It’s so easy to assume that everyone who makes powerful use of tools looks like Al on Home Improvement and builds sheds and cars.  Some do.  But some build Stormtrooper armor instead.

From TheState.com:

“Albin Johnson stands in his crowded one-car garage in Irmo crouched over a tool box filled with clamps, rivets, epoxy and snaps.The disjointed upper half of a Stormtrooper’s armor, complete with helmet and belt, hangs on a seamstress mannequin.“There is an art to making this,” Johnson said. “You’re trying to deconstruct what people made 30 years ago” — when director George Lucas created Darth Vader and his Imperial soldiers for the first of the “Star Wars” movies.

“From a pile of plastic pieces, Johnson will fashion joints and smooth all the edges with a Dremel hand tool. The finished product will be a fully functional suit of armor that is realistic to all but the most discriminating observer.”

When I read this, I thought I’d share it because anyone who’s joined the community of those who make things with their hands – it matters not what we make — will recognize Johnson’s feeling of belonging.  The article follows his story from the beginnings of his interest in Star Wars costumes after a near-fatal car crash in 1997 through his participation (along with many custom-costume-wearing friends) in this year’s Tournament of Roses parade.

Here’s a man who’s used his tools to better himself and help those around him by learning to make things from plastic and metal.  Along the way he’s made many friends.

“When [Johnson’s daughter] Katie was bedridden during the final stages of her illness, one of her wishes was to have an R2D2 robot to watch over her, like Natalie Portman’s character Padme in Star Wars — Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.  The R2D2 Builder’s Club answered the call by constructing a fully functioning robot painted with bright pink trim, her favorite color. They named it R2KT in her honor. Now R2KT accompanies Johnson on charitable missions like his recent appearance at a Toys for Tots drive.”

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, this story is a great read.  Check it out.

Knights in White Plastic [TheState.com]

As we can attest there are lots and lots of ways to make square holes.  However, mortising (as it’s called in woodworking) is most easily accomplished with the proper tool — like this benchtop mortiser from Fisch Precision.

With a 3/4 HP motor spining at 1,724 RPM, this is no toy.  But what really caught our eye was its “micro-adjust” fence and very stable-looking mount system.  A cleanly-cut mortise is only valuable if it’s in the right place.

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If you’re lucky enough to have a yard full of large trees, then you may remember fall as the “season of raking.”  Personally, the largest tree in my yard looks about like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree, but give me a few decades and I’ll have better.  In the meantime, I’ll just dream of having trees big enough to need something like DR’s lawn vacuum.

DR’s walk-behind series vacuums offer a couple of claims-to-fame: the intake is separate from the moving parts so you can clear it without shutting off the vacuum, a steel impeller spinning at 3,250 RPM shreds leaf debris reducing its size by 75%, and a dust control system keeps you breathing clean air during the whole process.  I’m guessing from the headgear in the picture, though, that it’s not whisper quiet.

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(Thursday, December 28th, 2006)  DIY Tools and Techniques covers both shop heating and floor paints, which are important if you’re lucky enough to be designing your own shop space.

All times are central.

• DIY Tools & Techniques: Shop Solutions (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild: Piling Up (Speed, 6:00 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials: “Orange Spectacular.” (RFD-TV, 7:00 p.m.)
• Grounds for Improvement: Travertine Tile Patio (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Overhaulin’: Chip & Chris Flipped (TLC, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Concrete Vanity (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Wendy’s Bike 1 (TLC, 9:00 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Wendy’s Bike 2 (TLC, 10:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Back With a Vengeance (Speed, 10:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Before anyone tells us in comments, we’re completely aware that the MAKE Warranty Voider is a Leatherman Squirt E4 with MAKE’s logo and title screened on it.  MAKE makes no effort to hide that fact, even going as far as shipping it in the original Leatherman box.  So, you can consider this a hands-on both with the Warranty Voider and the E4.  And, (as we’ve said before) we’ll happily pay a few bucks extra for the addition of the phrase “Warranty Voider.”  How cool is that?

Read on past the jump for some hands-on time with an extremely cool pocket tool.

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If you’re tired of spinning that cutter all the way ’round a pipe, how does a fifth of a turn 5 times sound?  That’s the idea behind Stride’s TC-1050RH Tube Cutter; it’s a standard small tube cutter that works like a ratchet. 

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When someone mentions Freud around the shop you think jacket patches and “tell me about your mother,” right?  What you should be thinking is long-lasting crosscut blades. 

The TiCo Hi-Density laser cut blades from Freud feature the distinctive red “perma-shield” coating that (they claim) almost eliminates heat from cutting friction.  The red shielding also resists corrosion and resin build-up that can shorten the lifespan of your blade after repeated use.

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Jeff writes: “This is a great set of pliers for doing work on small things such as electronics.  The set includes mini-long-nose pliers, mini diagonal cutters, and mini-pliers.  I received a set as a gift, and they’ve made my electronics projects way easier.  I know many Toolmonger readers are automotive ‘big tool’ type people but I found your site through “Make:” and I imagine there are other toolmonger readers that wouldn’t mind hearing about small tools.”

We love small tools (and electronics), too, Jeff!  Like, for example:

• Boxer Tools’ Micro Screwdriver Set
• Weller’s Portasol Line
• The Micro Clamp 2000
• Dr. Klick’s Kit

We also have a set of small pliers like this in testing right now from Irwin; look for a “hands-on” soon.

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Sizod writes: “This scraper has an extra-wide 4″ blade that makes short work of tiles and linoleum-covered floors.  It pushes 2200 blows-per-minute and separates any glued floor coverings quickly.”

Normally we use Harbor Freight for single-project use only — or special situations like tools we’re concerned might be stolen.  But there’s one significant exception: air tools.  Sure, they don’t hold up quite as well as name-brands, but if you don’t load them too heavily (or you’re not certain the other workers who’ll use them will oil them or take care of them)…  Well, you can sure buy a lot of them for the price of a name-brand.

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According to the business section of the Hartford Courant, Holo-Krome, Inc’s tool manufacturing plant in West Hartford “was cited for 26 alleged ‘willful, repeat and serious violations of standards’ after an inspection that began in August.”  Proposed penalties total $247,000.

The Courant noted that the in the most serious violation OSHA claims that Holo-Krome “bypassed or removed safety devices that protected workers from moving machine parts, resulting in a hand injury to a worker.”  The Courant also says this is the third time in six years the company’s been cited.

Ouch!  Holo-Krome is currently a part of Danaher Corp., which I’d imagine has no desire for this kind of publicity and will likely have something to say about all this.

OSHA Cites Tool Maker [Courant.com]

Ok, despite the name (which sounds like some kind of ne’er-heard-by-ears-like-mine name for a job in the pr0n industry), this looks like a pretty cool ratcheting screwdriver and bit set — something we’ve seen a lot of interest about on Toolmonger recently.

As you can see in the photo, the ‘Boy features a “telescopic magazine” that stores bits right in the handle — and quite a few aparently.

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I’m sure everyone reading knows how useful WD-40 can be.  (Just don’t spray it in locks.  Your locksmith will hate you forever.)  Now WD-40’s available in a “no-mess” pen as well, giving you a) an easier way to carry it around, b) a method to dispense smaller amounts cleanly, and c) a seriously cool addition to your lubricant collection.

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Unless you’ve been bitten by a radio-active arachnid (and your buddies call you “spidey”) an Anver’s hand suction cup is the way to go when changing a glass windshield without cracking it. 

Hand suction cups like the Anver’s operate by either lever or pump action.  After you press the cups onto a non-porous surface, you squeeze the levers together and the rubber pads clamp themselves securely to the surface by vacuum force.  To release the suction, just flip back the levers. 

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(Wednesday, December 27th, 2006) More reruns for us to watch over and over again.  You’re probably enjoying shop time with the new tools you got for Christmas, so no harm done there.

All times are central.

• DIY Tools & Techniques: Router Comparison / Hand-Made Compass (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild: Parts Go In (Speed, 6:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Breaking Glass (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Crimes and Myth-demeanors 1 (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Indy-Scribable (Speed, 9:00 p.m.)
• Junk Brothers: The BBQ and the Antique Bed (HGTV, 10:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Dead Men Walking (Speed, 10:00 p.m.)
• Hammered with John & Jimmy DiResta: Ultimate Poker Table (HGTV, 10:30 p.m.)
• I Love Toy Trains: “Train X-Mas Memories.” (RFD-TV, 11:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Rolling around under the Yukon project on a crawler — or wriggling under the chassis bareback — brings to mind thoughts of a lift unit like the S2900L from Ammco.  It boasts a 6.5 foot at 9000 lbs. bench press capacity. 

The S2900L is a two-post-style design, which means it oiffers a relatively small footprint when compared to its four post brethren.  This unit is made for “low” ceilings but you’ll still need 12′ to 14′ to hoist larger vehicles like SUVs or pickup trucks to the full 6.5’.  I suppose that’s beyond most garages.  Hey — at least you wouldn’t have to dig out four jack stands just to slide under it. 

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I’ve seen a few variants of this, but couldn’t help posting Black & Decker’s latest.  The idea behind these kind of lights is that you can wrap them around whatever you’ve got at hand to hold them in place, or even bend them into shape to make their own stand like in the picture.

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Did you happen to receive a shiny-new router for Christmas?  What could be better to put it in than its own full-sized router table?  The proMax complete router table has all the bells and whistles you need – housed in birch-paneled goodness. 

The table stands with cast iron rein-forced strength at a height of 35-1/2” with a girth of 27″ and a 20” depth.  Its pull-out storage bins have room for all the routing accessories you’ll need to get that next project underway as well as a 28” Bench Dog ProFence, which is included with the unit.

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