snarf

The 18g brad nailer is actually next on my list to buy. I've got a couple of projects lined up at the casa that I think would be much easier if I had one.

Hope you like the Rigid. I picked up the JobMax Jig Saw Head for my Ryobi multi-tool, and it has worked well the couple of times I've used it. So I would imagine the regular Rigid one would be just as good if not better. I thought the same thing. Don't they have the cordless version going for $50 right now? Course you'd have to have a battery to go with it, but still.

Dumb question... My dad was never into tools, so you're son is lucky in that respect. I started a few months ago trying to figure out this whole tool/building-stuff thing. Been thinking lately I might want one of those Airstrikes, and have been looking at them on the Ryobi and HD websites the last week trying to decide if I'm going to drop the cash on one. There are several different kinds, but, pretty much, one looks like the other to me. How do you decide which one you need?

I voted Diablo, but that's all I've ever used and haven't had any complaints. I'm not a pro by any definition when it comes to this stuff, and when I asked the guy at HD, he said the Diablo blades were good bang for the buck blades.

I've been using my little 14" Ol' Smokey for 4 or 5 years now. It's so small because, when I got it, the wife was on a vegetarian kick so I was only cooking for me. Use it probably once a week during the spring, summer, and fall. I've liked it so much that, if/when it has to be replaced, I'll probably get another...just the next size bigger.

My local HD has a very small selection of the Phone Works stuff. I was looking for a stud finder a couple of weeks ago, and almost grabbed one. But, while I was standing in the aisle looking at it, I googled it, and it didn't seem to be getting many good reviews, so I ended up getting another one for about half the price. The reviews that they were getting that weren't negative were from casual users that just use them around the house for small projects. The pros that were commenting weren't impressed.

Thanks for the explanation, comp! That makes sense, and I think I could do that pretty easily. Jeff, thanks for the comment about the size and relative force. I hadn't actually thought about that I actually saw a couple at the Ace up the street that look really similar to that one you have pictured, Nalu. I might grab them and use a combination of the them and the form like comp described. I just want to be sure that my bookshelf is square and level.

I've got one and use it around the house all the time. They're great little fans!

I would definitely give that a shot. It sounds like something I should learn...and cheaper. But, being as much of a n00b to this as I am, can you kind of describe how to do that?

Decided I want to build myself a small bookshelf, and somebody recommended that I get some corner clamps to use on it. Anybody using them? Which ones would you say are worth getting?

Us DIY folks that keep all our tools in our garage or workshop at the casa don't have the problem with this that you trades guys have. However, my insurance agent recommends following the advice above whenever possible. He says that it helps to keep all of the info in one place (within reason anyways) where you can easily get it, and it lessens the chance of you entering the wrong serial since most of the ones that do this won't accept an invalid. Ryobi offers the same thing...register your tools there and it keeps up with what the tool is, the serial, the date purchased, etc. I just picked up a Rigid jig saw head for my multi-tool, and several pages in the box said to register it, so I expect they keep a database as well. If your manufacturer offers this, be sure you take advantage of it.

Back in May I picked up my first set of power tools...the Ryobi Ultimate Set from the local HD. Since then, I've gone back and picked up that little hybrid fan that you have (haul it around the house with me and use it all the time - runs 6-8 hours on low with the little battery) and the Rigid jig saw head for the multi-tool. Dumb question. I have a circular saw for straight cuts and the jig saw head for other cuts. For what would you use a miter saw?

I picked up some bits a week or so ago and have been trying to figure out where to put them. I think I just found my project for tomorrow. Thanks for the idea!!

Thanks for the links!! Bookmarked several of them because it looks like there will be a LOT of good information in them. Since this was originally posted in 2007, I kind of took the liberty to update some of them in the quoted section above...some of them were no longer working links.

I picked up another car back the first of the year and decided I wanted the dealer's big, ugly badge off. I used a hair dryer and it seemed to work pretty well. Hair dryer, my thumbnail, and a little Goo Gone on a paper towel followed up with soap, water, and a bit of wax, and it looked good as new.

That's exactly what I was going to say. The 5 1/2" came with the kit I got. When I went to go get a 100 tooth blade for it, my local Home Depot had a good selection of blades for the 6 1/2" and 7 1/2" saws, but only had 1 option for a 100 tooth blade for the 5 1/2"...had I wanted a different brand, I guess I would've been out of luck.

Hi, all! So back in May I decided to try to learn something new. Figured Home Depot was about the most intimidating place I could think of going, so I went there and bought the Ryobi Ultimate Tool kit. Found Tools in Action when I came home and googled "Ryobi power tools" to try to figure out how to use them. Been lurking ever since. Since then I picked up the book How to Build Anything with 3 Tools 3 Boards and 3 Steps because it looked really basic...like what the clutch on the drill was and what the 1/2 slider on the top is for and to look at your boards at Home Depot to be sure they're straight before you buy them and take the battery out of the saw before you change the blade. Really basic stuff. Anyways, built my first something a couple of weekends later...a big, rolling pegboard thing with a door on it for the garage so I could hang my tools on the outside and put my wood scraps and stuff inside. I'm pretty proud of it so I attached a pic, but I know it's pretty amateur compared to what you guys do. Took me practically all day to build it, but I learned a LOT doing so...like the impact driver can run a screw clean through a 2x4 quicker than you can say "screw this here" and also that if you make all your cuts first and they aren't square you pretty much have to start over. I'm sure, being new as I am to tools and building and stuff like that, I won't have much at all to contribute, but I'm sure enjoying learning what I can from y'all.