December 30, 2008
Twist N Seal Caulk Saver Plug
It's happened to everyone; you get a new tube of caulk or PL, you use just a little bit of it, then a week later when you try to use it again, the tube is soft but the nozzle is rock hard. We've tried all the same lame solutions that you have, the nail down the end, the blue tape wrapped around the end, and all of the other half-assed attempts at preserving the tube.
A company with the odd name of Ultra Mold Technologies has a new product that is a one size fits all version of the caulk tube cap. The way it works is that instead of capping the nozzle from the outside, it's a threaded, tapered plug that can fit inside any tube opening between 1/8" to 7/16". This not only works for caulk tubes but for other things like cans of spray foam.
A package of five costs about $3, but if you buy more than one, the price drops.
Available online at CaulkSaverPlug and a number of traditional stores listed here.
December 29, 2008
Craftsman Mini Circular Saw
We stumbled across this while we were Christmas shopping at Sears. It looks like a better version of the disappointing Croc Saw minus all of the multi-material functionality that wasn't all that functional anyway. This one is essentially a three inch circular saw with an emphasis on the plunge cutting ability. The display model in the store that we played with seemed like it was easy to use and didn't have all of the blade guard issues that plagued the Croc Saw.
The customer reviews over at Sears are mostly all positive although one guy (Yakov) only gives it one star saying that the switch and the guard are difficult.
This little guy costs about $100 (the same price as the Croc Saw) and if it works it's definitely a fair price for this tool.
At Sears
December 23, 2008
Gator Sanding Sponge Holder - Review
We thought that Gator's Zip Sander (which we reviewed here) was a great little sanding accessory. Once we got over the fact that it looked like a bath toy, we found it to be a great solution to the age-old problem of holding a piece of sandpaper. The company that produces the Zip Sander has just come out with the Sanding Sponge Holder, another sanding helper. This time it's not sandpaper that they're helping us hold, it's the common sanding sponge.
We did some joint compound work with the tool and, like the Zip Sander, we loved it. It's got a good grip to it, it's comfortable, it fits all standard 3x5 sanding pads, and you don't have to worry about the wear on the hands that can come from working a sanding sponge all day. It's really a wonderful little accessory. We use the Zip Sander all the time and our best guess is that as time goes on, the same will hold true for this item. And why not, it's not like it takes anything away from the process. In fact, with the price where it is, there are absolutely no drawbacks to owning this little tool. It just, plain and simple, makes sanding easier.
The Sponge Holder costs about $6.50 (with one pad) or $10 (with four pads), so it falls in that, "even if it sucks, I've only spent less than $10 on it" category. That said, we're sure that you'll like it and use it. To us, it proves that inventive products don't need to cost a ton of money.
Sponge Holder with one sponge at Amazon
Sponge Holder with four sponges at Amazon
December 22, 2008
Power Outage '08 MVPs
As we've mentioned, we recently spent six days without power. Two of those days (the middle two) were spent elsewhere but we decided to return to the house to keep the wood stove going and to keep an eye on the pipes, hoping that we wouldn't have to go to any major preventative measures such as draining them or fussing with anti-freeze. During the course of the episode, we realized that there are a few items that came in really handy. And when we say, "really handy," what we mean is, "we couldn't have gotten by without them."
The items that achieved MVP status are as follows:
Continue reading: "Power Outage '08 MVPs"
December 19, 2008
Up and Running
Six days without power and eight without phone and cable. It's all over now and we're watching a new storm start up. This one promising 6-12 inches of snow. There's also another one due for Sunday (snow mixing with rain). Fantastic.
We're back up though and in the coming days we're going to have reviews of the Rockwell Jawhorse, the Arbortech Power Chisel and Mini-Grinder, a new little hand sander, the Craftsman AutoHammer, and plenty more. We'll also announce the winners of the Paslode contest. Thanks for bearing with us through our 'technical difficulties.'
December 15, 2008
Crushed by Ice
Last Thursday our town was pulverized by the ice storm that rolled through New England. The force of the storm came in two interlocking phases; first, the freezing rain covered everything in ice, and secondly, the wind worked over the heavy frozen branches causing them to snap like little tiny sticks. The destruction was impressive and the center of town looks like a tornado bounced through it. One of the many trees that fell managed to tear our power lines right off our house, which is why we've been under radio silence for the past few days. Not that we're complaining though, our neighbor's garage was practically sliced in two by a massive elm.
We kept the house going with a wood stove for the weekend, but finally realizing that we were doing little more than waste a whole lot of good wood, we moved our operation in with some relatives who have taken pity on our miserable state. Because our power was cut between the main line and the house, we're pretty low on the priority list as far as getting our power back goes.
We're not sure how much time we'll be able to spend on the site this week, but as soon as we can, we'll be back with daily updates (and a lot of articles on portable generators, flashlights, and hand-crank radios).
December 11, 2008
Houston, We Have Problem......
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Nails, But Were Afraid to Ask
Seriously, everything.
December 10, 2008
Dremel Videos
A little bit back, in our Oscillating Tool Roundup, we mentioned that Dremel had posted up some videos of their Multi-Max in action. As it turns out, they've got all sort of videos up at their site, not only of the Multi-Max, but of their other tools as well. It's a good selection of projects and if you're looking for some inspiration or you're curious about what a Dremel tool is capable of, they're worth checking out.
We're big fans of Dremel here and have reviewed a number of their tools:
Dremel 75th Anniversary Rotary Tool review is here.
Dremel Duo review is here.
Dremel Multi-Max review is here.
Check out the videos here.
Dremel tools at Amazon
December 9, 2008
Load Handler Universal Bed Liner Rake
Back when we used to have a truck, a constant frustration was keeping the bed liner clean. No matter what we did, the grooves would always be filled with rocks, grime, screws, and all other kinds of debris. Once or twice a year we would take the hose to it and blast the thing clean.
It appears that Load Handler has a product designed just for the kind of daily cleaning that we were looking for. The Universal Bed Liner Rake has three sides, each designed to fit within the grooves of a standard bed liner. Now you don't have to stress out when you fill the bed with a yard of crushed stone.
Our guess is that it works fine and that if you're the fastidious type, it might be a worthy way to spend the $10 that the tool costs.
At Load Handler
December 8, 2008
Skil Benchtop Tools Website is Live
Skil has just launched a micro-site for their new line of benchtop tools. We went down to N.C. earlier in the year for a sneak peek at the tools and can say that they're a solid selection set at a very attractive price point. We also liked that there was an added emphasis on safety, due to the fact that, because of the price, it's likely they would appeal to first-time users.
The website has tons of information on the tools (including videos) as well as a quick history of Skil, which is worth checking out.
Our thoughts on the benchtop tools in general are here, and we took a closer look at the belt sander here. This all reminds us that we haven't yet written anything about the other tools in the series (like we said we would).
Check out the website here.
The benchtop tools are available exclusively at Lowes
December 5, 2008
Final Cut II : Saw Blade Bugaloo
A while back, we reviewed the Final Cut saw blade, which is essentially a 10" blade with a piece of sandpaper adhered to it. Although we thought it was kind of a hokey idea, it worked as advertised.
After our testing, we noticed that the glue that holds the sandpaper to the blade gave out, causing the paper to get destroyed soon after. We updated our review accordingly. As it turns out, the fellows at Final Cut saw the review, already knew about the problem, and were actually in the process solving it. Soon after that, they sent us an updated version of the Final Cut and since then, we've been testing it out, giving it plenty of time to become un-adhered.
Well, we can now happily say that the problem has been solved and we have updated our review accordingly.
The review of the Final Cut Saw Blade is here.
December 4, 2008
Win a Paslode Angled Finish Nailer from Tool Snob (Or a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate)
We haven't given anything away in a while and with the holidays upon us we thought we'd get in the giving spirit and unleash a Paslode Finish Gun on one of you lucky readers. We reviewed the Paslode back in late May and at the time, we thought it was a powerful little gun. Since the review, we've used it a number of times and are happy to report that there have been no unsightly failings and it's become our 'go-to' finish nailer.
To win you've got to do two things. First, you have to be signed up to our newsletter. It's easy, just go here and follow the instructions. If you're already subscribed, then it's one less step you have to do. Secondly, you've got to leave a comment on any Tool Snob article. It doesn't matter to us which one. Could be this one, this one, or even this one. The contest deadline is Dec 14th and the winner will be decided in a random drawing.
Update:You can safely comment and add your email address in the comments section below. When you comment email address is required but never shown on the site. We are the only people who will know what your email address is and if you win we'll only send you one email. If you would prefer - sign up for our newsletter - it's a double opt-in and also SPAM free. Thanks for participating.
Just do those two simple things and you could be the winner of the Paslode Finish Gun.
The gun has a retail value of about $175. It's also part of our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide, which you can check out here.
We've also got a second prize of a $50 Amazon gift certificate. Not bad either....
Our review of the Paslode Finish Nailer is here.
You can skip our contest and simply get the gun at Amazon Here.
December 3, 2008
Arbortech Power Chisel and Mini-Grinder
We've always thought that grinders don't get the respect they deserve. We see them as sort of an all-purpose material remover, and it doesn't matter if that material is metal, stone, or wood. For as useful as they are, it's a shame that they've stayed mostly in the hands of contractors. Maybe we're wrong, but as far as what we've witnessed with our own eyes, there aren't that many DIYers with grinders.
Along these lines, we just heard that The Australian company Arbortech, known for their fantastic AS160 brick and mortar saw has released two attachments for a the grinder which will hopefully make more people look twice at this great tool.
The first attachment is a Power Chisel and it's exactly what it sounds like. The following video shows it in action and its wood removing power is impressive.
The second attachment is a Mini-Grinder and this little guy looks like it can really do some damage. The video for this one shows it in very delicate and precise situations, but we'd wager that it could come in handy in all sorts of building situations.
According to Arbortech, the attachments fit on most 4" and 4-1/2" grinders and can be installed within minutes. The attachments can be purchased as stand-alones or with a grinder. Not surprisingly, there is about a $100 price difference.
We checked out the Amazon reviews and we ran across one guy who had some problems getting the mini grinder to fit on his DeWalt. We then checked the Arbortech site for details on this and found that this can be a bit tricky. If you're interested in these tools and want to buy them as attachments for an existing grinder, you should go here and see if you'll need any adapters and what kind.
Power Chisel (without tool) at Amazon
Power Chisel (with tool) at Amazon
Mini-Grinder (without tool) at Amazon
Mini-Grinder (with tool) at Amazon
December 2, 2008
Black & Decker Bullseye - Review
The Black & Decker Bullseye Auto-Leveling Laser with Stud Sensor is a small laser level with the single purpose of hanging things on walls, or more specifically, lining up two or more items on a wall. There's really not a whole lot else you can do with it, but since it does its assigned task so well, the limits of the tool aren't really a problem.
The unit looks like a plus-sized stud sensor with switches on both sides and laser lights coming out of the sides of the rounded top. The switch on the right activates the stud sensor and the switch on the left turns on the self-leveling laser. We tested the laser against one that is about seven times more expensive and we have to say that the Black & Decker was spot on level.
The beam is nice and bright even in a well-lit room and if the unit gets tilted too far to either side, the laser gets blocked and can't be seen. After a few simple tests, we came t o the conclusion that the stud sensor works fine too.
The Bullseye comes with two attachments that allow it to be held on a wall so you can work without having to hold it, freeing up your hands for picture hanging.
The Bullseye costs about $40 which sounds like a lot, but anyone who has ever hung pictures with a loved one realizes that it's a process prone to making one generally unloving. That said, maybe $40 is a small price to pay for a tool that will make picture hanging a little less difficult.
The Bullseye comes with a nice nylon case that can hold the unit and both attachments.
At Amazon
December 1, 2008
November 2008 Monthly Roundup for Tool Snob
We had quite a month here, particularly with the hands on reviews of the Fein MultiMaster and the Rockwell SoniCrafter. We also want to direct you to the Oscillating Tool Roundup that we posted yesterday. It's a summation of all that we've written about the popular tools, complete with advice on which one might be right for you.
The tool of the month has to go to the Fein MultiMaster. The Rockwell is a great tool and surprised us with it's strength and durability, but to date, there is no match for the Fein. It's just one of those high quality tools that puffs your chest up like a bantam rooster.
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Craftsman 10" MiterMate - Review
