If you only need to crimp a few Pex fittings and you don’t want to carry a large Pex crimper around, the Pex Pocket Crimper might be for you. Using a set of 10″ locking pliers, the Pex Pocket Crimper allows you to crimp fittings onto 3/8″, 1/2″, and 3/4″ Pex tubing.

The crimper is small enough to fit into tight places and it also separates into two pieces at the joint, allowing you to use it in cramped quarters.

To use the tool, prep the tubing, slip the crimp ring over the tubing, and insert the fitting into the tubing. Then place the crimper over the ring and squeeze the ends of the PexPocket Crimper with locking pliers. Finally, check your crimp with the supplied go-no-go gauge.

Manufactured in the US, the Pex Pocket Crimper will run you about $30 with $6 shipping and handling. If you’re interested in crimping larger sized PEX they also make a 1″ version which they ship for $41.

Pex Pocket Crimper [Corporate Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

I’ve seen this mentioned in a few different blogs, so it must be important. Fine Homebuilding and Festool are running a sweepstakes and giving away over $10,000 of tools and accessories. First prize is worth more than $6,000 and includes the Kapex KS120 Compound Sliding Miter Saw. The more than $3,000 second prize includes an MFT/3 Multifunction Table, and the over $1,500 third prize starts with a CT 22 HEPA Dust Extractor. More details, and the entry form, can be found at the link below. You have until May 31 to enter. Good luck!

FESTOOL Ultimate System Sweepstakes [Fine Homebuilding]

This month Kreg made its Multi-Mark multi-tool available for sale. It joins a long line of measuring multi-tools of dubious value like the Level Best2, the Squangle, and the Multiscribe Pro to name a few.

The tool appears to have two parts – a plastic handle with an embedded bubble vial and a slotted metal blade marked in increments of 1/16″ inches and apparently in Metric. The blade attaches to one of two points on the handle with a brass thumbscrew.  Around one of the attachment points there are notches to keep the blade perpendicular to the handle. The blade evidently can also ride in a recess, keeping it parallel to the handle and 3/16″ away from at least one edge of the handle.

You can use the tool as a depth gauge, square, level and ruler, but some more advanced uses would be to layout mitered corners, set 3/16″ reveals, and transfer measurements.

The Multi-Mark retails for $20, but you can find it for as little as $16.

Multi-Mark [Kreg]
Multi-Mark [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

For some of you, grilling weather may be approaching or already here. For others, there’s no such thing as “grill weather” or “grill time,” since ALL the time is grill time. As a member of the latter group, I was researching grill lights since it’s often already dark outside by dinnertime. Until now we’ve been relying on a giant, 20-lb., retina-searing emergency lamp, but it looks like more fitting options can be had.

The Weber 7516 Grill Out Handle Light, pictured above, runs about $25 and gets pretty good reviews at Amazon [What’s This?]. The Weber light is made for Weber grills, of course, and has a sensor that turns the light on and off automatically as you open and shut the grill lid. A few reviewers mention that you need to remember to turn off the power switch on the light so it doesn’t drain the batteries.

The Brinkmann LED clamp-on grill light [What’s This?] runs about $23. The manufacturer claims it’s fine in wet weather, and it comes with 3 AAA batteries.

The 6-LED clip-on grill light from Chefs Basics [What’s This?] is less expensive at just $12, has a wide, flat grip spring clamp, and a long bendable neck. Plus, it looks a lot like Johnny-5 (or WALL-E for you young’uns), and that alone is a positive for me.

The Maverick GL-03 Cordless LED light [What’s This?] is a similar wide-clamp style, bendable-neck type with a stainless office-lamp looking head. Maverick’s name is well known in barbecue accessories, but more than a few Amazon reviewers commented that theirs died suddenly within the first few weeks.

Other options include tinier clip-on lights for around $10 all the way up to $80 LEDs that look similar to those mentioned here. There’s also the miner-style light on the helmet, or the good old MagLite tucked under your arm. And yes, you can learn to tell when meat’s cooked by poking at it with tongs. But whatever your preference, get out there and grill, and don’t let the cold or the dark stop you.

BBQ Grill Lights [Google Products]
BBQ Grill Lights Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Some Varieties of Grill Lights [Shopwiki.com]

I’ve recently been working on the installation of a solar system, and have found the Klein 1412 Dual NM Cable Stripper/Cutter to be very handy for the electrical work. To begin with, this tool has two stripping slots that quickly remove the outer sheath of 12/2 and 14/2 of Type NM-B (a.k.a. Romex) cable. Then it adds two stripping holes for removing the insulation of 12 and 14 AWG wires. 6-32 and 8-32 screw shearing holes, a thin serrated nose for gripping, bending, and pulling wire, shear-type blades for cutting solid copper wire, and holes for wire looping and bending. To top it off, there are cushion-grip handles, a closure lock, and spring loading so it’s self-opening.

All this can be yours for around $17.

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Klein 1412 Dual Non-Metal Cable Stripper Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Dual NM Cable Stripper/Cutter [Manufacturer's Site]

Now that we’ve got the garage door insulation covered — covered, get it? — (TM 3/15/10), what about those attic fold-down, or drop-down access, stairs? The set in our current house is in the laundry room near the back door to the garage, and seems to be a source of cool or warm air depending on the season. I’ve found many options for insulating such stairs, ranging from bare-bones DIY project plans to spiffy kit installation. The installation kits seem to start around $45, then jump to $99.95 and higher depending on the size of the stairs’ opening and height of the stairs in the attic when closed.

Building my own cover box is appealing from both from the get-a-chance-to-play-with-tools and general frugality viewpoints, but I’m open to other approaches if they do a better job. What have fellow Toolmongers done? Any general pros or cons?

Draft Cap [Manufacturer's Site]
Therm-A-Lid [Manufacturer's Site]
Attic Tent [Manufacturer's Site]
Attic Stairway Insulator [Owens Corning}
Battic Door Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Attic Stairs Cover Box [U.S. Dept. of Energy]

We’re pretty big fans of the BBC’s awesome show Top Gear around the Toolmonger offices, so when I needed some quick and cheap seating for my game room I passed up the furniture store and headed straight to the junkyard. $75 and an afternoon with the welder netted me a quick facsimile of the chairs the Top Gear hosts sit in during their news segment each week — and left me plenty of cash for beer.

First off, a little advice about pulling seats: I generally look for leather seats because they’re much easier to clean up than fabric. (Unless the fabric seats are spotless, in which case, go for it, though often the guy at the counter will demand extra money for good-looking seats.) When it comes to leather seats, the dirtier they are the better. The dirt and grime tend to create a coating that protects the seat from the really nasty stuff. And like you can with a cow, you can scrub leather seats to your heart’s content to get ‘em clean.

The single seat in the photos here came from a late ’90s Diamante. When I pulled it you couldn’t really tell what color it was. Personally, I think it cleaned up nicely.

The next problem you’ll run into is the fact that the bottom of the passenger compartment in most cars isn’t flat. Therefore the seats connect to four points all in different planes in order to fit wherever on the floor they need to connect. Since we wanted to build simple little boxes to hold the seats up, we had to account for that.

The bases of our seats are built from cheap-o 16-gauge 1-inch square tube, mainly because I happened to have about 30′ of it lying around the shop. You can use whatever you have on hand.

To determine the proper height, I measured various couches and loveseats around the house. They ranged from 16″ to about 20″, so I selected 18″ for these. Sitting the seats on the ground, I measured from the ground to the seat top, then constructed the box below to whatever height was required to make up the difference.

You can approach building the bases however you wish, but I started by measuring the width and height of the seats, then building a simple stand to my measured height. Then with the help of a friend, I placed the seats on the boxes and tacked in locator points wherever the seat touched the box. If you plan on taking them apart again, you can drill and tap holes before bolting the seat on, but since I didn’t care, I just welded it on. The bench’s front mounts all fell in different places, but they lined up pretty well to an angled crossbar. So I just welded the crossbar in at an angle and hooked ‘em up. I also welded the two portions of the split seat together and shimmed the center back with a few pieces of 1″ x 1/8″ flat bar before final welding.

As you can see, the seat easily holds me and David Juandrew, my partner in crime who helped me build these this weekend. We bounced up and down on them pretty good, and they’re still in one piece.

Of course, the actual Top Gear seats are much fancier and include arm rests. But hey — your version of these seats is limited only by your time and wallet. Mine were short and thin, respectively, so I went the simple route. Do feel free to get creative finding just the right seat, though!

Kidding aside, if you’re one of those folks that likes your toes to fly free in your boots, you probably hate most steel-toes — and not just because they’re heavy. Most steel toe boots reign in toe room because they need the extra room to cram in the steel box that gives ‘em their name. Red Wing feels your constriction, though: Their King Toe models offer 44% more toe room.

They also include non-metallic safety toes, which Red Wing claims will pass through metal detectors. They’re non-conductive, too, a real benefit if you’re an electrician or work around high-voltage rigs. Besides that, they come in a whole bunch of styles. The above mode is a 6″ boot with full grain waterproof leather uppers. I personally like 6″ boots, but if you like the big ‘uns (or oxford-like shoes), they’ve got ‘em — complete with the extra toe space.

Street pricing starts around $100 and ranges up to $200 or so based on the model you choose.

King Toe Models [Red Wing]
The Men’s 435 (Pictured) [Red Wing]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Spring has officially sprung here in Texas, and even if your hometown’s still under the Groundhog’s curse for a few more weeks, you’re probably considering replacing those nasty, wintrified heating and a/c filters in your home. Realizing that waking up every day with a stuffy nose may be due to my crap-clogged filters, I hit the big box on a mission. Unfortunately when I got there and saw 300 varieties of air filters ranging from “high performance electrostatic” ($$$$) to fiberglass ($), I realized I needed some guidance. Here’s what I learned.

To make sure you’re selecting the appropriate kind of air filter for your home, consider whether any pollutants (indoors, in your garage/shop, or outdoors) are affecting the air quality inside. Household chemicals, pesticides, mold or mildew, high humidity, improperly vented appliances, standing water or leaks, or (obviously) if anyone smokes inside the house are factors that can be identified and fixed first.

Second, assuming your home filters are designed more for providing healthy air in the living space (as opposed to protecting machines or equipment), take into account how you or your family responds to allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mold spores, smoke, pet dander, and smog. The better quality the filter, the smaller the particles it can capture, and without interrupting the air flow of your HVAC system too much, which is paramount for efficiency. Also, check the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) of the filter: they range from 1-16, and the 12-16 range are the highest quality at 90+% efficiency.

Home air filters are divided into six basic types:

1. Electrostatic air filters - As air passes through the filter, a static charge is created that attracts contaminants. Electrostatic filters are very efficient, provide an excellent balance of efficiency and performance, and are designed to replace panel- or frame-style filters you already use in your HVAC system. They often run at or above 90% efficiency or a MERV of 12-15 (compared to 10% for fiberglass), and come in permanent or disposable types. They can be pricey, running around $70, but they do the job well.

2. Pre-cut or bulk roll media air filter pads - Used mainly by HVAC professionals, media air filters have a very high capacity for capturing particles (up to 30 times more capacity than fiberglass) and the pads can be changed out regularly to fit in a single aluminum frame. The pads are made from dry-tack polyester and are disposable. Media air filter pads are not widely available but can be ordered from web sites such as RiteAir.

3. Pleated air filters - Popular because of their durability and affordability, pleated filters are widely available in a variety of (even oddball) sizes and are one of the HVAC industry standards. Some include electrostatic fibers or carbon or charcoal fibers for odor control. MERV ratings for pleated filters range widely from around 5 to 12; for allergy sufferers the 10-12 range would be best.

4. HEPA air filters - To qualify as HEPA (or high efficiency particulate arrestance), a filter must capture at least 99.97% of particulate matter 0.3 microns in diameter. HEPA filters are used in hospital and surgical rooms or other places where clean, particulate-free air is essential. They have the highest filter capacity of all, but require a lot of maintenance since dirty HEPA filters significantly reduce airflow and can cause HVAC system problems if not kept clean.

5. Activated carbon air filters - Activated carbon is charcoal treated to cause millions of pores to form, increasing surface area. Usually carbon filters are added to another type, such as media air filters, because of their ability to remove odors from smoke, chemicals, gases, and other odor-causing substances around the house. They are not recommended in combination with HEPA filters because HEPAs already reduce airflow.

6. Fiberglass panel air filters - Very inexpensive and (unfortunately) commonly used, “blue” fiberglass filters basically capture about as much dust as chicken wire and leave particles of crap blowing around your HVAC system, in your lungs, and in all your equipment too. It’s best to avoid these if at all possible.

The bottom line? If allergies are a major concern, air filters are probably just one step you need to take to improve air quality in your home, but for the highest quality, go with electrostatic filters, and get the permanent ones like the Boair 5-stage if you can afford it. If you just want a simple, decent quality disposable air filter, I’d go with the pleated filters from 3M’s Filtrete with electrostatic treatment. They range from $7-30 each depending on size and quality, and need to be replaced every 3 months or so.

Filtrete Filters Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Filtrete Filters Street Pricing [Google Products]
Guide To HVAC Filters [Furnace Filter Care]
EPA Guide to Air Cleaners In The Home
Article: Understanding Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)

Instructables has a short post on a quick way to make your own bicycle lockring, or head race, pliers that I find quite elegant in its simplicity. You take an inexpensive pair of water-pump (a.k.a., channellocks, or tongue-and-groove) pliers. Then file or grind away most of the teeth except the front ones, and, voilà, you’re good to go — and at a much lower cost than for a dedicated spanner or lockring pliers that can be $30 to $50 or more.

It seems like these might also work well on those electrical box connector nuts when pounding on them with a screwdriver doesn’t seem to do the trick.

DIY Lockring Pliers [Instructables]
Hozan Head Race Pliers Via Amazon [What’s This?]

What’s the word in Toolmonger land regarding the pros and cons of insulating garage doors? The picture above shows the beginning of an installation using a reflective foil kit, one of the apparently three main DIY approaches (the other two being foam panels and fiberglass rolls). Texas Garages is one site that discusses and compares the various approaches. Costs to do a single garage door range from $69 to $129.

I tried white fiberglass rolls in the garage door of our previous house and they did seem to help, although it was quite subjective as I didn’t make any before-and-after temperature measurements. I suspect that it just generally felt better out there because the white rolls helped brighten up the dingy old dark door.

What do you think? Have you done this? Would you do it? If the garage’s ceiling and walls are already insulated, doesn’t it make sense to insulate the door, too? Does it make more sense if you live in a cold climate than if you live in a warmer — or, like in central Texas, a damn hot at times — climate?

Garage Door Insulation Kit Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Garage Door Insulation In A Weekend [Owens Corning]
Owens Corning Kit Street Pricing [Google Products]

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:

The Penta Square
Besides just measuring 45° and 90° like a combination square, the Penta Square also measures 22.5° and 60°.  But, that’s only four measurements; penta is a prefix for five. Either they’re considering 180° a measurement, or else they’re call it that because of the irregular pentagon-shaped body.

Editorial: Made In… Part 3
In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. In part two, I discussed the manufacturing process. Read on as I endeavor to explain what all this means to you as a tool consumer.

Micro Kerf Blade Pinches Dimes, Not Pennies
The 10″ Micro Kerf Blade is a carbide-tipped, 40-tooth blade meant for both rips and crosscuts. Total Saw Solutions claims the saw kerf is half that of a standard thin-kerf blade, as thin as the width of a dime. This is one finely machined blade — the plate is precision ground and tensioned so that runout is less that 1/2 the thickness of a human hair.

Wiha Stubby 6-In-1 Sets
TM has covered stubby* drivers before (e.g., 2/10/07, 7/10/09, and 7/14/09), and their usefulness when just nothing else will fit. Now Wiha has five new stubby 6-In-1 bit sets. The bits are stored in the “Ergo Soft Grip” handle and the overall length, with a bit inserted in the ¼” SS holder, is just 2.5″.

New PBS Woodworking Show
The Fine WoodWorking blog reports that Boston’s WGBH will be producing a new PBS woodworking show featuring Thomas J. MacDonald (a.k.a. T. Chisel from his series of web videos). Maybe we’ll have someone to fill the void created when Norm retired from TV?

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.

I have been and continue to be a big fan of shop floor coverings. I covet them like the neighbor’s ‘Vette. To help with this sickness Sears has a 30-percent-off deal going down right now with flooring materials and storage.

Most folks don’t have the scratch to unload thousands for a stainless rollaway and complete makeover with their favorite floor covering, but with 30 percent off until 3.31.10 you’ve got some time to make a play for one or the other. In my case I’d opt for some Rhino-Tec Multi-Purpose PVC tiles to make my shop a little more comfy, but, alas, the money gods are not with me at the moment.

30 Percent off on Flooring & Storage [Sears]
Rhino-Tec Multi-Purpose PVC tiles [Sears]

Gizmodo reports that CRKT® has a new tool for getting out of your car in emergencies. The ExiTool™ combines a seatbelt cutter, a window breaker, and an LED flashlight in one unit that clips onto any standard seatbelt. It’s like a ResQMe (see TM 9/29/07 and 9/28/08) with an LED, but may be more convenient because it’s right there on the seatbelt.

This tool’s seatbelt cutter is designed so that “it’s virtually impossible for even the smallest fingers to accidentally reach the blade,” which is razor-sharp high-carbon stainless steel able to cut seatbelts with a quick pull. The tungsten carbide breaker point is designed to shatter tempered glass side windows, and the LED is powered by a single CR2032 lithium battery.

The ExiTool™ is expected to retail for $26.99, and will be “Coming Soon in 2010.”

What do you think? Would you pick one up for each of your vehicles?

ExiTool™ [Manufacturer's Site]

When I first ran across the Stanley-Bostitch clamping level in Popular Science, I didn’t think much about it because it was pictured just sitting on a surface. Later I came across a picture of the level hanging off the bottom of a 2×4 and thought, “Hey, now that’s pretty cool!”  It’s funny how much difference the choice of picture influences our perceptions of a product.

From the composite picture above you can tell that the clamping mechanism works two different ways.  When clamping the level to 2x stock the whole clamping mechanism bites into the wood, while on wider stock smaller, yellow legs pop out of the level to hold onto the wood. Stanley-Bostitch doesn’t come right out and say it, but the clamps are probably spring-loaded. The take-away is that by clamping this level to the piece you are trying to position, your hands are free to maneuver it.

The center vial is magnified so you can see it easier and is bridged so you can use the level as a continuous straight-edge. The bubble vials are accurate to 0.00005in/in and Stanley-Bostitch even makes one of the vials rotate so you can duplicate angles other than the common plumb, level, and 45° found on other levels.

Clamping Box Beam Level [Stanley-Bostitch]

While it’s not the elusive laser-guided screwdriver or hammer, the Victorinox Presentation Master does have a laser pointer, and 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of USB flash drive storage, and a Bluetooth® remote control, not to mention a blade, nail file with screwdriver, scissors, and key ring. For those of you trying to get through airport security, Victorinox also makes a bladeless version, the Presentation Master Flight.

These are supposed to be available in April 2010, but several online sites already have pricing starting around $113 and rapidly getting north of $200. If you can live without Bluetooth® — or prefer a retractable ball point pen! — there’s an earlier 4GB version that you can pick up for a mere $55 or so.

These might make nice executive gifts, but I don’t see your typical Toolmonger rushing out to buy one. I could be wrong. Let us know in comments.

Presentation Masters [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

As I was pulling some stuff out of the dryer, I noticed the clothes were actually dry.  When it was new, it sometimes took several full cycles to fully dry a load of clothes, but half a year later the clothes are dry before the cycle is over.  I started wondering, if a machine like my dryer has a break in-period, then what about my power tools?

How does the performance of a power tool change over time?  Is it a steady decline as soon as you un-box it, or does it start to operate more efficiently as you use it — until parts start to wear out?  It’s probably not as simple as that because there are many competing processes; the blades in machines like table and miter saws start dulling right away, decreasing performance, but the motor may increase in performance after a break-in period. Further complicating matters, as you use the tool you become more comfortable with its operation, which also may make it seem more efficient.

There are many mechanisms by which a tool could get better as it’s used more. For instance if you have a power tool with a brush motor it can take a while before the brushes wear enough to seat properly.  Rough edges soften, plastic and rubber grips start to conform to your hand over time, and new stiff mechanisms get smoother over time, hopefully without becoming sloppy.

Have you ever noticed whether your tools seem to work better as they age?  Do you go through any break-in rituals with new power tools?  Let us know in comments.

Who can clean your house up with a smile? Henry and Hetty (Henriette) vacuum cleaners from Numatec. Never seen the likes of these two before? They need 240V to work, so unless you live in Europe or a similar-powered country, you’re stuck with faceless vacuum cleaners.

Both Henry and Hetty come with a two stage motor. They start in the economy setting and when you need more power you push the red switch for hi power mode. A “Triflex” filter and a “Hepaflow” dust bag filter and collect the dirt. What’s really neat is they have a built-in hand-cranked reel to store the 10-meter cord rather wrapping up the cord or using a spring recoil mechanism prone to breakage.

Pricing for either vacuum starts at $120. The base models come with standard accessories like hose, tubes, and nozzles. As they get more expensive you get turbo brushes and Microtex (Allergen) filtration. If you don’t like Henry or Hetty, you could always check out James, Charles, or George.

Henry [Numatic]
Hetty [Numatec]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. In part two, I discussed the manufacturing process. In part three, I explained what all this means to you as a tool consumer. Read on for the conclusion: Just how the hell DO you select a tool?

A few suggestions:

1. Draw on recent experience.

Do you, or has someone you know owned the tool in question within the last 12-24 months? If so, that experience can prove incredibly valuable in making your decision. There’s almost no better way to determine whether something’s a piece of crap than talking to someone you trust. Just be ready to nod knowingly (and ignore them) if they start spewing any of the rumormongering junk above. Instead, ask important questions like: Did it fail? If so, how? How have these tools failed for you in the past?

2. Do your research.

Sources online (like Toolmonger, for example, but others as well) offer lots of details about tools including detailed specifications and descriptions of innovations (if any). If you can’t find clear information about a given feature, you’re completely right to wonder if that feature makes any damn difference. Pay close attention to features centered around reliability.

3. Don’t forget to balance price and quality.

There’s nothing wrong with owning some cheap (and even crappy) tools. My Dad used to keep a drawer of “s#Itty screwdrivers” that were fair game for use as pry bars, paint stirs, and chisels. I keep a bag full of junk hand tools for use at the junk yard — chosen carefully after some dickhead made off with $400 of more expensive stuff while I was waist-deep under a hood looking for an alternator. And when my $0.80 wrench breaks, I’m not gonna bother returning it. I’m gonna pitch it and buy another.

There’s also nothing wrong with spending for the best. In fact, if you’re a pro who depends on using the tool every day to make a living, you’re far better off spending to get both a quality tool and a simple replacement policy that’ll keep you on the job (and in the cash). Again, just make sure that that’s what you’re really getting.

And finally, realize that there’s lots of room for discussion here. We can argue for years about what makes the best tools great — and the worst crap. But please don’t buy into the “Made in…” label. If you can’t tell quality from it and it doesn’t assuredly indicate you’re supporting the country financially, what does it mean?

What do you think? Let us know in comments.

The Fine WoodWorking blog reports that Boston’s WGBH will be producing a new PBS woodworking show featuring Thomas J. MacDonald (a.k.a. T. Chisel from his series of web videos). Maybe we’ll have someone to fill the void created when Norm retired from TV?

Thomas, who has previously been in Bob Vila’s Home Again show on Modern Colonial (the video can be accessed here), intends to focus the new show on furniture making using both hand-tool and power-tool techniques, but also include newer technologies like CNC. Filming will mainly be done at his shop in Canton, MA. His 207 Woodworking site has several video podcasts for projects ranging from a step stool to a bombe secretary.

The Federal Breakfront shown above is one example of his craftsmanship. More details are available on his personal website.

207 Woodworking [Thomas J. MacDonald]

TM has covered stubby* drivers before (e.g., 2/10/07, 7/10/09, and 7/14/09), and their usefulness when just nothing else will fit. Now Wiha has five new stubby 6-In-1 bit sets. The bits are stored in the “Ergo Soft Grip” handle and the overall length, with a bit inserted in the ¼” SS holder, is just 2.5″. Bit sets include Torx model 38045 (T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, and T30), security Torx model 38047 (same sizes), ball hex model 38056 (1/8″, 9/64″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 7/32″, and 1/4″), slotted/Phillips/square model 38048 (4.5, 6.5, P#1, P#2, square #1, and square #2), and, pictured above, slotted/Phillips/pozi model 38043 (4.5, 6.5, P#1, P#2, pozi #1, and pozi #2).

Depending on the type of bits, street pricing runs from a little under $15 to around $25.

What’s your take on these versions? Do you prefer these changeable-bit types, or would you rather have fixed-bit drivers?

Stubby 6-in-1 Multi-Bit Driver Sets [Manufacturer's Site]
Wiha 38043 Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Wiha 38056 Via Amazon [What’s This?]

*I must have some major brain-finger disconnect when it coming to typing “stubby” as I am constantly typing “stuffy” instead.

Your latest large shop purchase came in a crate secured with steel straps. Swearing, you go look for some snips that are hard enough to actually cut the straps. Sure they can be tough to remove, but that’s the point. Now you find yourself wondering how they put the straps on in the first place.

Generally you need two tools to apply steel strapping: a tensioner and a sealer. You use the tensioner to take up the tension and hold the strapping while you use the sealer to crimp the seal in place. Of course if you ship a large volume of similar products, you could always buy a dedicated machine such as the large coil strapping machine pictured above.

The tensioners usually work on a range of strapping thicknesses and widths, while the sealers are dedicated to a single width of strapping but still work with a range of thicknesses. Depending on the application, you can use a single or double-notch strapping sealer. Double notch sealers require more force so they usually have longer handles.

If you want to get started strapping on a shoestring budget you can pick up a set of 3/4″ strapping tools at Amazon for around $200 shipped.

Strapping Hand Tools [Quality Strapping Systems]
Power Strapping Machines [Signode]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

In part one of this editorial, I discussed the international nature of large tool companies, and I laid out my basic opinion: that the “Made in…” stamp doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tool’s quality. In part two, I discussed the manufacturing process. Read on as I endeavor to explain what all this means to you as a tool consumer.

If you’re thoroughly confused by now, you’re not alone. This is why I contend that a “made in…” label simply doesn’t provide enough information to offer any indication of tool quality.

And I’ll go ahead and address something else we hear a lot of on Toolmonger, too. You also can’t realistically guess quality based on any of the following, either:

“I heard this company owns that company…”

First of all, this is likely total hearsay. You wouldn’t believe the bogus goings-round we’ve heard along these lines — even from friends in the know. Yes, some tool companies own multiple brands. They often trade these brands around like playing cards in a game of go fish. But here’s the real skinny: Regardless of who owns whom, it’s common for tool manufactures to apply entirely different manufacturing processes to each tool line — regardless of what name they stamp on it or the color of the housing. Consider each tool individually, regardless of brand.

“My dad had a whatsit from that company 30 years ago and it was great!”

And guess what? The manufacturing process they used 30 years ago probably has as much to do with the current manufacturing process as I do with Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno. The brand may even have changed hands (possibly more than once) during those intervening decades, for better or worse. Again, you’re not buying a 30-year-old product. You’re buying current offerings, so research accordingly.

“It’s made in the same plant with [insert expensive tool here].”

If it’s made by a wholly different process, does the roof it’s under make any difference at all? (Hint: No.) Of course, this gets even more complex when, say, the only difference between one brand and the other is a few skipped QC steps. In that case, you might get a tool that’s every bit as good as its more expensive equivalent. Or you might get the one with flawed casting that the high-buck QC would’ve rejected. You’re rolling the dice. Even worse, you’ll probably never really know what the difference is — they’ll just look identical, which will spur lots and lots of “they’re really just re-branded with a bigger price tag!” rumors.

“So-and-so manufacturer makes those for [insert pricey/popular brand here].”

This may be true. Manufacturers often make such deals, leading to all sorts of tailgate rumors. (My favorites, by the way, revolve around the companies that build hand tools for Craftsman. Danaher is the most commonly mentioned candidate, and Danaher produces tools under a number of brands including Allen, Armstrong, GearWrench, K-D, and Matco. So there’s no difference between a Matco, Armstrong, or Craftsman wrench, right? Wrong! Seriously, folks.)

To be continued! Check back tomorrow for part four in this editorial where we make some recommendations as to how you can actually select tools.

The Adafruit Industries blog reports that Popular Science has partnered with Google to put their entire 137-year archive online for free browsing. The example shown above is the March 1933 issue. Peeking inside you’ll find such neat things as ads for the $495 Plymouth Six and the Pontiac 77-horsepower straight eight, plus articles on “Gold Mining taught with Models” and, the cover story, “Seagull Boat Skims Water at Seventy Miles an Hour.”

I could spend hours here reliving one of the fondest memories of my childhood: when my parents would visit one of their friends who had a huge collection of Popular Science magazines, I would tag along and happily wile away the hours perusing old issues until I fell asleep.

Search the PopSci Archives [Popular Science]
Popular Science March 1933 [Google Books]

The 10″ Micro Kerf Blade is a carbide-tipped, 40-tooth blade meant for both rips and crosscuts. Total Saw Solutions claims the saw kerf is half that of a standard thin-kerf blade, as thin as the width of a dime. This is one finely machined blade — the plate is precision ground and tensioned so that runout is less that 1/2 the thickness of a human hair.

One of the many advantages of the narrower kerf is that it produces less waste and sawdust while leaving a smooth finish. The blade also runs quieter and uses less energy. There are always downsides: you can’t make as deep of a cut as a regular 10″ blade because of the stiffening plate, the thinner blade is easier to bend, and even though it can be sharpened 10 to 15 times, it’s too fragile to take it to your local shop to be sharpened.

Not only does Total Saw Solutions manufacture this blade in the USA, all materials including the steel for the blade and the packaging are purchased in the USA. The Micro Kerf Blade doesn’t come cheap; it’ll run you $175 at Rockler. Having the blade resharpened and “hammered flat” costs $20.

Micro Kerf Blade [Total Saw Solutions]
Micro Kerf Blade [Rockler]