Instructables user Vestus took one look at the high price of commercially-available router lifts and decided he could build his own a lot cheaper. Bustin’ out his shrewd Dealmongering skills he snagged an already-inexpensive Harbor Freight plunge router on sale for $40 and a router base plate on Amazon for another $40. After scrounging around the local hardware stores for a few other components, he assembled his router lift — complete with 1-3/4 HP router — for under $100.

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Crescent may not call it a monkey wrench, but many of their retailers do. It’s clear their Auto Wrench — John Piccone gonna sue somebody! — evolved from the wrench Charles Moncky patented. Witness its flat toothless jaws and how the lower jaw adjusts instead of the upper. This is no pipe wrench.

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A small workbench is where most projects in the home shop start. Even if you’ve built yourself a beautiful big bench, smaller foldable units like the Black and Decker Workmate are often extremely handy to have around. The problem with most of the old orange-and-black standbys is that they’re heavy and a pain in the ass to unfold and setup. The X Frame model Workmate from Black and Decker aims to ease some of that pain.

The X Frame is smaller and lighter than a standard workmate and boasts a 350 pound weight capacity — but that isn’t the good part. The X Frame opens like a TV tray for easy setup and tear down. We dig that.

The question, though: is the trade off of sturdy vs. light-and-easy really what you need in the shop? Let us know what you think in comments.

Street pricing starts at $30.

X Frame [Black and Decker]
Street pricing [Google Product Search]
Via Amazon [What's This?]

Lowes is prolonging their Black Friday promotion of $10 for an Irwin 63 piece bit set. For this ridiculously low price you get 43 screwdriver bits, and 20 drill bits – 15 black oxide split points along with five spade bits.

From the looks of the above photo-chopped image taken from its product page, this may be a special Lowes-only bundle. Several Lowes stores in my area still have several dozen sets each, so there’s no need to rush to the store just yet.

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(Friday, November 30th, 2007) Tonight: a typical Friday – with a Cool Tools rerun added to DIY’s lineup – and a new bacon-riffic episode of How It’s Made.

Is it just us, or does it look like Cool Tools draws heavily from Toolmonger’s posts a few months back? 

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 38, electric baseboard heaters, moulded pulp containers, and video games and chicken (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Falling Waters (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Mountain of Steel (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 31, horse-drawn carriages, artificial eyes, dog and cat food and mirrors (Discovery, 5:30 p.m.)
• Toolbelt Diva: Deck the Hulls (Home, 7:00 p.m.)
• How Do They Do It?: Phoenix Stadium, LA Trade Tower, Surfing (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• Take Home Handyman: Just Add Water: Becka & Dominic (Home, 7:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 44, horseshoes, dishwashers, graphite fly rods and frozen pizzas (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• New Yankee Workshop: Hall Seat (DIY, 7:30 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Clean Slate (Home, 8:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 12, bacon, snow blowers, and luxury cars (Science, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
• New Yankee Workshop: CD Storage Case (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 11, scalpels, oil paints, British police helmets, and ice axes (Science, 8:30 p.m.)
• Wood Works: Veneering Tips and Techniques (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Deepest Tunnel (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
• Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• Cool Tools: Multi-Task (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

If you’re looking to order safety equipment or metal fabrication supplies, Airgas.com should be one of your first stops. I came across Airgas when I was searching for a hard-to-find pair of sweet new safety goggles and somehow ended up making a rather large order. Their prices are decent, but most importantly the selection is vast and shipping is prompt.

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In the most recent email from Harbor Freight, they offer a coupon for $2 off stainless steel cable ties. Since I’m a big fan of cable ties, the stainless steel version really piqued my interest. I tie a lot of my outdoor garden projects together with cable ties, but I have noticed that over a few years they can become brittle. I’m wondering if the stainless steel version fairs any better.

These are Storehouse brand, so I wouldn’t expect the best performance, but I’m wondering in general has anybody used stainless steel cable ties? If so, for what purpose did you use ‘em? Let us know in comments.

Stainless Steel Cable Ties [Harbor Freight]

I’m a sucker for anything made from composite materials, and I also happen to enjoy grilling. So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw The Lite Cylinder Company’s line of fiberglass propane tanks. The tanks don’t just look cool – they’re safer as well. They won’t rust, and you can tell how much fuel is left just by looking at ‘em.

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Popular Mechanics is my comfort magazine; I look forward to reading it every month.  For a limited time you can now get it a 12 month subscription for just $5. Sadly, I just renewed my subscription before I found this deal. Magazines such as Esquire, House Beautiful, and CosmoGIRL! are among the other titles available for $5.

Popular Mechanics [Official Site]
$5 Subscription [Hearst Magazines]

(Wednesday, November 28th, 2007) A new Mythbusters revisits the rich treasure of Pirate myths and we get a new Street Tuner Challenge that’s titled oddly for a show that airs on Wednesday.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 17, winter jackets, animation, mushrooms and gold (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Lack of Truss, Part 1 (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: High Risk Tower (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 1, aluminum foil, snowboards, soft polymer contact lenses and bread (Discovery, 5:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 38, electric baseboard heaters, moulded pulp containers, video games and chicken (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 33, prepared mustard, violins, nuts and bolts, and toilet paper (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
• How Do They Do It?: Space Shuttle, Rollercoaster, Pool Tables (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 29, wheel loaders, vegetable oil, hand tools and cotton swabs (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Pirates 2! (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
• Rock Solid: Granite Countertops (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Manufactured Stone Fireplace (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Street Tuner Challenge: Black Thursday (Speed, 9:00 p.m.) NEW
• Street Tuner Challenge: A Mini Mini Build (Speed, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

If the hearing the name Lam-Hammer for the first time, you imagine a tool that might be used on the farm, you have a sick mind. This tool is designed to simplify the installation of laminate and engineered flooring. And its built-in slide hammer beats the hell out of trying to swing a hammer in a tight space.

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(Tuesday, November 27th, 2007) A new Dirty Jobs sprays insulation, and Trade School probably has something to do with hog rings.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 9, steel, apple juice, aircraft landing gear and cosmetics (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Clean Slate (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Floating City (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 49, plastic cups and cutlery, special effects makeup, gold and harps (Discovery, 5:30 p.m.)
• Modern Marvels: Magnets (History, 6:00 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Bridge Painter (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
• How Do They Do It?: Bullet Proof Vests, Robots, Formation Skydivers (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 42, lacrosse sticks, frozen fish products, flashlights and paintbrushes (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Spray Insulation Technician (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
• 10 Things You Must Know: Finished Basement (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• Trade School: Auto Upholstery (DIY, 9:30 p.m.) NEW

Enjoy.

Everyone wants that curb-and-gutter finished look for their driveways, but most of us are afraid to ask what it’d cost. Here’s a possibility of doing it on the cheap: you could buy Harbor Freight’s Curb Machine. The Curb Machine includes three different curb molds – flat mower style, curb style, and slant style. This 42″ x 19″ by 34″ machine runs on standard 115V power, so get out your extension cords if you have a long driveway.

Apparently, this same machine is sold nationally for $2,995, but since we’re talking Harbor Freight the price is a slightly lower $600. If you are the intrepid do-it-yourselfer, how can you pass up this deal?

Curb Machine [Harbor Freight]

This MicroLux table saw from Micro-Mark is the perfect saw for model makers – or for anyone who requires small scale precision cuts. Micro-Mart also offers the best deal on this saw at $350 with free shipping.

The MicroLux is both small and accurate, weighing in at just 11 pounds and measuring 10″ x 11-1/2″. Its variable speed electronically-rectified high-torque DC motor allows for precision cuts in both plastics and metals without over heating the material, and the saw also features two miter gauge slots for cutting on both sides of the blade, a tilting arbor for cuts up to 45-degrees, and a vacuum cleaner attachment.

My father-in-law — a highly-regarded railroad modeler — swears by this saw as it allows him to make precision 1/8″ strips from plastic.

MicroLux Tilt Arbor Table Saw [Micro-Mark]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Welcome back to the work week — and to new Toolmonger content. We took a few much-needed days off to regroup and enjoy the turkey, and we spent some quality time in the shop. (We’ll share the results of that labor later!) 

(Monday, November 26th, 2007) A new episode of Invention Nation explores solar energy.

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 45, brushes and push brooms, blackboards, smoked salmon and zippers (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Nashville Kitchen (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Hurricane-Proof Homes (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 4, hearing aids, 3-D puzzles, rubber mats, and toilets (Discovery, 5:30 p.m.)
• How Do They Do It?: Buildings, Electricity Pilons, Balloon Makers (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• Modern Marvels: Metal (History, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 41, glass bottles, hacksaws and goalie masks (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Sun Power (Science, 9:00 p.m.) NEW
• Invention Nation: Deep Fried Diesel (Science, 9:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Reef Ball Maker (Discovery, 10:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

(Tuesday, November 20th, 2007) A new Trade School shows us cabinetry which is a great way to get the cabinetry bug. Mike Rowe and Dirty Jobs has what is probably a clip show, but in our opinion they tend to make good clip shows so we don’t mind so much. 

All times are central.

• How It’s Made: Episode 20, traditional bows, coffee machines, mascots and hammocks (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Gone to Pot (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: World’s Tallest Skyscraper (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 13, electrical panels, kites, eyeglass frames and toothbrushes (Discovery, 5:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Wild Goose Chase (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
• How Do They Do It?: Cruise Liner, Satellite, Suspension Bridge (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made, Season 3: Episode 38, Drill Bits, Photo Booths, Stamps (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Creepy, Slimy And Just Plain Weird (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
• 10 Things You Must Know: Installing a Fence (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• Trade School: Cabinetry (DIY, 9:30 p.m.) NEW

Enjoy.