The words “hand me the Dremel” call to mind a compact rotary tool. But after spending some quality time with Dremel’s 18″ Scroll Station, that’s not necessarily the case anymore. The Scroll Station is a full-featured benchtop scroll saw with plenty of power. Read on past the jump to find out about our experiences with it with lots of pictures to boot.
Our good friend JMillerID added this pic to the TM photo pool recently, showing him turning some brass on a lathe in what we consider a good garage — i.e. that garage door behind him isn’t opening anytime soon, at least not to admit a car.
Seriously, though, a lathe is an incredibly useful tool. If you’ve got the space — even if you need to cover up a garage door with it — you should consider owning one. Becoming a machinist is like playing chess: the rules are easy to learn, but the game takes a lifetime to understand fully.
Toolmonger’s Photo Pool [Flickr]
Sure, your SDS-Plus rotary hammer offers a demolition mode, but it can’t match the output energy of this corded SDS-Max hammer: a whopping 9.2 ft/lbs. of force. And Hitachi claims that force goes into your work instead of your arms thanks to a double-insulated housing.
With a max AC output of 7,000 watts delivered via 120V and 240V twist-locking receptacles, this generator is clearly targeted at the jobsite. But I can’t count the number of times I wish I had one of these at home. Long-term power outages suck.
Remember Porter-Cable’s Model 121 portable spindle sander? Now Rockler offers an insert which allows you to mount it to the Rockler router table, turning it into both a portable and stationary tool — without taking up any additional shop space.
Gardner Bender’s Circuit Alert wire strippers help you avoid shocking situations by sensing and alerting you to active voltage before you strip. Just slide the switch to “on,” and as you move the sensor’s handle toward a circuit, the strippers beep and flash if it’s live.
If you’re planning on doing any serious maintenance or work on your post-1996 vehicle, you’ll eventually want to own a quality code scanner, like this one which we own and found for $135 right now on Amazon.
This device plugs into your car’s computer and translates the codes in the system into English (or Spanish) and also allows you access to other data stored in the system. That data varies from car to car, but can be quite helpful in diagnosing problems — or at least for telling you why the damn “check engine” light is on yet again.
Anyway, we’ve had good luck with this particular unit, and $135 is a pretty good price for it.
Equus 3110 Innova Diagnostic Code Scanner Via Amazon
Street Pricing [Google Products]
(Monday, August 27th, 2007) Tonight brings a mini Made in America marathon, but once it’s over, head out to your shop because there’s nothing else to watch.
All times are central.
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, August 26th, 2007) All times are central
Sears is having their Saturday sale on tools today so be sure to get down there if your in need of something shiny. The 13 drawer, 26 in. red combo storage set in the picture is going for about $50 less than it normal price. That’s enough to get a wrench or screwdriver set to put in it.They aren’t the best storage on the market but they are a great buy for the money and if they are well cared for they can last longer than you do.
Craftsman Storage Combo [Sears]
Kicking back on the weekend with a frosty beer, some tools and a conversion kit. Not just any conversion kit, a retina burning, yellow tank conversion kit. Now that’s a way to spend a weekend. I’m not sure what this would cost and I’m not sure I want to know but Mattracks conversions would look great on my wife’s PT cruiser. Heck she might not even notice they look close to stock right?
Tracked Conversion Kits [Mattracks]
(Saturday, August 25th, 2007) Tonight we have a new episode of Woodsculpting and a slew of reruns on the DIY channel. If you really don’t have anything else going on, check out the Modern Marvels on Vacuums. They feature some wicked cool suckers. Including one v8 diesel powered rig.
All times are central
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:
Hot or Not? Evolution Rage Circ Saws
These are some mean-ass British circ saw, which the manufacturer claims will plow through steel, wood, and lots of other things — all with the same blade and zero heat. Yeah, we wonder about that, too. Check out comments, though, where the saw’s inventor checked in all the way from the UK to give readers some details about how it works.
Save Your Rear With LifeHammer
As demonstrated by the Mythbusters, this little hammer will bust out a car window with even a light strike. If you’re concerned about getting trapped in your car, this is the tool for you.
Cut Sheet Metal Curves With Milwaukee’s Electric Nibbler
It’s expensive, and the little “half-moons” it chops out of the metal will puncture tires around the shop — but it’s also cool as hell and a great way to cut curves with little or no heat damage. Check it out.
Hard Shelled Pads With A Soft Filling
Yes, you look like a dork in kneepads. And yes, you’ll look like an even bigger dork hobbling around ’cause you didn’t wear ‘em. Get a good pair. These feature a hard outer shell to protect you and stabilize you when you kneel plus a soft inner material that keeps your knees happy.
Danish Oil: Part of Your Complete Project
Looking for an easy way to stain and protect your latest wood project? Sean walks you through his latest favorite — complete with pictures.
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.
Grab a bottle (or can) of your favorite brew and learn how fix some common problems with wood surfaces — like when you forgot and left your beer sitting on your nightstand too long. We’re not promising that you’ll be able to repair peeled-up stain, but we will walk you through some ways to remove white rings, stick down bubbling veneer, and make scratches less noticable. (Podcast Download)
Channel cutting thick plastic normally either turns out looking less than perfect with a standard router bit — or is just impossible. But Amana has a plastic router bit designed to cut, shape, and de-burr plastic all in one pass. The secret to good looking plastic cuts is fluted spiral cut of the bit.
TM reader kid_entropy posted this awesome pic of his Grandpa’s new shop. He writes: “It’s obviously not finished, but I keep finding parts of other family members’ houses incorporated. Those cabinets on the right were in my brother’s kitchen about a week ago. That main beam was made by a friend of his on his portable mill. My brother and I had to manhandle it into place without him noticing so he wouldn’t get killed doing it himself. That firebird is his as well. What does your grandfather drive?””
I say hats off to kid’s Grandpa for both his new shop and his Trans-am. A quick look at the other pics in the series will give you a look at Grandpa’s unfinished Model A laying on the floor next to the Pontiac.
Toolmonger’s Photo Pool [Flickr]
As portable Halogen work lights go, the HSK142r from Husky is about as solid-looking as they come. Hey, any light with a mad-max style front grill is on my techno-punk cool list. But the coolest part is that this 12V DC rechargeable work light operates both corded and cordless.
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