We’re big advocates of using small brads to hold together glue joints in quick-build furniture. Sure, it’s not a method you’ll use on heirloom projects, but if you just need to throw together a quick-’n-cheap bookcase out of hardwood ply, they beat the crap out of clamping and waiting. This looks like an even better tool for the job: Bostitch’s 23-gauge headless pinner.
It’s time for another edition of Name This Tool here on Toolmonger. Photo pool member sheepslinky ran across this odd bolt, and he doesn’t know exactly what he’s got here. People have suggested it could be some sort of valve bolt or pin lock bolt, but it’s just guessing at this point — nothing definitive yet. We have to admit: we aren’t sure either.
So which one of you Toolmongers can school us in funky bolt identification? We’re looking for the name of the fastener and what it’s used for.
Any ideas?
Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]
Buildex’s new Tapcon line of anchors cut their own threads as you drive them into masonry. And unlike most other types of masonry anchors, they’re removable.
You especially appreciate ‘removable’ when you’ve driven a bunch of anchors into a wall, then decided to rearrange or adjust your setup. With most anchors, you’re, um, screwed. But with Tapcons you just pull out the screw, fill in the hole with concrete patch paste, paint it, and you’re good to go.
I just saw this 101-piece bit set in my local ‘Depot circular. It’s available in stores for just under $9, but even at $10 online it’s a pretty good buy — especially considering that my trusty ratcheting screwdriver has always been a go-to standby. Hell, the handy dandy case alone is probably worth $10.
Husky’s 101-Piece Ratcheting Screwdriver/Bit Set [Home Depot]
The next time you’re struggling to remove a screw with a damaged head, instead of reaching for a screw extractor, you might want to give EZ Grip Friction Drops a try. The manufacturer claims that one drop on the damaged screw head will increase the gripping force enough to remove the problem screw. Their secret? Thousands of hardened aluminum cubes suspended in a carrying agent give EZ Grip Friction Drops gripping power. The aluminum cubes “provide a temporary bridge between the tool and stressed fastener heads.”
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]
You never be too rich or have too many clamps. Here’s another to add to your collection; it’s the love child of a squeeze trigger clamp and a traditional bar clamp. The result: bar clamp reach with one-handed trigger simplicity.
Ingersoll Rand is well known for their line of pro-level pneumatic tools. But they’ve made a name for themselves with impact drivers of all types. So when these guys come out with a line of cordless tools that includes high-powered wrenches and ratchets as well as drills and grinders – we noticed.
What do you get when you cross a pneumatic cap nailer with a hammer stapler? You get the Stinger Cap Hammer CH38, which drives caps into roofing felt (or Tyvek) without manual hammering or dragging out a compressor. Stinger’s tag line is “No hose, No Problem” — and they mean it.
The ultimate clamp for cabinetmakers is the parallel jaw clamp. They clamp down tight, they evenly distribute force, and they have resin coated jaws that won’t mar or damage your project. Check out Irwin’s entry in the parallel jaw clamp game: 24” and 48” models.
Building codes across the country are now requiring more and more metal connectors (joist hangers, hurricane ties, etc). In order for a connector to meet code in most places, you need to have a nail in every hole available. This meant a lot of hammering, because you couldn’t just use a pneumatic nailer — until now. Stanley Bostitch’s StrapShot pneumatic nail gun actually exposes the tip of the nail, so you can place it right in the hole in the metal connector. Pull the trigger, and move on to the next nail.
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Having a flashlight or a first aid kit ready to pull off the wall just when you need it is a huge advantage, but most hook and loop fasteners (like Velcro) wear out too quickly, letting your stuff fall off at random moments. But 3M now offers an updated solution: Dual Lock tape. It’s stronger, more heat resistant, and makes a satisfying clunk that lets you know that things will stay where you put them.
Dowels joinery pretty much ensures two things: first, you’ll have a strong joint. The second is that you’ll have a frustrating time getting everything to line up — particularly on butt joints where you’re joining two boards edge to edge. Wolfcraft’s Dowel Pro jig claims to eliminate some of that frustration, saving you time as well.
I hate sitting around spining an Allen key or hex wrench endlessly to get a fastener cinched down properly – particularly when there’s no space to spin it without hitting something – so the idea of a ratcheting hex wrench strikes me as first class. The tool end works either in-line with the ratcheting mechanism, or perpendicular to it for those hard to reach areas.
If you’ve ever had trouble drawing two pieces of countertop together in a butt joint, you know how frustrating it can be — and how hard it can be to get a level joint. FastCap’s patented Qwikdraw countertop connector system claims to help with that in two ways: it facilitates drawing the two sides together, and it then allows you to securely fasten them in position.
Think of ”gaffer’s tape” as the Cadillac of general purpose tapes — the king of half-assed repairs. (Duct tape is the “queen.”) “Gaff” tape — as the pros call it – is a cloth-backed tape often used in cinematic and theatrical productions. It outshines regular duct tape in both tensile and adhesion strength — without leaving as much nasty residue as duct tape.
This kit was designed for those in earthquake prone areas who find that after even the most minimal tremor, their wall-mounted picture and poster frames are in need of some re-alignment. (Hell, I’m always straightening out my collection of prints, and I don’t even live in California.) With the kit’s magnetic insertion tool, you attach tiny double-ended nails to the back of the frame. Then you press the nailed frame into the wall once it’s level. This holds the frame in place – even during an earthquake.
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