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Tag Archives: Tools

Black & Decker’s Alligator Lopper Is The Awesomest Pair Of Scissors I’ve Ever Seen

By Andrew Liszewski on 05/14/10 • 5 Comments

Black & Decker Alligator Lopper (Images courtesy Black & Decker)
By Andrew Liszewski

Maybe it’s the fact that Black & Decker has gone to the trouble of printing a mean-looking alligator graphic on this lopper that has drawn me to it, but the super villain-esque combination of pruning shears and a miniature chainsaw doesn’t hurt either. A 4.5 amp electric motor and a wide set of jaws allows the Alligator Lopper to chew through a branch up to 4 inches thick like it was a wounded gazelle’s hind leg, and the clamping action ensures it won’t let go until it’s all the way through.

Of course Black & Decker includes a gallery of suggested applications on their site showing how it can be responsibly used for various types of yardwork, but I suspect it would be just as useful in the kitchen for opening canned goods, tearing through baguettes or making short work of that Thanksgiving turkey. $79.97 available wherever awesome tools are sold.

[ Black & Decker Alligator Lopper ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter Turns Any Ratchet Into An Accurate Torque Wrench

By Andrew Liszewski on 03/15/10 • Leave a comment!

Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter (Image courtesy Amazon)By Andrew Liszewski

Automotive repair is as much a mystery to me as brain surgery, rocket science and basic dinner etiquette (nap-kin?) but thanks to a childhood spent watching cartoons I know that improperly tightening a bolt here and there on a car can lead to hilarious consequences. So if you do endeavor to fix your ride on your own, a torque wrench is a handy tool to have in your kit, but we prefer this digital adapter instead.

Besides a handful of buttons (for changing units, remembering a measurement etc.) and a tiny LCD which is enough to get us to buy any old device, the Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter can be used with any standard ratchet, giving you accurate feedback on how tight a bolt really is. It’s available from Amazon for just $49.99, and if you think you don’t need one because you already have an analog torque wrench, you’d be wrong. The adapter can also be used to calibrate a regular torque wrench, which in the long run could probably save you money if you were used to paying a professional to do it.

[ Mavromatic - Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adaptor – My Favorite Tools – March 2010 ]

Stanley Jobsite Radio And iPod Dock

By Andrew Liszewski on 03/08/10 • 2 Comments

Stanley Jobsite Radio And iPod Dock (Images courtesy Northern Tool + Equipment)
By Andrew Liszewski

Clearly not content with letting Ryobi steal all those carpenters who grew up with MP3 players and digital cameras, Stanley is striking back with their Jobsite Radio and iPod Dock which appears to be a rather sturdy and durable source for tunes on a construction site. It’s got an AM/FM radio of course, but on the back you’ll also find a place for stashing and connecting an iPod or presumably any MP3 player given the headphone cable that’s wired in there. It will also play MP3 or WMA files directly off of an SD card or USB flash drive, and can be powered by an AC hookup or connected to a 12V DC battery. $59 from Northern Tool + Equipment.

[ Stanley Jobsite Radio And iPod Dock ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

Ryobi Tek4 AllPlay Job Site Music Player

By Andrew Liszewski on 02/17/10 • 2 Comments

Ryobi Tek4 AllPlay Job Site Music Player (Image courtesy Ryobi)
By Andrew Liszewski

I’m not entirely sure if listening to music while working on a construction site is the best idea, best if you must, I don’t think something as delicate as the iPod Touch is gonna cut it. You need to go with a brand that’s synonymous with construction tools and durability, like Ryobi, who just so happen to offer their own rugged MP3 player now. The Tek4 AllPlay Job Site Music Player supports MP3, WMA and unprotected AAC files, and the 2GB of storage is good for about 500 songs. The whole player, including the control buttons, is water, dust and impact resistant, and thanks to that hefty battery you can expect to get about 72 hours of playback per charge. Available from Home Depot for $69.97.

[ Ryobi Tek4 AllPlay Job Site Music Player ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

Key Shaped Pocket Knife

By Andrew Liszewski on 01/26/10 • 4 Comments

Key Shaped Pocket Knife (Image courtesy Garrett Wade)
By Andrew Liszewski

You probably still won’t be able to bring it through airport security (not that you’d need to) but if you’re like me and enjoy minimally filled pockets, this knife that folds up into a key-sized footprint is a handy accessory. You won’t be opening any bottles, filing your nails or picking your teeth as a Swiss Army knife allows, but for just $24.90 I’m sure you’ll find a way to cope.

[ Key Shaped Pocket Knife ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

Box Buddy Box Handle Cutter

By Andrew Liszewski on 11/16/09 • 8 Comments

Box-Buddy Box Handle Cutter (Images courtesy Box-Buddy)
By Andrew Liszewski

The next time you have to move the Box-Buddy could make the process considerably less of an ordeal . It’s an easy to use tool that offers a simple way to cut ‘C’ shaped carrying handles into the sides of any corrugated cardboard box. And not only does the ‘C’ shape result in a folded handle that’s easier on the hands, particularly with a heavy box, but it also means there’s no scraps of cardboard to be disposed of. And with a price tag of just $16.98, the Box-Buddy is a no-brainer, even if it’s just a unitasker.

[ Box-Buddy ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

Autoloader Screwdriver Makes Changing Bits A Breeze

By Chris Scott Barr on 11/02/09 • 19 Comments

Autoloader

By Chris Scott Barr

How is it that whenever you open up your toolbox to get a screwdriver, the exact one you need is missing? It’s probably because someone’s been too lazy to put them back when they are done (that would be my issue). That’s why screwdrivers with interchangeable bits can be so handy. Of course even those little bits can get lost, which is why this Autoloader Screwdriver from KR Tools looks so enticing.

The Autoloader has  six different bits (three Phillips and three flathead) built right into the handle. When you want to change the one you’re using, you just pull the handle, twist it to select the right one, then push the handle back into place. You never actually have to touch the bits themselves, thus you’ll never lose them. Of course now you just have to remember where you set the screwdriver. You can pick up a 2-pack of these (one large, one small) for just $30.

[ Amazon ] VIA [ CoolestGadgets ]

Cassette Tape Measure Is Simple, Brilliant

By Chris Scott Barr on 10/12/09 • 2 Comments

tapetapemeasure

By Chris Scott Barr

Cassette tapes have little to no useful purpose in today’s world. Sure, in their prime you would record sappy love songs to give to your girl/boyfriend, or just listen to your favorite album. With CDs (and more importantly) digital media, these ugly plastic rectangles are little more than a memory of better days. Of course if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can always get one that’s been re-purposed into something a little more useful. We’ve seen MP3 players and USB hubs tucked away inside one, but what about a low-tech device?

The Cassette Tape Measure is another one of those ideas that makes you wonder why you didn’t think of it. Okay, maybe it’s not the most practical of applications, but it is pretty cool. I’ve no idea how long the tape is, as the only numeric value is 120 minutes. Not sure how that translates into inches. We do know that it will only take $8 to get this strangely appealing tape measure.

[ Gama Go ] VIA [ Dvice ]

Square Holes Drilled With A Watts Drill Blows My Mind

By Andrew Liszewski on 10/07/09 • 15 Comments

Reuleaux or Watts Drill (Images courtesy The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop BBS)
By Andrew Liszewski

Reuleaux or Watts Drill (Image courtesy Make) title=Make has a link to a pretty interesting discussion on the ‘The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist’s Workshop BBS’ about using a Watts or Reuleaux drill to make a square hole.

Now the idea of using a spinning drill bit to create a square hole is kind of counter-intuitive, but the animation on the right, while not exactly what a Watts drill looks like, helps you wrap your head around the concept.

And if you find yourself amazed at this new innovation in machining, you might also be surprised to learn that the idea isn’t a new one, and Harry J. Watts, for whom the drill is named after, actually received a patent (#1,241,176) for it on September 25, 1917.

[ The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop BBS - How do I make a square hole ] VIA [ Make ]

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