It’s Time for Our Toolsday HOA on Google+
Tuesday is Toolsday here at MAKE, and to celebrate, we’re having a Hangout on Air. Join us 6pm PDT to talk about some of your favorite tools and to show off your workspace.
Tools
Tool Review: PanaVise Vise Buddy Jr.
I tend to do my fine-detail circuit work inside the house on my electronics workbench, and rougher work in my garage workshop. I have vises installed in both places, each chosen to suit the work: in the house I use a PanaVise Jr. Mini-Vise mounted on a tray base; in the garage it’s a heftier swivel vise bolted to my workbench. Now, PanaVise has turned things upside down by offering this new Vise Buddy Jr., which is a small, precision vise head that you can quickly clamp into your bigger bench vise.
Toolsday on Google Hangout On Air, NOW
Join us 6pm PDT on G+ to talk about some of your favorite tools and to show off your workspace.
Tool Review: BOA Versa Saw
A regular hacksaw frame is fixed to the blade at both ends. These restricted-access hacksaws, on the other hand, are fixed to the blade only at the back end, closest to your hand, and support the front end using a reciprocating, spring-loaded bar with a thin guide slot and a rubber shoe. The shoe rests up against the workpiece, during the stroke, and the blade moves back and forth through the guide slot, which keeps it from flexing away from the intended cutting path. The upshot is that, unlike a regular hacksaw frame, you can make cuts in stuff with almost zero backside clearance.
MAKE Asks: Specialty Tools
Make: Asks is a weekly column where we ask you, our readers, for responses to maker-related questions. We hope the column sparks interesting conversation and is a way for us to get to know more about each other.
This week’s question: What tool (or tools) that is not in your average maker’s arsenal do you find yourself grabbing for again and again when working on projects?
Adam Savage’s Custom Toolkit
It’s built from two old doctor’s bags, armored with aluminum, fitted with rollers, and sports a custom scissor-lift that keeps it open at working height. Best of all, Adam has meticulously listed all 300 items for your perusal.
EMSL’s CNC Workstation Cart
Our workstation is CNC-cut from half-inch plywood. It is rock-solid sturdy, yet comes apart easily for transport or modifications. It features a main computer bay with an optional door, five spacious drawers that can’t fall out, enough room on top to comfortably fit a laptop (in addition to the main computer), stainless hardware, polyurethane casters, […]