Looking at a printed circuit board (PCB), ever wonder how they bend every one of those resistor leads perfectly every time? Depending on how many PCB’s are in a production run, you’d use different tools.  For a run of one or two boards, you could always try a pair of pliers and a keen eye, or you could use a plastic lead former. If you’re running a ton of boards at once, a better solution would be a lead forming machine from a company like PEI.

Slots for radial lead resistors run along the length of the high impact ABS plastic former. Each slot is .05″ longer than the next and has radiused edges to make perfect bends without stressing the leads. It can be used to bend the leads of 1/2 watt resistors, 1/4 watt resistors, and diodes.

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Want to get the kids involved in handiwork but not ready to hand over your power drill to a first-grader? Arizona Tools offers a cool gift idea for kids aged around 6-10: Allied’s Junior Cruiser Assortment Tool Set. Aside from giving them a chance to spend time with Dad or Mom or Grandpa Joe, it goes a long way toward developing dexterity and a sense of independence (read: when they’re thirty they won’t still be calling you to help them put air in a tire).

The kit is made with heat-treated, likely inexpensive materials (the whole set retails for under $30) including a flashlight (batteries not included), tire gauge, Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, 18 hex keys (SAE/Metric with holders), a 10′ tape measure, 6″ slip joint pliers, a 1/4″ spinner handle, and 20 1/4″ drive sockets of various SAE and metric sizes. Customer reviews at Arizona Tools are positive, though many folks wish that it included a hammer. Then again, when you’re eight, everything’s a hammer.

Allied Junior Cruiser Assortment Tool Set [Arizona Tools]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Allied Junior Tool Sets Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Right now Total Tool and Home has the Dremel 220-01 Workstation for $33.39.

Basically an updated version of Dremel’s old drill press stand for the Dremel rotary tool, the workstation allows regular drill press use of the Dremel as well as positioning it up to 90 degrees for angled drilling (in our opinion it’s always better to angle the work not the head) and for holding the Dremel for controlled work while holding the workpiece with both hands. It also will hold the flexible shaft attachment, and telescopes up to 29″ for hanging the Dremel out of the way. Of course, a dedicated drill press is always a better solution, but if space and budget are a factor this may be what you need.

It’s worth noting that Amazon has it for $39.63 with super saver shipping, so that may be a better deal.

Dremel 220-01 Workstation [totaltoolandhome.com]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Ever since we launched Toolmonger and started letting hundreds of thousands of other tool folks in on our tool-related conversations, we’ve tried to excise our habits of calling all tools by one manufacturer’s brand name. Just like people down here in the South call all soft drinks “a Coke” (No, really. We do), we used to call all circ saws Skilsaws, all portable band saws Porta-Bands, and all adjustable wrenches Crescent wrenches.

So you’ll have to forgive me when I think of every small, elongated, cordless vacuum as a Dustbuster. They’re not — especially when they’re completely different, like this model from Makita. This one’s clearly designed as a floor sweeper, kind of like the cheap-o model I have at home for sucking up stray cat litter in the utility room or peppercorns in the kitchen. But more importantly, it’s powered by Makita’s 10.8V tool batteries.

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I always heard this saying applied to your melon when talking about, say, riding a motorcycle. In this case, it’s something almost as important: your ears. You can pick up a pack of 200 Howard Leight LL1 Laser Lite cordless earplugs at Amazon for $20. Made of expandable foam and resembling stylish red-and-yellow rocket ships (hey, it’s cool), it’s worth 20 cents a pair for long-term hearing protection.

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(TV Tonight, Thursday, October 22nd, 2009) We get a bonanza of new episodes tonight, with a new Ultimate Factories tour of the Porsche plant and the making of the 911, then a new American Chopper builds a bike for the Saginaw Chippewa. At the same time a new episode of How Do They Do It? looks at some luxury items.

All times are central

• Junkyard Wars: Portable Bridge (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Low Voltage Landscape Lighting, Replacing Old Faucet (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Unplugged (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Pilot Pen Bike and Ducati Bike (TLC, 6:00 pm)
• Junkyard Wars: Heavy Artillery (Science, 6:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Chesapeake Energy Bike (TLC, 7:00 pm)
• Ultimate Factories: Porsche (National Geographic, 7:00 pm) NEW
• Some Assembly Required: Distilling whiskey, making a cat’s-eye marble, trying to build an unsinkable boat (Science, 7:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Theme Bike (TLC, 8:00 pm) NEW
• How Do They Do It?: Aquarium, Sapphire, Bentleys (Science, 8:00 pm) NEW
• How Do They Do It?: Heat, Champagne, Port Expansion (Science, 8:30 pm)

Halloween is just days from Thanksgiving, which means we’re actually starting to see some Christmas goods hitting shelves around these parts. And you know what that means: It’s time to start digging for the boxes of house lights in the storage unit — and time for us to start thinking about our holiday gift guides.

Obviously we have some favorites that we hope will end up in socks and boxes this year. It’s been a great year for tools in many ways! But before we start the list, we’d like to know what you want to find under the tree in a few months. Let us know in comments if you will, as long as you don’t mind us maybe borrowing your favorite want this year to add to our own, both personally and professionally.

(Thanks, Hendrick’s Photos, for the great CC-licensed photo. And we hope Dennis liked his toolbox and other tools.)

Know what else the holidays entail? Checking out all the new gimmicky tools that magically arrive just in time to become gifts. Kidding aside, not all “stocking-stuffer-esque” tools are junk. Each year we come across a few that’ll serve a useful purpose all year long — and a few that’ll end up in the trash by Valentine’s Day.

So which bin does B&D’s new ReadyWrench fall in? First, let’s take a look at the basics.

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DeWalt says their new 6-3/4″ metal-cutting circular saw can plow through up to 2″ conduit and pipe in a single pass. A stainless-steel shoe prevents rust and helps smoothly push chips away to keep them from tearing up your cutting surface, too. But is DeWalt’s 18V battery line enough to keep it running all day?

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TM had a preview of the Milwaukee SwitchBlade Selfeed bits on 7/9/2008. Tools of the Trade recently published a test of these replaceable-blade self-feeding bits by John Mytle, an owner of a plumbing and heating business. He concluded that “Milwaukee has come up with a welcome revolution in quicker and easier maintenance of these expensive bits.” As an online bonus, John also gives a short tutorial on his method of sharpening self-feeding drill bits.

Milwaukee SwitchBlade Selfeed bits [Manufacturer's Site]
First Test: Milwaukee SwitchBlade Bits [Tools of the Trade]
Milwaukee 1-½” SwitchBlade Selfeed Bit Via Amazon [What’s This?]

What’s a modern mini-Li-Ion cordless tool kit without a flashlight to let those awesome little batteries go to work brightening up the dark spots? Nothing, that’s what. So we’re glad that Craftsman’s NEXTEC set includes one. But rather than heading down the single-bright-LED path, Craftsman hung a left, opting instead for 24 (!) individual light sources.

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The environment seems to be the latest flag to rally around, so it should come as no surprise when companies tout that their product “saves the environment.” Why should Prazi be any different? They waste over half their copy on how their product is “Green.”  Cut through the bullsh@t and here’s what’s left.

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Ideal True Value has the Jorgensen Model 8048 Cabinet Master 48″ Steel Bar Clamp for $20.02 ($29.01 w/ shipping)

The Cabinet Master is definitely a deluxe bar clamp, with a maple handle, wide clamping faces, and a 1000 lb. rating. The clamp is designed to sit upright and has plastic-lined jaws to reduce marring. The jaw adjusts quickly and requires little turning to clamp firmly.

Jorgensen Model 8048 Cabinet Master 48″ Steel Bar Clamp [idealtruevalue.com]

(TV Tonight, Wednesday, October 21st, 2009) Tonight has a new Mythbusters that looks at whether a dirty car gets better fuel mileage. Hmmm…if that’s so then we’re definitely doing our part to save gas.

All times are central

• Ask This Old House: Water Softening System, Fiber-Cement Shingles (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Get a Grip (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Exploding Water Heater (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Duct Tape Hour (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Dirty vs. Clean Car (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Time Warp: Blue Men, Propellers, Big Bangs and Viewer Requests (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW

Putting up Halloween decorations today reminded me it won’t be long before I’ll be struggling with hanging the Christmas lights. I’m always looking for a better way to hang lights, and I think these stainless-steel loop hooks from Lee Valley look promising — a lot more promising than plastic gutter S-hooks that can pinch your cold fingers.

Think of an eye hook — now bend the tag end perpendicularly away from the shaft and squish the loop so the tag end overlaps the loop. The hook that’s left completely captures the wire, yet you can easily remove the it without backing the entire string through the eye. The loop hook can accommodate wires up to 5/16″ in diameter.

A package of 20 loop hooks will run you $13 before shipping.

Loop Hooks [Lee Valley]

Want to fasten your fall climbing plants or keep your indoor herb garden from exploding outward like a Tina Turner wig? Soft Ties are simply aluminum wire core covered in soft rubber, which means it can easily be cut with scissors. You can use them for supporting climbing plants or anywhere wire or nylon ties might cause damage.

AeroGarden sells the Soft Tie wire in a 25-foot spool for about $13. When the growing season is over you can save the ties and reuse them for many years.

Soft Tie [AeroGarden]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Once you’ve sourced an M90, the next step is rebuilding it. For better or worse, most of the motors paired with the M90 were fantastically durable, which means high miles on the blower. At the very least, the snout should be rebuilt. While there are different lengths available depending on the original application, they all use the same seals, bearings, and coupler, which are the snout parts that should be replaced. I’ll frequently reference the photo above, which comes from an ongoing project by user NVA-AV6 at V6Performance.net, and there’s a high-resolution version for easier viewing.

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