What tools are my favorite? Usually the ones I can't quite afford to buy now! Actually, after years of trying to rip, miter, etc. hardwoods using everything from handsaws to wormdrives, I finally found a good deal on a used 10" Rockwell tablesaw complete with Unifence. The blades alone were worth almost the price I paid for the whole setup. That's my favorite at the moment. Not the one I use the most. That has to be my cordless Makita drill. Makita makes good stuff.

I'd love to find a good Rockwell, they're the best!

I have a 10" Rockwell/Beaver tablesaw drive by a 2 Amps. motor. It's long time it's paid by the work i did with it. I've bought a carbon teeth blade. Just great. I even equiped my hand saw with that kind of blade. Never have to sharpen it even after touching a nail. I have a 7.5 volts Skill cordless hand drill with 2 batteries. It's a bit weak but I always have it in my hands, it's realy a must, but maybe with more volts.

i like EXACTO knives *scary grin* *giggle*

To cut your nails? Are they batterie powered?

no and no. To cut letters/words/stencils out. not much in my house is battery powered! *giggle*

Stacey has enough energy to run everything...

Got me a dynamite Makita Cordless drill, 12 volts. hefty thing. For poking holes in my walls for ethernet hookups. I'm sure I'll find other uses for it. Got it at Home Depot last night and I can't wait to get home and find it all charged up!

WooWoo! go paul, go paul...

yeah, hurry up and get that ISDN in already!!!

Got the isdn going just now. It came up immediately after I configured the Pipeline 50 router. Works like a champ.

Choose Slant Instead of Straight Bristle Sash Tool? Novice painters frequently want to know whether they should buy a sash tool with slanted bristles or one with straight bristles. A sash tool is the brush painters use to paint windows. It is most commonly two inches wide with a long slender handle. A sash tool with slanted bristles is easier to get into the nooks and crannies when painting the components of windows. The slanted bristles, however, do not work as well as the straight bristles on flat surfaces. The advantages and disadvantages of each sash tool offset one another, so you might as well take your choice. http://www.emazing.com

I'm gonna be posting tool tips as often as I get them - is this the right place?

Yeah, great place for tool tips.

How about household ones like: Leaky Skylight Skylights have a bad reputation when it comes to leaks. To set the record straight, skylights seldom leak. Roofs leak due to the improper installation of a skylight. When installation instructions are followed, there should be no concern about leaks. Another case of misdiagnosed skylight leaks is the interior environment. High humidity levels in the house can cause considerable condensation on the interior of a skylight. The resulting drips resemble a skylight leak. - Stephen Corwin Or Interior design tips: Drapery Tricks Are you wondering how designers got those draperies to look so perfectly "placed" and hang just right? Here are a few tricks for you to use to achieve the same results. If you want your drapery to "puddle" on the floor, just thread a narrow ribbon through a narrow pocket in the bottom and pull tight: a beautiful puddle! To achieve a "poufy" balloon shade or bishop sleeve, you need to stuff it with plain newsprint instead of tissue paper, which will give more fullness and last longer. And finally, to make your drapery panels look their best, they need to be lined and interlined with flannel, which adds body and makes them hang better.

Right Tool Depends on Which Glazing Points You Use When glass is installed in a window sash, the glass is held by both glazing points and glazing compound. It is possible to install the common small diamond-shaped steel glazing points with a screwdriver, but that is risky. Using a screwdriver or similar tool makes it all too easy to slip and break the glass. It is best to use a tool specially made for installing glaziers' points. Unfortunately, such a specialized tool is not a practical purchase for most craftsmen or women. If you don't have this specialized tool, it is better to buy the more expensive patented glaziers' points that can be easily pushed in with a screwdriver.

Carbide Saw Blades Next time the need arises for a circular saw blade, consider a carbide-tipped blade. Carbide is a hard alloy that holds a sharp edge much longer than steel. Carbide tip blades can cut an occasional nail with little consequence. Although a carbide tipped blade costs approximately twice as much as a steel blade, a carbide blade will generally last four times as long. Carbide tip blades must be sent out for re-sharpening. Small-diameter economy blades are often thrown out rather than re-sharpened, but large blades with high-quality tips can be re-sharpened numerous times and may last a lifetime. Brad Driver is a Practical Tool to Own It is difficult to install very small nails, called small brads, with a hammer. The fingers that hold the brad get in the way of the hammering. Instead of driving by hammering, a brad driver drives the brads into the wood. Since soft wood is commonly used for trimming in home construction, great strength is not required to push the brads into the wood. A brad driver has a slider which holds the brad while it is being driven, making it a much easier task than trying to push the brads in with a screwdriver or similar tool.

I had to struggle without a brad driver today, I ended up using some tiny screws and a tiny screwdriver instead of brads to mount a doorbell.

Definite 'must add' to your tool box - and they are not all that expensive! Teeny screws can be a pain...but you know all about teeny screws when it comes to circuit boards and such...!

Tack Hammer is a Basic Tool A tack hammer is a basic tool in a well-equipped toolbox. For specialized jobs, it has several advantages compared to a common carpenter's hammer. Its small head can get into places a larger headed hammer cannot. Its light weight makes it more controllable when nailing in delicate areas. Of course, a tack hammer is ideal for driving tacks, since one end of the head is magnetized. This end is used to hold the head of the tack so it can be stuck into the wood with the first hammer blow without having to hold the tack with your fingers. After the tack is stuck in the wood, it is driven home with the other, non-magnetized, larger end of the tack hammer head.

Joist Hangers Joist hangers, those little metal brackets, have become ubiquitous on job sites both commercial and residential. Often the term is used to refer to a broad range of connecting hardware. While they seem simple, joist hangars are structural fasteners and must be used for their intended application. Follow manufacturer recommendations. One mistake frequently made by the novice is using common nails when fastening the hangers to the framing. Common nails may not provide the shear strength required in a structural situation. Use only nails recommended for use with joist hangers.

Good advice on joist hangers.

Thank the service who sends me these little goodies. Glad they are useful!

Nail Puller is an Essential Tool Nails can be pulled with hammers, pliers, or many other common tools. However, a nail puller, a tool especially made for pulling nails, will extract nails where other tools fail, and will pull nails more quickly and with less effort than a claw hammer or other tools. There are many types of nail pullers. If you haven't tried one, it'll probably be best to buy one of the standard models. They are relatively inexpensive, so you won't be out much money if you decide later that another model works better for you.

Flex Duct This heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning product is most often used as a supply duct or exhaust fan vent duct in an unconditioned space. It is fast and easy to install and is fully insulated. However, these qualities cause some people to use it improperly or too often. Flex duct is best used in attics, where it is most often laid in place. When hanging flex duct, proper support is critical. Keep in mind that flex duct offers much greater resistance to airflow than conventional ducting, so long runs are not advisable. Finally, flex duct will degrade in the presence of sunlight. Make sure it is shielded from direct light coming in an attic or basement window.

Cozy Nook Do you have an extra large closet or very small room not being used? Why not create a cozy, comfy nook to curl up and read in or talk on the telephone? Remove the front wall completely and build a raised platform about three to four feet off the floor. Then place a mattress on top with a sheet and add lots of pillows and a nice soft comforter. You'll need light on one wall and maybe even a little privacy wall or drapes to create a cozy nook for those special breaks. Your kids will want to spend time there doing homework or reading. It's a fun idea that you won't find in most homes.

Pry Bar is a Much-Used Tool In construction, there are always boards to pry and nails to pull. Fortunately, there are many types and sizes of pry bars you can use to do this task. Probably the most useful is a flat pry bar, approximately 14 inches long, bent up on one end, with nail pulling slots on both ends. The bar can be hammered if necessary on the bent end. This type of bar is so rugged it is unlikely to break or bend, even when abused. Story Pole Simply put, a story pole is a stick with marks on it. This simple tool is used as, or in the place of, a measuring tool. When you're installing paneling, rather than measuring for window, door or receptacle cutouts, hold a long stick or narrow board against the wall and mark the board where the cutouts will go. Now move the board to the paneling and transfer the marks directly to the paneling. This method avoids mistakes often made when reading a measuring tool. Siding installation typically benefits from the use of a story pole, as does bricklaying. In fact, you'll find many situations where repetitious measuring can be avoided by measuring once to the story pole and then transferring thereafter.

Cordless Tools -- Is Bigger Better? Cordless power tools are mainstream tools found anywhere that construction, remodeling, or home repair takes place. Some have all but replaced their corded predecessors, while others still fall short. Cordless technology is rapidly advancing, with new models introduced all the time. Figuring out what is right for you can be a bit confusing when faced with all the choices. Apply the same logic to buying a cordless drill as you would to buying a new computer. Is bigger and faster what you need, or is it just bigger and faster? Cordless tools are distinguished by voltage. They range from 9.6V to 24V. Generally speaking, the higher the voltage, the more powerful the tool. Also, the higher the voltage, the heavier the tool. Run time may be a factor in the type of work you do. Higher voltage doesn't always mean longer run times. Just like with computers, as new models are introduced, the older ones get discounted. There are some great buys on 9.6V and 14.4V tools that would suit the homeowner well.

Check the Tips of your Phillip's Screwdrivers Experienced craftsmen know that driving a Phillip's head screw when the screw is difficult to drive can result in stripping the slots on the screw. The shape and condition of the Phillip's head screwdriver tip have a lot to do with how easily Phillips screw slots are stripped when driving the screws. Check whether the tip is chewed or gouged. If so, you may be able to dress the tip into shape. Note the end of the screwdriver tip. On cheaper screwdrivers, the tip may be pointed. True Phillip's head screw slots have a flat, non-pointed bed. To match the bed of Phillip's screw slots, the tip of Phillip's head screwdrivers must also be flat and non-pointed.

A Duster is a Basic Painter's Tool It is impossible to do neat or long-lasting paint jobs if you paint over dust. Professional painters use dusters to dust surfaces before painting. A professional painter's duster is usually a paint brush, approximately three inches wide, used for dusting. Dusting cloths are rarely used by professional painters, although one could be used where conditions call for wiping a surface. For most work, a brush is faster for dusting, and a brush won't get caught on splinters, screws, or other protuberances as you dust.

Alley Cruising Many cities have alleys. Most also have junk pick-up days. Many people clean out the basement or attic or garage and put doors and window sashes and old molding and plumbing fixtures in the alley. Get the picture? If you are remodeling and trying to match the original style of your house, alley cruising may be the answer. The truly resourceful remodeler will find stuff free in the alleys. Others pay big prices for their finds at the "architectural antique store."

Not too many alleys exist in this town, they're a rarity.

Hmmm....and our are usually eaten by termites before anyone can get anything useful out of it. *sigh*

Three-Inch Broad Knife Most Practical Scraper There are many kinds of scrapers, used mostly by home craftsmen for scraping paint. The most practical scraper for all around use is a three-inch wide broad knife. The better quality broad knives have full tangs, which means the metal of the blade continues up the full length of the handle. Scraper handles may be wood or plastic--most scraper handles are plastic. For scraping, the broad knife blade should be stiff. Test the stiffness of the broad knife blade by flexing the blade in your hand before you buy it.

Toilet Repair Toilet repair or replacement is a common homeowner task. The toilet may be pulled when replacing floor covering or to replace the wax seal. Whatever the reason, when the toilet goes back down the question often comes up about whether or not to caulk the bowl to the floor. There is no obvious right answer. Caulking is recommended for sanitary and aesthetic reasons, and in some areas it's a code requirement. The main point made by those who don't caulk the bowl to floor is that if there were a leak it would not be readily visible and might cause considerable damage before it's discovered. Code restrictions aside, the decision is yours.

Floor Refinishing Floor refinishing is an ambitious undertaking for many homeowners. If you are one of them, here are a couple of furnace-saving tips. If you are sanding floors, shut off your furnace or air conditioner. The dust you create will quickly clog up any filters and may bypass them altogether. When you're finished sanding, vacuum as far down in all ducts as possible before turning the equipment back on. Replace the furnace filter even though the equipment has been turned off. When applying the finish, shut off your furnace or AC again. Circulating air will deposit dust on the wet finish, and the fumes from the drying finish can be corrosive to the heat exchanger in the furnace, especially in high-efficiency condensing models. Bonus tip. Regardless of how much ventilation in your house, wear a respirator with cartridges appropriate for the type of finish you are applying. ******* Miter Gauge Play If your miter gauge has any side-to-side play in its slot, you will never be able to make accurate cutoffs. Fortunately there is a very simple solution. Take the gauge out of the slot, clamp it on its side, and using a metal bunch and hammer, apply a series of dimples about an inch apart along the length of the blade. This will usually create just enough extra width to get a snug fit. If you should happen to overdo it, just use a file to reduce the dimples a bit. Use a little wax in the slot for smoother sliding. ******** Broad Knives There are many tools for applying drywall compound, but the basic tool is a three- or four-inch wide broad knife. The broad knife blade should be flexible. Stiff-bladed broad knives that look identical to drywall broad knives are sometimes sold, but these stiff-bladed knives are for scraping. If you are buying a broad knife to apply drywall compound, be sure to buy a flexible knife. Smoothing drywall compound will be much more difficult if you try to use a stiff broad knife.

I know about broad knives.

What a straight line you just posted, but I am not going to say anything.... *muffled giggles*

Testing Tools Testing tools are used to test or check your work and make sure it is straight, level, and square. The tools are called squares, levels, and straightedges. We rely on these tools to tell us the truth, but how do we know they are accurate? Stop occasionally and test your testing tools. To check a square, draw a straight horizontal line longer than the edge of the square. Align one edge of the square with the line, and then draw a line along the vertical edge of the square. Now flip the square over, keeping the vertical edge aligned with the original line. If the vertical and horizontal edges are still aligned with the lines, the square is accurate. You are checking the tool against itself.

Dry Wall Trowel A mason's square trowel and a drywall square trowel can look alike and be mistaken for one another by the uninitiated. The drywall trowel blade has a slight bevel. When the trowel is used, this bevel is concave to the surface on which the drywall compound is applied. When drywall compound is applied over sheetrock, where either or both drywall edges are not tapered, the bevel of the drywall trowel facilitates feathering, or gradual tapering, of the drywall compound. Feathering helps hide the buildup of compound in the joint so the joint is smooth when the surface is painted.

Side Grind Never grind on the side of a grinding wheel unless the manufacturer has specifically designed it for that purpose. Although this might seem like an excellent shortcut to producing a flat chisel back, or a bevel without a hollow grind, it can be dangerous. The side pressure could cause adhesive that bonds the grit in the wheel to fail and shatter, sending sharp, high-speed shrapnel in all directions.

Jointer Tear-Out If you're trying to joint a difficult edge or face, and are getting some tearout, here are a few things to try. First, if the blades aren't sharp, it's probably hopeless. Remove them, get them professionally sharpened, and reinstall them according to your owner's manual. Second, take multiple light cuts, rather than one heavy cut. Third, make sure that you are cutting "uphill" with the grain. You can usually determine the grain direction by looking at it on the perpendicular side of the board, or feeling with your fingers. You want the grain to be pointing in the same direction that the blades will attack the board, so that it leads them to go up and out, not dig in. Finally, on some jointers you can adjust the fence so that you will be pushing the work at a slicing, rather than perpendicular angle to the blade. Just like working with a handplane, this action will tend to give a smoother cut because it shears off the fibers cleanly. Expansion Building materials, especially wood, move around. We think of our homes as strong and sturdy, which they are, but they still expand and contract a lot. Of course "a lot" is a relative term, but it is not uncommon for materials to expand and contract as much as a quarter-inch. Combine this with movement in adjacent materials and it's easy to see that you must allow room for this movement in your measurements. For example, hold subflooring back from the wall a quarter-inch and cut window glass 1/8" small. Dissimilar materials must have space for differential movement. Plywood sheeting should have small spaces between sheets. The list is long. Next project, keep in mind that all materials move around and plan accordingly. Several Sizes of Pry Bars Recommended A large flat pry bar is the basic pry bar in a carpenter's toolbox. For the serious craftsman or woman, several pry bars of varying sizes are recommended. Two or three sizes of pry bars should be considered the minimum for serious workers to have. The largest pry bar should be about 14 inches long, with the next size smaller being 10 inches long, and the next most useful size being approximately seven inches long. For the smaller sizes, rigidity and thinness of blades are paramount for maximum durability and usefulness. Unfortunately, some smaller pry bars are too flexible or too thick to be very useful.

Measurement Since measuring is the language of construction, there are many measuring tools available. Picking the right one will help ensure easy, accurate measurements. Use common sense: A 12-inch rule would be of little use when building a house, and a 50-foot tape would prove difficult to use for small, accurate measures. Measuring into a corner is difficult with a tape measure, so stop short and mark a whole number, then measure out of the corner to the mark and add the two for a more accurate reading. Always use the longest measuring tool possible to avoid marking and moving the tape. Every mark and move introduces an opportunity for error. Try to get a feel for degree of accuracy. An eighth of an inch in a 50-foot measurement might not matter as much as it would in one-foot measure. Finally, you can sometimes avoid measuring if you use direct marking. Materials can be held in place and marked for length or cutouts using this method, and you avoid mistakes of measuring, marking and transferring altogether.

Ball Peen Hammer is the Basic Hammer for Metal Work Ball peen hammers are the basic hammers for working with metal. The ball peen refers to the ball on the opposite end of the striking face of the ball peen hammer. Hammering with the ball end peens, or shapes, soft sheet metal. A bowl, for example, can be made out of a sheet of metal by peening the metal into a bowl shape. Twelve- and sixteen-head ball peen hammers are the most practical sizes. For casual metal work, the 12-inch size may suffice. The lighter hammer can also be useful when you need a lighter hammer than the normal 16- to 18-ounce head carpenter's hammer, and you do not have a lighter one.

Router-Table Jointing If you don't have a jointer, your router table can be used very effectively for producing straight edges. Use a straight bit, protruding a bit more than the stock thickness. Set the fence so that the blade extends out about 1/16 of an inch, and then clamp a 1/16-inch thick board to the outfeed side of the fence. Adjust the fence so that the outfeed board is exactly even with the outside edge of the blade. Then simply push the work through, maintaining firm pressure against the fence to get a smooth, straight edge. Take multiple passes if 1/16 inch isn't enough to straighten your board.

Router Lettering There are a number of ways to do sign lettering with your router. For an informal, rustic look, you can simply work freehand. Outline the general spacing with a pencil first. Another approach is to use your computer to design the text you want to cut. You can use Word or any other graphics or word processing program to lay out the lettering, control the fonts, adjust spacing, etc. If you don't have a large format printer, you may have to print on several pages with registration marks to realign them on your workpiece. You can then transfer the design to the wood and cut freehand, or use them to cut templates for pattern routing, allowing for the thickness of the template guide. If you're willing to live with a restricted set of fonts and sizes, you can buy a commercial set of lettering templates. A more complex option is to use a pantograph with a smaller router, such as a Dremel tool. A pantograph uses a set of rigid arms to allow you to trace a design off to the side of your work, while the cutting tool makes the identical shape.

Rubber Mallet is a Useful Tool A rubber mallet has a hard rubber head and a long handle, usually made of wood. For casual work, a rubber mallet is used on those occasions when you want to strike something and not leave a mark. A rubber mallet is commonly used in automotive repairs. There are many times in general work when you want to force something into place, and not mar the surrounding area. A rubber mallet is a most useful addition to a toolbox.

Tape Marks The measuring tape is the most common measuring tool used in construction. Besides the usual feet, inch, and graduation marks there are other things going on with the tape. Pull out a tape measure and look at the 16-inch mark. It will be red or distinguished from the other numbers in some way. Keep pulling and notice the 32-inch mark is the same. All the multiples of 16 will be marked. So much measuring and marking in construction relies on multiples of 16, tape makers decided that it was better to look for red marks than learn the multiplication tables. On newer tapes you might find another mark just past 19 inches. Using these marks, actually 19.2 inches, saves one framing member every eight feet. When building nonstructural walls this spacing should be fine, but for structural applications, better stick with the red marks.

Hand Planing Thin Stock Have you ever tried to use a hand plane to work on a quarter-inch-thick piece? If so, you've probably been frustrated. All of the normal techniques for holding the work, with a bench hook or dogs, or directly in a vise, don't work well. Either you can't get clearance for the plane all the way around or the workpiece tends to get bent under pressure. Here is a simple technique to the rescue. Just clamp your handplane upside down in the wooden jaws of your bench vise. Make a small push stick with a notch in it, and use it to push the work over the plane blade, which should be dead sharp and set for a light cut. Just make sure to keep your fingers well away from the blade! - Michael Natkin

Extension Cord Storage If you have a collection of light-weight extension cords for various uses around your home, try this method of storing them: Loosely fold the cord, then slide it into a cardboard paper towel or toilet paper roll. If the cord has a specific use, label the roll.

Weight of Maul is Important The weight of a maul is important for two reasons. You want a maul that is not so heavy you cannot swing it easily. On the other hand, a maul that is too light will have a head that will not hit with sufficient impact to split tough wood. The head of a lighter maul is smaller, meaning that the wedge on the end of the head of lightweight mauls will be narrower than mauls of normal weight. It is the breadth of the head's wedge that gives the maul its ability to split wood. Unless you cannot swing it, opt for a maul with an eight-pound or heavier head.

Saw Blades When buying saw blades for jigsaws or reciprocating saws, you may find the choices are overwhelming. In addition to tooth configuration and size, you get to choose between high carbon steel, high-speed steel and bimetal. High-carbon steel blades are the most economical and are good for general woodcutting. High-speed steel blades cost more than twice as much but last ten times longer. In addition, they can be used to cut plastic and nonferrous metals. Bimetal blades combine the strengths of both high-carbon steel and high-speed steel. A high-carbon back is attached to the cutting edge of high-speed steel to achieve a blade that is tough, holds an edge and resists overheating. Expect to pay three times more than the least expensive alternative. But you get what you pay for.

Metal Wedges Necessary for Splitting Wood The ultimate experience when splitting wood is for the wood to split all the way down the butt with a single swing of the maul. Alas, that doesn't always happen. Certain species of wood, especially if knotty, are particularly difficult to split. When several tries with a maul don't split the wood, it is time to use a metal wedge. The most practical metal wedge size is five pounds. If you are going to split wood, you might as well buy a wedge at the same time you buy a maul. You'll need the wedge at some time when you split wood.

Matching Tile Replacing damaged ceramic tile is a fairly straightforward task for the homeowner. The difficulty arises when you're seeking replacement tile. Unless your tile was installed fairly recently, finding matching tile may prove impossible. Tile sizes vary, styles change, and colors seldom match. Start your search in the basement, attic or garage. There is usually leftover tile from the original job, and often these tiles get stashed for the future. Try asking neighbors. Similar building materials are typically used throughout a development. If all else fails, consider using a contrasting tile and creating a pattern by replacing a few extra tiles.

Square Blade Here is a simple way to test whether your tablesaw blade is set up at 90 degrees to the table. Simply take a piece of 3/4-inch scrap, about 2 inches wide, and crosscut it in the middle. Turn the piece from the right hand side of the blade over, and butt the ends together. If there is any gap showing at the top, the blade is tilted too far to the left. Now turn both pieces over. If there is a gap showing now, the blade is tilted too far to the right. In either case, adjust the angle stop on your saw and try again until you get a perfect, gap-free cut. Only then will your saw be reliable for joinery.

Engineer's Hammer is a Very Useful Tool An engineer's hammer can be called a baby sledge hammer, since it looks like a miniature sledge hammer, weighs about three pounds, and typically has a short, eight-inch handle. The engineer's hammer has two advantages for general work. It is heavy, and this heaviness makes driving heavy spikes or wedges easier than using a lighter carpenter's hammer. The engineer's hammer has a second advantage: its short handle. The short handle allows it to be swung in spaces where there is insufficient room to swing a hammer with a longer handle.

Mapp Gas Burns Hotter Mapp gas burns hotter than propane. This makes soldering with Mapp gas faster than soldering with propane. However, Mapp gas requires a specially designed burner head. Even so, the cost of Mapp gas tanks are comparable to propane. Once you buy the Mapp gas head, there isn't much difference in expense between using Mapp gas and propane. If you need a propane torch, consider getting a Mapp gas torch instead. You may find the hotter Mapp gas torch saves you time soldering, especially if you have a lot of soldering to do.

Sparkers Are Nice To Have Anyone doing general work is going to have occasion to use a propane or Mapp gas torch. A propane torch can be lit with a match, but a sparker is nice to have. Sparkers are really nice to have when matches aren't up to the job--for example, a breeze prevents matches from being readily lit, or hands are too wet to handle matches. There are many varieties of sparkers. Perhaps simplest and least expensive is the type where one pushes a flint in a bowl across steel with a scissors action. The flint can be replaced, and it is good idea to have extra flints on hand. It is suggested that a sparker be included in your toolbox. Even if you use it only occasionally, a sparker can be handy to have on hand.

The TrippLite PowerVerter APS Power for your gadgets is important, and we are always looking for new ways to guarantee an uninterrupted flow of electrons. This gadget addresses all the basic power supply problems. The unit contains a DC-to-AC inverter for powering line-powered equipment, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for back-up power, and a battery charger for charging smaller equipment. There are several models available depending on amperage requirements. The system has two AC outlets and status LEDs. The TrippLite PowerVerter APS retails for prices ranging from $279.99 to $389.99. They are available from Overton Discount Boating Accessories at (800) 334-6541 or on the web at http://www.overtons.com. TrippLite is at http://www.tripplite.com/.

Inductive Voltage Tester If you're tackling home electrical repairs, consider the inductive voltage tester. It indicates the presence of voltage without making electrical contact. When working with old wires it is often difficult to determine which is wire hot and which is neutral. This tester will simplify the task. Bring it near the circuit, and it will buzz or light up (depending on the model) when voltage is present. Like all test instruments, you should test the tester on a known source of electricity to verify that it is functioning. - Stephen Corwin

Underground Splice Sometimes you'll hit a wire or cable when digging around a building or in the yard. Wires to pole lights and outbuildings are sometimes installed without regard to regulations covering depth and protection. If you hit a wire when digging, hopefully it wasn't damaged. Even slight damage can compromise the wire. In many cases a simple underground splice kit will do the job. These kits can be found at home centers or electrical supply houses. They consist of a connector and a heat shrink sheathing. Use them to repair a break or replace a section of wire. As always, if you are unsure about electricity, get help!

And for Terry, who can solder his fingers together with the best of them: A Solder Gun Gives Precise, Intense, Instant Heat A solder gun is good for jobs where you need precise, intense, instant heat. The first two qualities can be met by a soldering iron, but a soldering iron doesn't give instant heat. It must be warmed up. A soldering gun often also has a light which shines where you are soldering. Another advantage of a solder gun is that it cools rapidly after being operated. This mitigates a soldering gun not in use touching somewhere other than where you want heat, and doing damage.

Gadget of the Day: Insector The Bug Collector This gadget looks like a piece of artwork that is just for decoration. Bugs find out quickly that this stylish piece is not where they wanted to end up. Insector uses blue light to attract bugs. When a bug arrives it is caught in a severe downdraft that pushes it into a trap from which there is no escape--kind of a black hole for your back yard. Bugs just expire from natural causes. No chemicals or adhesives are used, so there is no mess. Just unscrew the base to empty the effluent from the trap. Insector The Bug Collector is a Sharper Image Designs product available from The Sharper Image. They can be reached on the web at (800) 344-4444 or on the web at http://www.sharperimage.com.

Using Epoxy Filler For carpentry repair jobs, epoxy-based wood fillers can be a real lifesaver. For example, suppose you have an old door where a loose hinge has damaged the jamb. You can simply chisel out all of the damaged area and fill it with the two-part epoxy. Press firmly to make sure it fills the whole area and bonds well, and leave it a little above level. After it sets, you can sand it flat and smooth, paint to match the surrounding wood, and re-mortise and install the hinge. The epoxy is very strong, and able to endure weather easily.

A Spreader Is A Good Addition To A Propane Torch Propane and Mapp gas torches normally come with a cylindrical head, not much larger in diameter than a crayon. For some heating operations, such as lifting floor tiles, a head several inches wide would be better. There are spreaders that clip onto a propane torch head and defuse the heat over a wide area. You'll find a number of uses for the spreader if you add it to the accessories you use with your propane torch.

The AC Circuit Breaker Locator Figuring out which circuit breaker controls a particular light or outlet can be tedious. Just running down the box throwing switches can lead to crashed computers, VCRs flashing 12:00 and other madness. Add some finesse to the process with the AC Circuit Breaker Locator. Just place the transmitter unit in an empty outlet or light socket. Go to the box and run the receiver down it until you hear a beep and see a red light. The AC Circuit Breaker Locator retails for $29.99 as item number 101444 from Improvements. They can be reached at (800) 642-2112 or surf to http://www.improvementscatalog.com.

Bevel Square The 90-degree angle is the most common square used in construction and home repair, followed by the 45 and 22 1/2. There are a wide variety of tools called squares that help us determine 90 degrees, but what about all those other odd angles? The tool of choice for odd angles is the T Bevel square. It is a square that is not square. The T Bevel consists of a handle with an adjustable blade that can be set at any angle. There are no marks or graduations. Transferring or comparing angles is where this tool excels. Typically the T Bevel is set to the target angle and then transferred to a board to duplicate the angle. The angle itself is irrelevant. Similarly an angle can be transferred to a saw to duplicate a cut.

The "speed square" is an indispensible tool for doing any kind of framing work. It's got a 45 degree with other degrees embedded in it.

Yup! The house male has one...a great little invention!

A Heat Gun Is A Practical Paint Remover One might say that no method is better for removing paint. For removing paint from wood siding, for example, a heat gun may be your best choice. Heat is a long-established method of removing paint. However, open flame heat, such as provided by a propane torch, can be dangerous to use. Houses have been set on fire using a propane torch to remove paint. The best heat guns for removing paint are those that are made for professional use specifically for removing paint.

Cleaning Concrete Tools While concrete is not considered a sticky material, if you've ever worked with it you've discovered that it sure sticks to metal tools. Measuring, mixing and placing concrete almost always involves the use of metal tools. Wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, and hoes all come in contact with wet concrete. If left for only a short period of time the concrete and tool become one. To avoid this problem, hose off your tools immediately after use. If a hose is not handy, put the tools in a bucket of water until they can be cleaned properly.

Deck Protection Many people have the idea that "treated lumber" commonly used for deck construction needs no protection from the elements. The treatment protects the wood from insects and mold but not from the weather. The main enemy is the sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation slowly deteriorates the wood. There are various coatings that can keep decks in top shape. Transparent coatings are common and allow the natural wood to show. They should be renewed yearly. Semi-transparent and pigmented coatings offer a little more protection and give some color to the deck. They should be renewed every two or three years. Painting offers good protection but shows wear faster than other coatings. Beware of manufacturer claims--they assume ideal conditions. Be sure the product you choose blocks ultraviolet.

An Ax Stone Is A Good All-Around Sharpening Stone An ax stone, used for sharpening axes, is typically round, palm-sized, with different grits on each side. It is, of course, ideal for sharpening axes. For best results, the ax would be first filed or ground smooth, and then sharpened with the ax stone. The sharpest edges are produced by the finest grit sharpening stones. The fine grit side of an ax stone is apt to be finer than other sharpening stones. This makes an ax stone ideal for finely sharpening knives and other cutting tools.

Vent Ducts When installing or replacing an exhaust fan, the material the vent duct is made out of can be important. If the duct is running through conditioned space (heated or cooled), any sturdy duct material will perform well. Rigid metal duct, flex metal or plastic are the most common types. If the duct runs through an unconditioned space (attic or crawl space), an insulated duct material should be used or you'll get condensation in the summer, when cool air runs through ducts in the warm attic, or in winter, when the ducted air is warm and the attic is cold. As always, be sure to seal all connections between ducts and exhaust fans and vent hoods so the vented all gets outside.

Metric Wrenches First Choice The United States is going metric, albeit slowly. While metric measurements and tools are here to stay, there are still many fittings that need English, inch-sized tools. If you are just starting to collect tools, which should you buy, a metric tool set or an English tool set? Buy metric tools first, as metric sizes should become increasingly important. For English sizes, where there are no equivalent size metric tools, buy combination tools, such as crescent wrenches, where those combination tools will work. Buy the English size tools as last choices.

Hanging Ceiling Fans Hanging a ceiling fan in the place of an existing light fixture is a straightforward job that most folks with average skills can handle. First take the light fixture down. Before proceeding with the fan installation, make sure the ceiling box is adequate. Fans weigh more than most light fixtures, and not all ceiling boxes will support the added weight. A metal box mounted to wood framework is best. Plastic boxes are generally not strong enough. If you are unsure, check your local home center or electrical supply house for retrofit hardware made especially for this purpose.

Nut Drivers Handy For Electronic Work Nut drivers are socket drivers with screwdriver-type handles. Nut drivers can have individual handles or one handle with interchangeable sockets. Professionals will probably prefer separate handles. Separate handled tools are usually stronger and save time from not having to interchange sockets. Either type of nut driver is intended for light work, the type of work found in electronic servicing. Heavily rusted nuts, for example, may be beyond the strength of nut drivers to unfasten. For their intended light duty use, however, nut drivers are very practical.

Rubbing Alcohol When caulking, sealing, or gluing surfaces such as glass, ceramic, plastic laminate, and other composition materials, the biggest challenge is getting things clean. Caulks, sealants and glues will not stick properly to oily residue or dirty films. Clean up as usual -- wipe both surfaces down with rubbing alcohol before applying the sealant. Rubbing alcohol will cut any films or residues and evaporate quickly, leaving a perfectly clean surface ready for joining.

Shaft Length Of Screwdrivers Important Common screwdrivers, such as slot head and Phillips screwdrivers, come in a number of shaft lengths, from stubby to very long, for the same size screwdriver tip. The shorter the screwdriver shaft, the stronger the shaft. However, sometimes you need a long length screwdriver to reach the screw you are working with. Medium length screwdriver shafts are the most practical for general use. Very long screwdriver shaft lengths are commonly used in electronic work where extreme screwdriver shaft strength is not essential.

Square Screwdriver Shaft Has A Purpose Some may think the fact that some screwdriver shafts are square and some are round is matter of style preference. The square shafted screwdrivers have square shafts so that a wrench may be used on the shaft for more power when loosening recalcitrant screws. Square shafted screwdrivers are commonly chosen for automotive work, as that is an area of work where rust in screws maybe found. For general home use, round shafted screwdrivers are by far the most common variety.

Razor Scraper A common variety scraper uses a razor blade as a cutter in a holder. This type is commonly used for scraping decals off glass, for example. For its purpose this type scraper does a good job. Care needs to be taken, as the razor blade is very sharp. When not in use, always retract the blade into its holder so that no blade shows. If you accidentally get paint on the glass when painting a sash, a razor blade scraper is the preferred tool to scrape off the excess paint and leave a nice, clean painted edge.

Line Level This inexpensive tool is a welcome addition to any toolbox. As its name indicates, this small level hangs from a string or line pulled tight between two points and gives a pretty good indication of level. While not accurate enough for finish work or establishing grade, this handy level will get you in the ballpark. Use it for fence work or a walkway where relatively level is good enough, or use it for initial layouts when adjustments for more accuracy will be made later.

Rolling Wheel Measurers Handy, But Expensive A rolling wheel measurer is handy, if you can afford one, if you are measuring distances inside on floors or outside along the ground. The rolling wheel measurer is definitely faster than using a tape measure, although a tape measure may be more accurate. The rolling wheel measurer's wheel is calibrated to measure distances on a counter as you walk the wheel along the line you want to measure. If buying one, look carefully at how the handle is attached to the body, as this is an area of failure. If you are using a rolling wheel measurer outdoors, opt for one with a large wheel. A large wheel measurer will roll better over uneven surfaces.

Choice of Hatchet Heads Depends on Use Hatchets are sold with hammer or ax head ends opposite the blades. If you expect to do construction jobs which include nailing along with hatcheting, a hatchet with a half hammer head is a good choice. For general light wood splitting, trimming branches, and shaving wood with a hatchet, the ax head type hatchet is practical to select. You probably will not go wrong with either choice, but choosing a hatchet head is something you have to do when buying a hatchet.

Soldering Copper Tubing Soldering or "sweating" copper tubing is straightforward and easy. If you've had trouble with it, this tip may help. All connections must be clean. Wire brush the inside of fittings and use fine emery to clean the outside of the tube. Shiny bright is the objective. Don't touch the cleaned parts with your fingers. Apply flux to the cleaned surfaces with a clean flux brush, and assemble the parts. Apply heat with a torch. Allow the tube and fitting to become hot enough to melt the solder. Apply solder to the connection opposite the heat. The solder should flow into the joint. Remove the heat and run the solder around the joint. When soldering a 1/2 in. tube about 1/2 in. of solder is all that's needed.

Metal Keyhole Saw is Handy A metal keyhole saw is a metal saw that is different from a hacksaw. The blade on a metal keyhole saw is smaller, typically seven and a half inches long, and wider, with a slight taper. The handle is usually stamped metal, and is much smaller than a hacksaw blade handle. Hacksaws are designed to be used with two hands. Metal keyhole saws are designed to be used with one hand. A metal keyhole saw can be used in tight places where you can't use a hacksaw, and a metal keyhole saw takes up less room in a toolbox.

Stripping Tool is Used to Strip Wires It doesn't take long for the craftsperson doing electrical work to find that stripping the insulation off wires is a hit or miss proposition, if a proper tool is not used. An accidental nick in a wire caused by poor stripping can weaken the wire and lead to wire failure. Professionals may use complex, expensive wire strippers. For home use, one popular wire stripper consists of stamped wire cutters, with a wheel that can be rotated and tightened to adjust the cutters for different wire sizes. Some type of dedicated wire stripper should be included in every well-equipped toolbox.

Bituthene Bituthene, traditionally used in northern climates to protect against ice dams on the roof, is becoming more available and is finding applications other than roofing. This building product is a bituminous membrane that adheres to most surfaces and provides protection against water penetration. Newer applications include flashing around windows, doors, and sills, and flashing in conjunction with skylights and subgrade waterproofing. This product excels in applications where nails must penetrate the flashing. Bituthene naturally "heals" around nail penetrations due to its tarlike consistency. Look for Bituthene in the roofing materials section of lumberyards and home centers. Always cover this material with an exterior finish as it will degrade when exposed to the sunlight.

Bastard Files Used for Initial Cutting In filing metal, bastard files are used for rough filing, before smooth filing with finish files. The bastard files are easily distinguished from other flat files by their having double rows of cutting teeth, one row slanting one direction, and the other row slanting in the other direction. These double rows of cutting teeth allow the bastard files to file down metal twice as fast as finish files. For serious metal work, bastard files should be included in one's collection of files.

Work Smart People working in the construction trades expose their bodies to stresses and strains that many people don't normally face. To last in their chosen fields they must learn to work smart. Working smart involves ergonomics -- the postures, positions, and techniques that eliminate or minimize stress and strain. Many home repair projects subject the homeowner to the same stresses and strains faced by those in the trades. Just because theses activities are less frequent for the homeowner doesn't mean the consequences are any less serious. When bending down to perform a task, bend the knees and not the back. If working on your knees, put on kneepads. When working with hand-operated tools, try to keep the wrist in the neutral position (hand in line with the forearm as if shaking hands). Work smart when tackling home repairs -- an injury takes all the satisfaction out of an otherwise successful project.

Warding Bastard Files are Interesting Files Warding bastard files are flat, tapered metal files that are unusual in that they could be bent with effort. The fact that they are bastard files, with double rows of cutting teeth, means that they can remove metal quickly. There are times when the slight give of warding bastard files can be advantageous when filing. Two groups of craftsmen who have used warding bastard files are locksmiths and ski tuning technicians. Warding bastard files are not essential files, but they are interesting files that the curious crafts person may wish to purchase and try.

Brace and Bits Good For Drilling Large Holes Beginning carpenters who are used to drilling all holes in wood with power drills are surprised to find how difficult it is to accurately drill large holes with electric drills. The lighter, smaller drills the home craftsman is apt to use can wobble when used with oversize drill bits. A brace and bit is easy to control when drilling large holes in wood. Professionals will have powerful, heavy electric drills for drilling large holes in wood. The home carpenter, who may not wish to buy an expensive, heavy electric drill for drilling large holes, may discover drilling holes more than 3/8 inch in diameter in wood is practical to do with a brace and bits.

Photoelectric Controls Photoelectric controls have been used for many years and are common around the house. A photoelectric control is simply an on/off switch activated by light. Pole lights and landscape lights are typically controlled by photoelectric switches. If an outside light stops working, it may be the photoelectric control. To test a photoelectric control during the day, locate the control (usually mounted on the light) and cover the sensor (a small lens). The controls have a built-in delay, so wait 30 to 60 seconds and the light should come on. If you know the bulb is good and the power is on, then the sensor is bad. Some sensors are plug-in modules, while others are wired in. Most hardware stores and home centers stock replacements. When possible, take the old one with you, as there are many to choose from. If you need to adjust the time of day the light comes on and off, look for a small shutter that can be positioned over the lens. Covering more of the lens increases the amount of light required to turn the fixture on.

Tips For Water Filter Care Water filters can develop several different problems throughout their useful life. Here are some tips to keep them pumping smoothly. -Wrap the pre-filter in an unbleached coffee filter when pumping water that is thick with suspended solids. -Never drop a water filter. The impact of the fall can cause cracks in the filter element that could allow little nasties through the filter. -In cold weather, avoid allowing the water filter to freeze and allow it to thaw completely before pumping if it does get frozen. -Regularly backwash and/or clean the filter element per the manufacturer's instructions. -Store your water filter in a mesh bag so that water can evaporate and bacteria and mold do not build up. -Occasionally run one capful of household bleach combined with one quart of tap water through the filter. Following these simple tips will improve the useful life of your water filter and the filter elements. - Chris Robb

Screwdriver Bits Worthwhile Addition to Brace Drill Bits If you buy a brace with a set of bits, you might as well buy a set of screwdriver bits for the brace. Next to using a screw gun, a brace and screwdriver bit is the fastest way to drive screws. For the professional who owns a screw gun, the brace's screwdriver bits may come in handy, and for the homeowner without a screw gun, a brace and screwdriver bits will greatly speed driving screws. Two sizes flat and Phillips head screwdriver bits for the brace are recommended.

Smoke Detector Maintenance Smoke detectors have become commonplace in most residences and are required by law in many jurisdictions. Regardless of the power source, battery or AC, smoke detectors should not be ignored. Batteries should be replaced yearly. Periodic maintenance is required. Test smoke detectors monthly by pushing the test button. All though hard to find, canned smoke is available to simulate real conditions for testing. Periodically vacuum smoke detectors as dust buildup can impair their function. Finally, their lifespan is about ten years. Don't trust your life to a smoke detector that has not been maintained or is beyond its functional life.

Ice Maker Hookup Adding an icemaker to a refrigerator doesn't have to mean a visit from a service technician. If your refrigerator is icemaker-ready, the installation and hookup are easy. The project will require the purchase of the icemaker and a hookup kit. Install the icemaker following the instructions provided. Hookup kits come with copper tube or plastic tube. The plastic tube is easier to route to the refrigerator, but many feel the copper is less prone to leaks. Regardless of type selected, be sure to use compression fittings appropriate to the type of tube used. Do not use copper compression sleeves on plastic tube. The supply tube is easily connected to the refrigerator and then routed to a cold-water pipe. A saddle valve clamps around the water pipe and pierces its own hole in copper pipe. If the water pipe is galvanized, the water must be turned off and a hole drilled in the pipe before the saddle valve in installed. For the best long-term performance, install a filter in the icemaker supply line.

Eyeglass Screwdriver May Come in Handy It is not unusual for the small screws holding the eyeglass frame temples to the frame to become loose. These screws are very tiny. It would be a good idea to include a small screwdriver that will fit these tiny eyeglass frame screws in a well- equipped toolbox. If you need one of these tiny screwdrivers, there's not much you can do to create a substitute.

Walmart has a good eyeglass repair dept, they fixed my glasses for free last time I took them there, and it only took about half an hour. They did it while I did a bit of shopping.