We don’t intend this as an exhaustive list of every tool you could (and should) possibly own. Instead, we’re targeting the gear you’ll find useful day in and day out — and that occasionally may pull your ass out of the fire when you’ve done a great job of lighting it up.

Of course this wouldn’t be Toolmonger without your feedback. Think no one really needs a utility knife? Wonder why we’re not going to include a scroll saw? Speak up! As you see the each post in the list (starting today), feel free to let us — and more importantly other readers — know what you think. And if you’re reading to assemble your first toolkit, do what we do: Pay attention to comments. There’s as much useful info there as you’ll get from us. Toolmonger readers are sharp, like your pocket knife better be, too.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not sure where I left the blade guard/splitter for my table saw, and frankly I don’t really care; it’s a real pain to remove and replace and it gets in the way of at least half of the operations I perform. Now, I really like the idea of a built-in riving knife that moves with the blade, so maybe on my next saw — but for now this removable splitter from Micro Jig has caught my eye.

Not only does the MJ Splitter keep the workpiece from pinching the blade, it also can act as a mini-featherboard to keep the workpiece against the fence after it exits the blade — something that’s not easy to do any other way. By choosing one of the four sides of the two included splitters, you can adjust the amount of pressure the splitters apply by changing how much it is offset from the blade in increments of .003″.

Due to the fact the splitter fits into a series of precision holes into your zero-clearance insert, you can only use the MJ Splitter for 90° through-cuts. To help you drill these alignment holes, Micro Jig  thoughtfully includes a jig with the splitters. You can purchase splitters for 1/8″ kerf blades and thin (3/32″) kerf blades. Pricing starts at $15 for the 1/8″ version, $20 for the thin kerf, and $30 for a set with both.

Reading the reviews on Rockler, it looks like people have had problems with the pins bending and the splitter getting knocked out of place. Apparently Micro Jig is aware of these potential problems and has recently release a pro version made from steel and polycarbonate that we’ll look at tomorrow.

MJ Splitter [MicroJig]
MJ Splitter [Rockler]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Esslinger currently has the GRS Benchmate Basic Package on sale for $185.00.

The GRS Benchmate is a mounted ring holder that allows ergonomic positioning of a ring clamp for setting stones, engraving and other operations. The basis of the system is a tapered dovetail plate that is attached to the front of a jewelers bench. The mount slips on and locks in place in seconds. The height is somewhat adjustable and the ring clamp is fully adjustable so it can be mounted plumb or at an angle. The ring clamp swivels in the holder as well allowing access to every side of the ring settings.

While a bit pricey, they do seem to have great popularity with bench jewelers. There are a host of accessories available as well. The manual details setup, adjustments and maintenance (.pdf).

GRS Benchmate Basic Package [esslinger.com]

(TV Tonight, Tuesday, February 9th, 2010) A new Dirty Jobs retrospective also brings us to what promises to be truly nasty visit to a bone black, or bone charcoal, factory. There’s also a new Howe & Howe.

All times are central

• Deconstruction: Lumber (Discovery, 5:00 pm)
• Holmes on Homes: Frozen Assets (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• Tank Overhaul: The Sherman (Military, 5:00 pm)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Turkey Inseminator (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Tank Overhaul: The Hellcat (Military, 6:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Mature Tree, Noisy Heating System (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Water Saving Toilet, In-Ground Sprinkler System (DIY, 7:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Concrete Finisher (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Bone Black (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Howe & Howe Tech: Badger Resurrection (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW

First of all, let me thank you for all your kind comments on my “We Want Your Input!” post last week. Your thoughtful and insightful responses remind all of us here in the Toolmonger office just how awesome our readers are. And let me also tell you this: We’ve listened. We’re working on some changes to Toolmonger based on your input. Read on past the jump for a preview of what’s to come:

A few changes we’re working on:

More Projects

Respondents (both in comments and via email) almost universally requested more projects by us and featured reader projects. We, of course, agree wholeheartedly, and we’re working on updates for both the shop truck project, the “Jackass Projects” Porsche story, as well as some other stuff we’ve got going on in the TM shop.

But we need your help here, too. We’ll keep watching the Flickr pool for cool projects to feature, but we could also use your help in identifying great reader projects to feature. Have a cool project? Drop us a line and let us know, either via the Submit-A-Tool form or directly to me at ccage(at)toolmonger.com. Our best reader project features include one or more photos plus a nice description and some quickie how-to.

We’re also going to do our best to feature a reader project on the weekly podcast, too.

More Podcasts

Speaking of podcasts, we’re working to bring back the Tool Talk podcast. As many of you have heard, long-time TM Managing Editor Sean O’Hara has a new family member, so his time has been somewhat limited. However, we’re working on scheduling to try and get you a weekly podcast as before.

(Truthfully we missed doing it as much as you’ve missed hearing it. Sitting down to BS about tools once a week was a high point for us.)

Site Layout

We agree that TM’s site layout (now about two years old) is out of date and in need of freshening. We’re working on it and hope to deploy updates piece by piece over the next few months.

Forum

The awesome responses and interactions in comments remind us regularly that we do indeed need to deploy a Toolmonger forum. We’re currently working on this, both financially and design-wise. We think it’s a great idea, and we hope to put something together in the first or second quarter of this year. Hell, if nothing else it’d give us a chance to hang out in the shop with you, virtually if not otherwise.

Lots More

We heard your other requests, too, and we’re working internally to adjust our editorial slightly to provide more content.

And if I haven’t conveyed this already, thanks so much for reading and for participating in Toolmonger. When we launched the site years ago we thought we were alone in being as interested in the tools as the job. When we told our friends about the site, they laughed. “Who cares about tools?” they scoffed.

You do. And we do, too.

The Make blog used the above picture to point to mtneer_man’s Flickr page with 47 photos of the different workbenches he’s had. It’s quite an assortment, and very nicely organized (although I do wonder about that little bench or desk elevated by concrete blocks on the right). A geo-physicist, he lives in rural Oklahoma, has four — !!! — workshops, several workbenches (”…dirty work, clean work, electronics work, photography, automotive…”), and even sub-workbenches — would those be sous-benches? — for “sharpening, grinding, glueing…” There are many more picture sets on his Flikr page documenting some of his other projects (e.g., workshop building, shelves, tools…) and travels.

Time for a little workshop and workbench envy?

Workbench [Flickr: mtneer_man]

I received an email from a complete stranger asking if I could help source some replacement knockdown hardware for a “Scandinavian bed.” She has 4 of the 8 sets she needs to put it back together but couldn’t find replacements anywhere. The store she bought it from over a decade ago moved and threw out all their paperwork and older hardware (boo on them!).

This is the picture she sent me. She said in her email: “The longest piece is 1 3/4 inches long, the threaded portion of which is 1/4″ diameter. The wide, ribbed piece is stamped “BREV N B38420″ on the top. That piece has a threaded hole, 3/8″ in diameter, drilled through its bottom. The short, stubby threaded piece, also 3/8″ diameter, fits that hole.”

I swear I’ve seen hardware like this before, but having searched Rockler, Lee Valley, McMaster, Hafele, and a host of other websites I am at a loss. So I figured I’d throw this out to some of the most knowledgeable blog readers in the world and ask you guys. If I can’t find a source she wants me to make replacements, but I’d really rather not as the cost will be quite high even at my low shop rate (and I’m pretty busy so she’ll have to wait a while).

As far as I can tell the dowel screws into some other part of the bedframe. Then the dowel end sticks into the cross hole of the short plug (which is located in the other frame member) and the conical set screw threads through the top of the short plug and locates in the countersink, which pulls the frame together, one side being more tapered than the other.

Anyone have an idea where to source this sort of hardware? Or have a hardware problem of your own you would like solved?

My wife uses a small, cheap, cast iron anvil for hammering our wire jewelry. After a while, being unhardened, the anvil surface ends up horribly dinged. Yes, I’ve begged her to use a steel bench block, but she claims this is what works for her and I’m not going to argue. I haven’t found a quality anvil in this form factor.

So it was off to my beater of a Boyar-Schultz 612 surface grinder. I bought it for $250 at an auction, and as you can see, most of the precision has leaked out of it. For simple surfacing jobs it works well. I ground the surface of the magnetic chuck in place so it’s parallel to the travel of the x-axis slide.

I placed the anvil on the magnetic chuck and blocked it in with a magnetic parallel at each end. The first pass of .001″ shows that the edges are lower than the center.

I took about eight .001″ deep passes and finished with a .0005″ pass, traversing until the wheel “sparked out,” which means that it was no longer throwing sparks off and had fully ground the surface. For the finish pass I moved over about 1/4″ wheel width at a time. The surface doesn’t look very smooth, partly because of chatter (the spindle is worn), but the actual flatness and surface finish is pretty darn good and much better than I could get by freehand grinding on my belt grinder. I hit it afterwards on a bear-tex wheel to do some final smoothing.

The down feed divisions are .001″ between the long lines, .0005″ per half line, and the vernier scale on the left further divides it to .0001″. Surface grinders, even worn old ones, are pretty handy in the shop.

The latest Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN Volume 41, Number 3, March 2010) has a short article on Oetiker ear clamps and installation tools. TM has covered the ClampTite tool before (TM 12/24/06), and its use for making hose clamps. The MCN article indicates that neither the ClampTite nor worm-drive hose clamps may be suitable for high-pressure fuel-injection hoses, and that the Oetiker ear clamps are a better choice in this situation.

 As shown above, Oetiker makes ear clamps in several varieties. The installation tool pictured is Oetiker’s model 14100083 “pincer with side jaws for use where space is restricted.” This tool is apparently made for Oetiker by Knipex (the Knipex model is 1099 or 1099i), and is available online for around $21. The ear clamps, depending on type and material, are available for less than $1 in single quantities, and start around $25 in packages of 25 to 100. Kits with a variety of clamps are also available; some kits include an installation tool.

Have Toolmongers used Oetiker clamps and installation tools? What’s your opinion? Do you have preferred alternatives?

Oetiker Ear Clamps [Manufacturer's Site]
Oetiker 14100083 [Google Products]
Oetiker Ear Clamps [Google Products]

What makes this hatchet from Stanley a carpenter’s hatchet? Probably the fact it has a hammer head rather than a flat for striking and a notch in the blade for pulling nails, but it’s still primarily designed for cutting wood and driving stakes.

Forged from one piece of steel and rim-tempered to prevent chipping, this 13″, 28oz. hatchet uses a tuning fork design to dampen vibrations, and the grip is covered with rubber to further cushion your hands.

Stanley’s hatchet will run you about $30. The solid metal construction and the anti-vibe technology make this look like a nice hatchet for camping even though it’s categorized as a carpenter’s hatchet — does anybody have any experience with this hatchet?

Carpenter’s Hatchet [Stanley]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon) [What’s This?]

Looking for a great weekend project to tackle with your kids? Look no further than Toolmonger schnaars‘ awesome “suburban siege” trebuchet. Unsatisfied with their original Lego and Connex models, he and his son switched to pine 1×2s and angle steel to build something a bit, well, more powerful.

From his kick-ass writeup in the Flickr pool:

It’s just a base and an A-frame with a bolt going through it. I used two bungee cords for the power, and you have to adjust them a bit to get the right amount of tension to throw something, but not so much it destroys the thing. The whole thing took about an hour to bang out. [...] I put two holes in the arm: one to give it a high arc throw and one to give it a line drive.

Does it work? Hells, yeah: “The nerf baseball on the bench goes about 75′ on both settings. Golf balls go about 100′ and roll forever.”

(Thanks to schnaars for the great CC-licensed photo — and sweet project!)

(TV Tonight, Monday, February 8th, 2010) We get a new Top Gear tonight, with cheap cars and Rally driving legend Ken Block.

All times are central

• Deconstruction: Down the Drain (DIY, 5:00 pm)
• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Underwater Car (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Collapsing Garage Roof; Installing a Dry Well (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 13 Ep. 3 (BBC America, 7:00 pm) NEW
• Ask This Old House: Special Projects for Kids: Building a Vegetable Garden; Constructing a Mini-Golf (DIY, 7:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Crash and Burn (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Jr/Sr Military Tribute Bikes 1 (Military, 7:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 13 Ep. 2 (BBC America, 8:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Dumpster Diving (Discovery, 8:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Jr/Sr Military Tribute Bikes 2 (Military, 8:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Seesaw Saga (Discovery, 9:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Jet Bike (Military, 9:00 pm)

(TV Tonight, Sunday, February 7th, 2010) Apparently there’s some sort of popular sporting event happening today. So what you get are reruns of thematic rearrangements of How It’s Made.

All times are central

• How It’s Made: Remix: Drinks (Science, 5:00 pm)
• American Chopper: Iowa Farm Bureau Bike 1 (Green, 5:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Breakfast (Science, 5:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Green (Science, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Musical Instruments (Science, 6:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Automotive (Science, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Boats (Science, 7:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Chores (Science, 8:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Road Work (Science, 8:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Garage (Science, 9:00 pm)
• Successful Farming Machinery Show (RFD-TV, 9:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Remix: Weapons (Science, 9:30 pm)
• Holmes on Homes: Kitchen Coleslaw (HGTV, 10:00 pm)

(TV Tonight, Saturday, February 6th, 2010) An incredibly minimal Saturday, but you guys have better things to do than watch TV anyway.

All times are central

• Top Gear: Season 13 Ep. 1 (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Snake Researcher (Discovery, 5:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Alpaca Shearer (Discovery, 6:00 pm)

When pros need to drill seriously gaping holes in masonry, they put the hammerdrill back in the truck and reach for a rotary hammer. And Hitachi recently updated their 1-1/2″ spline-shank hammer, shaving off just shy of three pounds of weight while retaining an 8.4 amp motor that delivers a whopping 5.9 ft-lbs of impact energy and an impact rate of 2,800 BPM.

They’ve put some effort into further reducing vibration as well, claiming a full-tilt-boogie vibration level of 18.8 m/s2 and 95.2 dB. (Admittedly, I’ve never seen a manufacturer publish a vibration level measurement before, so I’m not quite sure how that measures up to others. But I have tested a previous model Hitachi hammer and was surprised at how well it cushioned the blows.) The new model, the DH38YE2 (pictured), also includes a safety clutch that stops rotation when the bit binds.

Of course, lighter is a relative term. Rotary hammers are massive, and this one’s no exception, weighing in at 14.1 pounds. It’s about 16″ long, too. Pricing should check in around $400 street.

DH38YE2 Rotary Hammer [Hitachi]

Gizmodo recently mentioned a different type of log cabin. Piet Hein Eek built this variation as a recording studio for his friend and musician Hans Liberg. The log facade, as shown above, covers a plastic and steel frame. It’s not very clear from the picture, but the cabin is on wheels, has a hitch, and can be towed. Currently located in Hilversum, Netherlands, the log cabin houses a modern recording studio in its surprisingly bright interior. You can glimpse a bit of this in the picture below, where the top-hinged windows are opened.

You can find a lot more pictures at the Thomas Mayer Archive link below.

Log House Office on Wheels [Thomas Mayer Archive]

Given the state of 2x lumber you get nowadays, why wouldn’t you use steel in non-structural applications? Why screw around trying to use warped, twisted, and cupped studs when you can use uniform steel studs? The metal studs even have pre-cut holes to run most plumbing and electrical, unless you need to need to run something like 2″ water, vent, or waste pipes. In that case you’ll need a tool like Greenlee’s 713 stud punch. Think of it as the big-ass version of a paper hole puncher — only for steel studs.

The 23-1/2″ long tool gives you the leverage you need to punch 2-5/8″ holes in 24 to 20ga metal studs and the 2-1/8″ throat fits over most steel 2x framing. Even though Greenlee makes the C-frame and rubber gripped handle from a high-strength alloy aluminum, the tool still weighs a hefty 10.6lbs.

Pricing for the punch varies widely from $400 to $650, so this isn’t a tool you’re going to buy for that framing job in your basement.

713 Stud Punch [Greenlee]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon) [What’s This?]

(TV Tonight, Friday, February 5th, 2010) A new Swamp Loggers continues to hammer home the point that  swamps are wet and muddy. If you like something larger scale, Big, Bigger, Biggest looks at the construction of the International Space Station.

All times are central

• Holmes on Homes: House Arrest (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Cargo Ships, Excavators, Newspaper (Science, 5:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Ice Breaker, Money, Bowling Alleys (Science, 5:30 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Wind Farm Technician (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Airplane Recycling, Fireworks, Computer Printer Cartridges (Science, 6:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Banging Pipes, Installing Fiberglass Door (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Gold, Escalators, Golf Clubs (Science, 6:30 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Gourd Maker (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Brushes & Push Brooms, Blackboards, Smoked Salmon, Zippers (Science, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Car Engines, Flour, Recliners, Envelopes (Science, 7:30 pm)
• Swamp Loggers: Waterlogged (Discovery, 8:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Swiss Army Knives, Player Piano Rolls, Oil Tankers, Racing Wheels (Science, 8:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Surfboards, Stickers, Sandwich Cookies, Concrete Roofing Tiles (Science, 8:30 pm)
• Swamp Loggers: Swamp Fever (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Big, Bigger, Biggest: Spacecraft (Science, 9:00 pm) NEW
• Deconstruction: Down the Drain (DIY, 10:30 pm)

TM has covered all manner of stripped-screw removal before (e.g., screw extractor sets, screw pliers, EZ Grip Friction Drops — or the home-brew alternatives: spit and grinder dust, or spit and Comet Cleanser), but I’ve never seen this extractorless approach using a rubber band, as described in Apartment Therapy via Lifehacker. The concept is basically the same as friction drops: adding something to increase the grip, usually in combination with a slightly larger bit size.

Where do you think this approach ranks in the stripped-screw-removal methods? What about tools like the Alden Grabit? Do you have tried-and-true techniques, or do you just jump to the last resort, as Apartment Therapy also notes, the needle-nosed Vise Grips?

How To Remove a Stripped Screw Without an Extractor [Apartment Therapy]
Alden Grabit Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Right now Lee Valley has their Precision Pen Oiler pen on clearance for $5.00.

From the photos, it appears to be the Empire 2776 Precision Oiler that was covered before at a price of $8.00. It’s of much better construction that the usual plastic tube pin oilers and looks like a useful item for tiny oiling jobs. Push-button action disposes a “drop” at a time (no mention of volume per drop). And it has a sealed cap so you can carry it in your pocket without worrying about spills.

Lee Valley Precision Oiler Pen [leevalley.com]

Step bits can be handy for cutting sheet metal and plastic, but what if you don’t need a standard size hole? These conical “stepless” bits can create holes of any size from 1/8″ to 3/4″. The obvious limitation is if the material is thicker the hole will be tapered, but then again in some situations that might be desirable.

The pictured bits use a two flute design which supposedly cuts faster and smoother.  The 1/4″ hex shanked high-speed steel bits are coated with titanium-nitride to keep them cool.

The only place stateside we could find carrying these bits was Harbor Freight, where a set of three bits sized 3/16″ to 1/2″, 1/4″ to 3/4″, and 1/8″ to 1/2″ sells for $8. Several places in the UK carry similar bits sets including Axminster Tool Centre, which sells a set for £25 or about $40.

Stepless Drill Bits [Harbor Freight]
Conical Bit Set [Axminster Tool Centre]

(TV Tonight, Thursday, February 4th, 2010) Paul Jr. pitches a new line of dog toys on a new American Chopper. Seriously. Oh, they also build a bike for the Stewart-Haas Nascar team. But it’s really all about the dog toys.

All times are central

• Prototype This!: Automated Pizza Delivery (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Some Assembly Required (Science, 6:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Pruning a Tree, Installing a Shower Mixing Valve (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• American Chopper: Monster Diesel Bike (TLC, 7:00 pm)
• Factory Made: Pencils, Giant Bolts, Pickles, Inflatables (Science, 7:00 pm)
• Factory Made: Trombones, Drive-Through Windows, Bottled Water, Baseball Bats (Science, 7:30 pm)
• American Chopper: Stewart-Haas Racing Bike (TLC, 8:00 pm) NEW

Staples seem like a good idea, until you have to remove them. Maybe you’re breaking down boxes in the shipping department, or you’re undoing some work by a carpenter who apparently was paid by the staple; you can use several different tools, but why not use a tool actually designed for the task?

Stanley-Bostitch constructs their G27W heavy-duty staple remover entirely from metal — no plastic parts here — then they plate it with a nickel finish. They specifically claim the tool can be used for heavy duty paper staples and wide crown staples, but removers like these can be used on many different types of staples.

Pricing runs about $10 for this particular staple remover.

Staple Remover [Stanley-Bostitch]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

The Hole Pro® twin-blade X models can cut a variety of materials including wood, plywood, sheetrock, plaster, MDF, fiberglass, and up to 20-gauge brass and aluminum sheeting. The minimum diameter for all the X models is 1-7/8″, and the maximum diameter, for the Model X-425, is 17″. All twin-blade kits come in a heavy-duty carrying case and include a clear Tri-Slot Shield, as shown above, to catch shavings (the shield can also be used as a portable drill press), a pilot hole bit, two hex wrenches, and one set each of tungsten carbide blades and high-speed steel blades. The twin blades provide easy balance, are “infinitely” adjustable over the range of diameters, and will cut through 1″ material (if cutting from one side only; 2″ material when cut from both sides).

The Hole Pro® X-305, with a maximum capacity of 12″, costs $149.95. The X-148, with a maximum capacity of 5-7/8″, costs $119.95.

Have any Toolmongers used one of these hand-held-drill hole cutters? What’s your opinion?

High Performance Hole Cutters [Manufacturer's Site]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

(TV Tonight, Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010) Time to head out to the shop, if you’re not already there.

All times are central

• Ask This Old House: Staining a Deck, Preventing Sewage Backups (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Top Gear (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Holmes on Homes: A River Ran Through It (HGTV, 9:00 pm)
• Ax Men: Boiling Point (History, 9:00 pm)