Teflon tape can take the place of a good thread sealant, but there are plenty of other alternatives. Occasionally you even hear stories about people confusing thread sealants with thread lubricants or, worse, thread lockers.

Worse still, you may someday be told not to use super glue on threads, and the admonishment could end with, “Ask me how I know.” Duct tape isn’t the only substance that holds the universe together.

I’ve always preferred Teflon tape, because that’s what my dad used. Do you choose Teflon tape over the alternatives? Why, or why not?

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Back about six years ago, when I used to fabricate and install granite countertops, we caulked with manual guns — the fancy electronic ones weren’t available yet. During an install, we’d set the granite countertop pieces on the cabinets, align ‘em to their final position, and then lift up the pieces to caulk underneath ‘em. And the guy doing the caulking had to race to squeeze out enough caulk before my arms gave out from the insane amount of weight.

It seems that a powered caulking gun would’ve been very useful to squeeze the caulk out faster, but I’ve never used one and don’t know anyone who has. So, I’m turning to you. Do you have a battery-powered caulking gun — or maybe a pneumatic? What brand is it? Does it lay down a seriously precise bead of caulk? Or is it a heavy, cumbersome waste of money?  Let us know in comments.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

If you’re cheap and you like tools, you’ve likely spent some time browsing yard sales and flea markets looking for a great find. And if you’re computer-savvy, you can also find deals in the tool section of Craigslist, the flea market of the Internet Age. I bought the toolbox pictured above and a table saw for $25 on Craigslist. As with any private purchase, “caveat emptor” is the golden rule — but with some common sense, this free resource can lead you to unexpected tool treasures.

If you’re familiar with RSS feeds, you can make any Craigslist search into a feed. A search for “drill press” in your area will also produce an RSS link on the bottom right of the page — just plug that into your favorite feed reader, and it’ll keep you informed if anything you’re looking for pops up.

So what do you think? Is Craigslist just full of junk and scammers, or have you found some sweet deals? Tell us in the comments.

Craigslist [Main Site]

The other day at my local hardware store, I ran across a Stanley tool I’d never seen before — the Stanley MaxDrive 15-piece Locking-Flex Ratchet System. Apparently Stanley released this tool in April 2006, but we’ve yet to cover it on Toolmonger.

With interchangeable heads you can convert the MaxDrive from a socket driver to a bit driver and back again as easily as changing sockets on a ratchet. The flexible head swings 180° and can be locked into 15 different positions. For about $25, the system comes with the flexible-head handle, a 3/8″ socket driver head, a 1/4″ bit driver head, and 12 driver bits.

The flexible head can reach places other ratchets and bit drivers can’t touch, and you can get a lot of torque on a screw by turning the driver head 90°.  So, is this the next gotta-have tool? Or would you rather carry a separate bit driver and flexible head ratchet in your toolbox? Let us know in the comments.

MaxDrive [Stanley]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

We’ve seen a ton of ladders on the market recently, from little giants to finger-crunching foldable kinds, but the telescoping ladder caught our eye as a great improvement over the folding ladders most folks keep in and around the house.

The ladder works just like an old-fashioned telescope, with each rung scoping out and locking in place after it’s extended. They come in lengths from 10′ to 12-1/2′ and can support up to 225 pounds — not great if you’re stout of build, but still very serviceable around the house. One con we can see right off is that you have to unlock each rung when putting it away, but we think the small footprint and fold-down might make up for it.

What do you think? Is the time of the telescoping ladder upon us, or are more conventional, less expensive methods still around for a reason? Let us know in comments.

Street pricing starts at around $130.

Xtend And Climb Ladder [Xtend And Climb]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Congratulations, everyone! Our tools now come equipped with laser beams — we’re officially in the future. Many drill presses, circ-saws, miter saws, and even some wacky hand tools now feature lasers for precision work. It seems manufacturers are anxious to put as many laser beams on their products as possible. I’m sure we’ll see a hammer that shines a laser on the head of a nail by year’s end. But do these high-tech beams of light really help?

I recently acquired a jigsaw that had a laser on it. I thought is was a bit weird, since lasers shoot straight and jigsaws are meant to cut curves — but I tried it out. Although it seemed to work at first, I wound up watching the laser instead of the blade, and my cut started to wander.

My Ryobi drill press also sports a laser. Although the laser crosshairs can be useful, I have to realign it almost every time I use the darn thing. On the other hand, I used to cut granite commercially on a large wet-saw, and my cuts would’ve been horrible had I not had a laser to align them.

So, are laser alignments hot or not? Do you have a tool with a laser? Which one? Do you use the laser, or does it just get in the way? Let us know in comments!

Saws With Lasers [Google Products]
Drills With Lasers [Google Products]

On the jobsite, we often overlook hearing protection, because it’s easy to ignore — hearing damage is a “pay later” situation that most are comfortable gambling with, until it’s too late and the harm is done. Band-style earplugs are both cheap and effective, but the real question is, would you wear ‘em all day?

Small in-ear plugs can block quite a bit of sound, and a set like the ones pictured here are rated 28 out of 30 on the sound-protection scale. They’re almost disposable at around $7 a pair, and the local big box always carries ‘em.

Our only complaint: Because of their design, they put a great deal of pressure on your ears as they squeeze together to remain stuck on your head. Do you just get used to this? Or are over-the-ear cans better, despite their dorkiness? Let us know in comments.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

We have no wish to harm our friends of the feather, and neither do the business owners who deploy these spike strips to deter birds from roosting in signs and overhangs. They’re just trying to keep their business from turning into Fort Pigeon, where random organic ordinance often comes into play. But the problem is this: in some cases, the birds aren’t put off at all.

We’ve seen all kinds of methods for scaring off birds, from these spike strips to sirens blaring scary bird sounds. Is this actually a good way to go about de-birding your entry ways, or are “Bird Bombings” just going to happen at storefronts no matter what anyone does? Let us know what you think in comments.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

If ever there was “One Shop Tool to Rule Them All”, it might be the Saw-Aid. Let’s list the functions:

1. It’s a push stick.
2. It’s a depth gauge.
3. It’s a 30°/60° angle gauge.
4. It’s a 45° angle gauge.
5. It’s a square.
6. It’s a center finder.
7. It’s a 9″ rule.
8. It’s a 6″ hook rule.

I count eight tools in one. I’m not sure I’d replace my steel rule or brass setup bars with the Saw-Aid, but it looks like a great tool to have by your table saw or to throw in your go bag or toolbox. You can find the Saw-Aid at many woodworking retailers for between $15 and $17.

Our question to you: Is it worth it? Is this something you would use in your shop, or is it something you get as a Father’s Day gift, that sits on your shelf collecting dust? Let us know in comments.

Saw-Aid [Stots Corporation]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Lock pick tools lie in a legal gray area, the instruments of both hard-working locksmiths and potentially a stealthy burglar or two. Some people even make lockpicking a hobby — “The Open Organization Of Lockpickers” (or Toool) includes thousands of members worldwide and holds yearly competitions. They’re all devoted to tools that may be illegal where you live.

So what do you Toolmongers think? Are these valid tools for getting yourself and others out of a jam? Or, are these handy little picks and torsion wrenches the tools of nogoodniks out to steal that new plasma TV hanging on your wall? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Lockpicking Tools [LockPickTools.com]
U.S. Toool Club [Toool]
Jack Knife Lockpicking Set Via Amazon [What’s This?]

If you watch the History Channel at all you’re going to run across things like the Lumb-R Grip hanger. Basically, you slide it over some exposed timber, give it a quick yank, and it grips the timber in two places.  The system claims each hook can carry a 200 lb load.  Street pricing is about $5 a pair.

We don’t doubt that the hook will hold once installed or that it’ll carry a heavy payload.  Our question is, why would you do that when there are much better and cheaper ways to mount hangers on your wall that hold more weight?

What do you think?  Are we just too old and stodgy?  Is this the next revolution in storage?  Let us know in comments.

Lumb-R Grip [As Seen On TV]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

The Stud Horse, a steel and PVC sawhorse, looks bomb shelter sturdy. We’ve seen our share of new sawhorses and gimmicks that claim to help productivity in this area, but this one actually looks to be a good way to break down a horse and keep it handy at the same time.

The unit revolves around two steel “A” frame ends with a hole and locking pin at the top that holds the crossbar, a 2-1/2” piece of PVC conduit. The Stud Horse comes with a set of four frames that makes two sawhorses. The pair will run you around $100, so it’s not for the casual user.

What do you Toolmongers think? Is this a great way to get some sturdy jobsite work done, or a great way to separate Tool guys from their cash? Let us know in comments.

Stud Horse [The Ultimate Sawhorse]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

When drilling to a set depth, collar-type drill stops — think donuts — provide a less-than-ideal solution. Since they’re metal, they may damage the drill bit or mar the work surface. What’s more, you need one for just about every drill bit size, and when it’s time to use or adjust them, you have to find the right size Allen wrench. Recently I stumbled across something that may replace the metal, collar-style stop in my toolbox: adjustable plastic drill stops.

Made from brightly colored, high-impact plastic, you can spot these drill stops easily in your toolbox or drawer. They come in sets of two: the smaller one fits bits sized 1/16″ to 1/4″, and the larger fits bits sized 1/4″ to 1/2″. You simply twist the threaded sleeve around the internal double-ended collet to lock it at the desired depth.

At $5 to $6 a pair, are these stops the slickest invention since sliced bread, or worthless pieces of plastic? Tell us what you think in comments.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Plastic Drill Stops [Lee Valley]
Plastic Drill Stops [Woodcraft]

There was a time in the US when you could buy a small truck. It’s true! They usually had a modest inline four, a bench seat, and A/C and a radio if you were lucky. They weren’t the gigantic, six thousand pound, glorified station wagons that lumber their way to soccer practice and make the yearly trip to Home Depot in order to justify their existence. They were big enough to fit at least a sheet of plywood and strong enough to get it where it needed to go.

Does bigger mean better when it comes to work trucks? Do you miss the days of the Ranger, the S-10, or the Nissan Hardbody? Trucks like the Ranger and the Toyota Tacoma are still in production, but they’re fairly chubby compared to their former selves. What do you all think? Drop us a line in the comments.

Electric jacks are an interesting idea: Have your car jack itself up so you can save some sweat and knuckle busting. We’ve seen a few on the market that advertise a two ton lift capacity, and they plug right into your 12V power outlet.

To be honest, we haven’t heard any horror stories about electric jacks that crapped out and left the motorist digging for the stock jack — we also haven’t heard any stories of the powered version saving the day with it’s wondrous motorized lifting action.

So what do you Toolmonger readers think? Is the motorized car jack destined to become standard equipment on motor vehicles, or is it just a passing fad of little interest? Let us know in comments.

Street Pricing [Google Products]

Many of you base your tool purchases on firmly established brand preferences. What if, all of a sudden, those biases were gone, and you were left clueless and in need of many new tools? Would you trust someone else to select your new tool brands for you, or would you endure the time and cost of trying out different brands to rediscover your preferences?

Quite a few vendors, such as McMaster Carr, thoroughly describe certain products, but they exclude the brand information. In these cases, although you may know the country of origin, you won’t know who manufactures the product until it’s purchased and received.

Many people would never entertain such an indirect selection process, while others don’t care who makes their tools as long as it’s a US-based facility. We want to know what you guys think. Is “blind” tool selection hot, or not? For example, if you didn’t know your Craftsman from your SK or Snap-On, what would you do? Let us know in comments!

On a personal note, there are at least half a dozen excellent brands that I never would have known about if not for “blind” purchasing. So, we’ll start things off with one tally for a “Hot” vote.

(Thanks to my wife for patiently posing for the photo.)

Veto Pro Pac came out with their new line of OT bags last fall. Toolmonger has featured their line of tool bags before, and the posts generated responses from a number of readers, including Roger Brouard, owner and founder of Veto Pro Pac.

Its open design, which allows for bulkier items and easy accessibility while working, distinguishes the OT (Open Top) line.  Otherwise, it features the same rugged material and construction as the original line, but it lacks one of the key features that the original had.  With the original bags, you could tip, toss, or throw a loaded bag around and still have your tools neatly organized — a definite selling point. Without that feature, has Veto made a watered-down version of the original — or has their OT bag filled a whole new need?

Have you had a chance to handle Veto’s new OT line?  Let us know what you think in comments. Maybe we’ll get lucky and Mr. Brouard will share his thoughts, too.

Veto Pro Pac [Corporate Site]
Via Amazon (B000VKSAQK) [What’s This?]