Lasers = cool, right?  Lasers radiate (get it?) the whole James Bond vibe around the shop. When we pick up the circular saw and it shoots out lasers to tell you what’s going on, the chase scene music from Dr. No starts kicking around in the back of our heads. 

Or not.  Hey, sometimes you gotta keep yourself entertained when you’re making dozens of identical cuts — or drilling dozens of holes, which is where adding a pair of lasers to your drill press comes into play.  They look like one of the elaborate (but easily escapable) machines created to bring 007 to his ultimate demise. 

Oh yeah, they make lining up the bit easier, too.

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We’ve owned a number of portable jump start units, but we were really impressed with Husky’s new offering — which not only serves as an effective starter, but also adds a 400W inverter, an air compressor, and a 12V power outlet.  If you’ve been thinking about buying one of these, read on for our hands-on impressions and lots of photos — this unit impressed us, and it’s quite affordable.

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When Indiana Jones lost the Cross of Coronado in the third movie, the guy who took it from him said “You lost today kid – but you don’t have to like it” — then handed him a hat.  If the young Jones was working on a stubborn bolt stuck at a funny angle, the guy would have handled him a universal impact joint.  Seriously.

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Making tools easier to use or more comfortable is good thinking and in general we always applaud the concept. The only trouble is once in awhile the end result may not be as usable as the original tool.

Take the Titan 17380 - 5 Pc. ratcheting combination wrench set for instance; It’s a good set of useable wrenches that now have a huge grippy rubber handle on them.  The logic is clear and seems like a good idea on paper, but the issues come when one sticks them down into areas that are confined anyway — like, say, an engine.  There isn’t room for your fingers in most cases much less your fingers and a huge rubber grip.  Not to mention the grip will often times reduce the rotation area by bumping into things or become slick with oil.

But hey — isn’t this brand the one we always see sitting (brand new) in the $1 discount bin?

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(Tuesday, October 31st, 2006) We’ve got a new Overhaulin’ opposite the promising new Man Moment Machine catapult episode, and Trade School brings us some gunsmithing fun.  Everything else tonight is reruns-a-go-go, boo humbug.

All times are central.

• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5 p.m.)
• DIY Tools & Techniques: Planer Sharpening and Cool Tool Organizer (DIY, 5 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 52 (Discovery, 7 p.m.)
• Rides: General Blues (TLC, 7 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 42 (Discovery, 7:30 p.m.)
• Overhaulin’: Overlord (TLC, 8 p.m.)
• G.I. Factory: Episode 3 (Military, 8 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Fuel Tank Cleaner (Discovery, 9 p.m.)
• Overhaulin’: Motley Cruiser (TLC, 9 p.m.)
• Man Moment Machine: Alexander the Great and the Devastating Catapult (History, 9 p.m.)
• Trade School: Gunsmithing (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Skull Cleaner (Discovery, 11 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Dead Men Walking (Speed, 11 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions: Three episodes of Trick My Truck (CMT, 12:00 midnight).

Has the inablilty to turn your home into swiss cheese been keeping you up at night?  Good idea or not, you can put a hole just about anywhere you want one — and attach something to it — with this 300-piece titanium drill Set. 

(No, there aren’t 300 drills in it.  While the “300-piece” bit is a bit mis-leading — think lots of mollys and other expendable attachment pieces — this is still a quite useful kit.

Its titanium coated bits can plow through wood, masonry and most metals.  Once you’ve made the hole, you can then use the set’s wide range of screws and wall plugs to fasten your next project to – anything else.

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Before I get into details, let’s start by giving those in this post (who shall remain nameless) a get-out-of-jail-free pass.  Everyone who’s ventured into metalwork knows how easy and tempting it is to “over-engineer” designs.  Let’s face it: It takes far less volume of metal to do the same job than it takes wood, and sometimes it takes a while for this concept to sink in.

Two prime examples:

A friend of a friend had a wheelbarrow.  After years of heavy use, the wheel bracket finally rusted and came apart.  Thinking that fixing it would be a great use for his new flux-core welder (right), he proceeded to fab up a new one — from 1/2″ plate (doh!).  When he finished, it was quite sturdy — to say the least — but the new bracket weighed more than the entire wheelbarrow did before.  It was hard to push even when empty.  (He also did the same kind of thing with a string trimmer later…)

Another friend — who should’ve known better as he has far more experience in fabrication than most people I know — decided to build a sunshade for his lawnmower.  Why get a sunburn every time you mow or spend zillions on a sunshade — assuming they even make one for your ‘mower?  Why indeed.  He built one out of 11 gauge square tube, which is quite heavy.  Between the heavy material and the height of the design, the mower became quite top heavy.  In fact, the first time he drove it out of the shop (and down a slight ramp to the yard) it flipped over on its back.

The lesson to be learned here is that more is not necessarily better.  Even if you’re not a mechanical engineer, you can make an educated guess as to what type of material will best suit your job — and add no more weight or bulk than’s necessary.  This “minimal” type of design will produce more usable items — especially if they’re designed to be carried around or otherwise human-motivated in use.

Have you seen any over-engineered projects recenty?  Drop us a line — or better yet a photo.

If you don’t already have one of these for your “big” drill, get thee out to pick one up.  You probably already have at least one “quick change” drill with an associated bit set, but if not, you will soon.  The market’s full of ‘em, and they’re extremely handy.  But why not allow yourself the option of using them with the standard-chucked tools you already own? 

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Today Bosch announced a new series of angle grinders — an upgrade of the existing 1700-series grinders, mostly adding features designed to increase durability and lifespan.  Specifically, the new grinders feature a re-designed motor commutator and brush system to minimize heat buildup and relocated air intakes and exhausts for better cooling.

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(Monday, October 30th, 2006)  Look for a new Biker Buildoff with a whole mess o’ reruns on the side.  ‘Nuff said?

All times are central.

• DIY Tools & Techniques: Painting 101 (DIY, 5 p.m.)
• American Chopper: I, Robot Bike 2 (Discovery, 7 p.m.)
• American Hot Rod: Rat Rod Build-Off 4 (Discovery, 8 p.m.)
• Biker Build-Off: Matt Hotch vs. Roger Goldammer (Discovery, 9 p.m.)
• Freeform Furniture: Multi-Purpose Patio Furniture (DIY, 9 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Space Shuttle Tribute Bike 1 (Discovery, 10 p.m.)
• American Chopper: Space Shuttle Tribute Bike 2 (Discovery, 11 p.m.)
• Unique Whips: Duelling Lambos (Speed, 11 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions: Trains and Locomotives (RFD-TV, 1:00 a.m.).

They cut like a hot knife through, umm, furniture.  OK, so a band saw blade doesn’t cut anything at all like a knife. But Olson’s ”All Pro” blades are thinner and stronger than normal bandsaw blades, and they do come equipped with a wicked nasty tooth pattern that’s designed to rip through wood all day long. 

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Even though they look a bit like the blocks you’re used to seeing at the dentist’s office, Soft Sanders are a cool way to get delicate sanding jobs done without surface gouging. 

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Is there such a thing as going too far?  That’s a silly thing to ask a Toolmonger, the answer is almost always no.  So it stands to reason that even the guys out there that haven’t upgraded to newer saws should be able to have digital precision on their saw blade and avoid seeing light between your square and your table saw blade. 

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(Sunday, October 29th, 2006) Well, there’s some stuff to watch – even if it is all reruns.  You’ll be getting dirty out in the shop anyway until the wee hours though, won’t you?

All times are central.

• Dirty Jobs: Dirtiest Water Jobs (Discovery, 6 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Vexcon (Discovery, 7 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 6 (Science, 7 p.m.)
• How It’s Made: Episode 7 (Science, 7:30 p.m.)
• Dirty Jobs: Garbage Pit Technician (Discovery, 8 p.m.)
• Classic Tractor Specials (RFD-TV, 8 p.m.)
• Rock Solid: Slate Floor (DIY, 9 p.m.)
• Tricked Out: 1994 Acura Integra: Killer Body Kit (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions: Chop Cut Rebuild (Speed, 1 a.m.).

As long as we’re passing along cool online projects today, we thought we’d share another fun fund: Miller Electric’s “Dream It.  Weld It” lists a number of cool projects with step-by-step instructions.  Most of the projects are quite practical, including make-it-yourself tools like a bending brake, a portable weld table, and air tool storage rack, and a trailer dolly.

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As we’ve said before, we’re big fans of MAKEzine — and subscribers to the mag.  They’ve been posting tons of great halloween projects over the last few weeks, so we thought we’d pass on a few of our favorites to help you find inspiration for your own boo-day projects.

Our favorites this year (in no particular order):

HOW-TO - Make a Captain Jack… O’Lantern
This may be the simplest project you’ve heard of this season…  But you have heard of it.

HOW-TO - Build a Robotic Dalek Pumpkin
No hard-core sci-fi fan’s Halloween’ll be complete without this great little robot.  Just don’t let ‘em get out of control and destroy the world…

$20 Halloween Prop
If you’re depressed because you’ve only got a few bucks to spend on your front-yard-scare-fest this year, this post’ll lift your spirits.  This Maker assembled a full-size animatronic “greeter” for just $20. 

HOW-TO - Make a Mr. T Costume
I pity tha foo…  Wait, Sean made me promise not to use that phrase any more since Mr. Baracus got his own new show.  That won’t stop me from putting this costume together, though.

The Jack-o-LED
Here’s one for the electronically-minded, using a 555 timer to blink LEDs.  Take that, candles!

HOW-TO - Build a Coffin (Halloween Prop or Bookcase)
No Halloween party’s complete without a coffin, and these guys show you how to build one that’ll be useful afterwards as a bookcase, too.

If these aren’t enough to get your creative juices flowing, check out MAKE for literally dozens more.  Or heck, just check ‘em out anyway.  Good stuff!

It’s a predictable Saturday with nothing much beyond DIY’s excellent woodworking shows.  If you missed Mythbusters new episode on Wednesday, definitely catch it today.  Did anyone notice that Adam seems have been exiled to an old beater lathe for the salami machining, rather than Jamie’s nice (and Adam Savaged) lathe?

All times are central.

• MythBusters: More Myths Revisited (Discovery, 7 p.m.)
• Freeform Furniture: CD Storage System (DIY, 8 p.m.)
• Wood Works: Hand Tools and Sharpening Tour (DIY, 8:30 p.m.)
• Handmade Music: Gruhn Guitar Restorations, Episode 3 (DIY, 9 p.m.)
• Woodturning Techniques: Polychromatic Bowl (DIY, 9:30 p.m.)

Our insomniac’s suggestions: Robot Rivals (DIY, 1 a.m.).