There are two ways to learn about the load limits of your equipment: from the manual or from experience.  This video is a great expample of why you should always choose the former.

Note: They say at the end of the clip that (incredibly) no one is injured.  Still, you’ve got to imagine this likely damaged the operator’s career a bit.  “Why’d you leave your last job?”  Hmm…) 

(Friday, April 27th, 2007) Tonight: dueling How It’s Made episodes, all the old Home standbys, and a little bit of automotive fun — not a bad start to the weekend! 

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 11, plastic bags, solar panels, plastic gasoline containers and hockey sticks (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 16, ropes, billiard tables, sailboards, and cymbals (Science, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 5, copy paper, jeans, computers and plate glass (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 17, seatbelts, windows, wax figurines, and hot air balloons (Science, 6:30 p.m.)
• Toolbelt Diva: Episode 10 (Home, 8:00 p.m.)
• Take Home Handyman: Help in the Bedroom: Holly & Dave (Home, 8:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 45, pistons, paint rollers, parachutes and chimneys (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Terrible Terrace (Home, 9:00 p.m.)
• Pimp My Ride (MTV, 9:00 p.m.)
• Classic Rides: Walls, Air and Cabinets (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 46, CO2 cartridges, pretzels, scissor lifts and skating rinks (Science, 9:30 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Drafty Ducting (Home, 9:30 p.m.)
• Pimp My Ride (MTV, 9:30 p.m.)
• Classic Car Restoration: Refurbishing and Performance Enhancements (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

This is just a reminder to everyone that we tablulate the weekly Top 5 votes tomorrow, so if you haven’t yet made your feelings known, now’s the time.  For latecomers (or those who’ve forgotten):

Help us choose this week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well.  While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of each article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once.  You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference.  We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

Even More Information for The Curious [Toolmonger]

PS: If you don’t already subscribe, be sure to check out our free Tool Talk podcast where you can hear Sean and me run down the top five in person.  We also bring in guests from time to time and answer any questions you call in.

Rick sent us this link to an interesting history of nails compiled by the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association.  My first experience blacksmithing was making square nails — much like some of those in the picture above — and I found this to be a great read.

If you’d like to hear more about this kind of blacksmithing, zip back and check out Tool Talk Podcast #3 where we’re joined by our friend (and artisan blacksmith) Ray Robinson.

All About Nails [Appalachian Blacksmiths Association]

Don’t have the scratch for Stanley’s Mobile Project Center or Black & Decker’s Workmate?  That doesn’t mean you have to go without.  While we certainly wouldn’t claim that Strong Arm’s on-the-cheap solution measures up to the quality of those famous brands, it’s a hell of a lot easier on the wallet. 

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Grab a beer and learn how to select and install pegboard in your shop.  We’ll talk you though finding ‘board stout enough to hold your tools and help you avoid some of the common mistakes in tacking it up.  (Podcast Download)

When the finish on the bottom of your ride is as important to you as the one everyone else sees, you need a set of jack pads — like these “Prothane” pads from Summit Racing.  They’re softish, red, and look like a three-inch-wide hockey pucks, but they’re actually designed to sit on top of your jack’s steel cradle to avoide metal-on-metal contact between the jack and the car.

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Amazon is offering a three-piece chisel set from Fuller for $7.61. The set includes .5″/12mm, .75″/20mm, and 1″/25mm chisels — all with shatterproof handles. Fuller says they’re also heat-honed to stay sharp and resist chipping.

Chisel Product Catalog [Fuller Tools]
Via Amazon [What's this?]

Everyone knows to use a soldering iron to make electrical connections, but what to do when they go wrong and you want to start over? That’s when you need a desoldering pump — a small, spring-loaded pump that, when released, quickly vacuums up solder that you’ve softened with your iron. (Of course, we always called ‘em “solder suckers.”)

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(Thursday, April 26th, 2007) TLC has their motor running, albeit entirely on reruns — probably good for the environment — and there’s a bunch of other good stuff on as well.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 8, suits of armor, street light poles, bent hardwood and membrane switches. (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild: Grinding, Torching (Speed, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 35: inflatable watercraft, couscous, modeling dough and wicker products. (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• Overhaulin’: Roadies Stole My ‘Vette! (TLC, 7:00 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials (RFD-TV, 7:00 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior 1 (TLC, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Bluestone Landing (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Adobe Planting Shed (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior 2 (TLC, 9:00 p.m.)
• Pimp My Ride (MTV, 9:00 p.m.)
• American Chopper: FANtasy Bike - Susan Morisset (TLC, 10:00 p.m.)
• Don’t Sweat It: Dining Room Table and Storage Cabinets (HGTV, 10:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

What do you get when you combine a dovetail gauge, a diameter gauge, a center finder, and seven other common woodworking gauges?  Answer: the Nova Workshop 10-In-1 Gauge — and a way to save time with your next wood project.

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Sometimes convenience trumps micron-level precision, and for those times plastic vernier calipers rule.  Their shape makes measuring inside, outside, and depth dimensions simple — much easier than with a standard tape measure and about as accurate — but I’m loathe to carry my quality dial calipers where they might get damaged, lost, or stolen.  That’s why I keep a set of cheap-ass plastic vernier capliers in every toolbox.

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Black & Decker says that anytime you purchase of “eligible” tools between now and June 30, 2007 they’re spot you a “complimentary companion airline ticket.”  To receive the ticket you must purchase any tool(s) from their list, fill out the registration form, and mail it to Black & Decker with the UPC and receipt.  They then send you a voucher which you can use to book a companion ticket.

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Besides the red lens – which is definitely useful for keeping your night vision intact — we’re a little skeptical about the Brinkmann Rebel’s other colored lenses: a blue light for “shining through glass” and a yellow light “to penetrate fog.”  They seem more Stayin’ Alive than MacGyver to us, but we’ve been wrong before.

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Another Amazon deal: use the code HITACH20 to knock 20% off the price of Hitachi’s WH18DL 1/4″ impact driver, bringing it down to $231.94 — about $20 less than the next best deal we found.  The WH18DL features two 3.0 Ah lithium-ion batteries and a “cool flow” that delivers a continuous flow of cool air to the motor system, increasing runtime and decreasing heat wear.  The coupon expires May 7th and applies to most Hitachi Tools $200 or more.

The Hitachi WH18DL 1/4″ Impact Driver [Hitachi]
Via Amazon [What's this?]
Street Pricing [Google Product Search]

(Wednesday, April 25th, 2007) Look for a new Mythbusters where they try and debunk the concept of Ninjas.  (Sounds like they’re asking for trouble.)  Otherwise it’s just a slew of How It’s Made reruns and the insane brother shows.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 20, carpet, drinking water purified, laser eye surgery and acoustic guitars. (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild: Parts Start to Fly (Speed, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 30, metal fences, asphalt shingles and expanded polystyrene products and hard candies. (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 31, matches, carousel horses, fine porcelain and automobile fuel tanks. (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 32, glass cookware, soap bars, steel drums and firefighter uniforms. (Discovery, 7:30 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Walking on Water (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Cadillac Attack (Speed, 9:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Breakstep Bridge (Discovery, 10:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 44, grinding wheels, compost, window blinds, and milk.(Science, 10:00 p.m.)
• Junk Brothers: The Chair with Bench and the Wooden Slats (HGTV, 10:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 43, conga drums, metal plating and buttons.(Science, 10:30 p.m.) 
• Hammered with John & Jimmy DiResta: The Pool Table (HGTV, 10:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Monkey Caretaker (Discovery, 11:00 p.m.)
• I Love Toy Trains (RFD-TV, 11:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Not to be confused with Mr. Potato Head’s disfigured third cousin or an over-active teenager on a date, Mr. 7-Hands is a screwdriver-based multi-tool with an entire shaft for each of its multiple bits — seven in all.  The shafts stow into the driver’s handle and deploy for use.  Two AAA batteries additionally power a small flashlight in the handle.

OK, we admit that we’d probably have never posted this if it wasn’t for its goofy name, but we couldn’t help it.  What sort of engineer looks at a multi-bit screwdriver and thinks, “What this needs is multiple shafts?”

Mr. 7-Hands [Apollo Tools]
Street Pricing [Google Product Search]
Via Amazon [What's This?]