DIY Answer Guy » DIY

The Truth About Tools

Larry — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:49:37 +0000

The real truth about tools and their uses.

With the help of almost the entire DIY population here are the seldom revealed, but well know real uses of our common DIY tools. Enjoy!

DIY Tip: Don’t forget to download my free guide to the best and most useful tools for your DIY toolbox. It’s free!

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER

Normally used to stab a hole in oil cans thus splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used to strip out Phillips screws, while blistering your palm.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER

A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws, and butchering or slotting your palms.

PLIERS

Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.

SIDE CUTTERS

Most often used to cut electrical wires resulting in a flash of light, followed by smoke and a breaker being tripped.

VISE-GRIPS

Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

CHISEL

The best tool to create a huge splinter of wood where you only wanted to remove a bit.

HAMMER

Originally employed as a weapon of war. Nowadays the hammer is often used to bend nails, flatten fingers and sometimes destroy anything close to what we are trying to hit.

UTILITY KNIFE

Used to slice through the contents of cardboard packages delivered to your front door; such as seats, clothes, liquids in plastic bottles, books, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Also useful in sharpening pencils from 6″ down to 2″ in a matter of seconds.

PRY BAR

Most effective in destroying the wooden trim that you are trying to remove, or putting a hole in the drywall as you try to remove that wooden trim. Also a great to crumple that metal clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.

HOSE CUTTER

Simply a tool used to make hoses too short.

THE NAIL SET

By far the best tool for setting nails and splitting trim at the same time.

HACKSAW

One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle… It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

SKILL SAW

A portable cutting tool used to cut studs too short, make incomprehensible miter cuts, and make weaving cuts down the length of a sheet of plywood.

RECIPROCATING SAW

The perfect power tool for breaking blades as soon as you pull the trigger.

BELT SANDER

An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

THE 1/2″ DRILL with two handles

First off, go ahead and remove that side handle. Now proceed with breaking your wrist. Told you so.

JIG SAW

The best power tool for cutting weavy lines on some bizarre angle.

TABLE SAW

A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity, as well as shortening digits.

PALM SANDER

Excellent for sanding the little scratches out of that table top, but resulting in burning through the veneer.

THE COMPOUND MITER SAW

Yes, you guessed it, for cutting those compound miters on crown molding that are always just a bit to short.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK

Used for lifting your car of the ground, but not keeping it there. Also used to test the strength of parts not made for lifting you car off the ground.

DRILL PRESS

A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching whatever you’re drilling out of your hands, so that it smacks you in the chest, flings your beer across the room, and ultimately dents the freshly-painted project you had carefully set in the corner.

WIRE WHEEL

Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, ‘Oh sh –’

OXYACETYLENE TORCH

Used almost exclusively for lighting almost anything in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.

BAND SAW

A large stationary power saw primarily used to cut most types of material into smaller pieces that fit more easily into the trash can, due to cutting on the wrong side of the line.

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST

A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.

THE SON of a B****’ TOOL

The closest tool you grab and throw across the garage while yelling ‘Son of a B****’ at the top of your lungs, just after having used any of the above. It usually turns out to be the next tool you’ll need right after you let it fly.

DIY article from: DIYAnswerGuy.com. Don't forget to follow me (@DIYAnswerGuy) on Twitter for more DIY answers. Thanks!

The Truth About Tools

The Stanley DIY Workforce Tool Box: A Happy Ending

Larry — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:05:00 +0000

This is a collection of articles about the greatest tool box I’ve ever owned, the Stanley Workforce Tool Box/Organizer.

If you’ve been following along over the past year, then you’re familiar with my quest for the best DIY toolbox. And during this journey, the best tool box was found, lost, replaced, re-replaced with a different box, replaced again, and then finally returned home to once again to take it’s place as the best tool box.

To make it easier for you to find the exact information you’re looking for, I’ve laid out the story of the Stanley tool boxes in four sections. You can choose to either read this in its entirety or simply click on the specific article title listed in the Table of Contents below.

The original article: “Quest for the Best” is about the original Stanley’s Workforce tool box organizer.
The second: “Quest for the Best Part II” is about Stanley’s changes to the box, it being discontinued, and then it being replaced with something totally different.
The third: “Sighted and Captured” is about the three replacements boxes I offered as a substitute for the discontinued original Stanley tool boxes.
The Bottom Line is the latest news on the re-release of the original Stanley Workforce Tool Box/Organizer.

Once gain thanks for your input and patience throughout.

And a big thanks to Stanley for continuing to provide us with great DIY tools.

Tool Boxes, Quest for the Best.

Here’s the problem. We all have a tool box or two around the house, right? But no matter which cool tool box we buy, it only ends up as a pile of tools in a box. You know, totally disorganized, heavy, taking up too much space and you can’t see what’s at the bottom of the pile. Well, a cardboard box could do just as well.

You may even own one of these popular tool box styles.

Cheap Plastic Tool Box

3 Drawer Tool Box

Metal Tool Chest

Even if you have a multi-drawer tool box that’s well organized, it’s too big and heavy to lug around. Anyway, the fact remains that for the majority of do it yourself projects you only need the essential tools, not every tool you own.

I’ll bet, like me, you hardly ever take your tool box to your project, you just try taking the tools you think you’ll need. Inevitably, you end up running back and forth. What a waste of time!

Here’s the simple solution that will make it easier to; carry your tools to your project, find your tools, and save space and money. I know, sounds like a pie-in-the-sky dream right?

It’s not. And I’m going to reveal to you an amazing tool box you’ll love forever.

So here we go.

One day I was strolling through my local home center looking for a divided box to store my fasteners when I spotted a multi-section plastic organizer.

It was different from others I’d seen before. It was made of heavy duty plastic, had adjustable sections, a locking clear lid, a good strong handle and the lid closed tight against the dividers so nothing can not jump from one section to another — even if dropped.

This tool box is only 18″ W x 12.5″ D x 3″ H, which makes it’s easy to store just about anywhere.

Stanley Compartment Organizer: Workforce 26 (top view)

Sensing I found buried treasure, I immediately grabbed the case and started playing with it right then and there on the floor. You may laugh, but hey, I’m a tool guy! So, I bought it and headed home.

When I got home I started thinking, “Hey, I wonder if my hand tools will fit in this case?”

So I got the hand tools I use most often (the same ones in the (Essential Hand Tools PDF) plus a few others, and began arranging them in the case.

I was totally amazed, everything fit (even the extra tools I carry)!

This tool box makes it so easy to actually carry your tools to your project and quickly find the tools you need.

And get this, they’re even stackable! I can’t begin to tell you how much space you’ll save.

But the big bonus is the incredibly low price. This tool box costs only $10 bucks! What an amazing deal.

I can’t imagine how much I would have saved if I’d only found this tool box earlier. I’ll bet I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on tool boxes over the years and none of them have been as good as this one.

DIY Tip: DIY guy’s love tool boxes, specially when they’re as functional and durable as this one. Trust me, it would make a great gift for your husband, Father, son, brother, etc.

Take my advise, the next time you’re at Home Depot, go to the tool organizing isle (generally located next to the power tool section) and buy the Stanley Workforce compartment organizer. You won’t be disappointed.

By the way, I went back and bought two more of these incredibly useful tool boxes, one for my fasteners and a second for my electrical gear.

It’s amazing how much less space these three new tool boxes take up versus just one of my old tool boxes.

Just one more do-it-yourself solution to help you succeed with speed!

Important Update.
The Work Force 26 has been replaced with the Stanley 25 Compartment Organizer. It’s the same exact box, only now branded with the Stanley name. See below photo.

Product Information:
Description from Home Depot: Workforce 25 Adjustable Deep Compartment Small Parts Organizer. Built-In Handle With 2 Locking Tabs And Lid Lock So Parts Stay In Place. Ideal Tool And Small Parts Storage And Organizer For Carpenters, Mechanics, Handyman, Toys And Hobbies.

Stanley 25 Adjustable Deep Compartment Storage Organizer 199-Gray/Yellow
25 Deep Adjustable Compartments
3 Locking Mechanisms To Prevent Spills
Removable dividers allow customization
Extra wide, built-in handle designed for gloved hands
Dimensions: 18–1/8 x 13–3/16 x 3–7/8 inches
MFG Brand Name : Stanley
MFG Model # : 14005
MFG Part # : 14005
SKU: 542047
UPC: 076174932737
Price: $9.98 (+ shipping)
Available from Home Depot.

I recommend calling ahead to make sure they have this in stock (they sell very quickly). If not, you can have them order it for you.

Update: 03/10/09

Stanley has discontinued this tool box and it is no longer available at Home Depot.

Home Depot has assigned the SKU# from this old box to a new Stanley box. IT IS NOT THE SAME AS THE OLD BOX, so beware.

I’m currently investigating a new, available, tool box and will post my finding soon.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Update: 03/26/09

Good news! After weeks of searching, I believe I have found a replacement tool/parts box. In fact, I found a set of three different size boxes (small, medium and large). I have ordered the boxes and will be testing them shortly.

Update: 04/04/09

I have finally received, and am currently testing three new tool boxes, similar to the Stanley. They look and work great so far.

Quest for the Best Part II

The quest for the best tool box continues. But with a happy ending.

If you’ve visited the site before, you may have read my article “Tool Boxes, Quest for the Best” about a great DIY tool box and it’s untimely demise.

If not, here’s the scoop.

I had been using this great Workforce 26 tool box for a long time,
and started recommending it to friends and family as well as all my readers and clients. Then, out of nowhere, I began receiving emails that no one could find or buy these tool boxes anywhere.

Sure enough, I went to Home Depot’s website and attempted to order the Stanley tool box. When I got to the checkout portion of the process, a pop-up message said, “this Stanley tool box is no longer available”.

I contacted Stanley directly and was told,

“Unfortunately, this item has been discontinued and is no longer available.”

I wrote Stanley back and asked if the tool box was going to be replaced with a new item and their response was,

“There are comparable items on our website, please look under organizers.”

As I had already reviewed their website for available products and found none, this was of no help.

So I went to Home Depot (the only vendor that sold the Workforce 26 and attempted to locate the tool box. And sure enough, the plastic Workforce 26 organizers were no longer available—and there was no replacement.

The Search Continues

Over the next few weeks, I kept searching for a replacement box online and whenever I was at Home Depot. Then one lucky day, a new tool box showed up on the shelves.

As it turns out, this new tool box, from Stanley, was the same design as the Workforce 26 tool box. The only real difference was the black color and a slight change in size (the new box was larger).

Compared Dimensions:

Original Workforce 26: 18″ W x 12.5″ D x 3″ H

New Stanley: 18–1/8″ W x 13–3/16″ D x 3–7/8″ H

The other (and much bigger) problem was that even though this “new” box wasn’t exactly the same, Home Depot gave it the same SKU (product ID number) as the old tool box. So, even if you wanted to track down any of the remaining older boxes, you couldn’t because they both have the same SKU number. Genius!

OK, stay with me on this because what happened next was unbelievable. Stanley discontinued the new box even before they stocked the shelves!

So the “quest for the best continued once again.”

Not The Same Tool Box

So once again I returned to Home Depot. I wanted to see if I could find any of the old Stanley tool boxes they might have left in stock. When I inquired at the counter I was told they had plenty. Plenty?

Well they did have lots of boxes, but it wasn’t the same tool box!

This new organizer has fixed center compartments, making it unsuitable as a tool box or as a truly customizable parts organizer.

Dead end.

So, the mission for the last six weeks or so has been to find a suitable replacement for the original Workforce 26 tool box/organizer, and great news, I’ve succeeded! You can find my full recommendation and a direct link to order your DIY tool box or organizers here at DIY Best Tool Boxes

If you have a minute, please let me know what questions, problems or suggestions you might have, as well as your DIY successes.

Continuing to help you succeed with speed.

New DIY Tool Box Sighted and Captured

After months of searching, the hunt is for the best tool box is over.

After an exhaustive search and thorough testing here are the tool box organizers I’ve found to replace the Stanley Workforce tool boxes.
These new toolbox/organizers come in three sizes to accommodate all your storage needs.

They’re made of heavy duty plastic, have adjustable sections for easy customizing, a clear lid to see all your tools or parts, a good strong, wide handle, and the lid closes tight against the dividers so nothing can not jump from one section to another–even if dropped.

And, they’re stackable, so you save tons of space.

Large Tool Box / Organizer

This large tool box will easily hold all the hand tools you use most often, plus a few others. Now it’ll be easy to carry your tools to your project and quickly find the tools you need.

20″ W x 12–5/8″ D x 2–5/8″ H // Cost: $22.99 each Order Here

Here are the same tools from The Absolute Essential Tools Every Do-It-Yourselfer Must Own PDF laid out here, plus a few more.

Check out the PDF for a full list of the essential tools every DIY’er should own.

Now, here’s all those tools neatly stored and ready for easy transport.

It’s just amazing how many tools can be stored and easily accessed from one tool box.

You can stack three of these boxes in the same space as one regular tool box. Definitely one of the best do-it-yourself tool box/organizers you’ll find, buy, and happily use.

Medium Tool Box / Parts Organizer

The medium organizer is great for holding fasteners, electrical gear, technician tools, or whatever you need to keep sorted and transport securely. Great size!

Note: All the yellow dividers are removable.

15–1/2″ W x 11–5/8″ D x 2–1/2″ H // Cost: $17.99 each Order Here

Small Tool Box / Parts Organizer

I use this smaller organizer to hold my stainless fasteners, and other specialty items. Perfect fit!
Note: 9 total compartments-1 full, 2 lg, 2 md, 4 sm.
12–7/8″ W x 9–3/8″ D x 2″ H // Cost: $9.99 each Order Here

DIY Tip: DIY guys and gals love tool boxes, especially when they’re as functional and durable as these. Trust me, this would make a great gift for any DIYer you’d like to make smile.

You can order your DIY tool box organizers through this Direct Link

And Yes, I did talk to the manufacturer and they reassured me that these boxes will not be discontinued anytime soon. So get organized and you too will succeed with speed.

Update: 05/05/09

The new DIY Best Tool Box and Organizers have been tested and are ready for your approval and purchase at DIY Best Tool Boxes. Thank you once again for your patience.

Update: 09/20/09

Stanley has been in contact in the last couple of months and told me that the Workforce toolbox/organizer with be re-released in October of this year. I’ll let you all know when and where just a soon as Stanley let me know. Hang in there, and thanks for your patience.

THE BOTTOM LINE 10/21/09

Great news! I have just been advised, by the Stanley product manager, that the original Workforce tool box/organizers (14006) have been re-released and will be available at Target stores to start. Stanley promised to advise me of other locations that the box will be available at ASAP.

Update 5/20/10

I have been informed by many of my readers that they have been unable to find these boxes at Target, except at a couple of Super Targets. I have searched the cities around where I live and haven’t found any either. I contacted Stanley and Target again and they are of little help. So, I guess we’re out of luck again. Maybe if Stanley gets enough request for this box they might “really” bring it back, but don’t hold your breath.

Note that the boxes you see on Lowes and Home Depots site are not the original boxes. They are the new ones with the fixed center section.

Update 4/13/11

Here’s an update from Denny, one of my readers, on where to buy the Stanley tool box organizers. Thanks Denny for your persistance! Larry

Hello Larry– After a lot of trying, I was able to find a source for the original Stanley 26 compartment box. I have about 25 of the ORIGINAL original Workforce26 and ZAG 26 boxes, so being able to find additional ones that stack nicely on top of my existing boxes was nice. In the past, I have tried other copies (from EBay, Summit Racing, etc) that look similar, but are far inferior (JUNK!!) and don’t even stack upon one another!
I must disagree with you, however, about the Stanley boxes being “exactly” like the Workforce26. They aren’t made quite as nicely as the originals were and the plastic seems to be a little more brittle…
That being said, I am still happy to have a source of genuine Stanley boxes. I bought 10 of them from Allied Electronics right here in California. Apparently, they’re still easily available in Canada (Home Depot) and Europe.

They were easily ordered from Allied, and didn’t take long to receive. It seems like you were as disappointed as I was to learn that the good ol’ Workforce26 was no longer available, so I hope this makes you and your readers happy!

Update 9/17/11

Stanley has re-released the original tool box/organizer!

It really is the old original, and you can find it here at Lowes.
Take care and enjoy.

If you have questions about your DIY projects, just ask your personal DIY consultant. I’m here to help you succeed with speed.

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DIY article from: DIYAnswerGuy.com. Don't forget to follow me (@DIYAnswerGuy) on Twitter for more DIY answers. Thanks!

The Stanley DIY Workforce Tool Box: A Happy Ending

Review: Stanley’s New DIY Collection Tool Box/Organizer

Larry — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:28:12 +0000

Tom, one of my faithful readers, just purchased one of the new Stanley DIY Tool Box/organizers, and here’s what he had to say about it.

Hi Larry,

I stopped by Target this afternoon and picked up one of the new Stanley Parts Organizers (14006).

I’ve attached some images in case you haven’t seen one yet. Feel free to use the pictures if you want.

I wasn’t able to find the boxes on the Target website, as they probably haven’t updated their system yet.

Also, not all Target stores are carrying them either.

I picked mine up at a Super Target (or whatever they call the big ones that include a grocery section). It was only $8.99. Cheaper than the original!

I noticed that the lid has two stickers on it — one placed over the other. I tried to separate them to see what the bottom one said, but I couldn’t do it without destroying the bottom one.

The most obvious difference with the new one is they changed the color of the case and dividers to tan, from the original black and yellow.

A couple of things I noticed that I haven’t seen mentioned anywhere else — the slots and dividers have kind of a dovetail arrangement. This keeps the dividers from being pushed out of place if the contents try to shift.

As you probably noticed from your original model, there are two dividers with the dovetail on three sides — the one on the third side is what the lock at the center of the lid catches on, to help keep the contents from bulging the lid, thereby keeping things from shifting between compartments.

Notice the grooves on the bottom of the box– that makes these great organizers stackable and quite strong. And once stacked, they stay stacked.

DIY Tip: Once you have separated the dividers from each other, I recommend trimming off the the excess bump of plastic where the dividers are joined together. The little bump left from separating the dividers interferes with dividers fitting into the slots.

Not a big deal, but something I noticed and easily dealt with.

By the way, did you hear that Stanley bought out Black and Decker earlier this week? More precisely, they bought enough B&D stock to
control it. I saw a blurb about it on the Fine Homebuilding website.

Regards,
Tom

Well it seems that everyone I’ve talked with or heard from is very happy that Stanley has brought back this great DIY Tool box/organizer. Thanks again Stanley. And thank you Tom.