If the Improved User Guide for Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter came in a box, it might be emblazoned with a colorful burst bearing that slogan.

I fear that most of you who have purchased one of these nifty products would agree that the user manual that came with it isn’t going to win any literary awards.   Well, we’ve fixed that problem; at least we hope we have.    If not, let us know!

A severe winter like the one we’re “enjoying” this year can be tough on sidewalks, walkways and driveways. Cracks and potholes from repeated freezing and thawing, gouges from snow shovels and discoloration from chemicals all wreak havoc on paved surfaces. You can save big bucks doing some of the simpler repairs yourself.

1. Pop ups or cracks in concrete – Wear safety glasses and work gloves for protection! Using a chisel or wide bladed screwdriver, chip out all the dirt and debris that has lodged into cracks, and vacuum until clean. Mix a good fast-bonding concrete mix with water, wet the hole or crack with water for good adhesion, and trowel in the cement mixture. Remove any excess filler and smooth everything out. Keep the surface slightly moist to speed the curing process. 48 hours of curing is required.

2. Cracks or holes in asphalt – Cracks should be enlarged to allow the patch to cover properly. Clean out the entire residue with a vacuum and patch using one of the commercially available asphalt patching compounds. These can be applied by means of a caulking gun if it’s in a tube form or by a putty knife if purchased in a can. When the crack has been covered completely, smooth out the compound. For holes in the asphalt, clean out all rocks or residue and vacuum. Using a trowel for thin board, fill the hole to about ½” above the surface and use any heavy board to tamp the filler down level with the surface.

3. Broken corners of concrete steps – Find two pieces of board that are large enough to cover the broken area on both sides. Using masking tape, tape these boards to the step making sure that they are level with the step top surface area and overlap completely at the corner. It may be necessary to place some sort of blocking against the boards so that they don’t move during the filler application. Fill the void with mixed concrete patch keeping in mind that the top must be smooth and level with the surface. Keep the surface slightly moist to speed the curing process. 48 hours of curing is required.

4. Broken Concrete Block – If the hole is large, it should be filled with newspaper to within 3/4″ of the surface. Mix your filler and place into the hole with a trowel making sure to smooth it level. If the hole is along the upper or bottom edge you will need to use a piece of board to form a cavity to hold the mixture in place until it has dried. Keep the surface slightly moist to speed the curing process. 48 hours of curing is required.

Is there any kind of love that’s wrong? OK, let me rephrase that. Is there any kind of love (that doesn’t break a law) that’s wrong?
I submit that there is not, and therefore, loving tools is perfectly acceptable. After all, we humans have used tools for so long that they’re as much a part of our existence as, say, clothes. No one thinks it odd when someone says “nice tie” or “real men wear pink”.

So is it wrong to pick up, say, a measuring tape, and have the feel and fit in one’s hand be so right, so perfect, that it’s as if your whole life leading up to that moment was not a series of random events, but part of some larger plan culminating in the moment you and said tape were united? Had you not turned that corner on that street at just the right time and caught a glimpse of that tape out of the corner of your eye as it hung in the hardware store window display, etc.

As Valentine’s Day is nigh, here is my confession: I love the Snap-on 16 Foot Tape Measure. The one we recently gave away to twelve lucky Toolsmith Direct Facebook fans and twitter followers. I wonder, what will Valentine’s Day be like for them? Will they have the courage to profess their new-found love? Are they willing to “Not be Right” like I obviously am…not?

Andy.

It’s Alchemy at its finest! Behold: a machine that magically turns gasoline into electricity! Only those with advanced degrees and well-developed derring-do should attempt to harness this incredible mystery! Mere mortals and faint-of-hearts should stand well clear!
Okay, so my imagination runs a little wild at the thought of firing up a portable generator. After all, I live in Southern California, and recent rains not withstanding, we don’t normally experience weather events that make having a back-up generator prudent. So for a myriad of mostly good reasons, I have never put together or started up a portable generator. I admit I was a bit intimidated by the very idea of mixing gas and electricity. Until I watched our very own Carl of “Ask Carl” assemble, explain and start-up one of our Snap-on portable gasoline generators. Turns out the secret of generators is…there is no secret. It’s pretty straightforward after all. Am I feeling a bit foolish? Or could it be a tinge of disappointment a la Dorothy and the Wizard?

Boy, am I surprised at the incredible response we’ve gotten to a recent Popular Mechanics article featuring the Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter! I know a whole lot of people read the magazine (including me), but I honestly had no idea just how appealing this product would be to gearheads, tool nuts and apparently to weary business travelers passing the time at airport newsstands.

To one and all I say “thanks” for making us a bit more…Popular.  Now if we can just get in People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful Tools issue, I’ll die happy.

Andy

I like watching The Weather Channel.  There, I admitted it.  Not all the time, mind you, but our local news makes you wait 18 minutes into their 6:30 AM broadcast to give you any real weather info.

Here in Southern California the weather is blissfully dull most of the time, but this morning while tuned into my nerdy weather program, I couldn’t help but notice that many of you are experiencing some  rather chilly conditions.

In fact, “Arctic” doesn’t seem like a strong enough descriptor.   Well, I feel for you folks and hope you all weather the storms as safely and comfortably as possible.    When all has finally thawed and it’s time for spring cleaning and repairs, I hope you’ll think of us, as we’ll be ready with the tools and equipment you need.

Warmly Yours,

Andy.

Welcome to the Toolsmithdirect.com blog, which we’re starting up just as the year is ending.   A touch ironic, but also appropriate given how much we’ve grown in 2009.   We opened our online store last May, and promptly sold a whopping $76.98 worth of tools that month!

Well, ya gotta start somewhere, right?  Thanks to our customers, we’ve grown quite a bit since then.   We added a few hundred products, launched our Facebook and Twitter pages and got our popular “Ask Carl” resource up and running.

In case you were wondering, there really is a Carl, and he really knows his stuff.  He retired from the hand tool and contracting business about 8 years ago and started a cabinet-making business to keep him occupied and out of his wife’s hair.  Then he sold that business and retired again.

All along he’s been researching and answering questions about hand tools, power tools, air compressors and the projects people use them for.    It’s pretty rare to have such a knowledgeable resource available, and we’re proud to offer Carl’s services to anyone and everyone with a questions about tools.

2010 will be an exciting year for us as we plan to double our product selection and continue to enhance our website.

Meanwhile, Happy New Year and make the holiday a safe one for you and your families!

Andy.