Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 3 ($50-$100)

Our first two installments, which covered the price range of $1 to $50 are essentially for those who have forgotten all those little things that dad's done over the years. Think of all the times he drove down to the police station at 4am to bail you out. That kind of parental dedication deserves more than a $10 gift, doesn’t it?

Black & Decker Grasshog – This is a great little battery powered string trimmer. It’s not gas, so you don’t have to deal with starting it and it’s not electric so you don’t have to maneuver a 100’ extension cord with you all day. So far, it’s been getting really good reviews. $99.00 at Amazon.com

Wagner Paint Eater – If pops has plans of painting the house this summer, you’d do well to get him the PaintEater. He’ll like it so much he might not even notice the fact that you’re not helping him. $74.99 at Amazon.com

Hitachi 3.6 Volt Li-Ion Cordless Screwdriver – This is great for both around the house use and more heavy-duty stuff in the workshop. As an added bonus, it looks sort of like a power tool version of Spiderman. Maybe dad likes comic books too? $79.97 at Amazon.com

Stabila 48” and 16” Level Set – There aren’t any better levels out there. Accurate and guaranteed for life, Stabila’s are the preferred levels for every great carpenter we’ve ever met. Sure they’re pretty expensive, but boy, oh boy are they worth it. $75.95 at Amazon.com

DeWalt 4-1/2” Angle Grinder Kit – We’re always surprised at how few people have caught on to the fact of how useful grinders are. We use ours almost everyday for everything from rough work to finish work. It handles both wood and metal and your dad needs one. $59.00 at Amazon.com

Black & Decker Portable Project Workmate – It’s always nice to have a portable table for setting up wherever is convenient. There’s no question that this will get used a lot. $59.00 at Amazon.com

Fiskar’s Telescoping Pruning Stik – Fiskars makes great garden tools and this pruning stick is no exception. With a 13’ extension and a rotating head, dad will be able to trim some pretty high branches and finally get your kite out of the tree. $89.99 at Amazon.com

Construction Master Pro Advanced Math Calculator – Does dad like tools but suck at math? This calculator is useful for helping with stair layout, volume calculations, and roof layout as well as a ton of other things. It can help speed along the excruciating process of 'figurin." $61.04 at Amazon.com

Porter Cable 18 Gauge Brad Nailer – Since this is the one that we mostly use, we can attest that this is a really great brad gun. Perfect for finish work and other fussy little projects. It’s a great addition to any home workshop. $96.79 at Amazon.com

Ridgid Shop Vac – We really like this shop vac. It’s got an easy filter change, a 16 gallon capacity, wet and dry capabilities, and it hooks up directly to a lot of power tools. It also can be used as a blower and it comes with a bunch of good attachments. $99.97 at Home Depot

Aligator Lopper – This tool looks pretty strange. It’s sort of a lopper/chainsaw hybrid for light tree work around the house. It’s loaded with safety features, so you don’t have to sit inside cringing every time you hear dad fire up the chainsaw. $99.00 At Amazon.com

Read part one ($1-$20), part two ($20-$50), part four ($100-$150), and part five ($150+)

June 6, 2007

Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Tool Snob – Part 3 ($50-$100)