pay (literally) a few bucks over the price of a cheapie to score a comfortable, easy-to-use, high-quality knife. And that’s what the DeWalt is: For all practical purposes, it’s a full-sized, full-function knife that just happens to fold to half its size.

  

  Folding Retractable Utility Knife (DWHT10035) [DeWalt]

  PS: Kudos, DeWalt, for the easy-to-open packaging. You have no idea how many times we’ve had to use a utility knife to cut the indestructible plastic packaging off a tape measure or other small hand tool. Or wait. Maybe you do.

• July 19, 2011
• 0:01

  Giddyap: Sawhorse supports

  Slapping a piece of plywood onto a pair of sawhorses is an easy way to create a makeshift workbench. The only problem is that the plywood tends to sag in the middle. Sure, you can always slide some 2x4s under the plywood, but here's a better way: Build the workbench with Rockler's Sawhorse Supports. The steel supports, which resemble modified joist hangers (shown below), hook onto the sawhorse and accept a 2x4 cross brace. Once installed, simply set the plywood on top and you've got a perfectly flat, rock-solid table for piling lumber or setting up a miter saw, jobsite table saw or other benchtop power tool. You can cut the braces as long as necessary to span between two sawhorses. And the supports have mounting holes, so they can easily be screwed to the cross braces and/or the sawhorses. A set of four Sawhorse Supports (Item 40544) are available on-line directly from Rockler for about $13.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save on a Straight Sash Paint Brush Set

  Starting an interior painting project? Better get equipped with the right set of brushes—like this Behr Professional Series Straight Sash Paint Brush Set. All three sizes have extra firm, 100% solid round, tapered polyester filament. The design is meant to...

• 14:06

  A $60, 500 Lumen, USB Programmable Tac-Light… Maybe

  

  If you’re like me, you probably just like good ‘ole flashlights: cheap, easy to hold and use, and durable. But if you’re a fan of “tactical lights” (read: mean-looking all-metal lights powered by the latest unobtainum emitters and bright enough to scare vampires), you’ll get a kick out of this one. It’s lithium-ion powered, chargeable via a micro-USB jack hidden inside the O-ring-sealed tailpiece, and “programmable.” (No, really.) That’s right: We’ve got ourselves a flashlight nerd extravaganza.

  So like a Maglite, the makers intend to machine this tool’s body from a single hex-shaped chunk of aluminum. The funky shape provides better grip and keeps the light from rolling away from you when you put it down or drop it. But the real magic is in the LED. They selected the Cree XLamp XM-L, which gets a lot of discussion in forums as a badass little emitter, delivering a ton of light for its tiny dimensions. Indeed, the XM-L seems to be the emitter of choice for high-end “tactical” gear, and some quick Googling turned up quite a list of similar products.

  

  Unlike the makers’ claims, though, we found a number of options of similar size, weight, and claimed performance, like the OLight M3X Triton, for example. It’s about an inch longer and delivers 700 lumens to the Flex’s 500. Or the Fenix TK35, which is about the same size (lacking the OLight’s huge reflector head) and delivers 820 lumens. And you can buy them right now with no waiting and no possibility of getting your money back sans flashlight if the user doesn’t make good. Oh yeah, did we mention that the Hexbright lights are a Kickstarter project? You pays your money, you takes your chances.

  But the Fenix will set you back around $104, and the OLight clocks in at around $140. That’s twice the Flex’s $60, and if you’re willing to give up 150 lumens (but get back a little space in your backpack or on your tac belt), you have have the Prime for just $35. The Flex and Prime are more conveniently shaped, too, and you won’t have to lug around a special cable or wall-wart to charge the Prime’s li-ion battery; just jack it into a USB port via the standard micro-USB cable you’re probably already carrying for your cell phone.

  

  Even if you’re not interested in the flashlights, you might want to take a look at the datasheet on the Cree XM-L (warning, PDF). With a maximum drive current of 3000 mA, you can get an idea of how long it might run in given applications. If I’m reading this right, the Flex pumps in 1.6A while the Prime delivers just 1A to the XM-L, which would seem to explain why they (and other XM-L-based flashlights) deliver slightly different light output. If you’re choosing a light, you might want to take a look at the battery specs and do the math yourself, rather than trust manufacturer runtime “estimates.” This is also why many expensive-ass tac lights offer multiple light level selections — to keep you from burning the battery down in minutes on the highest “bragging rights” setting. The Flex, for example, offers high/medium/low settings at 500, 350, and 200 lumens respectively.

  Interestingly, the site is missing a few key bits of info, which I’m guessing is because they haven’t selected a vendor for all the flashlights’ parts yet. Specifically, we don’t know what model battery these will include, so we’re not sure about runtime. I also couldn’t find any information on what kind of “programming” you can do to the Flex via the USB port. The Kickstarter page’s title touts the Hexbright line as “an open-source light,” but I’m stumped as to what that means. Does it mean they’ll provide CAD drawings to it? Or will they post the microcontroller code and interface specs for the Flex to allow you to modify it for your own usage?

  Regardless, this project stood out a bit from the pile of 10 or more Kickstarter links that land in the TM inbox every day. As of this moment the project has drawn in over $200,000 in pledges — more than enough to meet its $31,000 goal — so it seems likely that you’ll eventually receive a light if you pledge. At the $35 level you receive a Prime, which will retail for a not-so-game-changing $55, the makers claim. (Add $10 for shipping to Canada or $15 elsewhere outside the U.S.) For $50 you get a Prime engraved with your name and you get to choose the color. At the $60 level you get the Flex ($90 retail), and for another $15 you get the engraving.

  HexBright, An Open Source Light [Kickstarter]
  OLight M3X Triton Tactical Flashlight Via Amazon [What’s This?]
  Fenix TK35 Flashlight Via Amazon [What’s This?]

• 15:14

  Dealmonger: A Decent $75 Cordless Drill/Driver

  

  We’re always writing about the latest and greatest drill/drivers here. But what about the guy who needs to get a job done around the house but only has, say, $50 to spend? Here’s an option: The Sears Outlet stocks the old-as-hell Craftsman C3 drill/driver for right around $30. Another $45 (conservatively) scores you a charger and a pair of the old DieHard 19.2V NiCd batteries.

  “But dammit,” you say, “that old thing sucks compared to a new DeWalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, or Ridgid model.” True. “And NiCd blows! You have to remember to take care of the battery. And charge it.” Also true.

  But if you’re not a use-it-every-day-to-make-your-living pro, what you really need is something that’ll get the job done, and the C3 will. Believe it or not, it’s the last cordless drill I bought before starting Toolmonger, and it’s still kicking around the shop. It makes a surprising 420 in/lb of torque. Sure, that rating’s inflated a bit because the C3 tops out at just 1,400 RPM (that’s about what you get from modern drills on their low-speed setting), but I bored many a hole in 1/8″ steel with it before moving on to bigger (and more expensive) drills.

  It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a lot of drill for $75. Just sayin’.

  C3 Cordless 1/2″ Drill/Driver [Sears Outlet]
  C3 19.2V Replacement Batteries (2 pk) & Charger [Sears Outlet]

• July 20, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 29% on a Triangle Sail Sun Shade

  Need a bit more shade these days? If the intense heat has made spending time outside difficult, this Triangle Sail Sun Shade offers a bit of aide. Made with breathable, heavy-duty, UV-stabilized fabric, the shade reduces the temperature and blocks...

• 10:20

  A Jobsite Camera For Scary Environments

  

  Remember how your parents would tell you not to stick your finger in a household electrical outlet, you know, so you don’t get electrocuted? Well, the International Electrotechnical Commission — the folks who set the safety standards for electrical test equipment — rate those measly single-phase outlets as “category II.” Some people have the cojones to work in what the IEC calls “CAT IV” environments. That’s three-phase power at the utility connection — stuff rated at 1,000V but can extend up to a whopping 12,000V.

  Those people are Greenlee’s target customer for their new FishFinder Plus Vision System. At first glance it looks like a chubbier version of every other portable jobsite camera you’ve seen. But as CAT IV veterans will tell you, little things make a difference when you’re working around power that can kill you instantly.

  For example, the FishFinder’s cable isn’t just non-conductively covered. Greenlee coats the FishFinder’s cable with two layers of material, the top layer in orange and the under layer in yellow. Any yellow visible on the cable indicates that scratches or wear and disqualifies the cable from CAT IV use.

  Besides the safety overload, the FishFinder packs the sorts of features you’d expect: Its camera sports a wide-angle lens that’s in-focus from 1/2″ to 12″, and two white LEDs on the camera head help you peer behind electrical panels — and even under water. You can digitally rotate the image on its 2.4″ color LCD screen 180 degrees. And it’ll store over 2,000 images on its built-in memory. (You can dump the images to a computer via a mini-USB jack.)

  We have no idea what these suckers sell for, but we’re betting they’re not cheap. Who buys cheap-ass tools when they’re effectively betting their lives on ‘em?

  FishFinder Vision System Plus [Greenlee]

• 13:24

  Cool Cans, Roundabout Donations

  

  In the market to buy a can of WD-40? It seems you now have options. Not to be left out of the commemorative soda can craze, the folks at WD-40 now offer a “collectable” series of four cans honoring those who serve. Pictured above, each of the four cans in the series pays tribute to a specific branch of the US military: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

  Admittedly, I’ve had the same old kinda-corroded-on-the-bottom can of WD-40 sitting on the shelf for at least the last six years. So I’m probably not the market for these. But if you go through the stuff pretty regularly, there’s no reason you shouldn’t stare at a cool picture on the side of the can while you’re doing whatever it is of the zillions of things you can do with WD-40. And as a bonus, for each can you buy, WD-40 will donate 10 cents across three armed forces-related charities: the Armed Services YMCA, the Wounded Warrior Project, and the Veterans Medical Research Foundation.

  It looks like you’ll pay about $3.50 for each of the commemorative cans versus about $3/can for the ordinary stuff.

  My take: If you like the cans, go for it. If not, just donate $0.50 (or more if you’re able) to one of the three charities, links below. Or hell, just fix the lawnmower for your deployed-overseas neighbor’s spouse. You get the idea.

  Donation Page [Armed Services YMCA]
  Donation Page [Wounded Warrior Project]
  Donation Page [Veterans Medical Research Foundation]
  Military Collector’s Series [WD-40]

• July 21, 2011
• 0:01

  Keeping cool all summer long

  If you've ever been to a health spa or fancy resort hotel, you may have seen water misters installed at poolside and above outdoor decks and patios. The misters spray a very fine mist of water into the air, which helps keep guests cool and comfortable during the heat of the day. Well, now you can enjoy that same cooling sensation at home with the Cool Patio Water Misting System. The easy-to-install kit includes a UV-resistant, braided-nylon hose with micro-mist nozzles. It also comes with a 10-foot-long supply line and hose-spigot fitting, and all the necessary mounting hardware. The Cool Patio Water Misting System is available on-line in three sizes: 10-foot with six misters ($25), 22-foot with 12 misters ($39), and 32-foot with 17 misters ($45).
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Keep Cool and Save $30

  Summer just won't relent. As nice at it would be to hibernate in the air-conditioning—you've got places to go! No problem! Just tote along a Handy Cooler, a portable fan that cools air down to 30 degrees F! Conveniently, it...

• 12:29

  Hot Or Not: Outdoor Patio Furniture w/Cushions

  

  At some point I’m going to have to break down and build some furniture for my patio. We visited a friend’s house recently and were blown away by the awesome landscaping and fence work in his backyard, which turned it from small, crappily-fenced square (i.e. like ours) into a relaxing miniature oasis. I understand the fence construction and landscaping, and I could definitely assemble some nice mission-style furniture for the project. But here’s something I’ve always wondered: Does furniture designed to have large cushions, like that pictured above, really work outdoors?

  To survive the weather, the cushions must be made of durable material. For example, the ones above (for sale at Lowe’s, link below) are made polyester and acrylic. They look comfortable, but I can’t help but wonder if they’re really scratchy and rough. And do they hold up well, or do they die a quick death in bright sunlight like the webbing in old-style folding chairs?

  Or does it make sense to simply have indoor cushions and just store them indoors until you’re planning to go outside? (That’s probably stupid, but I’m sure I’m not the first one to think about it.) Anyway, if you have some experience with all this, I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. Save a fellow Toolmonger some mistakes, eh?

• 14:37

  Review: CH Hanson’s Automatic Locking Pliers

  

  A few years back, Irwin released a series of Vise Grip locking pliers without a release lever. (You simply pulled on the handle to release them.) Now CH Hanson’s come out with another innovation in the field: self-adjusting pliers. Just squeeze to clamp ‘em down an whatever you’ve got at hand.

  We received the pliers in a press kit, complete with a set of brand name Irwin Vise-Grips and a little piece of steel with two different-sized nuts welded to it and a stopwatch. CH Hanson’s challenge: Lock each of the pliers onto both bolts plus the thin metal to which they’re attached and time the process. So we did. It took us 38.15 seconds to grab all the obstacles with the Vise-Grips and just 19.31 seconds with the CH Hanson automatics. One point for Hanson.

  But what about real use? We dumped the automatics in the shop work tray for a few weeks and ended up grabbing them to replace a Moen shower faucet cartridge — kind of a tricky test, actually. To remove the cartridge, you have to grab a relatively brittle plastic piece, digging into it a bit to get enough purchase to turn it (against possibly years of calcium buildup). Clamp down too hard, though, and you’re back in the shop looking for a drill and easy-outs.

  With standard locking pliers, getting this perfect grip involves adjusting the pliers slightly smaller than the target to add grip force, or slightly larger to grip less. The Hanson pliers offer similar functionality through a small screw in the center of the pliers. Tightening the screw makes the pliers grip harder, and loosening it weakens the grip. It’s a little more cumbersome than twisting the big knob on the Vise-Grips, but once you’ve dialed in a grip setting, it stays set until you change it again — even if you grab differently-sized items. Another point for Hanson.

  The Hanson’s release lever also operates backwards from what you’d expect: You push the Vise-Grip’s lever to the outside of the pliers to release, where the Hansons release with a squeeze toward the pliers. We can see the benefit. We’ve sent Vise-Grips sailing across the shop more than once by popping them loose under a lot of tension. The Hanson’s squeeze-style release promotes a better grip on the pliers. Just be prepared to start at it a second or two before you remember how they work.

  Honestly, we kinda laughed it up a bit when these arrived. Why mess with something that’s worked for years? But they’re actually pretty slick. And they feel every bit as sturdily-built as the Vise-Grips, unlike those cheap-o knockoffs you find in discount stores. Individual pricing runs around $9-10, and CH Hanson offers a huge selection of options ranging from needle-nose to C-clamp, and you’ll find plenty of two and three-pair kits online and in stores. If you use your locking pliers a lot, they’re worth a look.

  

  Automatic Locking Pliers [CH Hanson]
  Street Pricing [Google]
  Via Amazon [What’s This?]

• July 22, 2011
• 8:36

  A Seriously Tiny Cordless Screwdriver

  

  You’ve got a big-ass 18V drill/driver. And you’ve got a sub-compact 10.8/12V for smaller tasks. But what about micro-sized tasks? Think of this little cordless screwdriver as the automated version of your micro-driver set. It’s about the size of a large pen marker — 10.75″ long and just 1/2″ wide — and two AAA batteries turn it at around 100 RPM.

  Seriously, the idea of a cordless micro-screwdriver had never occurred to me. Generally when I break out my small screwdriver set, it’s to work on tiny, fragile things that I wouldn’t dare trust to a power tool. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from Toolmongers it’s to never assume that the way I use a tool is the way everyone uses it. This little gizmo would be handy as hell if, say, you needed to take apart something held together with 50 tiny screws.

  Its quick-change chuck accepts 1/8″ bits, and it ships with six of ‘em: 1/8″ and 1/16″ standard (slotted), #0 and #00 Phillips, and T6 and T5 star. You also get a holder for the bits. And it seems to sell for around $15-$20. (We found it at Home Depot for the high end of that figure, and it’s available for $16 from Amazon.)

  One thought, though: Is something like this useless without variable speed?

  Via Amazon [What’s This?]
  Street Pricing [Google]

• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 43% on a Robot Desk Lamp

  Summer is speeding by—and we know what that means—soon all the cool kids will have homework to do! This Holmes Robot Desk Lamp is a fun way to light up their desk. All the limbs are adjustable, and the clip-on...

• 11:39

  A Low-Buck Greenhouse

  

  We’re in the middle of a scorched-Earth summer here in Texas, but I know that some of you up north –especially those of you into gardening — are already starting to think about how you’re going to handle the snow-laden “off” season. Here’s a thought: Build yourself a low-buck greenhouse. What’s “cheap” for a greenhouse? Try $140.27. At least that’s what David LaFerney claims he spent to build the one you see pictured above.

  LaFerney details the whole build process — complete with pictures and a whole lot of really helpful how-to language — over on The Door Garden. It’s essentially what he calls “a hoop house,” assembled from 20′ lengths of PVC tubing bent into arches and attached to a small 1×4 and ply frame. These “ribs” are then held together with stringers and covered in cheap plastic sheeting. (He suggests that real greenhouse plastic would likely prove more durable and better for the plants, but will also take a bigger chunk out of your wallet.)

  Anyway, if you’re looking for a cheap way to get into year-round gardening, his writeup is a pretty good read. In good DIYer form, he spends less time telling you what to do than he does explaining why he chose the path he chose–and why you might want to vary from it. And if you’re wondering whether the greenhouse worked out, check out his post six months later documenting his plant-tending exploits in said greenhouse.

  How to Build My $50 Greenhouse [The Door Garden]

• 12:33

  Questionmonger: What Is This Tool?

  

  TM reader Jim sent us a photo of this unidentified tool which he suspects is a “blacksmith’s bullet mold that didn’t turn out. Maybe a bullet mold blank?” My first thought is that he’s probably at least partially right. Its long handles, bent-tapered-rod construction, and hinge design clearly identify it as a blacksmith’s tool.

  It could just be a very specific pair of pliers, though. The advantage to making your own tools is that you can make them for whatever task you commonly perform; maybe the maker wanted to get a slightly better purchase on something thin and flat.

  The little triangle (and possibly the wedged line next to it) are likely what blacksmiths call a “touchmark” — a symbol that each ‘smith designs to sign his or her work.

  Thoughts from some of our blacksmithing Toolmongers?

• July 23, 2011
• 0:01

  Grow it, grill it garden pot

  Here's the perfect outdoor-living product for apartment dwellers who have balconies or small patios. The Hot-Pot Barbecue Grill is a combination planting pot and charcoal grill. The compact unit consists of two main components: The lift-off top tray serves as a shallow pot for growing herbs, vegetables or flowers. The larger bottom section is used for grilling food, and comes with a perforated stainless-steel grill and steel liner that holds the charcoal. The Hot-Pot Barbecue Grill is about 10 1/2 inches high x 14 1/2 inches in diameter. It's available on-line for about $125.
• July 25, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Organize Your Tools and Garage

  If your checklist of do-it-yourself projects keeps growing—chances are your collection of tools is too. If your garage is suffering from the lack of order, check out The Bulldog Hardware Peg-A-System Ultimate Kit. It includes four peg board panels (totaling...

• 15:01

  Meet Princess, The Bosch Accessories Mascot

  

  The folks at Bosch saw last week’s post about tool sculptures and sent along these pics of “Princess,” their Bosch accessories mascot. She’s five feet tall, and yes, she’s built from and completely skinned in various Bosch accessories.

  Her core is made of sculpted foam to which all kinds of accessories — sand paper, reciprocating/jigsaw/circular saw blades, screw driver bits, screw extractor bits, Dowling points, countersinks, Daredevel auger bits/spade bits, diamond blades, abrasive cup wheels, and lots of chisels, just to name a few — are attached with resin. Conceived of in the Bosch halls, Princess was given form by Acme Design, a company based in Elgin, Illinois.

  

  I think her head is her most flattering bit, and I bet she can unscrew anything in the world with those teeth.

• 15:21

  Top Gear — Colonial Style S2

  

  Curmudgeon it up if you like, but the second season of Top Gear America has just launched Sunday night and it was, for lack of a better term, “gut busting.” I really do feel sorry for people who are in the either/or camp of Top Gear. Honestly you can have both the Brits’ and the Americans’ motoring show and not die of shame. No one is checking ID at the door, really folks; it’s cool.

  So I sat down to watch the first episode of season 2 and I find that they have broken away from the British format and elected to go with something a little more fitting to their styles. No “Jessica” in the credits, the studio is outside, and the production value upgrade is noticeable. Plus, the three hosts’ personalities are already coming through on camera a load better this year.

  

  Take this great shot of Rut driving his Miata full of S%*t wearing a bandanna, straw cowboy hat, and air-fresheners, for instance. This scene and the entire manure trekking adventure had me laughing so hard my kidneys hurt. Is it juvenile toilet humor? Yes, yes it is — and I loved it.

  

  I dig the Euro Top Gear, but sometimes old Renaults and Peugeots just don’t do it for me. I know that’s terrifically ”American” of me, but the fact that the old beaters they get here in the states are rides I might have had a shot of owning — or at least shotgunning in at some point in my life — makes me identify a bit more with the U.S. version. One example is this fine “subcompact” monster truck Ford Maverick.

  My point is: I think there’s room for both shows without having to “represent” anything. People who watch U.S. Top Gear aren’t simpletons, and folks who prefer British Top Gear aren’t higher brow. They’re just cars shows — and damn fine car shows at that.

  Check out Top Gear on Sundays @ 9 p.m. Central on History.

  Top Gear [History Channel]

• 15:30

  Nail gun injuries on the rise

  There's a reason a nail gun is called a nail gun: the thing shoots sharp nails at speeds of about 500 feet per second. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that the number of people with nail gun injuries who sought treatment in hospital emergency rooms went from 12,000 to 42,000 between the years of 1995 and 2005. While it's true that more and more DIYers are taking on their own jobs, about 20,000 pros are injured every year.
• July 26, 2011
• 0:01

  Affordable wall-mount fixture for flat screens

  There are many different types of specialty hardware available for mounting a flat-screen TV to a wall. Unfortunately most are either cheaply made or ridiculously expensive. Here's an exception: The Cheetah TV Wall-Mount Bracket is solidly-built, reasonably priced and equipped...
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Modernize Your Yard Care

  It is difficult to keep your plants thriving through the scorching heat. Making the task easier, this Ray Padula Radiance Oscillating Sprinkler, is an upgrade to any watering system. It promises to be 34% more accurate, spraying a fan of...

• 9:11

  Dealmonger: A $36 Shop Stool

  

  Of course, we’re all about building your own shop seat. Or having a wife (like Sean does) that’s cool enough to buy you your own custom Toolmonger shop stool. But if you just want a quick, cheap place to sit, Northern Tool is currently offering their $50 (overpriced) shop chair for (a quite reasonable) $36.

  It’s a “double ring” stool, which means you can rest your feet either on the bottom ring or pull ‘em up to the top ring to make a lap to work on. Like an office chair, it spins and you can pneumatically raise it from 27″ to as high as 32″. One drawback: You’ll have to put up with the Northern Tool ad on the seat. But hey, you won’t see it ’cause you’ll be sitting on it, right?

  NI Pneumatic Stool w/Backrest [Northern Tool]

• 10:08

  Contractor Recovers His Stolen Tools — Via Craigslist

  

  Tools mean a lot of things to a lot of people. To some, they’re just things. But to others they’re priceless heirlooms that carry memories of owners past. Or a favorite work buddy that’s been along for the ride through tough times and good. To some, though, they’re simply stuff one has to have to do one’s job. When you steal tools from a professional, you might just be stealing that person’s ability to make a living.

  I stumbled across this article about a Russian man named Ilya who legally immigrated and then struck out for the American dream in a way I think we can all respect: He got a job working construction, and he busted his ass doing it — at least until some dickhead came along and stole $3k worth of stuff, including the nail guns, saws, and drills he depended on for his livelihood. Thinking he was screwed, he headed home, only to be greeted by his mother who’d found the tools already listed on Craigslist.

  From the KVAL website:

   Playing the part of a paying customer, Ilya set up a time and place to buy the goods in the Tacoma Mall parking lot Thursday night. When he confirmed the items were his, he told the sellers to wait while he got more cash at an ATM. Instead he went and got police officers, who returned with him to make the arrest.

  “Basically he had to gather his sergeant and everybody,” Ilya said, “and they went down there and basically busted them and had me come ID all of my tools.”

  This reminds me of a story Sean tells about a guy running into a little working-man’s grocery store about half way between our office and his house. The guy runs in, and a kid promptly runs up to swipe the tools in the truck bed. Before he can get even one out, the doors open on a pickup a few parking spaces over and two big dudes walk over and confront him. The kid flees. Sean walks by on his way into the store and asks the guys what’s up. It turns out they don’t know either the thief or the owner. They just took care of business.

  These stories don’t always have happy endings, though. Had someone else hit those guys up on Craigslist first, Ilya would be outta luck. C’mon folks. Think twice before stealing tools.

  Anyway, this story’s a bit old, but I thought it was worth sharing nonetheless. Check out the video if you want to know more about Ilya and his tool-recovery gig.

  Stolen Tools: Construction Worker Gets Revenge And Justice [KVAL]

• July 27, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 6% on an Under-Cabinet Range Hood

  If you love to cook, a range hood is an important appliance. It helps to keep the kitchen well ventilated and the range well lit. This Broan Evolution 2 Series 30-inch under-cabinet model fits well in smaller kitchens. It also...

• 14:07

  Small Truck Alternative

  

  With the Ford Ranger going away and the Mazda B series already off the Mazda web page, I began to wonder what other small trucks were available to fill the void. There are the standards like the Nissan and Toyota offerings, and then there’s mid-size like the Colorado. However, last week one of these (pictured above) pulled up next to me at a light and I had to find out more. For those not familiar with it, it’s called the Chevy Tornado.

  Ridiculous name, of course. I picture something called a tornado to look more like a Vette or GT40 — this looks like an updated Subaru Brat, but what’s strange is I kinda like it.

  The Tornado’s been out for a while in Mexico and they’re just starting to find their way across the border here in Texas. Here’s why: Nestled in under the hood lives a 1.8-liter hamster with 104 horsepower at its command. The five-speed tranny pushes the MPG to a respectable 23 in town — all of which lands it perfectly in the “awesome small truck” category.

  Some won’t like the looks of the Tornado or its lack of bone-crushing power. But for me it looks great, reminds me of an El Camino (which I always wanted), and doesn’t require a lot of gas to run. Not sure why the hell we can’t have this here in the states; thanks GM.

  Chevy Tornado [Website]
  Subaru Brat [Google Images]

• 14:34

  Reader Project: Compressed Air/Steam Engine

  

  TM reader GarethBell posted some pics of this awesome little compressed air/steam engine he built. He didn’t include a lot of other information in the Flickr pool, so I’m hoping he’ll stop by here and share some additional details. But from what I can see, this looks like it’s made from machined, anodized aluminum.

  Besides the photo itself, he also included a small video of a similar engine actually running. Check it out, and let him know what you think in comments.

  Compressed Air Engine [TM Flickr Pool]

• July 28, 2011
• 0:01

  Instant island

  Here's an easy, elegant way to add a little extra work space and storage to your kitchen. The Metro Commercial Chef's Cart is a combination work island and storage unit--on wheels! Measuring just 21 inches wide x 27 inches long x 39 1/4 inches tall, this heavy-duty cart will fit into the most cramped, crowded and tiniest of kitchens. The industrial-chic cart features a solid-wood butcherblock top, two wire-rack storage shelves, and four easy-roll casters. The cart can be used for food prep and to store small appliances and large bowls, which tend to clog up cabinets or countertops. Other uses include: mobile bar for serving drinks and storing bottles, and a handy barbecue cart for parking alongside your grill. The Metro Commercial Chef's Cart is available on-line for about $251.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 56% on Windsor Chair Set

  This classic-shaped chair works well in almost any casual dining arrangement. This set of two Winsome Wood Windsor Chairs in natural, are made of solid beech wood. The double-rung stretchers between legs make for a sturdy foundation. Get two today...
• July 29, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 22% on a 3-Piece Garden Tool Set

  Every gardener (or aspiring gardener) needs the basics. This Fiskars Softtouch Garden Tool Set has a trowel, transplanter, and a cultivator—the essentials for small indoor or outdoor plantings. The polished aluminum is light and rust-resistant. The handles have a soft...

• 11:48

  Cutter/Grinder Combo Removes Caulk in One Step

  

  Know how your driveway cracks? That’s why builders add expansion joints to big concrete walls and floors, filling those joints with a flexible caulk that can absorb changes in size due to temperature and humidity. But what happens when it’s time to refurbish those joints? Hint: It’s generally a pain in the ass. First you have to cut out the existing caulk, then you have to go back and clean up the messy surfaces with a grinder so they’re reusable. Arbortech announced a blade this week, though, that combines both those steps into a single process.

  The idea: Instead of grabbing a pipe knife or cutting machine to cut down each side of the join individually and then reaching for a grinder to remove the remaining crap from the edges, the new blade cuts both sides and grinds the surface clean all in one pass. They designed the blade specifically for their AS170 brick and mortar saw which, they say, applies ”a unique orbital cutting motion with two forward facing blades that combine to perform both a hammering and a cutting action that allows the user to have lear visibility and the ability to accurately cut square and deep.”

  The blades will be available in 1/2″, 1″, and 2″ sizing, though each blade can flex to accommodate joins up to 1/2″ smaller than their published size. Bonus: That flex allows them to follow the changes in variable-sized joins (read: just about all of them), too. Pricing isn’t available yet, but they’re likely not cheap. The AS170 streets for just under a grand. Then again, how much is your time worth?

  Caulking Blades/AS170 [Arbortech] (Warning: PDF)

• 11:58

  M-Power R1 Tape

  

  We’re always fascinated when we see assumptions about tools being challenged — like tape measure markings. M-power suggests that the current markings on tapes we all use aren’t accurate because you’re most likely right-handed.

  90% of the population are right handed yet most are using left-handed tape measures when marking – why? M.POWER’s R1 tape measure is the right way round. Hold it in your left hand and mark the measurement with your right hand, saving time and improving accuracy on the job. Look at any other tape measure and you’ll see what we mean. (the measurements will be printed upside down)

  We find this pretty entertaining. Not only have we never had any issue scribing a mark, our tape increment lines on the tapes we use in the shop run the width of the tape itself so there’s no trouble, you know, at all. Also, 50 percent of the people in our shop are left-handed so there’s that.

  It’s not a bad idea, but how many folks really need a tape with inverted numbers and markings? Are we off in left field on this one?

  R1 Tape [M Power]
  Street Pricing [Google Products]

• 12:51

  Aisle Walk: San Diego Target

  

  You’re a Toolmonger, which means you likely know exactly where to buy the specific tools you desire. But what about all those “norms” out there who don’t? Here’s what I found walking through the “tool aisle” in a random Target in San Diego.

  Hand Tools

  Much like in Wal-Mart, Stanley Black & Decker pretty much dominates the tool selection. In terms of hand tools, Target selected the basics. They carry Stanley’s Lever Lock tapes in 25′, 15′, and 12′. These tapes stay locked when extended, then retract when you push the lever on the base in order to simplify single-person measurements — exactly the kind of thing you’re likely to do around the house, like measuring furniture or locating a spot to hang a picture. I also saw one standard-style-lock Max tape in 25′, probably targeted at people taking on small home woodworking projects. The cushion-grip screwdrivers look nice for home use as well, with padded grips — a problem if you’re going to really crank down on ‘em, but quite nice when you’re not. Target offered an eight-piece set as well as a single mid-sized standard and Phillips pack.

  Though I saw a small Stanley bullet level, Target again went the home route offering the Black & Decker branded Accu-Mark 36″ level. The Accu-Mark incorporates movable “targets” which simplify hanging pictures: Hold the level to the back of your picture first and align the targets to your hangers. Then place the level on the wall — its “gecko grip” pads are supposed to hold it in place without marring the wall — align it to level, and mark your fastener points through the center of the targets. (There’s a “tour” video available on the linked page.)

  I also noticed a pretty decent selection of pliers as well, including basic needle-nose, slip joint, locking, miniature, and of course standard. Though Target stocks the gadgety Autowrench and Ready Wrench, I also saw a standard Stanley adjustable, which would probably be a consumer’s best bet for “I just need to unbolt it” situations; to score true wrenches they’d have to buy one of the mechanic’s tool sets or the Black & Decker home project kit [What’s This?].

  Tool Kits

  Interestingly, Target chose to fill their mechanic’s tool set SKU slots with Durabuilt — a shame since (look for our reviews soon) we’re actually pretty impressed with Stanley’s new super-low-priced mechanic’s kits as found at Wal-Mart. We can certainly see how stores would push Stanley tapes — the product for which Stanley is most famous these days — but if Target’s dealing with SKU limitations, I’d personally rather see cheaper junk tapes and higher quality mechanic’s tools. Assuming one is actually going to do a little car work, I think one would appreciate the quality more in that environment.

  One complaint: Enough with the damn pink tools. Other than outside the U.S. in places where pink has other meanings, I haven’t run into anyone, male or female, who wants to buy pink tools. Though I’m sure there are exceptions, most women I’ve met don’t like the pandering feel they get from “for women” tool kits, believing instead that women can use the same tools as men. And though I can’t speak to the specific Apollo set I saw at Target, in many cases these “for women” tools aren’t of the same quality as other sets.

  Power Tools

  Power tools are all Black & Decker: a 14.4v drill/driver in the project kit, and 9.6v, 14.4v, and 18v drill/drivers sold separately as well as a single corded model (probably the best bet, by the way). You’ll also find B&D’s Handysaw and multiple cordless screwdrivers as well as lots of accessories.

  Conclusion

  You can peruse the pictures to get an idea of the rest, but my verdict: It’s nothin’ fancy, but you could actually do quite a bit with what you’d find at this particular Target. Sure, I’d probably choose different stuff (at least for some of it) if I indeed had a choice. But if I stumbled in here while visiting a friend and wanted to, say, do some work around the house or fix something simple with the car, I could probably get it done. Pricing doesn’t seem that far out of line with what I found poking around online, either.

  Any interesting finds in the aisles of your local shops? Drop us a line either in comments or via our contact form.

  
• 16:32

  WTF Can’t We Have Utes In The U.S.?

  

  As Sean mentioned last week, with the coming demise of the Ranger, we’re about to be screwed in terms of small trucks in the U.S. He suggested the Mexican-distributed Chevy Tornado as a possible niche-filler, but readers offered an even better idea: Tap the Australian market and give us a “ute.”

  About a month ago a friend visited me in Texas from her home in Australia, and about halfway back from the airport her first comment was “Wow, I don’t recognize almost any of these cars.” Throughout the week we discovered that Australian and American culture are pretty close cousins — but the vehicle market is another story altogether. Though Ford and others manufacture vehicles for both countries, their offerings differ dramatically.

  Take, for example, the ute. Common in AU, the ute fills much the same role as the Ranger does — did — here in the U.S. Utes are essentially small cars with a truck bed. Think Subaru Brat and you’re in the general vicinity. Toolmonger reader Mark points out one in particular (pictured above), the Falcon Ute Styleside Box.

  As you can see in the inset, it’s also available with a rear tray, so it’s clearly a work vehicle, but with a sport compact twist: Under the hood you’ll find a 4.0l six-cylinder with a six-speed manual transmission. Hotchkiss rear suspension keeps it driveable, and those are 16″ steel wheels with 215/60 R16 tyres (gotta stay Aussie with the spelling, right?). Inside you’ll find a whole digital suite of infotainment gear, including an iPod interface and an MP3-capable disc player.

  The bad news: While this thing would make a kick-ass tow vehicle for, say, a weekend Formula Ford racer — you’d be king racer geek showing up in this at the crap diner at your fave out-of-the-way SCCA tack — it’s not really what Sean and I are looking for to replace the Ranger. We’d rather leave the six-speeds and high-output sixes to the kids. Why? They’re expensive. The “base model” Falcon Ute checks in at a whopping $30k US (about $28k AUD). Its simple little large-displacement four-banger and decades-old suspension will run you less than half that.

  Then again, if sporty is your thing, you could just give in and grab the XR6 Turbo, which adds sweet aluminum wheels, forced induction, leather, and a ZF 6-speed automatic tranny with sequential shift. Boo frakkin’ yah.

  Anyway, as cool as this sucker is, we’re still looking. Hopefully you’ll keep sending in the recommendations. Maybe if we hammer away hard enough on this, Detroit will get the idea and offer something going forward that’ll let us get the job done on the cheap.

  Falcon Ute [Ford Australia]

• July 30, 2011
• 0:01

  All-weather rug: Outdoor elegance

  Dress up your outdoor space, while providing a comfortable walking surface, with this beautiful outdoor area rug. Spun from durable polypropylene, the rug is ideal for use on a patio, porch, deck, screened room or any other outdoor or partially enclosed space. And, of course, you can also use it indoors. Measuring 5 foot, 3 inches wide x 7 feet, 7 inches long, the rug has a terracotta-color border that features a decorative vine-and-leaf pattern. This handsome, durable outdoor rug typically sells for about $150, but I found it on-line for just $87.
• August 01, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 20% on Porcelain Mosaic Subway Tiles

  Subway tiles have become popular on walls in both kitchens and baths for their vintage look. This glossy Somertile Victorian Subway Mosaic Tile in white porcelain will give your space clean, classic appeal. A pack of 10—today is $56.99 (was...

• 17:56

  Recall: Kohler Shower Doors

  

  I’ve always liked these all-glass shower doors with the small, almost hidden hinges. But I could never afford the $1k+ price tag. If you’re lucky enough to have one, you might want to take a look to make sure it’s not included in this recall. Among the affected models are Kohler’s Purist, Pinstripe, and Finial doors. Though the CPSC says only 100 units are affected, “the hinge panel of the shower door can shatter, posing a laceration hazard.”

  Visit the CPSC (link below) to find out how to locate the serial number on your door and to see if it matches any of those on their extensive list. If your door is affected, you’ll need to contact Kohler for a free replacement hinge panel.

  Recall of Shower Doors Due to Laceration Hazard [CPSC]

• 18:08

  Project: Save Your Plants W/an Automated Drip Watering System

  

  There’s nothing nicer than some flowers and ferns on your balcony or patio; they elevate a barren slab of concrete and railings to a living, oxygen-fresh place of relaxation. Unless, of course, you forget to water them. Then they turn your hangout into what Audra calls a “mortoretum.” I like my friend Doug’s solution better: install a low-buck automated watering system.

  You don’t even have to jury-rig something together. All the parts are available online or at your local big box. Doug selected the Raindrip system, starting with the R673CT digital water timer. It installs via garden-hose-standard threads, so you can just slap it on an outdoor faucet if you have one. Doug’s place is a second floor apartment, though, so he got a little more creative, inlining it between the water source and input on his balcony closet-mounted water heater. You could easily tap this into any available water source with off-the-shelf fittings, though. Next he picked up 100′ of 1/2 hose (also Raindrip) and a series of barbed tees and other connectors to route water to Raintrip in-line drippers in each of the various plants.

  Now he just programs in watering times and amounts and he’s good to go, even when he takes a week off to visit friends out of town. The only really expensive part of the setup is the timer, which runs around $30. $18 buys 100′ of hose, and connectors and fittings are so cheap they only come in 25-packs, starting at around $4 for tees and ranging up to around $11 for drips. Even if you need to buy a few fittings to hook up to your water source, you should be able to rig up a system similar to Doug’s for under $70.

  

  Raindrip R673 Digital Water Timer
  Raindrip 052010P 1/2″ by 100′ Poly Hose [What’s This?]
  Raindrip 307025B 1/4″ Barbed Tee (25 Pack) [What’s This?]
  Raindrip 117025B In-Line Drippers (25 Pack)
  Lots of Raindrip Hardware [What’s This?]

• 18:16

  A Tripod Multi-Tool

  

  Like a lot of you, I own a big honkin’ digital SLR. But as any photo pro will tell you, the best camera is the one you actually have with you. That’s why I take most of the photos you see in my posts with my point-and-shoot, a Canon S95. It’s a great little camera with a big ‘ol F2.0 aperture and a larger-than-most sensor that can turn twilight (or the inside of a dark shop) into usable light. But every camera has its limits, and to take great night shots I often find myself turning whateverthehell I can find into a tripod to extend the exposure, drop the ISO, and collect that light.

  That’s why this upcoming Gerber multitool grabbed my attention. As you can see above, two arms fold out below it to turn the knife into an instant point-and-shoot-sized tripod, perfect for setting your camera on a railing to take night shots or (in my case) propping it on a truck hood to grab a timer shot of myself using a tool.

  Toolmonger reader Gil turned us on to this, as covered in GearJunkie.com (and a zillion other gadget blogs). Gerber hasn’t released much information about it yet, except to say that it’ll be called the “Steady” and will release sometime in 2012 for around $65. As you can see, it does indeed feature a blade, and I’m pretty sure I see a Phillips screwdriver in there.

  Gerber Steady [GearJunkie]

• August 02, 2011
• 0:01

  Dream Designer: Making exterior-home design a reality

  If you've ever used the Internet to research building products, such as roofing, windows, siding, and exterior paint, then you may be familiar with a feature known as a "visualizer." A visualizer is an on-line design tool that allows you to see what a particular product will look like on a home that's similar to yours. With just the click of the mouse you can instantly change paint colors, siding styles or window sizes. Visualizers provide a fun, fast way to customize your home, so I was very excited to learn that Exterior Portfolio, a leading manufacturer of premium-quality vinyl siding, had just launched a newly enhanced visualizer, called Dream Designer. After trying Dream Designer, I can attest that it's quite simply the best-designed, most-thorough visualizer I have ever used. And best of all, it offers much more than just on-line images of the remodeled home.
• 0:01

  Sprinkler keeps pests at bay

  Are hungry critters munching their way through your vegetable garden? Is the neighbor's dog leaving "presents" on your lawn? If so, worry no more. The Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler provides an easy and humane way to scare off pests at any time of the day or night. Simply poke the sprinkler into the ground and attach a garden hose. Its electric eye can detect the presence of a creature (man or beast) within a 1,000-square-foot area. And when it does, the sprinkler shoots out a spray of water to scare off the uninvited guest. The Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler runs on a 9-volt battery and is available on-line for about $48.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save on an Eco-Smart Garden Hose

  An item in high-use over the summer is the garden hose. One problem is the way it tends to get kinked when you're trying to water the plants. This Neverkink hose is guaranteed never to kink! Not only that, it...

• 9:23

  A Use For Old, Un-Needed, Or Worn-Out Tools

  

  A  reader turned us on to these cool vise bookends found via the re-purposing site CoolMaterial.com. But we’re pretty sure no Toolmonger would shell out $70 for ‘em. That said, we bet you’ve got some similar out-of-use tools lying around the shop — we do — that would do the job just fine.

  Specifically, I know that I have an old pre-electric-era clothes iron that’s screaming for this kind of treatment. (Hell, I barely use my awesome modern iron, much less one that I need to hold over a fire.) This could also be a great use for old worn-out cordless drills. Throw together a little wooden stand and they’d make a great conversation starter. I’m sure they’d hold up books, too.

  In fact, I’ve unknowingly been following this stylin’ trend for over a year. Check out my office doorstop:

  

  Vise Bookends [Cool Material]

• 11:25

  Tekton Socket Holder Sets To The Rescue!

  

  Years ago my dad bought me a pretty comprehensive Husky socket set. The sockets remained safely stored in the box for a year or so until we moved into our current house and Dad bought me a tool chest. I had organized the sockets in each drawer by type and size, but over the years the opening and closing of the drawer left the sockets piled up and scattered. As I was repairing my daughter’s car a few weeks ago, I discovered that any remnant of the organized system I once had was gone the way of the steam shovel. I resolved to finally do something about it — I discovered the Tekton socket holder set and for the first time in six years I can actually find a socket in my socket drawer.

  
  

  After pretending for years that I could find the right socket in my tool chest I was finally proven wrong a couple of weeks ago. I needed a specific 3/8 in. drive, 12 mm long shaft socket to replace the EGR Vacuum Solenoid Valve on my daughter’s 1997 Toyota Camry. No other 12 mm socket would work. After more than half an hour I eventually found it and repaired the car, but that night I ordered three sets of the Tekton socket holder on Amazon for $8.47 each. I ordered three sets because I had no idea of what exactly my requirements were.

  Once the socket holders arrived, it took about an hour and a half to organize the drawer. I’m still short three 3/8 in. strips and one 1/4 in. strip, but I feel good about the drawer cleanup. Plus, the next time my daughter’s 14-year-old car needs some attention at least I’ll be able to focus on the job at hand and not waste time searching for tools.

  

  What have you done to organize your sockets? Do you have any helpful suggestions on how to reduce drawer clutter? I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

• 12:37

  Hot or Not? Flex Seal Spray Rubber

  

  Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! But WAIT!

  Ok, don’t. But if you’ve got a second, click through the link below and check out the late night TV infomercial for Flex Seal. (No, I’m not kidding. The video that autoplays on the page appears to be their infomercial. They didn’t even bother to clip off the spot at the end where the people running the ad lay in the phone number to call.) As far as I can tell, it’s pretty similar to the spray version of Plasti-Dip, but with a different marketing schtick: They claim this stuff will seal roofs and gutters.

  I’ll admit that I’m more than a little skeptical. In fact, I get the same kind of feel from this that I get from radiator Stop Leak. Sure, it might work temporarily. But it doesn’t address the core problem, like the fact that your roof is damaged (or improperly shingled) or your gutters are corroding into dust.

  Still, I can already hear Sean’s voice lofting across the office reminding me that infomercials aside, products like this sometimes have a use. I wonder how it’d work to make grippy footings on a lawn mower deck. And hey, sometimes you have a need to fix something quick, quality be damned. (You know what I’m talking about.)

  So what do you think? Stupid? Brilliant? Worth $10 a can?

  Flex Seal [Heinous Infomercial Site] (Warning: Autoplay Video)

• August 03, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 10% on Modern Cabinet Pulls

  A simple update anyone can make to the kitchen or bath is to switch out the cabinet pulls or knobs. These Manhattan Park Avenue Matte Nickel Cabinet Pulls will add a modern, updated look. They require 5-inches between holes and...

• 11:45

  Long-Lasting Color For PVC Projects

  

  I’ve chosen PVC pipe for lots of projects because it’s easy to work with — and easy to modify. But the only finish option I ever attempted was paint, which really doesn’t hold up that well. One of the readers over at Make posted a how-to, though, on dying PVC. And it sounds like a much better solution, penetrating below the surface of the PVC and creating a lasting hue.

  The article specifically works with cables — a power cord, for example — but the technique should work equally well with pipe or other PVC coatings. The trick here is blending various oil-soluble chemical dyes with “clear cleaner” to create a penetrating oil. Check the article — plus the link in the first paragraph – -to see what specific products the author selected as well as some suggested volumes.

  As the author points out, this method not only produces a more durable color, it’s also more customizable and (most importantly) doesn’t change the diameter of the pipe, which means you can use it in precision applications (like, say, camera stabilizers and such).

  Technique: Cable Dying [Make]
  Technique: Stain PVC Any Color You Like [Make]

• 12:12

  Where There’s Fire, There’s Fun

  

  Every year, long-time reader Tmib_Seattle posts up his fine work with the local scout troop, where he teaches lads how to wrangle fire and form steel. I remember my own scout days very well, except they involve wood, not metal.

  It’s pretty rare that young men are exposed to this kind of workmanship anymore. Just look around in the shots on the Flickr pool and you’ll see why. Had it not been for scoutmaster Tmib and his vast array of ironworking goodness, they’d be out of luck as well. But as it sits, the boys get experience with a craft that has been disappearing over the last few decades.

  We are glad to see Tmib and the lads stoking some coals and bending metal in the name of learning. We’re not quite sure from the pics what they’re making, but it looks like fun.

  Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

• 14:06

  Top Gear: The Brits Are Coming

  

  The gap between airing on the BBC and BBCA has shrunk again this year for Top Gear. If you’re a fan, and many are, you don’t have the uber-long year- or six-month wait for your UK automotive fix. The first episode of the newest season is airing on this side of the pond Monday, August 22 @ 8 p.m. Central.

  Say what you like, but the show has been nothing short of stellar since its reboot a few years ago. The on-air interplay between Clarkson, May, and Hammond is sparkling, and the show’s segments such as the secondhand car challenges are some of the best spots around.

  I’m a fan of the U.S. version of Top Gear, but it was the Brit TG that revived the automotive section of my brain and got me back into car shows and cars in general. And that is more than worth the wait as far as I can tell.

  Top Gear UK [Website]

• August 04, 2011
• 0:01

  Old English wine bucket

  Add a touch of class to your next dinner party or backyard barbecue with this handsome Scalloped Wine Bucket. The oversized copper bucket features a decorative brass-trimmed scalloped edge and two lion's head handles. The bucket is 10 inches deep and 12 1/2 inches in diameter, and ideal for filling with ice to keep bottles properly chilled. The Old English-style bucket is available on-line for $123.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Strategy to Save on Your Electric Bill

  Ever wonder which of your electric appliances is costing you the most to keep plugged in? If you knew how much different devices cost per month or year, it would be easier to stay on budget and lower that energy...

• 15:01

  Delta In Full Swing

  

  We’re guessing Delta is a little tired of hearing that they’re “moving overseas” when they’ve worked diligently for the better part of a year to set up shop here in the states and crank their production into gear. That might explain the latest press release from them telling the press and consumers in general about the completion of 300 units of their Unisaw/cabinet combos in the new factory.

  “I hope this news will put to rest anyone thinking we were moving overseas,” said Bryan Whiffen, President and CEO of DELTA Power Equipment Corporation. “We believe strongly in the DELTA Made in the USA tradition and are working hard to continue that tradition.”

  300 units doesn’t sound like a ton of progress, but keep in mind a few facts that might help put those numbers in perspective: Delta isn’t like Ford; they don’t crank 1,000 saws a day on an assembly line. That would be nice, but it’s not that kind of fast production line. They build each saw from scratch, test them to standard, then package them up and send them out. So 300 is a good milestone to reach and a sign that Delta is now fully functional and doing what they do best — building great woodworking equipment, once again.

  36-L352 Unisaw [Delta]

• 15:12

  Back to the Future: Lever-less ViseGrips from 1942

  

  TM reader rrcarlson12 posted some pics of the ViseGrip locking pliers above to the TM photo pool. He writes: “They have a patent date of 1942 and don’t have a separate release lever. But these weren’t made by Irwin, who released a similar model within the last few years as stated in the post on CH Hanson locking pliers.”

  Indeed! The “new” Irwin ViseGrips without a release lever seem to work pretty much the same way as the ones pictured. (Check the photo pool for additional photos, including some closeups of the mechanism.) As far as I can tell the only major difference between the modern ones and the WWII-era pliers are the thermo-plastic rubber overmolds.

  Of course, what I don’t get is why more tool companies don’t point out this heritage. Seriously, there’s nothing in the world wrong with recognizing a good thing from the past and bringing it back. Good ideas combined with modern materials and manufacturing technology make for some of the most kick-ass tools available. We’ve suggested for some time that companies like Stanley, Irwin, and others — those who have long histories and have recently bought/absorbed other companies that have long histories — should keep that heritage front and center. Bring back some of the “old” products (with modern upgrades, of course) and tell us how they built the future upon which we stand.

  1942 Release Lever-less ViseGrips [TM Flickr Pool]
  Modern “Fast Release” ViseGrip Locking Pliers [What’s This?]

• 16:34

  Choosing Your Teen’s First Wheels

  

  Do you remember buying your first car? Did you buy it yourself, or perhaps your parents bought it for you?  Although my parents let me use their cars when I was in high school, it wasn’t until my senior year in college that I achieved the ultimate in personal freedom and bought my own car. And just a few months ago our oldest daughter earned her driver’s license. Add some grandparent birthday present cash to the license, and the big first car search began. Since our daughter doesn’t know much about cars, the search fell to us as parents. So how exactly do you choose your child’s first car for her?

  We ending up choosing a 1997 Toyota Camry with about 195,000 miles on it. It was the best deal we ran across for the cash we had. As parents we wanted something safe and as reliable as possible. We wanted something that looked a little sporty but we didn’t want to pay sports car insurance premiums, nor did we want a performance machine in the hands of an inexperienced 17-year-old driver. We wanted something that wouldn’t be a big deal if it did get banged up a little, and something that had great gas mileage. And finally we wanted something that had the chance of lasting for as many years that we could get out of it.

  Those sorts of requirements tend to lead to the same type of car: a Toyota Camry or Corolla, a Honda Accord or Civic, A Mazda 6 or 3, a VW Jetta or Passat, and other similar vehicles. The only major difference is what year you get, and that depends the amount of money you pay for one.

  So far the only major issue with the car was that it needed a new EGR Vacuum Solenoid Valve. I was able to install it myself in my garage with some help from our daughter over the course of a Saturday. I also discovered the wheels didn’t allow the tire iron to fit over the lug nuts, so I purchased a new one from AutoZone so flats could be changed on the road if necessary.

  In the end, our daughter ended up with the true American teenager’s dream: her own car. It’s lasted a month so far with no accidents and I’m keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that the accident-free streak continues. Only time will tell if the purchase was a good one or not, but I’m happy with it so far.

  Do you have experience in purchasing a first car for a brand new driver? What sort of advice would you give to parents looking for their child’s first car?

• August 05, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Grow Your Own Culinary Herbs

  There is no doubt that growing your own vegetables has benefits—it is also a huge trend. If you want to get into the game, but want to start really small, why not try growing culinary herbs? This Indoor Culinary Herb...

• 14:42

  Wacky: A Ratcheting Can Opener

  

  Wacky, yes. But ratcheting tools always improve repetitive cranking tasks, so this strikes me as a kick-ass idea. Besides the ratcheting mechanism, this Apri opener also foregoes the whole clamping routine; you just push down on it with your body weight to latch it onto the can.

  You can see more detail in the pictures (link below). Slide the lever under the inside edge of the can, then push down on the whole unit and crank away to open. It’s larger than it appears in the photo above — about 5-3/4″ long. And the metal cutting lever is magnetized, making it easier to position.

  Now for the bad news: This is another vaporware product, this time from Quirky, a Kickstarter knockoff, which means that to get one you’d have to ante up, wait to see if the “inventor” can make good on the project, then either get one or (hopefully) get your money back.

  Of course, you could always just go with Progressive International’s ratcheting can opener [What’s This?], currently available for $14 on Amazon and Prime shippable. That’s $5 less than the “presale” price of the Apri and a hell of a lot less waiting. The Progressive also features a back-and-forth lever motion as opposed to the Apri’s twist action. So the real question is: How important is the lever-less design to you?

  Apri Ratcheting Can Opener [Quirky]

• August 06, 2011
• 0:01

  Bike storage solution

  Bicycles take up a surprising amount of space, especially when stored in an already-cramped garage or backyard shed. One popular way to store a bike out of the way is to suspend it from the ceiling using a rope-and-pulley system. The only problem is that such suspension systems often cost between $50 and $100. Here's an exception: The RAD Ceiling-Mount Bike Hoist features thick rope, smooth-rolling pulleys and four rubber-coated hooks, which can support bikes weighing as much as 55 pounds. It can be mounted to ceilings up to 12 feet high, and features a self-locking mechanism that prevents the bike from accidentally dropping down. The RAD Bike Hoist usually sells for about $55, but I found it on-line for just $13.
• August 07, 2011
• 6:01

  The Quick Pop Maker by ZOKU

  Popsicles are so hot right now. No, really. There are gourmet paleterias popping up all over the place. (I've recently happened upon Go-Go Pops in Cold Spring, New York, and of course there's Zora Dora in Beacon, New York). Then, after a few straight weekends of the amazing and inventive flavors over at Zora Dora, my kid started mixing up her own pop recipes and loading up every ice tray in the house with lots of stuff that wasn't water. When I saw this Housewares Design Award-winning countertop appliance—a popsicle maker that turns any liquid into ice pops in mere minutes with fast freeze technology—I wanted in. I mean, my kid wanted in.
• August 08, 2011
• 6:00

  Bean bag chair for grown-ups

  That bean bag chair you had in your room as a pre-teenager didn't exactly scream sophistication. But, you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't fondly remember sinking into its loving embrace. In fact, the older you get, the more you long to feel that embrace once more. Restoration Hardware wants to fill that gaping void inside of you—with a $710 leather-upholstered, velvet-bottomed bag o' beans.
• 11:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 61% on a Professional Measuring Tape

  In order to keep up with the list of DIY jobs and around-the-house upgrades—your tools need to be in great shape. If your standard, reliable (old) measuring tape has seen better days, maybe it is time to replace it with...

• 15:07

  Are Your Tools Insured?

  

  TM reader David writes: “Today I was switching homeowner’s insurance and wanted to ensure that my workshop and its tools–worth an estimated $175,000–were properly insured. While the insurance agent was completely sure that they were covered, I asked for a copy of the actual policy. After reading it through, I discovered that instead of the promised $100 per tool, it was actually $1,000 for ALL THE TOOLS should they be stolen. I wonder how many other Toolmongers think they’re covered only to find out when they run into an event that they don’t have the coverage they expect?”

  That’s a great point, and totally made me dive for my own policy to take a look. Here’s the skinny: Most policies set limits on some specifically valuable material, like jewelry, furs, silverware, and so on. This isn’t necessarily designed to screw you if you have items worth more than the limit, but rather to allow the insurance company to set the price for your policy. They’ll increase those limits, but the cost of your coverage will increase as well. I’m guessing that, for example, if you have a home worth $400,000 and wish to add $175,000 in specific coverage for the stuff in your garage shop, you’re going to pay a pretty significant premium.

  My first experience with this was with computer equipment. Thankfully, unlike David’s agent, who sounds a bit shady, mine was up-front with all of this. Knowing that I have goings-on in my life involving technical gear (like Toolmonger), he asked specifically about my equipment. I have far more than the standard $2,000 limit, so we bumped it to $10,000, which ended up costing me very little. Going back and looking, though, I don’t have an extension for tools–of which I own quite a few. I’m going to schedule time this next week to give my agent a call to discuss upping my coverage.

  How about you? Do you have extensions in place on your homeowner’s insurance to cover your tools?

• 15:19

  Ford Heater Core: We Were Right!

  

  After changing the heater core on Chuck’s old F-150 we used to joke about the rest of the truck being built around it. On Sunday night, the History Channel’s excellent Modern Marvels episode on American trucking happened to show the Deerborn Michigan plant where F-150s are built — and it turns out that it’s almost completely true.

  The show walked through how the pickups are built and the different stations on the line. Apparently the entire dash, instrument panel, steering wheel, and sound system go on over the heater core in one piece. And that piece only takes 50 seconds to attach to the truck. Now if only we could get it back out of there that fast.

  Is it a big deal? No. But it’s funny to see we weren’t really wrong.

  Modern Marvels [History]

• 15:49

  Exterior Light Bulb Experiment

  

  I enjoy seeing what I’m looking at, particularly when I’m loading the car up in the pre-dawn hours for one of my son’s long-distance hockey games, unloading the car in the pitch black after coming home from the game, or shoveling the driveway in the dead of winter. Needless to say, my driveway’s three garage-mounted fixtures and the light pole out front need to be bright, but it seems like they’re constantly burning out. It’s annoying because it seems like I replace them at least twice a year. This time I’ve decided to run a longevity test to see how long the bulbs last and inform you of what happens.

  
  

  

  For the garage-mounted fixtures, I’ve chosen 23W compact fluorescent bulbs, both for the 100W equivalent light and the electricity savings. I only had to replace one today, so I selected the Sylvania CFL23EL/MICRO/827 because it’s what I had in inventory. The garage fixtures are on a timer set for about 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.

  

  For the yard light pole I’ve chosen three Phillips Energy Saver 40 decorative candles since that’s what was on the shelves at Wal-mart when I stopped by there this morning on my way to work. Again, I like the 40W equivalent light with the electrical savings the fluorescent bulb provides. The yard light pole is always on, but has a sensor to activate the light when it gets dark outside. I had the fun of replacing the sensor for the first time last summer.

  I plan to update this post as the lights burn out and I replace them. Hopefully you won’t hear from me again on this issue for quite some time. Only time will tell.

• August 09, 2011
• 0:01

  Super-simple storage solution

  In an effort to avoid being featured on an episode of Hoarders, I'm always looking for fast, simple ways to add storage in my garage, basement and workshop. That's why I was so intrigued when I stumbled upon the ShelfLinks Custom Storage System, by 2x4basics. This cleverly designed system consists of six ShelfLink fixtures, which are made of heavy-gauge structural resin. Molded into each 16-inch-long fixture are two rectangular sockets. In only a few minutes, you can build a custom shelving unit using just the ShelfLink fixtures and ordinary 2x4s. Simply crosscut the 2x4s to length, insert them into the sockets and secure them to the fixtures with the included screws. The fixtures can support spans up to 8 feet long and loads up to 1,000 pounds per shelf. And you can easily reconfigure the system as your storage needs change by simply using longer or shorter 2x4s, or by adding more ShelfLink fixtures. The six-pack ShelfLinks Custom Storage System is available on-line for about $24.
• 6:00

  Wall graphics for gamers who love Nintendo and have no interest in dating

  If covering your walls in retro Super Mario Brothers decals (like the ones shown above) is more your speed, then more power to you. But I'd be remiss not to make you aware of the fact that you're going to creep out 97% of any dates you bring back to your place. That said, these exist, and you can make any room in your home into the Mushroom Kingdom for just $69.99 at Perpetual Kid.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 31% on an 3-Blade Ceiling Fan

  Sure is hot out...still. If you haven't installed a ceiling fan in your home yet, you should consider it! They help keep a room 4-6 degrees cooler as they circulate air! This Monte Carlo Fan is a modern-looking 3-blade style...

• 14:50

  Buried With… A Power Saw?

  

  While having drinks with a friend last night, the subject of the British author Roald Dahl came up. None of us at the pub could remember the specifics of when he wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so naturally we all dove for iPhones and Wikipedia. Scrolling through his Wikipedia entry, though, we came across this bit:

  Roald Dahl died on 23 November 1990, at the age of 74 of a blood disease, myelodysplastic syndrome, in Oxford,[49] and was buried in the cemetery at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England. According to his granddaughter, the family gave him a “sort of Viking funeral”. He was buried with his snooker cues, some very good burgundy, chocolates, HB pencils and a power saw.

  No, really. The man was buried with a power saw.

  Or at least that’s what Wikipedia claims his granddaughter said, along with the fact that he was given a “sort of Viking funeral.” The article didn’t speculate on what that means, but we certainly did. Following the Wikipedia link, we learned that Norse funerals often entail laying the dead “in a boat, or on a stone ship” where “they were given grave offerings in accordance with [their] earthly status and profession. … Afterwards, piles of stone and soil were usually laid on top of the remains in order to create a tumulus.”

  A “tumulus,” by the way, is just a fancy way of saying “pile of dirt or stones.” You know, like in Beowulf.

  Maybe it was just the Smithwick’s talking when we all decided that going out on a big funeral pyre with The Who screaming over big-ass speakers seemed like a better funeral plan, but we all loved the inclusion of a favorite power tool in the grave. One drawback, though: Isn’t it best to leave tools for the living?

  (Thanks, John Picken, for the CC-licensed photo. The photo I took last night was, um, a little blurry.)

• 14:57

  First Tool Use Recommendation: A Bicycle

  

  If you’re a Toolmonger, I’m guessing you’re mechanically inclined. But do you remember how you started to learn how to use tools? Do you remember who showed you how to use them, or did you learn on your own? Do you remember what your first projects were? Today I fixed my youngest daughter’s flat bicycle tire, and the experience reminded me of when I first learned to use tools — so I thought I’d share: A bicycle makes a great launching point to introduce others to tools and shop projects.

  Today’s project required no more tools than a 15 mm socket and a 17 mm wrench. They were simple tools for a simple job. The bike is actually a hand-me-down from our oldest daughter so it is dated, but it is oh-so-easy to work on. Fixing the tire was pure joy of knowing how to do something and just going through the motions. I didn’t even get dirty. What a perfect project for a beginner.

  Of course if you are an avid cyclist, doing your own work will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Plus it will save you many hours of time driving back and forth to the shop when you’d rather be out on the road or the bike trails. From personal experience, I know bicycle breakdowns usually seem to happen on the road farthest from home, so knowing how to fix your bike will come in handy a few hundred miles into your riding season. I always ride with a rear tool pack for the times when such a breakdown occurs.

  I have fond memories of summer days spent in my parents’ garage with access to all of my dad’s tools, fixing a flat or giving my bicycle a tune-up. I taught myself the basics of screwdrivers, wrenches, allen wrenches, and sockets. I learned how messy bicycle chain grease could be. And I learned when I was stuck when to ask for help. When I was finished, nothing beat the feeling of completing a job and taking that sucker out on the road for a short shake-down cruise.

  I’m sure others will have different recommendations on where to start using tools. I won’t say that any of them are wrong — but I will say a bicycle is an excellent first choice.

• 15:36

  Answer Army

  

  Customer service in the power tool industry is an interesting thing. I picture lawyers standing over beaten, hunchbacked representatives who are giving the company line and afraid to commit to any operation or function other than what’s listed in the manual. But recently Husqvarna has taken a unique stance on customer service and started the Answer Army site.

  Answer Army is staffed by product experts who seem to actually try to answer the questions you have instead of the ones the company thinks you should have — things like basic maintenance and frequently asked questions are covered, but also things like “I pinched my chainsaw bar on the cut and ripped the chain in half. What do I do now?” or “The motor on my saw seized up; how do I tell what went wrong?”

  It’s a good idea they’ve managed to come up with here, if they’re truly responsive to the real problems folks have with their products. We’re hoping Answer Army, after a few months of user interaction, will become a comprehensive tool for keeping you from ‘sploding the saw or removing parts of your anatomy.

  In our humblest of opinions, saving the headache of maintenance issues and a few limbs would be worth any time and effort Husqvarna put into it.

  Answer Army [Website]
  Husqvarna [Website]

• August 10, 2011
• 11:00

  Deal of the Day: Save 26% on a Weber Smoker

  Already mastered the grill this summer? Ready to vamp-up your outdoor cooking repertoire? Maybe it's time to give yourself a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. This 18 1/2-inch smoker uses charcoal to give your patio cuisine a smokehouse taste. Large enough...

• 18:33

  Own A Cheap-Ass Respirator

  

  Sure, you won’t keel over dead instantly if you breathe in some sanding dust or the excess spray paint that doesn’t make its way onto your lawn furniture (or nearby parked car). But wearing a proper respirator can add years to your life. To get the full benefit, you’ll need to do a little research to see what’s in the crap to which you’re exposing yourself, and that’s the point where most people just say “screw it” and plow on, sans protection. There’s another option, though: Pick up a cheap-but-decent model like the one above, offered for $17 from TP Tools.

  According to TP, the “SAS respirator offers protection against paint mists (lacquers and enamels), dusts, fumes, mists free of oil, and other particulate and organic vapor hazards.” That’s not everything in the world, but it sounds like it’d catch most of the most common stuff around the shop. TP sells replacement pre-filters (for $5), but they categorize the whole thing as disposable.

  Then again, if you’re looking for something more permanent, you’ll probably want to do your research and buy a serious mask with cartridges designed to fully protect you from the toxic stuff you plan to use. At around $25 shipped, I’m thinking about just having one of these in the cabinet on hand.

  SAS Bandit Reusable Disposable Dual-Cartridge Respirator [TP Tools]

• 18:41

  DeWalt’s 12V MAX Flashlight: I’m a Fan

  

  When I first saw the flashlight component of DeWalt’s 12V MAX line, I thought, “Wow, that sure is odd-looking. It’s square. It’s gonna be uncomfortable to hold. And what’s with that gimmicky swivel head?” Then I picked it up. Surprise! It’s actually quite comfortable in your hand. It’s bright, too, and the swivel head makes it easy to direct light where you need it. In short: I’m a fan. It’s one of the most popular flashlights around the TM shop now, and at home as well. So read on for the details about an accessory that most reviewers will toss to the side to get at the drill driver — DeWalt’s new flashlight.

  The Light

  Like most modern flashlights, the DeWalt incorporates a bright-white LED which, combined with a small reflector, creates a wide dispersion pattern and a pretty intense white spot in the middle. A significant departure from Milwaukee’s carefully-engineered no-bright-spot design, this design decision was intentional: DeWalt says they want to provide you the ability to direct bright light on whatever you’re looking at, or to aim it off to the side to provide more of a dim wash. See the results for yourself:

  Milwaukee’s:

  

  DeWalt’s:

  

  As far as I’m concerned, both of these flashlights provide lots of light in a color that doesn’t distort the colors of wires or other items you’re looking at in the dark. I prefer the Milwaukee pattern slightly, but it’s entirely a matter of taste. DeWalt’s pattern does throw light farther, and will create a spot from a distance, even in a fairly well-lit room. (Check out the photo in the gallery below to see what I mean.)

  Ergonomics

  DeWalt’s decision to go with a flat, slide-type battery for the 12V MAX line sets it apart from competitors’ lines. Without the small, rounded insert-type battery pioneered by Bosch with the PS20, DeWalt created a compact line that’s more like miniature versions of its larger tools. This makes a ton of sense when it comes to drill/drivers and other power tools.

  But picture yourself as a DeWalt industrial designer tasked with creating a small, handheld flashlight based on the flat battery — especially if you’re one of the chosen few (like us) who believes that flashlights are serious hand tools, powerful in their simplicity like hammers or screwdrivers, not gadgety toys. That’s a hell of a challenge. Let’s take a closer look.

  Despite its general squareness, the DeWalt light rounds off the battery’s shape and renders the light just the right shape and size to fit in your palm. The LED and its reflector are mounted on a two-axis swivel, so you can pretty much point them in any direction within a 180-degree half-sphere around the top of the light. Combine these two features and you’ve got a light that works equally well held in a vertical position with the reflector bent over 90 degrees or horizontally like an old-school flashlight. (It may not look much like your old three-D-cell tube light, but it sure can feel and function like one.)

  The DeWalt also incorporates a little folding metal kickstand, which locks into storage out of the way but folds down to convert the rounded bottom of the light into a stable stand. This makes it perfect for lighting up hard-to-reach places like behind the TV stand or under a car. Fold down the stand, set it close by, and aim the light where you need it with the swivel.

  One of my favorite parts of this light, though, is the magnet. On the back side of the light just above its belt clip, you’ll find a very, very powerful magnet. Actually, it’s a perfect balance of magnetic power, strong enough to hold the light firmly to just about any metal surface, but not so powerful that you risk pinching off a finger when you stick it to solid iron. My favorite test for magnetized tools is sticking them to my water heater. It generally provides a pretty weak grip, so many tools won’t stay stuck. The DeWalt grabbed on tight.

  It’s surprisingly light, too, weighing in at just 375 grams, compared with the Milwaukee’s 436 grams.

  Conclusions

  This, folks, is a seriously cool flashlight. My only complaint–which is more of a personal taste thing than a real complaint–is that I’d really prefer a more even light pattern like the Milwaukee’s. Regardless, though, it’s the DeWalt’s ergonomics that keep it front and center in the house and shop. It’s just so easy to leave it stuck to something nearby where you’re working. The little features count, too, like the fact that, unlike the Milwaukee, the DeWalt’s switch is on the opposite side of its magnet so you can turn it on and off while it’s still attached.

  Now for the bad news. DeWalt offers the light solely as a tool-only purchase, and a pricey one at around $45 street. You’ll need at least one battery and a charger, too, placing your flashlight-only well over $100–and firmly out of range of non-lottery-winners. But if you’re planning to wade into the 12V MAX line, owning one of these is pretty much a no-brainer: Buy a kit that includes one. Hell, I’d probably even spring for one if you already own a tool in the line with a battery and charger. You’ll thank me later.

  

  DCL510 12V MAX LED Worklight [DeWalt]
  Street Pricing [Google]
  Via Amazon [What’s This?]

• August 11, 2011
• 0:01

  Spring-clamp collection

  Seems like I'm always running out of spring clamps, and I own quite a few. But I use them everywhere: in the workshop, on the jobsite, when camping, even around the house and garden. Just yesterday I used four spring clamps to secure a tarp across my wheelbarrow. (I've got some bags of sand in the wheelbarrow and I'm trying to keep out the rain. The bags weigh 80 pounds when they're dry!) Anyway, because of my reckless use of spring clamps, I'm always looking to buy new ones--if the price is right. Here's a deal that recently caught my eye: the Denali Spring Clamp Assortment, 14 spring clamps for just $15. That's a savings of nearly $20. Each clamp is made of resilient glass-reinforced nylon, and has soft-plastic articulating pads and heavy-duty, cold-formed steel spring. The Denali Spring Clamp Assortment is available on-line and includes: six 3/4-inch-, four 1-inch-, two 2-inch-, and two 3-inch-capacity clamps.
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Add Afforable Storage Anywhere

  This simple, little cube can handle big storage duties. It is a modern way to gain more shelf space in dorm rooms or offices, or makes fun wall cubbies in a kid's room. Combine and stack a bunch to create...

• 11:15

  Questionmonger: Best Tools For Beginner’s Leathercraft?

  

  My mother tells me that when I was a kid, I showed some interest in leathercraft after making a few things at summer camp. So she used to take me to a local shop where we’d buy little kits. I remember carrying a wallet for a number of years that I’d made myself. By “made,” I mean I sewed some pre-cut leather together with thick cord and stamped my name in it with some pre-made leather stamps. Not so long ago, I saw some much more detailed and kick-ass leatherwork crafted by a friend who’s into costuming, and it got me thinking how nice it’d be to be able to make custom cases for some of my equipment and so on.

  So my question: What are the best tools and learning resources for someone who wants to get into serious leathercraft?

  Thankfully the Internet makes the learning process a bit easier than when I was a kid. I’m pretty sure that the shop my mother took me to visit was a Tandy Leather Factory, and their site does indeed list a number of kits like the ones I remember. They offer some starter kits, too, including a Deluxe Leathercraft Kit containing a lot of various stamps and brushes, plus some basic tanning materials. Tandy also slips in some I-made-it-at-camp kits, like a cell phone case and checkbook cover.

  But I’m more interested in learning to shape leather to make more complex items. I noticed a Leathercraft’s Ultimate Workshop kit, too, though it’s priced at a whopping $600. It looks like pretty much an everything-we-have-to-offer set with lots of shaping and custom-carving tools.

  Hopefully some of you Toolmongers are experts, though, and can direct me to a cheaper place to start. I like the idea of building up a tool set as I learn, as opposed to just buying my way in. In my opinion, at least, tools are only as useful as the artisan who holds them.

  (The photo above comes from the Marcy J. Miller’s website. She’s an artist out of Cave Creek, AZ. Check out her site for lots of cool leather work.)

• August 12, 2011
• 9:00

  Deal of the Day: Have a Proper Summer Yard Sale

  Did you know tomorrow is National Garage Sale Day? Are you planning on having one before summer ends? We have some expert tips on how to successfully sell your wares. One great tip is to display merchandise with care—never place...

• 10:24

  HF Knocks Off The Gearwrench XL Pass-Thru

  

  Way back in 2006 we posted our first hands-on with GearWrench’s XL Pass-Thru ratchets. The verdict? Awesome. We love ‘em. And they’re pretty reasonably-priced, too, with sets starting around $50. But as Harbor Freight proves again, if someone can make it, they can make a knock off cheaper. Witness above the “21-Piece SAE/Metric Go-Thru Socket Set,” offered for less than half the price of GearWrench’s original.

  The Pittsburgh-branded HF model rings up at $20 and includes eight SAE sockets (5/15″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″, 9/16″, 11/16″, and 3/4″ plus ten metric (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19mm). The ratchet itself looks like many of the new HF offerings featuring a slight bend in the middle and polished chrome-vanadium steel construction with what appears to be a small rubber grip. Compare this to, say, the GearWrench 27-piece set available at Sears, which offers ten SAE sockets (5/32″, 3/16″, 7/32″, 1/4″, 9/32″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″, and 9/16″) and thirteen metric (3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, and 6-13mm) — as well as a flexible ratchet. We’re HUGE fans of the flexible ratchet, by the way, which kicks far more ass than standard floppy hinged ratchets, in that it allows you to lock the ratchet into fixed angles.

  The kicker, though, is that you can waltz into your local Sears and pick up the set described above for $47. Yeah, that’s a good bit more than the HF stuff, but in this case I think I’d spring for the real deal. Of course, if HF dropped the knock off price down to $15, it’d be a more difficult choice — especially if I was really strapped for cash. Either way, you’ll get the advantage of pass-thru sockets.

  But besides the standard “I hate things not made in America,” what do you think? How cheap would a GearWrench knock off have to be to tempt you?

  21-Piece SAE/Metric Go-Thru Socket Set [Harbor Freight]
  GearWrench XL Pass-Thru Sets [Google]