rd.com Blog: DIY Tools and Gear

“Must Have” Portable Table Saw

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Mar 17 10:07:00 EDT 2010

Having a fancy cabinet saw is great, but what do you do when you need to go on location? Well, for me the answer is the Ryobi BTS21—a 10-in. table saw with a portable stand. I shopped around, looked at a variety of portable table saws to see if they met my list of “must-haves,” and found that the BTS fit the bill.

My favorite feature is the wheeled leg unit. The saw collapses neatly into an easily movable wheeled platform. Three swift motions are all it takes to get it back to working height. Weighing a mere 82 lbs., it can easily be folded up and moved by almost anyone. Another feature I like is the wide right rip capacity—at 32-1/4 in., it’s the widest in its class. The right tilting blade swings to 45 degrees. Unlike other models, the BTS21 features a geared bevel adjustment, rather than a loose gravity alignment system. It also sports a rather large spreader and blade guard with two anti-kickback prawls.
One feature that takes some getting used to is the sliding miter table. If you’re used to using miter slot jigs, you won’t be able to use them on this table saw because there are no miter slots. But all is not lost—you can build a jig and adapt it to the sliding table.

The rip fence is hefty and locks down tight. However, the lack of any T-slots or drilled holes makes it difficult to add sacrificial wood to the fence. To access the extended rip length, simply lock down the fence at 16 in., reach underneath and release the table wing lever, then slide out the wing. From then on, you’re reading the extended ruler. Mine came out of the box nearly dead-on accurate, only needing a slight nudge on the pointing indicator.
The BTS21 features a 15-amp direct-drive motor. It’s housed in a machined aluminum trunnion. Some may say that this makes the portable saws less accurate than their cast iron counterparts, but this saw cuts incredibly accurately, and I was equally impressed with how quiet it is. Blade height and bevel angle adjustments are made via a rack-and-pinion gear system. A single knob controls both operations and is very smooth.

Ryobi included a nice 36-tooth general-purpose blade, but I opted to mount my 80-tooth Freud. The spare blade can be stored on-board, along with the included blade wrenches on the left side, underneath the convenient cord wrap handle. The rip fence stores on-board as well, on the right side. Speaking of blades, this saw is designed to work with a 6-in. stacking dado blade system. You’ll be hard pressed to find one at your local box store, but they can be ordered from nearly any woodworking supply store or online. You will also need to order a dado throat plate from Ryobi, since it’s not included with the saw. Also, don’t forget that the 5/8-in. arbor has reversed threads.

A large dust collection bag that connects to the standard size dust port is included. I would have liked to have seen an accessory outlet plug for the shop vacuum, as you’d find on a router table. The owner’s manual is nicely written and easy to understand. It detailed all the steps needed to set up the saw for the first time. However, the saw came out of the box nearly perfect and already assembled. Five minutes after opening the box, I was ready for my first cut.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the saw. Not to mention that at only $270, it’s budget friendly. You can buy it at Home Depot.

Ryobi, ryobitools.com

--Jason Nailen, field editor

I love my power inverter

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Thu Feb 25 13:37:00 EST 2010

I was in Fargo, ND, last weekend for my son’s hockey tournament. We had a four-hour ride back home on Sunday afternoon, so my wife drove and I used the time to get some work done (my boss has been busting my butt lately on a Web project). I had my laptop, but the two-year-old battery only lasts about 30 minutes on a charge. So I used my Black & Decker power inverter. It converts the 12-DC volt juice from the car battery to 120-volt AC power—enough power for any small electrical device. It plugs into the cigarette lighter, and my computer plugs into the inverter. It also charges my son’s MP3 player.

Not only did the inverter let me work all the way home, my computer screen is brighter when it’s plugged in instead of running on battery power, which made it easier to see what I was typing. The inverter is kind of loud, but nothing that I can’t drown out by turning up my Johnny Cash Greatest Hits CD. If you want to charge to phones, computers or other electronics, or plug in a laptop (passengers only, please!) buy the inverter for $30 at a home center or amazon.com. Other retailers are listed on the Black & Decker Web site.

Black & Decker, 410-716-3900. blackanddecker.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

The power inverter is plugged into the cigarette lighter of Brett Martin’s vehicle.

Use the Right Lubricant Every Time

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Jan 27 16:14:00 EST 2010

I didn’t realize how much spray lubricants differ until I met with experts from Liquid Wrench. Liquid Wrench makes a range of lubricants and penetrating oils to help stop squeaks, loosen stuck fasteners and protect moving parts. Most of us tend to grab whatever lubricant is handy to do a job. But that can present a problem—some lubricants attract dust, which can create a dirty mess, and others cause plastic parts to disintegrate.

To make it easy for DIYers to pick the right lubricant, Liquid Wrench has placed a mobile code on each can of lubricant. You can text the mobile code from your cell phone to get instant advice on what surfaces the lubricant can be used on. This will help you buy the right lubricant, then use the right one when you have several cans in your shop.

Liquid Wrench also redesigned the cans to make the labels easy to read and make the mobile code prominent. The cans are now available in a convenient six-pack, which contains six popular types of lubricant (penetrating oil, lithium grease, chain lube, silicone spray, lubricating oil and dry lubricant). The six-packs may not be available in your area yet, but you can buy the individual cans for less than $5 at hardware stores and Lowe’s (find other retailers on the company’s Web site).

Liquid Wrench, (877) 973-6247. liquidwrench.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Home Improvement Video Games

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Jan 27 16:01:00 EST 2010

I’m not a video game nut. I play a few games of Bejeweled every once in a while to relieve stress, and I race my kids in Mario Kart on occasion. But I found a new game from Majesco Entertainment that’s suited for a DIY guy like me—Our House: Party! Players have to race through Home Depot to collect tool upgrades, like nail guns and riding lawn mowers, then they compete with up to three players to remodel their homes. There are more than two dozen projects to complete, including remodeling the bathroom, building a garage and painting a bedroom. Players do everything from laying brick to fixing cracks in walls to applying wallpaper to installing plumbing.

My sons, ages 7 and 11, assure me that the game is actually pretty cool, and they’re pretty tough video game critics. I enjoy watching them play the game, since they’re developing an interest in home improvement and ask a lot of questions about real-life fixes.

The game is available for the Wii ($40) and a slightly different version for the Nintendo DS ($20). My kids and I like them both. The games are rated “E” for “Everyone.” You can buy them wherever video games are sold, including Amazon.com.

Majesco Entertainment, (800) 826-0015. majescoentertainment.com.

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Associate Editor Brett Martin plays against his son Ethan in Our House: Party! on the Sony Wii. They’re racing through Home Depot to pick up tool upgrades.

Quick Way to Stir Paint

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Fri Jan 08 13:03:00 EST 2010

If you’ve ever tried stirring paint or stain that’s been sitting in your garage for several months, you know what a time consuming pain in the butt it is. The Squirrel Mixer from Homax makes the job go a lot faster. It attaches to your drill so you can stir the paint quickly—it’ll be ready in just a couple minutes.

The Mixer isn’t for new paint (the store will mix it for you), but it’s a real time saver for the old stuff that’s hard at the bottom of the can and watery on top. You can also use the Mixer for mixing joint compound (you don’t want to do that by hand either!). I bought mine at a Benjamin Moore paint store for $9. You can also buy it at Amazon.com or on the company’s Web site. A larger Mixer, for stirring in 5-gal. buckets, costs $16.

Homax (800) 729-9029. Squirrelmixer.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Winter Gloves for the Working Man

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Mon Dec 21 15:34:00 EST 2009

We got our first big snowfall of the year in Minnesota this week—almost 10 inches—followed by subzero temperatures. I braved the arctic blast to shovel snowdrifts out of my driveway and replace some burned-out Christmas lights. I had to take off my gloves to grip those tiny light bulbs. And at 10 below, it didn’t take long for my fingers to go numb and turn a nice shade of purple.

So I picked up a pair of Machanix Wear’s Winter Armor gloves and have been wearing them outside the last few days. Surprisingly, they’re flexible enough for replacing those little bulbs and for holding nails and screws. I’ve never had a pair of gloves that made that possible before. The gloves aren’t as warm as the insulated ones I wear for snowmobiling, but I’ll trade that for dexterity when I’m working.

The gloves’ wind-resistant lining helps block cold air, and the water-repellant nylon keeps them dry. They also have one of my favorite features found on other Mechanix Wear gloves—a cuff that pulls tight, using a hook-and-loop system, so snow doesn’t end up inside my glove. The gloves are available at Lowe’s for $25.
Mechanix Wear, (800) 222-4296. mechanix.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Big Ball Level

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Mon Dec 07 16:35:00 EST 2009

Looking for a level that’s super easy to read? Check out C.H. Hanson’s new Precision Ball Level. The 24-in. level uses what’s called an “aviation style ball” instead of the traditional vials for readings. Basically, that’s just a giant ball floating in some kind of liquid, similar to instruments used in airplane cockpits. You get level and plumb readings, of course, as well as degrees and pitches.

While I wouldn’t recommend running out and buying the level just because of the ball, if you’re in the market for a 2-ft. level, you can’t go wrong with this one. But at $35, it costs about twice as much as other 2-ft. levels. And you have to be patient. Waiting for the ball to quit bobbing around can be a bit aggravating. I think the biggest benefits are that you can easily determine the angles of stairways for placing handrails, determine roof pitches or find other angles without doing any calculating. You can buy the level at Lowe’s and on the manufacturer’s Web site.

C.H. Hanson, (800) 827-3398. chhanson.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

My New Favorite Vacuum

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Thu Dec 03 15:54:00 EST 2009

My wife and I have two preteen boys, which means our house is never clean—or at least never stays clean for long. We wore out our Dustbuster cleaning up after them. But truth be told, I wasn’t a big fan of the Dustbuster. I thought it was a one-trick pony that was limited to vacuuming crumbs off floors, and it didn’t hold a charge very long.

So I bought Black & Decker’s new Flex Mini Canister Vac—now that’s a vacuum worth having around the house. The 18-volt vacuum is lightweight and portable, and it has a 4-ft. flexible hose so I can hold the vac in one hand and vacuum with the other. It has a lot of suction power (40 percent more than my old Dustbuster), which lets me clean crumbs out of the crevices of my couches, vacuum my car without lugging out the 5-horse shop vacuum, and easily vacuum stairs. Plus it handles everyday spills and messes. Black & Decker says the vacuum does a good job of picking up pet hair, but I can’t vouch for that—no furry creatures for us, thanks.

You can empty the vacuum in a matter of seconds. One side opens up so you can dump the debris in the trash. The vacuum ($70) is available on the company’s Web site, Lowe’s and Amazon.com.

Black and Decker, (800) 821-4672. blackanddecker.com

Preventing Power Tool Eye Injuries

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Nov 10 10:56:00 EST 2009

According to the 2009 Eye Injury Snapshot Project done by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more than one in five of the eye injuries that occur at home are caused by home repair or power tools. The most common place for the injuries to occur is the yard or garden.

Some of us older DIYers require reading glasses or bifocals in order to perform close-up work. If your regular glasses don’t contain “shatter-proof” lenses, you are not fully protected. Safety glasses designed to be worn over regular prescription glasses do offer protection, but they’re heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

Did you know that safety glasses are available with the magnification built right in? I recently heard about them from a colleague and searched for them on the Web. There are many brands and configurations available, but first you need to determine what magnification you need. Have your eyes tested one at a time to determine the proper “power” you need. This is measured in diopters and takes the form of “+1.5, +2.0, etc.” Use the diopter number from your weakest eye, which will be the higher number.

The safety glasses I ordered have padded ends over the ears for comfort. They cost about $12, plus $5 for shipping. Consider more than one pair, such as dark lenses for use outside. Buying a second pair won’t affect the shipping price much. Be safe and protect your eyes: you won’t regret it!

--Jim Boyle, field editor

Magic Screws

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Mon Nov 09 17:05:00 EST 2009

About two years ago, this guy at the lumberyard hands me a 6-in.-long screw and a 12-volt cordless drill. “Try this,” he says, pointing at a block of Douglas fir. I think, “No pilot hole? No way.” But the screw spun right into the wood—without much groaning from the drill. Just like magic.

I haven’t used a lag screw since that day, for deck ledgers or anything else. Although structural screws are thinner than lag screws, they have just as much strength as lags because they’re made from better steel. My only complaint about them is the price—they cost about four times as much as lag screws.

Structural screws are available at most home centers, although the brand I like best (GRK) is sold only at lumberyards and online. For retail sources and details, go to grkfasteners.com.

--Gary Wentz, senior editor

Propane-Powered Leaf Blower

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Oct 21 13:51:00 EDT 2009

I’ve been a fan of Lehr’s environmentally friendly engines ever since I tried them out at a lawn and garden event last January. Lehr has developed a 4-stroke engine that runs on propane—no hassles with using and storing gas, no priming to start the engine and almost no carcinogens or emissions released into the air. Instead, you just twist on one of those small, $3 propane canisters that you use with camping lanterns and stoves. One canister will power the engine for two hours at full speed.

The engine has been available in weed trimmers since last summer, and now it’s available in the Eco Blower, shown here. I’ve been using mine for the last few weeks. It starts on the second or third pull and runs quieter than gas-powered models (although it’s still loud!). And it’s plenty powerful enough to easily blow grass clippings and leaves off my driveway and sidewalk. The blower can also be used as a vacuum, and it comes with a bag to catch the debris.

Last Sunday, I drained the fuel from my gas engine toys. It’s nice knowing that I don’t have to winterize my Lehr engines. The Eco Blower costs $230. While that’s more than other models, at least you don’t have to hassle with stubborn starting and stinky gas issues anymore. You can find retailers on the company’s Web site or buy it at amazon.com

Lehr, (310) 839-9009. golehr.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Ethan Martin, the editor’s son, uses the Eco Blower to clean off their driveway.

Identify Circuits the Easy Way

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Oct 14 15:54:00 EDT 2009

Extech’s RT30 Wireless AC Circuit Identifier ($145) feels like a quality tool when you pick it up, and it proves its quality when you use it. I use mine for two things. The first is to trace electrical circuits in mid-run. This is a nice feature if you have open walls, a crawl space or an attic space where you have access to your electrical cable. To test the wiring, you either clamp the sender unit directly to the wiring or use the included clamp probe to attach it to the cable. Once you have the sender unit, or probe, clamped in place and sending a signal to the receiver unit, you go to the circuit panel and flip off the breakers until the receiver unit no longer receives the signal from the sender unit. Then you’ve identified your circuit. I also use the Circuit Identifier to determine which circuit outlets or recessed lights are on by using a light sensor on the sender unit. You simply plug a lamp into the outlet and turn it on. Or turn on the recessed lights. Then place the sender unit close to the lamp or the lights so the sender can detect the light. After the sender signals the receiver, you identify the circuit by flipping circuit breakers until the receiver stops receiving the signal. The tool is perfect for finding the circuits for those mystery wires in an attic or crawl space. It’s also ideal for people like me who work alone trying to trace wiring—I don’t need my wife to stand in an adjacent room yelling, “On! Off!” Overall, I find this a useful tool that’s easy to use for the weekend warrior. My only complaint: I wish there was a better way to trace electrical outlets than carrying a light around the house with me to plug in. Retailers for the Circuit Identifier are listed on the company’s Web site. Extech, (781) 890-7440, ext. 220. extech.com --Steve Schilling, field editor

Scramble Your Brains

Nell Merlino — Thu Oct 08 12:11:00 EDT 2009

Scramble your brains

The fabulous Count Me In Leadership Institute and a very positive Annual Board meeting really snapped me out of whatever last little bits of fear or doubt remained in me from the recession. Yesterday, I attended the Business Innovation Factory in Providence, RI (www.businessinnovationfactory.com) and it snapped me totally back into myself. I got to tell a few 'Take Our Daughters to Work Day' stories and brag about women growing micro-businesses into million $ enterprises. I also got to listen to some of the most incredible thinkers and innovations around, including Sweet Rioter and M3er Sara Endline, who's obsession with sweets has created new wealth for thousands of people living in developing countries, while also turning a tidy profit for her company, sweetriot. What a fascinating privilege to listen to people like Ethan Zuckerman, who we can thank for breaking open the internet in the early '90s for non-techno geeks to create their own webpages and publish their thoughts, creations and business ideas for a cyber audience. As a fellow at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Zuckerman is now paid to ponder the meaning of the web and see where it leads him.

What I know is that meeting new people in different fields and businesses is the best way to scramble your brain so you can see solutions you never imagined before. So go get out there!

Believe in you,

Nell

Robot for Cleaning Shop Floors

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Fri Oct 02 11:18:00 EDT 2009

The iRobot Dirt Dog offers an interesting twist on the shop vacuum. As a member of the iRobot family—a line of robotic cleaning machines—the Dirt Dog has rotating brushes that automatically sweep your shop floor. The Dirt Dog maneuvers under workbenches and other hard-to-reach areas to clean up. When it bumps into walls or other objects, it simply changes directions. Its robotic brain tracks its progress to ensure that the entire floor gets swept.

The Dirt Dog does a pretty good job of picking up debris. I found that it worked well picking up sawdust, wood chips, leaves and small twigs. The iRobot web site says that the Dirt Dog also works on patios and decks. When I tried it on my patio, the Dirt Dog didn’t distinguish between the edge of the concrete and the mulched landscape. This caused the robot to get stuck in the mulch. If you’re going to use it in an area without defined borders, you’ll need some type of barrier to force the robot to change direction. iRobot sells a Virtual wall ($40; item No. 4960) that keeps the robot from crossing into areas where you don’t want it.

The Dirt Dog is available on the company’s Web site, starting at $130 plus $15 shipping.
iRobot, (800) 727-9077. store.irobot.com

--Jim Stapleton, field editor

Built a Pergola Last Weekend

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Sep 29 16:15:00 EDT 2009

My buddy Dominic and I built this 16 x 20 ft. cedar pergola in just two days. It provides some shade for the patio and helps create an outdoor room. We set the posts in 42 in. of concrete so we wouldn’t have to worry about the posts heaving when the ground thaws after a brutal Minnesota winter.

When I stand back and look at the structure, it looks like it’s harder to build than it actually was. Granted, the double beams were plenty heavy to carry up a ladder, and the beams and rafters have angle cuts at the ends, but the project was really just a matter of setting four perfectly plumb posts, then screwing together a ton of lumber. We’ll show you how to build the pergola in our July/August 10 issue. But if you can’t wait that long, maybe you can figure everything out on your own by looking at these photos!

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Associate Editor Brett Martin and his friend Dominic admire the cedar pergola that they built in a weekend for about $1,700.

Perfect Angle Cut Every Time

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Sep 09 14:32:00 EDT 2009

Craftsman’s new MiterMate miter saw is designed for homeowners who want to cut perfect angles. Since few corners are exactly 90 degrees, it takes some trial and error to get tight miters on baseboard trim or moldings. But Craftsman’s saw comes with an “angle finder,” which you slide open along adjacent walls. Then you place the angle finder onto the saw table and slide the fences, instead of the saw head, until the fences abut the angle finder. This gives you the angle you need to cut the trim or molding for a perfect miter.

I can’t see a pro using this saw, since pros have their own tricks for cutting perfect trim on traditional compound miter saws. But a DIY novice who needs to make a lot of miter cuts will appreciate that the angle finder automatically determines your angles so you won’t have to do any head scratching with math. I found the saw counterintuitive when I first used it since I’m used to swinging the saw head to the angle rather than adjusting the fence while the blade remains stationary. But after I used it for a few cuts, the saw started to feel more natural. The saw will be available for $250 in mid-September at Sears stores and sears.com.
Craftsman, craftman.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Slide the angle finder open in a corner to find the angle.

Place the angle finder on the saw and move the fences tight against the angle finder to get your angle.

Pocket Gopher Problem Solver

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Wed Sep 09 14:29:00 EDT 2009

Earlier this summer, I was having problems with pocket gophers tearing up my yard. Some days I’d come home from work and find three or four mounds of dirt in my lawn from those annoying critters digging tunnels. And if I didn’t get out the shovel and scoop up the mounds right away, the piles of dirt would kill my grass.
So I talked to my lawn expert, who has always given me infallible advice, and he recommended RCO’s Omega Gopher Grain Bait, which is basically strychnine. He told me to wait for a pocket gopher to dig a new hole, then sprinkle a few of the granules in the hole. I was skeptical—pocket gophers are hard to kill. You usually have to trap them underground. But the next day, I came home to see a fresh mound of dirt right smack in the middle of my front yard, so I applied the bait. That was two months ago. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since, and I never had to deal with cleaning a trap or disposing of a carcass.

I realize strychnine probably isn’t a popular choice for everyone, especially if you have kids or pets that like to dig around in the yard, but man, is strychnine effective. I don’t hunt and I normally coexist with nature—squirrels, rabbits, even deer in my yard—without any trouble. But I just had to stop these pocket gophers and save my lawn and garden. If you want to pick up the gopher bait, you can find dealers or buy directly on the company’s Web site. A16-oz. bottle costs $11. The label didn’t contain a lot of safety information. If you’ve tried the bait, let me know what you think of it and if you had any problems with it killing other animals.
RCO Inc., (800) 214-2248, rcogopherbait.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

A Good Tool Belt is Worth the Extra Money

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Aug 18 17:33:00 EDT 2009

As a weekend DIYer, one of my pet peeves is making endless trips back to my workbench to get the needed tool for every single task. Besides eating up my time, it’s tiring! My solution was to purchase a new tool belt with expanded pockets and pouches. If I’m working from a ladder or going up on the roof, I pack the tool belt with every tool I might need so I never have to get down until the job is done. My previous tool belt had a single pouch and I only used it for those occasional jobs that required a lot of fasteners.

The extra pouches on my new belt can carry more tools, but that also means more weight, so I bought one with the optional suspenders. This spreads out the weight between the padded suspenders and the tool belt. The suspender straps are adjustable, which lets me adjust the tool belt to a comfortable position on my waist. Not too high or too low. I bent over, kneeled and squatted to ensure that the belt would be comfortable when I’m working in various positions. I also wanted a tool belt with “hook and eye” connectors that fasten the pouches in place so they don’t slide along the belt.

Multi-pouch tool belts with suspenders are available at home centers, starting at $40.

--Jim Boyle
Field Editor

Field Editor Jim Boyle’s new tool belt with suspenders lets him work comfortably while holding the tools and fasteners he needs for a job.

Lithium-ion Screwdriver that Locks in Bits

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Aug 18 17:30:00 EDT 2009

I own a battery-power screwdriver and a couple of small, inexpensive drill drivers. What drives me nuts is that they don’t hold the bits worth a darn. Instead of the bits pulling out of the slots in screw heads, the bits stick to the screws and pull out of the tool. So I’ve made Craftsman’s 4-volt lithium-ion screwdriver my go-to tool for any jobs around the house that involve screws. A quick-release/load collet locks the bit in place—that single feature makes this $40 tool a real gem.

The screwdriver set comes with 20 bits, a charger and a handy carrying case. Like other lithium-ion tools, it holds a charge for months so it’s always ready for use. My only complaint is that instead of a switch, the drive direction is on the trigger—squeeze the top for forward and the bottom for reverse—so it takes some getting used to.You can buy the screwdriver at Sears stores or sears.com (model No. 11398).

Craftsman. craftsman.com.

--Brett Martin
Associate Editor

A Better Way to Sharpen

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Thu Aug 06 17:28:00 EDT 2009

I remember the day I first picked up a framing nailer and instantly shot two 16d nails into a stud. I never wanted to use my hammer again. The Work Sharp 2000 gave me the same feeling—after using it for two minutes, I never wanted to use my bench grinder again.

Rather than a stone wheel, the Work Sharp sharpens with adhesive-backed discs, similar to the sanding discs used in orbital sanders. The broad, flat disc is a much better sharpening surface than the narrow, rounded edge of a stone wheel, so the speed and angle of sharpening is easier to control, and straight edges remain straight.

I’ve used the Work Sharp on a variety of tools, including an ax, a mower blade, some pruning tools, pry bars and hammer claws. I ground the gunk off putty knives and trowels and straightened their edges. But I really fell in love with this machine when I sharpened my long-abused chisels. The Work Sharp has a port especially for chisels and it works great. Just slide the chisel in and pull it out—a perfect edge with no skill required. It’s almost like magic. With narrow chisels (1/4-in.), the Work Sharp produced an edge that was slightly out-of-square. To compensate, I had to twist the handle slightly while grinding.

The Work Sharp 2000 costs about $120 at home centers, hardware stores and online (retailers are listed on the company’s Web site).

Professional Tool Mfg, (800) 597-6170. Worksharptools.com.

--Gary Wentz, senior editor

Senior Editor Gary Wentz sharpens his chisels and cat's paw on his Work Sharp 2000.

Never-Stop, No-Tap Weed Whacker Blade

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Fri Jul 31 12:53:00 EDT 2009

Three years ago, after being repeatedly frustrated by the string disappearing inside the head of my weed trimmer, I took a chance and installed the Weed Whacker Blade ($23) from SharperBlade. Rather than a nylon string, this is an actual blade made from polymer embedded with nylon that cuts just like a lawn mower blade—no more having to stop and tap the trimmer head on the ground to get more string. And you never have to replace the heads or fish string out of the holes.

The blade is completely maintenance free—no sharpening, ever. As you use it, the polymer wears down to expose new nylon. I’ve been using my blade for three years now. I’ve never done a thing to it, and it still cuts perfectly. But unlike string, it’ll send a stone flying just like a mower blade, which is the only downside. So make sure no one is standing around watching you do your Paul Bunyan thing, and aim the head away from any windows.

You can install the blade in five minutes on any trimmer that has a removable head (nearly all do). The company also has polymer blades for mowers and edgers, but I haven’t tried those yet. Buy the blades on the company’s Web site.

SharperBlade, (702) 598-5366. sharperblade.com

--Brett Martin, associate editor

Biscuit Joints Without a Biscuit Joiner

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Fri Jul 31 12:49:00 EDT 2009

Back in the days when a biscuit joiner cost a week’s pay, I bought a slot-cutting router bit so I could use biscuits without buying the expensive machine. And although I now own two biscuit joiners, I still sometimes use a router instead. Why? Because in some situations, a router is just plain faster. When I need to make long joints—for edge-gluing boards, for example—I cut continuous slots instead of several short slots. And when I have a lot of identical slots to cut—to make cabinet door frames, for example—I turn my router table into a speedy slot-cutting machine.

All it takes is a 5/32-in. slot cutter bit that has a guide bearing (about $25). Most slot bits cut a slot about 1/2 in. deep, perfect for no. 20 biscuits. You can also buy a slot bit set that’s designed just for biscuits (about $50). It will include three bearings sized for slot depths that match no. 20, no. 10, and no. 0 biscuits. The bits are available at woodworking stores such as Rockler (rockler.com).

--Gary Wentz, Senior Editor

Small, Powerful Flashlight

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Jul 14 15:36:00 EDT 2009

LED flashlights have been around for years. I always take one on canoe trips because they’re ultra lightweight and the batteries last a long time. But the ones I’ve used are barely bright enough to keep you from stubbing your toe on the way to the outhouse. The new Leatherman LED flashlights are different. These things are super bright, like a regular old-fashioned flashlight but much smaller and lighter.

There are three choices: the Serac S1 ($30), Serac S2 ($55), and Serac S3 ($80). They cost more than other flashlights, but they have a 10-year warranty so you won’t need to buy another one any time soon. All three models are light enough and small enough to fit in your pocket, so they’ll always be close at hand. The clips are great for clipping onto a shirt pocket or the visor of your hat for hands-free operation. I clip on the little guy for reading in the tent.

Batteries are included—they last 1 to 36 hours, depending on the flashlight and the brightness setting (you’ll get more than 10 hours per battery with each flashlight on a low setting). Take along an extra battery or two for those longer camping trips. Since the flashlights are waterproof down to 3 ft., you don’t have to leave a dropped light at the bottom of the creek. Find retailers (stores and online sources) on the company’s Web site.

Leatherman, (800) 847-8665. leatherman.com

--Travis Larson, senior editor

Check the Fuse Before Tossing the Battery Charger

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Jul 14 15:33:00 EDT 2009

My favorite tool over the last 15 years has been my DeWalt 9.6 volt drill/driver ($100 at home centers). I’ve always hated the monotony and strain of using manual screwdrivers. Early in my electronics repair career, I took a hacksaw to a Phillips screwdriver and chucked the bit into my 3/8-in. drill. Removing and driving the 20 fasteners on a typical TV set was no longer a chore.

My DeWalt drill/driver no longer looks new and has its share of bruises, but it still works like a charm. My main gripe is its battery life. It uses the old Ni-Cad batteries, which, if you didn’t already know, are insidious because of their “memory effect.” Ni-Cad batteries tend to only charge back to the level they were at when you started using the tool. A “full charge” gets lower and lower until it finally renders the battery useless. Manufacturers discovered that fully discharging the battery before charging it helps to offset the memory effect. To fully discharge my battery, I put it in a 9.6-volt DeWalt flashlight that I found for $1.50 on the bargain table at Home Depot.

Then there was the night when “singing pipes,” which are normal in my house, alerted me that water was running somewhere in the house. After checking everywhere, I stumbled into the garage and got sprayed with water from a broken washer hose. The water had drenched my workbench. That weekend I noticed that the DeWalt charger no longer worked, so I bought a new one. As my pile of batteries increased, I opened the “broken” battery charger and noticed a blown fuse. I replaced the fuse and now the charger works great.
DeWalt. dewalt.com

--Jim Boyle, field editor

Favorite Low-angle Block Plane

The Family Handyman Editors and Experts — Tue Jul 14 15:29:00 EDT 2009

A bunch of us editors were chatting about our favorite tools one day and I said one of mine was an old Stanley 60 1/2 low-angle block plane that I carry in my tool bag. Well, I got some pretty strange looks, even from the carpenters in the crowd. A common response was, “Really? A plane?” My response—yep.

As long as the blade is sharp, you’ll find all kinds of uses for a block plane. I like how the narrow Stanley plane fits my hand and is small enough to fit in a tool belt pouch. I used to do a lot of work in old houses and it seemed like I was always scribing moldings, trimming doors or just trying to get stuff to fit tight against crooked old walls. A block plane works great for all of these things because it’s short enough to follow curved or irregular lines, especially if you twist the plane so the blade is skewed.

At $40, this little plane isn’t cheap. But it’s not like a cordless drill that’ll end up in the landfill. This tool never quits working and you can pass it down to the next generation. Find retailers on the company’s Web site.
Stanley. stanleytools.com

--Jeff Gorton, associate editor

Associate Editor Jeff Gorton uses his favorite tool—a low-angle block plane—to trim a door that won’t close.