A enormous trade deficit with china has left the United States with a glut of shipping containers stacked up so high that neighborhoods near Long Beach harbor experience sundown an hour earlier than the surrounding area. But the news isn’t all bad: these standardized 40′ X 8′ X 8-1/2′ boxes are being repurposed by people all around the world into low cost housing, internet hubs, and even workshops.
TM reader John writes: “I’m a stagehand, so I like to always have a small, bright flashlight on me tucked in my hip pocket. But I was tired of losing my preferred (and expensive) Surefire Executive. I took a chance on the Cree on eBay and it ROCKS. Smaller, brighter than the Surefire, LED, and CHEAP — $23 instead of $80! Construction is excellent - already dropped it a few times, no problem.”
I’ll admit that I’m skeptical — you gotta love when eBay sellers keep their IDs private. Maybe it’s coated in lead-based black paint. Anyway, while I’ve been happy with numerous cheap LED flashlights, I’ve yet to find a really bright one under the $40 mark. But I’m a sucker for stuff like this. Do any of you have experience with it?
The seller of this eBay find claims that the items in the picture are “a rare pair of two different styles of Blackhawk vintage adjustable wrenches.” They’re pretty strange-looking, and damn if I can tell what they are. Have any of you seen these before? For what are they used? Let us know in comments.
I’ve wanted one of these ever since reading about them in Sean’s great post on new vs. old-school tools. Yeah, they’re not as good as the new Stanley levels, but I have a new Stanley level. I don’t have a #96. But since I’m low on discretionary cash right now, I’m going to pass this find on to you.
Mr. Peabody (from somewhere in New England) currently lists the #96 picture above as:
“A 28″ long model with three laminations, never abused or altered, both vials original and functioning… Expected dings and scuffs from careful use and never retrofitted with a hang hole. A nice one.”
Bidding’s currently at a very-low $10.50, but he just listed it. There are six days left on the auction. Good luck.
If you’ve always wanted your own forklift, long time reader Rick may have found your chance. He posted this awesome busted-ass forklift from eBay as a more Toolmongerly option than today’s crank-up hand truck — and for less cash to boot!
The good news: there’s a Buy It Now price of just $650, and the seller claims it does indeed run.
The bad news: “The forks do not go all the way down without weight on them” and “the machine has no brakes on it” — it “needs a little tender loving care.” Oh yeah, and it’s pick-up only in Lincoln, Arkansas.
But none of this is anything a dedicated Toolmonger couldn’t overcome. And as Rick says, “Which would you rather tell people you have? A forklift or a ‘hand truck with a crank?’”
When I came across this “portable” sawmill on eBay, I couldn’t help but pass it on — for a couple of reasons. First, my Father adored these and always wanted one, mainly because it’d allow him to purchase “rare” woods in tree form and cut it down for his own use. (Honestly, I think he just loved the idea of having control of the entire “making” process — from tree to furniture.)
Second, when I was driving through Mississippi after Katrina, I couldn’t help but think that if you had one of these, you’d have all the lumber you needed for the rest of your life. Wouldn’t there be something kind of right about building a new home with lumber made from the downed trees?
Finally, it’s just really cool. Most of the “portable” sawmills I’ve seen run $10k or higher, so the $2,600 “Buy It Now” price doesn’t seem that outlandish.
Speaking of homemade tools, reader sizod sends us this eBay special which looks pretty easy to build yourself: “Plow Cycle — the easy-to-build, easy-on-you snow removal tool. Recycled from an old bicycle, it’s perfect for people who like easy snow shoveling. It’s fun to use. I know what you’re thinking: snow shoveling can be FUN? It lets you use the leverage (the wheel) to lift the blade, carry the blade, and toss the show. With both handles parallel, you avoid back spasms and hernias.”
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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
