If you’ve spent any time at all in the shop, you’ve probably managed to pull a few boners of one sort or another — we certainly have.  We’re putting together some articles on shop safety, and we need your input.  Rather than just blathering on about what you should do, we’d like to feature some of your (and our) experiences to make it more real.

So, we’d really appreciate it if you’d go ahead and ‘fess up your faux pas to us via email.  If we post your entry, we won’t post your name with it, so your secret’s safe with us.  You will, however, be helping others to avoid the mistake you’ve already made.

Some other Toolmonger news:

New Hands-On 

We’ve been so busy researching and writing that we’ve managed to gather a backlog of items that need testing.  So, we spent most of today in the shop making a dent in the backlog.  That means we’ve got a couple of cool reviews coming this week in addition (of course) to our normal daily content.

Tips

We’d love to hear about any new and interesting tools you run across.  Drop us a line with a link!  If we post your suggestion, we’ll credit you.

Comment to Win

Our comment to win contest is still in full force, so every (valid) comment you enter on the side enters you to win.  Thanks so much for all the great commentary this week.

Have a good one, and we’ll see you bright and early Monday.

Fiskars  recently released the Power Gear Bypass Pruners – a set of garden shears that looks like most others, but has a few features that make us suspect that at least some of the engineers at Fiskars have gardened enough to end up with blisters.  We sure have.  

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(Sunday, August 20th, 2006) OK, look.  Discovery used to be packed with kick-butt build programs.  Mondays were incredible, and we could count on at least a dribble of re-runs or spinoffs throughout the week.  Now we just sit around waiting for the next crumb of MythBusters or American Chopper.  Let’s face it: Discovery has definitely lost some edge since Monster Garage bowed out.

We heard a rumor a while back that Jesse James would be back on the DSC with a more standard-build oriented show, but we haven’t heard (or seen) anything since.  Have you heard anything?

Anyway, tongiht’s Not the best evening of television.  We just hope that Secrets of the U.S. Mint is more exciting than it sounds.

All times are central

• Classic Tractor Specials (RFD-TV, 8 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Granite Countertops (DIY, 8 p.m.)
• In a Fix: Teenager’s Bedroom (Discovery Home, 9 p.m.) 
• Classic Tractor Fever (RFD-TV, 9 p.m.)
• Travel Channel Presents: Secrets of the U.S. Mint (Travel, 10 p.m.)
• Practical Woodworker (RFD-TV, 11 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions:  Pimp My Ride at 12:30, 2 and 2:30 a.m. (MTV) and Chop Cut Rebuild (Speed, 1:00 a.m.).  At least Speed still brings the magic, even if it is after midnight most of the time.

Knives are the oldest tool known to man.  OK, maybe it’s fire, wheel, then knives.  Well, maybe it’s pointed stick, then knives.  You get the idea. 

As old as knife technology may be, it’s still evolving.  One of the latest evolutions is the Replacement Edge System or RES technology from TigerSharp.  RES technology separates the cutting edge and blade into two separate parts.

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Have you ever broken one of those #&$#@ fragile plastic drain plugs off the bottom of a “modern” radiator?  Like Clinton, we feel your pain.  After we snapped one off in the shop the other day – did we mention it was the only one we had? – we figured there has to be a better way.

Meet the Radiator Petcock Socket Set by Thexton.

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Like we said a week ago, we signed up for MAKE’s Tools-N-Tips email, and our first one –their third, we understand — dropped in the box last night.  It’s full of all sorts of interesting stuff submitted by MAKEers and staff.  For example:

The item at right is a plastic ”mouthpiece” that attaches to the back of small flashlights to let you hold them in your mouth without busting your teeth.  Yeah, your first reaction is probably, “Eeeww.”  But you do it.  We know you do.  We do, too.  Now you/we can do it without adding visits to the dentist.

Check it out.  Or just subscribe now.  It’s free.

Tools-N-Tips [MAKE]
TNT Sign-Up Page [O’Reilly — look through the list and you’ll see it]

While we’re waiting for the first functioning light saber to hit the commercial market — or would that sell better at Target? oh well, we’re not marketers — we’ll just have to be satisfied with the glut of other laser-driven products flooding shelves.  What product isn’t better with a laser?  Or two?

One such laser-driven goody we stumbled across today is the Type HL–100 Hole Laser from Stabila.  The HL–100’s geared to make electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians’ lives a bit easier by simplifying the process of drilling holes in a row.

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(Saturday, August 19th, 2006) Not a bad night of shows: Grab your barf-bag for the Mythbusters Seasickness re-run, and don’t be disappointed if Babes in Demo-land isn’t as risque as it sounds.  (Think The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas bait-n-switch.)

All times are central.

• MythBusters: Seasickness - Kill or Cure (Discovery, 6 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Archimedes Death Ray (Discovery, 7 p.m.)
• Extreme Machines: Super Trains (Science, 7 p.m.)
• PINKS: Nova vs Camaro (Speed, 7 p.m.)
• PINKS: Gainesville (Speed, 7:30 p.m.)
• DIY Babes in Demo-land (DIY, 8 p.m.)
• Building the Ultimate: Glass Houses (Science, 8 p.m.)
• Wood Works: Garden Gate with Copper Panel (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Handmade Music: Handmade Mandolin (DIY, 9 p.m.)
• Woodturning Techniques: Natural-Edge Bowl (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions: Robot Rivals (DIY, 1 a.m.), Practical Woodworker (2 a.m., RFD-TV) and a Pimp My Ride marathon from 2:30 to 4:30 a.m. (MTV).

It’s been another wild week here at Toolmonger.  If you’ve been busy in the shop and haven’t had time to keep up with Toolmonger, we recommend checking out the following posts when you have a chance:

Hands-On: The Dremel Stylus
OK, we know, everyone else on the web has already told you about the Stylus.  We felt all left out — plus we’re honorary members of the “show me” club — so we did our own review.  In short: it’s everything we hoped it’d be.  Great for detail work.  And oh yeah, it makes the coolest sound ever when you turn it on.  We’re not kidding.

Stanley’s Fat Max Extreme Demolition Drivers
Be bad.  Very, very bad.  Do all those things your Dad told you not to do with a screwdriver.  Go ahead!  Stanley’s demolition drivers are designed to take it.  Their shafts pass all the way through to a tough metal plate on the back of the handle so you can pound on them and pry on them all you like.  So there, Dad.  Nyah.

Hands-On: Black & Decker’s HandiSaw
Think of the HandiSaw as an inexpensive miniature reciprocating saw for use around the house.  We tested and reviewed an early production version, and it’s pretty slick.  A recip saw’s one of the most valuable power tools to own, but face it: they scare the mess out of the average homeowner and are bigger than you need for a lot of applications.  Check out the post for lots more, and some action pics that aren’t from the companies’ stash.

Shop Tour: Unique Performance (Part 1: Body Shop)
We toured the shop where they mass-produce killer Shelby Mustangs like the one you saw in “Gone In 60 Seconds,” and we came back with a cameraful of great shop photos and notebooks full of talks with the people who do the work.  This is a two-parter, and this first installation deals with the body shop — step one in the process of turning a total rustbucket into a $250,000 “Super Snake.”  You won’t believe how bad the donor cars are compared to how good the finished product looks.  And these guys burn through tools at a tremendous pace.  Seriously, check it out.  We even included multiple photo galleries with enlargements.

SawStop vs. “The Industry”
We passed along this link to a story about the history of the SawStop inventor’s “battle” with the stationary power tool industry, and it generated quite a bit of mail.  (If you’re not familiar with the SawStop by the way, it’s a table saw that uses a special electrical resistance measuring system to stop the blade quickly enough to avoid cutting your finger off.  Or, at least quick enough to avoid cutting a hot dog in half, which is how they demonstrate it.)  Check out the article, and let us know what you think. 

You asked, and we listened; Next week we’ve got posts on waterjet technology and CNC milling on the schedule.  We talked to a great guy who works for OMAX (a waterjet manufacturer) and maintains a very informative web site about the technology in his spare time.  (Talk about passion!)  We also talked to a waterjet job shop in Albuquerque, NM.  We’ve got lots to share.

Even if you haven’t heard of Unique Performance, we’ll bet you have seen some of the incredibly sexy vehicles they produce, including the Foose ‘69 Camaro, and most significantly the G.T.500E of “Gone In 60 Seconds” movie fame.  And, while some custom shops produce incredible one-offs, Unique is in the, well, unique position of manufacturing as many as eight of these highly-customized vehicles a month.

We stopped by their Farmers Branch, TX shops to give you an idea of what’s involved in the process, and to introduce you some of the people and the tools they use to convert rusted junkers to $150,000+ supercars en masse.

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Mom always said gardening was “nature’s reward.”  We always wondered why “nature’s reward” involved so much dirt and sweating.  Why not a free dinner?  Or maybe a cordless combo kit? 

Anyway, the bulb transplanter from Fiskers is aimed at removing some of the difficult and often frustrating process of digging, removing, and placing a fragile bulb or plant into its new home.  Think of it as a way to speed up the planting process and help place you back in your home faster.

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So there you are on the side of the road at two-in-the-morning, your once glorious, well-lit 4-wheeled steed now a lame mule ready to be put out to the pasture beside you.  Well, it might be a pasture.  If only you had a flashlight.  Oh yeah, did you bring tools with you? 

Ah, but you simply smile as you remember your spiffy “more than meets the eye” Achiever REM14250 Utility Flashlight with Tool Kit by Remington.  Or, “a flashlight with a built in tool kit,” as we laymen like to call it.

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(Friday, August 18th, 2006) If you have basic-cable-only, you’re hosed tonight.  Most of the cool shows are on the rarer channels.  For example, I Want That is featuring some cool bicycle furniture, but considering the show’s incredibly annoying quick-cut format, you probably won’t be able to focus on the bicycle furniture at all.  No shot seems to last for more than a second, and you may have a seizure.

But hey, if you’re not seizure-prone, by all means check it out.

No, we don’t miss Monster-Garage-Mondays.  We’re not bitter.  Really.  Are we?

All times are central.

• DIY Tools and Techniques: Workbench and Accessories (DIY, 5 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 35: Inflatable Watercraft, Couscous, Modeling Dough, Wicker Products. (Discovery, 6 p.m.)
• Modern Marvels: Fire (History, 6 p.m.) [Next week, the WHEEL! Just kidding.]
• How It’s Made: Episode 12: Aluminum Screw Caps, Chocolate, Pills, Pasta. (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• Toolbelt Diva: Home Office (Discovery Home, 8 p.m.)
• Classic Car Restoration: 1969 Alfa Romeo, Fuel System  (DIY, 8 p.m.)
• Toolbelt Diva: Front Porch Makeover (Discovery Home, 8 p.m.)
• Classic Rides: Painting, Handlebar and Electrical Restoration (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• The Practical Woodworker: Series Intro, Building Your Own Tools, Episode 1 (RFD-TV, 9:30 p.m.)
• I Want That: Bicycle Furniture, Children’s Furniture Kits, Personal Herb Garden (HGTV 10:30 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestion:  Men Behind the Wrenches on Speed at 4 a.m., which’ll feature 2002 & 2005 Nascar Nextel Cup Champion Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli.  Or alternatively, just get some sleep.  It’s a pretty quiet overnight tool-wise.

So it was: the people cried out to Dremel, “make us a tool that is compact, yet powerful — one with which we can comfortably perform very detailed work, and, oh yeah, one that sounds like a freakin’ seriously cool-ass jet engine when you turn it on.”   Yea, Dremel did make such a tool and said onto the people, “Behold, all ye of DIY ilk, we deliver onto you the Dremel Stylus.”  And the people saw that it was good.  Then, a little later, Toolmonger came along to agree.

Seriously, though the Stylus has received a ton of press — visit Google to see what we mean — we thought you’d like to hear about it from a Toolmonger perspective.  It’s the newest member of the Dremel line, and besides the fact that it looks like Captain Kirk’s phaser – which, lets face it, is pretty cool  – the Stylus is literally packed with features that’ll make your DIY projects bristle with detail… when you finally manage to put it down and the dust settles.

Read on for lots more info on our experiences with the Stylus.

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Like Skil’s “LaserX2″ — which we mentioned back in June – Ryobi’s new “dual-laser” circular saw projects two parallel laser beams to show not only the line along which the saw’ll cut, but also the area of material that’ll be lost to the blade.  (The area between the two beams represents waste.)  Ryobi’s calling this the “Exactline Laser Alignment System.”

Besides the abundance of lasers, this is essentially the same 7-1/4″ corded circular saw that they’ve offered for some time.  Features include a bevel adjustible from 0 to 51.5 degrees with positive stops at 45 and 51.5 degrees (”for compound rafter cuts,” says Ryobi), a spindle lock, a dust chute to facilitate vacuum hookup (for almost dustless cutting), and a 10′ power cord.

As usual, it’s available exclusively at Home Depot, currently for $69 according to their website.  That’s a little less than the Skil, though careful shopping puts them pretty much in the same cart.

The Dual-Laser Circular Saw [Ryobi]
“Street” Pricing  [Home Depot, which is chock full of the only place you can get Ryobi]

When Metabo launched their “Li-Power” lithium-ion battery line earlier this year, they designed it to interface with their existing tools — provided they’re part of the group that utilizes the company’s air-cooled battery system.  Since the “Li-Power” announcement, they’ve been creating and releasing different sized Li-Ion batteries for use in each of the associated tool lines.  Now, they’re offering their 18V BSZ 18 for sale already bundled with the Li-Power 20 series battery and charger. 

The BSZ 18 is already a capable drill/driver, capable of drilling up to 1/2″ holes in mild steel and up to 1-3/16″ holes in wood, and offering 20 torque settings — as well as a drill setting.  It features a 1/2″ keyless chuck and a spindle lock to “allow one handed bit changes,” according to Metabo.  Weighing in at 4.85 lbs, the BSZ 18 – in either NiCd or Li-Ion form — is quite powerful, producing a whopping 549 in-lbs of torque. 

The addition of the Li-Power battery brings a 30% faster charge, a service life of up to 1,500 charges, and the capability to store the tool for up to 18 months without losing a charge.  Considering just torque specs and battery power, the Li-Powered BSZ 18 lands square in competition with Milwaukee’s V18.

A quick Froogle search returned a street price of around $345 for the Li-Powered version of the BSZ 18, versus $240 for the standard NiCd kit.  Of course, it’s up to you as to whether the li-ion additional runtime and shelf life justifies the $100 price jump.

The Li-Powered BSZ 18 [Metabo]
Price Search (Li-Powered BSZ 18) [Froogle]

For comparison:
The NiCd BSZ 18 [Metabo]
Price Search (NiCd BSZ 18) [Froogle]

(Thursday, August 17th, 2006) Don’t miss How It’s Made: Episode 11 for the blow molding of plastic gasoline containers,  Note how blow molding and injection molding differ in practice and the types of parts made.  If you have children, chances are that you have a large number of blow molded objects in your front yard.  Rotational molding also shows up in the segment, and is a cool way to cast hollow items.  We’re thinking about checking out the Modern Marvels “Hydraulics” episode as well.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 26: Ball Bearings, Electrical Wires, Wax Casting, Automated Machines (Discovery, 6 p.m.)
• Modern Marvels: Hydraulics (History, 6 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 11: Plastic Bags, Solar Panels, Plastic Gasoline Containers, Hockey Sticks (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials: “Expo VI” The worlds largest antique two-cylinder John Deere show (RFD-TV, 7 p.m.)
• Building the Ultimate: Building for Gold (Science Channel, 7 p.m.)
• Trading Spaces: Houston: Sawdust Street (Discovery Home, 7 p.m.)
• Tanks: Machines of War (National Geographic, 8 p.m.)
• Flip That House: Curtis’ Duplex (Discovery Home, 9 p.m.)
• Pimp My Ride (MTV, 10:30 p.m.)
• Tanks: Machines of War (National Geographic, 11 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Revenge of the Benz (Speed, midnight)

Our insomniac’s suggestion: Classic Tractor Specials: “Expo VI” (RFD-TV, 3:00 a.m.) or the Palm Beach stop on the 2006 Barrett-Jackson auction tour from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Speed.