Handy Tool Guide

Press Release

Image Industries recently announced the release of their latest contact and gap stud weld tools. These new tools feature precision-engineered components for quick, convenient setup and optimum performance, and, unlike competitive brands, both products offer full range adjustments without changing any internal components. A unique adjustment feature makes changing the plunge fast and effortless. The gap and contact models weigh 1.9 lbs. (.88 kg) and include standard legs, foot, and cable. Each tool has a stud range capacity of 14 gauge through 3/8" (3 mm – 10 mm) and comes with a standard chuck nut wrench. The lightweight, ergonomic design minimizes operator fatigue and is compact enough to fit into even the tightest weld areas. Image’s contact and gap tools are compatible with a variety of power supplies on the market.

"We’ve found that by engineering better tools, we can open the welding process up to less experienced users and increase our customers’ overall productivity," says Blake Hobson, Vice President of Marketing. “Our contact and gap stud weld tools accomplish this without sacrificing the high level of safety and design our clientele has come to expect from Image."

The gap model generates gap distances automatically and does not require the user to preset the gap or lift the mechanism manually. The tool also features a rear gap adjustment similar to a power drill clutch, allowing settings to be changed at a moment’s notice. The contact tool is designed for compatibility with most stud welding power supplies, and its uniquely designed LED indicator provides immediate visual feedback on heat settings which eliminates guesswork by the operator.

As a leader in the manufacturing of fasteners and stud welding equipment, Image is known for providing application expertise, exceptional customer service, and value-added assembly solutions to help customers meet their most demanding fastening requirements. To learn how Image can meet your fastening needs, please contact us at 11220 East Main Street, Huntley, IL 60142; phone: (847) 659-0100, or toll-free (800) 722-7883; fax: (847) 659-0108; or e-mail: techinfo@imageindustries.com; or Web: www.imageindustries.com.

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Computeractive have published a review of Pinnacle's Dazzle Video Creator Platinum which provides a plug-and-play solution for you to record home videos. 'Pinnacle’s Dazzle Video Creator Platinum is designed with that task in mind. The package consists of a small silver video capture box and two pieces of software. The capture box plugs into a USB port on the PC, and has composite and s-video connectors built into it, which allow connection of an analogue camcorder or VCR. The box then converts the video signal into a digital form that can be stored on the PC’s hard disk.'

Read: Review: Pinnacle Dazzle Video Creator Platinum video editing - Computeractive

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A “Hands On” review of the Dremel 18″ Scroll Station has been posted over at Toolmonger. ‘The Dremel Scroll Station is heavy – 49 pounds to be exact. Once freed from the cardboard, the Dremel’s top handle made it much simpler to haul around. It’s still heavy, but as we found out later, that works to its advantage. The first thing we noticed was that the power switch and variable speed control are located right on top of the upper arm. This is good for two reasons: you don’t have to reach behind or around anything to power the saw down in an emergency, and it”s simple to see how fast you have the saw set and to adjust it as needed.’

Read: Hands-On: Dremel’s Scroll Station – Toolmonger

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A review of the Antec TruePower Quattro 850 power supply has been posted over at ThinkComputers. 'Enthusiasts looking for a powerful, yet energy efficient and stable power supply need look no further than the Antec TruePower Quattro 850W power supply unit. Antec's latest series, Quattro, offers the quality and performance users expect from Antec products, with the efficiency required by 80 PLUS certification. Units with this certification are 80% efficient and meet the latest Energy Star standards. It can power up to 8 SATA drives, as well as four PCI-Express devices. Read on for the review of this stylish powerhouse.'

Read: Antec TruePower Quattro 850W Modular Power Supply Review - ThinkComputers

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The new Hobart Handler 210 MIG welder from Hobart Welding Products plugs into a standard 230 VAC outlet and can weld mild steel up to 3/8 in. and aluminum up to ¼ in. 'The Handler 210 comes out of the box ready to weld with our without a shielding gas. Unlike units for "gasless" flux cored welding only, the Handler features a built-in gas valve and comes with a dual gauge regulator and gas hose. This enables the user to MIG weld with gas-shielded solid wires--the preferred method for thinner metals and stainless steel and required for aluminum--without purchasing additional kits. A built-in contactor keeps the welding wire electrically cool until the trigger is pulled. Without this feature, the wire would arc if touched to the work-piece.'

Read: New Hobart Handler 210 MIG Welds 3/8" Mild Steel and 1/4" MIG Aluminum, Features Seven Voltage Taps for More Precise Arc Control - Thomas Net

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Pocket-Lint have published a review of the Standby Buster which is a remote controlled electrical socket that lets you switch appliances off completely so that they use no electricity. ‘The "Greenies" amongst you will cry halleluiah because you can now turn off that energy sucking, planet killing television rather than just leaving it on standby all the time, while the "Lazies" will see the true benefit is that with your house now controlled by remote you won't actually have to get off the sofa or dig around behind the TV to turn stuff off.’

Read: Standby Buster energy saving electrical socket with remote Review – Pocket-Lint

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PC Magazine have published a review of the new iRobot Roomba 560 vacuuming tool. 'In many ways, the Roomba 560 can be viewed as a direct attempt to solve some of the problems that plagued iRobot's previous model, the Roomba Discovery. The 560 in many ways is a beefier, souped-up Discovery. It uses the same basic arrangement of Roombas before it, relying on a floor-situated Home Base charging station to keep its battery topped off—though the Home Base now comes in white or black instead of gray. The 560 weighs a full 8 pounds, more than the Discovery's 6.4 pounds, and the added girth accommodates the robot's larger wheels and increased dust-bin capacity (33 percent bigger, according to iRobot). With a round, flat body reminiscent of a deep-dish pizza or horseshoe crab, the robot has two primary wheels each with its own motor and suspension system.'

Read: iRobot Roomba 560 - PC Mag

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Cooper Hand Tools has improved on its original Crescent® brand adjustable wrench with the introduction of the new Crescent® RapidSlide(TM) adjustable wrench which is 10 in. long and includes handle-positioned slide adjuster that moves forward to tighten jaws and back to loosen them. 'The RapidSlide wrench is named for its revolutionary handle-positioned slide adjuster, which replaces the traditional turning adjuster for an overall improvement in speed and productivity. Users simply move the slide forward to tighten the jaws, back to loosen them. Once adjusted, the jaws automatically lock securely in place, so there is no need to hold the slide while turning fasteners.'

Read: Cooper Hand Tools Expands Line with New 10-inch Crescent BRAND RapidSlide Adjustable Wrench

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CNET have published a review of the compact HP DeskJet 460wf printer. ‘The HP Deskjet 460c is a portable color inkjet aimed squarely at traveling business people who need to be able to print documents on the go, whether it's in a hotel room or on an airplane. Its speeds are on par with the competition's, though its performance isn't as consistent as that of the similar Canon Pixma iP90v. The Deskjet 460c produces excellent text prints, but its graphics and photo prints leave a lot to be desired, which isn't too big a deal when you consider the printer's intended use. For text output on the go, the $250 HP Deskjet 460 makes a worthy travel companion.’

Read: HP Deskjet 460wf Mobile - CNET

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PC Perspective have published a review of the Enermax Liberty DXX 500W power supply. 'The Liberty DXX 500W PSU enclosure is painted gloss black and is only 140mm deep. It uses a single 120mm fan on the bottom fitted with a recessed, bright gold colored fan grill. The fan speed is dynamically adjusted between 800 and 2,400 rpm based on the power supply load and internal component temperatures. The clear seven bladed fan is manufactured by Globefan (B1202512M-3M) and is capable of moving a relatively large amount of air to keep all the internal bits cool. This particular fan uses ball bearings and has a max rating of 2,400 rpm, 80.98 CFM and 39.0 dBA at 12V.'

Read: Enermax Liberty DXX 500W Power Supply Review - PC Perspective

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Valtra, Inc. has introduced the new NOMAD(TM) Economy Welding Table which comes with a tabletop that folds down for easy portability. 'The table height is easily adjustable, and the steel tabletop tilts to three positions: horizontal, 30°, and folded. Three 1.1" (28mm) slots in the 30" W x 20" D tabletop allow clamps to be inserted at any point, for greater "reach" , so the user can fully utilize the entire tabletop. Two retractable, perpendicular steel guide rails can be used as guides, stops, or as clamping edges.'

Read: Economical, Fully-Adjustable Welding Table Provides Versatility and Easy Mobility ! - Thomas Net

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Jerry Jackson writing over at Notebook Review has posted a review of the Logitech Kinetik 15.4 Briefcase. ‘Logitech is well known for innovative design, and the Kinetik bags look like something taken straight from of an episode of Battlestar Galactica. This briefcase would be equally at home as a prop in a sci-fi movie as it is in your workplace. One of the main design elements of the Kinetik line is the "exo-shell" construction: a rigid, shock absorbing exterior material that protects the laptop and accessories from damage yet is still a reasonably "forgiving" (almost bouncy) material when you're carying it on your side. The exo-shell is made of a polyurethane/ethylene vinyl acetate composite. In short, it's sort of like thin tire rubber ... without the tread. The rest of the Kinetic is made of a durable black ballistic nylon exterior and smooth orange polyester interior pockets.’

Read: Logitech Kinetik 15.4 Briefcase – Notebook Review

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The new HMD904S Swivel Base Portable Magnetic Drill from Hougen Manufacturing measures 16 3/8 x 7 3/16 x 8 ¼ in. and features drill body-to-magnetic base coupling that provides pivot axis for up to 1 3/8 in. arc of side to side motion, and straightline axis that permits up to 1 3/8 in. of front to back movement. 'The Swivel Base HMD904S is ideal for applications where hole position accuracy is critical, or for challenging fabrication, maintenance and on-site installation/erection jobs involving horizontal or overhead/inverted drilling where supporting and energizing the magnet while locating the drill can be awkward.'

Read: Hougen Debuts Swivel-Base Portable Magnetic Drill - Thomas Net

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Digital Trends have published a review of the Callpod Chargepod portable charger. 'The Callpod Chargepod is a thin, circular charging hub that offers six charging ports for countless variations of devices like cell phones, PDAs, portable gaming devices, MP3 players, etc…The hub itself is no thicker than a Motorola RAZR phone (roughly 3/4" thick) and can easily fit in the palm of one's hand. The Callpod Chargepod is made of shiny, silvery molded plastic and looks very fitting next to a MacBook Pro or one of the new Apple iMacs. It does not, however, connect to a PC, so anyone can use it no matter what OS they prefer.'

Read: Callpod Chargepod - Digital Trends

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A review of the Antec P180 PC case has been posted over at PC Authority. 'The front door has a double hinge to allow it to fold back flat against the side of the case. It reveals power and reset buttons, along with one 3.5in and four 5.25in bays. Two grilles swing open to provide access to the two clip-on dust filters – an invaluable feature if you want to prevent the fans blowing large amounts of dust onto your components. Inside, things are supremely neat with two removable drive cages, one of which holds two hard disks horizontally with quick-release rails, and the other providing space for four disks on their sides with rubber grommets to isolate vibrations.'

Read: Antec P180 - PC Authority

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The new HANDy Ladder Pail holds over 1 gal of any paint and is ideal for painting, washing windows, carrying tools, cleaning gutters and any other indoor or outdoor projects. 'The HANDy Ladder Pail helps minimize the headaches that often accompany ladder chores-cumbersome containers and messes. The pail's unique fixed bracket easily secures to most step and extension ladders. The HANDy Ladder Pail holds over 1 gallon of any paint, stain, liquid or solvent. The household tool is extremely durable, solvent resistant and easy to clean. It also includes an embedded magnet to hold brushes or tools in place so they don't end up swimming in paint or other liquids. A built-in paint grid is designed for use with rollers up to nine inches for large painting projects. The pail also contains a secure tool and rag holder to prevent dropping when on a ladder.'

Read: Home Improvement and Fix-It Projects Just Got Easier with the Handy Ladder Pail - Thpmas Net

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A review of the Ultra 850VA Power Protection Unit and UPS has been posted over at PC Perspective. 'At first glance the Ultra 850VA power protection unit may look like an oversized outlet strip. However, under the hood reside the latest surge suppression circuits and a full featured Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The entry level Ultra 850VA Power Protection Unit features up to 850 Volt Amps (425W) of AC backup power to keep your home server, workstation or PC running during brief power outages and allows time for a safe shutdown during longer outages.' .

Read: Ultra 850VA Power Protection Unit and UPS Review - PC Perspective

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The L.S. Starrett Company has introduced the new Die Pro Bi-Metal Band Saw Blades which feature triple-tempered M-42 high-speed steel teeth with 8% cobalt and are suited for contour and general-purpose sawing, maintenance and tool rooms. 'Starrett's Bi-Metal Unique material bonding technology provides several key advantages. The technology joins two strips of high-speed steel wires to a backing steel in a solid phase, using the principle of solid-state diffusion bonding agent. This proprietary (patent pending) solid-state diffusion process generates 170% more weld contact area compared to the existing bi-metal high-speed steels. This significantly reduces fracture and breakage at the high-speed steel/backing material interface, promoting longer blade life.'

Read: Band Saw Blades offer optimal resistance to breakage. - Thomas Net

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ThinkComputers have published a review of the CoolIT USB Beverage Chiller, PCI Cooling Booster and RAM Fan. ‘Trying to keep specific things cool is not very easy to come by. This set of CoolIT products demonstrates cooling for a lot of devices that we might not ordinarily think about or find. Taking a look into these professional products will surely help many. This innovation of products will really make you think "There are products out there that really do that? What a great idea!". This became my impression after further investigating the products.’

Read: CoolIT Systems Products Review - ThinkComputers

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Toolmonger have published a "Hands on" review of the Ridgid - R2138NA 2-1/8” Brad Nailer. 'The nailer itself is extremely light, but feels very durable. It has a light magnesium, and sweet gray grippy-rubber wrapped around the handle — all of which makes for a nice feel in your hand. After a quick rummage through the rest of the box, we found a pair of safety glasses that Ridgid had thoughtfully included plus a swivel air hook-up which we quickly mounted on the rear of the unit.'

Read: Hands On: Ridgid 2 1/8” Brad Nailer - Toolmonger

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Press Release

Racine, WI, USA...Master Appliance Corp., a leading manufacturer of heat tools for industry, introduces its new UT-100Si-TC Ultratorch® Professional Heat Tool Kit, featuring their top performing UT-100Si Ultratorch, a self-igniting, butane powered, multi-functional soldering iron, flameless heat tool and hot knife, with competitive advantages in tip quality, work efficiency, safety and running cost.

The Master UT-100Si-TC kit also contains three Ultratip® soldering tips (including a high-powered chisel tip for use with thicker gage wires), a hot knife tip, hot air tip, heat shrink reflector, wire cutter, needle nose pliers, roll of 60/40 solder, sponge, cap and stand all packed in a sturdy, compact plastic storage/carrying case, everything needed for soldering and desoldering, removing surface mount components, heat shrinking tubing and specialty connectors, repairing vinyl, spot drying and cutting materials and more. It's the perfect kit for field service technicians, automotive mechanics, audio and security system installers, and other professionals working with electrical/electronic connections, wiring harnesses and heat shrink tubing.

Master's UT-100Si Ultratorch features adjustable temperatures up to 1202°F (500°C) and a self-ignition button and built-in fuel filter for easy and consistent starting. Ultratorch soldering tips feature Ultratip® Technology, with an oxygen-free copper base, a ceramic catalyst and extra thick iron and chrome plating for longer tip life and superior thermal conductivity, perfect for use with today's lead-free solder. The UT-100Si is lighter in weight than competitive models, at just 5.5 ounces (100 grams), making it easier to hold and use over extended periods of time. A metal fuel tank provides capacity for up to two hours of use on a full charge. The UT-100Si has also earned a UL listing for safety and durability. The kit's storage case includes an open slot for a small can of Master's Ultratane® Butane fuel and an additional soldering tip. There are 15 optional soldering tips, hot air tips and shrink attachments available.

Master's new UT-100Si-TC Ultratorch Professional Heat Tool Kit is available only from your Authorized Master Appliance Heat Tool Distributor. For the name of your local distributor or more information, contact the Master Appliance at (800) 558-9413, fax: (262) 633-9745, email sales@masterappliance.com, or visit Master online at www.masterappliance.com..

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Pocket-Lint have published a review of the TAEC 150W Slimline Power Inverter which allows you to take power directly from your car's cigarette or power socket and turn it into a 230V AC mains power socket in your car. ‘Gadgets are wonderful things, trouble is they always need more power, and normally lots of it. So what's a boy to do? Hunt for a power socket of course. It's might be alright to find a plug socket around the house, but what about when you are away in the car, perhaps on that camping trip or the such like. In steps the TAEC 150W slimline Power Inverter from The Alternative Energy Company.’

Read: TAEC 150W Slimline Power Inverter Review – Pocket-Lint

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Press Release

Cromwell, CT – Ripley’s Utility Tool division is pleased to introduce the new TC-1 Transmission Cable Clamp.

The new TC-1, designed to use as a tool stop when stripping and shaving large transmission cables, is ruggedly built with lightweight cast aluminum jaws. The TC-1 is a bar style clamp with a quick release adjustment. It is designed to be used on cables ranging from 2 inches (50mm) to 5 inches (127 mm) OD. It is made in the USA.

For more information, please contact Ripley Customer Service toll free in the USA, at 800-528-8665, internationally at 860-635-2200, or by e-mail: info@ripley-tools.com., Ripley products and distributors can also be found on the Internet at www.ripley-tools.com.,

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