Amazon has a good deal on the Earthway 1001-B Precision Garden Seeder right now at $39.99 with super saver shipping.

Okay, maybe it’s a little late to seed your garden this year (although depending where you are, it could be the right time for some winter crops) but an implement like this can make seeding a garden a lot easier than flinging handfuls of seed, or manually placing seed along a 100′ row. The 1001-B Seeder has 6 seed plates for seeding sweet corn, bean, peas, carrots, beets, and radishes. Other plates are available as well as blank ones. It plants to the correct depth, covers the seed and packs the soil. Easy!

Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Right now CPO has a reconditioned Skil 7-1/4″ Worm Drive Circular Saw for $99.99.

A friend’s Skil saw recently gave up the ghost so I looked around for the cost of a replacement saw. This seems to be the best deal, especially if their free shipping offer works and you don’t have problems with buying a reconditioned saw. The saw has a 2-7/16″ depth of cut, 15 amp motor (for all that’s worth…), a worm gear drive, and it uses a 7-1/4″ blade.

Skil 7-1/4″ Worm Drive Circular Saw [www.skilshop.com]

Amazon has a great deal on the Werner 16′ Multi-Master ladder: $164.00 with free super saver shipping.

The Multimaster is a 16′ ladder  that has multiple functions (from the Werner website): double stepladder, stepladder, stairwell ladder, multi-shelf, stand-off ladder, fully extended straight ladder, 1/2 & 3/4 length straight ladder, self-supporting scaffold, extended span scaffold, stairwell scaffold.

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Midway USA currently has the Cratex #777 Point and Mandrel kit for $60.99.

It’s been a while since I bought any Cratex abrasives; the prices of their kits seems to have gone up quite a bit since my last purchase. Cratex abrasives are a rubber-bonded silicon carbide abrasive in a variety of shapes. The kit has smaller shapes that mount on a mandrel and are used in a rotary tool (such as Dremel or Foredom). Being rubber bonded they are relatively gentle compared to grindstones and do a good job of polishing and deburring. The kit contains the following assortment in four abrasive grits: coarse, medium, fine and extra fine, with two wheel and two point mandrels: 8 Tapered Edge Wheels No. 2 - 5/8″ dia, 16 Straight Wheels No. 74 - 7/8″ dia. x 1/8″ thick, 8 Straight Wheels No. 86 - 1″ dia. x 3/16″ thick, 16 Cylinder Points No. 6 - 7/8″ length x 1/4″ dia., 16 Bullet Points No. 8 - 1″ length x 9/32″ dia., 8 Bullet Points No. 10 - 5/8″ length x 3/8″ dia.

Really the utility of a kit like this is to test what abrasive shape and grit works best for a particular job you do; then you would order a box of 50 or 100 in the shape and grit you need. 

Cratex #777 Kit [midwayusa.com]

Mat’s Beads Artfire shop is selling the Handi-Bender wire bender right now for $10.59.

The Handi-Bender, made by Jon-Cee Products, is one of those useful little tools for those who need to bend wire for artistic or practical projects. (Another seller, allstainedglass has a picture of possible bends up on their site; the price there is $14.35). The tool is basically an aluminum casting with slots at straight and angled orientations against which to bend, as well as holes into which dowel pins are inserted for making loops and such. There’s also an import  knockoff from Duluth Trading Post. While I’m happy with my Diacro bender, there are times where I don’t feel like wrestling with setup and for those jobs a little bender like this is, um, “handi.”

Handi-Bender [artfire.com]

Enco currently has the Mighty Mag magnetic base for $11.95.

One of those handy machine shop accessories, the Mighty Mag is a magnetic base that can be used to hold indicators and stop rods in a variety of configurations on just about any flat steel surface. The Mighty Mag bases have strong holding force (45 lbs.) and are made in the USA (be wary of knockoffs). There are a number of ways to mount objects in the Mighty Mag: three 1/4″-20 tapped holes, one #10-32 tapped hole, one 3/8″ reamed hole and the useful half vee groove hole that will hold rods of 1/8″ to 5/16″ diameter. The Enco model is #SR625-0440 in case the retail price gets returned when searching.

Mighty Mag [useenco.com]

Midway has a whopping 2% off of list price on the Dem Bart starter checkering kits, $44.99. That’s the best discount we’ve found! I’m listing it anyway as a caveat: these checkering tools are reasonably priced at retail. I made the mistake of thinking I was getting a good buy at the flea market last week, buying a single tool for $10.00. Turns out I paid close to retail! I couldn’t believe that a specialty tool was so cheap.

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Right now Tooldiscounter.net has the Milton 4-in-1 tire valve repair tool for $1.05.

The 4-in-1 tire valve tool is used to remove the valve stem of a tire valve, rethread both the inside and outside of the stem, and remove a broken valve. It’s a handy little tool that you only need when you need it, but if you need it, you need it! There are cheaper ones out there but the Milton seems to be higher quality. At least their catalog gives the tap size, if you’re curious: .2108″-36 tpi.

Amazon also has the tool for $3.03 [What’s This?]w/ super saver shipping eligibility so that may be a better deal.

Milton 445 4 Way Tire Valve Tool [tooldiscounter.com]

Right now Kingsley North has the Raytech Tumble Vibe TV-5 vibratory tumbler for $90 with free shipping.

I admit I have tumbling on my mind a lot these days as I try to work out the best method for finishing production runs of our jewelry. Vibratory tumblers are excellent for using abrasive plastic media and ceramic burnishing media for finishing metal as well as for rock tumbling. Vibratory tumbling tends to be much quicker than rotary tumbling. This is not the same as the vibratory tumblers used for polishing as I posted in a previous Dealmonger; it is meant for heavier work, albeit smaller.

My only quibble with the Kingsley North deal is that the free shipping is actually $2.45 ($1.00 handing, $1.00 “special fee” and .45 insurance). It is still the lowest price out there for a small vibratory tumbler, however. And yes, I ordered one…

Raytech TV-5 [kingsleynorth.com]

All-Spec is having a 50% off sale on over 30 different Bucket Boss® tool organizers (tool bags, tool rolls, aprons, etc.). Three examples are pictured above: (from left to right) the Bucket Boss 56-pocket tool organizer for $14.43; the Pro GateMouth Jr. tool bag for $14.59; and the 22-pocket duckwear tool roll for $7.35. I suppose it has to be noted: the tools, buckets, etc. shown in the pictures are not included in the sale — tool organizers only.

Prices are good until December 31, 2009, so this might be a good opportunity to pick up some Christmas gifts, or drop some hints for your wish list.

50% Off Bucket Boss [All-Spec]
Bucket Boss [Manufacturer's Site]
Pro GateMouth Jr. Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Amazon has the Cobra Toilet Auger for 75 cents, a whopping 94% off the normal list price of $11.99.

The deal likely isn’t that great as it sells through acehardwareoutlet and shipping is on the order of $8.50, but then again that’s still pretty cheap compared to other prices plus shipping. It’s best to check your local hardware store first, though.

Toilet Augers are simple tools for dealing with a somewhat disgusting and annoying problem. Here’s a good guide to their use should you need it spelled out.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Craftsman’s 8-amp variable speed reciprocating saw is on sale right now in Sears stores and online for $59.88, about 25% off its normal price. The trigger-operated saw runs up to 2,500 strokes per minute with a 1-1/8 inch long blade stroke.

Recip saws are a Halloween favorite around here for carving out your favorite scary pumpkin face and making with the gourd carnage. And of course, you can wipe the slime off and use the saw for other things throughout the year, too.

Craftsman 8 Amp Reciprocating Saw with Soft Carry Bag & 3 pc. Blade Assortment [Craftsman]
How to Carve Pumpkins with Power Tools [ExtremePumpkins.com]

Dynamite Tool currently has the Channellock 350S 9-Inch Ironworkers Plier with Spring for $19.50.

The 350S is designed mainly for working with rebar tie wires (baling wire!). The hook at the end of the handle is a stop for the hand and allows pulling with greater force when tightening the wire. We never thought about the lack of a return spring on other pliers of this size, but it does make the repetitive opening and closing of pliers much easier. They are also available on Amazon for $20.50 and eligible for Super Saver shipping so that may be a better deal if you’re ordering other stuff.

Channellock 350S 9-Inch Ironworkers Plier with Spring [dynamitetoolco.com]
Via Amazon

Fed Tactical has the Lyman 1200 Pro Tumbler right now for $44.48.

Vibratory tumblers (mass finishers) of this type (relatively light duty) are used for dry media finishing and polishing. In this case they are being marketed to reloaders who use them to clean and polish brass cartridge cases before reloading, but they work well for all sorts of mass polishing such as jewelry. The media used is often sawdust or walnut impregnated with various polishing compounds. It is rated to hold 2 lbs. of media and will clean up to 350 cases at a time. I have a load of earrings going right now in my similar Midway tumbler, which is much easier than buffing.

1200 Pro Tumbler [fedtactical.com]

Right now Total Tool and Home has the Dremel 220-01 Workstation for $33.39.

Basically an updated version of Dremel’s old drill press stand for the Dremel rotary tool, the workstation allows regular drill press use of the Dremel as well as positioning it up to 90 degrees for angled drilling (in our opinion it’s always better to angle the work not the head) and for holding the Dremel for controlled work while holding the workpiece with both hands. It also will hold the flexible shaft attachment, and telescopes up to 29″ for hanging the Dremel out of the way. Of course, a dedicated drill press is always a better solution, but if space and budget are a factor this may be what you need.

It’s worth noting that Amazon has it for $39.63 with super saver shipping, so that may be a better deal.

Dremel 220-01 Workstation [totaltoolandhome.com]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Ideal True Value has the Jorgensen Model 8048 Cabinet Master 48″ Steel Bar Clamp for $20.02 ($29.01 w/ shipping)

The Cabinet Master is definitely a deluxe bar clamp, with a maple handle, wide clamping faces, and a 1000 lb. rating. The clamp is designed to sit upright and has plastic-lined jaws to reduce marring. The jaw adjusts quickly and requires little turning to clamp firmly.

Jorgensen Model 8048 Cabinet Master 48″ Steel Bar Clamp [idealtruevalue.com]

Right now you can find the CST Berger 18-90N Computing Function Digital Roller Planimeter on sale for $393.39 at Amazon.

Ah, the Planimeter. I first found out about the Planimeter when I picked up an old-fashioned analog one at a garage sale. I guess the easiest way to describe it is that it’s an instrument that will determine the area of an irregular space through mechanical integration. There’s some good stuff up on Wikipedia as well as these two pages (#1, #2). You can still buy analog Planimeters — we found one new for $174.

The digital Planimeter certainly has some advantages; it will measure up to 10 square meters at 1:1 scale (often times planimeters are used in measuring off of maps, such as lake area) and claims an accuracy of +/- .2%. It also converts between units, which should eliminate a lot of calculation errors.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]