Ryobi 7.2v Cordless Drill

Power Tools | 2008-08-24 | No Comments

It’s a drill.  It’s a driver.  Functional, yes.  Overall impression … not so much.  Here’s why: battery & power stink.
This Ryobi drill was cheap ($$).  Unfortunately, it is cheap (quality).  The battery charger is slow, the life of the battery is poor, and the power is just not there.

CH Hanson Flip Knife

Miscellaneous | 2008-08-24 | No Comments

Doing something new and different with a regular old razor knife is a bit tricky … because too much, well, it usually is “too much”.  Sometimes leaving well enough alone is the right thing to do.  However, CH Hanson has done well here as they re-thought the razor knife and actually made it more versatile.

Wixey Digital Angle Gauge & Protractor

Measure & Mark | 2008-08-20 | 4 Comments

Wixley digital angle gauge and digital protractor(tm) not sure about most folks, but, I have a difficult time purchasing tools. The wife seems to think I have enough while I tend to disagree. Additionally, I have over the years had to make many sacrifices for quality because of price. I would love to have a [...]

AngLevel

Measure & Mark | 2008-06-21 | 2 Comments

Slick indeed. You’ve probably never heard of the AngLevel, yet alone seen it. It’s a rather new invention (yes, people still invent stuff these days) that was thought-up right here in the good ol’ USA. One of the inventors of this product (it’s a two-brother team) actually sent me this tool and [...]

Chalk Hog 100

Measure & Mark | 2008-06-21 | No Comments

The Chalk Hog is used for marking lines at the “snap” of a string.

This is a large marking tool — thus the “Hog” in the name — and is made of a seemingly durable plastic case. A few metal parts accompany the tool — found in the sharpener (for a carpenters pencil), the reel [...]

Superpencil

Measure & Mark | 2008-06-21 | One Comment

About as basic a function as every woodworking & DIY project will need … marking measurements and jotting down notes.

Tougher than any “pencil” I’ve ever used. The graphite composition that makes up the pencil is tough and extremely flexible. It could break … but not from anything in the normal to extreme use. [...]

Jefferson Extracting Pliers

Hand Tools | 2008-06-21 | 3 Comments

The Jefferson Extracting Pliers are designed with one task in mind — removing objects (nails, staples, tacks, etc) lodged in wood. The simple and effective design allows even the most stubborn of fasteners to be removed with ease without damaging the surface of the wood.
Picking up a pair of these pliers one is immediately reminded [...]