June 25, 2009
Our Austrailian invention connection has just emailed us about another interesting item that should be hitting the marketplace at some point soon. This time it's a device to assist with hanging doors. The EZY Hang Door Lifter is basically a jack that raises your door to the appropriate height in order for you to install the hinges. It looks like a much better version of what we usually end up cobbling together out of plywood scraps and a flatbar. Probably the nicest feature of the EZY Hang Door lifter is that it has one jack on each side, so slight adjustments can be made to the door once it's airborne.
The EZY Hang Door Lifter has a maximum lifting height of 25mm, which to us Americanos translates into just under one inch. There is no word on the maximum weight it can hold, but it sounds like it can handle just about any standard solid core door. We're curious about non-standard doors though. Yesterday, we spent the day hanging a 360 lb door (no joke) and something like the EZY Hang would have been helpful.
There is more information at ezyhangdoorlifter.com
April 29, 2009
Anyone who was reading this site back in December knows that we had a little power outage and anyone who has read the site since knows that we've made a career out of bitching about it (see here and here). Well why stop now? What follows is a review of a surge protector, which, admittedly is a bit outside of our area of expertise (and by 'a bit' we mean 'a lot'), but before you click back over to your favorite celebrity gossip site, you should know that we found that the item had an intriguing feature that translated very nicely into the workshop setting.
Continue reading: "APC SurgeArrest Power Saving Surge Protector - Review"
April 10, 2009
We just noticed that Veto Pro Pac has a tool bag that's part carpenter, part supervisor. Like their other tool bags, this one is built around the idea of storing tools vertically for easier organization, but the LT-XL devotes half of its storage space to office items, even having room for a laptop computer.
The LT-XL looks like it has all of characteristics that mark the other Veto Pro Pac tool bags; the solid durability, the magnetic handle, as well as the completely outrageous price. The LT-XL will set you back $225 (and no, the computer is not included).
At Veto Pro Pac and Amazon.com
March 30, 2009
Now this looks interesting. It's a workbench out of Australia called the Quadra Bench that is comprised of two connected benches, each topped with a sliding platform, one for the tool and one for the workpiece. In addition to the horizontal movement, each bench can be raised and lowered as well. This multi-axis maneuverability gives the user a great deal of flexibility when positioning the tool and workpiece for making a cut. It also adds makes things quite a bit safer.
Tools for the bench will come in interchangeable modules built specifically for the machine. Thus far, we've seen pictures of a router and a circular saw.
The Quadra Bench is currently just a patented prototype (pictured), but it looks like there is a good chance that it will actually be manufactured. The finished product will likely have more features and be more spruced up than the prototype.
Watch a short video of the Quadra Bench here.
March 12, 2009
As part of our ongoing series cataloging all of the JawHorse accessories, we've finally come to the Miter Saw Station (see below for a list of the other accessories). The Miter Saw Station is simply a platform that attaches to the JawHorse and can support your miter saw. There are also two rollers that can be used as out-feed support if attached to a 2x, which is also clamped in the JawHorse. It's a pretty basic affair and it costs about $80.
Now, we're fans of Rockwell tools, as anyone who reads the site knows, but we've got to say that this seems like a whole lot of money to spend on something that could be made out of scraps kicking around the shop. To us, anything that needs a customer-supplied 2x4 in order to work, shouldn't cost $80. But that's just us. If you've bought into the JawHorse system and want everything to fit together perfectly and have a similar look, this could be a nice addition to your workshop.
At Amazon.com and Rockwell
Our review of the JawHorse is here
Our thoughts on the Plywood Jaw Accessory are here
Our thoughts on the Jog Jaw Attachment are here
March 10, 2009
If you like pounding beers while you're out 'working' in the garage but don't want anyone to know how much of a boozer you are, this could be the best $300 you'll ever spend. Designed by Genuine Hotrod Hardware, the Tool Box Refrigerator is made to look exactly like a regular old tool cabinet. In all functional respects, it's a standard dorm room fridge (complete with Dispense-A-Can can stacker!), but in order to hide it's real purpose, the fridge has simulated drawer pulls, a top drawer lock, and it rolls around on locking casters.
At SkyMall
via Random Good Stuff
February 12, 2009
Two weeks ago, we reviewed the JawHorse, Rockwell's one-stop workshop assistant, and last week we talked a bit about the log jaw attachment, and now, here's a little something about the Plywood Jaw attachment.
This one is simple enough. The standard Jawhorse jaws can open up to 37" wide, making them just barely able to handle a 36" door (something we've use it to hold quite a few times). But as wide as that is, it is still short of the magic 48" needed for sheet goods. The Plywood Jaw Accessory is a replacement part for the movable jaw that is longer. Exchanging the two shouldn't be any problem at all, the existing one just slides out and the new one slides in.
Rockwell makes mention of some stability issues when dealing with larger-sized items in the JawHorse, so if you're going to use the PlyWood attachment, it's worth it to think of those sorts of things. The last thing you want is a collapsing work bench.
The JawHorse Plywwod Accessory costs about $50, which feels a little pricey to us, but given the sturdiness of the JawHorse, it's likely a very well made item.
At Amazon.com and Rockwell
February 5, 2009
We like that Rockwell is thinking 'big picture' with the JawHorse (our review here). We established last week that it's a fantastic tool to have in the workshop, but how about out by the woodshed? Well, Rockwell is making sure that the tool is a success there too with the release of the Log Jaw Attachment.
It looks like the Log Jaws attach right to the existing ones and give the tool the ability to hold on to a log of up to 12" in diameter. There is also some sort of vise that folds out, allowing you to hold a chainsaw blade for sharpening. Add to that all the features already inherent in the JawHorse; the one ton of clamping force, the easy-to-use foot pedal, and the stable tri-pod legs and you've got something of a winner.
This looks like a great idea to anyone into carving (Arbortech Power Chisel and Mini-Grinder, anyone?) or if you're like us and you've got a wood stove and a penchant for scavenging fallen trees in the woods behind your house.
The Log Jaw Attachment costs about $40.
At Amazon.com and Rockwell
January 26, 2009
Man's two most ancient needs are the need for shelter and the need for food. It's a little known fact that the third item on the list is the need to crush things; whether it be an ant, a beer can, or the annoying kid who lives next door. Anyway, this is where the Rockwell Jawhorse comes in, and why it is an essential tool for every single person on the planet. But the fun doesn't stop with crushing things, in fact, the Jawhorse is about as multi-purpose as a tool gets.
Continue reading: "Rockwell Jawhorse - Review"
October 15, 2008
We're starting to have a bit of a storage issue. The big stuff is fine, it can go on shelves, it's the small stuff that starting to get to us.; the small hand tools that keep ending up in a pile at the end of the workbench; the fasteners that we have so few of left, they don't deserve a box, but we hate throwing them out; things like our glue gun and our Skil Power Wrench, which aren't big enough for their own dedicated box, but which also have enough accessories that there needs to be some containment. We recently tried out a new organizer called the Lift-N-Lok to see if that would help us with our clutter problems.
Continue reading: "PDY Systems Lift-N-Lok Organizer - Review"
EZY Hang Door Lifter
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