There are lots of ways to store multiple insert bits in a multi-bit screwdriver, but Wiha might have the neatest. As the eight-bit tray flips out of the ergonomic cushion-grip handle, the internal drawer rotates so you can easily access the bits.
For some time now Sears has marketed their top-of-the-line hand tools under the name Craftsman Professional, attempting to set them apart from and above the standard Craftsman line. Now, that distinct black and marigold color scheme has found its way to their lawn and garden department as well, on an assortment of commercial-grade powered lawn equipment.
With Father’s Day about a month away, I’m sure many of us are scrambling to find this year’s present. We’ve already exhausted the pocket knife, cigar cutter, homemade picture frame, beer gift basket, necktie, and personal coupon books in past years, and we’re running short on ideas — but if your dad’s a sports fan and a Toolmonger, you might want to check out these sports-themed tool belts from Fantasia Memorabilia.
You thought the only thing missing from your layout square was lasers — well, the Stanley FatMax Laser Level square may not have all the functionality of a layout square, but it does feature two lasers attached to an aluminum 90-45-45° square with level and plumb vials to boot.
If a busy day for you includes contractor planning meetings, investor face time, jobsite organization, and good old-fashioned hard labor, you know that the jump from jobsite-ready to boardroom-professional can be difficult. For just such a many-faceted worker DieHard makes their duty oxford shoe.
On the face of it, these general purpose 1/8″ cut-out bits from DeWalt are just another bit, but start reading about the features and one pops out at you — when cutting into walls, the bit’s left-handed spiral pushes chips and dust into the wall cavity rather than out into the room. Less mess to clean is always a good thing in our book.
Here’s another one of those “why didn’t I think of that” tools: a garage door opener that works even when the power goes out. Normally in that situation you’d have to pull the emergency release and open the door manually, and I can’t see my wife working too well with that option — with her luck she’d have the door on her foot in seconds.
My cold drinks always get hot in the shop. Sometimes I carry a small lunchbox with a freezer pack out there, but I usually forget about it and end up leaving it out in the garage for a few days. For Toolmongers who don’t keep a mini fridge, or the “old” fridge, out in the shop, Craftsman makes this Retro Design Cooler — it looks cool and it keeps your drinks cool, too!
My quest for a dado blade began on eBay where, after numerous searches, I picked up an older 7″ adjustable dado with carbide blades. The first time I used it I discovered that my contractor saws won’t hold most blades — the shaft diameter was right, but there weren’t enough threads to hold the blade on. So I did some additional research, found out that I’d need to use a smaller blade, and ended up with the Craftsman 6″ Stacked Dado Blade.
Routers are versatile — they can mill, do moulding, create dados, dovetails, mortises, and much more — but full-size routers, especially models over 1-1/2 or 2 HP, can be intimidating and hard to keep level when cutting narrow material like the side of a board. The smaller “palm” routers started coming out a few years ago, and now Craftsman has gotten into that game with their Professional Fixed-Base Palm Router.
Sears is selling OTC’s GM Pitman Arm Tool, or Pickle Fork, for just $16. It’ll help you remove the Pitman arm on your GM pickup or SUV, should you be so inclined.
OTC GM Pitman Arm Tool [Sears]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Craftsman’s LocBoard Tool Cart consists of two LocBoards, pegboard-like units that connect at the top, and a bottom “shelf” — the whole unit can hold 850 pounds. While it would look really cool to fill up both sides of this cart with hand tools or specialty tools, I’m not sure if it’s practical for my shop.
I caught this 3-pc. Locking Flex Pry Bar Set in the new Craftsman catalog — it looks like the classic pry-bar design, but Craftsman put a spin on it: a pivoting head.
Usually when I work under the hood, I keep the tools that I’ll need in the next hour or two on the body seams or on the coolant and windshield washer tank — and these tools often fall off or just end up missing. This new portable automotive service tray from Craftsman reminds me of a TV tray for mechanics, but it’ll keep tools and small parts at your fingertips, not down in the engine.
You can easily tip over a push mower to access the underside of the deck and the blade — trying this with your riding mower probably won’t do it or your back any good. This tractor lift from Ohio Steel raises and holds the front end of the tractor in the air so you can do maintenance underneath.
A few months ago I was shopping at my local Sears for a pliers set for the “house” tool kit. These are pliers that the family has access to — which means they’ll probably be lost, used as a hammer, or just plain destroyed within the next few years — so I wanted tools that would do the job, but that I wouldn’t miss too much if they disappeared into the Lost Tool Zone. This set by Evolv fit the bill nicely.
While browsing through the local Sears, I caught a glimpse of the new 2009-2010 Craftsman tool catalog. Well, I did more than glimpse — I snagged a couple of copies for myself. I’ve been getting these since the mid 1980’s, and I still have most of ‘em stored away. If I could have back all the time I’ve spent looking at those books, it’d probably add another year or two onto my life.
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What's In Your Kitchen Tool Drawer?
Tool Talk #53: Old Hardware Stores & Pocket Knives
Tool Talk #52: Listener Calls & Reader Projects
Tool Talk #51: DIY Wedding Rings & Heirloom Shopsmiths
Tool Talk #50: Router Safety & Pointless Tools
Tool Talk #49: Bookcases & Ending Laziness
Tool Talk #48: Christmas & (Paint) Strippers
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
Hands-On: Milwaukee M12 Power Port
Hands-On: Caterpillars Fix Wiggly Outlets For Good
Head 2 Head Hands-On: Bosch SPS10 vs LI3000 SmartDriver
Hands-On: Striker Magnetic LED Light
Hands-On: Dremel Duo Kit -- Dremel Driver
Hands-On: Elmer's ProBond Wood Filler
Hands-On: Duo-Fast DF350S Framing Nailer
Hands-On: Watco Danish Oil - Cherry Finish
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 5: Engine Teardown
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 4: A New Transmission
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 3: Building An Engine Stand
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 2: Pulling The Engine
Budget Shop Truck Build, Part 1: The Truck
How-To: Cut Angles With A Circular Saw
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 5) -- Complete!
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 4) -- Installation!
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 3) -- Fabricating Engine Brackets
Project Garage: Yukon Engine Swap (Part 2) -- GM Performance Parts
