Thursday, 17 December 2009

School Supplies


We use "Elmer's Glue Sticks" for our kid's school posters and science fair displays, as well as in our small shop to make temporary signs.



I like that it is purple when it is applied because it makes it easy to see where the glue has been applied and it does dry colorless so it doesn't show through light color paper. This is not very strong glue and it is easy to remove items that have been attached using it, so we take a stick with us if we have to transport the poster or display board to touch-up anything that might have come loose.



Overall, a good glue stick for paper and small craft projects - Recommended! Elmer's School Glue Sticks, 6 grams, 6 Pack (E1560)

Love this glue. I got it because it was a dollar and it was on Prime. Cheaper than Wal-Mart. You can never go wrong with Elmers Glue Sticks the do not dry out like the cheaper brands. I got it for my son it was on his back to school list.'


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Thermal Leak Detector - electric consumption, energy-saving devices


Even if you are an unfortunate non-tech "regular" person. Man, what fun to aim and read this dandy little hand-held temperature detector. This device reads the temperature difference between a "reference point" and wherever else it is pointed around the house (probably only from the inside!). The trick here is to see where temperatures are somewhat lower than the reference point. The reference point, by the way, should be some wall or surface that you suspect is kind of the "average" temperature of the house. This means that the home owner can more easily track down places where cold outdoor air could be leaking in, or where the insulation does not stop heat losses like they should. Leaks almost certainly will be the big heat loss killers (or heat gain into an air conditioned space inside in the summer).



Once leaks and losses are narrowed down, then a trip to the hardware store to get some caulk, weather stripping, and limited insulation for hopefully less than one hundred dollars will go a long way to spending less on heating and cooling.



A couple notes on this instrument:

- This can read temperature differences up to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, so there is plenty of range. This can be important for finding dangerous HOT spots around the house, and having little to do with energy savings: heating or stove problems hidden from view, electrical shorts behind the wall, etc.

- You can set the infrared beam to indicate temperature differences of either 1 degree, 5 degrees, or 10 degrees, giving you a good choice of the sensitivity you are inspecting; and the differences are visual - a green spot for temperature within allowed limits, red spot for too hot, and blue spot for cold beyond the limited tested.

- Windows and transparent surfaces (and probably shiny surfaces) will not test well with the instrument. Not a big deal.



This tool is an excellent buy. Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector

This is a big improvement over the regular thermal detectors (I have a Craftsman I was given as a gift already). Instead of trying to keep looking at the ever-changing digital readout - this tool allows you to look right at where you are pointing it to see the changes in hot or cold. Fun and much easier to use than the regular variety.

I haven't had my Leak Detector very long, but I already used it on all my appliances and also found the south wall of my home has some major air leaks.

Great for checking that pesky bottom drawer in the fridge that always freezes your vegetables,too. Finally got it set right.

Will be checking the insulation in my attic and boxing as soon as it starts to get cold and windy.

My son owns a remodeling business, and he has already asked me to borrow it a couple of times for different jobs. He likes it alot. He found a hot spot in light fixture wiring thru the drywall. Lifesaver.

Since the KINTREX IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer is the main competition, let me provide some comparisons of the two products.



I purchased this Black and Decker product because it has an innovative feature: A LED spot is projected on the surface that you are scanning. If the surface temperature is higher by 1 degree (or 5, 10 degrees) than a reference point you set, the LED color will turn red. Similarly if the temperature is lower, the color will turn blue. This saves me a lot of neck pain because I would not need to keep looking up and down between the ceiling I am scanning and the LCD screen on the device.



However, the KINTREX device is far more technologically advanced (not surprising as KINTREX specializes in making precise measurement devices while Black and Decker is just a home and garden gadget makers.



The disadvantaged of the Black and Decker product vs. KINTREX:



Measurement Range: -22 to 302 °F (-30 to 150 °C) vs. -76 to 932 °F (-60 to 500 °C), i.e., useless for measuring your oven.

Distance to Spot Ratio: 6:1 vs. 12:1, which means you will have to stay twice closer to what you are measuring.

Battery: 9V alkaline battery (not included and costs about $5) vs. 2 AAA battery (included). KINTREX also claims that because of the low voltage its battery life is 60% longer.

Padded Nylon Carrying Case with Belt Loop: not included vs. included.

I was looking for an easier way to check for door and window drafts than a lit candle, so, when I saw this product, I immediately ordered it. Amazon was lightning fast with Prime shipping, and it was received less than 24 hours later.



I understand margin of error. However, the unit doesn't seem to be very good at accurately sensing even ballpark temperature. For example, as a test, I pointed the unit at my dog, and it showed 120 degrees. At the back of my daughter's head, it was 117 degrees.



If you'd simply put a piece of tape over the orange LCD screen and instead only watched the flashlight color cycle between Green and Red (hotter than the origin) and Blue (colder), that'd be fine. Even if the temperatures are wrong, the deltas are probably still correct.



But, if you're looking for something to also correctly sense temperature via IR, look elsewhere. As a leak detector, it may work, and thus fit its name, but having the temperature numbers available and having them be so wrong is misleading and ultimately unhelpful.



2 stars because you could ignore the LCD completely and look only at the colors and have a semi-useful unit. I returned it. - Energy Saving Device - Energy Savings - Electric Consumption - Energy-saving Devices'


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18v Battery - battery packs, milwaukee 18v lithium-ion


Great battery! I bought this specifically for my job site radio (2790-20), but recently purchased a cordless sawzall and will be using it for the sawzall as well. Additionally, I have two XC batteries that came with my hammer drill (2602-22) and impact driver (2650-22). These batteries last a loooooong time for almost all applications; it seems like each battery will last for several hours doing even mid-level work. So far, the only time that the battery completely drained on me while I was working was when I used my drill to mix concrete (using an attached paddle for mixing concrete in a bucket).



As far as the weight, it's really not that bad and you get used to it quickly. I have used the 18V compact li-on batteries, which are great, but half the amperage; this battery is 2.8 amps and the compact is 1.4. Additionally, if you buy this retail at Home Depot, you're paying $120 + tax versus the $75 here. Totally worth it.



Now comes my critique. I absolutely loooooove Milwaukee, but they really should have taken a lesson from DeWalt: Their Ni-Cad and Li-On batteries are not "backwards compatible" with each other, that is, you HAVE TO USE the respective battery with its respective tool. Even worst, certain tools REQUIRE the XC M18 battery and cannot be powered by the compact M18 (for example, the cordless sawzall [2620-20]). To me, Milwaukee should have made every battery--from Ni-Cad to Li-On, and regardless of XC/compact or voltage--compatible with every tool and charger, but they didn't . . . so yeah. The good thing about purchasing this battery from the get-go is that it can be used on all of Milwaukee's M18 series tool line, whereas the compact M18 cannot.



As for charging, it's pretty reasonable. If it only has one bar left on the fuel gauge, I find that it takes anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes to charge. I called Milwaukee about leaving the battery charging overnight, and they said that it's not an issue with these batteries--a sigh of relief for those of us used to older batteries with "battery memory."



I would highly recommend this battery, but KNOW if the tool you intend to use it on is compatible with it. Again, Milwaukee's Ni-Cad tools are NOT compatible with their Li-On batteries, and vice versa. Know your line of Milwaukee cordless tools before purchasing. Milwaukee 48-11-1828 High-Capacity 18-Volt Battery Pack

I purchased a couple of these batteries with a four tool combo kit. While the tools seem to be solid and comfortable, the batteries are bit of a disappointment. Why would Milwaukee downgrade the amperage of their batteries from the V18's 3 amp to the M18's 2.6 amp? When Makita has set the benchmark @ 3 amps, it seems foolish to offer anything less. This wouldn't really bother me that much, after all it is only about 14% less, but Milwaukee went out of their way to obscure this fact. Nowhere on their website does it state the amperage for these and the battery itself only gives it's rating in watts, on the bottom in very small writing, 47 watt hours. Not a good way to treat your base who loved the V18 batteries, only to see that line discontinued. I gave it three stars because I think these batteries will probably live up to their expectations, mostly, but feel like I got tricked into buying something that's not equivalent to Makita's LXT, and that is who they are chasing after, IMH0.

I have a multi-tool M18 kit along with three of these M18 XC batteries. They've been used and abused my me and all my helpers while building a house. The tools have been dropped and kicked around at times, and I've cringed as I've watched tools fall and direct hits taken by the batteries. The little Milwaukee circular saw took a 15' plunge (a new table fixed it) and the battery had a ding indicating it had taken a hit also. I saw the drill/driver take two direct hits. To no avail. They all still lock on properly, they all work properly, they all recharge very quickly.



They've been drained to nothing, or been run for just a little bit then topped off. It seems to make no difference, as they all seem to be running tools just about the same duration after one year of use. The little 1/4" impact driver has seen an insane amount of screws, thousands of 2-1/2" torx, 5,000 1-1/2" washer heads, 250 7" torx lags, 500 5" torx lags, and on and on (that little Milwaukee impact driver is an animal). It really was shocking to see how long these batteries would run these screws before needing a charge/change. Tons of sawzall work, tons of circular saw work, tons of drill/driver work.



Only one trick to keep in mind during cold winters and subzero temperatures... The battery charger will give a blinking LED indication if the battery is too cold to recharge. This happened when we were pushing through temps around zero. We took the batteries into warmth each night when we shut down, topped them all off, so that they were all warm and raring to go in the morning. During the day we just put the battery in the charger (a warm area) and within a few minutes it was up to temperature and quickly recharging.



I really, really, value the Milwaukee M18 cordless line and batteries and recommend them wholeheartedly.

My 3-4 year old 18V compact Milwaukee drill had lost its effectiveness in the shop due to the inability of the lithium ion batteries to properly recharge. Any suspicion I had about the charger's capabilities disappeared when I removed a new,freshly charged high cap. pack and plugged it in. Whole new tool. Major power increase and sustained. I was impressed enough to buy a second one and about the same time I acquired the new 18V right angle drill. Either way this new battery packs a wallop. Down side is the weight increase.

Already had one, needed a spare. Price at the local stores was WAY more than Amazon, plus with Prime I got it next day without having to spend any time or fuel on the road! (and no standing in line either!) - Milwaukee - Battery Packs - Milwaukee 18v Lithium-ion - Cordless Tools'


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Interior Accessories - car charger, inverter


I bought this item a few months ago and I love it. Provides enough power to run my laptop and GPS at the same time (I have my GPS hooked up to the USB port and laptop hooked up to the AC port). I Have had no problem with it whatsoever. I would highly recommend it. Duracell 813-0291-07 175 Watt DC to AC Pocket Power Source Inverter

I bought this little gem a few weeks ago. I travel extensively with a travel trailer, and when my partner is driving, I like to be on my 17" MacBook Pro. I allowed my battery to drain to 50%, then plugged into the Duracell 175. Initially, the inverter kept cycling on and off. I strung my MackBook cable over the sun visor so the inverter was hanging in front of the air conditioner vent. It stopped cycling on and off, and it completely recharged my battery while using the MacBook. The following day, I put a few strips of Velcro on the back of the inverter, careful to not cover the cooling vent, a few of the opposite velcro strips on the side of an air conditioner vent and wa-la. This little unit has no problem keeping up with using the MacBook Pro, and charging the battery at the same time. I'm totally delighted with this unit, and you can't beat the price.

I just completed a 4500 mile road trip, and we used this invertor many hours each day to power a laptop running DVD movies for the kids (and their parents!). Operation was flawless: The unit doesn't get too hot, it's quiet, and supplied plenty of power.



My only negative comment would be about the power button and power indicator light. The button could be more prominently marked and the light could be brighter; after all, this is made to be used in a car, where lighting is never ideal. Overall, though, the quality is excellent, especially compared to some other units that I looked at which appeared to have been made in someone's garage.

I haven't used this much yet. In fact I just used it once for about an hour, but worked perfectly for my Dell Inspiron E1505 Laptop. It got warm but not burning hot. It didn't make any discernaable noise that I can recall. Feels compact and solid in your hand. Small enough to keep in my laptop bag (although I'm starting to create a small electronics and accessories store in there). Please note that the picture is deceiving. It looks like the power cord is extremely short, which concerned me regarding placement of the item while in use. It is in fact plenty long (over 24" from end to end) and allows plenty of flexibility as to having room to find a good spot to sit it while in use.

We were doing realtime blog and twitter updates (www.thequietones.info) on a 2500 mile road trip.

Initially we used the Kensington Inverter which was disappointing because of constant fan noise.

That was not the case with this Duracell Inverter, which performed well under high use with a MacBook Pro and Iphone.



Though the Kensington is recommended by Mac in stores and online, it is not a superior product compared to the Duracell.

In addition, the Kensington is priced higher.



What was most impressive was the ability to run the laptop and the Iphone, without interruption while they were still being charged.



We highly recommend this unit.

Good Product, compact and quiet. It was able to charge my Macbook Pro 15" laptop when it was turned off. However, if I play a DVD movie with max brightness, the battery could not get charged, and the power supplies continuously shift between battery and the Power Adapter. This probably happens because battery is getting used more than it is able to get supplied by the adapter. Even though it is a 175 watt, don't forget it only provide a max of 120 watt if you are using car port. 175 watt max come from outside car battery.



I guess some power is better than nothing.

We bought this for a 6 hour road trip. We recently had a baby and my wife would have to use a breast pump during the trip. The pump will run on batteries, but it is very weak so we got this to power it in the car. My wife said it worked like normal and everything was great. I then tried to charge my iphone via the USB port while she was pumping and she said she could tell the sucking power in the pump diminished immediately as I plugged in the phone. This is why I only gave it 4 stars. Other than that everything is great.

Duracell DC tp AC Pocdket Power Source Inverter 175 watt.

Product is very compact and adequate as a power source. Size is the main selling point in my case, I have another inverter and it is 3 times the Duracell size.

Based on the excellent reviews I bought this to power a small medical device with an electric motor (CPAP machine). The machine uses on average about 15 watts of power, but spikes up to instantaneous power usage of up to 30-50 watts for short periods. This should be easily handled by this inverter, but it is not. The inverter cuts out momentarily on some of the spikes, turning the machine off. This may also be the issue with laptop charging. A bigger inverter I had lying around runs the machine perfectly from the same source.



Other than that, this is a nice little inverter. It is really tiny, much smaller than it appears in the photo. It has a small and very quiet fan which runs much of the time. I may be able to find a use for it elsewhere.



I'm giving it only 2 stars because it simply doesn't even come close to powering a device that it should be able to based on the 175 watt spec which is what the consumer should be able to rely on. It can't handle a load that jumps from 5 watts to 50 watts. - Inverter - Power Inverters - Car Adapter - Car Charger'


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Battery Charger - 18v, battery charger


This charger has worked very well. I even left a weak older battery on it for a trickle charge for a couple of days with the light blinking (indicating a weak batter.) then I removed the battery and replaced it and let it attempt to charge at the normal level, and no more weak battery indicator. And yes, the battery was weak, it wasn't a faulty diagnosis the first time. DEWALT DC9310 7.2 -Volt-18 -Volt 1 Hour Charger

I have used this product for about a month now and I am impressed by the Performance and Design of this Dewalt battery charger. It's a plus that I can and do, now charge and maintain all my Dewalt and Black & Decker Pod Style batteries from 7.2 volt, all the way up to 18 volt. Which means I'll be able to up grade my cordless tools for a long time to come. Thanks.!!!!!

I've always been satisfied with the performance of my 18V Black & Decker Cordless Drill. Of course my biggest gripe is that unless you use them fairly frequently when you have the need after several months of sitting idle ALL NiCad batteries will go flat and need charging prior to use. I guess that's the price you pay for cordless convenience. Long story short...needed to use the drill, needed to charge the battery first, found the charger, stored securely in the case, suddenly wasn't working. What the heck??!! How can a battery charger that has seen absolutely no abuse, that has been stored properly suddenly and inexplicitly stop working?



Went online in search of a B&D replacement part and had a dickens of a time finding one until I came across the DeWalt which will work with the type of B&D battery I have. Based on reviews such as this one I ordered it through Amazon, received it quickly, and have been very pleased with it ever since. Superior to the B&D charger it replaced in every way. Much better construction, indicators that tell you the battery status, can leave the battery in the charger so that it's always ready(couldn't do that with the charger that it replaced) and if you decide to not leave the battery on charge long term it only takes an hour or less to be ready to go. The fact that the DeWalt charger can handle a range of battery voltages(7.2V-18V) is a plus if you have more than one voltage range in that style of battery, which I don't.



Based on my experience with the Dewalt Charger thus far, I can highly recommend it as a great replacement for anyone needing one for that style of battery. It's certainly superior to the B&D charger it replaced.

I bought this to replace the factory charger I got with my 12-volt B&D Firestorm. I had purchased a DeWalt 12-volt battery to use with the Firestorm and found that it worked well. I figured the DeWalt charger would work on the B&D batteries as well as the DeWalt. According to my research, this DeWalt charger would work with 12, 14.4 and 18 volt battery packs, providing flexibility in case I upgraded in the future.



The charger has successfully re-charged both my 12-volt batteries. It did not want to charge the DeWalt... it was far more discharged than the B&D battery. But I removed and re-inserted the "dead" battery in the charger a couple of times and finally the charger accepted and recharged the battery.



I am pleased with this unit so far.

Bought this to charge Black & Decker Firestorm batteries (PS130 / 12V) and (PS140 / 14.4V) and it works brilliantly. Doesn't burn out the first time you use it and actually charges the batteries (that Black & Decker's own chargers wouldn't).



I will never buy Black & Decker tools again and am a convert to DeWalt quality. It's DeWalt, Rigid and Ryobi for me from now on.

I am very unhappy with Max Tool. Bought this charger from Max Tool through Amazon. I purposely paid an additional $10 ($49) to get one that would be factory sealed and with the 1 year factory warranty. That was the writeup from Max Tool. I got what everyone else got only they got the lower price of $39.00, which was the charger thrown in a box with plain paper. Not sealed, no factory packaging no warranty. I don't advise that you purchase from MaX Tool.

This product revived my uncharagble damaged batteries. i bought this based on other reviews telling me that it had charged bztteries that had lost a cell. it works, try thisbefore you buy new batteries

I am VERY pleased with the DeWalt DC9310!



It works fast and it salvaged two VERY OLD, completely-drained, batteries (out of the three that I had).



I did not think any of them would take a charge again. My original charger was not able to restore them to a point of even taking a charge, but the DC9310 really did the job! - Charger - Battery Charger - 18v - Dewalt Battery'


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Framing Nailer - bostich, cpo bostitch


I have been using nail guns for 31 years, and purchased three Bostitch nailers this year alone. All have broken down. I was attracted to the F33 due to its ability to nail joist hangers (hate nailing them by hand). The gun worked reasonably well, except that the head kept falling off. Locktite didn't help, nor did my local dealer's repair person. I shipped it back for repair 6 weeks ago. The parts are backordered. I called Bostitch and was told repeatedly that they did not get involved with their own recommended service centers. If they don't, who does? I emailed customer service and got no response.

Their lack of reliability, lack of customer service and their notorious attempts to design unusual collating angles in order to force buyers to use only their nails produces a score of "1" from this reviewer ( "0" isn't an option). You can't use a gun that doesn't work. Bostitch F33PT 33-Degree Paper Tape Framing Nailer / Metal Connector Nailer

I already own a pneumatic framing nailer. I purchased this gun in the hopes that I would be able to use the metal-connector tip to shoot regular framing nails into the toenail holes on joist hangers. (We had one job that required almost 1000 metal connectors.) I already own the MCN150, which ROCKS, so I used that for all the smaller nails.



Not only did the positive-placement tip work better than I ever thought it would, but this gun also packs enough punch to bury framing nails into a double LVL. I have not seen another gun that operates on standard pressure that can do that.



This is a very versatile tool, and the rafter hook is always in use. You won't want to use a tool without one after this.



Bottom line - buy it with confidence as it works and works well. I have experienced none of the problems some of the other reviewers have had, so perhaps Bostich has worked some of the kinks out. This is a great tool!



I use Paslode nails without problems in this gun. They are available everywhere.

I purchased this new from Amazon about a year ago and have gone through about 8 or 9 boxes of the generic grip-rite fasteners ($30 to $50 depending on size and galv. and available at HD, Lowes, and my both my locally owned suppliers). The gun has performed extremely well in rugged roofing conditions. I am starting a 125 sq. steel roof next week and am going for the reconditioned version this time. We'll see how it holds up. The coil roofers have been without any issues. The locater works great for hangers, by the way, the only downside is the unavailability of generic 1.5 inchers. But the ease and speed more than make up for it.

I noticed right away when I took it out of the box, no more spring on the front of the nailer to fly off and get lost. I quess they have re-designed this flaw in the design. I will comment more later after I have used it.

This thing is great. Used alot, took alot of abuse, and best part is, got it on sale here at amazon for $113. Works well with grip-rite 33 paper collated nails. Good enough to finish a basement with ease ! For the price, it cannot be beat. This thing is $300 at acme tool crib.



Amazon rules ! - Bostich - Cpo Bostitch - Framing Nailer - Framing Nailers'


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Home Entertainment - dlp projectors, lcd projectors


Pay close attention to the fact that while it accepts HD 1080p input, it's maximum output is only 480 lines, which makes for a very low resolution image, certainly not HD. I've personally seen this projector sold in a white van scam under the name VisionMax. The scam artists attempt to convince victims that this projector is nicer and worth more money than it really is. Avoid this thing. hd1080i Home Theater LCD HDMI Projector With FREE Extra Bulb & 6' HDMI Cable + Free $5 Blockbuster Gift card!HD TV supports 1080P,WII PS3 DVD

Based on the review, thought I would take a chance. Sitting in business environment, where it projects about 4.5' - can only see the content in the center of the screen. You can change the focus to get the different parts of the screen - but not all of it at one time.



Don't get this device if you really want something that works.

The first bulb only lasted a day, the 2nd they give you worked for only 5 short usages. Then I couldn't find a bulb, called Amazon and they gave me the sellers information Super Deal, I e-mailed them and there exact response was "I apologize, This is not covered under the warranty,

However I do believe you can buy such a bulb at your local hardware store for a couple of bucks,

Take care"

I called to tell them the hardware stores don't carry them, nor do lighting stores, they told me they didn't sell me the item, Amazon did and they have to help me, so I called Amazon they again referred me to Super Deal, no respect for the customer or an inch of concern that I bought a $300 projector that I only had for 5 months and couldn't use it. Amazon finally gave me a web address that has the bulbs and they are $22 each, considering the bulbs don't last long it is a VERY expensive piece of equipment.



So I don't recommend it, and I sure don't recommend a purchase from Super Deal as they are rude and frankly just don't care.

dont waste your money on this, first of all its nothing like they say it is, when the bulbs burn out its impossible to find one, and to top it off after 2 months and like 15 hours of use the mother board burned and its imposible to find !!!

when i got the projector i put a bad review because the company forgot their invoice in the box, so i found out that my $300 projector is actually worth $50 in china!!!! they contacted me saying that if i took my review off theyll fix my problem, so i took it out but surprise! they never did anything!

This projector did not work properly and the vendor does not respond to inquiries. The product did not come with complete warranty information or address for service. There is no contact information for the manufacturer. You are better off with a name brand and/or local vendor.

I ordered this projector NEW and when I got opened it up and turned it on it had a black spot in the middle of the screen! I thought at first it was the screen it self but NO it was inside the projector on one of the plates. When I buy something thats saying NEW I want it to be NEW! I would return it but Im in Afghanistan and the shipping cost makes it not worth it!

You simply can't beat the performance for the price. Great everyday projector for the Kids or home use! While it might lack just slightly from the performance especially in bright conditions that "DLP" or High end LCD ($[...] or more in cost)units may deliver. The up front savings as well as the low, low replacement cost of the bulbs (about $[...]

bucks in stead of the HUNDREDS a DLP replacement bulb will cost)makes it a really great choice! - Dlp Projectors - Home Entertainment - 1080p Projector - Lcd Projectors'


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Home Safety - smoke alarms, co


I spent a good amount of time in the fire safety aisle of a local store, reading packages and comparing units before selecting this particular one to replace an aging smoke-only alarm. This one has two different-sounding alarms (3 beeps for fire and 4 beeps for carbon monoxide) and runs on 2-AA batteries. The batteries can be replaced without taking the unit off the ceiling and the compartment won't close without batteries in it. I installed it by myself in just a couple of minutes with a pencil, drill, hammer and flathead screwdriver. It has several features I chose not to use, most involve locking systems to prevent tampering, but it is nice that they are offered. Also has a photoelectric sensor claiming to prevent false alarms from food smoke and shower steam. I think it's a great value for my family's safety.



**(12/20/08)**I would like to amend my review. A week after installing, the alarm started "chirping" 3 times at irregular intervals (once at 4:00am Sunday, then Tuesday at 1:30pm). I changed the batteries after a third incident (again in the early morning) and it was fine for another four days. The next time I took it down and noticed the back indicates the 3 "chirps" is to replace the alarm. I have had the thing less than a month and have to replace it already?!?!? What a CROCK!



**(12/22/08)**I called and spoke to a rep from First Alert on the phone who explained to me the unit runs a self-test every 90 seconds and if it fails, the alarm 'chirps'. He asked me a few questions and promised me a new unit in a week to ten days.



**(1/14/09)** I received a new unit in the mail today, hard to install with my fingers crossed.



**(3/3/09)**Another malfunctioning alarm, at five o'clock in the morning. I am through with this junk!! Buy only if you want to replace every 4-6 weeks. First Alert SC05CN Battery Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Alarm

I needed to replace a couple very old smoke detectors and decided to upgrade to a smoke and carbon dioxide detector. One of the problems with old smoke detectors is they use 9volt batteries which also are difficult to replace as well as expensive. This new First Alert dual smoke and carbon dioxide detector uses 2 AA batteries and has a separate battery compartment which allows you to replace the battery without taking the detector off the ceiling. Cheaper batteries and much easier to replace them. The cost at Amazon was only $30 and nicely cheaper than anywhere. All-around good service from Amazon. Very satisfied customer here.

I have rental properties and I decided to upgrade all units to have monoxide detectors. I decided on this unit because it is a two in one device and it used double AA batteries instead of the nine volts. My tenants keep complaining that these devices keep beeping. I looked on the back and 3 chirps = bad detector. I took a few of them down, put up the old ones and brought them to my home. They have not chirped since. Something about the other place is making these detectors fail.



Another thing is that I did not notice this but there is a 5 year life on these detectors and then they will chirp without any choice but to replace them. So even if yours works at first, you only will get 5 years out of it. I bought a total of 7 of these that cost me a few hundred and now I need to look for replacements. I wish I left all the old smoke detectors in.

Of course, First Alert is known for quality products, but this device is better yet. Very easy to install, easy to maintain (uses double A instead of 9 volt), relatively inexpensive and sounds an alarm shrill enough to wake up my 10 year old dog. Buy it!

Bought and installed one of these in my upstairs hallway.



Within 3 months of installation, the alarm began intermittently emitting the "3 rapid chirps" alarm, which means that the entire unit is bad and must be replaced. Extremely unreliable!

Like many other reviewers, the four that I bought are having intermittent spells of the dreaded "three chirps". Not sure what brings it on, but it seems to invariably happen in the middle of the night. Extremely annoying.

I bought two of these last year. Within a few months, we started getting false alarms. Three chirps in a row. Sometimes they would stop on their own. Other times, I would have to take them down, take out the batteries, and hang it up again later.



Each time, I tested the batteries. Each time, they were fine. I ever replaced the batteries a couple of times, just to be sure.



Don't buy these. They'll drive you to drink.

One month in place and have same 3 chirp problem. Company sending replacement, but now I expect problem to recur. Very disappointed because I bought 2 devices based on Consumer Reports recommendation for effectiveness. My model is SC501CN. Bought 4 smoke detectors too (SA302CN) and think one or two has same chirp problem. - Co - Carbon Monoxide - Smoke Alarms - Combination Smoke'


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Waterproof Ink - ink, fountain pen ink


If you have trouble with your fountain pen drying out and needing that wetting under the tap to re-start then this ink is for you. It works day in and day out with utter reliability. This is my favorite color being a good mixture of blue (which I find too light for my liking) and black (which just doesn't have that "sophistication").



Parker, from UK, have been making inks since the 1930's and know how to make great pens and great quick drying and reliable inks that will not gum up your pen regardless of brand. This ink will reward you with it's reliability every time you place nib to paper. So, after trying many inks, including those nice colored ones, I recommend "old reliable" - Quink. Parker Super Quink Permanent Ink for Parker Pens, 2-oz. Bottle, Blue-Black (3007100)

The "blue-black" color name is misleading. It's a nice, deep, royal blue with no hint of black pigment. It doesn't easily smudge after drying, but isn't completely waterproof as noted previously. On many papers I write on that are rather absorbent, the color fades quite a bit after a day or two. On some, it turns to a light greenish blue, possibly a result of some chemical reaction with the paper. Fountain pen inks work best on relatively nonabsorbent papers anyway, but most of the stuff I write on is copier paper or similar. This ink doesn't "feather" out from capillary action in highly absorbent paper as some inks do. It dries quickly. It shows no sign of clogging the pen. Good stuff, but be aware that it's really blue and not black. (It still photocopies well.)

This product was just what I needed to be able to use my fountain pen -- the old-fashioned type that needs real ink to be filled into its barrel. The product came promptly, undamaged and works just like it should. - Fountain Pen Ink - Fountain Pens - Fountain Pen - Ink'


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Automatic Battery Charger - automotive, battery charger


This little charger works equally well when charging and maintaining both 6 and 12 volt automotive batteries. It's a good choice for maintaining batteries in cars which are driven only on special occasions. Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger

It can charge both 6V and 12V batteries, with different amp selection. Different from some of the older style charger, this one will automatically shutoff when charge is full. So you can plugin, clamp on, turn on and walk away doing other things. Never worry about overcharge the battery.



It is light weight and great tool to have, if you have a lot of batteries around. We use it to charge and check the batteries for the large UPS power supplies in our office. Properly maintained battery can extend its life so much, worth many times the cost of this charger.

I purchased the product from Walmart for about $30.00. I purchased it as a compliment to a more powerful but not automatic charger I already have. My main purpose is to keep boat batteries charged during the off season. After reading the instructions and hooking it up it went through the charging and stopping cycles as indicated in the user's manual. All of the indicator lights worked as stated in the manual. So far I have charged two batteries. I hooked them up in the evening, the indicator light showed they were at about 75% charge. By morning they were fully charged and the charging cycle had stopped. According to the user's manual once the charging stops it goes into a maintainance mode where it monitors the battery and when it falls below a pre-set charge, it begins a recharge cycle again. The automatic function is nice because you dont have to worry about over charging. The 6 ft power cord and 6 ft charging cables are convenient because I could charge my boat battery in the garage without having to use an extension chord. I have only charged two batteries but so far, so good.

I tried to start my lawn tractor recently and found that the battery was very severely DEAD!!. I went online and purchased this Schumacher SC-600A speed charger. I hooked it up overnight and that battery was fully charged and quite able to start my tractor the next morning. Great performance, and very easy to use. Next, we're going to top off the car batteries before the really cold weather sets in.

This charger works perfectly. I have had other chargers over the years and have borrowed chargers from friends and family. The last one I used was from a neighbor and, although it said that the two batteries I tried were charged, they would not crank the car or lawn tractor at all. I put both batteries through a full charge with the Schumacher and both came up trumps. Both the car and lawn tractor fired up immediately. I returned the neighbors charger and have not looked back. It was well worth the price as I would have had to replace both batteries. Highly recommended.

I bought this battery charger based upon the Schumacher reputation. I've only used it twice so far, but very happy so far. The 3 ranges of current fit my needs well.



I also don't need to be concerned with overcharging since it's capable of switching to a trickle charge after the battery has reach the full charge state.

I used this charger on 7 to 9 amp/hour batteries. At first it charged the batteries fine but I started to notice that when charging at 2 amps it wouldn't register as fully charged sometimes. It would stay to 4 bars but not go to the charged light even after a longer than normal time. I would change to 4 amps and then it would be fully charged. I worry that it may be overcharging some batteries.



I also noticed that it couldn't read some 6 volt rechargable lantern batteries (4.5 amp/hour). This is the main reason I bought this charger. I have a automated Schumacher 1.5 amp charger and thought well of the company, that is why I wanted to buy another Schumacher.



The charger seems to work fine on larger batteries automotive or motorcycle, so it is good for that.

Schumacher's basic charger - 6V or 12V, 2A, 4A & 6A charge rate. Automatic charger that charges, then goes to maintenance mode. Their more expensive chargers have higher charge rates (10A & higher) and additional built-in metering like voltmeter to test state of charge, etc.

I am using it exclusive for my 2 cars in the winter. Went on vacation and returned 6 days later to find the car wouldn't start when the trunk lid (truck light) was left open. With regular below 32 degree weather in the winter in Wash DC, bought this to maintain the 2 car batteries. After jump starting my wife's car, decided to buy this to charge the battery and monitor battery condition (can't leave her stranded or home alone with a dead car battery).



Instructions were simple, but use caution anyway. Charger had approx 6 feet alligator clip cables to connect to battery and keep away from battery (acids, fumes, etc.). With negative-grounded car, attach red clip to positive battery terminal, then black clip to ground (charger must be unplugged from AC). Then plug into AC. Charger has "connection" indicator tyo show a battery is recognized. Then select 6V/12V, then select charge rate (2A or more). When charging, has "charge" indicator light and 3 lights (25%, 50%, 75%) to show progress. When fully charged, 3 progress lights go off and green "charged" indicator lights up and it goes into maitenance mode. Unplug the charger, then disconnect the 2 clips from the battery.



The unit has a five (5) year warranty; very few electrical/electronic devices now have a warranty beyond 1 year. Even the big appliances like washers, dryers, dish washers now come with just 1 year -- the manufacturer effectively increased the price by 10% which is about the repair rate for the 3rd to 5th years.

I bought the Schumacher SC-600A along with the Schumacher SE82-6 to see which one works better on my 12V batteries. So I tried both of them out this past weekend. The SE86-2 costs a little more and is completely manual. While the SE82-6 has a dial indicating the current charging/maintaining Amp, I found the SC-600A to be not only convenient but also worry free. I had to keep watch on the SE86-2 every 4 hours while it was charging and saw the Amp needle move down as the battery charged to full. On the SC-600A I just left it overnight (at the suggestion of other reviewers) and didn't worry about it. When I woke up the next morning the Green light was on to indicate the charge was complete.



The SC-600A also has a nice feature in it where it will Desulfate your battery if you left it uncharged for too long (according to Schumacher's website and manual). None of my batteries were left uncharge to that state so the SC-600A did not kick in to that mode. One thing I wish the SC-600A has would be the digital or needle Amp readout to indicate either the percentage of battery charged or current Amps. I know the bigger brother model SC-1000A and SC-1200A both have the digital read out but I wasn't looking for a charger greater than 6 Amps since that's enought for most applications. But for the price, you can't beat the convenience of the SC-600A charger. - Battery Charger - Chargers - Schumacher - Automotive'


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Automatic Stripper - wire stripper, strippers


As others have indicated, these Klein wire strippers are -the- strippers to have. I've used a few others before, but they don't compare with these at all. Klein makes some great tools and there's a reason they're so popular among tradesmen. This product is a shinning example of what makes Klein so great -they're well designed, functional and effective. You can strip wires like nobody's business with these things, they're razor sharp and very nice to hold in your hand. I love the curved handle and the comfortable grips, makes it much easier to use.



Get yourself a pair of these if you're in the market for a wire stripper, you'll be glad you did. Definitely worth every penny. Klein 11055 Klein-Kurve Wire Stripper/Cutter, Blue

I agree with every other reviewer thus far. These are among the best strippers I've ever used. I've used them hundreds of times on the job and they never fail. Very comfortable and easy to use. There is also a pair available for larger gauge wire and they work just as well. A must have for any electrician, or just about anybody remodeling a house.

Look no further for a quality wire stripper. These are SHARP!, strip a variety of wires with little effort and best of all, the curved handle makes them a joy to use as it eliminates hand fatigue. Go to a store and hold a set in your hands and you will now what I mean. I love it when I have an opportunity to use these!!

There's really not much to say about this tool that you can't get from the description. I have owned other wire strippers in the past and I can say that I am glad that I spent the extra money on the Klein. This is a quality tool. It has a spring on the handle for ease of use. There's no wiggle in the joint, and it's very precise. It's comfortable to hold and has a simple locking mechanism to prevent damage when it's in your toolbox.



I would definitely recommend this tool. My dad, a lifetime contractor, recommended it to me and I am not recommending it to you.

My friend who is an electrician uses these. I tried them and thought they were awesome... here's why:



1: Padded rubber grips. If you can keep your fingers off the metal the padded rubber grips make them a safe choice. Also the curved handle make them fit well in my hand.



2. Spring Loaded. I've have cheap wire strippers in the past and they weren't spring loaded meaning when you squeezed them closed, you then had to pry them apart. With these you squeeze, strip, and release... all with one hand.



3. Gauges. The range of wire these strip seems to be perfect for all things around the house... From outlets and switches, to speaker wire, door bell and phone lines.



4. Screw Cutters. there are 2 round holes designes for cuttinf 6/32 and 8/32 screws. These are the screws that anchor the outlet or switch to the electric box in the wall. If you have ever bought thses from the hardware store you've probably noticed that they come pretty long. This make them easy to shorthen and keeps them round for easy screwing...



My Cons:

If I had to pick a couple I would say these aren't perfect for Cat 5 and low voltage wire.

As a professional Union Electrician wire strippers are part of my daily use tools. Klein is my preferred brand... Although, I use other brands. I go through several pairs of strippers a year. I wear them out, abuse, and misuse them. If I could only have 1 pair of strippers in my tool kit it would be these. They are comfortable and and easy to use. Other straight handle strippers tire my hands after repeated use. I use these all day in commercial and industrial applications without hand strain. If you are weekender or professional I recommend these strippers. You will not be disappointed.

As a long time user of the straight, yellow handled Klein strippers I was slow to change for a few dollars more. But, I'm glad I did. If you factor in how long these will potentially last if treated properly, and the $15 price tag it actually feels like...wait for it...Klein might be undercharging.



- The curve on the handle might not look like much, but having used the straight for so long I can report that the extra leverage and ergonomic feel makes a world of difference. Especially on days of heavy use.

- Holes on the sides for bending solid wire, handy during outlet/switch installation.

- The spring between the handles stays on very well, even when stored loosely in the bottom of an overloaded tool bag.

- The handles are tough, and haven't slipped off after over a year of daily use.

- The bolt cutters are a nice bonus. They cover the two sizes you will most commonly find when installing outlets into wall boxes. It is fairly common to need to trim them down for one reason or another.



Some usage tips:

- Never cut anything other than copper wire with these. Steel wire, even very thin, will nick the cutting blade and create a bump that you will feel everytime you use them.

- People who don't like this type of stripper typically make the same common mistake when using them. Holding the wire with their left hand, and attempting to rip the insulation off with only their right. I recommend holding the wire with your left hand, then clamp down on the wire with your right. BUT, use your left thumb (while still gripping the wire with other fingers) to push the tool off of the wire in a straight motion with minimal effort. Reverse for lefties, obviously. Get this down and you will enjoy using these strippers much more, and your stranded wire will not be damaged by pulling the tool off of the wire, under too much force, at an angle.

I was working with some 24 AWG stranded wire and was having a miserable time. Every pair of wire strippers I could dig up would break the wire. I finally gave up and ordered these Klein strippers. I am a huge fan of Klein tools and these wire strippers did not disappoint. What had been a tedious nightmare became a breeze. They just work. As the old adage goes, "the right tool for the job"... and Klein most definitely makes the "right" tools. - Wire Cutters - Wire Stripper - Klein - Strippers'


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Battery Pack - battery pack


I bought this battery to use with my solar collector system. It arrived fast. It was one of the best priced batteries I found. My solar collector charges it all day and it keeps my water pumps and lights running all night, I was even able to lay it on it's side. I think I'm going to buy a few more. 12 volt 18 Ah Rechargeable Battery - Battery Pack'


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Cable - esata, esata cable


Excellent product. Value buy as I bought for very low price.

I have used this cable only for few hours. During trials - it improved my data transfer speed from average 15 MBPS (with USB) to average 100 MBPS (with eSATA to eSATA) keeping all other conditions same. As written earlier - cable is bit stiff but the cable and connectors are with quality finish. I would reccoment this product. Serial ATA 2.0 Cable, eSATA 300Mbps, 0.5 Meter (1.6 ft)

I bought this cable to hook up my external hard drive to my laptop and it sucks for video transfer. Everything skips and loads so slow I can't watch anything. Might be ok for basic file transfer but sucks for media. The only reason I kept it was as a last resort for basic file transfers.

This product worked as advertised. The cable is a bit stiff, but is of good quality. I used this cable and HD Clone software to clone my hard drive which couldn't have gone better. I would recommend this product.

I'm not saying the product has any issues but the title "eSATA 300Mbps" is ridiculous - it should be "300MBps" or "3Gbps". Someone is not doing his job... Or are they trying to make people not buying their product by labeling the cable to be 10 times slower than what it is?

Although i have problems using this cable with my hard drive it seems to be caused by the hard drive but not the cable. I haven't yet tested the cable with another device but it looks like as described and the shipping was fast.

This is an eSATA cable, with eSATA connectors on both ends.



The title of this item made me think it was a cable to connect a SATA device to an eSATA port. NO! It has an eSATA connector on each end. The bag it came in was labeled "0.5M ESATA/ESATA BLACK CABLE", which would be a better name for this item. I pointed this out to Amazon, but they want me to send various documentation to *prove* that the listing title is somehow wrong. Technically, yes, an eSATA cable *is* a SATA cable. But it is misleading. It's not worth returning, but I can't tell you anything about the quality, since I have no use for it (currently). I gave it one star in the hopes that someone else might read my review before ordering, and avoid the mistake I made. - Esata Cable - Esata'


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