I thought you might be interested in a look at all of the tool-related things I’ve ordered from Amazon these past few months, from around August through today (December 28th, 2016).
I’m also under the weather (again), and exhausted from tending to my son the 10 times he woke up last night. He’s done that a few nights this week. I can’t tell what’s bothering him – his stuffy and drippy nose, or the 2 molars ripping through his gums.
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Not that I’m complaining – I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. I’ll sleep in tomorrow to make up for it.
But there’s just no way I’m going near power tools today – or even hand tools – unless it’s really needed. It’s never a good idea to do work when really tired like this.
Plus, in addition to being tired, my body still needs to rest from our trip to Ikea 2 days ago. More on that at the end of the post another time.
There’s still some tool previews and almost-done reviews to work out, but maybe I’ll tackle those later when I’m rested and/or caffeinated.
Here’s how the format will go: I’ll link to an item, and briefly mention of why I bought it. I might add in images later, but right now I’ll just sprinkle in some images that were already uploaded.
10-Gallon Rubbermaid Brute Trash Can – The 10-gallon size seemed like a good under-bench or office workspace trash can. If or when needed, I could use it to hold water, an ice bath, or whatever. Or I can use it to haul materials around that are otherwise difficult or uncomfortable to carry. But it’s mostly a small trash can.
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20-Gallon Rubbermaid Brute Trash Can – This one will go in the basement, as a workshop trash can. It’s small enough to haul up the stairs and outside if needed, for a rinse or whatever. It was sitting in the kitchen right after I ordered it, so I put it to use as a Thanksgiving dinner garbage pail, so nobody would wreck our foot-operated and somewhat narrow everyday garbage pail.
The white color helps it look classier than a different commercial use trash can would have looked.
Schlage Keying Kit – The basement door is equipped with a digital lock, and my office door will soon have one, and the door to the garage will soon have a digital deadbolt. I’ll give it a try rekeying them myself.
Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil – I have one already, but saw a good price on a 0.5mm pencil in Blue. It’s a great workshop companion. I wrote about it twice before, more recently here:
Do You Have a Favorite Pen, Pencil, Marker, or Other Writing Tool?
Pentel Graph Gear 1000 0.7mm Pencil – The current pricing is so good, I had to have another.
Pentel Graph Gear 1000 0.5mm Pencil – I use 0.5mm more for drawing and sketching project plans, 0.7mm more for writing. Again, the pricing is very good these days (under $10 each).
Read More: Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Mechanical Pencils for Shop Use
Looking at that older price, I see that the price I just paid is around HALF of what I paid when I first bought one.
Amprobe Socket Tester with GFCI – I misplaced my Klein test sample, and wanted to see what ~$11 got me. I chose Amprobe because they’re a part of Fluke and I trust both brands for their quality. It’s a tight fit in tamperproof outlets, and one of the indicator lights was bent during assembly, so it doesn’t look perfect when in use and lit up.
Staedtler 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil in Blue – If you buy just one mechanical pencil, make it this metal-bodied one, or the 0.7mm size, in silver or blue finish.
In 2011 I paid $18 for a 0.5mm version, from Jetpens, and $12.55 for a 2.0mm version, from a Japanese supplier called Stationery Art, which looks to have closed.
Noga Magnetic Holder with 5mm Thread and Off Switch – Honestly, I don’t recall what I bought this to mount. It’s designed for use with dial indicators, but I bought it, and some M5 hardware, to mount something else.
OH, I remember now! It’s to mount a tachometer to steel surfaces.
Irwin Folding Utility Knife – This looks like it’ll be an interesting review candidate.
Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop and Lightroom Subscription Card – Because my paid version of Photoshop CS6 and previous version of Lightroom won’t support the RAW files that come out one of my cameras, and nothing beats these 2 programs for working with photos and images. I guess it’s a tool then, right?
Calf Stretching Assist Device – Because physical therapy ended and my achilles is still not at 100%, so I’ve got to stretch more at home. I liked this a lot better than bracing against a wall.
OPTP Stretch Out Strap – This was another stretching assist device from physical therapy that I really liked.
Elasto-Gel Cold Pack – This is the brand that they had at PT. Made in the USA, making it stand out from the very many other random cold and hot pack brands on Amazon. It was better than the other teeny tiny and quick-warming ice packs I’d been using on my foot tendons.
Hockey Pucks – I bought 2 of these, at $1.99 each. Because… cheap vibrational dampening pads or cheap non-marring bench block use.
Baby Banz Infant Hearing Protection – Because my daughter accompanied me to a Milwaukee Tool regional “show and tell” of their new M18 Fuel lawn & garden outdoor power tools and I wanted to protect her ears.
Joe Knows Electronics Resistors – Not exactly a tool, but a handy assortment of resistors for upcoming projects. What’s a resistor? Read this electronics component primer post.
Apex 15′ Made in USA Water Hose Section – Useful as a drain hose or for testing pumps.
Radians NOT USA-Made Safety Goggles – Still good goggles. The plain color and styling makes it a better choice for media event usage than the Dewalts I normally wear.
Uvex Stealth Safety Goggles – I wanted to try these, but I don’t like them as good as Uvex Flex Seal goggles.
Dewalt Concealer Safety Goggles – They’re not made in the USA anymore, but are still very good goggles. You can replace just the lenses, but I can never find the goggles that I put aside due to lenses that need replacing.
Loew Cornwell 20pc 2″ Foam Brush Set – If I’m going to use cheap foam brushes, I might as well go with a brand that I know and have had good general experiences with before.
Sugru Moldable Glue Stuff – Things didn’t work out for the project I bought it for, but I’ll find some other uses, hopefully before it expires. Here’s what I wrote about them in 2011.
3M Corded Reusable Earplug – Disposable-type foam earplugs are nice, and I’ve reused lightly used ones before, but I wanted to try something a little better suited for in-out-in-out-repeat use that sometimes (frequently) happens with weekend projects.
Peltor Corded Reusable Earplugs – These are rated for 1 dB higher noise reduction. Plus, I wouldn’t be me, and ToolGuyd wouldn’t exist, if I didn’t feel compelled to explore the differences between similar but distinct products.
General Finishes High Performance Satin Topcoat – A water-based polyurethane wood finish that took me a while to select. My order from Amazon arrived damaged. A replacement order from Rockler resulted in nicer-packed quart cans. I’ll order more from Rockler or another woodworking supply retailer in the future.
Zinsser Bulls Eye Sealcoat Sanding Sealer (Dewaxed Shellac) – This stuff can be used under polyurethane, as a sanding sealer, and I’ve seen that it can give lighter wood (such as Baltic Birch plywood) more vibrancy or *pop*. My Amazon order turned out alright.
Preppin’ Weapon Sanding Block – It’s available in several colors, but I liked blue. It’s made in the USA and quite decent. It’s just a sanding block – a darned good one – and I still have sandpaper work itself free. The clamp is the best I’ve seen, though, so I’ll chalk it up to user error.
Olson Saw Blade Lubricant Stick – Because some aluminum-cutting blades work better when lubed. But not all – some blades are supposed to be used without any additives.
Starrett Pin Vise – I bought it to hold teeny tiny 2.5mm (~0.1″) drill bits, but it was shoddily made, with burs and loose filings sticking to my fingers. I thought I’d give Starrett another try, and they disappointed me yet again.
Loc-Line Vacuum Hose Slide Valve 10-Pack – I only needed 1 or 2, but the price was better for a 10-pack at the time. A reader told me about the deal – thank you! I’ll use the rest for some kind of ball maze for my son, or something like that. We’ll see.
Duck Brand Double-Sided Tape – Double-sided duct tape? I’ll give it a try.
3M Scotch Heavy Duty Fasteners – I needed some of these heavy duty reusable fasteners pronto, and Amazon had a good price.
It’s been a few months, and I don’t remember what I used them on. I didn’t need 4 boxes, but I didn’t know when I’d be able to get to a Home Depot. I’m sure I’ll use them more in time.
Grafix Ink Jet Transparent Film – I hadn’t used it yet, but I bought this stuff for making transparent cutting/drilling/layout templates.
Grafix Ink Jet Film Matte – I’m curious to see how well the matte film works for template use.
Avery Full-Sheet Inkjet Labels – These printable shipping labels are more cost effective than the Grafix, but will they work as well as printable templates? Better? I’ve got a project coming out where I can compare the two, will let you know!
Festool CT Sys Filter Bags – I still need to finish the review, but I’m liking the Festool CT Sys portable dust extractor ($325 via Amazon). It has a lot of pros, not many cons.
Freud 7/8″ Forstner Drill Bit – I still have to figure out which Freud Forstner drill bit style I like better, but in the meantime I needed a good 7/8″ bit and this one fit the bill.
Bud Industries Economy Project Box – This seemed like a nice and reasonably well sealed enclosure for an upcoming project.
Bud Industries Larger Project Box – I also needed a larger one.
Klein Non-Metallic Cable Stripper – Because it seems like it might work better for working with Romex.
Knipex Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper – So far, so good. More about the strippers.
Incra 1000HD Miter Gauge – This is a very nice upgrade for any table saw, router table, or other equipment with a standard miter slot.
More Stainless Steel Companion Knives – I just couldn’t pass up the sale!
Seville Classics Wire Shelving Racks – These free-standing storage units are pretty awesome. I just ordered 4 more 18″ x 48″ x 72″ 5-shelf units.
Victorinox Swiss Army Cadet Knife – I don’t think I’ve had a Cadet before, and wanted to see what the Alox handle design was all about.
Pelican 1740 Case with Foam – When you’ve got to protect something big.
Elmer’s Glue – No target in the area had any Elmer’s glue when I needed it, and now the local store only restocked with the School Glue version. I paid $2.19 with free shipping, and the week before it was $1.99 as an add-on. Now it’s $6 and change?!
Kershaw Leek Teal – The handles are anodized aluminum, giving the knife a different feel than I’m used to with the excellent stainless steel handled version I reviewed. But… it’s blue, and was on sale.
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls – I scratched up some kitchen bowls with aluminum shavings.
Fenix LD22 LED Flashlight – Let’s see if the LD22 is as good as the LD20 I used to recommend.
Fenix Diffuser Tip – This could be handy.
Fenix MC11 Angled Flashlight – Looks like a good review candidate.
Streamlight ProTac 2AA LED Flashlight – I returned special priced Stylus Pros. This one doesn’t have a California Prop 65 warning that I could tell, which is a good start.
Pelican 1920B LED Flashlight – I don’t remember the last Pelican flashlight I’ve used. This would be a good review candidate.
Energizer Lithium AA Batteries – Great for high power flashlights, and cold weather performance. These batteries also have a great shelf life.
Energizer Lithium AAA Batteries – same reason as above. Frequent-use devices get Eneloop rechargeables, but for Energizer lithium cells are more cost-effective for other applications. I use alkaline cells for less demanding applications.
Amazon UK Purchases
I placed my second order just recently and am awaiting delivery. The first order was placed in September, just prior to Sortimo expanding USA distribution. Prices are still somewhat favorable to order from overseas, even with shipping. My order turned out great, but it might be worth it to order from a USA dealer, just in case of a mishap.
Note: Only Amazon will ship to the USA, and not on all items. If an item has a big red “won’t ship to the USA” message, check to see whether Amazon is the seller. Sometimes if Amazon UK won’t ship an item to the USA, Amazon DE will, and vice versa.
Hazet Screwdriver Set – The price is too good to pass up. Let’s see what eco-priced Hazet tools are like. Not that I’ve tried their more premium handled screwdrivers, but I still wanted to check these out.
Sortimo T-Boxx Oragnizers – After waiting soooo long, I finally had a chance to see what all the fuss is about! I’m still tweaking my setup, but short answer: they’re sweeeet!
Bahco Tekno Ball Hex Screwdrivers – I own an Irazola Techno+ 5mm driver and added Bahco 2.5m and 3m drivers. A 6mm is on the way with today’s order, but the 4mm seems to be perpetually out of stock.
The handles on these are FANTASTIC! I paid the equivalent of $15 or so for the 5mm when at a tool store in London.
Bosch 12V Max (10.8V) Circular Saw – Bosch won’t bring this tool to the USA, so I ordered it from Amazon UK. I’ve only used it a few times, seems like a good compact cordless circular saw, and it works fine with my 12V Max batteries. The last I checked, I was able to find replacement blades in the USA, not that I need one yet.
Festool Sys 4 TL Sort/3 – This is the new T-Loc-compatible Sortainer. I like my drawered Sortainers and am curious to try this one out. Each draw has 2 front-to-back organizers. There was no price benefit to getting the pricey organizers from overseas. They’re $25 per drawer. No, thanks, at least for now!
Regular Sortainers are fit to Systainer 3 dimensions, these are taller, at Systainer 4 dimensions. We’ll see how well they play together.
I wish I had ordered my very many Festool and Tanos mini Systainers from overseas – I would have saved quite a bit of money. I was tempted to buy more now, but I’ve slowly been moving my mini Systainer contents to Sortimo T-Boxxes. I’ll be using them as mini tool kits, eventually lined with Kaizen foam or tool foam.
Facom Metric Wrench Set – I could use a compact metric wrench set to keep in a portable tool kit.
Facom Inch Wrench Set – I LOVE these Facom 440 combination wrenches! The price on the foam tool module set is too good to pass up! I have a set in a plastic tray, and the tray is kind of so-so.
These wrenches are shorter than standard long pattern combination wrenches, and the box end a little beefier.
I haven’t replaced my Craftsman Pro full polish wrenches, or Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches, but the Facom combo wrenches and Proto spline ratcheting wrenches are my go-tos. I previously only bought them in inch sizing, but my metric Facom set purchase changes that. I probably won’t upgrade my Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches to Proto, as I tend to use SAE sizes a lot more.
Facom Micro Tech Precision Screwdriver Set – Although pricey, I think these would be excellent review candidates. Here’s what I’ve said about all my other precision screwdrivers.
Facom Universal Shears – I’m spending a bunch on shipping, one more tool won’t add measurable to it. These look like a general purpose “I can always use that” tool that would be interesting to review.
Bosch Cordless Glue Pen – After waiting for Bosch to not release this cordless glue pen in the USA, I decided to buy one anyways. I bought 2, just in case one fails, but also so I can load them with different glue sticks.
Steinel also makes a cordless glue pen, and might make the Bosch one, but it was pricier – 38 Euros via Amazon DE. It looks to have a battery fuel gauge and slightly different design.
Bosch High Strength 7mm Glue Sticks – It looks like I can find 7mm glue sticks here, but I wanted to make sure I had glue the glue pen was presumably designed to work with.
Bosch Plastic-Specific 7mm Glue Sticks – A plastics-specific hot glue formulation? I’ll give it a try.
Amazon DE Purchases
Tip: Theres a button at the top of the Amazon Germany menu bar that has an automatic english translation option. It works quite well, and Google better handles user review translation.
Knipex Self-Adjusting Wire End Ferrule Crimper – These are super pricey everywhere in the world, but less so if you order from overseas. It’s less from Amazon DE, even with express global shipping.
L-Boxx Mini – I previously ordered 4 of these small L-Boxxes (oops, I thought it was 6), and ordered 6 more last night. The latches don’t look like they’ll hold a lot of strength, but I like the clear lids and internal dividers.
The price is right too – 5.87 Euros (~$6.15) each.
I don’t mind the Fischer branding or red color, since these are the cheapest L-Boxx Minis I could find on any of Amazon’s international sites, including those that cannot be shipped to the USA by Amazon or 3rd party sellers.
Hazet 1/4″ Hex Screwdriver Bit Holder – I’ll give it a try. It’s similar in style to the screwdrivers I ordered, which I’ve used a little bit and like so far.
Steinel 7mm Ultra Power Glue Sticks – It seems to me that these and the Bosch are the same, but I figured I’d add another pack to my supply, assuming the Bosch glue pen works as well as I’ve been hoping and looking forward to.
Wiha Kraftform Halfmoon Screwdriver and Bit Set – Our friends over at KC Tool set over a set for review at my request, and I’m liking it. The screwdriver handle could be better. After a lot more use, I’ll pick up the 1/4″ hex to halfmoon adapter and use it with a mini Wera handle, but at ~$45 it’s a very pricey adapter.
I like how low profile the Wera Micro halfmoon bits are, and how nicely they lock into the bit holder.
I bought the green-handled non-EDC set. You could buy the green-handled set and spare yellow-handled EDC handle for around the same price as the EDC set.
Wera Kraftform 100 52pc Bit Set – Somebody mentioned or inquired about this lately, and it’s been on my shopping list since. It has more Pozidriv bits than I care for, but I could use duplicate Phillips and Torx bits, and I guess that hex key set can come in handy. I’ll likely swap in different bits to make this a better portable kit for my needs.
This wasn’t one of my more enthusiastic purchases, but it seemed like it would be good for review.
Wera Tool Check Plus Imperial – This is a larger version of the Bit Check with mini ratchet and Rapidaptor that I’ve put through a lot of use these past few years, with the addition of some color-coded inch sockets and a screwdriver-type handle.
Just the price saving on this set paid for the shipping for the entire order. Compare via Amazon USA.
Wera Kraftform Kompakt Pistol-Grip – Pricey, but the design appealed to me, and looked like it would be interesting to review and compare to straight-handled multi-bit screwdrivers.
Wera Kraftform Ratcheting Screwdriver – This looked like it’ll be a good review candidate, and at worst, a good addition to my screwdriver bit drawer.
Wera Kraftform Kompakt Ratcheting Screwdriver – This ratcheting screwdriver drops the Rapidaptor bit holder, but gains in-handle bit storage.
Bahco 6.0mm Ball End Hex Driver – Here’s that 6mm ball end hex driver I mentioned adding to my Irazola/Bahco Tekno/Techno+ screwdriver collection. I really wish that they also made these drivers in inch sizes, and also that the 4.0mm was immediately available for purchase at a reasonable price.
Wera Tools Advent Calendar – When I started adding to my cart, the Advent calendar was said to be back in stock in mid-January. Then, when I was almost done, it said there was 1 back in stock. Soooooo I ordered it.
Feedback?
Did you like this post? Would you want to see more like it in the future, perhaps with an image for each entry? Once every month or two, instead of 5 months and 3,400+ words?
Cr8ondt
Loved it!!! Was a fun change of pace!
Brian
I like this kind of post, man that must have taken some time to put together! Go back to sleep Stuart! Maybe you should take a week off or something, hope you feel better soon.
You should be able to buy pucks for cheaper, they’re like $1 to $2 normally. I play hockey and honestly I don’t think I’ve ever bought a puck they just appear, I keep a few in my hockey bag. Don’t let them get too hot, they will melt on the surface and get sticky. They will also leave marks, you can put felt on them or something to stop that.
Stuart
Take another look – there’s more. =)
I’ve been at the sporting good store twice in the past month, forget to check for hockey pucks both times.
$2 each didn’t seem bad.
John Blair
I was over in the UK on business and I purchased a Milwaukee M12 drill driver kit 4 in 1. It is like the Festool with an offset driver, chuck and right angle adapter. I purchased it for 149 GBP and brought it back. Threw away the charger and its become on of my favorite tools.
I am not entirely sure why Bosch and Milwaukee don’t bring out their battery operated tools here. Even when they do it takes so long.
Jim Felt
Buy them on AmazonUK like I’ve been doing. Barely a week for standard delivery to the West Coast.
As a Robin Williams so aptly said “Joke ’em if they can’t take a f**k”!
Adam
That kit is unavailable for shipping on Amazon UK. So great if they have it for shipping, otherwise I guess I have to make a business trip over there.
If I’m going to just buy tools over the pond, do you think you could classify that as a business expense? Maybe a Tool-Guyd group travel package & visit all the great manufacturing companies over there?
BonPacific
Looks like PowerToolsGB will ship to the states, got as far as entering my address.
https://www.powertoolsgb.co.uk/cgi-bin/ecom.cgi?Command=ShowProduct&db_pid=25995
Stuart
I’d love to try the M12 4-in-1 if I can find the bare tool version at a good price!
John Blair
I don’t think its in normal production, either that or brexit has made them very hard to find. All of the places I’ve found them are out of stock now but one and it was a local store. But they are closing theirs out at 119 GBP (including VAT). First time I have checked a bag in 15 years (can’t bring power tools on planes, but can’t check batteries as luggage).
I love it. If I weren’t already in the M12 battery platform I might have bought the Bosch Flexiclick (which is a 5-in-1 with an SDS hammer drill option).
While I love my tracksaw, domino and MFT/3, I just can’t see paying Festool prices for many purchases.
David
Sortimo’s US store now has t-boxxes available without shipping from Europe – and they show up on Amazon, albeit at a higher price. Now I’m hoping for a coupon, as $60 plus shipping ($15+ for one to my Midwest location, or $20+ for five) is still a bit to swallow.
I’ll still probably cave at some point…
fred
It’s an Interesting list.
I did a bit of a Venn diagram to compare to tools I have and use.
My batch of mechanical pencils (0.3 to 5.6mm diameter leads):
FABER CASTELL 131431
KOH-I-NOOR 5347PN1005KS
KOH-I-NOOR 53560N1005KK
KOH-I-NOOR 5358CN1005KK
PENTEL AM13-HB
PENTEL P205
PENTEL PG523-E
PENTEL PG527-C
PENTEL PG529-N
PILOT PEN HA-CR4-6B
PILOT PEN HPS-1SR-TR4
SCRIPTO K770
TELEDYNE POST 38 M6-010
ZEBRA PEN M-1800
My Preppin’ Weapon (UPC766565195000) is Yellow – been using it 3 years now – a nice sanding block that I think you will like
My Incra Miter Gauge is a 1000SE – I use it on my Unisaw. I have an Osborne 50-EB3 that I use on my Bosch 4100 saw.
I have a 4-piece Starrett Pin Vise set in a red plastic case that dates back to the 1970’s. They have come in handy for fine work.
I second the use of the Olson saw blade lubricant stick for cutting aluminum – tried various other home-made (e.g. candle wax) solutions and the Olson sticks work much better. The last 2 I bought were back in 2003 through Amazon.
Forstner bit styles – may be a matter of personal preference and what sizes you use and what you cut most often. Plywood and MDF tend to dull bits quickly – particularly continuous-rim styles. You also may find that you like one style for pine and another for oak – as an example. We bought Freud bits – but I think I had previously said – that we liked the Famag and Colt brands somewhat better.
Some of your European screwdrivers look nice. The Bahco ball-drivers look more ergonomic than the ones I have from Bondhus.
I have a Wera 05003262003 pistol grip driver – bought in 2010 for $48 and a Wera 05003263004
Pistol grip ratcheting bit-holding screwdriver that I bought for $42 – I would like to say that they were good purchases – but I don’t find many occasions where I try to use them – having found they feel a bit odd in my hand. I do use the Wera (non-ratcheting) handle (05051462003) that I bought at the same time. I sometimes lament the loss of the old hardware store where you paid a lot more but could try things out before you bought.
Finally – my wife is a glue gun aficionado – so your thoughts on the Bosch pen after a bit of longer-term use – would be interesting. I thought to pick one up last year – and may look for one this year on one of our European sojourns.
Nathan
Curious about how you guys like the incra mitre gage — I’m on the fence (ah ha) of either getting that or making me a 2 seperate sleds. since I seem quite a number of wood worker people that swear by the sled approach vs using the single rail mitre gages.
(and cut angle cuts on the sled vs protractors or other angle blocks for repeatability)
also long list man.
I’m ordering some automotive stuff and was actually going to send you a note about possible review of some automotive specific tools – in this case ODBII/CAN buss readers.
BonPacific
I have an Incra 1000HD. It’s a fantastic miter gauge, but as a compliment to the sleds I use, not a replacement.
fred
You said it correctly IMO – both sled and miter gauge have their uses depending on what you do and what saw(s) you use. My primary saw is(an old Unisaw. I like the Incra when I’m doing dados and bevel cuts. I use my Osborne on my Bosch (jobsite saw) – for general trim work – but I don’t think it is up to things like octagonal windows or picture frames where the INCRA is better- more precisely adjustable. I sometimes use one sled that I made to cut 2 pieces of a miter joint simultaneously – and other sleds to handle larger stock and bigger pieces. The sled approach (using a support and rails in both miter slots) on a jobsite saw can also help a bit to makeup for the small depth of table in front of the blade.
Stuart
I plan to build a sled, but simplicity and easier storage and portability makes a miter gauge with fence adequate for my immediate needs.
fred
If you want to go whole-hog – take a look at an old Jointech sled as a possible design inspiration.
Allen
I bought the Kreg miter gauge. As I’ve said before, put a piece of Formica under it and you get most of the advantages of a sled.
tim Rowledge
I use a minimax cu300 sliding table saw, so my mitre gauge is about 3ft long and can take an 8*4 sheet of ply being dropped on it ?
I really do recommend them over typical cabinet or contractor saws.
Matt turner
For the cost of one of those, you can buy a sawstop, put their panel sliding attachment on, build infeed and outfeed tables with rollers and still have $8,000 left over. I’m sure the minimax a nice machine, but that’s quite a bit of extra tools for the difference. Another alternative is to buy some centipede sawhorses, a festool ts75, a ts55, a festool ct, lots of track sizes and still have about $10,000 left over
fred
We had a ShopFox W1806 (maybe a poor man’s minimax) that we ran at 440V – could gang cut multiple sheets with its 10HP driven 14 inch blade – but I wouldn’t say it was an all purpose saw . We still used a dedicated Oliver rip saw with a feeder and had several Unisaws – sometimes bringing a Unisaw out to a jobsite when we could set up a shop for a few weeks or longer.
Now retired – and like most home-shop users space and powering for a big slider would be tough. My local utility would probably balk at a 440V service for my house. If I were to buy a new saw today – I think a Hammer might be on my short list instead of my somewhat ancient Unisaw. My old contacts at Felder, Baileigh and SCM keep sending me emails and flyers advertising their wares – and some of the newer machines do look nice.
Also – in the 50 or so years since I started handling plywood sheets – they seem to have gotten heavier – so now I appreciate my track saw for breaking them down with a cleaner edge than what I used to get with my old Rockwell-Porter-Cable 9314 trim saw and a straight edge (even with a taped line and pre-scoring.) BTW – having that separate motor and scoring blade on a sliding table saw is an advantage.
Trippy
Amazon tool orders;
12/13 B&D 20v cordless glue system. Amazon offered a 12.00 coupon and B&D had a 10.00$ promo cost was 57.99$. Great tool though need another battery as charged life isn’t real long. Or get used to turning off and on a lot.
12/17 Dewalt DW618pk 2-1/4 hp plunge and fixed base router. Dewalte’s 25.00$ off and signed up for the Amazon card getting 50.00$ credit. Total 122.99$. Haven’t used it yet. Thought was a smoking deal. Paid off 122.99$ yesterday.
.
fred
I bought my wife (she loves her glue guns) a Ryobi cordless glue gun at Home Depot:
The P305 18V LiIon cordless glue gun was only $29.97 – but since it wasn’t Makita or Milwaukee ( for which I have the batteries and chargers) – it got to be a much more expensive Christmas present:
P117 Charger = $39.97
P122 Battery 2 Pack = $99.00 for 2 Ryobi P108 4AH batteries
I also bought a small Ryobi toolbag (# 901605030) to store it – On Amazon – a pair of these cost me $12.46.
So $170 plus the toolbag – but now she can glue things more easily/safely when working from a ladder. Had I remembered seeing the B&D – that probably would have been under the tree instead.
Jim @ Rite in the Rain
Notes on Pencils:
Good call on the Pentel Kerry. That’s the only capped mechanical pencil I’ve seen around that’s any good. Great clip for pocket carry as well.
I would suggest the Alvin DraftMatic 0.5mm DM05 over any other fine-point drafting pencil. The knurled grip has some nice purchase even with gloves on, and the lead advance mechanism absorbs some pressure to protect the lead. I haven’t used a better pencil than this one for precision work.
Of course, there’s also our beefier pencil that you featured on here a while back:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/rite-in-the-rain-mechanical-pencil/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Another interesting pencil is the cheaper Zebra DelGuard – I understand that one has some shock-absorption properties as well. If you’re making precision markings on wood and odd surfaces, more durable pencils like the Alvin, RITR, and Zebra will spare you some frustration.
Stuart
I’ve got an Alvin DraftMatic in 0.5 and 0.7mm sizes, but don’t reach for them too often. They are nice, though.
I’ll keep that Zebra in mind, and I come across the RITR in my wishlist every now and then. I don’t carry pens or pencils as much these days, but if that changes the RITR will likely inch over from my wishlist to my shopping list.
Josh
I’m sad I missed the loc-line valve deal. I have a bunch of loc-line left from when I found it for $1.70 a section or so, and I’m finally getting close to setting up my workshop.
If you’re interested in sharing your bounty, shoot me an email!
Jasper karr
I love these type posts… esp the overseas items…
fede
Cudos. To you wish I could buy half of you’re list.
I also bought a few wera and hilti tools this year and most of my purchases are based on you’re reviews and envy of you’re bast sets of tools.
Also. I have a wife to hide the purchases from.
Great post. And now. I have more items in my never ending wish list.
Thanks to you. …….
RKA
I like this post, lots of things I’ve missed over the year. It’s great to see this stuff and file it away in case the need arises! My favorite this year is probably the trim puller Fred posted on the community site (and probably here as well). But I’ve picked up many other things because you planted the seed!
Matt
Enjoyed the post! That Bosch saw is just awesome… And you have to use those Energizer lithium batteries for winter work. At least I do in my outdoor digital thermometers and lights. Some interesting things I’ve never seen before. I really like the glue gun too!
Jay
Good stuff.
Just to add my 2 cents I have enough hammers for sure but since I really just like them I can’t resist a great deal when I see one. Over on Amazon I recently ordered a 22 oz. Stanley 51-021 FatMax gray Graphite Checkered Face Framing Hammer – Axe Handle for the sum total of $13.79 with Prime shipping. Hella deal. Item no. B000HEIYF2.
Cheers!
Chris T
Love general finishes. Their Arm-r-seal is liquid dreams
MT_Noob
When the time comes to try re-keying your locks, you might want to spend a few minutes watching some you tube videos to see how to disassemble it without all the springs and pins flying everywhere. There are tons of good videos where they pick and gut the lock cores. Of course be careful, you could end up getting hooked on locksport and that is a whole nother set of tools. Check out you tube videos from Bosnian Bill, Lock Picking Lawyer, Texas Jim just to name a few that have good disassembly videos.
Stuart
Will do!
I spent a few minutes watching the videos and reading the instructions before ordering the rekey kit, just to be sure it was something I could do.
MT_Noob
You can certainly do it, everyone can. The only worry is that you’ll have to find more storage space for tools if you get hooked. After you take your first lock apart you will want to see how others work and before you know it you have a new collection of tools and locks that seem to randomly multiply. It has been my latest addiction.
Jay
Have done lots of work related rekeying, keying alike and master keying. It’s not too bad until you get into the high security dual core locks. Just takes practice. We never used brand specific kits opting instead for one of the universal LAB kits. The one I’ve used for years is an older version of the .005 LMK005 Universal Mini LAB. If I needed a new LAB I’d be tempted to make the switch over to the newer .003 MK003 kit.
Here is a nice collection of tech manuals if anyone is interested.
http://www.lsamichigan.org/tech_manuals.html
MT_Noob
Nice link thanks for that find. Funny, I live in Michigan and had not seen that site. But thank to the power of the web now I have it. I agree if you are going to do a lot of locks or multiple types, then a lab .003 or .005 is the best way to go . The one nice thing with that particular kit is that you are getting the tail piece remover. Which is not a must have, but very convenient. Sadly the kit does not have any serrated or spool pins, and if it was me I’d be adding some extra security pins if I was going to the trouble of re-keying on my residence.
The yeti
Wow . I just seen the prices for L-boxx and sorti more in canada. I guess I will continue to do without branded storage solutions . Currently I hang my drills and jigsaw and impacts etc . I will continue to do that . I can not justify spending so much on cheesy plastic boxes . Be just as well to toss a drill and some bits in a bucket for free .
Greg
RE: Ear Plugs
I highly suggest these from Howard Leight for reusable ear plugs. They are great for very loud industrial settings. There’s a reason they’re so popular on amazon. I imagine each person’s ears are different. I can’t stand foam ear plugs and can never get them to stay in, so these are amazing to me.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037F92RC/
Richard
How do you like the foam Facom wrench tray compared to the plastic one?
Stuart
Fits the same space, looks neater, wrench hole sizing is a little tight at open ends.
The plastic one is more functional, I like the foam better.
Boris
Makita B-31170 and Makita B-31142 are compatible with GKS 10,8.
Love this saw, the best item in 10,8 (12) line.
Matt
First off, loved the post. Definitely wouldn’t say no to seeing more of these.
Question for you, was there a reason you ordered the T-boxxes from UK vs. DE? I keep a pretty close eye on them and it usually seems that they’re cheaper from DE, since the exchange rate is a little cheaper and the shipping is usually the same.
Stuart
Cost and customer service considerations.
With shipping, the cost from Amazon UK was either favorable, comparable, or just very slightly higher.
I also figured that if something went wrong, it would be easier communicating with someone at Amazon UK than Amazon DE.
In my recent orders, I have found that shipping is less expensive from Amazon UK than from DE, at least for certain items.
Matt
Ok good to know, I’ve placed a couple orders from DE, no issues yet (#fingerscrossed), mostly Festool things, as I’m sure you know they’re considerably cheaper over there.
Also, not sure if you ever looked at them, but axminster.co.uk is great for ordering NAINA tools. Excellent selection of Bosch and Festool, and the only thing I’ve found they won’t ship international is the obvious stuff that has to go ground in the US. (paint, aerosol etc.) So if it’s on their website they’ll ship it. If you scroll to the bottom of the page you can even choose to shop in USD vs. Pounds.