Speedy Metals offers over 5000 shapes, grades, and sizes of various kinds of metal. They have a “no minimum order” policy, so if you need an inch of 1″ copper rod, you can get an inch of copper rod. They’re a great source for small-project metal when local (and many on-line sources) are reluctant to — or just plain won’t — sell small quantities to individuals.

And Speedy doesn’t charge cutting fees on large orders. But for a small fee, they’ll provide custom bending, drilling, and simple machining. Most importantly, though, Speedy Metals is an outfit that’s friendly to the needs of DIY guys and gals. They offer their stock through their site or via their eBay store.

Speedy Metals [Official Site]
Speedy Metals eBay Store [eBay.com]

I’ll take a vodka martini shaken by a 43cc motor (but not stirred), please.  Sam’s Club offers this two stroke 43cc gas powered blender exclusively to its members as an in-store pickup item.  It’s not available in California, which means it’s a pollution maker. And it’s made in China, so don’t let your kids chew on the stand.

On the plus side, this beast has diamond-plated accents, a stainless steel blender cup, and variable speed throttle, so you can mix your chosen poison at your chosen RPM.  Pricing: $100.

Gas Powered Blender [Sam’s Club]
Street Pricing [Google Product]

(Wednesday, December 26th, 2007) Smash Lab debuts tonight, and there’s also a new episode of Street Tuner Challenge.

All times are central.

• MythBusters: Air Plane Hour (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Holmes on Homes: Unfinished Business (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Hurricane-Proof Homes (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Big Rig Myths (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Pirates 2! (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: Episode 10, holograms, package printing, skin cultures, and canned corn (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Diet Coke and Mentos (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Quarry Survival Tips (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Concrete Countertop (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Smash Lab: Episode 1 (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.) NEW
• Street Tuner Challenge: Calling in Reinforcements (Speed, 9:00 p.m.) NEW
• Street Tuner Challenge: Buckle up Tight (Speed, 9:30 p.m.)
• MythBusters: Bullet Proof Water (Discovery, 10:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

As you might imagine, we’re taking today off to spend some time with family and friends. We’re looking forward to unwrapping some sweet tools under the tree, and we hope you are, too.

It’s been a great year here at Toolmonger, largely because of you, our readers. We crank out content every day because we love reading your comments, listening to your calls, and learning new things about tools. Hanging out at Toolmonger is sorta like hanging out at a friend’s shop — which just happens to contain all the tools and knowledge of thousands and thousands of readers.

So thank you for taking the time to read and comment, and please accept a heartfelt happy holidays from everyone who makes TM happen.

If buying perfect 1/2” dowels is just too convenient and easy, you can slow production down the old school way by using a dowel rounding plane. It works much like a pencil sharpener, only bigger and significantly slower.  This one from the Japan Woodworker Catalog recreates an 18th century Scottish design.

This simple tool, made of maple with a hardened tool steel cutter blade, will make a properly-sized dowel out of whatever strange wood you can’t find in round stock at the local wood supply place.  You just cut away the corners of the stock, then twist that sucker against the dowel rounding plane.  Note: be prepared to invest some serious time in this project.

Prices start at $8.

1/2″ Dowel Rounding Plane [The Japan Woodworker Catalog]

Knife-sharpening confuses the hell out of me — there are so many old wives tales, half-truths, and rules of thumb offering contradictory advice on how to do it.  Luckily the Lansky Knife Sharpening System takes the guesswork out of putting a sharp, safe edge on a blade.

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I don’t usually need to make measurements beyond 10′ when I’m wood-working, but recently I started a project that sent me to the local big box in search of a 12′ tape.  Most of the 12’ tapes I wanted couldn’t be bought stand-alone, and a lot of the others I wouldn’t dare try out in the shop because they’re so crappy.  But one tape stood out from the rest - the Komelon Self Lock.

The Self Lock gets its name from the self locking action on the tape itself. Just pull out to the desired length and the tape stays out until you press the button located on top of the unit.  I found only one drawback: when you wind the tape back in from more than nine feet, the end of it will whip back and slap your hand if you’re not careful.

Aside from that, it makes a sturdy addition to the workforce. Lightweight and compact, the 12′ model serves well for smaller measurements; the Self Lock also comes in 16’ and 25’ lengths.

Street pricing starts at $4 for the 12′ and goes up to $8 for the 25′.

Self Lock Tape [Komelon]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

You want to protect the things you love — your family, your pets, your tools – but with all the folk remedies swirling around the mythosphere, who’s to know what works best? For cleaning and lubricating metal tools like saw blades and router bits, folks over at the Ridgid forum have discussed using Simple Green All-Purpose cleaner (an alkaline water-based cleaner with a 9.4 pH), carnauba wax (mainly acidic, found in cosmetics and Altoids), oven cleaner (a soap-forming caustic base), apple cider vinegar (which, according to enthusiasts, helps remove “body sludge toxins”), washing soda (a potent base with a pH of 11), and even coffee (acidic with a pH around 5, unless you’re French).

Then there’s Empire’s Complete Tool Saver System. It includes a surface cleaner/degreaser, a water-based pitch resin remover, and three types of lubricants: one for router bits that reduces heat and friction, one for moving parts, and one for saw blades. This collection is supposed to replace and best all the folk remedies, for about twenty bucks.

So what do you prefer: a pre-packed kit like the one pictured above, or home chemistry experiments? Let us know in comments.

Manufacturer’s Website
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Classic tools, though sweet, can take a bite out of the ole’ paycheck. So when I was price checking a nice set of Warrington pattern hammers, I was shocked to find a three-hammer set from Garrett Wade for under $30. They’re easy on the eyes as well as the budget.

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Last week was a busy week here at Toolmonger — which is why we’re putting out the top five on Monday instead of Friday, doh! 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:

That’s Not A Flashlight. THIS Is A Flashlight!
Who couldn’t use a 20 million candlepower light? Seriously this thing could blind you at 100 feet. With both bulbs on at full burn this will give you 25 minutes of dark-scorching light beam. What’s not to like?

Material Source: Parts Express
Chuck revealed his super sweet source for low buck, high value stereo gear at Parts Express. He picked up some sweet affordable speakers for a little bit of nothing and they sound great to boot.

Black & Decker’s VPX Inflator
Black and Decker may be onto something with their very practical offerings in the VPX line, such as the super simple Inflator tool. It’s compact and powerful enough to push air into the usual sports equipment or flat bicycle tire.

Tapcon Removable Masonry Screws
Readers responded positively to the Tapcon removable masonry screws. Reports from the readers indicate that they do indeed work as advertised as long as the fastener goes in straight the first time.

If John Wayne Had A Laptop…
The rugged A790 laptop is designed for jobsite use, but readers lament that the Windows operating system is not nearly as hardy as the machine it finds itself on.

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.

If you haven’t checked out Grizzly Industrial Inc., I highly recommend it. They have a great selection of woodworking and metal working tools — even guitar-making kits! – at reasonable prices.  And now they’re offering a free gift with every purchase. You can even choose the gift you want; for purchases under $100, your choices include PVC electrician’s tape, 9/32″ cable clips, and “heavy duty” leather work gloves. Drop more cash, $100 - $250, and you could walk away with 10″ left cutting tin snips, a 14″ pipe wrench, or a 10-watt mini glue gun, to name a few options.  Really big spenders might bring home a 6″ bench grinder, a Smith & Wesson 6-piece gunsmithing screwdriver set, a 29-piece 1/2″ drive socket set, or even a piano stool.

Corporate Site [Grizzly Industrial]
Free Gifts [Grizzly Industrial]

(Monday, December 24th, 2007) Have an Invention Nation marathon with your yule log this Christmas Eve.  And at 9:30 on Christmas night, DIY has inexplicably decided to show a new episode of Trade School, but we have no idea what it’s about.

All times are central.

• Build It Bigger: Floating City (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Deep Fried Diesel (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• Top Gear: Episode 6 (BBC America, 7:00 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Human Powered (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Sun Power (Science, 8:00 p.m.)
• Top Gear: Episode 5 (BBC America, 8:00 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Dirt Rules (Science, 8:30 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Innovative Alternatives (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
• Invention Nation: Eco-Energy (Science, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

(Sunday, December 23rd, 2007) Tonight: just a few reruns to stave off boredom for you tonight while you’re wrapping presents.

All times are central.

• MythBusters: Bullets Fired Up (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 38, electric baseboard heaters, molded pulp containers and video games (Science, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 39, firefighter boots, garden tools, automated machines and gypsum boards (Science, 6:30 p.m.)
• Classic Tractors (RFD-TV, 8:00 p.m.)
• Tricked Out: Race Trailer (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

(Saturday, December 22nd, 2007) As you expect, we’ll be watching reruns until after Christmas. But tonight’s run is perfect for vegging out — assuming you’ve got your tree up.

All times are central.

• Dirty Jobs: Leather Tanner (Discovery, 5:00 p.m.)
• Build It Bigger: Hurricane-Proof Homes (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 4, steel wool, ranges, carved candles, and slot machines (Science, 6:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 5, CCD semiconductors, airline meals, paper cups, and trumpets (Science, 6:30 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 6, padlocks, hair clippers, wooden shoes, and synthetic leather (Science, 7:00 p.m.)
• How It’s Made 4: Episode 7, racing shells, stainless steel sinks, leather, and pedal steel guitars (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• New Yankee Workshop: Steamer Trunk (DIY, 7:30 p.m.)
• New Yankee Workshop: Adirondack Loveseat (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
• Wood Works: Folding Panel Screen (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Wood Works: Woodturned Vessel (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
• Freeform Furniture: Mobile Entertainment Center (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Enjoy.

When somebody says gimlet, I think of a good stiff drink — which is what you’ll need after your power drill accidentally reams out the screw hole in that heirloom project. When you just need to get a screw started – especially a short screw – a power drill can be too much tool for the job. Instead, try a traditional auger gimlet, such as one of these sold by Lee Valley.

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A thing of beauty is a joy forever, and these beautiful levels are guaranteed to be accurate within .015 of an inch for three years. Handmade from quality hardwood stock in Ben Wheeler, Texas, Crick’s levels cost about twice as much as the standard offering from other manufacturers. Of course, they’re also better looking than most.

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Nothing, I mean nothing, is too good for my dogs. They’re my beloved friends and family. So when I saw Toolmonger photo member mstenner’s dog couch, I felt like I’d lagged in my duty to provide my pets with the ultimate comfort.

Mstenner’s canine day bed looks beautiful, and it has a sweet step ladder for the lounging hounds to climb up and down on. This project not only gets a pair of gloves, it inspires me to build a hound dog hangout of my own.

Toolmonger’s Photo Pool [Flickr]