If you just need to create simple box joints rather than fancy joinery, MLCS has another system for quickly producing these joints on your router table.

The three different spacer bases in the Multi-Joint system allow you to make 1/2″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ box joints as well as rabbet, dado, spline, and sliding dovetails. The bases are 24″ long pieces of laminated MDF with guide bars made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW).

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Ever wonder how pros cut those huge cables you see in commercial electrical installations? Here’s the kind of tool they reach for: a power tool that’s like a motorized, ratcheting version of your limb pruner. Greenlee’s ES1000 (pictured) features a 2-1/8″ opening that can cut through any copper or aluminum wire — sheathed or not — that you can stick through its maw.

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To create interesting joints, previously we covered Isoloc joint templates for Leigh dovetail jigs, but the templates were expensive — plus, you need to already own an expensive Leigh dovetail jig. MLCS now sells the less-expensive Fast Joint system that you can use with a router table to make similar fancy-looking joints.

Using the system is pretty straightforward. Fit the male and female templates in the Fast Joint jig, install the correct bushing in your router table, chuck the bit into your router, and lock the work piece into the jig. Then just start routing. After you finish the first piece, flip the jig over to use the complementary template and lock in the mating work piece.

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Every year we see a couple of new screwdriver releases. Hell, every now and then one of the manufacturers even mentions the screwdrivers in a press release. But most of the time they linger just out of sight behind the “tool count” in kits, or behind the new whiz-bang specialty tool at product seminars.

But the screwdrivers in our toolboxes probably see more use than damn near any other tool in the box. And we know for a fact — having met a few of the guys in person — that tool engineers put a lot of thought into designing screwdrivers that’re more comfortable in your hand and less likely to chip or cam out a screw.

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Sick of struggling with a micro-mill machine from Harbor Freight to drill holes, I decided to buy a real benchtop drill press. I really didn’t want a full-size floor model because I don’t have the floor space for it in my shop, but I have plenty of bench space. A few years ago I did the research and determined that a Delta DP350 was the best option, but lost my good judgment at the last minute and figured I could do more with a micro-mill.  Now, after a little more research, I discovered not much has changed.

I headed on over to my local Rockler to pick up the drill press, but was dismayed that they didn’t have any on the floor, even though they had in the past. I thought maybe I should have called first, but figuring it never hurts to ask, I found out they had a few Delta DP 350’s in the back. So I ended up paying about $230 after tax and Rockler’s super secret 10% discount, which is about what you’d expect to pay looking at the street price.

Hefting the box into my truck with the manager, I noticed it was damn heavy, about 80 lbs. of awkward box. Although the weight was a good sign, there was no way I was carrying it by myself down to my shop; I would have to take it out of the box and transfer it piece by piece down to the basement.

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They’ll stare in wonder at how you got the unbroken ring around your creation, but you’ll know it was easy with just a little practice and the right tool. That tool is a captive ring cutter like this one from Robert Sorby. And you’re not just limited to making captive rings — with these tools you can also make other rings like bracelets, napkin rings, or even wheels.

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Denker’s rotary planing and cutting head fits any rotary tool that will hold its ¼” shank, whether it be a router, a rotary tool, a spiral cutter, or tool with a flex shaft.

Made in the USA and hardened to 62 RHC, Denker claims the cutter can slice through tough hardwoods even if it’s green or has burls. They design the head to cut one chip every revolution, and it rides the surface of the wood to help guide the cut. It will cut a little or a lot of material depending on how you hold it against the wood.

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While picking up the parts to fix my front door the other day I ran across this SmartKey system from Kwikset in the big-box lock isle. Here’s how it works, in case you’re (like me) lucky enough to avoid re-keys for the last half-a-decade or so: To re-key the lock, you simply insert the current key, turn it a 1/4 turn, insert the SmartKey tool, and rotate it back. Blam. The lock’s now matched to the new key.

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A couple of things you might not know about that place you go to pick up cheap-ass screwdrivers and wrenches: It’s family-owned. And the family, it seems, isn’t getting along all that well. This article in the Ventura County Star indicates that a few days ago everything came to a head with ‘Freight founder Allan Smidt escorted out of the door and locked out of the building.

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I’m not full-hog into carving like Sean; I’ve whittled a piece of wood or two over the years and never really got into the hobby, but watching the video of the Denker hand shave in action makes carving with the tool look like a lot of fun.

Able to cut the toughest hardwood — knots, end grain, and all — the shave’s 62 RHC hardened steel tubular cutters can either quickly remove a lot of wood, or just slivers at a time depending on how you use it. Held in either your left or right hand, the tool is more controllable then pushing a chisel or gouge.

Made in the USA, this hand shave will run you $70.

Carving Shave [Denker]
Carving Shave [Eagle America]

It’s bad enough that you have to drag the extension cord around to use non-battery powered electric yard tools, but you still have to figure out where you’re going to store that extra cord when you’re done.

Lee Valleys’ cord storage hooks let you turn the wasted space on your yard tool’s handle or shaft into a good place to keep that extra cord. Reinforced rubber belts hold the plastic hooks on any handle or shaft up to 1-1/2″ in diameter. Both hooks swivel when you want to remove the cord and are easy to reposition. The pair of hooks also comes with a cord-retaining clip to keep the loose end of the cord.

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Long-time makers of popular messenger bags and backpacks, the folks at Timbuk2 decided to give tool storage a try. Result: The Timbuk2 Tool Shed, pictured above. Besides the any-color-you-want-as-long-as-it’s-blue-and-orange styling, other features include construction from waterproof “tarpaulin fabric” and an anodized aluminum buckle.

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My front door has been sticking for, well, months. And I’m not talking about the door itself, but rather the interior mechanism of the door latch. It’s essentially been a grip-strength test for anyone wishing to enter or exit my house from the front ever since it got sticky. The really sad part, though, is that it took a whopping half-hour to fix, twenty minutes of which I spent running to the local big-box to grab a couple of bucks in parts.

Bottom line: Don’t make the same mistake I did. Take a sec to fix it. Here’s how.

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The switch away from sealed-beam headlights helped us all. Seriously. There’s nothing crappier than having to search around all weekend for a bulb that’s EXACTLY the right shape and size for your 280Z. (Yes, I’ve been there.) But that’s the upshot. The downside: Over time the plastic covers over modern headlights starts to develop a fuzzy film from scratches and weather wear. And this dims your lights. Plus it looks totally crappy.

So why not take some time this weekend and polish ‘em up? A number of companies sell tools to help you do the job, and they’re all pretty effective — assuming you get started early enough. (Hint: If your headlight covers are yellowed, you’re probably screwed. That’s a chemical change that you can’t polish away.)

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We’re hearing lots of buzz in the tool industry surrounding the new materials making their way into homes as builders look to meet all the various state/local “green home” certifications. But we also get the feeling that no one really knows yet where the whole process is headed. Certainly with new home sales dropping so dramatically over the last year or so — and especially recently with the tax credit drying up — there’s plenty of motivation out there to do whatever the hell it’ll take to get you to buy a new home.

So that said: Do you care about green home certifications? And if so, how much do you care? How high is the green factor in terms of your buying decision?

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In last week’s all-new Tool Talk, I mentioned that I own a pair of blacksmith-made blacksmith tongs. And here they are. While I admittedly don’t own a forge — I had to sell the one I inherited from my father — I kept these around because they’re just about one of the coolest tools I own.

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These aren’t exactly going to make killer work lights, but it seems everyone I know loves the idea of these little, bright pocket LED flashlights. And who wouldn’t? The form factor is perfect for tossing in a camping bag or your glovebox. Of course, the high-end ones can run you upwards of $50 — and blind you from 50′. But the cheap-ass models, while significantly less powerful, get pretty cheap indeed. I guess they’re pretty much the penlight of the new century.

And here’s one you can have for $4.50. Hell, it’s even Prime-enabled on Amazon, so if you happen to have a Prime account, you won’t even pay shipping.

PS: Yes, I know there are shops online (and even on Amazon) advertising this for as little as $0.01. But you’ll pay an imperial assload of shipping, which means you’ll likely pay more than $4.50 all said and done. Hence why I picked this one.

Neiko 9-LED Compact Aluminum Flashlight Via Amazon [What’s This?]