If you’ve been waiting to take the lithium-ion plunge, now might be the time. Amazon’s offering this Milwaukee kit for $506, which is at the low end of street pricing even before you consider the $80 gift certificate they throw in. That’s a far cry from the $1175 MSRP!

Batteries are fully warranted for two years, pro-rated out to five years.  The tools are warranted for five years.  And the V18 lithium-ion batteries are tool-compatible with the old NiCd packs, though obviously they use a new charger.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's this?] [Via]

(Monday, July 30th, 2007) TV’s a bit thin tonight, but we do get a new Modern Marvels about Sticky Stuff, featuring the Toolmonger’s favorite adhesive – duct tape!

All times are central.

• Holmes on Homes: Faulty Showers (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Chop Cut Rebuild:  Shop…Cut Rebuild! (Speed, 5:00 p.m.)
• Modern Marvels: Sticky Stuff (History, 6:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

It’s Sunday, which around the Toolmonger offices means a chance to hit the shop for our own personal projects — the ones we put off all week in order to write about tools!

If for some reason you’ve already completed every project imaginable, you can always watch some TV:

(Sunday, July 29th, 2007) All times are central

• How It’s Made: Episode 28, combination locks, pottery, recreational vehicles and erasers (Science, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 27, pre-inked stamps, cranberries, cotton yarn, road signs (Science, 6:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 7, kayaks, safety boots, electronic signs and breakfast cereals (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• Ice Road Truckers: 05 - Midseason Mayhem (History, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 8, trucks, adhesive bandages, computer circuit boards, and liquors (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Cool Fuel: Food and Veggie Oil (Science, 8:00 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials (RFD-TV, 8:00 p.m.)
• Ice Road Truckers: 06 - Driving on Thin Ice (History, 8:00 p.m.)
• Cool Fuel: Garbage and Wind Power (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
• Ice Road Truckers: 07 - The Rookie Challenge (History, 9:00 p.m.)
• Tricked Out: Nissan 300ZX: Motorized Sub Box (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

When we first laid hands on Stanley’s MaxLife Mini-TriPod, we thought that it was more show than go.  Common shop wisdom (read: old stereotypical views) state that if flashlights aren’t big enough to bludgeon a live cougar to death or aren’t forged from unobtainium, they aren’t going to last very long in the shop.

The “dollar store” vibe exuded by the Mini-Tripod’s clear plastic box doesn’t help, either.  But once we freed it from the packaging and actually beat the living crap out of it in the shop, we’re telling a different story altogether.  Read on past the jump to find out why.

(more…)

If you’ve ever wondered whether metal really does “spray” when you’re using a high-speed feed and voltage — or whether it really “globs” when using medium feed/voltage settings, this video should clear it all up for you.  Each spray type has its place in the welding world, but watching this slow-motion video is the first chance I’ve had to actually see them all in practice.

(Thanks, James, for the tip!)

TM reader Ken writes: “I don’t understand the recycle bins for cordless tools.  The stores seem to be indifferent about sending them to the proper disposal companies.  I’ve heard many horror stories about various stores just throwing the batteries out in the garbage.”

I’ve had a little experience with cell phone companies’ attempts to recycle batteries, and I understand that many of them do a good job of it — but I’m sad to say I know very little about tool companies’ recycling programs.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of the bins.

Have any of you had experiences with these bins and the businesses’ practices regarding them?  If so, let us know in comments.

(Saturday, July 28th, 2007) At least DIY is keeping us entertained with a few episdoes of New Yankee goodness and a new episdoe of Woodsculpting. Hey,  a little wood working is better than nothing right? 

All times are central

• The New Yankee Workshop: Outdoor Cupboard (DIY, 7:30 p.m.)
• The New Yankee Workshop: Dressing Table (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Wood Works Corner: Display (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Woodsculpting: Ridgway Rendezvous (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• Freeform Furniture: Fire Screen (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

This year we’ve seen many tool manufactures making great strides in chalk and chalk lines.  Pros will tell you this has been a long time coming.  We ourselves have seen our fair share of blue-stained toolboxes from snap lines that couldn’t hold their powder.  C.H. Hanson claims the way of the future is more chalk and a beefier housing.  Meet the Chalk Hog.

(more…)

Grab a bottle (or can) of your favorite brew and learn how to put your motorcycle away for the winter — or stick it in a storage unit for a few years — without screwing it up.  We’ll talk you through the whole process, including retrieving it next spring.  (Podcast Download)

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Modelmaking Made Easy: A Foamboard Rabbet Cutter
The next time you’re building a not-quite-to-scale (thanks, Doc Brown!) model with foamboard, you might want to give this handy tool a try.  It makes cutting rabbets (read: lengthwise notches) in foam a simple two-part process.

My Sweet New Swiss Army Pioneer
Sean dishes on his newest knife acquisition and outlines his idea of what a Swiss Army knife should (and shouldn’t) be.

The Bernz-O-Matic Self-Igniting Butane Torch
Pocket butane torches are cool — and useful! — but this one stands out from the rest.  It includes a catalytic burner that’s perfect for activating heat shrink tubing as well as a soldering tip that slips over the catalyst.  Best of all: the lighter button locks down so you can move your workpiece toward it instead of visa versa.

ExTech’s Affordable New Combustible Gas Detector
In the past you’ve had to shell out major green — or depend on calling a pro — to detect minor leaks in gas plumbing.  Now you can check up on your installation yourself with the new affordable detector.

Use The Trench Foot To Save Your Foot
I really, really hate digging.  I’d probably still hate it if I had one of these cool little “shelves” to attach to my shovel, giving me a nice, flat step to push on instead of knife-edged spade.  But at least my foot wouldn’t hurt as much.

Help us choose next 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 the 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.

Ever want to turn your car, house, couch, computer–hell, pretty much anything–into small, easy-to-dispose-of junk?  Meet the PRI-MAX.  According to manufacturer SSI, the PRI-MAX is king of the shredder world, measuring output capability in tons per hour.

And just to prove its capability, they shred something new and unusual each month for your viewing pleasure.  Forget internet darling Will It Blend?  Can they blend a freakin’ BMW?  A couch?  How ’bout a pile of Macs all at the same time?

We link the full list of shred videos below.  Check it out only if you’re in the mood to see destruction (and have some spare time).

(Thanks for the tip, PutnamEco!)

The PRI-MAX [SSI]
Monthly Shreds [SSI]

Sears changed the Craftsman Club discount policies a few years ago so that they only apply to items in the flyers — and only for a limited time.  So if you’re one of the people who still receive the flyer, you should know that the current savings period ends this weekend.

Personally, we didn’t see a lot in the flyer that excited us this time.  We did notice that the 19.2V combo kit is on sale, but that’s about it.  (And while we really like the 19.2V hammerdrill — it’s a great bargain tool — we’re not so sure about the rest of the kit.)

Anyway, if you’ve been planning to jump on anything in the current flyer, now’s the time.  And if you want to join the Craftsman Club, remember to contact Sears instead of us.  We can’t help.

Dremel recently made some changes to their 10.8V li-ion cordless rotary tool.  Specifically, they modified the battery pack to deliver “25 percent more runtime” and changed the pack’s shape to allow the 10.8V to accommodate dovetail-attachments like the FlexLite.

(more…)

TM reader William clued us in to this interesting source for mad scientist gear and oddities.  It reminds us a little bit of a miniature Edumund Scientific mashed up with that stuff you find in the back of Popular Science.

Our favorites: a great selection of glass bottles, bearings, batteries, microswitches, and even some crazy-ass military mittens.  Neat stuff.

American Science & Surplus [Corporate Site]

TM reader and photo pool member TallDarkandWeirdo posted a whole series of “Tool Pr0n” recently — artfully posed photos of his tool gear, like the one above.  Don’t worry: these are all totally safe for work.  Check out the pool for the rest.

Toolmonger’s Photo Pool [Flickr]

Hazy plastic headlights just scream “worn out,” and often make an otherwise-well-cared-for ride look down-and-out.  Here’s the cure: a restoration kit that lets you polish away the fog to better light night roads and lop years of your aging car.

(more…)

(Friday, July 27th, 2007) It’s all home improvement all night tonight — perfect to get you inspired to tackle all those weekend projects.

All times are central.

• Flip That House: Updated: Neil’s Hip Highland Park Flip Update (TLC, 6:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Kitchen Catastrophe (Discovery Home, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 12: Aluminum Screw Caps, Chocolate, Pills, Pasta (Science Channel, 6:00 p.m.)
• Flip That House: Mark (TLC, 6:30 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Window Pain (Discovery Home, 6:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 13: Bicycle Helmets, Lithium Batteries, Aluminum (Science Channel, 6:30 p.m.)
• Extreme Engineering: Widening the Panama Canal (Science Channel, 7:00 p.m.)
• Trading Spaces: Jersey Shore: Rainbow Drive (Discovery Home, 10:00 p.m.)
• Toolbelt Diva: Backyard Playground (Discovery Home, 11:00 p.m.)
• Take Home Handyman: Totally Floored: Natalie & Alex (Discovery Home: 11:30 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestion: It’s NASCAR all night long on Speed.