New Tool Day

[red02tj]

My comments were aimed mainly at the women in my life and trying to get them to sharpen their own knives

I gave up trying, every few months my MIL brings me lunch and all her knives to sharpen, I consider it a fair trade. At least she stopped using a glass cutting board.

The way I check an edge is to put my thumbnail at a 45 degree angle to the blade and if the blade slides off it's dull

Yep. I learned sharp enough was the blade across the thumb nail, with arm hair shaving actually sharp. When I’m patient enough, I can get “paper towel” slicing without tearing sharp.

 

[Rickyd]

Same here, I have a double that you flip over to change the stone. Being that I was once a meatcutter I have no problems sharpening a knife on stones followed by a steel, although I use ceramic now days. (In a pinch you can improve a neglected edge with a round shank screwdriver, BTDT) The way I check an edge is to put my thumbnail at a 45 degree angle to the blade and if the blade slides off it's dull. You can check all along the length this way and address the area that needs attention.

I like the thumb nail test. most of the time I look for any hint of reflection on the edge to tell me where it needs work.if a light can reflect off it then it isn't narrow enough.

But my eyes aren't getting better as I get older and the nail test is a fast method

 

[TerryD]

You're doing a kitchen remodel too?? I'll need to do something for lighting too now that the drywallers are coming and I'll have to take down all my bare bulbs. I just finished insulation today, what a nasty job. Are you doing line voltage undercabinet lights? (I see the whips)

Yep. Just go all out while the walls are out.

 

[B1Toad]

Yep. Just go all out while the walls are out.

I'm running class II low voltage wire from the attic and stubbing out whips under the upper cabinets, then I'll locate the transformer in the attic powered from a wall switch in the kitchen. I've been using Diode brand LED tape light but considering Tresco Linear Lighting this time.

 

[B1Toad]

Today I had time to test the new High Output M12 batteries in the Hackzall and the Portaband. I was able to cut a 2X4 in half in about 30 seconds with the Hackzall, and the Portaband zipped thru a piece of 3/4" EMT without hesitating and jamming/stalling like it has been lately. I bought these M12 tools initially because in the electrical trade they were very handy to take up on ladders and roofs due to their small size and weight and for that they were great. If I had been in a different trade I probably would have gone for the M18 stuff but I have so much M12 stuff I'm not about to change now.

One trick I learned with the mini Hackzall is to cut or break a blade down to 1/2 or 3/4" and you can use it to cut out sections of drywall without hitting anything in the wall, very handy for remodel work. After I bought the mini Portaband and the Hackzall I never used a hacksaw again and never dragged out the corded Portaband unless I had to cut a lot of Unistrut.

Another thing the mini Hackzall is good for is cutting PVC pipe in a narrow ditch.

This is the mini Portaband sitting next to it's big brother the corded Portaband mounted on a SWAG Portaband stand.

 

[Mike_H]

I’ve been wanting to upgrade my press plates for a while, after hearing about how the cast plates on the HF HD 20ton press can shatter under load. I’ve had my eye on a piece of steel at work. It was a left over from some machine that was built about 20 years ago, and we’ve been hanging on to it ever since. I finally had enough of watching people move it around so I suggested that it would be perfect for a set of press plates.

I brought in one of mine as a template, and gave the guys pretty explicit instructions to not spend a ton of time on these. It was already machined flat, just needed to be cut to size and have the relief cuts added.

This is what I ended up with

They are CNC machined and surface ground Hard to be mad at the guys, since they are really nice...Way overkill for what their job is, but Dennis (my go-to "doer") said, "I heard what you said, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it that way" He's a bit persnickety. I'm thinking on adding a couple pins to keep them centers on the cross beams.

 

[sab]

'Em are nice!

 

[Mike_H]

'Em are nice!

They are, I'm going to have to step my press game up to make it worthy of the plates now!

 

[B1Toad]

Anyone tried the M12 spotlight? I'm thinking it might be handy on the beach in MX, got lost a time or 2 looking for the way back to the town road at night. Can't see off to the sides too well when trying to keep moving on the soft sand. Don't really want side shooters and they wouldn't shine far enough anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017Y7STYK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Apparition]

Anyone tried the M12 spotlight? I'm thinking it might be handy on the beach in MX, got lost a time or 2 looking for the way back to the town road at night. Can't see off to the sides too well when trying to keep moving on the soft sand. Don't really want side shooters and they wouldn't shine far enough anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017Y7STYK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Never saw it before

 

[FarFire70]

I've been eyeing the M12 for a while.

Black Friday proved to be the point.

Picked up the drill and impact driver set to begin my collection but then the grease gun was posted here on the forum and while I was buying it I the in the discounted 3/8" ratchet in on top of it.

I still want to add add the 3/8 in impact wrench but I'm waiting for it to go on sale till time this month...

Otherwise I'll just pick it up.

 

[macleanflood]

Amazon nut and bolt extractor kit 50 percent off. Excited to have nut splitters.

-Mac

 

[B1Toad]

I've been eyeing the M12 for a while.

Black Friday proved to be the point.

Picked up the drill and impact driver set to begin my collection but then the grease gun was posted here on the forum and while I was buying it I the in the discounted 3/8" ratchet in on top of it.

View attachment 576759

I still want to add add the 3/8 in impact wrench but I'm waiting for it to go on sale till time this month...

Otherwise I'll just pick it up.

Let us know how you like the grease gun, I've had one on my wish list for a while now.

 

[Apparition]

Let us know how you like the grease gun, I've had one on my wish list for a while now.

If you own a trailer it's the best thing since sliced bread.

For a couple pumps here and there I use a normal grease gun.

 

[B1Toad]

If you own a trailer it's the best thing since sliced bread.

For a couple pumps here and there I use a normal grease gun.

I would be using it for my 2 older 4X4s. Right now I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic one which is big and cumbersome and hard to not make a mess with.

You gave me an idea though, maybe I'll just buy the Red N Tacky mini tubes and use a mini grease gun for the once a year greasing I do. Sure would simplify things.

 

[Stinkbug]

I would be using it for my 2 older 4X4s. Right now I use a Harbor Freight pneumatic one which is big and cumbersome and hard to not make a mess with.

You gave me an idea though, maybe I'll just buy the Red N Tacky mini tubes and use a mini grease gun for the once a year greasing I do. Sure would simplify things.

I like the idea of a mini grease gun. Have you found one that doesn't turn into a leaky mess when stored?

 

[B1Toad]

I like the idea of a mini grease gun. Have you found one that doesn't turn into a leaky mess when stored?

I haven't found any grease guns that don't do that, especially in warm climates. I keep all my grease equipment in 5 gallon pails with lids and rags heaped around them.

 

[sab]

Let us know how you like the grease gun, I've had one on my wish list for a while now.

I have one of the M12 guns and three of the M18 guns for the greases in all the implements on our homestead. For me, they were a game-changer. I was always struggling with air in the conventional guns, which took a quick five-minute grease job and turned it into a 30 minute, or more, affair, plus all the lost grease from screwing around. I love them! The big difference between the two is the M18 has a selector wheel, where you can select a timed shot of grease. I don't use it. That's what trigger control is for.

 

[sab]

I haven't found any grease guns that don't do that, especially in warm climates. I keep all my grease equipment in 5 gallon pails with lids and rags heaped around them.

I always had that problem with my conventional grease guns and kept them in 5 gallon pails, too. With the Milwaukees, I don't see the leakage - I have them hanging from the girts of my shop. LockNLube has rubber caps for the coupler that prevent spillage. They also make a barrel cap that helps a bit. I still had a mess with those, though, and they do harden/crack after about a year or two and need to be replaced. I'm only using the coupler caps with the Milwaukees and no mess through two Texas summers now.

 

[srimes]

I haven't found any grease guns that don't do that, especially in warm climates. I keep all my grease equipment in 5 gallon pails with lids and rags heaped around them.

I only have manual guns, but it helps to pull the spring plunger and secure the pump handle. They're still messy but less bad.