Aldi probably isn’t the first place you’d look for an emergency generator, but they’re running a fine deal on a Kingcraft model as we speak. Specifications include 2,500W continuous output (20A at 120VAC), 3,250W peak output, two AC sockets, 12VDC terminals, and a 6.5HP motor. Claimed run time at half load is eight hours, requiring four gallons of fuel.

Kingcraft probably isn’t the best generator manufacturer, but the asking price is less than half that of comparable models. A similar Troy-Bilt model retails for $429, and Generac’s 3,250W unit costs $469. Both Troy-Bilt and Generac rate their products by continuous output rather than peak, so they have a leg up on the Kingcraft from the start. The unit is produced by the daintily-named Chong Qing Dajiang Power Equipment Co. LTD, a Chinese industrial engine manufacturer. No surprise at the price. Still, a discriminating rifleman has good things to say about the Kingcraft.

Kingcraft 3,250W Generator [Aldi Foods]

The name gets a laugh more often than not, but what this syringe-looking rig really does is suck solder away from an area you didn’t mean to put it on. MRO2Go has the Edsyn Soldapullt for about $11, which isn’t too bad when you try to think of a better way to get solder off something. At least in theory.

I assume you actuate the spring-loaded plunger when the solder has been melted by your soldering iron, and then is sucked up into the barrel of the tool. Unfortunately I can’t find instructions on the terrible Edsyn site, so I have to ask if anyone out there knows how to use it. Why? I picked one up for $1.00 at a garage sale this weekend.

Edsyn Soldapullt [mro2go.com]

A diamond band saw is used for cutting glass, tile, and stone in a manner similar to a woodworking band saw. The blade is a diamond-bonded steel band that has a thin kerf and allows curves within the limits of blade flex. Unconventional Lapidarist has the Inland Diamond Band Saw on sale right now for $228.76.

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The Mitee-Bite fixture clamp is a screw with a head diameter eccentric to the shaft of the screw and a hexagonal brass collar that fits around that head. Wholesale Tool has the 1/4″-20 thread Mitee-Bite Fixture Clamp for $5.35. Sound boring? It might be, until you need one.

When placed against the edge of a workpiece (that has a stop opposite the clamped edge) the screw is turned and this clamps the part. It’s a simple, low-profile way of clamping parts for machining.

Mitee-Bite Fixture Clamp [wttool.com]

The drill press table is often undervalued and overlooked in the shop. If your rig came with one you don’t think of it again. If it didn’t, you start looking at tables like this one from MLCS woodworking that’s on sale for $59.95.

The large table, which mounts over your standard drill press table, is made from MDF and has two t-slot tracks for hold downs and an adjustable fence. Looking around the internet it appears that the table is made by Peachtree Woodworking and is indeed cheaper from MLCS. What we wonder is, given the price of the t-slot extrusion – about $13.00 for 24″ – is it stupid to buy a table like this when it would be fantastically easy to just make your own?

Drill Press Table [mlcswoodworking.com]

Woodcraft has a closeout on their MT2 hollow lathe center that’s now on sale for $7.99. Though it’s largely a specialty tool, there really isn’t a better way to hollow out a lamp core faster than this.

This is for boring deep holes in lamp components; the center has a hole through it that, assuming your tailstock ram is similarly hollow, allows a boring gouge to be inserted through. The gouge bores out the long hole as found in most lamp uprights while still supporting the revolving workpiece — an interesting way around the problem of boring a deep hole.

3/8″ ID, #2 MT, Hollow Center [woodcraft.com]

Do it Best has the Stanley 10-788 for $10 online before the $5 mail-in rebate. A nice feature of the rebate — if you’re so inclined — is the ability to donate it directly to Habitat for Humanity. If you don’t want the utility knife, you can get $10 off the $20 online sale for a Stanley FatMax 1-1/4″×25′ tape, or $5 off the $10 online sale for a Stanley 16-oz. Fiberglass Rip Hammer, with the same option to donate the refund. The offer expires 10/3/09. Do it Best offers free shipping of online orders to a local store for “participating” locations.

Stanley 10-788 [Manufacturer's Site]
Do it Best [Website]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Thunderbird Jewelers Supply has the lowest price on a Uniweld Air/Acetylene brazing torch I’ve found.  It runs $95.50 for a six-piece set. That’s a lot of power stuffed in one blister pack. It’s used for hard soldering/ silver brazing — and I’ve used this torch for years with no problems. There are other brands of torch kits available for a little less, but they don’t have a gage, which is a handy feature.

You can buy accessory tips from small to large depending on the type of work you’ll be doing. I have used it for soldering, heat treating tools, and other tasks. It’s a pretty good deal if you really want to get into brazing and don’t have piles of cash to pump into the tools to get you there.

Uniweld Air/Acetylene Torch Kit [thunderbirdsupply.com]

Cyberguys has the Super Wrench 4-Piece set for $15 through September 8th. These spring-loaded, self-locking, self-adjusting wrenches claim to work on any square or hexagonal nut from 1/8″ to 1 3/8″ (or 3mm to 35mm), and on pipes also.

Super Wrench 4-Piece Set [Cyberguys]
Super Wrench [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

The 8210 Plus is a step up from the standard dust mask, although still just intended for (sanding, grinding, and sweeping) dust rather than oil based aerosols (spraypaint, etc.). You need a better mask for these — Fix It Tools has a 20 Pack of 3M 8210PLUS N95 Particulate Respirators for $11.89.

The N95 means it has 95% filtration efficiency on solid or liquid aerosols that do not contain oil. It has a braided headband (strap) and adjustable (bend the metal bridge…) nose. It’s a lot better than shoving your nose in your shirt, that’s for sure.

3M 8210PLUS Particulate Respirators N95, 20-Pack [Fixittoolsstore.com]

Used for cutting (obviously) cement siding board and backerboard, cement siding shears will handle siding up to 1/2″ thick. Coastal Tool has the DeWalt D28605 Cement Siding Shears for $189.00.

The two side blades are reversible for double the life (although doesn’t the center blade then wear out first?). The head can swivel on the body. The reviews on Amazon [What’s This?] are a bit mixed, but that’s par for the course for DeWalt.

DeWalt D28605 Cement Siding Shears [coastaltool.com]

Wax can make any wood project look so much better — some kind of wax should be in everyone’s wood shop. Woodcraft has the 200ml 7 oz. can of Renaissance Wax for $19.99. That’s not bad for high-end product.

Formulated originally for the British Museum, it seems that Renaissance Wax has found use in finishing and refinishing any wood, leather, or metal item where a wax finish is appropriate. We’d love to hear what people who use it think of it compared to regular old wax products.

Renaissance Wax [Woodcraft.com]

If you’re into the Craftsman C3 combo set, now might be the time to pony up and pounce. Sears has the 19v C3 drill impact driver set on sale for $99 until the end of the week.

It’s not the latest gear and most certainly not the greatest on the virtual shelf, but the pair of them are good, solid pieces of gear that will certainly last a while around the shop or jobsite. It’s not a Li-Ion set but for around a C-note you really can’t expect it to be, either.

C3 Drill Impact Driver Combo Kit [Craftsman]

We’ve always liked this type of cutter because it looks a little like a flail or ancient weapon. What it really is is the KD 2031 Exhaust Pipe Cutter  and it’s on sale for $25.99 right now at Automotive Tools Online. 

An interesting way to cut exhaust tubing, the KD 2031 is basically a chain wrench with pipe cutter blades at every link join. The product description says it only needs a quarter turn to cut through pipes, but it seems to us it should be even less. Comparing it with the Lisle Cutoff Tool it’s hard to say which one works better.

KD 2031 Exhaust Pipe Cutter [Automotive Tools Online]

Rings & Things has a 2″ long curved burnishing tool used to burnish malleable metals in jewelry making for $2.50. If it seems a little on the strange side, it will only seem so until you require its services.

The burnishing tool is one of the only ways to “erase” a deep scratch in a piece before polishing. While sanding removes metal, the burnishing tool moves metal, smearing it if you will, so you can often make a pit or scratch disappear. Burnishing tools are also used when setting stones to get the bezel around the stone to shrink to fit and hold the stone securely.

2″ Curved Steel Burnishing Tool [shop.rings-things.com]

“No batteries, no electricity needed!” Okay, so the video is a bit overboard*, but $8 for the DuraGear Flexible Shaft Screwdriver seems reasonable (especially with free shipping, if you remember to specifically click that option during checkout). Five sockets and six bits store in the handle, with eight more bits in a ring at the bottom of the screwdriver and one in the tip. The flexible shaft retracts, and the base of the handle includes a built-in slot for driving cup hooks.

*Although it did mention that the New York Times selected the screwdriver as the “Most Useful Tool of the Millennium” in a Y2K supplement.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Screwdriver Feature [New York Times]

Used for measuring and checking screw threads, the micrometer has interchangeable anvils that match the screw pitch. It’s a somewhat easier-to-use alternative to thread wires, although it helps to have a standard to compare the readings against. I used one yesterday to analyze the wear on a customer’s milling machine screw. It was much quicker than the wires would have been. Amazon (Small Parts actually, and the price is the same there) has the Mitutoyo 126-803 Thread Micrometer for $67.75.

What is unclear is whether the micrometer comes with all of the anvils — without them the mic is useless and the product description is incredibly vague. Also, this may be an older mic as the Mitutoyo website doesn’t list this as a part number for their current thread mics. So, as with all deals, it’s best to check before ordering. Alexandria General Supply also lists this mic for a few bucks less with even fewer details, so the pricing probably does reflect that this is indeed a closeout of some sort.

Via Amazon [What’s This?]