BuffaloFeeds » Toolmonger » February 23, 2010

Toolmonger (4 unread)

Veritas Detail Rabbet Planes

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 1:01pm MST by Gordon DeWitte

It’s not exactly a Dealmonger, but Lee Valley does have an introductory price on their Veritas® Detail Rabbet Planes. These patented, made-in-Canada planes come in five widths (1/4″, 5/16″ (8mm), 3/8″, 6mm, and 10mm). The one piece ductile cast iron body has a 3″-long sole, and a 15° bed angle. When the O1 tool steel lapped blade with its 30° bevel is inserted, the plane provides a 45° cutting angle.

A one-piece polished brass tongue and palm rest holds the blade in place. Until March 25, 2010, three-piece sets of Imperial or metric planes are $149 (the regular price will be $169). All five planes can be purchased for $239 until March 25, 2010, or for $279 after that date. Single planes are $65 each.

These planes may be a good alternative to a chisel for trimming, or cleaning dados and grooves.

Veritas® Detail Rabbet Planes [Manufacturer's Site]
Hot Or Not: LED Gloves

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 12:42pm MST by Gordon DeWitte

Well, they’re not laser-guided, but they do have LEDs (specifically “two Memphis logo LED lights with each pair”). And there are four attachment points per glove for the LEDs. These mechanics-type gloves have Spandex® backs, synthetic leather palms with foam padding, adjustable neoprene cuffs, and PVC on the palm and fingertips for gripping. A pair can be yours for around $12.50 (size large; shipping not included).

LED gloves might be a better approach than sticking a flashlight in your mouth and trying to aim it, but I’m not sure they’re an improvement over an LED headlamp (e.g., like these [What’s This?]), or a good trouble light.

Has anyone tried these gloves? What do you think?

MCR Safety Multi Purpose Gloves With LED Via Amazon [What’s This?]
Memphis Multi-task Gloves [Manufacturer's Site]
Roll-O Was Its Name-O

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 12:11pm MST by Benjamen Johnson

With Robert’s Roll-O universal knife you don’t have to sacrifice the skin on your knuckles when you cut rough materials like asphalt shingles or carpet. The knife’s finger loop, contoured handle, and extended roller tail protect your fingers and probably give you more control than a standard run-of-the-mill utility knife.

Unlike many other “improved” utility knives, the Roll-O knife uses standard 2 or 3 notch utility blades. It opens with the push of a button for quickly changing the blade and accessing storage which holds up to 10 extra blades. Pricing for the Roll-O universal knife starts at $10.

Roll-O Universal Knife [Roberts]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Sky-High Workshop

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 12:09pm MST by Gordon DeWitte

As noted in the Make blog, Mark Tilden (of BEAM* robotics fame) has a workshop 600 feet up in a Hong Kong high-rise. The work bench’s surface is ½” thick smoked glass to which solder and superglue do not stick. The view out the window is of Kowloon Park and the Hong Kong skyline. Not a bad place to sit while you’re building your next widget, unless Hong Kong’s seismic activity picks up.

*Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanics; a type of robotics using simple analog circuits, instead of microprocessors, to mimic biological neurons.