Adam tipped us off to a great online-only deal at Home Depot – save 90% on this Bench Dog router table stand! Of course, you don’t have to use this for a router table – it’s a great size to make a small work stand out of as well. Or it could serve as an assembly table, or support for another benchtop tool.

This router table stand, model 40-233, is typically priced at $119.99. Over at Home Depot, it’s currently $11.99, and eligible for free shipping on $45+ orders.

The work stand is made from 1/8″-thick steel, measures 18″ x 24″ x 32″ tall, and comes with adjustable levelers and all the necessary assembly hardware. To use it as a shop work stand, just add your own tabletop work surface.

Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Price Comparison via Amazon

Thanks to Adam for the heads-up!

The Green Leaf Wonder Winder is a hand-cranked extension cord winder and basket. It mounts to the wall, and accommodates 75-feet of 12/3 gauge cord, 100-feet of 14/3 gauge cord, or 150-feet of 16/3 gauge cord.

Once you set things up, all you need to do is pull out as much cord as you need for a project. When you’re done and ready to stow the cord, press the rewind lever and use the hand-crank to draw the extension cord back into the hanging basket.

While we’ve never used this ourselves, we’ve seen the Wonder Winder pop up in catalogs and shops everywhere, usually with gushing reviews. The extension cord winder is currently priced at less than $20.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Have any of you tried out the Wonder Winder?

Earlier this month, Craftsman announced their new Contour powered tool boxes at the Consumer Electronics Show. The new ball bearing chest and mobile cabinet combo is designed for the multi-tasking Do-It-Yourselfer who wants to amp up the workspace. In addition to storing tools, the powered Contour system is designed to connect with your music and phone.

Craftsman has built a number of interesting features into the new tool storage system, calling it a central project station:

• power tool charging station recharges up to 3 power tool batteries at a time
• built-in stereo system with 220W speakers
• compatibility with MP3 players and Bluetooth-enabled devices
• retractable locking work table provides 670.4 square inches of extra space

The press release also goes on to mention that the audio system allows you to manage phone calls without wires. Maybe this means you can route phone calls through the speakers, but then don’t you still have to use the phone’s built-in mic? In any case we would probably stick to our phones’ speakerphone options.

Now, the actual tool storage part – there are a total of 16 ball bearing drawers for your storage and organizational needs, one of them full-width, with each drawer rated at 100 lbs. The entire combo is ~49″ wide and ~18″ deep, and rests on four casters rated at 500 lbs each.

With the entire unit being about 49″ wide, each drawer but the full-width must be about 22-24″ wide. The drawer configuration and weight capacity ratings actually seem pretty decent for a tool box strictly designed for DIYers to use at home and in the garage.

Official Specs

The intermediate section is the power center, housing the charging and audio connectivity components. There will be additional options and upgrades available, such as a CD receiver with USB and AUX inputs, and CD receiver with USB, AUX and built-in Bluetooth.

Expect to see these powered Contour tool boxes later this year in Q2 2012. MSRP is not yet available.

Our thoughts? This looks interesting, but we’ll hold our judgement until we see more pics or a display model in-person at the local Sears. We cannot help but think back to the flashy Craftsman AXS tool boxes that never seemed to attract widespread appeal. The powered Contour tool boxes do look more cautiously designed, but we’ll need hands-on time or at least a peek at the inside of the intermediate and top compartments to know for sure.

(Note: We’re sure the combo does not weigh a full ton. “Total weight” probably refers to the total weight capacity of the casters.)

I greatly enjoy building things myself, but some of my scratch-built and DIY projects are not exactly elegant enough for certain environments. As much as I don’t like to admit it, my level of skill is not yet at the point where I can build a shelving unit, bookcase, or display cabinet that will look great in the living room.

Earlier this week I spotted the new Rockler I-Semble shelf blocks (model 47512) in a magazine ad that really caught my attention. I-Semble brackets are simple L-shaped risers that anyone can use to create tables, open cabinets or shelving units. The design is not super-elaborate, but they look classy and can help you built a functional project quick and easy with just a couple of boards, a drill and the included screws.

I-Semble brackets are made from powder-coated steel, and although there’s no word about how much weight they can support, Rockler says that two brackets can support a maximum shelf spans of 36″.

The brackets are 10″ deep, making it easy to find laminate shelves at any home improvement center, and 13″ tall, a reasonably good height. It should be possible to even use these with 12″ boards for greater depth and storage capacity, but 14″ might be pushing it, at least in terms of aesthetics.

I-Semble shelf blocks will be sold in pairs for $17.99 at Rockler stores and online. Also included are 16 black truss head wood screws, 5/8″ long.

Buy Now(via Rockler)

While there are other supports and accessories on the market, such as 2×4 Basics shelving brackets, I have not yet seen anything else quite like these I-Semble ones.

I really like the idea of these brackets, and have been looking to upgrade my two Z-line Gemini bookcases (in silver and cherry) that have been filled to capacity for a while now. These blocks might just be what I need.

Lista has assured us that they are not closing down their US factories and sending production overseas. What happened is that the FTC updated their regulations regarding the percentage of foreign materials that can be used in a product when saying it is made in the USA. Since a large proportion of Lista’s cabinets and storage products are fabricated from imported steel, they can no longer advertise that the products are made in the USA.

We asked if they will now mention the products being Made in USA global materials instead, and were told that they’re going to stay away from a COO marketing angle in case the FTC guidelines change again.

Long story short, Lista products are still as kick-ass as they’ve been, with the only changes being done to advertising and marketing language.

Stanley Black and Decker and Lista North America, major players in the industrial storage and workspace market, have announced that they will be merging. More specifically, Stanley has acquired Lista NA and will be creating a new partnership that also includes its Vidmar storage division.

Stanley Vidmar and Lista will be establish a newly formed Storage Workspace Solutions group within Stanley Black & Decker. Both companies have announced that business will continue as usual in the short term.

Moving forward, it is said that the merger will allow for joint product development, expanded product offerings, and increased sales support.

Stanley Vidmar Press Release
Lista Press Release

I have to say, this is surprising, but not shocking news. Although Lista and Stanley Vidmar occasionally vie for the same customers, both offer unique products that make them stronger together.

After Stanley and Black and Decker merged, there was a bit of internal reorganization, but both company’s brands maintained their respective identities. Without a doubt, we will continue to see both Vidmar and Lista independently branded products in the future.

It will be interesting to see how this all develops and if it will affect other Stanley brands. For example, perhaps Lista’s technician mobile tool boxes will grow in popularity if promoted alongside Mac tool storage products. Time will tell.

Irwin’s robust-looking 26-inch structural foam tool box features two metal latches, a rubberized handle, and auxiliary side handles. It looks like there are two small parts and accessory compartments in the lid as well.

The downside – a £40 price tag (~$62.50 as of the date of this post), and what looks to be limited UK and possibly Europe exclusivity.

It’s not unusual for tool brands to offer region-specific products, such as Dremel’s Fortiflex flex-shaft tool and Dewalt’s DW743N combination compound miter and table saw. But what possible reasons could there be for Irwin to not distribute these toolboxes in the USA?

Buy Now(via Amazon UK)

The price drops to £33.31 ($55.09) for US customers, but international shipping is estimated at £22.58 ($35.32). Ouch!

Dewalt’s Tough System cases have been scarce since their release last Fall. We’re not sure if this is due to distribution hiccups or quick sales, but we think it’s the latter since we receive emails about these cases on a weekly basis.

It looks like Amazon has received a new shipment of the Large structural foam tool boxes, which are priced as expected at about $55. Availability will probably improve with time, but we don’t expected the price to drop lower than this.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

The large cases come with a removable vertical hand tool holder and tool tray, and are perfectly sized to hold project supplies and several power tools. The small cases are also available but for an extra $10.

We’ve been testing these cases, and based on our experience, we think that Tough System is an inappropriate name. More fitting would be Super Tough Indestructible Waterproof Fort Knox Tool Cases.

Rubbermaid’s ActionPacker storage boxes are their toughest and most durable plastic cargo bins. ActionPackers are more rigid than most ordinary storage totes, and are weather resistant as well. These bins are also lockable.

ActionPackers are available in 8, 24, 35, and 48-gallon sizes. The two smaller sizes have removable lids, and the larger sizes have hinged lids. The bins are also supposed to be stackable and nestable when empty.

Prices vary, and you can usually expect to pay more online than in-store due to the products’ shipping size.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

At the time of this post, Rubbermaid ActionPacker storage boxes are made in the USA.

Now through 12/31, Amazon’s offering a 20% savings on Gladiator tool storage products. Even if you don’t have a garage, Gladiator gear works well in a basement or even an apartment work room.

Gladiator quality is pretty high up there, and we generally don’t hear many complaints about their products. The premium cabinets are welded together at the factory, but we’ve had good experience with their ready-to-assemble units, although we did have to shim one joint of a 24″ cabinet with a coin during assembly.

We absolutely love their GearTrack line as well, and have quite a few hooks and accessories in use.

The 20% discount is automatic at checkout and works on just about anything, from <$10 GearTrack hooks to the bamboo workbench we burn for but cannot fit into the budget.

Browse Gladiator Garage Works Products (all 20%-discount-eligible products say so on their product pages)

Husky’s new 22″ plastic tool box has a wider body than most others I’ve seen, making it great for bulky items and even power tools. It features a one-handed latch, a comfortable rubberized handle, and a removable plastic tool tray.

I’m currently working on a group of tool box reviews, and so I brought the Husky along to my parents’ house, hoping for a second opinion. After checking them all out, my father pointed to the Husky, declaring it his favorite. A little while later, he even asked me to buy him one.

Okay, so my father  likes the tool box, and wants one for his hand or garden tools. No big deal, right? Wrong, it’s a huge deal. My father very rarely asks me to buy something for him. The last thing he asked for was a LensMate filter adapter for his Canon SX camera, and that was almost 19 months ago. This video will show you why he likes the design so much:

If anyone has any questions about what it can and cannot hold, don’t hesitate to ask. It holds cordless tools no problem, with the exception of circular saws unless you leave out the plastic tray.

Pros:

• Roomy interior
• Metal latch
• One-handed opening
• Quick closure
• Reasonably well-thought out removable tray
• No gimmicks of unnecessary frills
• Well-balanced and comfortable to carry
• DOES NOT TIP OVER! (This is the feature that my father raved most about)

Minor Cons:

• One-handed opening is not “one-touch”
• Only available in one size

Summary

In all, this is a very nice box that is hard to find fault with. It is very well designed, inside and out. That it requires one hand to open and not just one-touch is a minor gripe. The latches on this box are a leap ahead compared to other tool boxes in the Husky’s price range.

If you’re looking for a new tool box, be sure to check out the Husky in-store. I still have not made up my mind as to whether it’s my favorite of all the new models that just came out, but it’s definitely high up there. I also cannot say whether it will hold up to professional use, but it definitely feels to be robust enough for heavy DIY use.

The Husky 22″ tool box can be purchased from Home Depot for $25. Note that right now it looks to be an in-store-only item. It appears that Keter is the OEM, so we might eventually see other brand names on the same tool box.

The sample featured in this review was purchased at retail.

This ToughBuilt Project Bag with Pouch was a $20 Black Friday special, discounted from its $40 full price. We picked up one of these, and while it’s not a great buy at $40, we didn’t hesitate at $20. Our local store still has a couple of these in the tool-gift area that they’re trying to clear out before Christmas, explaining the huge price drop.

Buy Now(via Sears)

You can buy it online for in-store pickup or delivery. But you might want to check it out in-store to avoid any surprises. The bag is a nice size, but it’s taller and narrower than we anticipated.

A lot of the other ToughBuilt pouches and bags are also still on sale.

I spent some time browsing around on Sears.com just now, looking for a tool storage unit that might be suitable for my father. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I did find quite a few great deals on tool storage. I started to make a list, but after a minute I realized that almost every ball bearing chest and cabinet I looked at was on sale.

Some tool storage products are 15%-off, others 30%-off, like Craftsman’s relatively new Contour ball bearing chests and roll-cabinets, and others are even as much as 35%-off. Even Montezuma tool boxes and Craftsman’s own stadium-style toolbox are on sale at 15% and 30% off, respectively.

It looks like there might be some discount stacking, because it’s highly unusual to see tool storage at 35%-off. More accurately, I saw 36.25% discounts, but you get the point. Here are a couple of notable deals:

Craftsman Heavy Duty Chest with Piston-Raised Top
Craftsman 36-inch Contour Chest
Craftsman 28-inch Contour Chest
Craftsman 28-inch Countour Roller Cabinet
Craftsman 53-inch Mobile Work Center

Shop Now!!

There are many others that are heavily discounted, so you may want to spend a minute browsing or checking the ones that are on your wishlist. Craftsman and Gladiator units are on sale, as are most of the other mainstream and premium brands Sears.com carries as catalog-only models. In-store pickup is free (as usual), but larger/heavier items have extra delivery fees.

Coupon codes: REALWISH gives you $10 off $100 and free shipping (on smaller items). SEARS5OFF50 or SEARS2011 or REALJOY can be used instead.

Note: I have no idea when the sale will end. It looks like the 36.25% discount is the result of two stacked discounts, 25%-off and 15%-off. The 15%-off is said to end tonight (12/13).

ToughBuilt is a brand I had never heard of until about a month or two ago. They make tool bags, work belts, pouches, and also a few interestingly designed tools and work accessories. Last month I ordered a ToughBelt tool belt and utility pouch accessory, for both review and personal use.

I really liked the construction and features of my new ToughBuilt gear, so when I saw Sears was having a great sale on them this morning, I ordered several new pouches and accessories for my kit.

For starters I recommend the Handyman tool belt, which comes with a work belt and two large pouches. I paid $10 more for the one I ordered, and don’t regret the purchase one bit. A lot of the smaller separate pouches are 50% off, and can be attached to the tool belt from the Handyman kit.

Buy Now(via Sears)

Many of these items can be purchased with free in-store pickup, or they can be shipped.

Coupon codes: SEARS 2011 or SEARS5OFF50 can be used for $5 off $50, or REALJOY can be used for free shipping over $99. We don’t know when this sale ends, but think it’s part of their 2-day sale that ends tonight.

Craftsman’s Job Vise is the newest clamping work stand to enter the market. Like the Ridgid and Triton look-alikes, the portable Job Vise features 7″ x 2″ clamping jaws that can deliver up to 1-ton of pressure. The work stand can support up to 220 lbs of weight, and folds up nice and neat for storage or transport.

One thing the Craftman version offers that the others don’t is a free jaw extension arm. The extension is more of a spacer, really, but it allows you to quickly increase the jaw capacity from 37.5″ to 43-55″.

If you ask us, the Rockwell Jawhorse Sheetmaster is the way to go if you need the extra capacity. Plus, its jaws are noticeably wider.

Buy Now(via Sears)

The Craftsman Job Vise is normally priced at $140, but is currently on sale for $100. Also currently on sale for $100 is Triton’s SuperJaws stand, over at Amazon.