Our friend Rick wrote to us about a problem he was having with his PS40-2. It seems he found out what happens when you use a straight bit in a quick change chuck.

I’ve got a little bit of a dilemma. So I had let my brother-in-law borrow my Bosch PS40-2 (The Impactor) When I gave it to him I only gave him the bit so he could use it with a 3/8″ socket set for his brakes.

Anyway - today I was over at my in-laws and he still had it and I needed to screw some sheetrock screws into some plywood and figured I’d use my handy dandy PS40-2. Problem was I didn’t have any quick change Phillips bits. So I used a regular bit (half inch tall one, or 3/4″ or whatever the normal ones are). I screwed in a few screws and everything worked great - I even pulled it out once or twice. Well at some point between the 4th and 8th screw, it seemed to sink into the quick change chuck a little more than it had been - and when I was done I could no longer get the bit out. I’ve tried everything - but there’s barely anywhere to get some purchase to grab it. I’ve gotten a good hold on it with a needle nose pliers and still no dice. The Quick Change chuck only comes up a little - but it doesn’t pull up all the way to completely disengage.

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This is the last chance to enter the Paslode giveaway, so don’t forget to enter if you already haven’t — and remember that you can add to your chances by entering a comment on this or any of the other Paslode giveaway posts again.

Paslode was kind enough to offer up a set of cordless tools for us to give away to one of our loyal readers. Next month we’ll select a winner from all of you who post valid comments on any of the Paslode giveaway posts (like this one).

Sure, you already post your thoughts here — and you deserve a hearty “thank you” from me and the rest of the Toolmonger community — but now when you post a comment, you’re not only sharing your experience with other Toolmongers around the world; you’re also adding a chance to win!  That’s good all ’round, yeah?

Paslode Cordless Giveaway Rules [Toolmonger]

FastCap’s Joist Clip holds joist hangers in place, leaving your hands free to secure the hanger and out of the way of the hammer or nail gun. Even if you don’t have the joists in place yet, you can use the clip with a stub piece to help correctly align the hangers on the header.

Designed to work with hangers for standard 2x dimensional lumber, the Joist Clip slides over the joist hanger and squeezes against the joist, keeping the hanger in place.

FastCap claims there’ll soon be other sizes available for larger joist hangers, but for now you can purchase this set of two joist clips for $10 from Amazon.

Joist Clip [FastCap]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

As the military is always at the forefront of weapons development, it comes as no surprise that an inventive soldier has taken on the task of producing a six round, 152mm/40 caliber prototype hand gun. Seen here in its proto-mockup phase with its creator Jeffrey Immer, it may seem a little unwieldy. However, we’re positive it will strike fear into the hearts of anyone who stands before it.

Kidding aside, this looks awesome! We love that he took the time to color the checks in the grip and make a 3D cylinder. Hats off to you Jeffrey and try and stay cool in the shop, if that’s even possible over there.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]

The Gilmour Traveling Sprinkler is a cast iron, green-and-yellow model of the classic John Deere tractor. It follows the path you lay out with the water hose, covering up to 13,500 sq. ft. of lawn, and the manufacturer says its adjustable spray arms water at a diameter ranging from 15 to 55 ft. Gilmour also says the 2-speed traveler will follow up to 200 feet of hose before the sprinkler’s shutoff ramp automatically stops it and turns off the water.

User reviews at Amazon and at DrillSpot are a toss-up between one-star (hate it) and five-star (love it). Some folks say the sprinkler works especially well for odd-shaped yards and that kids get a kick out of it. Others complain that the gears strip themselves and the plastic internal parts fall apart right away. Are the Deere design and the cool factor of a self-propelling sprinkler enough to part with $70 - 100? Let us know in comments.

Traveling Sprinkler [Gilmour]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

Hermans Central has the Stanley 42-287 Aluminum line level for $1.00.

It mounts on a line stretched between two points to determine level. It slides back and forth to each end. It has a flat base for stand alone use — just a dead simple tool for next to nothing.

Stanley 42-287 Aluminum Line Level [hermanscentral.com]

(TV Tonight, Wednesday, July 1st, 2009) Discovery is running a Pitchmen marathon tonight in memory of Billy Mays so no Mythbusters or Time Warp for you tonight.

All times are central

• Cool Tools: Change of Season (DIY, 5:00 pm)
• This Old House: New Orleans Project (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Extension Cords, Pop-Up Drains (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Ice Road Truckers: Accident Alley (History, 9:00 pm)
• Wrecked: Hogs (Speed, 9:00 pm)
• Wrecked: Slaying the Dragon (Speed, 9:30 pm)

Mechanized square dancing: when I picture it in my head there’s the kind of image that I can’t scrub out later. So that we’re all running on the same level here, check out the video of just such an event.

Let’s be clear — I’m not judging my Southern brethren. It took a long time to learn the “steps” of the tractor dance. In fact, the whole two-minute dance was very well timed and everyone watching seemed to enjoy it. However, I think it might fall in the “don’t tell anyone you go to tractor square dancing parties” category.

Best Ever,Tractor Square Dance [YouTube]

This anonymous British text from the 1860s was designed as “an instructive text on the importance, dignity, and techniques of labor.” It details the work of over thirty trades including millers, sugar refiners, and shoemakers, with over 700 illustrations — many of tools of the time period. If you’re into antique tools or the history of hand craftsmanship, this book is an inexpensive (street pricing runs around $11) and interesting guide to the kind of work your great-great-grandfather might have done.

Book of Old-Time Trades and Tools [Dover Publications]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Street Pricing [Google]

To borrow a phrase from Dirty Harry, “Do I feel lucky?” While a caulk gun can’t do as much damage as a .44 Magnum, you might think so after hearing a homeowner scream as you leave gobs of caulk on the new carpet. With the FastCap Caulked N’ Ready holster you’ll always have your caulk gun at the ready and won’t depend on luck to contain the mess.

Made in the USA from high-impact plastic, the Caulked N’ Ready measures 17″ long and has an inside diameter of 2-3/8″. When you slide the caulk gun into the holster a spike enters the tube tip, plugging it closed. A reservoir around the spike holds the excess caulk that inevitably seeps out of the tip, keeping it off hard-to-clean surfaces.

Cutouts in the top of the holster capture the caulk gun trigger so the gun won’t spin around, and a 6″ adjustable wire clip allows you to hang the holder from your pants, belt, five-gallon bucket, workbench, ladder, or wherever else you decide to dangle it.

Right now the only place we can find the Caulked N’ Ready holster online is McFeely’s for $12.

Caulked N’ Ready [FastCap]
Caulked N’ Ready [McFeely's]

DeWalt has recalled about 9,000 framing nailers because “the bump action trigger…could have been incorrectly asssembled during production, which would allow the nailer to eject a fastener unexpendedly or cause the trigger lock-off not to function” says the Consumer Product Saftey Commission. The affected nailers are models D51825 and D51850, pictured above.

Thankfully the CSPC has seen no injury reports so far, but if you own one of the nailers they ask that you immediately stop using it and contact DeWalt at 877-437-7181 (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) for instructions on receiving a free replacement bump action trigger.

DeWalt Recalls Framing Nailers Due To Serious Injury Hazard [CSPC]

Sword Demon is an interesting place to browse around. They have a wide array of tactical knives and folders but they also deal in blades that are a little less practical. From movie replica blades to Barbarian battle maces, Sword Demon can get you what you’re looking for.

The fantasy blades are just for show, of course. It’s strictly a high-end street market or carnival type of affair, but that can be fun too. Most of the blades you’ll find here are more for fun than anything else, but the less-exotic offerings like the M-Tech Folding Knife Pakkawood for $7 or the Sword Demon brand 2 Piece hunting knife set for $20 can be good practical purchases.

Into the whole holiday knife-buying spirit? Here’s a Fourth of July 7” folder for $7. If you watch the “Knife Show” on cable it’s very similar, just in website form.

Sword Demon [Website]
Stiletto American Flag Folding Knife [Sword Demon]

Do we really need more stuff in our pockets?  We already have keys, cell phones, knives, multi-tools, wallets, change, and even Pocket Chisels.  So now FastCap recently introduced yet another tool we can stuff into our bulging pants: a pocket diamond sharpener.  This double-sided 300 and 600 grit diamond sharpener sports the same folding handle FastCap uses on their pocket chisels.

Even if you don’t have room in your pocket, the folding handles do serve another purpose. They fold over the diamond stone on heavy-duty stainless steel pins to protect it from unintentional wear or, possibly, to protect everything else in your pants, pouch, or toolbox from the diamond stone.

Fastcap makes the Pocket Diamond Sharpener in the USA and claims it’ll last a lifetime. It’ll run you about $25, or you can buy it with a set of four pocket chisels for about $80.

Pocket Diamond Sharpener [FastCap]
Street Pricing [Google]
Sharpener only Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Pocket set Via Amazon [What’s This?]

The industry standard for knockout punches, Greenlee screw- or hydraulic-actuated two-piece piloted dies are designed to make holes in sheet metal for conduit and instruments. But what about for the weekend warrior or the guy starting out in the trade? Harbor Freight has a set of four for only $15.99, about a tenth of the price of a set of Greenlee punches. You can of course find used Greenlee brand punches for much less, if you’re lucky.

The real question is whether the Harbor Freight set works well enough, actually makes clean holes, and can survive more than one or two uses. So we ask, Hot or Not?

(TV Tonight, Tuesday, June 30th, 2009) Nothing exciting nor new tonight.

All times are central

• Cool Tools: Classic Update (DIY, 5:00 pm)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• This Old House: New Orleans Project (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Clogged Drains, Installing Kitchen Cabinets (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Roman Scorpion (Military, 8:00 pm)
• Cool Tools: Transformers (DIY, 9:00 pm)
• Drag Race High: Fathers & Sons (Speed, 9:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Windows (DIY, 9:30 pm)
• Drag Race High: A Day at the Office (Speed, 9:30 pm)
• Jesse James Is a Dead Man: Figure 8 World Championships (Spike, 10:00 pm)

I love watching New Yankee Workshop. It’s one of my favorite shows that I pull off the Tivo every weekend. I don’t think I’ve ever had the burning urge to put together a Norm Abrams Jigsaw puzzle before, but apparently now you can.

A limited run of signature series 357 piece 12” x 18” jigsaw puzzles depicting the bearded, flannel-wearing craftsman are available through the New Yankee Workshop site for $20 plus shipping.

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Chuck has this great picture of a set of small ornaments a friend of his made with a forge and 3 lb. hammer. Reader Whiteforge posted this little key chain lying across a similar hammer that, I’m guessing, came to life in much the same way.

It’s always amazing to me that such small, rather delicate-looking objects can be made with brute force and three pounds of steel hitting it repeatedly. I would most likely lose patience and make an ashtray out of everything, like I did when I was a kid and had to work with clay.

Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]