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.

(more…)

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?]

While supplies last, Rockler has the large Bessey VarioClippix Spring Clamps on sale for $3.33 each (limit six per customer), a 67% reduction from their “regular” price. These high-impact plastic clamps have a 2″ throat depth, a 4″ maximum jaw opening, soft pivoting pads for work surface protection, and large ergonomic handles. If you fall into the you-can-never-have-enough-clamps camp, you may want to grab a few of these.

VarioClippix Spring Clamps [Rockler]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Right now Amazon has the Coleman Cable 9347 Indoor Safe Tree Extension Cord for $6.85.

The Safe Tree cord is a somewhat bizarre product. It is presumably a mercury switch in an extension cord. The box is lashed to the tree and if the tree falls over power is cut off. It’s certainly a dream product for those of us who worry too much, although we can’t really see how a falling tree will cause a problem electrically. Unless it falls in the pool. In which case the switchbox will get wet anyway. But we can think of other tools or products that could benefit from this, and it is certainly a cheap “hackable.”

Coleman Cable 9347 Indoor Safe Tree Extension Cord Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Currently MSC is selling the Flexbar magnetic Soft Jaws for vises for $12.99.

You can get less expensive vise jaw liners (such as these from Sears), but the Flexbar soft jaws are a bit more versatile. One jaw has a horizontal vee groove and the other has two vertical and one at 45 degrees for holding all manner of work. They’re made of nylon, which wears well in this application. MSC is difficult to link to for sale pricing so the part# is LR09232208.

Flexbar Magnetic Soft Jaws [mscdirect.com]

AllProTools has the Porter Cable 7335 RO sander for $99.00 on sale right now.

The 7335 has a 3.7 amp motor, variable speed, 5″ diameter and a generally high build quality. It seems as if it may be a discontinued model in favor of the 7445, so prices may continue to fall over time. I’ve been using a yard sale score ($20!) 7335 for the past few years and it has never failed me in spite of having been mightily abused by the previous owner. Being able to hold it with two hands means greater control and less fatigue (although it is heavier) than palm type sanders.

Porter Cable 7335 [allprotools.com]

Lee Valley has four discontinued books on sale (they bought remaindered stock) for $6 or less each. The two that I find most interesting, pictured above, cover building workshop workstations and power-tool joinery (the other two are about garden design and orchids). Stock is limited.

Building Workshop Workstations [Lee Valley]
Building Workshop Workstation Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Power-Tool Joinery [Lee Valley]
Power-Tool Joinery Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Amazon currently has the Black & Decker VEC1086BBD Smart Battery 6/4/2 Amp Battery Charger for $30.14 and it qualifies for free shipping. It’s doesn’t fall in the “best buys of all time” category but it is handy if you don’t have one already. Trust us, you want one of these before you need it.

I had a lovely time coping with a dead battery this weekend, small-child-playing-with-dome-light related, and used my very old battery charger to get the battery charged. As I was setting the battery charger up at night, in the semi-darkness I got a bit paranoid about hooking the wrong polarity up as well as leaving it charging for too long. The B&D charger has circuitry that they claim prevents both of those situations. This isn’t a power pack, and it doesn’t jump start a car (and chargers like that are available for not much more) but it does seem like a basic useful battery charger.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]