Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Lay Out Tools - pin nailer, pinner


At first I was hesitant to buy the PC PIN100. The reviews were the core of my concern. Does it leave a dent in the work? Will it quickly malfunction? Is the pin visible? Is it a quality tool, or a piece of junk? I took it out of the carrying case, and the clear plastic wrap, and immediately put 5 drops of the oil that comes in the kit, in the air nozzle. I wanted to ward off any jamming problems. Upon loading the nails, I noticed that there were multiple arrows printed on the side of the nail strip. That way you would load them in the right direction. If you ignored the arrows, and loaded them upside down, which is possible considering the small size of the pins, the sharp, fine, thin tip would be up, to do battle with the hammer coming down. Certainly, it would veer off to one side, thereby freezing the hammer and pin. In addition that kind of action could score the shaft, and that would lead to other possible misfires. People reporting problems with jams could have done just that. The top of the pin has a blunt-flat end on it, and the business end is sharp. Since they are so tiny, if you don't notice the arrows on the side, it is easy to load them upside down. These pins are not serrated, or ring shanked, but rather smooth on the sides. That way they don't receive resistance on the way down. Important considering their fine size. I was able to take the 3/4" pins, that come with the kit, and drive several into a 3/4" piece of oak, without any problems whatsoever. I first tested it out on a piece of scrap pine. Since I loaded the nailer with oil, it came out of the nose quite readily, which made a slight black mark where the pin went into the wood. Since the pine is very light, it showed. It was worth it, I wanted to break it in properly. After about 20 pins the oil cleared, I then went onto the oak, and it left a pin without any blemish. All in all with all of my testing, the pin nailer never misfired, or even hinted, at a misfire even once. I put it to the test with firing nails, as fast as I could squeeze the trigger, and never a problem or a glitch. You can fire a lot of nails very quickly with this tool. It doesn't have the safety nose that requires plunging like the rest of the Porter Cable finish nailer line. That way you can get into finely cramped quarters, and get the pin in at your desired angle. What PC did, was put two levers on the handle, one is a safety release, and the other one is the firing trigger. It is well engineered that way, and is easy and intuitive to use. How about the pin, does it show? On the first test pieces, with 5 drops of break in oil, it showed on the pine. After blowing it out with 20 pins, the oil deposits stopped, and all you saw was the pin hole. Does the pin hole become invisible by wiping water on the wood? I am getting critical here, but yes it does show. I was dreaming of the wood swelling, and making the pin hole completely invisible. That didn't happen in the pine and oak I tested it in. BUT the pin hole is so small, that all but the most critical customers will object to it. I have to admit that it is so tiny, that it couldn't be any smaller without disappearing altogether. Miniscule is the appropriate word here. It makes an 18 gauge finish nail look like a crater in comparison. For light colored wood it is barely visible, and for medium to dark woods it will disappear altogether. So if you are looking to attach really fine work, like 1/4" quarter round mldgs, this is just what the doctor ordered. I tried to be critical of the impression if any the head would leave in the work. When working with oak, even at the highest pressures, it did not leave a mark. Pine on the other hand, required a gentle touch. If you pressed down on the head while firing, it left a tiny impression. If you laid the head gently onto the surface, and fired, it left no impression whatsoever. Considering that pine is so soft, that you can leave an impression in it with your finger nail, I laid to rest any concerns about dimples in the wood. The air pressure range prescribed by PC is 60 to 100 PSI. It is advisable to stay within that range, whereas excessive pressures can cause problems. I imagine the firing apparatus is designed to ideally work within those ranges, and subjecting it to excessive pressure is reason for concern. I tweaked my regulator on the wall to 105 pounds, which would give me 100 or less at the gun, and it fired well without any difference in the head impression on the work. So what does all of this mean? Simply put, I love this tool. It does the job beautifully, appears to do so without any suggestion of malfunctioning. I have the Porter Cable 16 gauge, and the 18 gauge both in the BN 125A and the 200A, and this makes my fourth PC finish level nailer, and not one of them has given me any problems. (They can misfire if you run them dry. I guess that is why PC always includes a squeeze bottle of oil with every nailer.) This is a keeper. I bought the other size pin nails as well. They come in 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", and 1 inch. It comes with the 3/4", so I picked up the other sizes. I am looking forward to using the PC PIN100 in doing the fine work. You can spend a lot of time, and get a large project to really look fine, but the small details can make the difference of looking like artwork, or a signature of a less skilled practitioner. This tool will make you an artist, on the detail work. Highly recommended. Porter-Cable PIN100 1/2-Inch to 1-Inch 23-Gauge Pin Nailer

On commercially made frame and panel doors you will notice two tiny little holes (that have been filled) on the back side of each joint. Even old dogs like me can learn a new trick once and awhile, and this struck me as a brilliant way of NOT being forced to wait for glue to set during the assembly process of frame and panel doors. My last project had 82 frame and panel doors and finished panels, and even gluing up two at a time in one set of clamps, I ran out of clamps pretty quick and then had to wait at least an hour prior to the assembly of more. My current project has 56 framed panels in 3/4" thick Western Red Cedar, Pine and Iroko so I decided to try a new way of assembly rather than play the waiting game. My PC pinner was purchased for just this purpose and I'm happy to report that this technique works like a charm and the glue joints remain tight while the glue sets AND the pin holes are truly "pin holes". On my current project the back-side of the panels is not visible so therefore I don't need to fill these holes, but on "good two side" projects these holes will not be an issue to fill. The longer the panel sits in clamps the better chance the glue has to "grab". To facilitate this I used two sets of clamps. I glued and assembled one panel in the first set of clamps, fired 5/8" pins into the joints and let that sit while I assembled a second panel in the second set of clamps. The clamps pull the joint together and the 5/8" long pins perfectly "pin" the tenon in the joint and hold the frame together once released from the clamps. Once the third panel was assembled I went back and removed the first panel from the clamps and set it aside to allow the glue to completely set, by the time I got back to the first panel the glue had just enough time to grab and the joint didn't budge. Just remember that they are 23 gauge pins and are there only to hold things together until the glue does it's job, so you can't be reefing on the joints until the glue has been completely set. In this alternating method I assembled all 56 panels in less than a day, totally cool! I estimated it would have taken the better part of a week to have done the same in the "traditional" way with only clamps. The PC pinner performed flawlessly even without "PC brand" pins and regardless of the material (Western Red Cedar is like hard butter and Iroko is just as hard and stringy as Elm) the pins were set perfectly each and every time at 100 psi. For everyone who has used nail guns, you do have a tendency to push down prior to firing a nail to push back the safety arm. This pinner has a trigger safety on it that you pull back with your finger, so there is no requirement to push down, just set the nose on the surface and pull the trigger. There is a bit of bounce back but I found that even on Western Red Cedar I could avoid a large "nose dint" by using care in how I held the gun against the surface of the material. I can see how this gun would be very easy to jamb as the pins have no head. The pins have an arrow on them indicating which way they get inserted in the gun for good reason. The ram is tiny and must be machined to very tight tolerances (which contributes greatly to the high cost of such a small and specialized tool), I would imagine that if the ram gets distorted or damaged in any way this gun will be problematic from there ever-after. So handle and use this tool with care, if ever there was a nail gun to put the prescribed drop of oil in prior to use this is it. I'm sure I will find a million other uses for this gun over time, but for now I'm very pleased that it worked like a charm for the purpose I bought if for. You've got to love it when a new tool pays for itself on the first job! One other piece of advice, this is NOT the gun for you if you are looking for a "nail gun". This is a "pinner" and should ONLY be used for that purpose. It can fire pins between 1/2" and 1" in length ONLY, most nail guns can fire nails from 3/4" to 2 1/2" in length. For general nailing buy a gun that fires 18 or 15 gauge nails, they are relatively cheap, much more durable and the nails are cheaper. Made in Taiwan yes, but made to very high standards so I have nothing disparaging to say on that front. Highly recommended. - Pin Nailer - Porter-cable - Pinner - Nail Gun'


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Fallen Tree Games


Awesome game, great music and beautiful smooth graphics. I love it! Great replay value and game gets quite complex and fun! Addicting and beautiful, if you like puzzles and relaxing zen type games you will love it. One of the best games on Android now! very impressed by the whole package. Looks amazing on my Galaxy S Captivate. Ultimate puzzler, highly recommend to everyone. Quell

I am ready to review this app on my own accord, you will understand my wording in a moment. First the game, beautiful, simple, elegant, and just the right amount of difficulty for a casual player. With only one annoyance keeping me from giving it the 5 stars it deserves : the developer. Yes, that's right. I don't want to join / like your Facebook, I will rate the app when I'm good and ready, and I am looking forward to the next game / level pack (whatever it is), but I don't need the constant reminders. Update 10/22/11: So I had to factory reset my phone and start the game over, and it's still asking me to review the game, which I already did! And I can't make it stop! Argh, update the game already and remove the annoyance.

I'm not a big gamer but was drawn to the artwork and simple beauty of this app. A fine puzzle game, taxing, and increasingly more challenging as you proceed. Top quality music. Recommended. Touch of class throughout.

game is way addictive, at the rate I am going I will be done in a few days. definitely need more levels. this is one of the most high quality games I've ever seen. absolutely remarkable. love everything about it, gives you this feeling mmmmmm this game is totally awesome! I rarely buy any apps, I saw the reviews and decided to give it a try!

I played Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Greedy Spiders and more. This one is the best. Very balanced and challenging puzzles, nice graphics, works perfectly on my Galaxy Tab 10.1. Very stable so far. Worth every penny.'


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29 Inch Inseam - jeans, levi 501


I've bought 10 pairs of these jeans over the last couple of years from Amazon. I just love them. I work as a pipe welder and they see a lot of very rough use. I'm always crawling inside of pipes or up on ladders and blowing a lot of sparks on them. They are very well constructed jeans. They have a gusseted crotch and reinforcement sewn inside on the back pockets. They are made from a very tough but not too stiff fabric. I really like the design and the fit. Unlike Carhart jeans the pockets feel like they are placed where they should be, and the coin pocket is big enough and placed well so that it is actually usable. I keep my car keys in it and they are always safe there but also quite handy, Carharts coin pocket is too small for car keys and very hard to get anything in or out of. I hate the way Carharts put my wallet in a place where it is always putting pressure on my butt. With the Riggs jeans everything is so well designed you don't notice anything being in the wrong place like with Carharts. They are roomy in all the right places so that no matter if you are squatting, crouching, kneeling or climbing they never interfere with your movements. I'm not really crazy about the leather reinforcement on the right side pocket to keep your tape measure from wearing out the pocket. I've found that the reinforcement is so thick that it makes it difficult to clip your tape measure onto your pocket, but this is really a very minor gripe. I also think it would be nice if they had a double layer of fabric in the knees, but again a minor gripe and I expect doing that would drive the price up a good bit higher. Most important is that they come in my size, 38X36, a size Walmart or any of the other department stores just won't carry. When I have found my size at retail stores the price was way too high for a pair of jeans. So finding these jeans in my size at this price with free shipping is just wonderful. The fact that they are such a quality product is just icing on the cake. Riggs Workwear By Wrangler Men's Relaxed Fit Jean, Antique Indigo, 33W x 34L

I bought these for my husband who is very reluctant to ever buy any jeans other than his Levis 550's. The Riggs workwear jeans are well made, and fit ok, but there is much room in the seat where most guys don't need it. The inner part of the front pockets also show when worn as they just don't stay in place. Other than that, they have been good jeans so far!

My husband prefers jeans with the a gusset and as you probably know, they're hard to find. Until now he's worn ones by Duluth; unfortunately they've gotten WAY too expensive and they're just not worth the price. We ordered several pair of Riggs and found them to all be quite baggy on his slim frame (not just the "relaxed fit" ones--all of them). The other brand looked better but not enough to justify their price. We're happy to deal with some bagginess in exchange for the great value of these jeans.

They are comfortable, the tape measure pocket protector is awesome, they didn't shrink, it has 7 belt loops. Amazon is a great place for me to find the size of pants I need most stores don't carry 34"x36"

These are the strongest and best fitting jeans I have ever bought. I work construction and put a lot of stress on my jeans and none have held up like this pair. By far the best bang for your buck. I suggest buying multiple pairs before they are gone. You will not be dissapointed.

These jeans fit like Carhartt but with a tapered leg. No hammer loops or thigh pockets to catch on things. No wavy stripes across the back pockets. The little leather tab on the pocket is a good idea for cell phone clips & tape measures. Well reinforced in crotch. These fit right the first time you put them on.

This is my favorite jean by far!

Not sure if the above review is even about the same jeans or not.

These jeans are very well taylored with added features all around.

The nicest feature is the gusseted crotch which is very comfortable!

The back pocket trim and leather patch for the front pocket are nice.

Very deep inside trim on the front pockets never shows!

And the 5th pocket is very roomy and placed well.

As for the "baggy" rear, well, I am like most guys, not having much to sit on and the seat fits me perfect. I'm average build. I think the descriptive pictures above shows this well.

I have actually been stopped in the office by the girls to comment on how nice they looked. The kicker, my co-worker buddies have even asked me where I got them.

These are very comfortable and well made. I hope Wrangler never changes anything about these jeans. They are made for men!

You should try a pair! Not your average jeans!

Want something really toasty for the winter? Check the Thinsulated pair of these jeans out. They are great as well! - Levis - Wrangler - Jeans - Levi 501'


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Five Star Flex Hybrid Notebinder - five star, binder


I ordered these page protectors because I needed them for a class that I am taking. These protectors work great and best of all, they fit the folder that I'm using. My work stays visible and I can keep track of the information that I need close at hand. Great product. BAZIC Top Loading Sheet Protectors, 20 Per Pack - Page Protector - Binder - Five Star - Sheet Protectors'


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Back To School - binder, organizing


I wasn't entirely sure from the description exactly what I was getting other than a divider. Since that is what I wanted in the first place I figured well..........whatever else comes with it will be a bonus. The dividers themselves are well constructed and appear as though they will last. The divider is actually a pocket with a tab for holding some loose papers. It will not hold a pack nor would you want it to. It also has a secure tab on the top to keep them from falling out.



The tabs are not large.... ergo the colors to help you identify. These dividers are a great value. The only con I have is I wish they were available in all clear......for greater visibility. That being said I am extremely happy with this product. Five Star Flex NoteProtector,Tabbed, 5-pack (72485) - Five Star - Organizer - Organizing - Binder'


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Blackberry - torch, blackberry


The phone is slow to respond to your commands after unlocking it to use. You have to wait for about 30 seconds before it responds. This can be very annoying when you want to make a quick call or check messages. Everything else is great. I hope RIM can fix this problem with an update. White Blackberry Torch 9800 Unlocked Smartphone

I really love this phone. I've had it for a couple weeks now and haven't had any problems at all. Well...except for one, I can't get into IM..I use MSN messenger and it just keeps saying, "handheld not enabled for this service". I think it has something to do with the phone being unlocked and my carrier...I'm not sure. But other than that, the phone has worked great. I bought it on ebay for $600.

Firstly, allow me to commend you as I have truly enjoyed using your products and utilizing your efficient services, I am a loyal customer whom on a regular basis has purchased items from your business/organization.



Prior to this review, I have contacted your customer care service with regard to the blackberry torch i recently purchased and have been experiencing alot of technical difficulties with this product. on the day of receiving the phone i charged it to 100%, when i turned it on it took about 10 minutes to load up, after everything loaded up i tried to launch an application n when touching the icon on the screen the screen wont respond, i tried continuously and it didn't work, i did a battery pull and the problem stopped for approx 15 minutes and then started back again, if i tried to make a call and i press something on the right of the screen something on the left is selected, trying to read messages and the touch for the screen isn't working, the phone is freezing up at times and has to be restarted before i could attempt to use it a month has not passed as yet and this phone is giving the most trouble in the world amazon has not made an effort to assist in replacing my phone, i really cannot recommend anybody to buy this torch from amazon because the unit is very faulty and amazon inst making any effort to replace my handset or assist me in any way.



I am not satisfied with this phone because i have not yet been able to use it properly for at least a day



i really hope a replacement handset could be sent to me asap because after i purchased this torch from amazon for $617.27us and i cant even use it i am really stranded without my phone, you can contact me via email at diondillon@hotmail.com thanks in advance

The shipping time for this item was not too bad since it was out of the US. The phone is my total and complete dream...I wanted it, I bought it, I got it and I'm sooo satisfied with it. Everything I would need came along with the phone and everything is WHITE, wouldn't you be different from the crowd. The screen is very sensitive and I guess it will take some time for me to get a hold of this vast phone - the apps preloaded and so much more out there are off the hook, camera 20 stars.



Downside- the battery cover was disappointing, I wouldn't mind if they sent me a 'free smooth white cover' instead of the current one with lines. The screen has a little shake it it hopefully nothing serious- you wouldn't notice it when you r in the heat of pushing up and typing.



The price was good that's why I chose this company and the other reviews helped. Hope mine will encourage the skeptical buyers since I am a huge one when so much money is on the line.

The phone works will with me and everyone should update the phone to latest OS update because I found mine faster than my friend and respond faster ..



get it you will like it .. you don't need any phones next to it believe me I start to play games with it and not calling from the iPhone ether .. - Torch - Blackberry - 9800'


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Power Tool Accessories


I was originally going to buy a rotary tool and all of the accessories separate. But this package deal has everything I wanted. If you want all the accessories, I recommend this package. I added it all up, and it saved me around $75 compared to buying everything separate. Probably even more if I had to pay shipping on some of the accessories.



There are three things I don't exactly like about it though, but they aren't too bad if you know about them ahead of time.



First, the threads to attach the flex shaft, planer, or finger grip are plastic. I have a very strong grip, and am always twisting things very very tight. I twisted a little too hard when attaching the planer and broke some of the threads on the rotary tool itself (which cannot be replaced without replacing the whole tool by the way). So, just be careful and don't over tighten attachments, and you will be fine.



Second, the tool is surprisingly heavy and is pretty big. It makes it hard to do some of the finer projects I was wanting to do because it's weight and size makes it awkward to handle. But I recommend getting the workstation/drill press to hold the tool while you use the flex shaft attachment. You can use the flex shaft without mounting the tool, but it gets in the way and moves around on the bench while working.



Third, the toolbox it all comes in doesn't really hold everything very well. But that is pretty common with power tools these days isn't it? Anyway, just get yourself a bigger compartmental tool box (or large tackle box), and you will be fine. Just don't get the grey plastic "Dremel 9673 Deluxe Window Rotary Tool and Accessory Storage Case". I purchased it, and it is solid plastic (including hinges) and doesn't hold everything that comes in this kit. It isn't made for accessories, just the tool and a few bits.



One other recommendation is that you shouldn't use it on it's lowest speed setting often. I made the mistake of trying to plane down an edge of a shelf that was sticking out a quarter of an inch on a bookshelf a built. It jumped all over the place at the lowest setting and damaged the shelf. But at the higher speeds, it worked flawlessly, and I was even able to repair my mistake. And remember, let the speed do the work for you, not pressure. Every time I try to add more pressure to make my job go quicker, I end up getting less than perfect results. This tool does the job by its speed. Always remember that, and you will be very happy with this tool set.



(Oh, and shame on the guy who gave three stars and didn't even open the package). Dremel 4000-6/50 120-Volt Variable-Speed Rotary Kit

Handy tool to get into places larger tool are unable. The example I most recently had was the repair of a rotary spreader but couldn't get it apart because of bolts coroded and rusted by fertilizer and time. I was able to cut the bolts because of the small size of the tool and was able to get to the bolts and cut them quickly too I would add because of the speed. I have many futue uses for this small and powerful tool.

The Dremel 4000 I purchased as part of the 6-50 kit has proven to be an excellent addition to my collection of tools. Some examples of how I have used the Dremel 4000 include: removing a rusty section of exhaust pipe on my wife's car with the flex shaft attachment and a EZ-Lock metal disk, cleaning an aluminum casting with with a wire wheel to repair the compressor for an air-suspension pump, removing plastic with a ball-burr to replace a DC power jack in a laptop with a more readily available one.



I plan on purchasing the 220-01 workstation to use the Dremel as a high rpm drill press for circuit boards. The number and uses of attachments for this tool is pretty amazing.



I also like that the brushes and all of the components can be replaced using hand tools if the need arises.



Lastly, as a machinist for many years, I appreciate the importance of feeds and speeds of a cutting tool in a given material. The Dremel.com website gives easy access to base RPM for a cutting tool in a specific material.



I would strongly suggest purchasing this tool to anyone that is considering it.

I had an old model 395 which went bad after 25 years and thousands of hours of use and abuse. I needed a new one so I purchased the 400xpr model which only last 6 months and burned up. I was upset because I hadn't saved the receipt. I sent the tool back with a note explaining the problem and within 10 days I had a new 4000 which is working great for me. They realized the 400 had a problem which is why it has been discontinued. 5 year warantee!!!! Great customer service!

First of all I'd like to say that I have been using Dremel rotary tools for many years. I have enjoyed using this tool and had always found it to be reliable. Then, I bought the Dremel 4000 and the flex shaft, of which I had used the flex shaft many times in the past and always had it connected. The first day the flex shaft snapped, then the Dremel stopped working. I "burned it in" as they say by following the directions and running the Dremel 4000 at full rpms for 5 minutes. Having thought that I MUST have done something wrong, it is Dremel after all, I bought a second 4000 and another flex shaft. I burned the dremel in, and it stopped working as well. I went to the Dremel site, and low and behold NUMEROUS complaints abound on their message board about this very thing. Needless to say I see no point in buying another 4000 as they simply are not what they once were. The first dremel I ever purchased was in 1991 and it was a great tool that lasted through everything that I needed it for without fail. With the 4000 I simply feel cheated and cannot understand why Dremel hasn't addressed these problems in their rotary tool and stopped selling them. It's not like I abuse my tools, I use them for what they are intended to be used for. And even treating the second 4000 with kid gloves it still stopped working. Not once, but twice. I can even see getting a lemon occasionally but having purchased 2, and then reading the problems others are having on Dremels own message boards, I have decided to go with another product. The Dremel 4000 is a waste of money unless they address the problem of these things breaking down repeatedly.

While I love the functionality of the Dremel and all the various attachments that they provide for their customers it simpy isn't a good investment. I hope they meet the challenge of re-engineering this tool. I miss it in my shop.'


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Extra Fine Point - g2, pens


I am a connoisseur of sorts in stationery, and have been for as long as I can remember. I enjoy writing longhand for letters, notes, journal-keeping, etc., and I'm always on the lookout for a better pen -- ballpoint, rollerball, fountain...any will do.Well, I discovered Pilot's Extra-Fine Gel-Ink pens about 3 or 4 years ago, and my search is over. I have tried other new and different pens since then, but I keep going back. Nothing compares, and nothing surpasses them, even expensive varieties.These pens don't require a scribble to start the ink (or to restart it when you pause for a thought), they never skip, they never get ink globs around the point (a common pitfall for gel-ink pens, and fine-point pens in general), and they always write a smooth, clean line. I've even found they will write upside-down, like the Fisher Space Pen does, so they're also great when a wall is your only flat surface to jot a quick note!Other available colors include purple and green, as well as standard black, blue, and red! These pens are refillable too, so they are ecological AND economical. I have also started using the G2 refills in my more expensive pen barrels whenever they fit, since the cartridges that came with those expensive pens are horrible.The ONLY negative thing I can say is minor: the first time you use it, it may be a little scratchy until you wear the point to your angle of writing, but this "breaking in" is over quickly.If you want a pen that makes handwriting a pleasure, this is the one for you! Pilot G2 Retractable Gel Ink Roller Ball Pen, Extra Fine Point, Clear Barrel, Black Ink, 12-Count (31002)

Gel ink rules! If you like a ball point pen but you also enjoy the water based ink in rolling ball pens, the G-2 Gel-Ink pen is the one for you. I have found the ink to be water resistant, smear-proof, acid free and archival safe once it has dried. The colors of the Gel-Ink is more vivid than other pens. Since the pen is retractable, you can open and close it with one hand. Tired of losing caps - no problem here! The contoured rubber grip makes for a comfortable grip and flawless control. The pen has yet to slip out of my hands no matter how fast I write. Worried about how much ink you have? No problem, you can clearly see the level of ink left. You must have this pen!

I loved these pens. They are so comfortable and write so nicely; my preference is an extra fine point blue ink and these G-2 05mm extra fine points were my favorite by far. I used them for years and bought them by the box of 12. Until about a year and half ago and something happened to the way they are made and the extra fine point pens would suffer loss of ink flow from the start of use. I tried heating the tip, shaking them downward, every trick I could think of, but to no avail. I went through 2 boxes and several individual 3 packs over a period of a year and a half(so I know it was not a short-term one-batch problem) and no luck, they just would not write. Very frustrating as I have not found any extra fine gel ink pen as comfortable. I would say their motto now is "feels great, doesn't write for beans."

I much prefer the pilot G2 series to the 'equivalent' UniBall pens. While the G2 gel ink does dry faster it does not dry as fast as I would like.



_fyi_



* The G2 grip is round: much preferred to triangle variations of other brands



* grip has ridges nearer pen tip and slightly larger diameter smooth surface for those who prefer to grip further from the pen tip.



* I lose the pen before running out of ink [where lose usually means people permanently borrow without permission]



* prefer the 0.5 to the 1.0, but ultimately prefer the 0.38



* fine = 0.7

* x-fine = 0.5

* ultra-fine = 0.35



* I've never seen a refill kit in a BnM store for the G2 series though they allegedly exist





_pro_



* faster drying than uniball gel



* more comfortable grip than other gels I have used



* unlike an uncapped unibal gel the retractable (uncapped) pens do not self destruct because of prolonged disuse (after initial use)



* functions at narrow angle to paper



* does not "gum up" when certain people borrow to write on skin



* less tactile feedback from writing surface than uniball





_cons_



* ink does not dry as fast as I would like



** occasionally smearing- while inking my palm



* the dozen pack of 0.5 is three bux less at Office max

I absolutely LOVE these pens...IF they work! When you buy a package, you never know how many will be duds! When they work, they are smooth and the ink flows freely. I'm starting to reach a point though where I'm not willing to pay so much for cool pens to have several of them malfunction. Not sure if the ones that actually work are worth that price.

My favorite pens. Good quality, reasonable price. I buy them by the dozens. I like the 05 width (07 is too thick - I'm a doctor and have tiny writing, and 03 is too scratchy).

Only problem is that probably 1/7 pens gets ruined by some wired eventually coming loose and out of where the ball is. At that point, pen is ruined.



However, I absolutely love the other 6/7.

I started with the .07 g2 a little too thick fro all the tiny spaces to fill on documents medical ones I write all day the g5 is very good I purchase bulk when I can and have noticed the same with a few duds I also write kanji it does the job very well I wish they would look at QC a little more closely

I have used these pens - and no others - for 10 years! I love them. The black/blue have always worked - perhaps the person who said otherwise forgot to remove the small clear plastic ball at the end of the point. However, I have had the colored pens dry out before the ink runs out. - Gel Pen - Pens - G2 - Retractable'


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Extra Fine Point - g2, pens pens Extra Fine Point - g2, pens

Childrens Classics - good cheap watch, digital watch


I use this watch while kayaking, so it gets wet constantly. Never a leak or an internal failure, in spite of its lack of being "water proof".



Its small size is much more comfortable on my wrist than typical sports watches, and the lack of a fancy lap time function isn't a factor for me - although I'm constantly using the stopwatch.



The only drawback is a band that isn't the strongest, but at this price, I buy three watches at a time to make sure I've always got "enough". Don't take that to mean the band breaks constantly. I'm pretty brutal and the band typically lasts a couple of years. CASIO F91W-1 Casual Sport Watch

This is a great watch. I've had mine for over seven years and the original battery is still going. This is a nice and simple watch with stopwatch and alarm. I also like that it is not too bulky on the wrist.

Just an interesting tidbit, according to a recent wikileaks article from US govt internal documentation:



"The possession of a Casio F-91W model watch and the silver-color version of this model, the A159W, is an indicator of al-Qaeda training in the manufacture of IEDs. The Casio was known to be given to the students at al-Qaeda bomb-making training courses in Afghanistan, at which the students received instruction in the preparation of timing devices using the watch."

This Watch is simple to set, inexpensive, looks good & the battery will last at least 5 years if not more. I had a previous one & after 4 years the band is on its last legs. My only complaint is I'd like to see a stronger made Watch band that will last as long as the battery. I hope they keep making this watch because I will keep buying it.

This watch blew me away with it's amazing features and small size. I've owned the F91W for about a year now, and it has seen a lot during that year. Sand, debris, etc. has no effect on this rugged watch - you could strap a bomb to it and it'd probably come out in one piece! But I'm just guessing.



Although it is hard to pick, I would say the feature that I love the most is the countdown timer. As the clock nears the lovely "00:00", the beeping steadily increases to a piercing trill. Of course, this can be disabled if the sound of that doesn't get you off like it does me.

I am satisfied with this watch in every way except one: it is much smaller than I had anticipated. It is not tiny, but my wrists are large and it looks smaller than any men's watch I would like on my wrist. I bought this watch for the sole purpose of saving wear & tear on my dress watches, and will be worn only when running or cycling or motorcycling, etc. Otherwise the display is smallish but clear, the functions are simple (nothing more or less than I would ever need), so it's a decent digital sports watch. Great price. 4 stars - Digital Watch - Classic - Good Cheap Watch - Countdown Timer'


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Childrens Classics - good cheap watch, digital watch digital watch Childrens Classics - good cheap watch, digital watch

Atlantic Ocean - fishing, beach


A wonderful, comprehensive introduction to surf fishing. While there are many dozens of books available on the subject, actually seeing what something looks like is of great benefit. The section on 'reading the beach' is about as succinct and helpful a tutorial as I've ever come across. The film covers the basics of surf fishing very well. It also introduces the more advanced considerations, while always reminding the viewer that surf fishing may always be inspiring, educational, and fun...with a little knowledge, patience, and respect. Fish The Surf with Lee Samson - Beach - Shore Fishing - Fishing - Atlantic Ocean'


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Atlantic Ocean - fishing, beach fishing Atlantic Ocean - fishing, beach