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February 23, 2010
0:01
SoniCrafter saves the day

My buddy, Chris, called last week and asked me to help him tear out some old oak flooring from the den of his antique Colonial home. He wanted to expose the original wide-plank chestnut floor that was beneath the oak. Sounded like a simple enough job. "No problem," I told Chris, "I'll be over in the morning." But as soon as I walked into the room, I knew we were in for a long, hard day. The previous homeowners had installed built-in bookcases along the walls, and the cases were sitting on top of the oak flooring. Complicating the issue was the fact that the bookcases extended nearly 3 inches beyond their 4-inch-tall bases. That created a unique challenge: How to cut out the oak flooring without removing or damaging the bookcases, and without cutting through the chestnut floor below. And we were severely restricted by the height and depth of the toe-kick space along the base of the bookcases. We couldn't use a circular saw, router or even reciprocating saw; there just wasn't enough space. After some head scratching, I ran back to my shop and returned with the perfect--and perhaps only--tool for the job: my Rockwell SoniCrafter.
6:00
Deal of the Day: Save 46% on a GE grounded adapter

Make your double or single outlet a 6-outlet power center with this GE adapter ($6.99; Reg. $12.99). Free shipping!

14:09
Sky-High Workshop

As noted in the Make blog, Mark Tilden (of BEAM* robotics fame) has a workshop 600 feet up in a Hong Kong high-rise. The work bench’s surface is ½” thick smoked glass to which solder and superglue do not stick. The view out the window is of Kowloon Park and the Hong Kong skyline. Not a bad place to sit while you’re building your next widget, unless Hong Kong’s seismic activity picks up.

*Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanics; a type of robotics using simple analog circuits, instead of microprocessors, to mimic biological neurons.
14:11
Roll-O Was Its Name-O

With Robert’s Roll-O universal knife you don’t have to sacrifice the skin on your knuckles when you cut rough materials like asphalt shingles or carpet. The knife’s finger loop, contoured handle, and extended roller tail protect your fingers and probably give you more control than a standard run-of-the-mill utility knife.

Unlike many other “improved” utility knives, the Roll-O knife uses standard 2 or 3 notch utility blades. It opens with the push of a button for quickly changing the blade and accessing storage which holds up to 10 extra blades. Pricing for the Roll-O universal knife starts at $10.

Roll-O Universal Knife [Roberts]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
14:42
Hot Or Not: LED Gloves

Well, they’re not laser-guided, but they do have LEDs (specifically “two Memphis logo LED lights with each pair”). And there are four attachment points per glove for the LEDs. These mechanics-type gloves have Spandex® backs, synthetic leather palms with foam padding, adjustable neoprene cuffs, and PVC on the palm and fingertips for gripping. A pair can be yours for around $12.50 (size large; shipping not included).

LED gloves might be a better approach than sticking a flashlight in your mouth and trying to aim it, but I’m not sure they’re an improvement over an LED headlamp (e.g., like these [What’s This?]), or a good trouble light.

Has anyone tried these gloves? What do you think?

MCR Safety Multi Purpose Gloves With LED Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Memphis Multi-task Gloves [Manufacturer's Site]
15:01
Veritas Detail Rabbet Planes

It’s not exactly a Dealmonger, but Lee Valley does have an introductory price on their Veritas® Detail Rabbet Planes. These patented, made-in-Canada planes come in five widths (1/4″, 5/16″ (8mm), 3/8″, 6mm, and 10mm). The one piece ductile cast iron body has a 3″-long sole, and a 15° bed angle. When the O1 tool steel lapped blade with its 30° bevel is inserted, the plane provides a 45° cutting angle.

A one-piece polished brass tongue and palm rest holds the blade in place. Until March 25, 2010, three-piece sets of Imperial or metric planes are $149 (the regular price will be $169). All five planes can be purchased for $239 until March 25, 2010, or for $279 after that date. Single planes are $65 each.

These planes may be a good alternative to a chisel for trimming, or cleaning dados and grooves.

Veritas® Detail Rabbet Planes [Manufacturer's Site]

15:09
DeWalt’s new worm drive circ saw

Framers, construction works, and serious DIYers have a new worm drive saw to consider.
16:59
Silky sleepmates

Some 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, a source at EPA informs me, and dust mites—gnarly, invisible beasts that feed on flakes of human skin—are among the sneezing public’s biggest enemies. Not surprisingly, all kinds of products promise relief, from sinus-draining medications to mite-resistant flooring. Still, I was startled to hear from the maker of a luxe pillowcase that silk might do the job too. “I call it functional décor,” says Donna Hinds, the brains behind Branche’s $75 Charmeuse Case. A former dressmaker who knows her warps and wefts, Hinds says her heavyweight silk case—available in seven colors—mainly functions as a beauty aid, leaving skin and hair silky smooth, and only incidentally works as a dust-mite deterrent. But I notice a similar suggestion at AllergyBuyersClub.com, which sells silk bedding. The jury’s still out on all claims, science-wise, but after a few nights of sleeping on borrowed silk I’m happy to report that it’s nothing if not comfy.
February 24, 2010
6:31
Deal of the Day: Save 50% or more at vandykes.com

Visit the Discount Den at Van Dyke's Restorers for deep discounts on beautiful latches, hooks, pulls, knobs, and more. This Eastlake T-Handle Latch can be had for just $7.99 (Reg. $14.99).

10:28
Table Saw Blade Guard And Dust Collector

Ever use your table saw while wearing a flannel shirt? You’d think you wouldn’t make that mistake more than once. Most table saws dust collection systems capture dust generated below the workpiece, but do a poor job capturing the dust that the blade throws above the work piece — usually right at your shirt.

What we need is a way to capture the dust that comes off the top of the workpiece. Blade guard dust collection systems are nothing new, but they’re usually priced at a good percentage of what you paid for your table saw. This blade guard dust collector from Penn State Industries looks to be a solution that the home wood worker might afford.

It can be used on any table saw with an extension, or you can mount it to the ceiling. The guard is large enough to accepts blades up to 16″ — I’d like to see that table saw — and will still cover your splitter and anti-kickback pawls. It can be used with dado blades and will cover the blade on 45° cuts, too.

The guard portion is a single piece of clear, shatterproof plastic. A 4″ dust collection hose connects to the 83″ steel boom and the mast is made from steel too. The guard is counter-balanced, which makes it easy to position and adjust for different wood thicknesses, and if the guard interferes with your operation you can simply swing it out of the way.

You can buy the dust collection guard for $150 total at Amazon. If that’s still too rich for your blood you can pick up plans to make your own for $6.

Dust Collection Guard [Penn State Industries]
Dust Collection Guard Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Plans at Amazon [What’s This?]
11:28
Shop File Organization

No, not that kind of file… I’m talking about file folders here, and I like these erasable file labels. I’ve been trying to update and organize my various shop projects, manuals, and notes so I can actually find something without spending a month of Sundays looking. The labels are a polymer that can be written on with a Sharpie® permanent — on most stuff except these labels, apparently — pen (any color), and erased, again and again and again if necessary, using one of those vinyl erasers like a Pentel Clic. I can grab an old beat-up folder with an illegible tab, slap one of these labels on it, and re-use it for years.

The $9.99 WSK40 starter kit, shown above, is for third-cut folders, and comes with 80 white 3.44″×0.59″ labels, a black Sharpie® fine point marker, and a LabelOnce™ permanent ink eraser. LabelOnce™ has a variety of different-sized labels for hanging file folders, ring binders, storage boxes, and more.

LabelOnce™ [Manufacturer's Site]

February 25, 2010
0:01
Sanding saw blade produces smoother cuts

Final Cut Saw Blades are high-quality, carbide-tipped blades that boast a most unusual feature: they have abrasive paper adhered to both sides of the blade. As a result, the blades cut and sand simultaneously, producing extremely smooth cuts. Pretty cool, right? Well until recently, Final Cut blades were only available for power miter saws and table saws. But now there's a brand-new Final Cut blade made specifically for 7 1/4-inch portable circular saws.
6:00
Deal of the Day: Save 48% on this cordless vac

Get this Black & Decker 18V Cordless Pivoting Vac—great for quick clean-ups—for just $69.99 (Reg. $134.99). For a limited time, the item will ship for free, too.

12:43
Stained Glass Grinder

Shaping glass for stained glass projects is probably a task where you want dedicated equipment, so inland makes special grinders like the Wizling CG just for the task.

The Wizling’s motor spins at 3500 RPM and produces 16 oz-in of torque so it can use bits ranging in size from 1/8″ to 1″ in diameter or even beveling bits. Coolant is brought to the bit by a coolant feed sponge which draws water from the reservoir. A 9″ x 10″ open-grid, reversible work surface sits in the reservoir which is removable for cleaning. Inland constructs most of the Wizling CG from injection molded plastic.

Pricing for the Wizling CG grinder hovers around $100.

Wizling CG [inland]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

February 26, 2010
6:47
Deal of the Day: Save $100 on this L-shaped desk

Add this space-saving Espresso-finish desk ($149.99; Reg. $249.99) to your home office. Features a handy slide-out keyboard tray, lots of cabinet and drawer storage, and more. Available for residential delivery and Office Depot in-store pick up. Offer good thru 02/27/10.

11:29
Get Rid Of Those Giant Ugly “In Use” Covers

When I first saw one of the plastic bubble monstrosities required for “in use” receptacle covers, I thought the idea was sound, but the execution awful. Today there are a few more models to choose from and some are even more tasteful, but most of them still stick out of the side of a house like a sore thumb.

That’s where TayMac’s flat in use cover comes in. It’s made from heavy duty polycarbonate and expands from a flush 1″ to 3-1/2″ thanks to its synthetic neoprene rubber accordion-like structure. Supposedly the materials won’t dry rot, crack or deteriorate in sunlight and are paintable.

TayMac calls this box an “in use cover” and says it’s ETL listed, yet they specially don’t mention whether it’s weatherproof or meets the 406.8(B) NEC code; although Ace claims the box is 2008 NEC compliant. So here’s the question: can you actually use this box to meet code? Maybe somebody can straighten me out in the comments.

TayMac’s flat in use cover will run you somewhere around $9. Also, when I was researching this item I found a cool resource where you can download the various building codes by state. Use the last link in the post to visit the site.

Flat In Use Cover [TayMac]
Flat In Use Cover [Ace Hardware]
Public Codes

February 27, 2010
0:01
Rolling room divider

Building walls is one way to divide large living spaces or separate two rooms, but here's a more attractive, and much more flexible approach: Install Multi-Pass sliding doors. L.E. Johnson Products, famous for its pocket-door hardware, now manufactures a line of multi-pass hardware that provides a quick, easy way to create a "wall" of sliding doors.
6:55
Deal of the Day: Save 15% on Artifaqt switch plates

For a limited time, save 15% on beautiful switch plates—like "Spring" (shown; $23.80; Reg. $28) and featured in the March 2010 issue of This Old House magazine—at artifaqt.com
February 28, 2010
1:43
Deal of the Day: Swiss+Tech 4-in-1 Screwdriver Set, $5

Since our microtool deals were so popular, here's another one: This Swiss+Tech Screwz-All 4-in-1 Compact Screwdriver Set ($4.99; reg. $7.99), features standard sized Phillips and flat screwdrivers, and micro-sized Phillips and flat screwdrivers. Free shipping for a limited time.
March 01, 2010
1:59
Deal of the Day: Handheld infrared thermometer, $30

This No-Contact Handheld Infrared Thermometer (just $29.99; Reg. $45.99) allows you to make easy temperature readings from virtually any surface! Check everything from auto engine, muffler brakes, tires or brakes to heater vents and air conditioners. Features backlit LCD display...

11:45
Hot Or Not? Michelin Smart Jumper Cables

The Michelin Smart Jumper Cables™ seem to be a great step up from ordinary jumper cables. These 12′ long cables are 8-gauge copper-clad aluminum wires with a control box that automatically adjusts the polarity when the clamps are connected, and prevents sparking or shorting. Basic jumper-cable connection rules still apply: from one side of the control box, connect one clamp to the boosting vehicle’s positive battery terminal and the other to its negative terminal. Then, from the other side of the control box, connect one clamp to the disabled vehicle’s positive battery terminal, and the other to exposed metal on the engine block or vehicle frame. If the control box’s green indicator lights are on, you’re ready to try a jump start. The control box also has built-in surge protection for the vehicles’ computers and electronics. A set of these smart jumper cables costs $34.99.

These look like a good idea to me – no more of that “put the red clamp on the positive terminal of the good battery, and then…,” especially on a dark, cold, rainy night with crummy cell-phone reception. What do you think?

Michelin 5100 Smart Jumper Cables Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Michelin Smart Jumper Cables™ [Manufacturer's Site]
12:07
GunSlinger Stapler Belt Holder

You can buy tool belt accessories to carry tape measures, hammers, and drills, but where do you stow your staple gun? If you had Arrow’s Gunslinger, you could hang it from your belt, too. It works with most of Arrow’s and many other brands of staple guns.

Made in the USA from high-impact plastic, the Gunslinger threads onto your belt. Its design makes it easy to “quick draw” your stapler, yet prevents the stapler from slipping off accidentally. CableOrganizer.com ships the Gunslinger to your door — if you live in the lower 48 — for $7, or you could go with Amazon and pay $5 but get gouged another $8 for shipping.

GunSlinger [CableOrganizer.com]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

14:25
More scammers, less catchers. So be on the alert

So when the economy did it's tailspin, scammers trying to make a quick buck came out of the woodwork. No surprise really that insurance (including home insurance) fraud, in particular, rose with about 70 percent of fraud bureaus reporting significant increases in the number of cases they were seeing. What is surprising is that in this mess, many states are cutting back on their fraud-fighting bureaus due to budget cuts, according to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. I even read here that Arizona may lose it's unit completely, to become the tenth state with no dedicated anti-fraud division.
March 02, 2010
0:01
Greener garden tools

March has only just begun, and there's still about a foot of snow on my front yard, but I can't help but think about spring and the approaching gardening season. In just a few short weeks--hopefully--I'll be turning over the soil and preparing the planting beds. And although I wasn't planning to buy any new gardening tools this spring, I quickly changed my mind when I saw the brand-new EcoGardener line of tools from Ames True Temper.

9:06
Milwaukee Updates The Classic Sawzall

Every so often, a manufacturer releases a product that’s so on-point that their brand name becomes synonymous with the tool itself. Here in the South, lots of people call any soda a Coke. But all around the U.S., people call their reciprocating saw a Sawzall.

The Sawzall name belongs to Milwaukee, however, and they recently announced their latest update to the classic multi-purpose saw in the form of two new versions: one with a 3/4″ stroke for cutting in tight spaces and another with a 1-1/8″ stroke for heavy demolition.

Both models will feature a 12-amp motor, clutch to protect gears and motor life (when the blade sticks on something nasty), and Milwaukee’s Quik-Lok tool-free blade clamp. And for those of you tired of numb hands and elbows, the new Sawzalls include a counter-weighted mechanism to reduce vibration — important when it’s pushing out 3,000 strokes per minute.

Street pricing starts around $120 for both the short-stroke model (the 6509-31) and the long-stroke (the 6519-31), and both weigh in right at 7.3 pounds. These are, of course, corded models.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
9:38
Lug Nut Cover Pliers

You put fancy rims on your ride; it’s only sensible to finish off the look with some sharp-looking lug nut covers. Besides looking good, the covers may actually provide some protection to the lug threads. The only problem is whether you can figure out how to install them without marking them up.

Wheel Master designed their Universal Lug Nut Cover Pliers to quickly and easily remove and replace all sized lug nut covers without damaging them. The heavy-gauge steel pliers have rubber-coated handles for a good grip and a rubber-coated head to protect the lug nut covers. And the 9″ pliers are long enough to reach into deep dish wheels.

Pricing for the pliers starts around $10.

Lug Nut Cover Pliers [Wheel Masters]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

10:04
Deal of the Day: Save 50% on this 6-bottle wine cooler

Get the Haier 6-bottle Stainless Steel wine cooler for just $49.99 (Reg. $99.99). Features touch-screen control panel, ultra-quiet thermal electric cooling, and a double-pane insulated glass door. Free shipping for a limited time.

10:16
Don’t Succumb To The Winter Gardening Blues

So it’s too cold to plant. That doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole winter sitting around on your butt. Sue Bucher of the Adams County Master Gardener co-op in Pennsylvania offers some great suggestions to keep you busy during those winter months. Our favorite (and her #1 recommendation): clean and repair your garden tools.

That’s right: There’s nothing worse than going to crank the rototiller or lawn mower in the spring, only to discover it full of sludge and in need of maintenance. Why not take care of it now and enjoy the benefits when it’s warm?

But she’s got lots of other suggestions, including ones you can take on from inside where it’s warm, like building an indoor grow lab to start plants from seeds or to experiment with various lighting — their extension office offers plans — or planting alfalfa seeds for salad sprouts.

For lots more suggestions — and a wealth of interesting gardening information — check out the full article below.

(Thanks, psd, for the awesome CC-licensed photo.)

A Gardener’s Tips for Curing The Winter Blues [Master Gardeners]
11:10
It’s Just Cool: 180-MPH Rolling-Road Wind Tunnel

The Windshear 180-MPH Rolling-Road Wind Tunnel in North Carolina can handle full-sized vehicles and test them with wind speeds up to 180 mph in an environment temperature controlled to ± 1°F. The vehicles sit on a 10.5′ wide × 29.5′ long rolling “road” that is a one-millimeter thick continuous stainless steel belt. This “road” also sits on a turn table with a yaw range of ± 8°, and its belt can accelerate from 0 to 180 mph in less than 60 seconds.

As you can see from the above drawing, this is not a small facility. It occupies around 160,000 square feet, and needed approximately 20,000 tons of steel and 2,000 cubic yards of concrete to build.

The 22-foot diameter 5,100 HP main fan, shown above, recirculates 2.85 million cubic feet of air per second at the tunnel’s top speed, and uses 7MW of power in doing so. It probably also makes one helluva leaf blower…

Wind Shear, Inc. [Manufacturer's Site]
11:32
Ace To Sell Craftsman Tools

According to the folks at Craftsman, approximately 100 Ace stores will begin selling Craftsman tools this May. That includes portable power tools, compressors, wet/dry vacs, and storage products — but most importantly, it includes hand tools. Later this summer Ace plans to extend the extend the offer to carry Craftsman products to all of its 4,500 stores.

Like you, we wonder how this’ll translate to the specific Ace stores near us. Unlike Sears, Ace stores are independently owned and operated, so they tend to vary a bit from store-to-store in terms of what they carry and what sort of experience you’ll receive. And this isn’t, in our opinion, a bad thing. While it certainly leaves room for error, it also leaves room for customizing the stores to local needs in a way the big-boxes simply can’t.

But the biggest question will be how they’ll handle warranty returns. Will they accept and rebuild/replace tools on the spot like Sears does now? If so, this’ll mean a lot of new business for them. If not, it could mean a dilution of the Craftsman brand. Either way, it could mean access to the Craftsman brand for those of you without a local Sears.

What do you think? Let us know in comments.
12:14
Cable Tie Goes Loop De Loop

Cable ties are nothing new, but sometimes you don’t want to put all your wires in one bundle, so Panduit’s double loop cable ties allow you to use a single cable tie to secure two different bundles. The double slotted head lets the tail go through like a normal cable tie, but the second slot allows you to loop the tail back around to form a second loop.

The linked cable ties are Panduit’s weather-resistant black nylon variety. The 11.8″ long ties can form two 3″ loops. Measuring .190″ wide by .052″ thick, these ties have a 50 lb minimum loop tensile strength and are UL recognized.

A hundred-pack of these weather-resistant double loop cable ties will run you about $28 plus shipping. You can even find triple loop cable ties if you poke around Panduit’s website.

Double Loop Cable Ties [Panduit]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

12:21
It's not fake wood, it's real porcelain

It’s not that you’d never believe it’s not wood. More like, it looks like wood only better. Think of Nemo Tile Bioessenze as a sly joke about the snob appeal of natural materials and the fabulousness of fakes that one-up them. Made in Italy with the help of digital printing and new pressing methods, this subtly textured, glazed porcelain is durable and dyed all the way through so chips don’t show, says Raymond Moore, director of architectural sales and marketing at Nemo, the New York tile emporium. And the edges are rectified, or utterly flat, so you can use the thinnest lines of grout. Naturally, tile like this comes in planks, not squares, either 3½ by 36 inches or 8 by 48 inches, depending on the grain. (Shown above, Bianco. Below, Rovere.) And At $11.75 to $14.25 a square foot, not too expensive for a bath, galley kitchen, or well-trod foyer. To order, call Nemo, 212-505-0009.

12:43
The Right Way To Cram Things Under Your Bed

I’ll admit that I’m still guilty of cramming stuff under my bed — even as I’m approaching 40. But Toolmonger blitzcat has a better solution: a bed frame that incorporates sliding drawers. Though he bought the plans from online seller knottyplans.com, I’d bet most of you could gin up your own similar project from the pictures he’s posted to the Flickr pool.

For more photos, check out the full set he posted, including my favorite: pics of the plywood riding home strapped to the top of a small SUV. As if you needed it, here’s more proof that you don’t need to own a truck and a pile of tools to build simple projects to make your life simpler.

Hopefully he’ll stop by and give us some more details about the project in comments!

Storage Bed [TM's Flickr Pool]
Mate’s Bed Project [Flickr]
13:17
Covered In Ice? Build Your Own Hockey Rink!

Sure, tons of ice and snow falling on your town can mean lost services and difficult travel. But there’s lemonade in those lemons — especially if you’re a hockey fan. More than a few enterprising people have turned this winter’s abundance into home-made hockey rinks!

The kid-sized rink pictured above, for example, was built by this man out of basic lumber, decking screws, some vapor barrier, and a garden hose. Admittedly, he purchased a RinkRake — an ice-grooming tool that (like a Zamboni on big rinks) helps smooth out the ice. But other than that, it’s pretty much a local big-box special.

And he’s not alone. A recent article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle notes that spending $500 or so to build even a 55′ x 38′ backyard rink compares favorably to the $250 or more it costs to rent a local rink for an hour. Factor in another $300 for lessons, and the idea of a DIY rink and teaching your own kids sounds pretty thrifty.

Though this isn’t the first year I’ve seen this picture floating around the wasting-time-at-work pic sites, I always assumed it was Photoshop genius. Now I’m not so sure.

So where do you start? If you’re looking to take on the task entirely DIY, you’ll definitely want to check out the plans and photos link below where a veteran builder shows step-by-step pictures of the whole process. And if you’ve got a little extra cash, you might swing by Rink Rake’s site, which offers not just the grooming tool mentioned above, but also pretty much everything you need to build a high-quality rink of your own.

Just don’t forget to send Toolmonger some pics when you’re done!

DIY Backyard Ice Rink [myfamilylovesit.com]
DIY Backyard Ice Rink Plans/Photos [myfamilylovesit.com]
Young Players Sharpen Their Skills on Backyard Rinks [democratandchronicle.com]

March 03, 2010
6:06
Deal of the Day: Rubbermaid closet organization kit, $60

$60 is a small price to pay to get your closet organized. Get this easy-install Rubbermaid customizable 3- to 6-foot kit (Was $67.50; Reg. $80). The shelving and hanging spaces are easy to reconfigure for changing storage needs.

10:09
Free Woodworking E-Books

The Make blog reports that Evenfall Studios’ Woodworks Library has a growing collection of over 175 free books available in HTML and PDF formats. These scanned books (files can be very large) are United States public domain, and anyone in the U.S. can read and distribute them. Many are older books from the late 1800s and early 1900s, but there are also more recent books like the USDA Wood Handbook pictured above. The books cover a gamut of topics: furniture, finishing, upholstery, pattern making, hand tools, machine tools, welding, metal work, carving, turning, and more. If you can think of it, there’s probably a book in this library about it.

You can now pick up older books, like the one shown below, for less than its original cost of 10¢!

This is a great resource for both the wood worker and the history buff.

The Evenfall Studios Woodworks Library [Manufacturer's Site]
11:26
Extreme Laziness: Grill Edition!

There are a lot of silly things sold today, but the motorized grill brush tops the list. It makes you wonder if the person who signed the check to manufacture them has ever grilled. Is it really that hard to move your arm back and forth, and do you really want to hunt around for batteries when the brush dies rather than clean your grill?

To put this into perspective, we are talking about a Brookstone product. Between them and The Sharper Image, billions of dollars of useless crap has been sold to gadget-loving persons everywhere. Every once in a while they’re ahead of the curve and actually sell something that catches on, but 9 times out of 10 it’s crap.

Powered by four C cell batteries, the grill brush operates like an electric toothbrush for your grill. You push a button and supposedly the rotary brushes quickly strip away cooked-on food — one wonders if the brush can produce enough torque to remove anything. So when the rotating brushes won’t work you can use the built-in scraper. You can remove the brush for cleaning or replacement when it’s worn.

The upside is that if you buy the motorized grill brush you’re only losing $20, plus shipping of course. Replacement brushes are $5, so if you must buy this grill brush you might want to pick up a few because who knows how long this product will be around.

For other funny examples of extreme laziness, check out the collection at Holytaco.

Motorized Grill Brush [Brookstone]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
15:42
Combo Square With A Magnetic Lock

Can you spot something missing on Kapro’s Combination Square? Actually two things are missing. Notice there’s no channel running the length of the rule; it’s smooth and flat. You don’t need a channel because this square doesn’t have the usual thumb screw locking mechanism. Instead six rare-earth magnets hold the body where you position it.

Kapro etches the 12″ stainless steel rule with inch and metric scales in increments of 1/16″ and 1 mm, and because of the magnetic lock you don’t have slide the body off the end of the rule to switch scales. They make the body from heavy-duty cast zinc, mill it on five sides, and incorporate the standard spirit level. You don’t even have to search for a marking device since they include their Easy Grip stainless steel scribe which is always at the ready, stuck to the magnets in the body.

You can find the square for as little as $11 before shipping, plus Kapro throws in a belt holster for the price of purchase.

Combination Square [Kapro]
Combination Square [Rockler]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
15:43
Editorial: Made In… Part 1

I see lots and lots of comments here on Toolmonger regarding where individual tools are made. And while I did grow up during a time where it was easy to tell “Made in America” from “cheap imports” in terms of hand and especially power tools, I have to tell you that after writing, researching, and using tools professionally in recent years, I’m not sure the line is so clear anymore. So what does “made in wherever” mean today, and what does it mean in terms of quality?

Consider this: We’ve gone to all sorts of lengths here in America to help consumers understand where their cars are built. Take a look at the window sticker on a new vehicle, and you’ll find numbers indicating what percentage of the parts ship from what countries as well as where the car was assembled. But it’s still a bitch to figure out what’s domestic and what’s “imported.”

Do we, for example, follow the money or the shipping receipts? And which money would we follow? the profits made from our purchases or the money paid to assembly workers? Or the money spent on parts? Or design? The result: Nissan sure sounds foreign, but I know lots of people in Mississippi who’d argue otherwise. And that all-American Ford? What if it’s built in Mexico?

Now consider tools again. The design and manufacturing of tools is every bit as complex as autos, but we lack even the window sticker’s vague data to clue us in as to the true nature of a given product’s national (or more likely international) legacy.

Though the United States represents a huge market for the sale of hand and power tools, it’s by no means the only one. Europe also represents a large market, as does Asia. And as the largest tool companies service the entire world, they’re not only manufacturing tools internationally — they’re also designing them, managing the production of them, and spending the cash made from the sale of them internationally as well.

It’s by no means uncommon for large tool companies to conceive a tool a facility in one country, design it in another, manufacture it in third, test it in a fourth, and sell it all over the world. While a tool like this might carry a “Made in China” stamp (or “Made in the USA” if it happened to be assembled in the US), what does that really mean?

Here’s my opinion: Where a tool is manufactured — when viewed on its own without other data — no longer offers a good indicator as to the tool’s quality nor its contribution to a given nation’s economy.

To be continued! Check back tomorrow for part two in this editorial where we delve deeper into the manufacturing process.

March 04, 2010
0:01
Go-to garage buddy

Ok, I admit it, maybe it's a guy thing, but I love buying stuff for my garage. Whether it's a wall-hung storage rack or hydraulic floor jack, it doesn't much matter. The garage is my domain and I can outfit it anyway I wish--most of the time. (My wife recently vetoed my Girls Gone Wild wall mural, saying that at my age I should be more interested in Girls With Corrective Footwear.) In any case, I recently heard about a cool new garage accessory from Stanley called, the Total Garage Center. And regardless of whether or not you're a garage rat like me, you might want to consider getting yourself this versatile, valuable piece of equipment.
6:29
Deal of the Day: Save 64% on the Euro-Pro Shark UltraLite Vac

The 3-in-1 EuroPro Shark Multi-Vacuum ($49.99; Reg. $139.99) features a hand vac, portable canister, and stick vac, all with consistent suction power. Also features the Shark BackSaver, which bends low to reach under chairs and tables and a turbo-powered brush...

12:22
A Torpedo Level With Nipples

Yes, you read it right — the Spot-Rite torpedo level has male pipe threads on both ends so you can screw it into a 1/2″, 3/4″ or 1″ pipe fitting to check level, plumb, and 45°.

So, how do you fit three different thread sizes on two ends? Since it’s hard to see in the picture, we’re assuming either one end has a stepped thread, or the level comes with a thread adapter.

Pricing for the Spot-Rite level starts at $22. Both the Summit and Allied sites say that this is a torpedo level and gunner nipple in one tool. Can anybody shed some light on what exactly a gunner nipple is?

Spot-Rite Level [Summit Contractor Supply]
Spot-Rite Level [Allied Rubber & Gasket]

12:30
Milwaukee’s new line of tools

The company’s pedigree has always been power tools for plumbers, electricians, and HVAC professionals. But now the makers of the Sawzall are branching out with hand tools.

12:48
Scotch Tough Duct Tapes

Scotch® has six new Tough Duct Tapes, pictured above. The Extreme Hold version has a double-thick adhesive layer (sounds like Gorilla Tape), and a temperature range up to 200° F. The Heavy Duty All-Weather has UV resistance and a waterproof backing. The Outdoor Painter’s Clean Removal claims you can take it off cleanly for up to 14 days after application on “most opaque surfaces.” The indoor/outdoor No Residue can be removed without residue after as long as six months, and is designed for securing cords, hanging signage, bundling, and labeling. The Poly Hanging & Tarps has high tensile strength good for general repairs, hanging poly, and securing or repairing tarps. The Transparent is “ideal for discreet repairs,” or for bundling, reinforcing, and securing lightweight loads.

Depending on tape type, prices range from around $6 to more than $10 at most of the big box stores.

Have any Toolmongers tried these yet? How do they compare to alternatives like Gorilla Tape (details here; also see TM 12/30/06), or your basic big-box bargain bin — how’s that for alliteration? — variety?

Scotch® Tough Duct Tape [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
13:18
Editorial: Made In… Part 2

In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. Read on as I offer some justification for that statement and discuss the manufacturing process.

I’ve seen plenty of great stuff and plenty of poorly-made crap wearing the “Made in the USA” tag. I’ve also seen some great stuff made elsewhere — yes, even in China — as well as a significant chunk of the aforementioned crap. And I’m willing to bet that most Toolmongers can readily lay their hands (physically, or at least metaphorically) on specific tools that fall into all four categories.

But I think the evidence runs deeper than that. Over the past few years a number of tool manufacturers have offered us a look at how their tools are made and how their business processes work. While the details are almost always all off-the-record, the sum total of this experience allows us to see some industry-wide trends that are worth mentioning.

First of all, there is indeed significant difference between “cheap” and “expensive” tools. While some dishonest brands will always try to fool us by purveying the former as the latter, often a tool’s price directly relates to the manufacturing or sales environment.

Even manufacturing something as simple as a combination wrench involves many steps, from forging the basic shape to tempering, machining, and finishing. Each of these steps offers opportunities to improve the tool, and each step increases the cost of manufacturing.

For example: Often cheap-ass wrenches don’t feature as many machined details as their truck-bought, pro-line cousins. Machining off sharp edges (and radiusing square corners) dramatically decreases the chances of the tool stress-fracturing — but it ain’t cheap to do.

Don’t forget the nastiest of costs: labor. Adding quality control (QC) stations between existing manufacturing steps almost assuredly drives up the quality of the product, catching and stopping defective stock before finishing steps cover up tool (and project)-destroying flaws. But these, too add cost.

Of course, lower labor cost is one of the prime motivators for manufacturing in Asia. But consider this: How does QC work when a brand designs a product in one country, manufactures it in another, and sells it in a third? (Note that this concern holds water even if we remove Asia from the equation!) Are the products QC’d on the line during manufacture? After they arrive in the country in which they’ll be sold? Is the QC performed by locals or by employees brought from the company’s home? Does the tool company station engineers on-site at the plant or at least rotate engineers through regularly to assure that manufacturing occurs according to specifications? Oh yeah — and how tight are those specifications?

These, fellow Toolmongers, are questions you’ll never be able to answer. They’re some of the most closely-held secrets around. But they mean the world in terms of the quality of the tools you buy.

Sales environment matters, too. As many of you have mentioned in your comments on various TM posts, almost everyone offers a “lifetime warranty” on hand tools. The real question you want to ask is “How do I get a replacement tool?” The easier it is to follow those instructions — and the more liberal the manufacturer is in replacing tools damaged by misuse or abuse as opposed to true failures — the more the tool will cost.

(There are, of course, exceptions. Sometimes a company will invest in its brand by offering an incredible — and maybe even unrealistic in the long-term — warranty process. When you find one of those, by all means take advantage of it. You’ll suffer through the tough times, too, so cash in when you can!)

To be continued! Check back tomorrow for part three in this editorial where we ask what the hell all this means to you.

16:35
Will Corian make a comeback?

DuPont would like to say good riddance to the stone age and hello (again) to good old-fashioned man-made materials like Corian, a DuPont product that dates to the 60s and more recently was crushed by the granite competition. Today Corian has a kind of reverse-snob appeal, or what Mark Woodman, a color and design consultant, calls “pedigree without pretense.” Put another way, you’d have to be in the know to recognize this solid-surface material as not only practical and available in many colors, but also pretty expensive (up to $80 a square foot, installed). And thus its following in certain design-conscious circles. Architect Richard Meier challenged kitchen fashion victims five years ago by saying of white Corian: “Whatever you put on it looks good,” and anyway “marble is too busy.” Two years later came the Corian Walking Table by Pol Quadens (above), and now Corian is being turned into concept pieces. Addressing a group of trend watchers this week at Corian’s Manhattan showroom, where he was surrounded by fanciful items like a digitally etched Corian wall panel and polka-dot Corian light fixtures, Woodman suggested that this smooth substance also fulfills today’s need for pleasant textures. (Shoppers like to pet sample materials, he noted, even when it's flooring.) And this year Corian comes in what he called on-trend colors like blue, copper, and olive, plus a new white. For most homeowners, of course, designer cred will be less important than having a seamless, easy-care work surface that may scratch but won’t chip or immortalize wine stains. Still not sure? Check out other non-granite options at this TOH gallery.
March 05, 2010
6:38
Deal of the Day: Save 25% at brylanehome.com

Enter coupon code BHKD25 at checkout to get 25% off of the highest-priced item in your cart, including brylanehome.com's entire stock of home products and accessories. Note: Code works on purchases of a single item, too. Good 'til March 15th.

17:15
The Penta Square

Besides just measuring 45° and 90° like a combination square, the Penta Square also measures 22.5° and 60°. But, that’s only four measurements; penta is a prefix for five. Either they’re considering 180° a measurement, or else they’re call it that because of the irregular pentagon-shaped body.

Kapro etches the 12″ stainless-steel blade in both Inch and Metric graduations. The bubble vial rotates within the body to check level and plumb in “all” positions. Absent is the thumb screw locking mechanism of a normal combination square. They’ve replaced it with their EasyLock mechanism, which they neglect to show in the literature.

Depending on where you look, the Penta Square could cost you as little as $6.

Penta Square [Kapro]
Penta Square [Woodworker's Supply]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
17:17
Micro Kerf Blade Pinches Dimes, Not Pennies

The 10″ Micro Kerf Blade is a carbide-tipped, 40-tooth blade meant for both rips and crosscuts. Total Saw Solutions claims the saw kerf is half that of a standard thin-kerf blade, as thin as the width of a dime. This is one finely machined blade — the plate is precision ground and tensioned so that runout is less that 1/2 the thickness of a human hair.

One of the many advantages of the narrower kerf is that it produces less waste and sawdust while leaving a smooth finish. The blade also runs quieter and uses less energy. There are always downsides: you can’t make as deep of a cut as a regular 10″ blade because of the stiffening plate, the thinner blade is easier to bend, and even though it can be sharpened 10 to 15 times, it’s too fragile to take it to your local shop to be sharpened.

Not only does Total Saw Solutions manufacture this blade in the USA, all materials including the steel for the blade and the packaging are purchased in the USA. The Micro Kerf Blade doesn’t come cheap; it’ll run you $175 at Rockler. Having the blade resharpened and “hammered flat” costs $20.

Micro Kerf Blade [Total Saw Solutions]
Micro Kerf Blade [Rockler]
17:18
137 Years Of Popular Science Online

The Adafruit Industries blog reports that Popular Science has partnered with Google to put their entire 137-year archive online for free browsing. The example shown above is the March 1933 issue. Peeking inside you’ll find such neat things as ads for the $495 Plymouth Six and the Pontiac 77-horsepower straight eight, plus articles on “Gold Mining taught with Models” and, the cover story, “Seagull Boat Skims Water at Seventy Miles an Hour.”

I could spend hours here reliving one of the fondest memories of my childhood: when my parents would visit one of their friends who had a huge collection of Popular Science magazines, I would tag along and happily wile away the hours perusing old issues until I fell asleep.

Search the PopSci Archives [Popular Science]
Popular Science March 1933 [Google Books]
17:20
Editorial: Made In… Part 3

In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. In part two, I discussed the manufacturing process. Read on as I endeavor to explain what all this means to you as a tool consumer.

If you’re thoroughly confused by now, you’re not alone. This is why I contend that a “made in…” label simply doesn’t provide enough information to offer any indication of tool quality.

And I’ll go ahead and address something else we hear a lot of on Toolmonger, too. You also can’t realistically guess quality based on any of the following, either:

“I heard this company owns that company…”

First of all, this is likely total hearsay. You wouldn’t believe the bogus goings-round we’ve heard along these lines — even from friends in the know. Yes, some tool companies own multiple brands. They often trade these brands around like playing cards in a game of go fish. But here’s the real skinny: Regardless of who owns whom, it’s common for tool manufactures to apply entirely different manufacturing processes to each tool line — regardless of what name they stamp on it or the color of the housing. Consider each tool individually, regardless of brand.

“My dad had a whatsit from that company 30 years ago and it was great!”

And guess what? The manufacturing process they used 30 years ago probably has as much to do with the current manufacturing process as I do with Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno. The brand may even have changed hands (possibly more than once) during those intervening decades, for better or worse. Again, you’re not buying a 30-year-old product. You’re buying current offerings, so research accordingly.

“It’s made in the same plant with [insert expensive tool here].”

If it’s made by a wholly different process, does the roof it’s under make any difference at all? (Hint: No.) Of course, this gets even more complex when, say, the only difference between one brand and the other is a few skipped QC steps. In that case, you might get a tool that’s every bit as good as its more expensive equivalent. Or you might get the one with flawed casting that the high-buck QC would’ve rejected. You’re rolling the dice. Even worse, you’ll probably never really know what the difference is — they’ll just look identical, which will spur lots and lots of “they’re really just re-branded with a bigger price tag!” rumors.

“So-and-so manufacturer makes those for [insert pricey/popular brand here].”

This may be true. Manufacturers often make such deals, leading to all sorts of tailgate rumors. (My favorites, by the way, revolve around the companies that build hand tools for Craftsman. Danaher is the most commonly mentioned candidate, and Danaher produces tools under a number of brands including Allen, Armstrong, GearWrench, K-D, and Matco. So there’s no difference between a Matco, Armstrong, or Craftsman wrench, right? Wrong! Seriously, folks.)

To be continued! Check back tomorrow for part four in this editorial where we make some recommendations as to how you can actually select tools.

March 06, 2010
0:01
Bright idea--sort of

Here's proof, once again, that some people have way too much time on their hands: Someone has just invented glow-in-the-dark toilet paper. Now you may be thinking, Why it world would anyone need such a thing? Can't they simply flip on the bathroom light or just feel for the roll? Well, let me just say that you're overthinking this just a tad. It's glow-in-the-dark toilet paper! Not universal health care, although they both might meet the same fate. Anyway, I found the whole idea of glowing toilet paper absolutely hilarious. It's called the, Glow-in-the-Dark Loo Roll, and it's sold by an on-line retailer in England. (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere.) Potty on, Wayne!
6:00
Deal of the Day: Brooks Cocktail Ottoman, Under $200

Get this durable and functional Brooks Cocktail Ottoman ($169.99), which features handy top and bottom solid surfaces for entertaining and/or storage. Flat rate $2.95 shipping on all orders.
March 07, 2010
6:04
Deal of the Day: Kalorik kitchen appliance 4-pc. bundle, $85

For a limited time, get this lime/white 4-pc. appliance bundle for just $85 (Reg. $94). Includes cordless jug kettle ($23), 2-slice toaster ($22), 2-speed blender ($25), and 10-cup coffee maker ($24) with bonus accessories.

March 08, 2010
9:02
Steel Strapping Tools Overview

Your latest large shop purchase came in a crate secured with steel straps. Swearing, you go look for some snips that are hard enough to actually cut the straps. Sure they can be tough to remove, but that’s the point. Now you find yourself wondering how they put the straps on in the first place.

Generally you need two tools to apply steel strapping: a tensioner and a sealer. You use the tensioner to take up the tension and hold the strapping while you use the sealer to crimp the seal in place. Of course if you ship a large volume of similar products, you could always buy a dedicated machine such as the large coil strapping machine pictured above.

The tensioners usually work on a range of strapping thicknesses and widths, while the sealers are dedicated to a single width of strapping but still work with a range of thicknesses. Depending on the application, you can use a single or double-notch strapping sealer. Double notch sealers require more force so they usually have longer handles.

If you want to get started strapping on a shoestring budget you can pick up a set of 3/4″ strapping tools at Amazon for around $200 shipped.

Strapping Hand Tools [Quality Strapping Systems]
Power Strapping Machines [Signode]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
10:13
Wiha Stubby 6-In-1 Sets

TM has covered stubby* drivers before (e.g., 2/10/07, 7/10/09, and 7/14/09), and their usefulness when just nothing else will fit. Now Wiha has five new stubby 6-In-1 bit sets. The bits are stored in the “Ergo Soft Grip” handle and the overall length, with a bit inserted in the ¼” SS holder, is just 2.5″. Bit sets include Torx model 38045 (T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, and T30), security Torx model 38047 (same sizes), ball hex model 38056 (1/8″, 9/64″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 7/32″, and 1/4″), slotted/Phillips/square model 38048 (4.5, 6.5, P#1, P#2, square #1, and square #2), and, pictured above, slotted/Phillips/pozi model 38043 (4.5, 6.5, P#1, P#2, pozi #1, and pozi #2).

Depending on the type of bits, street pricing runs from a little under $15 to around $25.

What’s your take on these versions? Do you prefer these changeable-bit types, or would you rather have fixed-bit drivers?

Stubby 6-in-1 Multi-Bit Driver Sets [Manufacturer's Site]
Wiha 38043 Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Wiha 38056 Via Amazon [What’s This?]

*I must have some major brain-finger disconnect when it coming to typing “stubby” as I am constantly typing “stuffy” instead.

10:22
Deal of the Day: Modern desk-bookcase bundle, $149

Get this glass-top rolling desk with a 4-tier multipurpose shelving unit for just $149.00. Features safety-tempered frosted glass, steel frame, and a handy keyboard tray. It's a beautiful set, but make sure you've got the glass cleaner at the ready!

10:59
New PBS Woodworking Show

The Fine WoodWorking blog reports that Boston’s WGBH will be producing a new PBS woodworking show featuring Thomas J. MacDonald (a.k.a. T. Chisel from his series of web videos). Maybe we’ll have someone to fill the void created when Norm retired from TV?

Thomas, who has previously been in Bob Vila’s Home Again show on Modern Colonial (the video can be accessed here), intends to focus the new show on furniture making using both hand-tool and power-tool techniques, but also include newer technologies like CNC. Filming will mainly be done at his shop in Canton, MA. His 207 Woodworking site has several video podcasts for projects ranging from a step stool to a bombe secretary.

The Federal Breakfront shown above is one example of his craftsmanship. More details are available on his personal website.

207 Woodworking [Thomas J. MacDonald]
13:56
Editorial: Made In… Part 4

In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. In part two, I discussed the manufacturing process. In part three, I explained what all this means to you as a tool consumer. Read on for the conclusion: Just how the hell DO you select a tool?

A few suggestions:

1. Draw on recent experience.

Do you, or has someone you know owned the tool in question within the last 12-24 months? If so, that experience can prove incredibly valuable in making your decision. There’s almost no better way to determine whether something’s a piece of crap than talking to someone you trust. Just be ready to nod knowingly (and ignore them) if they start spewing any of the rumormongering junk above. Instead, ask important questions like: Did it fail? If so, how? How have these tools failed for you in the past?

2. Do your research.

Sources online (like Toolmonger, for example, but others as well) offer lots of details about tools including detailed specifications and descriptions of innovations (if any). If you can’t find clear information about a given feature, you’re completely right to wonder if that feature makes any damn difference. Pay close attention to features centered around reliability.

3. Don’t forget to balance price and quality.

There’s nothing wrong with owning some cheap (and even crappy) tools. My Dad used to keep a drawer of “s#Itty screwdrivers” that were fair game for use as pry bars, paint stirs, and chisels. I keep a bag full of junk hand tools for use at the junk yard — chosen carefully after some dickhead made off with $400 of more expensive stuff while I was waist-deep under a hood looking for an alternator. And when my $0.80 wrench breaks, I’m not gonna bother returning it. I’m gonna pitch it and buy another.

There’s also nothing wrong with spending for the best. In fact, if you’re a pro who depends on using the tool every day to make a living, you’re far better off spending to get both a quality tool and a simple replacement policy that’ll keep you on the job (and in the cash). Again, just make sure that that’s what you’re really getting.

And finally, realize that there’s lots of room for discussion here. We can argue for years about what makes the best tools great — and the worst crap. But please don’t buy into the “Made in…” label. If you can’t tell quality from it and it doesn’t assuredly indicate you’re supporting the country financially, what does it mean?

What do you think? Let us know in comments.

March 09, 2010
0:01
Bench cookies: Workshop delicacy

The other day I was flipping through the Rockler Woodworking catalog--one of my favorite sources for tools and hardware--and came across a new, and most-interesting product: Bench Cookies. A bench cookie is a hockey-puck-shaped plastic disk that has high-friction rubber adhered to its top and bottom surfaces. You get four cookies for $12 (about the same as Mrs. Field's white chocolate macadamias). When placed on a workbench, the sure-grip cookies allow you to sand or rout a board without using clamps. I know what you're thinking. I didn't believe it myself, until I conducted my own cookie test.
6:00
Deal of the Day: Save 50% PermaFLOW Never-Clog Drain

This innovative alternative to a standard P-trap features a self-cleaning design and integrated wiper that removes blockage. The PermaFLOW ($19.95; Reg. $39.95) eliminates the need for chemical drain cleaners, plungers, and expensive pipe repairs. Easy-install and allows for easy retrieval...
10:47
Lumber prices at their highest in years

If you're about to start any projects that are going to require lumber, like say a framing walls or a building a pull-down attic staircase, you might want to hold off a bit. A perfect storm of bad weather, new export agreements with Canada, demand and depleted inventories have conspired to drive up the prices 26 percent from just the start of this year. So framing lumber that averaged $251 per 1,000 boards in January is now going for around $317, or near what it was way back in July 2006, according to the National Association of Home Builders. But the good news, according to NAHB Senior Economist Bernard Markstein, is that the prices should come down within a few weeks as the inventories get built up again and (hopefully) Mother Nature gives it a rest with the cold and damp weather. When that happens and you do decide to start your next DIY project, be sure to check out this story for tips on picking out the best wood boards.

11:32
Meet Henry And Hetty, Vacuum Cleaners

Who can clean your house up with a smile? Henry and Hetty (Henriette) vacuum cleaners from Numatec. Never seen the likes of these two before? They need 240V to work, so unless you live in Europe or a similar-powered country, you’re stuck with faceless vacuum cleaners.

Both Henry and Hetty come with a two stage motor. They start in the economy setting and when you need more power you push the red switch for hi power mode. A “Triflex” filter and a “Hepaflow” dust bag filter and collect the dirt. What’s really neat is they have a built-in hand-cranked reel to store the 10-meter cord rather wrapping up the cord or using a spring recoil mechanism prone to breakage.

Pricing for either vacuum starts at $120. The base models come with standard accessories like hose, tubes, and nozzles. As they get more expensive you get turbo brushes and Microtex (Allergen) filtration. If you don’t like Henry or Hetty, you could always check out James, Charles, or George.

Henry [Numatic]
Hetty [Numatec]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

13:55
The Arbor Day Foundation wants to give you 10 free trees

Thisoldhouse.com is in the process of updating an outdated Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The Arbor Day Foundation's excellent website, arborday.org, is helping us along. Imagine our surprise when we realized that we had unlocked a veritable treasure trove of information...
March 10, 2010
6:00
Deal of the Day: Ceiling-mounted bike lift, $18

Save 55% on the Racor Ceiling-Mounted Bike Lift ($18.03; Reg. $40). Pulley system easily hoists bikes up to 50 pounds and features a secure locking system to free up valuable floor space and put overhead dead space to work.

10:10
Power Tool Break-In Time

As I was pulling some stuff out of the dryer, I noticed the clothes were actually dry. When it was new, it sometimes took several full cycles to fully dry a load of clothes, but half a year later the clothes are dry before the cycle is over. I started wondering, if a machine like my dryer has a break in-period, then what about my power tools?

How does the performance of a power tool change over time? Is it a steady decline as soon as you un-box it, or does it start to operate more efficiently as you use it — until parts start to wear out? It’s probably not as simple as that because there are many competing processes; the blades in machines like table and miter saws start dulling right away, decreasing performance, but the motor may increase in performance after a break-in period. Further complicating matters, as you use the tool you become more comfortable with its operation, which also may make it seem more efficient.

There are many mechanisms by which a tool could get better as it’s used more. For instance if you have a power tool with a brush motor it can take a while before the brushes wear enough to seat properly. Rough edges soften, plastic and rubber grips start to conform to your hand over time, and new stiff mechanisms get smoother over time, hopefully without becoming sloppy.

Have you ever noticed whether your tools seem to work better as they age? Do you go through any break-in rituals with new power tools? Let us know in comments.
11:21
Swiss Army Knife — With Laser!

While it’s not the elusive laser-guided screwdriver or hammer, the Victorinox Presentation Master does have a laser pointer, and 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of USB flash drive storage, and a Bluetooth® remote control, not to mention a blade, nail file with screwdriver, scissors, and key ring. For those of you trying to get through airport security, Victorinox also makes a bladeless version, the Presentation Master Flight.

These are supposed to be available in April 2010, but several online sites already have pricing starting around $113 and rapidly getting north of $200. If you can live without Bluetooth® — or prefer a retractable ball point pen! — there’s an earlier 4GB version that you can pick up for a mere $55 or so.

These might make nice executive gifts, but I don’t see your typical Toolmonger rushing out to buy one. I could be wrong. Let us know in comments.

Presentation Masters [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

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