In a recent Dealmonger, we let you know that the big boxes were clearing out their Circuit Alert wire strippers, but it turns out it wasn’t because of slow sales. In fact, the Circuit Alert tools have sold so well, they decided to completely overhaul the product line. Now all Circuit Alert tools come with the same tiny, interchangeable voltage sensor.
The mind boggles at all you could do with five gallons of free lube. Before you get too excited, this is cable-pulling lubricant, and the promotion comes with a catch: to get your free bucket of Cable-Gel lube you have to buy one of Greenlee’s new UG5 Ultra Glider packages. The UG5 Ultra Glider regulates the application of lube when you’re pulling and feeding cable, eliminating the need for a second person on the job to hand-lube it.
It’ll set you back a pretty penny — the UG511ST, pictured, costs around $3,500, so it’s really a tool for the professional tradesman. Still, check out the data sheet for some double entendres that’ll make you blush.
Free Lube Promotion [Greenlee]
UG5 Datasheet [Greenlee]
UG511ST [All2ools]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Needlenose pliers excel at precision work: those times you want to grab that small screw, bend that wire, or pick up that button from the small hole in the floor. Any old pair of needlenose will work for those tasks, but what if you need to grab wires so fine you can barely see ‘em? You don’t want some clonky pair of needlenose pliers whose jaws don’t even touch — you want the strength of pliers, plus the precision of a pair of tweezers. Xuron’s Tweezernose pliers give you just that.
Know what’s cool? Braided wire loom, that’s what’s cool — it keeps your wiring clean and organized and also protects it from the elements. Thing is, plastic cabling is a real pain to install sometimes, and frankly I’m surprised it took so long for someone to make a tool like this. You just slip the PowerBraid Tool around your wiring, then put the split loom around it, and pull the tool along the length of the loom. Then you’re good to go. Talk about cutting your work in half.
PowerBraid Tool [Painless Wiring]
Keep the battery charged on your ATV, motorcycle, or personal watercraft, and it’ll be healthy and ready to go when you need it. Deltran makes Battery Tender trickle chargers in various sizes and capacities for different applications. Their waterproof unit will keep batteries full even when the charger’s fully submerged in water — never again will a sudden downpour make you run outside to make sure the battery charger’s covered.
Cutting conduit leaves sharp edges that can nick and penetrate wire insulation, especially when pulling wire. The rough edges also can make it difficult to attach fittings. Klein makes a screwdriver specifically for reaming conduit. As a bonus they also provide a hood around the screwdriver blade, to make tightening conduit fittings easier.
Even electricians need ratchets, but when you’re working with high-voltage, you can never be too careful. That’s why Kinpex makes both 3/8″ and 1/2″ drive insulated ratchets along with insulated extensions and sockets in both SAE and metric sizes.
Lowe’s has placed the Gardner Bender Circuit Alert wire stripper on clearance. This little gem of a wire stripper packs an AC current detector in the handle. Its clearance price of $12 brings it down to the price range of more frugal Toolmongers such as myself.
Check out your local Lowe’s to see if you can snatch one up before they’re all gone.
Store Locater [Lowe’s]
To cut a hole in drywall for an electrical box, you measure X, then measure Y, transfer those to the drywall, and cut out as needed with a saw or rotary cutter. It’s simple in theory — but in practice there’s a lot of room for error, especially if you’re a DIYer for whom this isn’t your regular job. The Blind Mark Electrical Cutout Tool system, with its two-part magnetic template, takes out the guesswork and helps you avoid costly mistakes.
Lee Valley’s offering an eight piece insulated screwdriver set with carrying case for $8. They describe them as “made for the German market,” with no other information on the make. Lee Valley put the drivers on sale because the European certification for the insulation has expired. This deal ends when they sell out of the remaining stock.
Screwdriver Clearance [Lee Valley]
You’re trying to pull some wire through a hole with wire from a previous installation, but the hole just isn’t large enough. How the heck do you enlarge the hole without pushing the wire back through and losing it in the wall? The Rebore-Zit comes to the rescue. From the makers of the previously posted Base-Boar-Zit and other various -Zit products, the Rebore-Zit’s free-spinning swivel-eyelet allows you to keep the wire attached to the drill bit while you ream out the hole. (more…)
Have you ever ended up ripping open a wall because you just couldn’t get the fish tape to the right place? You tried again and again, guessing where the damn tape leader was by sound and feel, but just couldn’t direct it where you needed it to go. B.E.S. Manufacturing aims to stop this insanity with the Magnafish.
Pulling wire, whether it be for speakers, cable, or network, can be a pain in the ass — any tool that makes this job quicker and easier deserves a look. Labor Saving Devices designed the Base-Boar-Zit to drill a hole through the baseboard below the carpet line. The hole then curves upward into the center of the floor plate and into the wall cavity to provide an invisible and professional installation. (more…)
Fluke markets its LVD1 as a non-contact voltage detector (”volt sniffer”), but I’ve found that the bright LED at the end makes a perfectly competent flashlight, too. The LVD1’s voltage-sensor indicator light glows when the unit is close to an AC field, as you’ll see after the jump.
(more…)
Portable generators rule, but in some situations they aren’t the ideal power source. For example, you can’t use your noisy, messy, and fume-spewing gas generator indoors. That’s when you need a battery-powered solution like Xantrex’s XPower Powerpack 1500.
This year, Amazon Santa dropped a Gardner Bender SE-94 automatic wire stripper in my stocking. The SE-94’s jaws automatically adjust to strip 10 to 26 gauge wire. One set of jaws grips and cuts the wire while the other set pulls back the insulation — all with one squeeze. I’ve enjoyed it so much, I spent the last 36 hours looking for wire to strip.
Garnder Bender also included an integrated blade-and-anvil type wirecutter as well as a set of crimpers. If you want a really nice, super useful tool, cash in those gift cards and get yourself one of these for about $14.
Automatic Wire Stripper [Gardner Bender]
Street Price [Google Products]
Via Amazon
My dad’s “everyday tool” was a pocket knife he carried since Boy Scouts — until he surrendered it to the TSA on a recent airline trip. Personally, my “everyday tool” is a pair of electrician’s snips. I grew quite fond of them while doing telecom equipment installation, and I still use them for everything. They’re sharp, durable, and I can’t seem to keep enough of them around.
I think with that $5 off $5 coupon at Sears, it might be time to pick up a spare pair — or three.
Electrician’s Scissors [Google Products]
Via Amazon
Klein Electrician’s Scissors [Sears]
www.flickr.com
|
