UNTRIED
COOL TOOLS is about tools that really work and are worth buying or borrowing. The following items may be neither; ...
COOL TOOLS is about tools that really work and are worth buying or borrowing. The following items may be neither; they are Untried.
An awful lot of goodies featured in magazines and blogs are simply cool sounding items that no one has actually tried, or even seen. The tools I usually review here on the other hand are offered by someone who not only has used the tool, but loves it, and ideally has tried many similar tools and can truly say, “this one is the best.”
However the temptation to forward cool-appearing stuff remains strong, and occasionally I succumb to it. This week I offer notices of untried items that others (who have not seen or used these) have passed to me. Or they’ve come from the actual inventors or manufacturers.
I make no recommendations about any of items below. I haven’t seen them, don’t know anyone who has used them, and I have no knowledge how reliable, honest, or competent the companies behind them are. All I know is that these look the most interesting and promising of all the blind suggestions I’ve gotten.
I list them here because it’s the end of the summer, so I’m feeling a bit lazy, and I hope by sending them out a reader may have tried one or two and can let me know if they work.
–KK
Eyelighter
Radtech
Makes a hands-free light from lightweight led button. The whole thing weighs 10g.
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Stop Saw
SawStop
Don’t know how this is supposed to work but this table saw is claimed to stop cutting if it hits flesh. In the video demo (pic below) it is tested on a hot dog. There’s a small nick, but that’s all. If it worked, it would be great for shop classes.
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EasyGlider
<a href="http://www.gizmo.com.au/public/News/news.asp?articleid=2758"Gizmo
The site claims it is a cross between an electric scooter and water skiing. Without the water. You can use skates or a skateboard.
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eMachineshop
You use some simple software to design a 3D or 2D part and then you get an immediate price and if you like it, you hit the send button and in a few weeks your fabricated, machines, or milled parts come back, in any material of your choosing. I’m really tempted but I haven’t found anyone who has used this yet. As usual, let me know if you do.
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Uli Inflatable Surfboard
Uliboards
Backpack a surfboard to a remote beach, or pack it in your carry-on to an easy to reach one.
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Roll-up Piano
Hecsan
Why not? You’ll need a pair of headphones.
