Taming the Tool Cart
I was puttering around the house last Saturday, when I heard my wife in the other room suddenly burst out, "That's CUTE!" I assumed she found another pair of shoes or a purse on sale, or maybe one of those Cape Cod beach houses only a Kennedy could afford. But then she hurried in, gripping an old magazine (she keeps them for years-- last week I found a Look magazine with Mamie Eisenhower on the cover).
"Isn't that CUTE??!" she asked (rhetorically, I hoped), holding the mag open in my face. And there it was...
Tool Cart for the Home
In their June 2012 issue, Better Homes & Gardens featured the U.S. General 350 lb. Locking Drawer Tool Cart #90248 as an addition for a home organization project:
"A tool cart is a good home for bulky items, plus you can use it as a service station or bar."
Not to mention that it's a good-looking and affordable alternative to organizers at those shi-shi "home" stores. Here's another great example where someone used it as a bar cart:
Tool Cart Bar Cart
It'd probably make a dandy arts n' crafts cart, too. I also noticed the tool cart's on sale this month for just $74.99. A pretty good deal.
Huh... using a Harbor Freight tool cart for kitchen design, or a design idea for any room in the house. I get it.
And the wife got it.
Harbor Freight’s Hot for Teacher
In Thailand, students honor their teachers with extravagant flower arrangements and traditional dance performances. In South Korea, teachers get carnations from students and former students, alike. In Estonia-, where my dad's family comes from, the students give their teachers the day off and teach each other (I'm sure, given the chance, American kids would make every day Estonian Teachers Day).
But in the US we have no rituals or ceremonies for National Teacher Appreciation Day, and if you ask me, that stinks. Some of my teachers were my greatest cheerleaders, extended parents and even friends.
So, allow me to make a suggestion. Take a trip to Harbor Freight Tools and pick out something for your kid's teacher, letting them know how much you AND your kid really appreciate them. If the teacher's female, the 12" Revolving Four Tray Bin is the perfect choice. This fun, spinning bin gives plenty of storage without taking up much room, so it's perfect for a teacher with lots of doodads and limited space! Each tray contains divided storage spaces to hold stuff like scissors, paper clips, erasers, white-out bottles, etc. Or, if she's into doing crafts or scrapbooking in her spare time, she'll REALLY love it! The tray stands 18” high and features ball bearing glide and a tough black enamel finish. At just $19.99, you're not going to find a better gift for the money.
If you want to add a personal touch, try the idea posted by Jennifer Ciriano, where she wrapped magnetic tape around the sides and decorated it with buttons!
Or, check out Natasha Hensel's creative ideas, shared on her YouTube video:
Of course, that isn't to say your guy teachers wouldn't like the revolving bin, too. I mean, truth be told, it was originally made for the workshop, for nuts, bolts, washers, and other little parts and pieces. However, if yo'd rather have an alternative idea for "Mr. Whatshisface," then you can't go wrong with the Drillmaster 18V Cordless 3/8" Drill/Driver and Flashlight Kit-- now on sale for $19.99 when you use the coupon on THIS PAGE!
So, if you want to give a big "THANK YOU" to the teacher, say it with a revolving bin or cordless drill-flashlight combo from Harbor Freight. It's better than a hug, and your kid won't get sent home.
Super Streetbike Review: 1/5 HP Airbrush Compressor
When it comes to riding your motorcycle, it's not enough that it just runs good-- you gotta look good. So make sure you check out Super Streetbike's April 2013 issue (no, not the cover, lug nut-- I'm talking about YOU looking good).
On page 58 there's a nifty article on "Helmet Painting"-- a cool, inexpensive way to self-express on the road. But, as writer Brian Hatano points out, you need more than a creative idea to get your point across; it takes technique. So, he takes you through every step you probably don't think about when imagining that wicked skull with flames and roses... namely, preparation, detail, method and materials. To get the hang of the spray gun skills, though, Brian suggests we first get the feel of it with a practice helmet:
"For practice jobs, any helmet will work, but starting with a lid in good condition will require less initial prep and give you more time to think about designs and color combinations."
He then breaks down the process of executing a successful paint job-- from disassembling the helmet to applying the clear coat-- in crystal, concise detail. Great intel to have for when you're ready to go for it.
Interesting, however, is that even though Brian was working in a shop equipped with a large air compressor, he opted instead to go with the Central Pneumatic 1/5 HP, 58 PSI Airbrush Compressor.
"Although we had a full size compressor available, we tried out the Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic 1/5th HP Airbrush Compressor and it performed better than units costing twice as much. Zac noted the quiet motor with no pulsing in the air supply."
Constructed of sturdy anodized aluminum, the airbrush compressor is easy to clean and operate, and changing colors is a cinch. The airbrush kit works with lacquers, oils and latex-based paints to create pro-quality designs only limited by your imagination! It comes with a 22cc glass jar, 5cc metal cop and 5-ft. air hose-- and, at a low $88.99, it'll pay for itself over and over again!
While you're shopping, also be sure to pick up the Central Pneumatic Quick-Change Airbrush Kit for just $11.99. This enables you to switch out paints in a flash with next-to-no downtime.
This awesome setup would also be perfect for custom painting:
- Bike frames
- R/C and other models
- Auto body detail art
- Tool boxes or cabinets
- Furniture
- Pottery
- Metal sculpting
- Signs and murals
- Crafts
- Toys
- Cosmetic and Halloween makeup
- Spray tanning
- ...and so much more!
Also, of course, if you want to support the team at the big game.
Harbor Freight for Halloween!
In the "Thinking Outside of the Box" category, Jennifer B. of Wilmington, NC wins for ingenuity and getting into the Halloween spirit. Recently, she purchased a Drill Master 80 Piece Rotary Tool Kit to carve her jack-o-lantern, and while this picture only shows a "pumpkin in progress", it's so amazing right now, we can tell it's going to be epic when it's done (beware pumpkin-kicking punks, Jen)!
It's not too late to follow Jennifer's example-- run down to your local Harbor Freight and pick up your rotary tool kit today! Imagine the works of art you could make out of squash-genus vegetables. Not just for pumpkins, though, this awesome tool is great for cutting, grinding, polishing, sharpening, engraving and drilling for all kinds of crafts and hobbies. Works on metal, wood, rock, plastic... and your dog's toenails. Seriously!
And at such a low price, it's just downright SCARY to pass such a deal up!
Melting a Rainbow
Being a former retail store worker I've always associated heat guns with shrink wrapping product. In fact, this was probably my favorite part of any number of retail jobs I had. There is just something satisfying about watching the plastic shrink to perfection. And if I accidentally shrank the wrap too much to where it started to rip, well that just meant I got to rip it off and start over again! It was hard for me to imagine how there could be a more fun use of a heat gun - at least until I started reading about the things people do with Harbor Freight heat guns (I'm serious!). People have been known to use them to do things as unexpected as roast coffee and make nachos (did someone say nachos?!).
The versatile 1500 Watt Dual Temperature Heat Gun. Use it to strip paint, loosen fittings, thaw pipes, make nachos, or create crayon art!
Lately, I've been finding crafty people around the internet using heat guns to make melted crayon art. This relatively simple idea is a great project for older children or a way to get some vibrant color into any room. To get an idea of the how-to and final product of melted crayon art, check out this finished piece from makoodle.com.
Made with Harbor Freight Tools! Learn how-to at makoodle.com
Over at loveandlaundry.com they turned melted crayon art into a rainbow of teacher appreciation. Now Mrs. Wilson and Ms. Dawson will have fancy colorful name plates for their classrooms!
Also made with Harbor Freight Tools! Learn how-to at loveandlaundry.com
So tell me, dear readers, how do you use your Harbor Freight Tools heat gun?
Lighten Up Close and Personal
It's the little things... that drive you nuts when they limit you in your work or hobby!
Whether you're making jewelry, doing fine repair work, building a model, soldering circuitry or inking a bro, you'll always be grateful for the day you headed down to Harbor Freight and picked up that Chicago Electric Fluorescent Magnifying Lamp.
The best of all worlds-- a hands-free magnifying glass with light-- this pro-quality, daylight-spectrum fluorescent lamp comes with a precision ground lens, providing fine detail and excellent clarity. Its 3-diopter magnification enlarges pictures, text and pieces to 1.75% their actual size and comes with a lens cover to protect against dust and particles. The magnified lamp also sits on a sturdy spring-balance arm which can extend up to 38", and easily swivels and maneuvers to all your needs.
A great aid in so many situations, the Chicago Electric magnifying lamp is cheap, reliable and available at Harbor Freight now.
The Revolving Four Strikes Again!
Crafters love the Revolving Four Tray Bin for its convenience and how easy it is to customize.
I've mentioned the Revolving Four Tray Bin before while covering crafting. It was featured a while back in the "4 Ideas for Crafting" piece.
Jennifer Ciriano of Jenns Doodles put magnetic tape around the sides of the spinner rack so she could decorate it with flair! She put all the buttons from her button collection along the sides so she could find them more easily. Check it out: http://jenns-doodles.blogspot.com/2012/08/badge-button-flair-whatchamacallits.html.
cute AND functional
What a great idea! This could be used for catching odds and ends like paper clips, sewing needles, even scissors or needle nose pliers. It wouldn't be quite as cute, but it would certainly make the revolving bin even more useful for crafting and craft storage.
And if you aren't convinced yet of the utility of this bin, Natasha Z Hensel of Clever Soiree put together this great video review of it. It gives you a much better sense of the proportion and capacity of it.
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