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Toolmonger (8 unread)

High-Pressure Or High-Volume Grease Gun

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 1:03pm MDT by Benjamen Johnson

Legacy Manufacturing, not to be confused with Legacy Woodworking, claims their MEGABOOST grease gun is the most powerful pistol-style grease gun out there. If you set the gun for boost, it’s able to deliver 10,000 PSI — or, if you set if for volume, it’ll pump out more grease per stroke than other similar grease guns.

Their claims may be something to shout about, but pushing grease into a fitting at 10,000 PSI probably isn’t a good idea unless you really know what you’re doing. If you need that kind of pressure to get grease into a joint, it could be clogged, and forcing grease into it might make things worse.

The gun’s dual-piston design allows the choice between high volume or pressure. Other benefits and features include extreme cold-weather performance, ergonomic MegaGrip handle, a bleeder valve for purging air, and a flex extension. Legacy makes the housing from cast aluminum, and the gun is fully repairable with a modular repair kit.

Expect to pay somewhere between $75 and $100 for the MEGABOOST.

MEGABOOST Grease Gun [Corporate Site]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Win A Free Matco Service Cart

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 12:21pm MDT by Kevin Pace

Matco is running an online sweepstakes to promote their new line of service carts, and the grand prize is a MSC11 service cart with top chest add-on. You can enter the sweepstakes for free — just fill out the online form and you’re entered! Judging from the pictures on the website this cart looks pretty sweet, and it would go great in an auto shop.

Contest Info [Matco Tools]
Hot or Not? Toolbox-Style Portable Gas Grill

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 11:56am MDT by Audra Heaslip

We’ve heard a lot about portable grills that fold like briefcases or look like Crock Pots, beer kegs, woks, or UFOs. Is the Tool Box Grill just another novelty, or is it a decent cooker?

The construction is mostly sheet metal with a porcelain grate and shield (the heated components). The manufacturer’s site says the 10,000 BTU stainless steel burner tube provides “even cooking heat,” though user reviews cast some doubt on this. The grill’s dimensions are 19.5″ x 8.75″ x 10.5″, or 173 sq. inches of cooking surface, which is a fine size for a portable grill. Its design lets you store tools and propane inside the box and, at 19 lbs., you can carry the whole thing in one hand.

But while a portable grill should be lightweight, the flimsy construction might require some extra care. Also, we found conflicting information about the propane tank; the manufacturer says the grill uses a standard 1lb. “camping” style canister, while a reviewer at About.com notes that it actually takes the 14 oz. disposable bottle found in most stores’ tool section.

At around $65, this grill could be a good grab for camping, picnics, and cookouts while traveling — if the griller treats it gently and doesn’t mind low heat. Let us know what you think in comments.

The Tool Box Grill [Hans Plads]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Father’s Day Is Coming — Be Ready

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 11:24am MDT by Sean O'Hara

Father’s Day is June 21st — are you prepared to make the old man smile? We’re not there yet either, so we figured a reminder is in order. Comedians like Bill Cosby and Chris Rock make light of the fact that Dads usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to props, but we’ve found that tool guys don’t fit the stereotype. Dad taught us all kinds of cool stuff, and we often hear great stories that start out, “Me and the ole man…” So Father’s Day winds up being pretty easy for tool guys –- get him tools.

If you’ve spent more time working in the shop than shopping, and you need some Father’s Day gift ideas, here are a few hints to steer you the right way.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: A Quality Knife
Remember that guy whose tools you left out in the rain when you were five? Yep, that’s Dad, and his special day is coming up quickly. And just like last year, we’d like to recommend a good quality pocket knife as a perfect Father’s Day gift.

Home Depot’s Dad’s Day Deals
Stuck on what to get him? Head down to the local big box and see what you can find — often something will present itself.

It may seem hard to find something great for the guy who taught you how to hold a hammer or turn a wrench, but relax and remember he’s like you — he digs tools, and that’s a great start.

Thanks to Kurt and Sophia for the sweet photo.
The Modified Square

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 10:44am MDT by Benjamen Johnson

The Modified Square isn’t an easy tool to wrap your head around — I’m still trying to completely understand it myself. At first glance it looks like a framing square that got into a bad accident, but upon closer inspection there are some intriguing uses for it, like transferring measurements from the underside of a workpiece to the top and finding the quarter points on round stock.

The Modified Square is similar to a framing square in that it’s a powder-coated steel rule with a primary blade and tongue set at 90° to each other, but after three inches the primary tongue takes a right-hand turn to form the secondary blade, and then the secondary blade takes a left turn after another four inches to create a tool that looks somewhat like a lopsided question mark.

Every edge is covered with graduated markings in 1/8″ increments. The primary blade is marked in a scale from 0 to 12-1/2″ on one edge, and it features a centering scale on the inside edges where the center corresponds to the inside edge of the secondary tongue. The markings on the secondary blade continue 90° around the secondary tongue.

There are a ton of uses for the Modified Square like marking notches for 2×4s and marking notches for stairs on stringers, but just listing them doesn’t do the tool justice. That’s why I’d refer you to the Corporate Site to see their demonstration pictures, rather than trying to explain them all.

You can purchase the Modified Square from the corporate site, some local retail locations listed on the corporate site, or at Woodcraft for $25.

The Modified Square [Corporate Site]
The Modified Square [Woodcraft]
Snap-on’s Father’s Day Gift Buying Guide

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 10:06am MDT by Kevin Pace

Snap-on is preparing for Father’s Day by offering a Gift Buying Guide on their website. The 8-page guide includes a wide array of hand tools, from wrenches to sockets to hammers, and it lists the promotional Father’s Day sale prices.

Don’t get me wrong, Snap-on is still pricey — but you’re paying for quality, and these tools aren’t for just your weekend warrior dad anyway. The prices shown will last through Father’s Day both online and through your local Snap-on franchise.

Caution: The guide is a large .pdf file — if you’ve got a slow connection, click at your own risk.

Snap-on [Corporate Site]
Dealmonger: 7-1/2″ Adjustable Sliding T-Bevel $6

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 9:24am MDT by Nick Carter

Wholesale Tool is selling this import 7-1/2″ Adjustable Bevel for $6. Made of brass, wood, and steel, it’ll help you set and copy angles when laying out woodworking projects. Don’t expect it to be as well-finished as a vintage tool, given the price and import status.

7-1/2″ Adjustable Bevel [Wholesale Tool]
Street Pricing [Google]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]
TV Tonight: Summer Slump

Posted: June 9th, 2009, 9:00am MDT by Nick Carter
(TV Tonight, Tuesday, June 9th, 2009) There’s nothing much but reruns to watch tonight.

All times are central.
- Deconstructed: 4-Stroke Engine, Washing Machine, Mosquito Trap, Fishing Reel (Science, 5:00 pm)
- Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
- This Old House: Newton Project (DIY, 5:30 pm)
- Deconstructed: Dishwasher, Scanner, Muffler, Hair Dryer (Science, 5:30 pm)
- Ask This Old House: Tips for Watering Lawns, Building a Bookcase (DIY, 6:30 pm)
- Drag Race High: Restless (Speed, 8:00 pm)
- Drag Race High (Speed, 8:30 pm)
- Jesse James Is a Dead Man: Jesse James vs. the Cops (Spike, 9:00 pm)
- Deconstruction: Home Energy Saving (DIY, 9:30 pm)
Enjoy.