If you know some good tips or tricks for easy fixes, drop us a line or leave a comment below and share with everyone.

Tip 1 – Fix a Squeaky Floor

For a quick fix, sprinkle talcum power or powered graphite between boards and that should do the trick.  This will only work for a short time.  So if your wife says you never do anything around the house, try this trick and prove her wrong.  Just don’t let her see how easy the fix was.  This should buy you a couple extra weeks of sitting on the couch.

Tip 2 – Remove Blood from Fabric

Removing fresh blood stains from fabric isn’t too hard.  Just make a paste with water and talcum powder, let it sit on the spot.  When it dries, just brush it away.  This sounds a lot better than how I used to remove stains from my clothes.  I used scissors.

Tip 3 – Clean Wood Furniture and Floors

Boil some fresh tea and let it cool.  Dip a rag in the tea and wipe your wood clean.  Once it dries, buff your wood with a clean cloth.  Actually this all sounds pretty dirty.

Tip 4 – Sand Curves in Furniture

Wrap a tennis ball with sandpaper and this will allow you to create a nice finish on your curves.  Who thought tennis balls weren’t just for your antenna on your car, now they actually have two uses.

Tip 5 – Remove Water Rings from Wood Furniture

Mix equal parts of vinegar and olive oil.  Apply it with a clean cloth and rub with the grain of the wood.  Use another clean cloth to shine it up.  Sounds pretty cool.  I will teach this one to my wife, right after I pack my bags.

All Time Tip

If it is supposed to move and doesn’t, use WD-40.  If it moves and isn’t supposed to move, then use duck tape.

We get a lot of emails from people, which we always love hearing from our readers.  They ask us questions like which combo kit should I buy?  Where should I buy it from?  Who is the best manufacturer?  These are all awesome questions, so we decided to make an information page about these questions and power tool combo kits.

What Manufacturer Combo Kit is the Best?

This is probably the number one question we get from our readers.  We wish we could give you a simple answer, but there is not one.  In reality there truly is not one best manufacturer around.   Some manufacturers may make the best reciprocating saw, but maybe their grinder is sub par.  Now if you talk to different people, you will get many different answers.  It’s like the old truck argument, which is better Ford, Dodge or Chevy.  You will get people who are loyal to Ford and hate Dodge, while others think Chevy is the best.  I am not sure why people fight about this since we all know GMC is the best, yeah I know I say that because I own one.  Well the same goes for power tools.  Some will swear by Dewalt and others say Milwaukee.  So again there is not an easy answer to this question.  You have to find what you like best.

A better question should be what manufacturer combo kit should I buy?  While the answer is still hard, it is a little more easy to narrow down.  First you have to ask yourself what kind of user are you.  Are you a professional who uses his tools for a living everyday?  Are you a home user who will be using his tools every weekend?  Will you be using them once a month or once a year?

If you are a professional, well the answer is easy you need to invest in the best.  We will leave that alone now since I am sure you already have a favorite brand.  If you use your tools once a year, you don’t want to invest a lot of money because all the tools will do is sit on your shelf and lose money over time.  In fact you may even want to look on eBay for a nice inexpensive used set.

Now the question comes for the homeowner.  The guy who uses his tools every weekend or once a month.  Now the line gets a little more blurred.  Here you can go either way.  You can spend the money for a nice professional set since you will be using it all the time or you can save yourself some money and get the nice DIY power tool set.  This is only a decision you can make, but we would suggest going to the store and picking them up.  Play around with them.  How do they feel?  Is the balance what you expected?  Does it fit nice in your hand?  Can you manage the weight of the tool?  The bottom line is buy what you feel comfortable with.  When it comes down to it, if you are a weekend warrior, any of the tools will hold up in your situation.  It really comes down to how it feels for you.  You also want to see what tools they offer in that line, so you can expand your tool set down the road with the tools you may need.

What Power Tool Combo Kit Should I buy?

Another great question, but again one we just can not answer for you.  We can give you a little guidance, but the choice is up to you.  What tools will you be using?  Chances are you will be using the drill, but if you have no use for a reciprocating saw, then why buy one?  Sometimes you are better off looking for a deal on the drill, charger and 2 batteries.  Then you can buy the bare tools of what you need and build your own kit.  One thing we would recommend is staying with the same manufacturer as it sucks having 5 different tools and 5 different batteries.

If you already own a certain manufacturer and you like them, stay with them.  Again you don’t want to have a lot of money invested in different batteries.  Since you already have some of the tools, you can just go out and buy the bare tools.

Where Should I buy it From?

You really only have a couple of choices.  Either online or a store.

Store: Pro – You can get your tools the same day.  If you need to make a return, you can take care of it right away.  You get to see the tools before you buy them, you can pick them up and feel them.  You can talk with a real person.

Store: Con – Can be a little more pricey, but sometimes worth it for the added convenience.  You might have to sit in traffic or stand in line.  You can’t just wear boxers to the store, trust me it won’t end in your favor.

Online: Pro – Might be a little less expensive.  You can order from your home while sitting in your boxers.  You can pick your nose while you buy your tools and not have to hear, “Sir you are making a scene.”

Online: Con – Returns can take longer.  Might have to be home to accept the package.

Don’t forget to look for power tool coupons online.  Here is a Craftsman power tool coupon that when you sign up for their club, you get 10% off.  This is just an example as this one is expired.

When Should I buy it?

You really only have two options with the when question.  You can either buy it when you need it and hope it is on sale or wait for a good sale and then pick it up.  I tend to try and time it.  If I know I will be needing a tool for a job in about a month, I will start looking through the ads or online for the best price.  This way I am familiar with the price range of the combo kit or tool.  So when I am in a box store or see something in the paper, I can really know if it is a great deal.  This is something we would suggest getting into the habit of doing.  Say you are not familiar with the price range for a certain combo kit and you are in a big box store.  You see a sign that says “SALE.”  As you look closer it’s a great kit that is normally $600 and now it’s marked down to $499.  You might think it is a great price, but how do you know that somewhere online it isn’t selling everyday for $470 with free shipping?  So make sure you get familiar with the pricing structures before you buy.

Another great time to buy is Black Friday or around Christmas time.

Should I buy New, Refurbished or Used?

Again this is up to you.  If you are only going to be using the tools a couple times a year, we would suggest buying them used.  Why buy new tools for them to sit on the shelf and lose money?  If I will be using my tools a lot, then I always buy new. That’s just me.  If it is a tool that I will not use much, then I will buy a refurbished tool.  Perfect example.  I use my circular saw a lot.  I really only need an inline saw, so I bought a new one.  However, there are times a wormsaw is needed for a job and they are nice to have around.  I would rather save some money and buy a refurbished one and let that sit on the shelf.

We hope we provided you with some items to think about before you make a tool purchase or power tool combo purchase.  There really is a lot to think about when making this purchase as it tends to be a large investment.

Here is how the system works and for this we are using it on a truck box.  The alarm is powered by three AA batteries.  You mount the alarm on the box door using sticky 3m tape that is included.  Once you alarm the system, it remembers the psotion of the alarm and uses that as the starting point.  When in alarm mode any movement out of that positions will activate the alarm.  So when the door is in the down position and it is armed, once the door is open, it activates the sensor and turns on the 110db alarm.

Overall the set up is a snap and a great way to help protect your items in your toolbox or anywhere else you can dream of.  For the price of the alarm, it’s worth it.  A couple downsides to this system is you can not leave the alarm armed all the time.  Since it has a memory of when you arm it, movement causes it to activate.  So when we had ours armed and drove down the street, it started whaling while we were driving.  We thought it was funny, but the police didn’t see our point of view.  Not that it is a big deal because why do you need it activated when you are driving.  If someone steals your tools while your driving, you have bigger issues.  However, it would be nice to set it and forget about it.  We would like to see it have two remotes for the system.  The higher versions come with two remotes.  Also for those who want added security, they do have a system that you can mount under your truck hood.  That way when they open the box, they can just rip off the alarm and silence it.  Overall it seems to be designed more for the overnight storage or when you will be away from your truck for a long time.

Another good use for me is for my garage door.  I have a detached garage and have a lot of tools in the garage.  I do have a pad lock since the door it is not Automatic.  This way I could arm the alarm and just leave it until I need it.  We didn’t take an extract measurement, but it did work within 20′.  Check out Toolguard.com for more info.

Win A Toolguard Alarm

We are using it on a truck box, but there are so many other uses for this alarm, as you can see on the Youtube comments below.  Speaking of uses, just post how you could use this alarm and you will be entered to win a free alarm.  Besides a truck box, one place I would use it is in my kids Spiderman lunch box.  That way when he opens it in the small lunch room at school it will scare everyone.  Ahh I couldn’t do that or could I?

Types of Extension Cords

• Indoor - Used for indoor use only, they are not as rugged as outdoor cords.  Can not be used outside.  An indoor jacket is not as durable.  The jacket is the cover that protects the actual wires in the cord.

Extension Cord - Indoor

• Outdoor – Designed for outdoor, but can be used inside.  Jackets are a lot more durable.
• Hint – You might see two identical extension cords, but a big difference in price.  Check the cord.  Some outdoor cords have a better jacket that hold up better against certain chemicals, sun light, weather and more.  Decide how your cord will be used.  If you will be using the cord a lot, pay a little more as they can handle more abuse.

Extension Cord - Outdoor

There are three types of prongs

• 2 Prongs – Can be used in three prong outlets.  Designed for smaller items like lights.

Extension Cord - 2 Prongs

• 3 Prongs – Third prong is a ground.  Use only with other three prong outlets or extension cords.

Extension Cord - 3 Prongs

• Specialty Prongs – 220V have a different prong.  There are also prongs that twist and lock into place.  2 and 3 prongs are the most common.

Some extension cords have different features:

• Built in GFCI – A breaker that automatically shuts power off in the event of ground fault and overloads.
• Lighted Plug – End of the plug lights up to show there is current.
• Multiple Sockets – Can plug more than one tool into the cord.

Extension Cord - Lighted

Extension Cord - Multiple Plugs

Extension Cord Ratings

Extension Cord - Rating

Extension Cord Markings

**  You will also see markings like 16/3.  The first number is the wire gauge and the second number is conduction’s inside.  So a 16/3 is a 16 gauge wire and has 3 conduction’s inside.

Extension Cord - Rating

Storing Extension Cords

You always want to store your extension cord in a dry location and away from direct sun light.  You also want to make sure they are out of the way, so yourself or others will not step on them as that will ruin the cord in the long run.

When you store your extension cords, you should roll them up.  It does take a little extra time, but you will not have the frustration when you need them next time.  Below are two common ways to store your cords when not in use.  There are a lot of other ways, but here are just two.  The Velcro can be purchased at your local hardware store.  I believe I got these strips for about $4 and there were 40 in the box.  The other way is to wrap the cord around itself.  I prefer this way the best.

Extension Cord - Storing

Extension Cord - Storing

Attach Extension Cords

When you hook one extension cord into your tool, you want to make sure they are secure.  If not you will become frustrated when they keep coming apart.  Below are a couple of ways to attach each of them

Extension Cord - Attach Cords

Extension Cord - Attach Cords

The two ways below are great for when your power tool has a very short cord and the two methods above will not work.  The one right below is called a square knot.  If you watch the video, you can see how this works.

Extension Cord - Attach Cords

Extension Cord - Attach Cords

How to Roll an Extension Cord

The easiest way to see this is by watching the video below.

Extension Cord Tips and Tricks

• Always selects a cord with a higher power rating than the tool you will be connecting it to.  If the tool has a higher amp rating than the cord you could damage the tool and start a fire.
• Do not use a cord longer than what you need.  If you only need 25′, do not use a 100′ cord.  Using a longer cord than needed can affect performance as you have power loss over a longer run.
• Wire gauge is a measure of the diameter of the wire inside – Large diameter can handle more current.

We have a compiled a list of the best Tool Blogs to check out in 2012.  This is like the Oscars for Tool Bloggers, making the TIA Ultimate Tool Blogs list means you have finally made it to the big league.   No, not really.  It means that you have no life and bust your hump every day writing content in hope that one day you might actually turn this into a full time job.  In all seriousness these guys and girls bust their humps everyday to give us good reading material, let’s support them all.

In no particular order:

ToolGuyd.com – Stuart really has some great content, very unique finds and honest reviews.

OneProjectCloser – You down with OPC?  Yea, you know me! OPC is an awesome source for How-To’s and more

CharlesandHudson.com - Great articles over here and not just tools

aConcordCarpenter.com – Rob knows carpentry and lucky for us who don’t, he writes about it

HomeFixated.com – If you read this blog while drinking your morning coffee, chances are you will spit coffee all over your pc screen because this site is funny!

CopTool.com – The official tool blog of Ohio Power Tool

Tool-Rank.com - Great layout and informative

DewaltOwnersGroup.com - The mecca for DeWALT fans everywhere

ToolSnob.com – Unique posts and great articles

ToolBoxBuzz.com - Nicely laid out and good reviews

ToolStop.co.uk - Europe’s number one tool blog and home of the tool spy

ToolMonger.com – ToolMonger has been around forever and have some great articles

ProToolReviews.com – Dont let the ads fool you, there is some really good in depth tool reviews here

ToolsInAction.com – 2 humps who talk about tools

RidgidForum.com - Mass tool forums

1. Bosch Glide Saw – Okay we know this is very pricey for a gift, but we had to throw one dream gift on the list.  This saw is amazing and Dad will surely love you for this gift.
2. Milwaukee Combo Kit - I just moved my tools over to Milwaukee and love them.  They have a large line of tools for dad to upgrade in the future.
3. Milwaukee Knife – Who doesn’t love a good knife?  The Milwaukee Fastback is awesome.
4. Dewalt 20V Kit – Dewalt has their new line out.  The 20V is a great set for Dad.  Not to mention their 12V line of tools.  They don’t have many to offer, but the ones they have are very nice.
5. Radio – If your dad has a cordless set, a radio is a great addition.  You can get one for his 18V set for about $100.  Just make sure you take a video of your dad grooving to the oldies so you can pop it up on YouTube.
6. Universal Max Axess 19 Piece Set – Craftsman’s new line of socket tools.  Who doesn’t love sockets?
7. Level – A good level is a great gift.  Just make sure you give him a picture of yourself.  So when he opens the picture and the level, you can tell him you just want him to make sure your picture is level on the wall.
8. Craftsman Nextec G2 Drill/Driver – These are great drills for the DIY.  The quickboost feature is awesome.  Something dad will love.
9. Compressor – A compressor is a must and dad will thank you for this gift.  It’s great to blow off his work bench, fill your football, run sprayers, fill tires and more.
10. Grinder – A good bench or angle grinder is always a plus to have around.  He probably will not reach for it everyday, but when needed, it’s very handy.
11. Hand Tools – There are a lot of great hand tools that have come out in recent years.  Most dads still have the pliers and other hand tools from the 70′s, so it would be a great upgrade for him now.
12. Wet/Dry Vac – You can get a cordless one to match his cordless power tools or a corded one that will allow dad to clean up his messes.
13. Craftsman NEXTEC Powersource – Pretty cool way for dad to keep his cell phone or mp3 charged at all times.
14. A Gyros Magnalite -A great light at an affordable price.
15. Milwaukee M18 Impact – Actually that is one I want, so feel free to donate it to Tools in Action.

We tried to keep the list to a minimum, but the truth is we could go on and on.  There are so many great power tools that you could give dad for Christmas, it was hard to stop.  I know you could think of about 40 items we missed, but let us know.

1. Peace and Quiet- Try giving mom some peace by giving her time alone.  I bet she would love this one.
2. A book or magazine – If she is not a big fan of reading books try a movie.
3. Did we say peace and quiet - Did you skip over number 1?  If so you should go back and check this one out.
4. Breakfast in bed – If you are a husband, son or daughter think about how many times she took care of you.  At least we can give her one day.  If you don’t cook, try Captain Crunch.  After all didn’t mom teach us it was the thought that counted.  Let’s see if she still believes that.
5. Craftsman Clench Wrench Two Piece set – Actually you can get this for me too, I mean dad. You didn’t think we would put a tool in the top ten list?  After all we are a tool site.
6. Video and Popcorn – Buy your mom her favorite video and a box of microwave popcorn.  I am sure her favorite candy wouldn’t hurt either.
7. Card – Why not create a card for your mom?  Instead of buying a card for your mom, create one for her.
8. Craftsman V4 Combo Screwdriver & Cutter – This is a 4 volt set which is great for hobbies and other small to do items.  If your mom is not into power tools, this can be a great compromise.
9. Craftsman Nextec G2 Multi Tool – Okay if your mom does want a little more power and versatility, but doesn’t want to own a lot of tools, this is a must.  This will allow your mom to be a handyman in no time.  Sorry, handymom in no time.
10. Dremel – Who wouldn’t love a Dremel as a present?  They do so much and they are easy to use.
11. Milwaukee 18V Impact – Ok maybe that’s just something I really want.  You could pull a Homer Simpson and buy her something you really want, when you know she doesn’t want it, now it is yours.  Well I guess that’s pretty low.  I guess mom should know us by now.
12. Dinner – Not another cooking idea.  No actually this one you take her out.  Tell her to put her best dress on, “We are going to the gas station to grab a bite to eat.”  Bet she will love you for that one.   Grab a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant and surprise her.  Actually forget the gift card.  I am sure after the gas station crack, if she already has the money she might not bring you along.
13. Craftsman Screwdriver Set – Craftsman has some great screwdriver sets for a good price.  Who doesn’t need a good screwdriver set?  Am I right?
14. A day out – Take mom out for the day and do things she likes to do.  It does not have to cost anything.  Maybe it is just a walk in the park.  Whatever it is, put her at the top of the list.
15. A photo album – Put together a nice photo album of your family and give that to her.  Include pictures when everyone was young and a timeline of photos of your family.  I am pretty sure she will love that one.

Wow I really feel we came out of our shell here at Tools in Action.  That’s an awesome list if I do say so myself.  Yeah I know we didn’t have many tools on it, kind of weird isn’t it?  I know we are a tool site and you probably expected a lot of tools, but we wanted to put a realistic list together.  Let us know if we forgot anything that should have been on this list.

Everyday more and more women are using power tools to do home improvements, build things and repair items around the house.  We tend to get emails from women asking what type of tools should they buy or how can they learn and get experience, so we decided to make an article geared towards this.  Now we did name this women and power tools, but it pretty much can be used for both females and males who are looking to get started with power tools and home improvements.

The first thing you need to know is that it is not complicated and you can take this new hobby on.  Especially now that the economy is bad, why not learn and save yourself some money.  Instead of hiring someone else for these small repairs, try it yourself.  The biggest thing thing is make sure your comfortable.  Never do anything you’re not comfortable with especially with power tools.  If you don’t like using circular saws, then don’t use them unless your with someone who can show you or teach you how to properly use a saw.

OK the big question.  What manufacture or type of tools do I need.  A while back we created an article Women and Power Tools.  This give a nice overview of what type of tools you might need to get started.  However your situation might be different.  Your project will guide you on what tools you might need.  OK the biggest question is what manufacture should I go with.  We wish we could give you a solid answer, but everyone is different.  First go with a brand name.  There are companies out there who try to market to women, which is fine.  However some of these brands are very cheap.  They end up making the project harder.  As an example we saw one company who was making piers geared towards women.  We tried them out and while they looked nice, they didn’t do the trick.  While they would hold a bolt, it just didn’t hold the bolt tight and secure, so the pliers just kept falling off.  Now if your new to tools you might think you were doing something wrong, in fact it was that the pliers were just junk.  We would really suggest going to your local store and actually putting your hands on the tools.  Pick them up.  How do they feel?  Talk with a knowledgeable worker and we do stress knowledgeable.  Get their opinion.  You really want a tool that feels good in your hands, one your comfortable with.  Just make sure your tools are quality and you feel comfortable with them.

Before you start with any work, always remember safety.  Wear safety glasses, eye protection or other safety items when needed.  Just remember that when you screw up you can always fix a mistake, but you can not fix damage to your body.

When you get your tools, don’t try and tackle a huge job right away.  We would even suggest getting some scape wood and try drilling and screwing just so you get the hang of using your new tools.

As always we want to hear from you.  If you have questions or comments, let us know.

Recently Dan and myself did a welding project where I welded a patch onto my old lawnmower.  Dan being Dan insisted I winterize my lawnmower to protect over the winter months.  Usually I don’t do anything to my gas powered tools, but I figured what the heck. I have had my mower over 20 years and the only thing I ever did to it was empty the gas every winter.  However my smaller tools like my weed whip and hedgers, well I should have winterized those as I have replaced them over and over.  This How to Winterize also works with other gas powered tools.  Just make sure you always check your owners manual.

1. Clean your deck – Make sure all the grass and debris is off the mower.  Moisture can be trapped in the grass and prevent rusting.  This is a good habit to get into after each mowing.
2. Treat Gas – If your Lawnmower is being stored in a cold place, make sure you fill it wil gas as this prevents moisture from building up in the system over the winter.  It is also very important to add either seafoam or Sta-Bil to the gas as this prevents the gas from going bad.
3. Oil Change – You don’t really have to do this, but it is pretty easy to do and then next spring you won’t have to mess with the oil.
4. Air Filter – Change your air filter.  Again it is not necessary, but it does help the engine run better when you start it up next year.
5. Spark Plug – You don’t have to change these each year, but I do since it only takes two minutes and cost a couple of bucks.  It will ensure you always have a good spark when trying to start your mower.
6. Blade – This is a good time to sharpen your mower blade.  This way you don’t have to be in a hurry to get it back so you can mow your lawn.  Most people take their blade in during the spring and mower shops get backed up, so there is a wait.  If you do it during fall when mowing season is over, you won’t have to worry about a time factor.
7. Spray – When you change your spark plug and air filter, now is a good time to give your lawnmower a shot.  Just a couple of sprays of Seafoam or other engine treatment will do the trick.  After you spray in the spark plug hole and into the air filter opening, put the spark plug and filter back.  Then start the engine.  The engine will start briefly and then might bog down or stop running.  This gives the rings and other crucial components to your engine, proper protection.

These are seven things you should do to winterize your lawn mower or other gas powered tools for the winter season.  This should do two things for you.  Save your engines and cause you less frustration during the summer months.  Your gas powered tools should run smooth all summer long.

Is Dewalt getting ready to add another tool to their ever growing hand tool line up?  When we first heard that Dewalt might be introducing a new multi tool, we can’t say we were suprised.  After all it seems like you can find a multitool just about anywhere now.  However when we saw the design, we were taking back.  Dewalt looks like they are trying to make a nice compact multitool with just the items you need.  I know a lot of guys carry around multi tools, but I am not one of them.  Primarly because they are bulky and have a lot of things I don’t need.  This tool looks different.  Looks like it has just the items I need.  A knife to cut, pliers to loosen or tighten bolts and a double ended bit (Philips and flat) for screws.  For me, that is everything I need.  I like the fact that is uses a traditional box cutter blade.

We have heard this is one of two designs as the other design is more of a traditional Multi tool with about 8 different tools.  Hopefully they decide to release both.  Anyone else heard of this multitool coming out?