Instead of adjusting the air flow at the compressor, Astro Pneumatics’ digital flow regulator screws right onto your spray gun or other air tool to precisely control the flow of air. Love it or hate it, instead of a analog gauge it uses a digital readout.

Constructed with a mirror-plated finish, the regulator’s electronics are sealed and the display is behind impact-proof glass. Unfortunately this also means the battery’s not replaceable, but the display shuts off 45 seconds after you press the button to give the battery a life expectancy of 5,000 readings.

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Are these awesome pry bars? I don’t own these, but I’m gonna guess not. So if you’re prying the tops off nuclear reactors or something, this one might be more your speed. But if you’re just looking for a way to keep your screwdrivers from ending up bent or otherwise molested, they sound pretty great (considering the price).

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Automotive aftermarket supplier Eastwood is best known for their painting and media-blasting products, which are uniformly excellent. They also retail a simple set of pliers designed for forming hard brake lines. It’s probably harder to use and less accurate than models from Ridgid, Swagelok, or Imperial, but the $30 price tag is nice and low.

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I’m going to break two of my normal tool tendencies with this one. This is a crow’s foot (which I normally think is a pretty pointless invention), and it’s from Harbor Freight (who I have trouble trusting). But I make these exceptions because this tool, especially at Harbor Freight’s admittedly excellent prices, will save you a contortionist’s act whenever you need to install or remove an oxygen (air-fuel ratio) sensor.

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Sometimes a product comes along that captures the spirit of innovation so head-on it becomes an instant classic. Toolmonger readers, I present to you — the Bottle Opener Hammer.

Yes, nothing quite says, “I plan to go out there and do the bare minimum” like the Bottle Opener Hammer. Try as you like, this piece of out-of-the-box thinking is something you just won’t find anywhere else. Purpose built for not hammering nails — no joke, there’s a warning saying not to hammer with it — this hand tool goes above and beyond the call of thirsty workers everywhere.

The good news is that you to can own this vital piece of shop gear for the get-them-while-you-can price of $2.87 from Harbor Freight. ‘Nuff said.

Hammer With Bottle Opener [Harbor Freight]

The General No. 142 6-inch dial caliper does direct reading of .01″ (outer scale) and 1/64″ (inner scale) on its dial (plus mm readings on the bar scale, but — without getting into that whole metric thing — I don’t find this “feature” very convenient). It can do inside, outside, depth, and step measurements. Its fiberglass-reinforced plastic body makes it a good choice for damp/wet environments. You can pick one up for around $24.

There are many alternatives (TM has covered calipers a few times: in 2006 and 2007, for example) and some are less expensive (HF or the General 141), but I especially like this model for woodworking.

General Tools [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Carabiners make everything better, right?  That seems to be the mantra of SnapGate, a company who builds a carabiner into products like tape measures, flashlights, and pens. They sell both plastic promotional products and a few real tools.

One of the real tools is an 6″ aluminum flashlight they claim to be waterproof (non-submersible) and shatterproof. Two AA batteries power the flashlight’s krypton bulb. The other real tools are the tape measures which they manufacture in 16′ and 25′ lengths. Both tapes feature a rubberized coating over an ABS plastic case.

If you’re into snapping things onto your belt loops, the tape measures will cost you either $7 or $9 shipped while the flashlight will set you back $6 plus shipping. Check out SnapGate’s contact information on their website if you’re interested in their promotional products.

SnapGate [Corporate Site]
Flashlight [Campmor]
Tape Measure [Harbor Freight]

Harbor Freight is selling this table saw taper jig for $13.  Make tapered cuts on stock by setting the angle on the jig and sliding it along the table saw’s fence.  We saw this on sale at Woodcraft for $15, but searching the web we can’t see any difference between that jig and the Harbor Freight offering that’s $2 less.

Table Saw Taper Jig [Harbor Freight]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

After accidentally kicking the front access panel off the dryer, I noticed that it’s time to clean out all the lint buildup.  While I’m at it I figured I should probably clean the vent, too — in searching for an easy method to do this I found Harbor Freight’s vent cleaning brush.

Besides reducing the fire hazard, cleaning your vent supposedly improves the efficiency of your dryer — who wouldn’t want that?  The brush’s nylon bristles are mounted on a 10ft flexible steel shaft. The idea is you run the brush through a length of vent pipe, either by hand or chucked into your drill.  This loosens the lint stuck to the sides of the pipe.  Then you either blow the lint out the pipe or suck it out with a shop vac.

Is there any reason to splurge for more than the $3 Harbor Freight version, or is even that too much to pay because these type of brushes don’t really do much?  Is this tool hot or not?  Let us know in the comments.

Vent Brush [Harbor Freight]

I’ve used this Harbor Freight air nibbler a few times to cut sheet metal for home and automotive repair, and it performed flawlessly. Let me warn you, though, it shaves off small quarter-moon pieces as it cuts, thousands of them — so make sure you use it in an open area where you can find them all, or in a place where they won’t cause problems.

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Harbor Freight is selling this 3-pound capacity rotary tumbler for $33.  It’s extremely popular with jewelers for mass finishing with steel shot.  Though not as high-quality as a Lortone tumbler, all reports indicate it holds up well over time — you’ll just need to replace the belt sometimes.

3-Pound Capacity Rotary Tumbler [Harbor Freight]
Street Pricing [Google]

A super-hot instant flame can help you out on tons of jobs, like cutting braided cable or carefully applying heat-shrink tubing.  On Harbor Freight’s site I came across this $7 micro torch which seems comparable to its “mainstream” counterparts — it’s self-starting and refillable, with a 35-minute run-time. But how does it really stack up? Is it a piece of junk, or do some of you actually work with one regularly and reliably?

I’m guessing that in comparison to other torches this thing probably flops, but I want to hear from you:  Hot or Not?  Let us know in comments.

Micro Torch [Harbor Freight]
Street Pricing [Google]

Chicago Electric makes this inexpensive chainsaw sharpener that sells for $35 at Harbor Freight.  Sure, the quality of tools purchased from Harbor Freight can be suspect, but how can you screw up a chainsaw sharpener?

The 0.5″ to 0.8″ capacity vice on this sharpener adjusts from 0-35° to the right or left.  The 115V, 0.75A ball bearing motor spins the 4-1/4″-diameter by 1/8″-thick grinding wheel at 4,200 RPM.  A safety guard covers most of the wheel, exposing only the section that comes into contact with the chain.  You can either hold the sharpener in a vise or mount it to your bench or garage wall.

The question before us today: Can buying this cheap chainsaw sharpener be a better deal than doing it the old-fashioned way with a guide and a file?  Or does doing it yourself even make sense when you can pay $10 for a professional to do it?  Let us know what you think in comments.

Chainsaw Sharpener [Harbor Freight]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

I recently moved to a rural area, and I needed to remove about 100 yards of fence from my field.  Most of it was old, gnarly, and half-falling-over, and I got it out easy enough — I just hooked the fence to a vehicle and pulled — but I was left with the 8′ T-posts that were stuck about 2′ to 3′ deep.  I considered a three-point lift, an engine lift, and explosives;  then common sense took hold, so I tried prying, shoveling, and pulling.  The few that came out looked like post pretzels.  I wish I’d found this T-post puller earlier.

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“Where’s the @#$% miter gauge!”  If you’ve ever exclaimed this in your shop, maybe you need to take a look at this $6 magnetic miter gauge holder from Harbor Freight.

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This tool will either sit around for years unused, or else you just won’t have one when you need one. Used for both home and vehicle repairs, the Harbor Freight Double Flaring Tool will allow you to repair fuel lines, oil lines, brake lines, and any other lines that connect with a single or double flare.

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You’ll probably never find a better deal on pliers than this $12 pack from Harbor Freight — it includes diagonal cutters, needle nose, lineman’s, slip joint, and groove joint pliers.  That’s a bunch of gripping capability for a small payout.

These pliers may not last long enough for you to hand ‘em down to your kids, but they do boast a couple of qualities that’ll help you right now:  affordability and simple functionality.  If you happen to need ‘em you don’t have to worry about being gentle either;  just do what’s required and replace ‘em as necessary.

It boils down to about $2 per tool here. If you think you might find a use for ‘em, throw a set in the toolbox.

6-Piece Heavy-Duty Pliers Set [Harbor Freight]