It’s been a big year for GearWrench, and it’s clear they intend to take their success far beyond the ratcheting tools that put them on the map. At SEMA this year they released a number of non-ratcheting products, most notably their new Double-X pliers.
The big deal: The double joint allows the jaws to open wider than the handle, yet keeps the tool long and narrow to reach far into tight spots.
I love my palm sander. It fits in all sorts of tight spots and saves tons of work hand sanding. It seems to be the tool that comes out most often for quick sanding work — or sometimes for other crazy things. Hell, in the current issue of MAKE magazine Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) recommends using one to vibrate the bubbles out of silicone rubber before pouring it into a mold — a cheap alternative to a $1,200+ vacuum chamber.
Now Porter-Cable has released a few updated palm sanders. Most of the updates are designed to increase reliability and servicability. My favorite change: The top cap is now removable so you can clean the tool out without disassembling the whole thing.
When you’ve got a serious drilling job on your hands, you need a rotary hammer. Example: Drilling a large holes in masonry. Makita’s taking a bit of an interesting direction with their new 18V rotary hammer though — they’re making it smaller.
The idea is that you don’t always need a 1″ rotary hammer, and during those times when you don’t, a lighter, easier to handle tool would help save your back (and tool bag) some stress.
(Wednesday, November 8th, 2006) Tonight: A new Mythbusters, some new shows on National Geographic — the titles may not be as shown, as they are different on the Nat. Geo. website and the TV Guide website – and a slew of reruns.
All times are central.
Our insomniac’s suggestions: There’s a lot of stuff on Speed tonight.
Levels have been getting a kick in the rear design-wise in the last year or so with the introduction of features such as bigger vials, aluminum frames, and large grips. Now Empire’s testing the water with their True Blue system featuring a bigger bubble, blue fluid, and dark blue rings flanking the bubble — all of which (they claim) makes reading the level easier.
Ever wonder how the A-Team guys got all that pin-striping off those late ’70s sedans? If they were around now, they’d use the Dynazip Decal Eraser wheel. Just think of all the hours B.A. could’ve spent “pittyin’ the foos” instead of scraping.
The eraser wheel uses its serrated “crepe” teeth to gently grind away decals and stickers from a painted metal surface. It’s most often used for auto body work, and the serrations provide improved airflow that prevents surface heat build-up on the soon to be graphic-less vehicle. (Less heat = less likely to damage the paint.) The design of the teeth also allows for a relative jump-and-vibration free experience.
If Pairs Hilton had a set of hand drive locking extension nut drivers, well, these would be them. I’ll give them this, though: Vim Tools managed to create a hand driver set that’s easily identifiable in the tool box and useful out in the shop. They work with standard 3/8” sockets and come in both long shaft and short shaft formats.
(Tuesday, November 7th, 2006) There’s a new Overhaulin’ tonight, a bunch of reruns, some good stuff on National Geographic, and other interesting offerings.
All times are central.
Our insomniac’s suggestions: Nothing stands out, again, any suggestions?
Indiana Jones teaches us many things: guns beat swords, horses are better than camels and X never, ever, marks the spot. Well, sometimes it does — especially if you’re using the universal laser router plate.
The laser router plate works much like a small router gun sight. The plate projects two laser lines onto the work surface right below the bit to let you know where the center point of the bit is. This is useful information to have if you’re trying to follow a pattern or line. The laser laden plate can be affixed to any standard plunge router.
Back in the day, nothing was cooler than the Terminator tanks from the future. They rolled over the battlefield crushing humans and playground equipment (and whatever else found itself before the might of their tracked badness). Now you can drive one around your yard — sort of. Yeah, we know it’s supposed to be for Earthworks and construction, but admit it: You want to drive the Dingo.
Is that some kind of sexual reference?
(Monday, November 6th, 2006) One new episode of American Chopper is all Discovery could spare for us this Monday, but there is some interesting stuff on from Drills to Assembly Lines.
All times are central.
Our insomniac’s suggestions: We’re at a loss tonight, any suggestions?
(Sunday, November 5th, 2006) Catch a rerun of the latest Mythbusters episode, Exploding Lighter, which was fun for both the explosions and the B team’s gunslinging. There’s a lot of other stuff on for a Sunday, even if it is mostly reruns.
All times are central.
Our insomniac’s suggestions: Chop Cut Rebuild (Speed, 1 a.m.).
It looks like the tail-fin on a commercial jetliner, but the M3 square allows you to mark two faced edges simultaneously, mark around molded edges, mark and replicate angles, and perform deep-range marking with precision and accuracy. This tool will not only lighten your toolbox but also take some hassle out of switching tools while trying to make an accurate mark.
I just wanted to post to let everyone know that we have winners for September’s RIDGID combo kit and October’s Ryobi combo kit.
Believe it or not, we actually had to contact four different people before we received a response from a valid email address to give away the RIDGID kit. Note to all readers: Provide a valid email address when you comment and you might win some incredibly cool free stuff. Providing a fake address here won’t save you from any spam — we don’t display the addresses publicly — and could possibly lose you a kick-ass prize! We’re not going to sell your info a) because that’s not how we roll (we don’t even do referrals), and b) we wouldn’t have time anyway; It takes all our time to keep the site running as is!
Anyway, reader Eli was the luckly (fourth) person we contacted for the RIDGID kit, and he’s responded. Reader Marc Tompkins responded (on our first try!) for the Ryobi kit.
We’ll post this month’s contest next week, and we’ve got another giveaway coming up later this month which’ll be tied to a questionaire. Yeah, I hate them, too, but we really need to know a bit about what you guys (and gals) like and don’t like about the site. We’ve worked hard to get it to this point, but we’d like to know where you’d like to see it go. So look for the questionaire — with a prize drawing attached — in the next few weeks.
And have a great weekend!
Featuring 215 drills and driving bits in a snap-open-and-fold-flat case, this looks like a pretty slick package for casual use around the home where it’s not as critical that you have the most high-dollar bits as it is that you have a variety — including the one that fits the project at hand. Our favorite part: all those “pieces” aren’t mollys and screws — 115 of them are even drill bits.
We keep running across cool offering from Uvex, like their new Strategy goggles: Besides offering an anti-fog coating — which is very, very important on goggles — and still fitting over most prescription eyewear, they also look pretty sweet, too. It’s nice to see someone putting out some safety gear with some style!
(Saturday, November 4th, 2006) Tonight we’ve got the excellent DIY woodworking shows, two Mythbusters reruns and Robo Sapien. Robo Sapien probably isn’t entirely Toolmonger worthy – but the idea of interfacing directly with machines is — so we’ll give it a try considering how little else is on tonight.
All times are central
Our insomniac’s suggestions: Robot Rivals (DIY, 1 a.m.).
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