High on my list of incredibly lame products is that As Seen on TV, Stick Up Bulb. The promise of a bright, battery powered, hands-free light proved too good to be true for some disappointed shoppers; their impassioned reviews speak for themselves. But there is hope. Stanley Tools' new Clamping Flashlight is super bright and it boasts a 4" spring-loaded clamp. Nothing handy to clamp it to? Just use it's foot to prop it up. It's head rotates 350 degrees and tilts up to 120 degrees, allowing you to shed light on just about any situation. The power source can toggle between using 2 or 4 batteries, giving you the option to sacrifice some brightness for a longer run time. My only complaint is the price tag, which is close to $50. On the other hand, this flashlight is super bad-ass. So, you be the judge.
Well, it finally happened. I just bought my very first "As Seen on TV" product: the DAP Pro Caulk Kit, which is designed for smoothing freshly caulked joints. And much to my surprise, the kit works great!
The Pro Caulk Kit includes three caulking tools that are used to scrape away excess caulk, resulting in perfectly smooth joints. No fuss, no muss, and--more importantly--you no longer have to use your fingers. The kit also includes a plastic hook-shaped tool designed for raking out the old caulk.
Anyone topping off under 5'5" (like myself) can tell you, most peep holes can be quite a bother. You've got to get on your tippy-toes to see through the fun-house glass. I've got height-challenged relatives in my family that just say "Who?" without bothering to check. Scary thought, I know. Which is why I think I would invest in this nifty Peephole Viewer from Brinno Inc.
If you’ve got mice, you know the six stages of grief: Acceptance ("it's one of god’s creatures —live and let live”), concern (“that’s the same mouse I’m seeing every day —right?”), anxiety (“I’m not so sure I could be happy living with many, many mice”), anger (“who’s paying the rent here, anyway?”), frustration (“hey—they ate my camembert—and got away!”), and fury (“it’s settled: I am buying a gun”).
And you also know the attractions and limitations of many mouse controls.
At one time you could count on a tinker-inventor to make a better mousetrap. Today you get your innovation from a product design and packaging company (Group 4), working for a lawn-care company (Scotts). And they aren’t just researching the behavior of mice—they are also plumbing the psychology of the rodent world’s unwilling landlords, aka the consumer. It's “a human-centered design approach," as a press release puts it, "addressing the fears, emotions and usability concerns of end-users.” The result?
My most prized tool accessory by far is my carpenter's tool belt. I've owned it for over 15 years, and it fits me like a glove. I keep the belt fully loaded with a wide assortment of hand tools and fasteners, so it's always ready when I am.
Many of the DIYers I know use cloth nail aprons, which is fine I guess for small repair jobs, but a two-pouch cotton apron can't compete with the overall capacity and versatility of a true carpenter's tool belt.
When I asked around I discovered that most of my friends use cloth nail aprons because carpenter's tool belts cost too much. And they're right. Most high-quality nylon or leather tool belts start at around $80 and go as high as $150 and more.
Well, here's some good news: If you've been waiting to find an affordable, professional-duty tool belt, then your patience has finally paid off.
To give is better than to receive...no seriously, have you tried opening up one of those hard plastic shells encasing a new gadget? No, thank you. I'd much rather prettily pack something up than unwrap it (particularly when the "it" in question happens to cost less than the manicure I end up ruining). That's why this holiday season, I think I'm going to end up gifting myself the Open It! from Zibra.
If you're braving Black Friday—the day of blowout shopping on November 27; not the 1940 movie...although they both stir the same fright within me, and the movie tagline up there could easily apply to some Black Friday shoppers—it couldn't possibly hurt to plan ahead. In fact, a little bit of research can get you deep discounts from the comfort of your own computer desk this season. You may not even have to wait for Black Friday to get Black Friday deals from some vendors this year.
Check out exclusive Deals & Discounts at thisoldhouse.com. Get 15% to 25% off of home products and holidays gifts for your favorite DIYers. Deals include 25% off a modular tool belt from Quick Belt Systems, 20% off Balsam Hill's Noble Fir faux Christmas tree, and much more.
I'm not sure what's going on in the flashlight industry, but for most of my adult life the common, everyday flashlight remained virtually unchanged. And now it seems as if a brand-new flashlight hits the market every few weeks.
The good news is that in almost every case, these newer, flashier flashlights are much better and brighter than the old clunkers. And that's especially true of the latest flashlight from Stanley.
The 3-in-1 Tripod LED Flashlight is a 10 1/2-inch-long, ruggedly built flashlight that you can use like any other hand-held flashlight, but that's only the beginning.
It may be more than a week away, but I've already got Thanksgiving on the brain. The family arguments talks about who's hosting the big event and what's getting cooked where are in full gear. And now, on top of what kind of mashed potatoes to cook and how many chairs can fit around the second fold-out table, it seems there's another detail I'm supposed to be concerned about: the likelihood of my sink or toilet backing up right in the middle of that big day.
One of my favorite hardware accessories of the moment is the
new Big S-Biner from NiteIze.S-biners (basically an s-hook and carabiner hybrid) come in a variety of
materials and sizes, but NiteIze’s #10 Big S-Biner is the largest, and therefore
the coolest I’ve ever seen.At just
over 10” from end to end, use of a Big S-Biner is really limited only by your
creativity and imagination.Have
some super long extension cords that need organizing?No problem.Feel like hanging your bike from some exposed pipe?Easy.This handy little $10 investment has a weight rating of 100
pounds, impressive for something so lightweight.Recently, I had the opportunity to excitedly show one off to
a fellow TOH blogger.“It’s just a
clip” she said to me, “what can you really say about it?” My reply, “Maybe, but
look how BIG it is!” was an argument ender. If you see some of these beauties at your local hardware
store, I highly recommend picking one up…just don’t use it for mountain
climbing.
Can't wait for Black Friday? Neither can Circuit City. They're bringing you a full weekend of Black Friday-style savings on home electronics, including deep discounts on laptops and LCD HDTVs. View the full circuitcity.com Early Black Friday Sale flyer for all available sale items. Prices valid thru Sunday 11/15/09.
