Last week was a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Give Yourself A Brake
Almost no one has a full-sized metal brake in in the shop so BAC helps you out with their 18″ model. It bolts to the bench and can bend up to 16 gauge steel.

Bend The Rules
This sweet bend rule from Incra is the easy way to correctly mark up your latest project. With a measuring rig like this, you have shot at not suffering from a case of the mis-marked wobbles.

Simple Green, Simply Clean
Cleaning up the shop often feels like an impossible mission. Simple Green puts the smackdown on dirty shops and the crew in them.

How To Build A Cheap, Simple Worktable
Workshop table aren’t a big deal – unless you don’t have one. This how-to is a great way to remedy a big problem with a minimum of effort and materials. We’re all about that.

Protect Your Lawn-Mowing Investment
Around our neck of the woods, getting the mower put away for the season normally involves some dancing and a hand gesture — but smart folks use a mower cover to keep the weather at bay to ease next season’s first-start blues. 

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

Last week was a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

When in Doubt, Lock it Out
Rather than lock your tools up in a shop-teacher-reminiscent cabinet, try this handy plug lock. It slips over the end of power tools’ cords and prevents children (and stupid neighbors) from plugging ‘em in without the key.

Protect Your Table Saw With A Magnetic Cover
You know you put crap on your table saw. Everyone does. This magnetic cover snaps on to protect your “spare” worktable for when you need to use it as a saw again.

A Tiny Life Saver
This tiny key-chain-sized device offers an easy way to smash car side windows should you find yourself trapped in after an accident. It’s way more portable than the Lifehammer, and not too expensive, either.

Irwin’s New SpeedBor Max Drill Bits
While the SpeedBors were, um, a bit boring, Irwin’s new SpeedBor Max bits look like a true innovation. They’re loaded with features designed to speed up drilling and provide a cleaner finished hole. Check out the post for details.

Better Than Velcro
This new 3M product offers much more tensile strength than everyone’s old favorite hook-and-loop fastener. Now if they’d just upgrade the adhesive backing, we’d really jump for joy.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

Last week was a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Spatula-Tong Combination BBQ Tool
You need a spatual to flip burgers. But you need tongs to flip dogs. Think of the Spatula-Tong as the CatDog of grill tools, offering the best of both worlds.

Cheap-Ass Tools: Mini Suction Cups
Need to pick up small objects with smooth surfaces? Try these miniature suction cups from Harbor Freight. They’re $6 for a set of two — way cheaper than other, more expensive versions we’ve covered in the past.

The Thinking Man’s Duct Tape
If you’re a duct tape connoisseur, it’s only a matter of time before you graduate to gaffer’s tape. Check out this article to speed up your matriculation — or to add your comments to help others do so.

The Awesome Multi-Purpose Brush
We keep a big bin of these in the shop for dozens of tasks, ranging from applying high-temp brake grease to cleaning parts. They’re cheap, and they’re handy. And if you don’t have any, you should.

Felker’s New/Improved Tile Master XL Plus
From the company that’s famous for inventing the diamond-impregnated saw just in time for WWII comes a new and improved version that cuts faster and lasts longer. Even if you’re not in the market for a pro-grade tile saw, this post deserves a read — just in case you find yourself standing in the rental line during your next bathroom upgrade.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

A Grown Man’s Tinker Toys: Structural Pipe Fittings
Looking to build something like a jungle gym out of PVC? This post shows you how to find the key ingredient to do it on the cheap: connectors that are inexpensive themselves and — better yet — fit cheaply-available tubing/pipe. Now you have no excuses at all!

Install Crown Molding Faster With The EasyCoper
This coping jig claims to make installing crown molding simpler and easier, but drew mixed reviews from commenters. Check out the post and add your opinion to the fray.

You’re Never Too Close For Safety Glasses
If you’re cheating with “reading glasses,” you probably know what it’s like to be forced to choose between them and safety glasses. The right choice, of course, is safety glasses — because if you think being near-sighted is bad, try looking through a Dremel disc fragment embedded in your eye. Now you don’t have to choose: you can have both.

Preview: Mac’s Multi-Dolly
Here’s a cool little finger-dolly with multiple curves and surfaces perfect for detailed sheet metal work. It comes in two sizes, and you’ll have to see it to believe it.

Fence Clamps That Stay Out Of Your Way
Tired of clamping work down only to discover that the clamp is in the way? This pneumatic clamp draws force from your air compressor and holds down material from the bottom, leaving the top completely exposed. And the high-end version even clamps itself to the table via air, too.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Eastwood’s Tilt-A-Car
This unique mechanism from Eastwood attaches to your car, allowing you to tilt it sideways to work on the bottom without a lift. As commenters mention, it’s scary-looking. But apparently it’s been around for years — and sometimes the right solution for a problem isn’t always the most straightforward, anyway.

Deburr With Your Power Drill
If you’re deburring a large number of parts, you’ll love this deburring bit that chucks right up in your cordless drill to automate the process. Just don’t forget your hand deburring tool — you’ll still need it for touch ups and difficult curves.

Bercom’s Handy Paint Pail
Here’s a simple tool that makes the painting a lot easier by preventing spills and keeping your brush ready at all times.

A Hand Sanding Block Without (Some Of) The Hassle
This unique sanding block accepts various sizes of discs via a hook-and-loop mechanism just like your power sander; it’d be handy as hell in a shop where you sometimes need to do some detail sanding with a block, but keep sanding discs on hand.

The Trusty X-ACTO Basic Knife Set
If you’re one of the three people world-wide who’ve yet to pick up this basic X-ACTO set, get thee to the hardware store. Otherwise, this post will serve as a trip down memory lane. Regardless, it’s a good read.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

An Inexpensive — But Useful — Pocket Hand Saw
This simple folding hand saw turned out to be a hit among TM readers who extolled its functional virtues extensively in comments.  In short: it’s fills a very practical need — and inexpensively, too.

Bosch’s Digital Rangefinder
According to Toolmongers, this kicks the crap out of cheaper sonic-only versions.  The Bosch’s laser-based ranging system is more accurate — and much more practical for use in precise measuring.

Brass Setup Bars Make Accurate Router Setup Simple
Need to set up your table saw accurately without cutting anything up?  Try these brass blocks, which assemble in a variety of combinations to serve as a physical representation of the specific distance you seek.  Just put ‘em together, slide ‘em in, and adjust the saw to fit.

Flameless Heat From The Mini-Ductor
This incredibly expensive — and incredibly cool — tool uses the same inductance technology as modern stove-tops to heat up stubborn bolts — without heating any of the non-metal material around the bolt. 

Hands-On: Mac Tools’ Foose Work Gloves 
Oh yeah — it’s Glove Week, baby, and these Foose-branded work gloves from Mac kicked ass and took names in our testing.  Check ‘em out.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Hands-On: Buck’s X-Tract
We reviewed the Buck X-Tract and found it to be a solid knife worthy of the shop.  Check out the review for details, but in short: we didn’t find much wrong with it.

Hands-On: Dremel’s Scroll Station
Guess what?  Dremel doesn’t just make small tools.  Their Scroll Station kicked ass and took names with the best bench-top rigs out there when we fired it up in the Toolmonger shop.

Circuit Alert’s Voltage-Sensing Wire Stripper
As our readers pointed out, this tool has probably saved many an apprentice a “hey, grab that wire for me” fate on jobsites everywhere.  And it looks like a decent set of wire strippers, too.

Bring Real-Time Engine/Computer Data To Your Dashboard
The ScanGuage II can clear pesky check engine lights in your rig, but you can also set it up to as a dash-mounted data tracking computer that measures everything from throttle position to airflow.  Check out the post for details.

It’s Just Cool: The Tank Tool
Holy crap — this is our favorite post this week: the Tank Tool rumbles in at number five. It’s small.  It’s green.  And we must have one.  Look for a group buy option shortly.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Hot or Not? Evolution Rage Circ Saws
These are some mean-ass British circ saw, which the manufacturer claims will plow through steel, wood, and lots of other things — all with the same blade and zero heat.  Yeah, we wonder about that, too.  Check out comments, though, where the saw’s inventor checked in all the way from the UK to give readers some details about how it works.

Save Your Rear With LifeHammer
As demonstrated by the Mythbusters, this little hammer will bust out a car window with even a light strike.  If you’re concerned about getting trapped in your car, this is the tool for you.

Cut Sheet Metal Curves With Milwaukee’s Electric Nibbler
It’s expensive, and the little “half-moons” it chops out of the metal will puncture tires around the shop — but it’s also cool as hell and a great way to cut curves with little or no heat damage.  Check it out.

Hard Shelled Pads With A Soft Filling
Yes, you look like a dork in kneepads.  And yes, you’ll look like an even bigger dork hobbling around ’cause you didn’t wear ‘em.  Get a good pair.  These feature a hard outer shell to protect you and stabilize you when you kneel plus a soft inner material that keeps your knees happy.

Danish Oil: Part of Your Complete Project 
Looking for an easy way to stain and protect your latest wood project?  Sean walks you through his latest favorite — complete with pictures.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Preview: Marathon WeldTec Blades
Irwin’s new Marathon WeldTec circ saw blades feature welded-on teeth — as opposed to braised-on like most.  We’re  looking forward to getting our hands on some of them soon to try ‘em out.

A Visit To Providence’s Steel Yard
A TM reader visits the Steel Yard in Providence and sends us pictures of his trip. Think of the Steel Yard as a grittier version of the Bay Area’s Crucible, where you can learn metalworking and other interesting — but hard to learn in your garage — skills.  Check out comments for details about the visit.

Jet’s Heavyweight Belt/Disc Sander
We drool over Jet’s colossal bench top 1 1/2 hp belt/disc sander.  It’s heavy. It’s powerful and we want one.

DeWalt’s New “Oxford” Work Shoe
Dewalt’s New “Oxford” work shoe looks nothing like an Oxford, but it does like a pretty decent woodworking or mechanic’s shop shoe.  And you can wear it out, too.  There’s nothing like reminding everyone that you don’t spend all your time hanging out at cocktail parties and such.

Hot or Not? Vaughan’s (Vaporware?) S2 Hammer
The “now you see it, now you don’t” Vaughan S2 hammer has won awards and become an internet darling, but Toolmonger asks the tough question: Have you ever actually seen one?

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Hot or Not? The High Limb Tree Saw
This tree saw was the hot topic this week. Many readers spoke up about time they had spent with the saw and the best methods to use it in a real world application.

The Steel Yard: Learn A Trade (Or Hobby)
Rhode Island’s Steel Yard looks like a great place to go hang out. It has 5612 sq-ft of foundry, ceramic studio, as well as blacksmithing and welding shops. It could just be me, but I’m not seeing the downside here. Other than the fact it’s in Rhode Island and I’m in Texas.

Hands On: Ridgid 2 1/8” Brad Nailer
We got our hands on Ridgid’s little 2 1/8” brad nailer and were heavily impressed. There’s a lot of rugged power in that nailer and I found I didn’t remember what shop life was like before I had one.

The PaintShaver Pro
The Paintshaver looks a lot like an angle grinder. Though we were a bit on the skeptical side, readers jumped in to say this works great but you need to be careful. It’s more powerful than it looks.

Preview: Stanley-Proto’s Updated Master Tool Sets
Stanley Proto announced an update to their “master tool sets for the trades.”  Stanley makes wicked cool master tool sets for electricians, plumbers, and contractors and they are updating them with the latest of the Stanley line. Sweet tools like the FatMax AntiVibe hammer, tripod flashlights, and their new wood chisels.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Dremel 10.8V Li-Ion Rotary Tool Gets New Batteries
One thing is certain: Toolmongers love their Dremel tools.  Every time we write about ‘em they make their way right to the top.  Now it looks like they’re getting a battery upgrade in the form of new 10.8V batteries.

Bridging The Mud In Your Backyard
This interlocking “bridge” system gives you a patch for walking — or pushing a wheelbarrow through — soft ground without making nasty ruts.  And if you haven’t torn up a soft yard with your wheelbarrow yet, you just haven’t been using it enough.

Hands On: Stanley’s Maxlife Mini-Tripod Flashlight
We gave Stanley’s little mini-flashlight with built-in tripod a go in the Toolmonger shop and were happily surprised; it did a great job.  And that’s in Sean’s hands.  He’s not easy on flashlights.

Hands-On: Irwin’s Quick Adjust Wrench
This isn’t your standard adjustable wrench.  Instead of adjusting, it ratchets into position, giving you the ability to move from fastener to fastener without re-adjusting.  Of course, it ratchets in fixed increments, so you can’t fit just any fastener.  Check out the post for details.

Cure Those Hazy Headlights 
My Jeep Grand Cherokee’s headlights fog over once every few years, and this looks like a pretty good solution.  Nothing screams “old and ready for replacement” like foggy headlights!

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Modelmaking Made Easy: A Foamboard Rabbet Cutter
The next time you’re building a not-quite-to-scale (thanks, Doc Brown!) model with foamboard, you might want to give this handy tool a try.  It makes cutting rabbets (read: lengthwise notches) in foam a simple two-part process.

My Sweet New Swiss Army Pioneer
Sean dishes on his newest knife acquisition and outlines his idea of what a Swiss Army knife should (and shouldn’t) be.

The Bernz-O-Matic Self-Igniting Butane Torch
Pocket butane torches are cool — and useful! — but this one stands out from the rest.  It includes a catalytic burner that’s perfect for activating heat shrink tubing as well as a soldering tip that slips over the catalyst.  Best of all: the lighter button locks down so you can move your workpiece toward it instead of visa versa.

ExTech’s Affordable New Combustible Gas Detector
In the past you’ve had to shell out major green — or depend on calling a pro — to detect minor leaks in gas plumbing.  Now you can check up on your installation yourself with the new affordable detector.

Use The Trench Foot To Save Your Foot
I really, really hate digging.  I’d probably still hate it if I had one of these cool little “shelves” to attach to my shovel, giving me a nice, flat step to push on instead of knife-edged spade.  But at least my foot wouldn’t hurt as much.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Dental Tools for Your Home Workshop
Dentists use these picks to clean teeth, but you can use ‘em for everything else from cleaning paint out of tight corners to retrieving small objects from impossibly-small crannies. Best of all, you can pick ‘em up at flea markets for cheap.

Hot or Not? Paint Roller Cleaners
Toolmongers say they these paint cleaners work pretty well, but in comments they offer lots of other ways to get the paint off easily. If you paint more often than once every now and then, you’ll want to check out this post.

A Beautifully Crafted Oak Toolbox You Needn’t Wait To Inherit
Want a nice oak toolbox with beautiful joinery but without a massive price? If you’re lucky, you inherited one. Thankfully, the rest of us can buy one — quite affordably.

The Angel-Guard Secure-A-Cord
This outlet cover replacement locks extension cords to the socket almost as solidly as permanent installation, but you can still pull the plug if the need arises. They’re cheap and easy to install, too.

The Guppie Multi-Tool: Not Just For Climbers
We love multi-tools — especially ones that are a bit different like this one. Shaped like an oversize carabiner with an adjustable wrench, it’s designed to give climbers all the tools they need — without descending the mountain. Even if you’ll probably just clip to to your belt or backpack, it’s a unique and useful tool.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Case’s Questionable New “Vault System”
Case is putting some of their knives away Disney-style to increase their value.  While some collectors love the idea, Sean hates it, and Toolmonger readers voted the debate right into the numero-uno spot in the top five this week.  Check out the post, and let us know what you think in comments.

Mitered Door Frame Router Bit Set
This bit set dramatically simplifies the process of creating picture-frame door panels — and other projects too.  It’s also quite inexpensive.

Turn Any Push Mower Into a Zero-Turn
Our newest contributor Leslie dug up this set of replacement wheels that converts most standard push mowers into zero-turns on the cheap.  If you’d like to cut a little closer, but (like us) won’t shell out for the big dogs, give this post a look.

An Environmentally-Friendly Parts Washer
Parts washers are, ironically, one of the most environmentally dangerous tools in the shop — yet are absolutely necessary for restoration work.  TM’s resident Dealmonger Stephen found a better solution: a washer that uses safe cleaning fluid and bacteria that eats away the oil each night to refresh the fluid.

Tie Down Gear Without Knots
This week we posted yet another piece of “knot replacement” gear, which re-ignited the debate on tie-down tools vs. learning to tie knots.  And it again brought out Tite Tie inventor Chris, a smart-as-a-whip Aussie who keeps a close watch on Google.  Want to meet him?  Post about the Tite Tie!

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Make Flush Cuts With Your Recip Saw
We found a sweet recip saw attachment that converts your regular recip saw into a flush cutting monster in no time flat.  It attaches between your saw and blade, offsetting the blade to add a ton of functionality to what Toolmongers call an “underused tool.”  We agree.

The Footprint 220B Professional Block Plane
Our resident Dealmonger Stephen wrote about this $25 footprint block plane that he picked up at Sears.  As it turns out, Stephen says this little plane actually works quite well for the money.

Give Bosch An Earful About The 10.8V Line
Bosch asked Toolmongers to sound off about what new tools they’d like to see in the 10.8V Litheon line and you responded in your normal level-headed style. Check out the comments on this one for details, and add your requests.  Big Brother Bob is watching.

Spider-Man-Inspired Linesman Pliers
Other than the web-crawler colors these new Knipex Linesman pliers feature improvements like a relocated pivot point and diagonal gripping serrations in the jaws.

Duplicate Curved Shapes With Your Drill Press
This little $12 drum sander won’t compete with a pro sanding unit, but as Toolmonger readers pointed out it’s at least worth a second look considering the price.  Hey, it’s a drum sander that hooks to your drill press and copies small wooden pieces for under $15 – nuff said.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: A Quality Knife
Here’s our (now) annual post recommending a pocket knife as the prime gift for Father’s Day.  For many reasons, it’s an awesome gift.  We’re not recommending that you (necessarily) pick up a 6″ hunting knife for him, but more a simple, basic, but quality pocket knife that he can carry every day — even in the office.  It’s a long-lasting gift that keeps on giving.  ‘Nuff said.

Festool’s Two-In-One Sander
This new sander’s exciting feature: it can switch between random-orbital and pure rotary modes on the fly — perfect for removing lots of material on a first pass, then switching to orbital mode for finishing work.  It also mates up perfectly with Festool’s legendary dust-collection rigs.

Deck Mate Screws: The Best For Deck Construction?
A reader turned us on to these screws at Maker Faire, but when we posted it here many readers expressed different opinions.  The quick consensus: used with the “special” driver, they’re good stuff, but a waste of money if you use a standard phillips in ‘em.  There were lots of votes for square-drive, too.  Check the comments for details.

MAC Expands Their Spherical Socket Line
If you’re a MAC user and you’ve begun using their spline-type spherical sockets — they’ll handle a variety of fastener heads ranging from six- and twelve-point to inverse Torx and even half-rounded — you’ll be excited to know that they’ve expanded the 1/2″ and 3/8″ drive lines significantly.  See your local truck to get ‘em.

Sparkfun Electronics 
This supplier provides all kinds of interesting electronic components — the ones you’re not likely to find at your local supply house.  Examples: GPS and cellular gear, and a 24-bit color LCD just like the one in Sony’s PSP.  You’ll definitely want to add these guys to your “little black book.”

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.

It’s been a busy week here at Toolmonger. If you’ve been spending time in the shop — you should! — and you haven’t had a chance to keep up with Toolmonger this week, we suggest you start with these posts, which our readers helped to select:

Makita’s Shear Wrench
This is just the specialty tool you need to wrench down shear-type fasteners.  Even if you don’t have any need for it, it’s a fascinating tool and worth a look.

Toolmonger’s Maker Faire Coverage
We attended Maker Faire 2007 in San Mateo, CA last weekend, and readers voted a good chunk of our live (and later) coverage into the top five this week.  If you missed any of our coverage, check out the link above or listen to this week’s special episode of Tool Talk where we talk about our Faire experiences along with lots of audio from the show.  We’ll have more details later, but as of right now we’re planning to attend Maker Faire in Austin on October 20th and 21st, too.

JLC Online’s Take On Small Drywall Finishing Projects
This awesome article over on JLC online covers many of the skills you’ll need to do simple drywall finish work on your projects.  They start with the tools and materials you need and run you through a pretty thorough how-to.

The Joist Jaw
This little tool grabs hold of joists and holds them properly in place while you attach them.  Think of it as a helper that always shows up on time and must only be paid once.

The Wonder Winder: Easy Extension Cord Storage
A visitor to our station at Maker Faire recommending this inexpensive cord winder from Harbor Freight, and it seems to be a hit among readers who’ve tried it.  Check out the post’s comments for details.

Help us choose next week’s Top 5!

We’d appreciate your help in choosing next week’s Top 5, which’ll be featured here, elsewhere, and in the podcast as well. While you’re reading TM this week, look out for the “Interesting Post” button at the bottom of the article:

When you see an article that piques your interest, click the button once. You’ll return to the same page, but TM’s software’ll score your click for future reference. We’ll check in on the totals before selecting next week’s Top 5.