We’re sure you’re sick of Hyde products for now, but we’re saving the best (read: most ridiculous) for last:  the Dual-Action Flex Roller.  Hyde claims that with their new roller you’ll spread paint more evenly, paint faster, and work more effectively.

(more…)

Now until June 30, Makita is hosting an online Feel Innovation sweepstakes — the grand prize is a combo of motorcycles and quads, and first prize is an 18V fifteen-piece combo kit including every tool in Makita’s LXT Li-Ion line.

Just fill out the online form and you’re good to go. I didn’t see a clause that said you can only enter once, so it might be an enter-as-often-as-you-like affair.  Then again, I didn’t really spend a lot of time poring over the huge wall of sweeps rules.

Check out Makita’s site for the entry form.

Entry Form [Makita]

So many devices nowadays have those big transformer-type plugs — power tools, computer equipment, cell phones, you name it — and you can’t plug ‘em into an outlet without blocking another outlet.  This happens to me all the time at home and work, and usually I just run a surge strip or a short extension cord, but the Rotator might be a better solution.

(more…)

Amazon is selling this Milwaukee M-Spector Digital Inspection Camera for $105 with free Super Saver shipping.  It’ll help you inspect your engine, your stove flue, in-between your walls, or you could do home colonoscopy — ok, maybe not that last one.

M-Spector Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

(TV Tonight, Tuesday, April 28th, 2009)  We get a new Deconstructed tonight, unraveling the mysteries of flexible shaft tools and chain blocks.

All times are central.

• Cool Stuff: How It Works (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Greek Fire (Military, 5:00 pm)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• This Old House: East Boston Project (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Stuff: How It Works (Science, 5:30 pm)
• Deconstructed: Chain block, flexible rotary power tool, plasma cutter, laptop computer cooling system (Science, 6:00 pm) NEW
• Ask This Old House: Replacing a corroded shut-off valve, planting rose bushes (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Deconstructed: Pressure washer, camping stove, fax machine, hydraulic jack (Science, 6:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Ceramic Tiles, Nuts, Steel Forgings, Skateboards (Science, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Car Engines, Flour, Recliners, Envelopes (Science, 7:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Forest Fires, Car Exhaust, Space Station (Science, 8:00 pm)
• Rock Solid: Boundary Wall (DIY, 8:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Jet Engine, Weapons, Telescope (Science, 8:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Air to Air, Ski Slopes, Car Production (Science, 9:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Repeating Crossbow (Military, 9:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Fireproof Materials (DIY, 9:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Pencils, Steel, Water Supply (Science, 9:30 pm)

Enjoy.

Ah, the sweet smell of rebuilding carbs!  Many predicted that the advent of fuel injection would relegate this delicate task to the same fate the cranked automobile suffered;  not so.  Longtime reader Peter P. has rigged out his workbench with all the goodies you need to make life easier on you, including a handbook –- which, no matter what anyone tells you, you need.

I believe Peter’s rebuilding this monster for his Cobra Mustang.  I could be wrong, but that’s about the only vehicle I’ve seen in his stream that would require something this large.

Hats off and beers up to you once again, my friend. May your quarter-mile times be low, and may your tires last more than a season.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

As it gets warmer this spring, your ambient room temperature goes up, too — at least if you have your furnace and AC set to reasonable levels — which means your computer has to work harder to get rid of the heat it produces, so the CPU doesn’t turn into a molten pile of goo.  I didn’t know just how stressed my computer was till it started beeping at me as I was getting ready for bed the other night.

(more…)

Amazon is selling this Blackhawk Tools Spark Test Screwdriver for $6.12.  You test your spark plugs by bringing the screwdriver close to the wire while the engine’s running and seeing if the neon bulb glows.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

We sometimes see rigs like this Powerfoil in movies — through some twist of cinematic fate, they tend to disconnect from their moorings and go spinning out of control into the nearest bad guy. In real life, according to the Big Ass Fans website, these wicked-cool-looking fans with their 16’ – 24’ spans move air effectively and non-lethally.

(more…)

Lasers just keep getting cheaper — Rockler cut the price of the Infiniter RS-1 Laser Cutting Guide in half.  That’s right, it’s on sale for just $13, cheaper than the Harbor Freight version is currently listed!

(more…)

(TV Tonight, Monday, April 27th, 2009)  We get new episodes of Rock Solid, Ax Men, Doing DaVinci, and Build It Bigger tonight.  The only downside is that if you don’t have a Tivo or four TVs you can’t watch ‘em all, as they air at the same time.  Our pick?  Scythe chariot!

All times are central.

• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• This Old House: East Boston Project (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• MythBusters: Big Rig Myths (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Replacing Deck Boards, Quieting a Steam Heating System (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• MythBusters: Banana Slip, Double Dip (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 11 Ep. 1 (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Ax Men: One Weak Link (History, 8:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Best of 06-07 (BBC America, 8:00 pm)
• Rock Solid: Rubber Pebble Pool Deck (DIY, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Ax Men: The Ax Falls (History, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Doing DaVinci: Scythe Chariot (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Build It Bigger: Hong Kong Bridge (Science, 9:00 pm) NEW

Enjoy.

(TV Tonight, Sunday, April 26th, 2009)  It’s an even lamer than usual Sunday night, so head out to the shop!

All times are central.

• Weapon Masters: Greek Fire (Military, 5:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Paint (DIY, 7:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Nail Guns and Air Compressors (DIY, 7:30 pm)

Enjoy.

(TV Tonight, Saturday, April 25th, 2009) Well, the good news is we get a new episode of Under Construction, but that’s all we get.

All times are central.

• Deconstruction: Walls (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Storm Proofing (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Wrecked: Pain in the Glass (National Geographic, 8:00 pm)
• Under Construction: Controlled Chaos (DIY, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Wrecked: Pain in the Glass (Speed, 10:00 pm)
• Wrecked: School’s in Session (Speed, 10:30 pm)

Enjoy.

You know those fake stake pockets that manufacturers put on trucks nowadays, the ones that’re maybe 3″ deep and pretty much useless for anything but those pop-up hooks?  Well, Master Lock has come up with a pretty cool use for one:  turning it into a U-lock for locking up your tools.

(more…)

Where I live, it’s already pushing 90 in the heat of the day, so a/c is your first, last, and only line of defense against sweating your ass off.  Unfortunately, this frosty image means that my a/c unit wasn’t cooling much of anything, despite the ice on the outside of the coil.  In this case, ice is not cool.

(more…)

What do you do if you need to sand a curved project that’s too big to get to your oscillating spindle sander — an assembled piece of furniture, for instance?  Most of us aren’t big fans of hand sanding, so this Grizzly Handheld Pneumatic Sander looks pretty appealing.

(more…)

Hyde likes the number 10.  First it was the 10-in-1 Painter’s tool, but that wasn’t enough 10’s, so they made the PaintMiser 10-in-1 tool.  Instead of carrying this tool in your pocket, you probably want to leave it close to the paint — most of its functions have to do with getting every last drop from the can.

(more…)