| Cool Tools |
| Put this feed on your website |
| Description: |
Cool tools really work. A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. I am chiefly interested in stuff that is extraordinary, better than similar products, little-known, and reliably useful for an individual or small group.
I depend on friends and readers to suggest things they actually use. There are plenty of places to read about stuff that should be cool, or that looks new and cool, and that might be useful. These recommendations here, on the other hand, are based on people who have used this item and many similar and have come to see its superiority. Items can be old items, or cheap things that you still dote on after years of use. Great new gear, if well tested by you, are also wonderful.
I post things I like and I ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted. Tell me what you love. |
| Format: |
RSS 1.0 |
| Url: |
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/index.rdf |
| |
| Latest headlines |
Cool Tools
|
The Tool
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
"The Tool" is a minimalist stainless steel multi-tool intended for surfers. It has an Allen wrench, Phillips and standard screwdrivers, wax comb and a leash hook. I asked a friend who works in a surf shop in Venice, CA if he'd heard of it. Turns out he uses it almost daily... -- sl
Since I started working in the shop about four months ago, I've been using The Tool fairly regularly, mostly to tighten or install fins with the flathead screwdriver and the Allen wrench. The little hook, prong tool is solid for jamming the string used to attach a leash to a board through a surfboard's leash plug.Though the Phillips rarely gets used in surf-related application, it's still handy to have for random, non-surfing needs.To buy all these tools separately, I guess you'd spend about 30 bucks, maybe less, so it's not a huge savings. But you have to factor in the convenience of the one-stop tool shop. That has value, to me, especially on the go, in the car, and on the beach. They're not flying off the shelves at our shop, but we have had several customers specifically request them and a few folks have been impressed after seeing them in action. I rarely use wax combs, but even if I did, I actually would hesitate to use this one, get it covered in wax, then throw it back in my pocket or bag. Once you get wax all over it, next comes sand, pet hair, you name it. Then again, carrying the Tool you'll always have a comb handy. In dire straits, you could use it and deal with the sticky aftermath.
-- Rob Kieswetter
The Tool
$20 (w/shipping)
Available from Cor Surf
Or $30 from Amazon (w/shipping)
Manufactured by Cor Surf
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
The Surfer's Journal
Leatherman Wave
Credit Card Survival Tool
|
30" Cinema Display
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
The price per-pixel of flat-screen computer display continues to drop. At the same time the per-pixel price difference between different size models of large screens currently being sold has gotten very small.
Currently there's no longer a big monetary reason to buy two smaller monitors instead of one big one. That's what I did recently. I got a huge 30" Apple Cinema Display and it changed how I worked. I ended up buying a used one on eBay for $1500. I've seen Dell's 30" monitor for sale on eBay for $1000 or less.
I've upgraded displays before but this upgrade to a Cinema screen gave me the biggest proportional step up in size. It was several weeks before I wasn't awe-struck when I walked into my home office. What I hadn't thought to prepare myself for was how much it changed my work habits.
The first thing I noticed was that the number of times I printed out hard copies of documents went down. Before, I would print copies of diagrams, specifications, and other reference material so that I could easily refer to them while working. Now I have space on the screen to have these visible. I wouldn't say I've made it all the way to the "paperless office," but it's gotten a lot closer.
Within a few days of using a large screen I began to experience a much more significant effect, though: when more of the things I needed to look at were already in view, the amount of time spent on visual context switches went down. Having more documents in view not only reduces the time consumed by the switch, but also the "recovery time" needed to remember what I was doing. A related time savings is that when a document I may need to switch to is visible, it takes less time to realize that I need it.
The display fills a lot more of my visual field - so much, in fact, that it took me a week or so to get used to how far away the left and right edges of the screen were. In the end, I found that this made it a little easier to concentrate (since my attention was less often directed toward wherever I'd been keeping the notes that wouldn't fit on the screen).
I found that once I got used to the idea that most things could be expanded to a size that required no window scrolling, I began to "think big" about a lot of things: my spreadsheets got bigger, my diagrams got bigger - and more unexpectedly: the size of the kind of thing I thought I could handle got bigger; and because I was much less often having to chop things into smaller pieces so that they could fit, things got simpler.
The 30" Apple Cinema Display puts out a lot of light. The biggest difference this makes for me is that even with sun streaming in the window, the display is still bright enough to see clearly; I am no longer tempted to close the blinds. At night, I often turn it down to a dimmer setting to match the subdued lighting of the rest of the house.
I'm recommending a 30" inch display to lots of people. I wish I'd bought one sooner!
-- Stephen Malinowski
30" Cinema Display
$1200 - Dell
Available from Dell
$1710 - Apple
Available from Amazon
Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:
Cintiq
Cheap Home Theater
At Work at Home: Design Ideas for Your Home Workplace
|
ExpandOS
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:32:56 -0800
Packing material is part of a vicious cycle. No matter how much holiday shopping and shipping my household does, the supply of bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts stashed in our garage just keeps replenishing. Hate to throw it away, but can't toss it in the recycle bin either. ExpandOS, on the other hand, are 100% recyclable. Essentially small cardboard pyramids -- made from 30% recyclable paper -- the shapes are engineered to fit together to create a stable environment for whatever's being shipped. As the picture above shows, each pyramid has ridges along its edges and holes in the face of each side, allowing a box of these suckers to lock together into a lattice-like structure.
ExpandOS are intended for commercial use, but I'm posting this in the hope that more businesses will give it a shot.
They way it works is you a purchase large flat sheets of specially-cut cardboard (made from 30% recycled paper). Each sheet gets fed into a special machine that separates and crimps small strips and spits them out in their folded, triangular form. You lease an "Expander" machine (pictured below, note: there are various size units). The machine is free to use if you order four or more pallets of sheets per month. If you order less than two pallets per month, you pay $300 for the machine. One pallet = $1800 = 16,660 sheets. Depending on the size of an order, the cost supposedly breaks down to about $1.50 - $1.80/cubic foot.
I discovered ExpandOS when my wife ordered a piece of pottery from Heath Ceramics in Sausalito. When I emailed Heath, a rep for the company told me they've been using ExpandOS for a year with a very low breakage rate. They say they've eliminated all peanuts, bubble wrap, foam inserts and pillows, and that they're budget for packing materials is roughly the same as it was before (if not reduced). Better yet, their packing time has dropped "dramatically." When they ship multiple items in one package, all they do is place a cardboard sheet between items in a stack, tape them together and surround them with ExpandOS.
-- Steven Leckart
ExpandOS
Savings Calculator & Other Info
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Balikbayan Box Cover
U-Haul Box Exchange
Stretch Wrap
|
Duluth Trade Side-Clip Presentation Suspenders
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:16:20 -0800
Due to surgery, I couldn't wear a belt for a while, so I turned to suspenders. But whenever I'd wear a sweater, I'd have to remove the sweater, then slide the suspenders off and drop my trousers in order to got the bathroom. Then I discovered these suspenders that have only two clips, which attach where it sounds like they should -- at your sides, instead of the front and back. My sweater stays on, and I can relieve myself and re-fasten the clips in no time. I wear a dressier version (good for us office workers), but Duluth also offers a heaver-duty kind for guys and gals partial to heavier canvas work pants.
-- George Brett
Duluth Trading Side-Clip Presentation Suspenders
$23
(dressy plaid)
Available from Duluth Trading
$15
(no-frills in various colors)
Also available from Duluth Trading
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Duluth Trading Suspenders
Gentle Leader Dog Harness
Cinch Belts
|
Ty-Rap Zip Ties
Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
I have had a wide range of work duties and hobbies over the years, and in difficult situations nothing has served me better than the judicious application of zip ties. Neat-ifying cables, creating stand-in hinges, holding car parts on for the trip, fastening bike components, acting as primitive locks on hardsided luggage -- the uses are endless and well-known.
What is less known is that not all cable ties are created equal. The zip tie was invented by Thomas & Betts for aircraft use and the company has continued making higher-quality zip ties while the market of lesser cable ties has proliferated. The brand is called "Ty-Rap" and there are several types of different lengths, colors, and widths. Thomas & Betts makes the only zip ties I use. Despite their additional expense they are worth the effort to find and use.
The difference is that the T&B ties use a stainless gripper as the 'ratchet' mechanism, and there are no serrations on the bottom of the tie surface -- it's completely smooth. The stainless locking head actually digs into the underside of the wrap when threaded, leading to infinite adjustability and tight application (the el-cheapo ties always seem to be one "click" too loose.) They are higher-strength material - probably double or triple the strength of standard ties. They resist melting, and seem to be impervious to the worst chemicals I've thrown them into (including lye baths for metal stripping.) They are resistant to abrasions and take a bit of effort to cut through even with a sharp knife. I find that I typically have to wedge a knife blade under the tie, and twist the blade like a tourniquet stick to cut the ties - this also avoids the unpredictable jumping of the blade which is typical of the brute force method of cutting these infernal things once they're on an object.
This preference for a particular zip tie brand may seem like a minor detail, or a slight difference not worthy of attention. However, I have had cheap cable ties stretch, snap, or lose their ratchet grip at the worst possible times, which I'm sure has cost me more than the delta of price that I would have paid for the better T&B ties. In an ugly but unavoidable hack, I needed to hold a set of horizontal computer rack fans on the door of a 19" cabinet. I was not working with my own toolset, and was forced to use "typical" zip ties to hold the heavy fans in place. I came back less than a week later, and the ties had stretched to the point where the fans were sagging and rattling horribly against the cabinet door, and would have broken in not too long a time. I replaced them with the T&B Ty-Rap ties and a year later they were as tight as the day I put them on despite the frequent stresses on opening the door.
I have NEVER had a T&B cable tie fail on me under anything less than overwhelming circumstances. They are extremely durable, many of the models are UV-resistant, and the stainless gripper never, ever lets go. A long time ago, after several years and lessons learned using cheaper ties, I have sworn never to use the cheap stuff for anything other than wrapping up cords for storage. The T&B ties are expensive, but worth it. Every year or two I just ignore the price and buy a big bag of them on eBay, and I've never regretted it. I find the TY27M to be a good general purpose model, but take a look at the catalog for ideas.
-- John Todd
Ty-Rap Zip Ties
$19
(100 ties - TY525MX)
Available from Amazon
Other models/sizes also from Amazon
Manufactured by Thomas & Betts
BONUS TIP: The only way to reliably remove the "tails" of these ties without leaving a razor-sharp edge is to use a pair of flush-cut nippers, such as the Xcelite 170M (available from Amazon). As an add-on tool in any toolbox that has these cable ties, this is mandatory for anyone building a computer rack or doing cable management -- your unbloodied hands will thank you.
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Millepede Cable Ties
Velcro One-Wrap
Cable Clamp
|
Powerbank Torch
Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:46:23 -0800
I still have vivid memories of the Northeast blackout of 2003, so a few years ago I decided to get prepared by purchasing one of those emergency flashlights which stays plugged in and switches on automatically when the power is cut, thus guiding you right to a fully-charged unit. Oddly enough, the best plug-in emergency flashlight I've found -- which uses standard AA batteries -- isn't even marketed as a flashlight! The manufacturer refers to this unit as a battery charger with a built-in light, but it's exactly what I was looking for. There is a three-way switch: always off, a smaller LED night light on the bottom, and automatically turn-on four LEDs when the power fails. Mine sits in a wall outlet in the bathroom, waiting to turn on during the next blackout. In the meantime, I use it regularly as a battery charger. It comes with four 1300 mAh batteries, but I actually use 2000 mAh batteries, which I switch out as I use them in other devices. All for the better, since I'm told batteries should be allowed to discharge on occasion anyway.
-- Allan Peda
Powerbank Torch
$28
Available from Green Batteries
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries
Electrilite Flashlight
Solar Recharger
|
Brown Paper Tickets
Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
Ticketmaster sucks. Consumers hate having to purchase tickets through them because of their outrageous pile of excessive and phony fees. Hosts hate them because Ticketmaster's effective monopoly demands everyone play by their heavy-handed rules. Venues and fans feel totally stuck with them.
However if you are putting on an event and want to sell tickets, you have an alternative that will be cheaper, better, faster than Ticketmaster.
Brown Paper Tickets is one of several alternative online ticket vendors for anyone hosting a ticketed event. Might be a ball, a fundraiser, a race, a concert, or an exhibit. At Long Now we've used them and can recommend them highly.
Brown Paper Tickets bills themselves as "fair-trade" ticketing. What that means is that they offer a fair deal to both the consumer and the venue. BPT provides the lowest consumer fees on tickets (99 cents and 2.5%), with no add-on overcharges, and free first class postage. For hosts setting up an event, they offer fantastic 24/7 live-person phone support, a clean usable website, and cheap (10 cent) printed secure tickets. They offer venue hosts other goodies too. You have control over when to stop sales, how to customize the ticket, ways to manage multiple events, means to offer media tickets, assigned seating, and so on.
Plus, they give you real-time sales, and pay up promptly! Try that with Ticketmaster.
If you are running an event, it's crazy to use the old monster; if you are a fan, petition your venue to switch to Brown Paper Tickets.
-- KK
Brown Paper Tickets
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
The Complete Guide to House Concerts
Shopping with a Conscience
Sony Portable Reader
|
Tire Plugs
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
What happens if you're on a trip in middle of nowhere and you get a flat? You swap to your spare, right? OK, now you are in the middle of nowhere, with no back up. Your only option now is to head to civilization to get your tire repaired, which can wreck a camping trip fast. This weekend I was reminded how few people know about these tire plug kits or how to use them. For under $10 and a few ounces, you can use the same tools that the tire repair shops do. They are available at almost every gas station. You just find the leak (a little soapy water works best) remove the obstruction, rough up the hole with the rasp tool, and push in the sticky rope plug with the other, then re-inflate (which requires a pump of some kind, but even a bike pump will work). This is the same thing they do in the repair shops, but is no harder than changing a tire and sometimes easier as you don't always have to take the tire off the car (but you will have to jack it up or somehow take the weight off of it). This won't work for really large blow outs or slashes, but will fix 90% of all tire punctures you encounter and keep your weekend from getting ruined.
-- Alexander Rose
Check out this video for an excellent tire plug demo -- sl
Tire Plugs
$10
Available from Buy Hardware Supplies
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Tire Rack
Fix-A-Flat
Tire Tote
|
StikkiCLIPS
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0800
I recently read about a product whereby a computer beams the digital image of a recipe onto some type of eye-level display in your kitchen. Here's the low-tech way, which I've used for the last two years: take your printed recipe and use StikkiCLIPS to temporarily place the recipe up on the cupboard door right in your line of sight. When I've finished cooking, I easily remove the clip from the cupboard. The recipe isn't covered in stains. And the door doesn't have any permanent marks from the clip. Rather than traditional adhesive, the back of the clip has a bit of wax-like substance on it. This substance does get used up as you use the clip (I've used one clip as much as two dozen times). However, the clips don't mar the surface you've clipped it to -- in my case, the kitchen cupboard door looks good as new. I've also used the clips for other projects to keep whatever paper I'm using off my work space, but still in my line of sight. Another use: I put a clip in the driver's side corner of my windshield, where it holds parking stubs, so the Parking Control Officer can spot them easily and so the stub doesn't get blown out of the dashboard when I close the car door. The package cover says "the best way to hang papers anywhere." I think they're right.
-- Helen Hegedus
StikkiCLIPS
$5
(pack of 20)
Available from OrganizedLiving
Manufactured by StikkiWorks
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Stickies
Scotch Restickable Adhesive Glue Stick
Sticky Pad
|
Xootr
Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:46:52 -0800
My commute is the typical metro mix: walk to train, take train, ride to work (25 min. of walking and 20 min. of train). There had to be a better way and I found it: the Xootr MG scooter. This is no kids scooter. Made from lightweight magnesium, the scooter weighs a mere 9.9 pounds and folds up small enough to take on public transportation and easily store at home/work. Unlike the Razor, the Xootr sports a big front wheel, which makes it less likely to get stuck on a sidewalk lip and pitch you forward -- though you still have to be careful! The wheel is also a hard, smooth, thin black rubber, which tracks in very little dirt (unlike inflatable grooved tires) and loses less energy than skateboards or lesser scooters. I chose the MG model, since its deck is lower and 7.5 inches wide (my feet are size 13). Unlike the previously-reviewed K-2, the Xootr's handlebars are full, two-hand handlebars with agile steering that is the same as a bike. I actually replaced the grips with thicker more absorbent ones from Ergon (I'm a software developer and don't want to screw up my wrists). The Xootr also has a familiar bike-style front brake for when you need to stop in a hurry. You can also push down on the rear fender, but I'm not in the habit of using that method and have read it may wear down the tire more rapidly. The brakes basically don't work in the rain; there's a real loss of friction/stopping power, so I don't recommend riding in those conditions. When it's not raining, though, this scooter makes getting around sans car not a drudgery, but efficient and fun. I've found I can go about 8mph with the Xootr. It's a workout.
-- Jeff Winkler
Xootr
$210
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Xootr
Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:
Go-Ped
Trikke
eGo Cycle
|
|