UFO’s NailScrews combine the holding power of screws with the speed of a nail gun. These specially designed fasteners, that you shoot out of a nail gun, hold so well that they have to be removed with a screwdriver.
Bending over or working on your knees with your nail gun can be tough on your body, especially when you do it every day. Wouldn’t it be nice to drive nails while standing up? Sure Drive’s pneumatic Nail Gun Extension lets you operate almost any nail gun with a handle and a trigger from a standing position.
If a windstorm has ever scattered your deck furniture across the neighborhood, Deck-Tiedowns from Bishop Innovations could save you a lot of grief. They’re simple stainless steel rings with “T”-shaped ends — you just slip ‘em between your deck planks, and twist. They provide a secure anchor for grills, patio furniture, etc, when weather threatens to blow them away.
You can find Deck-Tiedowns in some hardware stores, but if your local store doesn’t carry ‘em, you can buy ‘em directly from the website. They’ll fit boards up to 1-1/2″ thick. A four-pack of tiedowns costs $6, and a 12-pack runs $15.
Deck-Tiedown [Official Site]
PDF Order Form [Decktiedown.com]
Pop rivets, blind rivets — whatever you want to call ‘em, they’re a great way to fasten all sorts of sheet materials together. The RiveDrill drill accessory uses the rotary action of your drill motor to set rivets. Their website claims that with the RiveDrill you can set 14 rivets in a minute, which they reckon is twice as fast as someone using a hand-powered riveter, and without the hand cramps!
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.
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What's In Your Kitchen Tool Drawer?
Tool Talk #53: Old Hardware Stores & Pocket Knives
Tool Talk #52: Listener Calls & Reader Projects
Tool Talk #51: DIY Wedding Rings & Heirloom Shopsmiths
Tool Talk #50: Router Safety & Pointless Tools
Tool Talk #49: Bookcases & Ending Laziness
Tool Talk #48: Christmas & (Paint) Strippers
One Beer Projects: Repairing Wood Surfaces
One Beer Projects: Fixing Simple Problems With Your Dryer
One Beer Projects: Winterizing/Storing Your Bike
One Beer Projects: De-Badging Your Truck
One Beer Projects: Staining Your Fence
One Beer Projects: Doing Your Own Brakes
One Beer Projects: Balancing Your A/C For The Summer
One Beer Projects: Installing A Dimmer Switch
Hands-On: Milwaukee M12 Power Port
Hands-On: Caterpillars Fix Wiggly Outlets For Good
Head 2 Head Hands-On: Bosch SPS10 vs LI3000 SmartDriver
Hands-On: Striker Magnetic LED Light
Hands-On: Dremel Duo Kit -- Dremel Driver
Hands-On: Elmer's ProBond Wood Filler
Hands-On: Duo-Fast DF350S Framing Nailer
Hands-On: Watco Danish Oil - Cherry Finish
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 5: Engine Teardown
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 4: A New Transmission
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 3: Building An Engine Stand
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 2: Pulling The Engine
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 1: The Truck
How-To: Cut Angles With A Circular Saw
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 5) -- Complete!
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 4) -- Installation!
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 3) -- Fabricating Engine Brackets
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 2) -- GM Performance Parts
