Friday, 19 February 2010

Garden Hose Holder - garden hose, garden hose reel


Wonderful, beautiful construction!! Very easy to install. Can hold a LOT of hose.



A note for those worried about mounting hardware... Mine came with all the hardware needed. Also, please don't let that deter you... While I can understand the nuisance of it not being included, the only mounting hardware needed are 2-3 screws which can be found at any hardware store [even places like WalMart would carry them]. Depending on the surface you would mount this on, the included screws may not be the right type {i.e. wood screws would not have worked for my mount on brick wall, etc}. Just wanted to note that. Liberty Garden Products 670 Decorative Anti-Rust Cast Aluminum Wall-Mounted Garden Hose Butler/Hanger with 125-Foot Capacity, Antique Patina Finish

Overall, quality was acceptable but not great. Two of the mounting holes were not drilled or machined well and thus was not a clean cut. Not a big deal because mounting screw would cover defect. UNFORTUNATELY, no mounting hardware was provided. And you don't need just some basic wood or plaster screw, because of hole size and weight you will need a washer / expanding screw mount for a sturdiness and durability. Even with my expansive screw and nut collection I still need to make a trip to the hardware store to get the proper mounting assembly. Not being customer friendly and average product quality leads to the two star rating.

Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to use this item yet.... it came with no mounting hardware or instructions and I haven't schlepped it to a store to find the best way of attaching it to the house yet.



But it is pretty... hoping it survives the 40 below winter cold spells.

I received this product today and there was no hardware included..even though it did say it wasn't included I just find it foolish that it doesn't come with it. Now I have to find the proper size hardware necessary to mount it. - Decor - Garden Hose Holder - Garden Hose - Garden Hose Reel'


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Brad Nails


Have not used the two brad sets I received yet, and may have trouble trying to use them due to poor packaging in the shipping box.



The Brads are packaged in plastic press fit blister packs about the size of a candy bar. The packs were shipped in a 12" x 6" x 4" cardboard box with a piece of bubble wrap and no means to secure them from moving. The blister packs must have moved around considerably during shipping because both packs opened and the brad strip separated into anywhere from single brads, to strips of only a few brads, to a half strip of brads. I don't know yet if my nailer will accept very small strips let alone single brads.



The brads themselves are probably fine as a product, but Amazon gets a "F" for shipping. Keep this in mind when ordering small parts that cannot handle shipping without being secured. Sigh..... Senco A209809 18-Gauge-by-5/8-Inch to 1-1/4-Inch Electro Galvanized Variety Pack Brads

I ordered the wrong item and only realized it when I received the shipping notice. Senior moment for sure but I was treated respectfully and they even gave me the link to a different store so I could buy it from them, meanwhile crediting me the full price of my order. Now that is true customer service!'


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Rotary Hammer - hammer drill, cordless


This is a great go to drill for concrete, stone and light structural steel. I haven't used it on anything heaver than a small I beam but it did 1/2" holes just fine with a good bit. This is a good all around replacement for a 3/4" HD drill or even a 1" in some cases. The trigger pull is nice and makes slow starts easy. The side handle is friction fit so it can be anywhere except directly in front of the trigger (you can put it there but it interferes with the trigger and visa versa). This is a viable replacement for a ¾" drive drill (my old Craftsman finally gave out) and it does a better job on concrete and stone. If you are looking for something that does 1" or larger holes this is not it (well occasional 1"); but for more mundane work its just fine. The case is well made and the keyless chuck works just fine. Great warrantee.



Now the down side (not much):

Its large and heavy, not quite as big as my old sears ¾" but weighs a little more with the battery.

Handle all ready mentioned.

The case is well made but not well designed. It only holds a few loose bits (small) and stubby driver bits that need a magnetic bit attachment. Plenty of room for a better arrangement or even provision for one of Bosch's driver bit kits.

Battery life? In my use I can't drill enough in heavy materials any more that the second battery isn't recharged. But this may be an issue in hot environments or if you leave the batteries in direct sun light (I work mostly above 10,000'). A friend who does a lot of engineered stone cabinet work (he's 24 and 6'4" large for his size) wound up buying a 3rd battery but he's happy now.

A couple real nits. There is no index on the clutch, given the overall fit an finish (made in Switzerland not China) it's a surprise. The manual says there is a bit compartment in the handle--a couple of rubber extrusions which can hold a driver bit is not a compartment!



BTW the serial number is on the handle under the battery. Bosch 17618-01 18-Volt 1/2-Inch Brute Tough Litheon Hammer Drill/Driver with 2 Fat Batteries

This is a positive review for Bosch tools. The problems I had are because of my own lack of knowledge. I did a reasonably good search for information; just not quite good enough. That cost me a lot of time, so I decided to write this; because I didn't encounter information, even in Wikipedia, that really enabled me to understand what tool I needed for my application.



My son and I wanted to build a deck together. The location is bounded on two sides by concrete foundation, so we decided to put in about 50 feet of pressure-treated 2x10 for a ledger. This was to be attached to the 30-year-old concrete foundation by 20 or so 1/2-inch anchor bolts drilled in about 3.5 inches. The concrete contains quartzite gravel and also plenty of rebar.



This is the environment into which the Bosch Brute-tough hammer drill with a Bosch carbide SDS+ 1/2-inch bit was placed into service. The drill became inoperative, (I think because of dust contamintation), within two days after drilling only 5 holes. Two days of use but 30+ days of ownership, so the drill couldn't be returned. I called Bosch support and they registered my drill for their 3 year support program that includes 1 year of tool replacement - all for free! The second drill came in about a week, but it too became inoperable within one day after drilling only 2 holes. I called Bosch again and this time asked what I was doing wrong. The support person left me on hold to ask someone else about the problem and upon returning said, "This drill isn't right for your application. You need a rotary hammer." He then sent me a 3rd drill, 2nd day air at Bosch's expense. This third drill is not going near any concrete foundations, needless to say. It is a very powerful chordless drill quite useful for the proper application; like drilling holes in wet pressure-treated lumber or driving half-inch hex head wood screws. I also don't see how Bosch support could be much better. Therefore, I recently bought a factory-Reconditioned Bosch 11224VSR-46 6.9 Amp 7/8-Inch SDS Rotary Hammer for $140.00 from Amazon that I haven't had time yet to receive.



Anyway, this is what is in a name in the American retail market. Brute tough hammer drill, concrete mutilator ultimate destruction drill, girly man fierce hammer drill; they're all the same - drills. Those other words don't legally have any meaning. In the case of the Bosch hammer drill the action is more back-and-forth than really hammering. In contrast, the specs of the 11224VSR rotary hammer address all of the issues that I was having with the 17618; a mechanism to properly break through the concrete at a good rate, a chuck that holds the bit without it slipping and which allows the bit to move freely in an inline hammering motion separate from the chuck, a design that keeps concrete dust out and minimizes vibration, and so on. It's probably not as convenient for drill or driver work compared to the Bosch 17618, but it is appropriate for the concrete work that I need to do. At the time I bought the hammer drill I didn't know what a rotary hammer was.

I'm building a large deck out of 2x treated boards. Am now working on my second 25# box of screws. One battery charge lasts me most of the day putting in these screws. Only caution: this is a heavy drill! But like every Bosch tool I have, it gets the job done.

I use this drill extensively, I have been very pleased with all of its functions. I still have my specialty drills, but it is so nice to not have to unload half my truck to access other tools for 5 minutes of use. It has been a huge timesaver, the amount of torque is very impressive for a battery drill.

Out of the box it had troubles switching between hammer and drill mode and to the last several positions on the clutch. This seemed to go away after I switched it back and forth several times. However, while testing it was switching from drill to hammer mode by itself. Back to the store it goes.



Other thoughts (no stars deducted for these): it is really powerful and heavy. In my opinion somewhat top-heavy because the battery is lighter than expected. It is not really feasible to use it as a screwdriver on a smaller projects. - Hammer Drill - Cordless - Litheon - Rotary Hammer'


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Gelly Roll Pens - fiskars, art supplies


I purchased this product after closely examining all the scrapbook pens Amazon had to offer. I was a little wary because of the 1.0mm point size as I tend to like narrower points for scrapbooking. However, these pens do work very well for scrapbooking. The ink is very smooth and does not skip while writing, and the color assortment cannot be beat. The one thing to be aware of is that these pens do require a little drying time before they are smear proof; before they are completely dry on the paper, they will smear and care must be taken with the project. Overall, I think these pens are a great value for the price and have met my scrapbooking needs just as well as pricey pens from a specialty store. Fiskars 12-27457097 Gel Pen, 48-Piece Value Set

I have enjoyed these so much, if you use them in the white page specialized coloring books, you need to put a piece of paper between the page you have colored with them and the page next to it. It will press off.

I'm a little conflicted with this review. About half of them work wonderfully, a quarter work okay, and the rest are hardly worth keeping. I would add half a star and give this product 3 ½ stars if I could.



I'll start with the positive. The variety of colors is fantastic. I have been able to find the right color to match just about every color scheme I was look for. There are multiple shades of common colors, as well as some unexpected colors, such as white and silver. I love the glittery inks, which add sparkle to my projects. The box is clear and sturdy, so I am able to choose my pen before opening the it.



On the negative side, some the the pens skip badly, and sometimes the ink hardly comes out at all. Three of the pens have a cap that is a completely different color than the ink inside. One of the pens changed from blue to pink while I was using it, ruining the project. I threw that pen out.



The white pen is interesting, as I didn't even know there was such a thing as a white pen. It skips a lot and the ink is watery. This makes it bad for writing, but I found that it works pretty well for coloring in reflections in my die-cuts, giving the objects a 3-D appearance.



All the pens dry rather quickly, but I would give it a few minutes before running an eraser over the work to get rid of pencil marks.



Overall, this package is worth the price just for the half of the pens that work well. You just need to expect some frustrations with the others. If you are a professional artist, or otherwise need the work to come out perfectly, you should invest in the professional-grade pens. For leisure artists and scrapbookers on a budget like myself, this is a good buy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S161FO/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title These assorted colors and textures are wonderful for projects like scrap-booking or , I draw and color automobiles. They really give anything a refreshing look. The shine and brightness are fabulous.

Although I paid a higher price ( 2 USD more .. ) when I purchased these as part of my 1st Amazon order, it was the lowest price I could find at that time without a lot of purchasing hassle.

I purchased a 2nd set of Fiskars 12-27457097 Gel Pen, 48-Piece Value Set for the front room at its current Amazon price ($13.99 USD) a few months ago at my local grocery / dptmt store.

They come with the standard 4 types of gel pens: "reg", metallic, neon, and glitter.

The reason I gave them a "4" is b/c I like a thicker barrel on a (gel) pen. Otherwise, I love them. They aren't as smooth as those Unisons or jellies I think they are or those glaze pens Amazon has, but smooth enough for this happy artist.

I wanted to point out that the neons have "blend" pens, meaning there is more than 1 colour in each pen so the written product is usually not 1 consistent colour. (I hope this is clear and makes sense .. ) . This type of mixed colour in 1 gel pen was common in the late 1990s by which pen manufacturer(s) I don't know.

I think you can take a chance and buy these gel pens, on or offline.

Peace

Love these gel pens; originally bought for myself & promptly used them over & over until they finally gave out. Great artwork - lots of use. Most recent purchases have been to give my grandchildren. These are quality and have great color. - Pens - Fiskars - Art - Art Supplies'


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Braided Line - best fishing line, fishing


It is all I hoped for. Strong and thin...very little resistance in the water. The only problem I've had was finding a good knot to fasten it to the mono leader. I landed up using inproved clinch on both sides. Slides through the guides easily as well as the line guide on my 9M. Line and knots held up well with a 38" blue fish. Recommend it as a buy. Power Pro 50 -Pounds - 300 yard (Moss green) - Abf-90 - Fishing - Best Fishing Line'


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Baby Clothes - body suits, baby girl


This outfit is just precious! The flower snaps on and off which makes it very nice for laundering it. Every time my daughter wears it, people stop us and tell us how cute she looks. It is also well made and washes well. Mud Pie Baby Perfectly Princess Bodysuit, 0-6 Months

purchased sight unseen and had it sent directly to my neice as a baby gift. She called and raved about the softness and color and gorgeous design. I was thrilled, so I prompyly ordered a second one for a baby shower and it was passed from person to person after it was opened and all just loved it. If you need a gift or something for your own little one , this is darling. So don't hesitate you will not be disappointed!!!!

Adorable. The Mud Pie clothing line is much cuter in person and very well made. [[ASIN:B001CZCV54 Mud Pie Baby Perfectly Princess Bodysuit, 0-6 Months] You have to purchase the Mud Pie Princess booties to complete the outfit! - Body Suits - Baby Clothes - Baby Girl - Pink'


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Jewelry


As with the 500 design series, this 1000 design series on jewelry (there is also a 1000 ATCs book) really does inspire re-examination of their own designs/works with new/different/"out there"/creative ideas. Yes, many of the designs have been seen described in other books or magazines, but these images gave me a different perception on how to use various types of stones, beads, fibers, metal, wire, etc.



I look at this book and others like it without directions on how to make the piece (e.g. Polymer Clay Design book in my library) as great coffee table books and for the times I need to get my designing out of a rut or give it a jump start when I am just sitting looking at all my beads and doing nothing with them. By giving step-by-step instructions for any piece often deters an aspiring artist to follow in the same footsteps of the person making the original design - NOT GOOD! Without the step-by-step directions, as in this book, even if you want to make something similar, I believe that you can come up with a unique flair for a piece of jewelry.



As for all images within the pages having this inspirational quality - I partially agree with another reviewer that not all provide this and often you wish you could just delete that image from the book for it detracts from the other pieces (e.g. I hate hair combs & pins and pieces in this book decorated with flowery beads - particularly brooches (IMHO) - luckily only a few are shown)[Sorry to those that love this type of work]. And some of the pieces are repeated with only a very slight change such as different focal beads, chains, or other component to make it different enough to be considered one in the 1000 jewelry pieces...in fact these are often done by the SAME artist. These should NOT be counted in the 1000, yet I am sure that they are.



In summary, I beleve that well over 75% of the images provided me with enough inspiration to work the right side of my brain expanding with new ideas. Hence the reason for authors to compile images from numerous artist for the 500 and 1000 series of art books. If you want something that describes how a piece of art is made, get a guidebook and make sure that is what you get - then you won't be disappointed. Treat this book as TRUE inspiration. 1000 Jewelry Inspirations (mini): Beads, Baubles, Dangles, and Chains (1000 Series)

I do not enjoy writing reviews that are not complimentary, however this is one of those books that people need to fully understand before spending their hard earned dollars.



Firstly, this is not a project based book, it is literally about three hundred pages of photos of work that is not new or that inspiring. The ideas and designs have been done to death in a huge range of books previously. The photos in many instances are not of a good standard etiher. Colour washed out, out of focus, bad background colour choices rendering the image insipid etc.



I have been a long time collector of the 500 series by Lark in Jewellery and now their wonderful "Master's" Series. These books have such stunning work and beautiful photography - again like this one, for inspiration only, no projects. I suspect I was lulled into a false sense of security when I saw 1,000 - thinking this would be on par. It's not.



If you are into general stringing beads together, or do wire work, predominatley using commercial findings, or you are an absolute novice to jewelry making at a craft level you possibly will be happy with this book. There are some pieces using Polymer or Beadweaving, but again, nothing that stands out as different or new. If on the other hand you have been doing any sort of higher end jewellery work, metalsmithing etc, I would think twice before buying.



There were possibly 20-30 pieces that I thought were interesting and had a unique style about them, the rest I could pick up any beading magazine and find en masse. I would make the point though that the work itself is of generally high quality for what it is and the artists are to be commended for this. The problem lies with a book that states it is an "inspiration" book which is in my opinion, not delivering.



I was very disappointed, and if it was easy to return books from here I would do so. As reviews are very subjective, my advice is to try to have a look inside before purchasing to make sure this is what you think it is. The title promises a lot but fails to deliver ( for me ).

I was really looking forward to getting this book as a gift for a crafty friend. I was a bit disapointed with the items as some looked pretty home made and not so professional. Possibly useful as inspiration for a beginner.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will keep it on my beading table as a reference. I own an absolutely frightening stash of beads and other components, so I was thrilled to find finished pieces in "Jewelry Inspirations" that showed me possible uses for many of my inventory items. Of the book's 1000 photos I bookmarked at least 90 for future reference.



No, this is not a "how-to" book. There are no instructions or materials lists for the projects. But if you've ever experienced "beader's block", when a beautiful component stubbornly refuses to tell you what it wants, this book should kick-start your creativity. And if I can't figure out how to make something I've bookmarked I'll refer to a book or magazine from my jewelry-making library.



I do agree that the book contains some duplicate photos, where some items are included in more than one category, so perhaps the author did cheat just a little bit.



I'd bet that many of this book's critical reviews reflected the preferences of the reviewer. I did note the absence of dainty, girly crystal pieces, but I didn't miss them at all since they don't appeal to me. To each his/her own!

There were very few items in this whole book that "inspired" me to do anything more than roll my eyes. If something I had made looked like most of these items they would have ended up in the trash, not in a book. I hate to be so harsh but many items looked as if a child had put them together; My Mom agreed with me. We laughed our way through this book then threw it away.'


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