Archive for February, 2008

Dealmonger: Stanley FatMax 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station $80

Thursday, February 28th, 2008
Stanley FatMax 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station

With all the tools posted on Toolmonger, you’re gonna need somewhere to put ‘em all. Stanley recently added this 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station to their FatMax line, and Amazon is selling it for $80, with free shipping. The cantilever multi-level rolling cart gives you access to all of the storage areas — a toolbox, part bins, portable tray, and a larger oversized bin on the bottom — at the same time.

The handle telescopes for added maneuverability, and a single locking latch secures the entire cart. Stanley offers a limited lifetime warranty.

FatMax 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station [Stanley Tools]
Via Amazon [What’s This?] (B000V29B7K) [What's This?]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

TV Tonight: Die Hard Meets Blow Hard

Thursday, February 28th, 2008
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(Thursday, February 28th, 2008) A new American Chopper has Paul Jr. weld a bunch of lifetime-guarantee wrenches all over a motorcycle.

All times are central.

  • Holmes on Homes: House to Home - Part 1 (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Build it Bigger: Mega-Tunnel (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Rock Solid: Concrete Vanity (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Today Show Tips: Fast Fixes (DIY, 5:30 p.m.)
  • Rides: Ultimate Offroad (TLC, 6:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 19, wooden barrels, fire hydrants, automotive seats, and cathode ray tubes (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
  • Classic Tractors (RFD-TV, 7:00 p.m.)
  • American Chopper: Gander Mountain 2 (TLC, 7:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 20, stainless steel, football helmets, resin figurines, and laboratory glassware (Discovery, 7:30 p.m.)
  • Cool Tools: Classic Update (DIY, 8:00 p.m.)
  • American Chopper: Craftsman/Diehard 1 (TLC, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
  • Cool Tools (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
  • How Do They Do It?: Episode 14, hydroelectric power and computer microchips (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
  • How Do They Do It?: Episode 12, halogen light bulbs, car mufflers, and lock and key sets (Science, 9:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Bevel Gauge Ensures You’ve Got The Right Angle

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Bevel Gauge

By sight, most people can’t tell a 20° angle from a 22-1/2° angle or even a 25° angle, but guessing incorrectly can lead to a tool that no longer cuts well.  With a bevel gauge like this one from Richard Kell, you can make sure you’re honing your blade at the correct angle.  Don’t confuse this bevel gauge with the adjustable or sliding bevel gauge — only this bevel gauge takes the guesswork out of checking angles.

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Reader Project: Metal + Tech = Awesome

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
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Toolmonger reader Russell Jones posted this great metalworking project on his blog. When the cheap-o plastic case of his USB key broke, he didn’t buy a new drive — he milled himself a new case out of aluminum. He ended up with a great industrial looking tech gadget that any Toolmonger would be proud of.

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New Universal Insulation Strippers From Knipex

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
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If you’ve ever tried to strip Teflon- or Radox-shielded cable with a regular pair of snips, you know it can take a while and be super messy by the time you’re done. You can strip that insulation off faster and much more accurately with the double guillotine method. Knipex has adopted that method for their new universal insulation strippers — and, following the lead of razors like the Mach 4, they’ve added blades.

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Dowel Joinery On The Cheap With Dowel Centers

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Dowel Centers

If you only occasionally use dowel joinery and don’t want to purchase and store yet another jig, dowel centers will give you accurate results for a fraction of the cost. They’re designed to be inserted into dowel holes to transfer the center of the hole to the mating piece.

Made from nickel-plated steel, this set from General Tools comes with two dowel centers for each of the following hole sizes: 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8”, and 1/2”. For $5 to $6 a set, they’ll do the job until you decide you really do need that dowelling jig.

Dowel Centers [General Tools]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's This?]

Dealmonger: Black Rhino Hammers

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Black Rhino Hammer

I was looking for a gift for my better half on Overstock.com when I got sidetracked by all these Black Rhino hammers that’re on sale. Black Rhino has built their reputation on high-quality, ergonomic tools for the professional. These hammers in particular caught my eye:

Black Rhino tacker for $25 
Black Rhino 32-oz dead blow hammer for $18 
Black Rhino 4-lb engineer’s hammer for $20 

I discovered a couple of other nice things about Overstock.com: the flat shipping rate of $3, and their “guaranteed best on the net” pricing.

Black Rhino [Corporate Site]
Black Rhino Hammers [Overstock]

TV Tonight: Spruce Goose

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
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(Wednesday, February 27th, 2008) Howard Hughes was a nut, but we’re certain he would’ve loved Toolmonger.

All times are central.

  • Holmes on Homes: Unfinished Business (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Build it Bigger: Biggest Warship (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Rock Solid: Stone Furniture (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 17, ice cream treats, wooden golf clubs, aircraft wings, and car battery recycling (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
  • Modern Marvels: Howard Hughes Tech (History, 6:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 18, automotive fuel pumps, cricket bats, change machines, and ductile iron pipes (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
  • MythBusters: Diet Coke and Mentos (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.)
  • Master Blasters: The Blasters of Oz (Science, 8:00 p.m.)
  • Smash Lab: Runaway Trailer (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.)
  • Master Blasters: Killer Lawn Darts (Science, 9:00 p.m.)
  • Rock Solid: Soapstone Kitchen Makeover (DIY, 9:00 p.m.)
  • Hammered With John & Jimmy DiResta: The Computer Work Station (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)
  • MythBusters: Chicken Gun (Discovery, 10:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Splinter Removal Kit

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Splinter Removal Kit

Spend anytime in your shop and you’re bound to get splinters. A good pair of gloves can reduce the likelihood, but splinters are still an inevitability. If you pick at the splinter with some crappy tweezers and a sewing needle, you’re probably going to do more damage than the splinter would have done if you’d just left it alone. Why not buy the right tools for the job?  For $20 you can add a splinter removal kit to your first aid kit.

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Spring Is Coming: It’s Lawncare Time Again

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Spring is creeping up on us with steady signs of the new growing season to come, which means it’s time to get the lawn prepped for being green. There are two real methods for this: You can call a lawn care company and shell out for the spring prep – which I highly recommend – or you can do it the old-fashioned way. Most gardeners will debate on this subject for hours, but if you’re doing your own work, here are some chores to consider.

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Simplify Hand Cut Joinery With The AngleMag

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
AngleMag

Jeff Snell has all-but-solved the problem of how to keep your saw blade perfectly aligned when hand-cutting joints. He invented the AngleMag, which uses four neodymium magnets housed in a super-low-friction glide to hold any backless saw, such as a Japanese pull saw, at an exact cutting angle.

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Ultracut Cordless Pipe Cutter

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Usually when you’re cutting copper pipe with a tubing cutter, you’ve got to have a good deal of space around the pipe. Not only do you need a few inches for every swing, but you have to adjust the cutter as you rotate. It all adds up to a time- and space-consuming process. Superior Tools, a plumbing tool manufacturer, offers an alternative — the Ultracut Cordless Tubing Cutter.

The Ultracut can cut 1/2″ and 3/4″ copper tubing in just a few seconds.  Its design allows it to reach into spots that a normal tubing cutter or saw couldn’t reach.  Simply set the cutter to the appropriate size, snap the cutter head onto the pipe, and let it rip. The cutter will stop as soon as the cut’s complete.

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From the Flickr Pool: Pawnshop Prowling

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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I happened upon this sweet pawnshop pickup from reader bradjustinen in the photo pool recently. Though it’s not a tool everyone needs, it does go to show that perseverance pays off in spades.  Brad said this about his find:

You have to find the right pawnshop. You’ll never be able to negotiate with a single-owner pawnshop. There are plenty of pawnshops around here that won’t budge. Look for chain stores. Around Seattle we have PawnXChange — they’re all over the place, and there’s no owner there to be stingy. Try to find 20 pawnshops in your area and then decide which ones are best. Even still, most tools are overpriced, but with frequent visits (1-3 times a week) you WILL find steals, and when you do, try to talk the price down. Make up some story about how there’s something wrong with it that you’ll need to fix, etc.

Remember, unsuccessful negotiations will eventually turn into a successful negotiation. Today I picked up a like-new Ingersoll-Rand Recip. Saw for $20, talked down from $30. ($90 Retail)

Don’t ask for a discount — tell them what your max price is, and let them decide. I told the guy I didn’t need it, but for $20 I’ll find a use for it. He took the bait. Well worth the breath that it took to say “I’ll give you $20, but that’s it, I really don’t need it”.

We’ve had similar experiences on the pawnshop circuit.  Like Brad said, the best thing you can do is find the best ones in your area — but above all, be patient.  You might not find deals your first few times, but much like going to the junkyard, once you hit it right, you hit it big.  Great find, Brad.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

Commando Precision Drill Set

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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Are you the type of Toolmonger who has an assortment of tools on you at all times? Can you loan someone a pen, cut open a package, and fix a pair of eyeglasses at a moment’s notice? Then Commando tools might make a nice addition to your everyday carry arsenal.

Commando Products makes a line of tools that can travel easily in your pocket, housed in colorful anodized aluminum tubes around a 1/2” in diameter and about 5” long. You can get precision drill sets, screwdriver kits, precision oilers, or scrapers. With a built-in chuck, the carrying tube doubles as the handle for the variety of bits inside.

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Dealmonger: Rousseau Miter Saw Stand Kit $95

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Rousseau 2850 Shop Style Miter Saw Stand Kit

Throw away the apple crate and cardboard box, and get yourself a Rousseau 2850 miter saw stand kit — ok, maybe that’s just my workshop setup. At 39″ tall, it stands at a comfortable working height for the average user. The large 19″x31″ platform will support all sizes of miter saws and planers, and easy fold-down wings give support for long lengths of lumber. Two larger storage shelves hold your accessories.

The Dynamite Tool Company has the lowest listing at $95. Amazon sells it for a few bucks more, but they’re offering free shipping.

Miter Stand [Rousseau]
Rousseau 2850 [Dynamite Tool Co.]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What's This?]

TV Tonight: Milking Mike

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
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(Tuesday, February 26th, 2008) It’s a “new” Dirty Jobs clip show tonight — we’re waiting for a clip show of all their clip shows.

All times are central.

  • Holmes on Homes: Hullaba-Loo (Home, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Build it Bigger: Big Easy Rebuild (Science, 5:00 p.m.)
  • Rock Solid: Slate Floor (DIY, 5:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 47, ceramic tiles, nuts, steel forgings, and skateboards (Discovery, 6:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 32, yogurt, candles, neon signs, and book binding (Discovery, 6:30 p.m.)
  • Dirty Jobs: Wine Maker (Discovery, 7:00 p.m.)
  • Dirty Jobs: Brown Plate Special (Discovery, 8:00 p.m.) NEW
  • Street Tuner Challenge: Measure Twice, Cut Once (Speed, 8:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 7, golf balls, furniture handles, parking meters, and room dividers (Discovery, 9:00 p.m.)
  • How It’s Made: Episode 12, bacon, snow blowers, and luxury cars (Discovery, 9:30 p.m.)
  • MythBusters: Cell Phone Destroys Gas Station (Discovery, 10:00 p.m.)

Enjoy.

Pack Your Bearings Before You Pack Your Bags

Monday, February 25th, 2008
Bearing Packer

Raise your hand if you actually re-pack your trailer’s wheel bearings once a year as recommended. Yeah, repacking bearings by hand can be a greasy mess — who really wants to put globs of grease in their hands, except my three-year-old?  Do yourself a favor and pick up a bearing packer like this one from Lisle for $8. A bearing packer evenly injects new grease into the bearing, which forces out the old grease and flushes out any other contaminants.

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