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Featured Tool/Tip

Hi-Touch Imaging 631PL

by Bob Scott (Appeared in MAKE 01 Toolbox)

My friends and relatives still don't think that getting "MIME Encoded DSC10034.JPG" in their email inbox is an appropriate response to "Send me a copy of that picture." With that attitude, I was ready... Read more

Recent Additions

Loctite Stick

I can't live without Loctite threadlocker stick (medium strength — blue color). I put one of these in every toolbox I own, and I own several. Rarely do I ever tighten a n... Read More
Type(s): Hand Tool, Tip
Tags: nut bolt tightener loctite

Saving Electricity

I just stumbled across this site in the pursuit of answering the question "Why is my electric bill so high?" and really like how utterly accessible and easy to understand it i... Read More
Type(s): Web Site
Tags: electricity tips save energy

Recycling Electronics for Free

Wow! Just noticed this great post about free electronics recycling on Lifehacker. From the blog post: "The program, which allows you to discard your used electronics in an... Read More
Type(s): Tip, Web Service
Tags: recycling electronics free USPS

Unclutterer

While the writers on this great organization blog can sometimes be scarily fanatical about cleaning clutter, it's still a fantastic resource. It has posts on everything from c... Read More
Type(s): Web Site
Tags: clutter organization blog tips

Home Comforts

My mom gave me a copy of this book when I moved into my first apartment, and I've carted it around with me ever since. While it looks like a Martha Stewart knock-off from the ... Read More
Type(s): Book
Tags: home cleaning mendelson science

Doggle (Doggie Goggle)
My dog rode with his head out the window, but he had to squint his eyes against the 55 mph wind. I cut the top off a 2-liter soda bottle to save his corneas. Cut off the ... Read More
Type(s): Tip
Tags: dog doggle goggle

Fire Arts Chicago
I know your article on The Crucible ran a while back, but I'd like to mention a wonderful place like it here in Chicago. It's the Fire Arts Center of Chicago, and they offer ... Read More
Type(s): Organization or Group, Source or Store
Tags: fire+arts chicago metalwork

Watt Watt
Watt Watt is a "community for individuals interested in electrical energy efficiency." It has forums on topics ranging from appliances to transport to renewable energy. An... Read More
Type(s): Tip, Web Site
Tags: electricity tips save

Removing Ink Stains from Toys
In my experience, there's nothing makers like more than being a hero, so here's a good tip I saw on BoingBoing for Dads and Moms: acne cream and sunshine will remove ink scri... Read More
Type(s): Tip
Tags: toys ink stains removal

Don't Forget the Duct Tape
This book should be standard issue with every new piece of camping equipment sold. It's a great collection of tips for keeping outdoor and travel gear in tip-top shape. It's f... Read More
Type(s): Book
Tags: tips gear outdoor

How to Remove Pine Sap from Your Hands
It’s the holiday season and between steam punking your wreath and putting homemade solar LED lights on your tree, there is a fair chance that at some point you will have ... Read More
Comments: 2
Type(s): Tip
Tags: Pine+Sap hand+sanitizer

Cough Cure
Maybe it’s just an urban legend, but after receiving an email forward about getting rid of coughs by putting Vicks VapoRub on your feet (don’t forget socks, so your ... Read More
Type(s): Tip
Tags: tip cough vicks+vaporub

Free Rice
Shawn Connally, the managing editor of MAKE, has gotten all of us at the office hooked on Free Rice, a vocabulary game that also puts your brains to a good cause. For every wo... Read More
Type(s): Web Site
Tags: rice donate hunger vocabulary

iKaraoke
I love karaoke; there's nothing like singing your heart out to your favorite tunes while your friends and/or coworkers wince in embarrassment for you. Up until now, I've h... Read More
Type(s): Electronics/Gadget
Tags: karaoke home

Gotcha Gift Boxes
I haven't actually seen these in person, but one (or more) of the Gotcha Gift Boxes will definitely be under the tree, disguising my presents. My dad is always rattling and sh... Read More
Type(s): Source or Store, Toy
Tags: gift gotcha joke present box

HitchMaster
A rope pulley without wheels! No jammed wheels, easy to use, doesn't break. Carry it on your belt or in your pocket — what could be better? I have had mine for about seve... Read More
Type(s): Travel and Outdoors
Tags: HitchMaster, rope pulley, tiedown

Clamptite
Need to clamp just about anything together? Have some wire or a coat hanger lying about? This is a cool, easy-to-use tool, used to clamp, tie, or join things together. Simple... Read More
Comments: 1
Type(s): Hand Tool
Tags: ClampTite, clamp, wire clamp, safety wire twister

Sound Money Tips
Sound Money Tips is a nice site to keep yourself on top of your game. They post a short personal finance tip every day. Some are pretty obvious (like "stay organized" — w... Read More
Type(s): Tip, Web Site
Tags: money tips finance

Event Coordination
Gina Trapani at LifeHacker posted about a cool-sounding new collaborative event organizer. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like it's perfect for everything from organizi... Read More
Type(s): Tip, Web Site
Tags: organization events collaboration

Clean Your Sinuses
It's cold season! I've been using a Neti Pot for years to clear out my sinuses (my GP recommended it), but this how-to by Noah from Instructables just tickles my funny bone. I... Read More
Type(s): Household Product, Tip
Tags: salt+water sinus neti rinse cold

CD Rack
Cut the bulb end off a scrapped chrome faucet supply pipe. The 3/8" outside diameter pipe can be bent by hand into a C-shape, and tied to a vertical support. You can store abo... Read More
Type(s): Organizing Tool
Tags: tip cd rack

Greenhouse Hoop Bender
We bent the steel hoops for both of our hoop greenhouses. I've been a gardener for 26 years and never could afford a decent-sized greenhouse. I first saw these benders on eBay... Read More
Type(s): Hand Tool, Travel and Outdoors
Tags: hoop bender greenhouse garden

PlugGrip
The PlugGrip is used to assist in the installation and removal of electrical outlets. I found this tool at Lowes and had never heard of it until it caught my eye as I was pick... Read More
Comments: 2
Type(s): Hand Tool
Tags: "handtool", "electrical", "installation"

SwitchGrip
The SwitchGrip is used to assist with the installation and removal of light switches. I came across this tool after we purchased the PlugGrip for our remodel. We were just as ... Read More
Type(s): Hand Tool
Tags: "handtool" "electrical" "installation" light+switches

Practical Math
Chenier's Practical Math Application Guide is the kind of math I wish they'd taught me in high school. Each section uses real-world situations (with a homebuilding bent) to il... Read More
Type(s): Book
Tags: practical+math guide practical math

Hot Steaming Glue Gun!
I am in love with my glue gun ... well, one of them. Is it the new snazoid cordless one with the space-age heating base from Black & Decker? No, though that is a beautiful... Read More
Type(s): Hand Tool
Tags: glue+Gun, hot+glue+gun, wicked glue gun

Painting Tip
Gotta paint the bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom? If you have an airbrush, use it to cut-in: just get a can of compressed air and hook it to your airbrush. It's faster and easier... Read More
Type(s): Tip
Tags: paint spray

Money Clip
I have a ton of old clip-on earrings that I've either inherited from my great-grandmother or collected from junk sales (I can't shake the desire to be prepared for playing dre... Read More
Comments: 2
Type(s): Tip
Tags: earrings clip-on clip money tip

Speedy Metals
Tip: Speedy Metals is a great place for ordering small quantities of metals for your projects. I've ordered brass tube stock, 7075-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, and tool steel f... Read More
Comments: 1
Type(s): Raw Material, Web Site
Tags: raw+metal metal brass steel cast+Iron aluminum

Easy Inventory
You do have a digital camera, yes? Well, you can buy yourself some really important and valuable "insurance" if you simply pull out every drawer and box in your shop and pop ... Read More
Type(s): Tip
Tags: tip inventory easy

Grey Tape or Muffler Tape
This stuff is amazing and has saved my bacon a number of times. I've used it for fixing all manner of things--from its intended purpose of holding a muffler together until I r... Read More
Comments: 1
Type(s): Art Supply, Electronics/Gadget, Hand Tool, Household Product, Raw Material, Travel and Outdoors
Tags: muffler+tape grey+tape huskytape pvc tape

Wire Spice Rack
A simple spice rack at the workbench can organize smaller bottles of glues, solvents, lubricants, etc. With less than a dollar's worth of hardware they'll mount to the gar... Read More
Type(s): Organizing Tool, Tip
Tags: work+bench spice+rack

The Simplicity Cycle
I’d like to recommend for you’re consideration a new book, from the author Dan Ward, on simplicity and complexity titled: The Simplicity Cycle (published under The R... Read More
Type(s):
Tags: design simplicity

Bug Me Not
I found out about this great web service on Erin McKean's Dress a Day blog. It basically generates usernames and passwords to use to get into free "registration required" webs... Read More
Type(s): Web Service, Web Site
Tags: registration email

A Real Flight Tracker
A few weeks ago, I was preparing to leave a dinner party to pick up my sister at the airport, when Artur Bergman suggested I check Flight Aware rather than the airline website... Read More
Type(s): Tip, Web Service, Web Site
Tags: flight tracking track flight+tracking airline airport