I’ve had a Radi-Plane (similar, if not identical to, the picture on the left) for many years*, and found it very handy for easing edges. I recently added — following a “suggestion” from the home project coordinator, a.k.a. my lovely wife — a couple of extra shelves to a cabinet above the oven. I used MDF for the shelves and my Radi-Plane did a great job rounding the edges (and was easier and quicker than digging out the router).

While checking options, I found Benjamen’s post on the Veritas Cornering Tool Set (shown on the right above; $33 for 2 tools with 4 different radii and a sharpening kit), and was wondering how these compare to the Radi-Plane (or the apparent equivalents, Woodstock’s W1100 Slickplane [What’s This?], available for $13, and the Rockler radius plane, available for $22). Has anyone had experience with both? Any other good suggestions for quickly and consistently easing edges?

*15? 20? I found a Radi-Plane reference in the Aug. 1990 issue of American Woodworker [Google Books]. My versions are branded “RADI-PLANE, L.A. Mathers Co., Stockton, Calif.”

Street Pricing [Google Products]
Radius Plane [Rockler]

Meteor’s Spark Doctor is yet another multi-tool, but this time they’ve specialized it for working with spark plugs. This multi-tool boasts eight different tools for removing, tuning, and cleaning your plugs.

As always, we’re skeptical about the number of tools a multi-tool packs — sometimes marketing departments like to be sneaky and claim a lanyard hole or carrying case as a tool or function. So let’s enumerate the tools, shall we?

• 5/8″ socket
• 3/4″ socket
• 13/16″ socket
• Brass brush
• Metal file
• Metal pick
• Gap gage
• Gapping tool

The metal file and metal pick are part of the same tool, kind of like the wire stripper is part of the flat screwdriver blade on Leatherman and Swiss Army Knives. If they can get away with it, why not Meteor? All these tools fold into a soft-grip handle.

The Spark Doctor can be had for less than $20 before somebody tries to gouge you with shipping.

Spark Doctor [Meteor]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Spark Doctor [Sears]

We’re seeing more and more dust collection devices aimed at the home woodworker. For instance, you wouldn’t think a flexible shaft tool would kick out much sawdust, but then again it doesn’t take much sawdust to make a huge mess. Enter the Flexible Shaft & Dust Extractor, sold by Lee Valley.

Connect the 6mm flexible shaft to any tool with a chuck — just don’t try to run the shaft in reverse or over 10,000 RPM — and connect a vacuum to the dust collection port, and you’re ready to do some shaping, sanding, grinding, or whatever rotary operation you choose with less mess.

On the end of the 46″ flexible shaft is a handle with a three-jaw 3/8″ Jacobs style chuck surrounded by the dust collecting shroud. You connect the vacuum via a 1-1/4″ diameter, 54″ long hose that comes off the rear of the handle.

Not only does this $105 tool look a lot like an attachment for King Arthur’s Tools Guinevere total sanding system, but the optional dust extractor extender is also identical, so we’re guessing King Arthur’s is the supplier of this flexible shaft tool.

Flex Shaft and Dust Extractor [Lee Valley]
Guinevere Accessories [King Arthur's Tools]

Scrapers are great tools for finishing projects or even removing the finish from projects, but if you have a lot of material, scraping can get tiring. Give your thumbs a rest — the Veritas scraper holder both holds the scraper and flexes it just the right amount.

The scraper holder holds any 6″ long scraper with clamping plugs on either side and you can set the amount the scraper bows with the center screw. Veritas makes the scraper body from glass-filled nylon and uses all brass hardware.

The holder comes with a milled-edge, super-hard scraper. Pricing starts at $40 before shipping.

Scraper Holder [Veritas]
Scraper Holder [Lee Valley Tools]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

I’ve used nails, pencils, dowels, and even packing tape to try to keep my glue nozzles clear, and none consistently work; when I try to use them again, the tube is soft but the nozzle is solid. The Twist-n-Seal Stopper forms an air-tight seal on plastic nozzles by tapping threads in the malleable plastic. The threads will withstand 40 lbs of axial force so it won’t pop out. The glass-reinforced plastic plug is non-stick and is removed by unscrewing from the tube. The top is flattened to stand upright when removed, keeping things clean on your workspace. You can find the Twist-n-Seal at Lee Valley for $3.20/pkg of five.

Twist-n-Seal Stopper [Lee Valley]

Sometimes a bit extension will get you where you want to go, but it only works with limited shank sizes.  If you’re working with an incompatible shank, this chuck extender sold by Lee Valley Tools might just come in handy.

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Create more space in your garage, shop, basement, or other room by getting your bins off the floor and hanging them on the wall with the Enviro Stacker.

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Here’s one for the woodworker who has everything:  a Variable Gang Saw from Veritas.  They sent out the release today, which made me pause and doubt the tool’s reality — but I hope it’s not an April Fools prank because I see dovetails in my future with this tool.

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A few years ago when Chuck wrote about the Snap-on magnetic flashlight holder, he asked, “Have any of you seen something like this on the market for less?”  Well, Lee Valley recently started retailing a flashlight/trouble light holder that’s not only cheaper but looks to be a lot more versatile.

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The edge of regular sanding discs can dig into your prized work, but New Wave sanding discs have wavy edges that curl over the side of the sanding pad, so the edge doesn’t come in contact with the workpiece.

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We covered clips to help you hang crown molding already, but these crown molding hangers look like a better tool — they’re more substantial and adjustable.  The downside of these additional features:  You’ll pay $10 for just one hanger, and you’re probably going to need at least two of them.

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This patent-pending paint can holder from Lee Valley fits both the flat rungs of a stepladder and the D-rungs of an extension ladder.  It holds either a quart or gallon can steady, and you can easily pick it up and move it to the next set of rungs.

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While similar in design to a common nail set, this 6″ double-ended Japanese nail set also features a 1-1/4″ set built into the striking end.  This second shorter set is handy for setting nails in tight or awkward spaces.  The long shank gives you excellent control no matter which end you use.

In a pinch this tool can also function as a punch, a drift pin, a tack hammer, or a small anvil.  Both Lee Valley and the Japan Woodworker’s Catalog sell a similar forged-steel Japanese nail set for about $9.

Japanese Nail Set [Lee Valley]
Japanese Nail Set [The Japan Woodworker]

When we posted the EasyCoper a while ago, we were disappointed they didn’t make a similar tool for base or other flat molding.  Now that’s changed — recently EasyCoper introduced the BaseCoper, their new jig for coping flat moldings with a hand-held jigsaw.

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Sure, these magnetic coil-spring holders from Chestnut Tools will hold a pencil or pen to the fridge, but their rare-earth magnets also make them useful for keeping other small items — like flashlights, screwdrivers, or other small tools — always at the ready.

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Leave it to Lee Valley Tools to sell a tool you didn’t know you needed till you saw it on their website. They designed the plane screwdriver to fit that otherwise-awkward cap iron screw on your plane — you know, the one with the slot so wide the only screwdriver you have that comes close to fitting it is three feet long.

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This simple paintbrush holder incorporates two magnets into a bent plastic clip. Clip the holder to the side of the can and it’ll hold any brush with a ferrous ferrule in a vertical or angled position. As a bonus, a metal tab for opening paint cans is built into the lower grip.

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