Xuron produces superb precision tools – we love their pliers, shears, and scissors. Xuron tools are durable, comfortable to use, provide exceptional performance, are very affordable, and are made in the USA. Our favorite Xuron tools are their non-serrated short nose pliers (pictured above), fiber cutters, and tweezer nose pliers. We are also huge fans of Xuron’s flush-cut micro shears (also […]
DIY Gone Bad – Car Loses All Four Wheels
Apparently it’s quite common for Europeans to switch between winter and summer tires. Well, one driver in Switzerland was changing his tires but happened to use the wrong lug nuts to secure the wheels to his car. That’s a mistake he’s never going to make again – as soon as he drove back onto the motorway, he lost […]
Skil’s New Skilsaw – High Performance & Outstanding Value
Skil has just released the new HD5687 Skilsaw, marketing it as the ultimate combination of unmatched performance, lightweight design, and unbeatable value, and is designed to tackle any project at the jobsite. Sounds good to us! The new Skilsaw is priced at $89, placing it right in the middle of Skil’s current circular saw lineup. First off, we […]
C.H. Hanson’s Innovative New Precision Ball Level
C.H. Hanson just released their precision ball level – a 24″ level which uses a rotating ball compass design. One of the level’s main selling points is that it eliminates some of the guesswork normally associated with reading a traditional bubble level. While greater ease of use is a good thing, we are even more impressed […]
Stanley FatMax Xtreme Fubar on Sale
Stanley’s FatMax Xtreme Fubar is their heavy duty multi-tasked pry bar. By now, most people are already familiar with these tools after seeing them at any home improvement or general goods store (e.g. Target), so I’ll skip the details. I just wanted to point out that it’s currently on sale for $24.31 with free shipping on orders […]
Craftsman Launches Standalone Online Tool Store!
Sears’ Craftsman brand has launched its own stand-alone online store!! Perhaps this is the beginning of an autonomous Craftsman that I have been dreaming about for years? Here are my observations thus far: The Craftsman store seems to be based off of Sears’ shopping engine The Craftsman store only offers for sale Craftsman products (duh) […]
Campbell Hausfeld Releases New Nailers
Campbell Hausfeld, well known for their beefy compressors and air tools, is releasing a new line of pneumatic nailers. These new nailers are designed to provide professional results as easily for first-time users as for pros by being easier to operate, easier to control, and easier to handle. CH has included some pretty nifty features […]
Craftsman Nextec Auto-Hammer Revisit
A television commercial promoting the Craftsman Nextec Auto-Hammer has aired recently – no doubt targeting Father’s Day gift shoppers, so we’ve decided to revisit it. Although it may still seem a bit gimmicky, the Auto-Hammer is innovative enough that it deserves the attention.
Doctors Use Household Drill for Surgery
A few days ago in Austrailia, a doctor used a household drill to bore into a 13 year old’s skull to relieve pressure on his brain due to a blood clot. The drill was sourced from the maintenance closet since the hospital was not equipped with any neurological drills. Now I’m wondering, what drill was […]
Pocket Ref – The Ultimate Guide to Everything
Okay, so calling the Pocket Ref an ultimate guide to everything may be an exaggeration, but not by as much as you might think. The Pocket Ref is packed full of indispensable information for construction workers, engineers, scientists, travelers, and pretty much everyone else. While a majority of the book offers technical details, there are also many useful general-interest tidbits such as a […]
5 Great Tool Gifts for Under $10
With Father’s Day on approach, everyone is asking themselves and others “what to buy?” Well, how about something useful. These five items are less than $10 each and are affordable enough to throw in with larger gifts. Bucket Boss Mug Boss Paired with a spare 10-12oz mug, the Mug Boss provides for nifty desktop organization […]
Channellock’s is an Example to be Followed
I was browsing Channellock’s website the other day and was quite pleasantly surprised by what I found. As you can see from the above screen capture, Channellock is openly disclosing that their screwdrivers and nutdrivers are made overseas. That open disclosure (not the fact that the drivers are imported) should be praised. You may be wondering […]
Gearwrench Indexing Nail Puller
Gearwrench has recently (and quietly) released a new tool – a 12″ indexing nail puller. This tool combines the efficiency and ease of a cat’s paw puller design with the convenience of a pivoting lever arm with 180° of swing. This indexing puller is intended to be used in tight quarters and between closely spaced beams, and likely performs […]
Racor Spray Can Rack
Racor’s spray can rack holds 6 cans or similarly sized bottles neatly and out of the way. The rack, constructed from 14ga steel and coated with a durable epoxy finish, installs quickly and easily, and barely takes up any more space than the 6 cans it holds. While we have seen quite a few DIY […]
Stanley Portable 25 Compartment Organizer
Stanley’s professional organizers are extremely durable, easy to stack and store (even vertically), and best of all the 25 compartments are removable, swapable, and reconfigurable. I now have six units in use holding all types of small parts and components – hardware, PVC fittings, servos, electronic components, grommets, and the list goes on. These organizers […]
Thermal Imaging Cameras
As you can imagine, thermal cameras can be used for a wide range of diagnostics where there may be a gradient in temperature. Overheating components, heat loss/leaks, excessive friction in bearings or other mechanical components – the detection applications of a thermal imaging camera are virtually endless. Thermal Image of an Engine Block During the […]
Skil’s New 18V Li-Ion Power Tools
A few weeks ago, Skil announced a new line of 18V Li-Ion power tools targeting DIYers and professionals who need pro-grade features at consumer-level prices. These tools are not mere adaptations of last generation’s NiCad-powered tools; Skil designed these tools to be more powerful, longer lasting, lighter, more compact, and comfortable to use. As of now, there are four new tools […]
Bosch Multi-Construction Bits
Bosch’s multi-construction bits are designed for high performance drilling through wood, masonry, ceramic tiles, plastic, and metal.
Beta Tools Now Available via Small Parts & Amazon!!
As promised a few weeks ago, Small Parts is now selling Beta tools! You can purchase these fine Italian-made tools from Small Parts’ website, or their shop on Amazon (which we find easier to navigate). I am VERY excited about this – can you tell? Oh, and if any one reading this should win the lottery, my birthday’s coming up (not […]
Rose Antique Tools’ Directory of Old Tool Catalogs
If you enjoy browsing through tool catalogs, then you will definitely want to head on over to Rose Antique Tools. Rose Antique Tools maintains a directory of old tool catalogs that have been scanned in and converted to downloadable PDF files. You should also check out Rose Tools’s store – they have quite a few antique […]