Tools

What do YOU call these things?

What do YOU call these things?

I use this tool all the time, but rarely have I ever heard any two people refer to it by the same name. “Wire cutters” is what I called them growing up, but since then I have heard “diagonal cutters,” “diagonal pliers,” “diags,” “side cutters,” “side cutting pliers,” “snips,” “snippers,” “dog-nips,” the easily-misinterpreted “strippers,” and the downright offensive “nips” and “dikes” (which apparently upsets Dutch people for some reason). So I’m starting a collection. Have I missed anything? What do you call them?

Firefly Workshop

Firefly Workshop

While I love a good, messy workshop, I appreciate a clean one if only to get tips on organizing my own space. Craig and Cindy Smith’s shop, which they call the Firefly Workshop, offers some neat tricks. Also, what’s up with the astromech dome and Wall-E eyes? I am not a ‘green freak’, but I […]

Simple no-sew toolbelt

From ManMade comes this video about how to create a quick n’ dirty no-sew toolbelt from recycled fabric and duct tape. I don’t think you’re going to rock the construction site in this thing, but for light tools and crafting supplies, it’s an easy way to cobble something together. ManMade Video How-To: Make a Custom, […]

Cool little 4-in-1 pocket tool

Cool little 4-in-1 pocket tool

Now, there are a jillion combination pocket/keychain tools on the market. I’ve owned, carried, and used a bunch of them, and I generally find that only the test of time effectively sorts wheat from chaff. I’ve never owned, carried, or used this so-called “screwpop” tool, so I have no way of knowing how it stands up to pocket wear. I’d be a bit nervous that the reversible hex bit would get lost somewhere along the way, although it looks like their bit features a ball detent to hold it in place. Also, for those of you are counting, the “fourth” tool–besides the bottle opener and the flat and phillips screwdrivers–is a 1/4″ hex nut driver, which is a bit of a cheap marketing gimmick because what they’re really talking about, of course, is the socket that holds the hex bit.

But I like the no-frills design and the price is certainly right at $5. If I see one on a counter by a cashwrap at a hardware store someday, I’ll probably pick it up. [Thanks, Kurt!]