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Cheap Black & Decker NS118 18-Volt Cordless Electric Broom Hard Surface Sweeper Review

I’m a hobbiest woodworker. After a few hours in the shop, planing, jointing, cutting, routing and sanding; dust is everywhere and on everything. I do what I can with dust collection efforts but because my workshop doubles as a garage and at the end of the day I have to be able to pull a car in, I don’t have the room for a dedicated dust collection system. In the past I had resigned myself to wipping down everything in the garage at the end of the day, then sweeping everything into one area and finishing with the shop vac. Needless to say this is time consuming and not something I look forward to doing. Those days are a thing of the past. I bought this blower at my local lowes store. Setup was a breeze. slide on two nozzle pieces, slide in the battery and your up and running. The item is light weight and quiet. Does not require hearing protection. I put away my tools and then break out this machine. Now, instead of wipping down everything in the shop I just run the blower over them. The stream of air is strong enough to move small pieces of scrap wood out of the garage and into one spot so I don’t have to bend over a dozen times from one side of the shop to the other. Sawdust can be blown right out into the yard for good composting. What took me close to an hour to do with a broom and shop vac now takes about 5 minutes with this blower. Also this unit will operate with any of the 18 volt batteries from B&D so I just use whatever juice is left in the batteries I was working with for that day. This blower will eat some battery power pretty quick thou. The air stream starts to get pretty weak if you go longer than 10 to 15 minutes on a fresh battery. So if your in a situation like me where you don’t need cat 5 hurricane force winds to do your job and your job doesn’t require a lot of time, then this blower is perfect. Anything that allows me another 45 minutes of woodworking time instead of cleaning time gets 5 stars from me.

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Cheap ZipWall ZipPole ZP4 Low Cost Spring Loaded Pole, 4-Pack Kit with Carry Bag Review

We have been using Zipwall Poles for 4 years now. After purchasing our first 4 pack from Sherwin Williams, we set up a house and sprayed a kitchen, controlling our airfow without nails, screws, or staples up into the ceiling holding the plastic. These things are great – they set up quickly, collapse down to move and store easy, and make you look professional while keeping the rest of the home clean. If you are doing a project that will require the plastic to be up for awhile, make sure you add the zippers and make a door. If it is just for our access, we will install one zipper. If the client will be coming through over the weekend, or for a few weeks, we install two about 2′ apart allowing you to roll up the door over the weekend.

We have seen some competitor produucts at work on other job sites. There was one that has a small latch that digs into the side of the pole to hold it up. I can’t help but think that that mark on the outside, each time you move the poles, will make them look chewed up and narly. The Zip Pole cam system is inside the tube – you don’t have any marring. Plus, all you do is press it to the ceiling, leave a bit of room for sliding the bottom plastic under, then twist it. #With that in mind, make sure you do not let any tape get stuck to the poles that slide inside – the tape glue can cause the cams to malfunction.#

When setting up the poles, we find it bext to place our poles where we will want them, then start at one end on a ladder and attached the plastic to the head. Pulling the plastic snug as you go, we attach the plastic to the next head and so forth. Once all heads are placed, then lift the bottom and slide the plastic under – creating a tight wall. You can do it all from the floor, but you have to be careful where you attach the plastic – we find doing it at the top on a ladder just a bit faster.

As stated up top, if you are working in occupied homes, you need a set of these. Since introducing the newer steel shaft version, they have dropped the price enough to be even better!

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Cheap Sunforce 11240 1000-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter with Remote Control Review

I have several 1000W inverters in my service trucks and thought the idea of a RF remote would be nice so I stepped away from my usual brand (Xantrex) Xantrex Technologies 806-1000 Prosine 1,000-Watt Inverter and their newer, more value conscious true sine inverter product line which is within of this sunforce unit but lacks the features. This time I bought the sunforce.

First off, testing finished inverter installations, I use a 1050W load (it’s a heat gun with 1000W heater and 50w blower). True, this is MORE than 1000W but all inverters have some surge capacity so it’s never been a problem before. The sunforce unit’s efficiency is within 1% of xantrex, requiring 114-116 AMPS at 12VDC to operate the 1050W load, however the sunforce will shutdown within 3 seconds with an output overload condition, while the xantrex units will drain the battery first.

I stepped the load down to 900W and things were fine, so I’m really going to overlook their slightly over-rated specifications on the inverter because my loads are in the 300-400W range and need clean power. Besides, the value proposition with sunforce’s feature set is still there.

Another pro/con to consider is that the Xantrex units are metal cased with mounting holes, while these are plastic – that may lead you to some innovative mounting solutions, but it’s not a big deal.

Neither Xantrex nor Sunforce has developed a “everything easy to read display” – my -806 model xantrex prosine comes close with a remote mountable on/off plate w/ lcd that shows volts, amps, and watts as a bargraph simultaneously. But the Xantrex LCD display is smaller than some digital watches and can’t be read across the truck cab, which forces me to remote mount it. Sunforce uses BIG digits that are red LED, but it cycles through output voltage, amps, etc by pushing a button – it will only stay on one value for 1 second. The problem is unless you are pressing the button it defaults to AC volts, where battery voltage might be more useful

Sunforce did something really clever. Inverters of this power level are not easy to wire in (4′ of #4 wire is about all you get to the battery before wire losses cut into your power conversion). The knobb-ish looking thing in the upper right of the product photo is a rubber cover for a high current 12VDC socket. You did all that wiring to hook this up, might as well get a cig lighter socket that shares the same big wires.

A good source of wiring is available on amazon and I’ve reviewed them – Cobra CPI-A4000BC AC Power Inverter AWG Cables although if you really need 1000W keep a battery within 4 feet – a second battery like the Optima Batteries 8052-161 D31M BlueTop Dual Purpose Battery optima deep cycle is a good setup as it can be mounted close to the inverter and charged from the vehicle alternator. Be sure to use a battery isolator so that your inverter can not drain the vehicles’ starting battery.

If your use involves ALOT of runtime at 1000W a parallel combination of 2 D31 batteries will run longer without running the engine. For near constant use, use a 124 Amp alternator and you will need to run wires back to the vehicle power system and run the engine to provide power.

The Xantrex series will give you much more surge power – to 1500 W if needed for 30 seconds. Sunforce has created a clever product that comes with 3 remote on/off switches in the package. All inverters have some feature you may want – here it was the remote, some Xantrax models offer AC cutover to battery when an outside power source disappears. You do get alot in this model for a good price. My unit gets daily use and has not had a problem. Best advice is shop around – the old models that were 0-700 have come down to the 0-300 range. Oversize the unit for your use because all AC loads have startup surges, especially lighting loads and motors. I generally double the inverter size.

No matter what brand you end up buying, a TRUE Sinewave inverter like this will give you utility quality power. After nothing but bad experiences with pseudo-sinewave (there are lots of names for it, but NOT real sinewave) units frying expensive equipment over time. Those units are only good for incandescent lights, and even those burn out faster!

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Cheap Nite Ize KRK-03-01 KeyRack Key Holder with S-Biners Review

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Cheap Makita T-00153 17-Piece Impact Driver Drill Accessory Set Review

This is an incredibly handy set that I am SO glad I purchased.

As I’m sure most people do, I think I have about 10 different accessory sets in my toolbox at this point and most of them are more of the same – a bunch of #2 phillips bits, a bit holder and some assorted other driver bits. This kit has a few things that really make it stand out. #1, it includes 3 different socket sizes in it as well as an adaptor that allows you to attach any standard 1/4″ drive socket to your driver. It also includes some very high quality drill bits in commonly used sizes, but the star of the show for me is the “flip bit.” This is an incredibly cool little invention. On one end you have a #8 countersink bit and on the other you have a #2 phillips bit and with the included sleeve adaptor, you can switch between them within seconds which comes in EXTREMELY handy when doing finish carpentry.

I own a number of makita tools (including their outstanding LXT impact driver) and like all of those, this is top quality and I would recommend it to anyone who has an impact driver and needs a starter kit.

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Cheap Black & Decker GH1000 Grass Hog XP 14-Inch 7.2 Amp Electric String Trimmer/Edger Review

I found that right after opening this item out of the box, just plugged it in and it worked super! From my own negligence, going through tall weeds, the bottom cap must have fallen off and spun somewhere out of this world. I have looked everywhere. I found no problem getting the missing part reletively inexpensively, and am eagerly awaiting the package in the mail so I can get out and back to my weedeating.

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Cheap Reliance Controls THP205 Sump Pump Alarm and Flood Alert Review

During a huge rain storm last month I wondered why I hadn’t heard my sump pump kick on so I went to check and sure enough the water was an inch from flooding my basement. I lucked out but I wanted to make sure that never happens again.

I had my doubts because this thing is rather cheap but I gave it a try and it works great. The last rain storm I unplugged my sump pump and sure enough when the water touched the controller it went off. It’s VERY loud. I can hear it anywhere in my two story house.

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Cheap Freud D0740X Diablo 7-1/4 40 Tooth ATB Finishing Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor, Diamond Knockout, and PermaShield Coating Review

After reading several other reviews I thought this information would be helpful.

Some users report short-life from this blade. That may be true under certain circumstances, but it usually isn’t the blade’s fault. Here’s how you can get cleaner, safer, smoother cuts and MUCH more life from this or any other good blade.

1- Keep it clean. “pitch” — that gummy residue from wood— increases friction and heat. There are several products marketed specifically for keeping blades clean. They work fine, but I have found that no product works better than rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is inexpensive and widely available at any pharmacy. I will assume anyone reading this is careful enough to UNPLUG THE SAW before cleaning the blade or making any other adjustment.

2- Material considerations… Cutting plywood is tough on any blade because plywood has multiple layers of glue. Glue heats up and gets sticky FAST. Long rips and multiple rips make the blade hot anyway, and a hot blade melts glue faster than a cool blade. So just be aware, ANY BLADE from any manufacturer will wear faster in plywood.

3- Lubrication… You can minimize friction with a light coat of paste-wax or paraffin. You don’t need to be perfectly even in the application of either. A quick dab of wax or a few strokes with the paraffin stick will quickly spread itself in about one-second into the first cut. Lube both sides of the blade roughly equally to reduce warping, and don’t forget to lube the teeth. Once you make the first cut, the wax or paraffin will spread evenly everywhere and the excess will disappear.

Again… please UNPLUG THE SAW when you lubricate the blade. I have seen some pros turn their saws upside down and hold a paraffin stick against the running blade. It makes me cringe to think what might happen. The fact is all pros know the value of lubricating cutting tools, but most of us are not in that big of a hurry. Take your time and unplug the saw. A trip to the emergency room costs time, money and pain.

4- Cut Straight! Wandering cuts cause excess friction, heat and wear. Free-hand cutting is a skill that requires concentration and practice to achieve good technique. Using a straight-edge saw-guide is easier and works for novices and pros alike. Whenever I hear someone complain about their saw-blades getting dull too fast, I look at how they use the saw. The problem is most-often the user, not the blade. You do NOT need an expensive saw-guide, although many of them work well. A cheap straight edge can be quickly made ( in about ten minutes ) from ANY board with a straight factory-cut edge and a piece of scrap plywood.

This blade ( and other blades like it from Freud) have a slippery coating designed to reduce wear, but I have found that even these good blades work better and last longer with frequent lubrication.

I have used this blade and other Freud edge-tool products for decades and never experienced premature wear. Their products are consistent and very well-made. Considering the low price, I consider them to be a great value too. This 40-tooth model makes smooth cuts, especially when you use the tips presented here.

IF you want joinery-quality cuts from this blade, you can get them. You just need to install an abrasive sheet ( sandpaper ) to the sides. You can buy the commercially made round sheets for this, (they ARE convenient!) or make your own. I cut mine from cheap 180 grit aluminum-oxide sheets, using a compass and an X-acto knife, then attach them with 3M super 77 spray adhesive. This is about one-tenth the cost of commercial products like “Final-Cut.”

For clean-straight cuts, you must be certain that your saw-blade is parallel to the cutting-guide and that it is at a perfect 90 degrees to the work. DeWalt, and Bosch saws have adjustments for that. Most saws do not. Even if you have a cheap saw, you can make the blade run parallel to the cutting-guide by shimming the edges with UHMW tape. Setting the blade perpendicular to the work can be adjusted similarly by shimming the base-plate. You can do both adjustments roughly with a decent square, or you can get them “dead” perfect with a dial indicator. I get the best results with a dial indicator and the TS aligner. <<< (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

Please do not take my comments as negative towards the other reviewers who have expressed their problems with this blade. They are not necessarily “wrong.” Nor am I trying to seem like a “know-it-all.” Many professionals use these tricks and tips. I simply want to help.

I know from long experience that this is a good blade at a reasonable price. The carbide is of high-quality and the manufacturing method insures consistent sharp edges.

If any saw works well for the first few cuts, it should continue to cut well unless the person using the saw ignores some basic rules of physics and technique. If someone experiences premature wear, it could be caused by the material, the method or the imperfect adjustment of their saw. Consider these facts when choosing and using your blades.

Try this blade and the cheap tips I suggested. You should get good results. Even if you don’t, you won’t lose much money or time. I won’t ask that anyone simply believe me… just try it. See for yourself.

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Cheap Black and Decker 495576-00 Spool Cover with Spool for AFS Grass Hog Grass Trimmers Review

After looking through 8 different retail stores and trying to locate a black & decker dealer I finally found this item being sold through Amazon. If I had come here first I could have saved myself a great deal of time and wasted money in gas. Product was an exact match to what I needed.

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Cheap Jobe’s 6028 Organic Vegetable Fertilizer Food Spikes, 50-Pack Review

I use these on my tomatoes and hot peppers with good success. These spikes should also work well for any kind of fruiting vegetable.

The spikes last for 8 weeks at a time, and provides a nice, steady slow release fertilizer. This makes for very convenient gardening.

For tomatoes I use them at half the recommended rate, and supplement with potassium and magnesium rich fertilizers (epsom salt, greensand, wood ash, miracle-gro for tomatoes).

For hot peppers I use them at 1/3 the recommended rate and a small amount of epsom salt (these plants don’t need much fertilizer, but are somewhat magnesium hungry).

My crops on both kinds of plants are great, and I’m quite happy with these. I only wish they had a low-nitrogen spike with more potassium in it for tomatoes (ie: 2-6-7, instead of 2-7-4)

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