Guy Low Price Electronic: 3 Sept 2010

Friday 3 September 2010

Finish Nailers - nail gun, finish

I bought this gun sight unseen (usually I go "touch" tools at the H--- D---- first, but they didn't have one) and am so far very pleased. When I took it out of the box, the first thing I noticed was how light it is. It's amazing. Here's my comments:- The nail magazine is plastic and the housing is magnesium making this thing feel like a toy in your hand. I'm still a little skeptical about the plastic magazine and wonder if it would withstand the daily pounding of professional use (I'm only a heavy duty homeowner).The good:- The oil free engine is fantastic. No oil on your work and no need to remember to oil it.- Easy to use and maintain.- Pretty much jam free (I've shot plenty of nails through it already).- VERY light.The bad:- Only shoots Stanley nails (PC and Senco shoot a different type of nail). Not a problem as I see it - [One home improvement store] sells them in boxes of 5000 (PC sells their nails in boxes of 1000).- Plastic magazine - Not sure how long it will last. Bostitch N62FNK-2 15-Gauge 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch Angled Finish Nailer

I have been shopping for a 15 or 16 gauge finish nailer for about six months. This Bostitch is the only 15 gauge angled nailer that I have found to be priced in the straight 16 gauge price range.This is the best 15 gauge gun at any price. Just hold this gun in your hand and you will be convinced that you can't buy a better gun, period.I had narrowed my choices down to the Bostitch, Porter-Cable and the new DeWalt.The PC was nice, the price was right and I have had great success with my PC 18 gauge brad nailer, but the 15 gauge PC was way too heavy. Almost twice the weight of the Bostitch.The DeWalt fit my small hands like a glove, was very light weight and within my budget (if I stayed with the straight nailer vs the angled model). However, I shyed away from the DeWalt models because the contact trip assembly had too many bends which didn't seem to operate as smoothly as the PC and Bostitch. The display model at a local hardware store already looked like it was on the verge of having problems. I'm not hard on my tools, but one nasty bump, or a fall off of the workbench and you might be out of business.Finally the Bostitch!At less than 4 lbs. it's the lightest in it's class, yet still packs the biggest punch of them all! 400 in./lbs. It only weighs about 1 lb. more than by Porter-Cable brad nailer.The finish and quality are second to none. It just plain ol' feels good in your hand. It's balanced so well it feels like an extension of your hand.I am on a major budget (per the wife), but this gun is definitely worth every penny of the MSRP of $.... So why is it selling for only $...? Either A) it's a "typo", or B) Amazon and/or Bostitch has gone loco. Whatever the reason, my advice is buy this nailer before they discover that they are practically giving it away. I'm sure this gun will be the standard by which all other finish nailers will be measured against. You will not regret this purchase!"TEN Stars....Final answer"!

From the sound of these reviews, the gun seems to work pretty good for homeowners & such. I've been a carpenter for 40 years. I've been using finish nailers for about 20 years. My last nail gun was a Duo-fast. I finally retired it recently, after 17+ years of service. Since the local lumber yard carries Bostich nails, I went with Bostich. I've had the gun 18 months & the piston rod has broken 3 times. Replacing it myself still cost me $35.00 a pop. Anybody who has trimmed a door or window or installed baseboard, knows it's immpossible not to hit a screw head or sheetrock nail once in a while. Well, everytime I hit one, the piston rod breaks. It breaks in the exact same spot. It appears to made of cast aluminum or something, instead of hardened or stainless steel. I like the gun & am thinking about getting somebody to manufacture a functional rod for me, since Bostich doesn't know how.

I am in the process of remodeling my "old" house. The walls are plaster which have become very brittle and delicate over the years. Hammering to install new molding was out of the question. I needed a gun that was light, powerful, easy to operate, and didn't require oiling so as not to make a mess in my home.I purchased the Bostitch N62FNK-2 nailer (my first nailer) based on the customer reviews and manufacturer information. This gun is absolutely amazing! It delivered everything I wanted in a nailer. I saved money because I didn't damage any of the existing plaster walls, all nails held firmly the first shot...hammering would have been a nightmare!! I was a little apprehensive about using a nail gun since I had never owned one before. It was so easy and so fast!! My only improvement idea would be that the manufacturer offer variety nail packs, so you don't have to buy such large quantities of only one size nail... BUT... Have No fear...Go for it...perhaps the best tool I have ever owned!

I just bought this as my first nailer. Overall, it's great. The design, operation, and fact that it's oil-less make it super simple to use. My first trim project would have taken forever if I had to nail it by hand, thankfully I didn't, I had the Bostitch N62!The only reason I didn't give it 5-stars is I was dissappointed to find that you can only buy FN-style nails in quantities suitable for contractors. Bostitch needs to get with the times and realize that air tools are not just for the trades, but serious enthusiasts as well. The competition is ahead of the game in this respect.

Wow! This nailer is so light I thought it was fake! Despite the lightweight, it packs a serious punch. Oak over oak is no problem. The store even said it would drive through concrete. It smokes my Senco tools. It is so much lighter, and so much more powerful. I used to have 12 Senco's but now I am going to switch all the crew over to this nailer.

I am a cabinet maker, and have been for more then 20 years, I bought a new bostitch T-36 finish nailer in 1983, to this day that gun has never failed to work, it has never been to a shop for repairs, of any kind. And I am very demanding of my tools, but I also take real good care of them and I do all of my own maintenance on my tools. I bought the new N62FNK-2 a few months ago because of carpo tunnel in my hands, and I needed a lighter gun to work with. All I can say is it is the best finish nailer to date that I have ever used, some of the things I really like about the N62 is it has low recoil in my hands when I shoot a nail, and the weight of the gun, and the balance, it's just perfect. when I'm shooting face frames on cabinet boxes the rubber nose really helps to stabilize the gun. I also like the power that it has, I can shoot a 2 1/2" nail thru 2 1/4" of solid oak and counter sink it a 1/6" at only 80lbs of air, and at a low counter sink setting using a 25' hose, so just think what you could do at 100lbs of air and a heavy counter sink setting, big oak crown mouldings, casings, it's endless what you could do. And for those who say they can't find an asortment of nails for the N62, I can tell you I have not had any problem finding and buying 1" all the way up to 2 1/2" nails for my gun. For me, it's the only finish nailer to have, and over the years I have used alot of different finish nailers out there, because most of my friends are contractors to. So I will keep my T-36 for shop backup, but with my new N62FNK I don't think I will ever need to use it. Thank you bostitch, you have done real good with this one. - Nail Gun - Finish Nailers - Finish - Finish Nailer'

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Progressive Politics - brilliant, truth

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There's a spiffy, hip kind of feel to this nouveau Wobblie update on how George W. Bush and his craven cronies and currish corporate sponsors are trying to turn America into a kind of gargantuan banana republic. Even if half of world-renowned journalist Greg Palast's indictment is even fifty percent correct, Momma, pack the kids and the dog and my old guitar: this country is going to hell.

I've got a friend or two who have actually left the good old US of A for places like Panama and Canada, not so much out of fear of a neo-fascist takeover, but out of pure disgust, the kind of disgust that can only be bought with stolen elections and massive redistributions of the nation's wealth from the poor and the middle classes to the conspicuously rich.

Before reading this I couldn't believe that the Democrats were so incompetent and so stupid as to allow the Republicans to steal two national elections. Now I wonder if it matters whether they can prevent a third. Probably Hillary will win, but after four years of her, the power structure will have had enough and it'll be the reincarnation of some cardboard flunky like Reagan or some idiot like the present occupant who will be installed in power and who will again rob the treasury, sell off the public lands and start a war for ExxonMobil and kill a gook for God.

People like Cheney and Rumsfeld will probably be dead or deathlike, writing their mendacious memoirs, but there'll be others from the think tanks and the corporate world to look out for the interests of the ruling class. And, yes, the rich will get richer and the poor poorer and there's nothing new under the sun--although this "nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" once seemed so.

Goodbye yellow brick road. Welcome to the armed madhouse!

The problem with America, with this democracy by capitalism, is that it isn't what it once was. We used to be the greatest country on earth. But sometime around the time that Kennedy got shot we began to change. We won the Cold War but it ruined us morally. With our idealism and sense of fair play compromised by our need to stem the tide of the red menace, we became, step by step, like every other country in the history of the world, hopelessly corrupt.

Clearly, if Palast is to be believed, we are corrupt, right down to the very core of our being. When elections are stolen in a democracy, it is no longer a democracy. When a powerful nation invades another country to control the supply of oil (as Palast charges) under false pretexts, it is no different than Iraq invading Kuwait or Germany invading Poland.

When a country allows profiteers to poison and despoil the land and the people (as Palast charges) that country is no better than the robber barons of old or the dictators of South America and Africa. When the president steals from the middle class to feed the gluttonous, the middle class will eventually dry up and die and we will have the wealth distribution pyramid of a banana republic.

Obviously this book will delight and entertain those on the left. Palast is a gifted writer as well as a tenacious researcher who serves well as a pied piper to those about to be disenfranchised. (People on the right will send him death threats.) I suggest you read this book regardless of how you feel about what is happening in America today and who's responsible. If nothing else, reading Palast's prose is an education in how to express yourself with verve, gumption, and the employment of le mot juste. Here's an example from pages 262-263. Noting that 59 million Americans actually cast votes for George W. Bush in 2004 (regardless of whether he really won or not), Palast writes:

What we witnessed on November 2, 2004, was a 59 million strong army of pinheads on parade ready to gamble away their pensions so long as George Bush makes sure that boys kill each other, not kiss; who feel right proud that our uniformed services can kick some scrawny brown people in the ass in some far-off place when we're mad and can't find Osama; who can't bring themselves to vote for a guy with a snooty Boston accent who's never been to a NASCAR tractor pull and who certainly thinks anyone who does [sic] is a low-Q [sic] beer-burping blockhead.

Palast adds, "Nitwits who think Ollie North's a hero not a conman, who can't name their congressman, who believe that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were going steady, who can't tell Afghanistan from a souvlaki stand and, bloated with lies and super size fries, clomped to the polls 59 million strong to vent their small-minded hatreds on us all."

He sums that up with, "I fear the election was an intelligence test that America failed."

It is said that domesticated animals are not as smart as the wild kind. It is put forward that humans were smarter in, say, 30,000 BCE than we are now. Some call it "devolution." We are domesticated animals: we and the massage of TV and fast foods and soft couches, and the pounding rhythms of the ads relentlessly aimed at us, have domesticated ourselves. Nowhere in the world is this truer than in America. Alas. Armed Madhouse: Who's Afraid of Osama Wolf?, China Floats, Bush Sinks, The Scheme to Steal '08,No Child's Behind Left, and Other Dispatches from the Front Lines of th

If you are concerned with America, our way of life, our political process, and there is only one book you can read this year, I recommend you make it this one. Using creative colloqualisms that may annoy or amuse you, you cannot get away from the author's facts, statistics, leaked documents and information that prove why we really went into Iraq, how your vote was stolen or not counted, and how you are producing more today and earning less, and how your rights and security are being taken away from you.

In five long chapters, Palast covers a wide range of topics. I began highlighting important portions of the book for this review. In short order there was too much highlighted text to add here.

But it's Chapters 4 and 5 that will really scare the hell out of me because I realize that even if all of us vote, it is not enough. Palast shows:

*how the republican machine kept minorities from voting in 2000, 2004 and will keep them from voting in 2008.

* with statistical evidence how voting machines were too few in minority communities or too far away. Either the lines were too long or the trip back and forth was.

* that Kerry's name didn't even show on the ballot in some places.

* statistical anomalies where Black, Hispanic and American Indian votes where not even counted, or their machines didn't even register a vote for president. In white neighborhoods, such anomalies were almost nonexistent.

* how provisional and absentee ballots were simply discarded, or mailed to the voters too late to be returned and counted.

* how voting machine error and evidence were destroyed even after there were calls for an investigation that secretaries of states ignored.

* how voter reform is nothing but a blatent attempt to perpetuate this fraud rather than fix it e.g. In New Mexico anyone now challenging a vote must put up a $1,000,000 bond first!

* how the Republicans still managed to list thousands of law-abiding, registered voters from voting because they were on felon lists (even in Ohio) where there is no law against that.

* how republicans are clamoring for national ID cards (poll tax)costing $30, which will require that you to produce an ID to get the ID! Palast muses how many people are going to risk jail voting twice when you can barely get many of them to vote even once, or how many felons will risk going back to the jail just so they can vote. (In many states, they may.)

Palast got wind of some of these vote-destroying practices before the election and published and broadcast them to British and European audiences where they received wide attention, everywhere except the US of A. Now that our networks are owned by conglomerate businesses, the chances of receiving such news is nil.

Over three million votes tossed, unrecorded, thrown out, or people kept from voting, and the democrats did nothing! Even I thought more people had voted for Bush, but with Mr. Palast's evidence, Kerry won.

His last chapter is equally disturbing. Americans are producing more, yet taking home less. Power deregulation and higher gas prices have replaced the increased taxes we were not going to have. Both industries have forced black-outs or profit gouging. Companies have reneged on their pension and health care contracts while maintaining those for management. We are now making less wages than we did when Lyndon Johnson was president. Our Department of LABOR actually shows businesses (in public registers) how they can avoid paying overtime to their workers by making them hourly wage earners or simply calling them managers. That's our US Department of Labor!

This book is too important to ignore. This book tells you that you cannot ignore politics simply because you don't trust politicians. They are sapping our earning power, our quality of life, and our rights. The only constituents they have are the ones with the deepest pockets. This book should stir you into action, to make sure "voter reform" does not take your vote away, to ensure that there are voting machines that give you a printed receipt, that secretaries of state do not have conflicts of interest with voting machine companies or work for a presidential campaign at the same time they are counting votes.

This book reminds me a little too much of "Animal Farm." I see the 59,000,000 people who voted for Bush as being the same as the character Thumper, the horse that works hard, looking for his reward in the end. Thinking he is going to the hospital, Thumper is sent off to the glue factory by Napoleon (guess who?)when he is too sick to produce anymore. If you actually believe that this administration or congress actually cares about Americans over business interests, than you really need to read this book.

We could take a page from Equador, Palast insists. They knew their election was rigged. They struck, and took to the streets, and chased the usurper out of the country. We might have to do the same if we don't want to end up in the glue factory.

If you don't believe it, ask the pilots of United Airlines when the company managers reneged on honoring their pensions but kept their own.

Happy Independence Day! - Democracy - Progressive Politics - Brilliant - Truth'

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Spenco Arch Supports - orthotics, spenco arch supports

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I have been using Spenco inserts for over 30 years. There is nothing comparable. They both support yout feet and cushion impsct from jarring activities like running and climbing. Best of all, they are durable. Mine have typically outlasted 3 pair of running shoes. Spenco Rx Arch Cushion (3/4 Length), Women's 11-12 / Men's 10-11

These are OK. I had ordered the Spenco Arch supports with the solid bottoms for my feet and recieved these instead. I gave them a try; they help a little, but if I'mm on my feet more than 2 - 3 hours my feet hurt anyway. I don't recommend these for really busy people or professionals on their feet for extended periods of time.

The product does give adequate arch support but overall the insert is narrow and slides around. You have to always adjust it before putting your foot in the show to make sure its all the way to the back of the shoe. I just wish it fit a lil more snug like the Dr. Sholes that I have (which don't provide as much arch support as these).

I recently bought these arch supports because I have high arches & had been getting foot cramps even when wearing Dr Scholl's arch supports. These were so inexpensive that I decided to try them. Most pleased No more foot cramps. I read that some consumers complained that they slip around in their shoes. I have narrow feet & wear sneakers; the supports do not slip inside.

I had a pair of custom made orthopedic inserts made for me to fit in my dress shoes because of my really high arches. Unfortunately, I lost one of them somewhere. So, not wanting to spend the money yet on ordering a replacement that costs about $200 per insert, I decided to try these. I usually wear size 6 1/2 to size 7 shoes, so I ordered the size 7/8 inserts. They fit in most of my dress shoes, but not all of them. They are a little wide for some of my shoes. I might try trimming them a little. But, in the shoes they do fit it, they are so comfortable! I really like the 3/4 length because they don't make my shoes fit tight like the full length ones. I recommend these inserts! - Spenco Arch Supports - Insoles - Orthotics'

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Challenging - games, word game

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Monopoly is fun, but it takes FOREVER to play, those trivia games are too hard for the kids, Dad can't even draw a stick figure, let alone play Pictionary, and you don't want to spend an hour just setting up an elaborate game and reading the instructions. So what's the solution? Play QUIDDLER!! Our family loves this game - you can complete a whole game in an hour or less (or you could stop half-way through and finish the game the next evening). In Quiddler, you create words, but unlike Scrabble, it's not always the one with the best vocabulary who gets the most points. You try to make words out of all your letters - there might be a long word which gets lots of points, but it might be little brother over there who is able to make several short words who gets the "most words" bonus and jumps ahead of everyone else!We played this game last night and were surprised how fast things change - someone who is way ahead after the 3rd round can be behind after the 4th. Just one round can dramatically change things!Pick a dictionary and let that be your judge on whether or not something is a word. Be sure to find the dictionary BEFORE you start playing because you'll need it!We've played this game with 4, 5, and 6 people. Anywhere from 1 to 8 people can play - now that's a versatile game!This is one game where a child isn't necessarily at a disadvantage when playing with adults.The cards are beautiful - be sure to take time during your fun family evening to notice them!After loving this game, I bought Set for Christmas and we're going to play this one tonight! ... . Quiddler

this game is very easy to pick up and play right out of the box. A total of eight hands are dealt which makes the game short and sweet. We play without a dictionary which is more fun. The players vote on whether we think a word is valid and majority rules. The game really bogs down with players constantly looking up words. The first person to be able to play their whole hand, with one card as a discard, goes out and the rest of the players have one turn to put down as many words as possible. Points are scored based on letter value and some cards have more than one letter such as "qu" or "cl". You lose points for letters that can't be played. You cant play your cards on another players word. Highest score after 8 hands is the winner. Spelling and game usually don't go well together but this is a fun game for any age. I personally like Five crowns better.

Everyone at our house is looking for the dictionary to help find the best word to use the cards we have been dealt or have drawn. Because it is always challenging (and to avoid disputes) we would recommend the Scrabble Dictionary or a good pocket dictionary as a traveling companion to Quiddler.The progressive play of the cards (from 3 to 10 cards) changes the dynamics as you begin each round of play and creates new challenges each turn. Perhaps our family is not as competitive as some but we enjoy helping each player optimize the letters (cards) s/he is caught with after the first player goes down. We can all join in finding the best combinaton of words from each players hand to give him/her the best score with the available cards. It is interesting how many options can be found with the same set of letters... very educational and a lot of fun.I like the solitaire version also... if I have no-one else to play with.

"Quiddler," not exactly a household word, but guaranteed, five years from now it will roll off tongues as easily as "Scrabble." Like Scrabble, Quiddler is a word game where points are scored by letters used in spelling words; unlike Scrabble, it's played with cards in a sequence of eight hands, which makes it a quicker game. The deck is portable, great to throw in the suitcase for a trip. Playing in the car or on a plane is no problem. A couple of hands of Quiddler while your child waits to see a doctor or dentist provide a distraction as well as entertain. Quiddler challenges every age group from age 8 and can be played by just adults, just kids, or a mixture without losing its appeal. I could go on about Quiddler's educational value, vocabulary building, but the bottom line in playing games is the question, "Will I have Fun?" For Quiddler, the answer a simple "Indeed."

My family started out playing Five Crowns (by the same company) but now Quiddler is our favorite game. Making words is much more challenging than compiling runs or sequences of numbers, and sometimes you come up with some hilarious combinations of words in a single hand. Fast paced and challenging, without being too complicated, Quiddler is one of the best games I have ever played (and I'm not much of a game player!)

I have been playing Quiddler for several months. This is a fast-paced game. It's a lot of fun and challenging too. The more you play the game, the more aware you become of words since the difficult letters, such as J, Z, Q, and V and W, have higher point values. I am admittedly very competitive when playing games. I find that as I am reading books or the newspaper, I focus on words that contain letters with the higher point values, then I try to use these new words when I am playing the game. What a wonderful way to increase your vocabulary and spelling capabilities. I recommend this game for kids as young as 4 or 5 but as a perennial kid ten times that age, I have a lot of fun playing Quiddler! This game should be in all of the classrooms too--let's get kids hooked on Quiddler--a great way to improve their English skills. Marie Wilson, Fountain Hills AZ

Reading all the positive reviews, I'm wondering if we all played the same game. In a nutshell, this game is far too easy, far too short, and not very interesting. The winner is more determined by who goes first than anything else, and frankly, the letter distribution is such that it is near impossible not to make a word immediately. My wife and I played this game two or three times before we were utterly bored. This is contrast to "Word Thief", also a Scrabble like word card game. That game, however, is far more challenging, much more involved, and will last more than 5 minutes, and can be played with as little as two players. Buy "Word Thief", and forget "Quiddler". - Games - Word Game - Card Game - Quiddler'

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Replacement Battery - ni-mh, makita

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This battery is performing exactly as the original. It is still new so I do not know its life span. It charged quickly so I was able to use it after only six hours. It arrived promptly and was well packaged. Pwr+ 9.6v Ni-mh 2100mah Makita 9000 9033 193890-9 192696-2 632007-4 Battery Replacement

The original battery in my Makita cordless drill was approaching 20 years old and needed replacement. Looked online for one and decided on this one. Got it in and charged it and put it in the drill. Have used it several times and it's doing great, no problems so far. Would bye another if need be. - Ni-mh - Makita'

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Automatic - skeleton watch, skeleton

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This watch is stunning and really comes to life in sun light as the jewels and mechanical parts shimmer and reflect. The packaging was in perfect condition. The watch keeps excellent time and the design is very unique. It is the best looking skeleton watch I have ever seen in this price range. The 45mm face is not the largest but it is a good size even on a larger wrist like mine. The leather band was soft and comfortable right away. Some watches catch your attention only due to their size but this watch garners compliments due to its fascinating design. Armani Meccanico Silver-tone Skeletion Dial Men's Watch #AR4629 - Skeleton Watch - Skeleton'

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Cell Phone Accessory - duracell, cell phone accessory

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The smaller of the two is OK in a pinch, but the Powerhouse charges my Zen X-Fi2 or my Motorola Cell Phone more than twice as fast. From empty, it charged my Motorola i425 in TEN MINUTES, four times and it still had juice to spare. I was able to recharge my Zen X-Fi2 twice, and could have charged it more. I didn't have enough time to empty the player and recharge it to find out just how many. But it was obvious to me that it was going to meet the needs I bought it for. It took more than twice as long for the pocket unit to charge my phone, and did so only once.

If you are buying one of these, I'd suggest the Powerhouse over any other. Duracell Powerhouse USB Charger with Lithium ion battery / includes universal cable with USB and mini USB,

The packaging for this charger indicated 1.2x full charge for an Android phone. I have a Motorola Droid. When the phone was on, the portable charger charged the phone to 60% with 2 basic apps running (email, keyboard). When I turned the phone off, the portable charger charged the phone to 90%. In both instances, the phone battery started at less than 5% charged. Now clearly, I never got a full charge from this portable charger, but it certainly comes in handy when you want to take those last few pictures or you need that GPS on your phone to work for at least another 30 minutes. And it came in really handy when the rental car didn't have a plug to plug-in the car cell phone charger.

The trick to remember is, to always bring the USB cord that comes with your phone so you can actually plug the phone into the portable charger!!

For the price, I say it's a decent value. The packaging is a bit misleading, but I'm certainly glad that I have it.

I just wish that the portable charger could be re-charged with a plug-in wall attachment. There was an instance, when I wasn't around a computer to plug in the USB cord for the charger and I hadn't brought the "standard" plug-in wall charger that comes with the phone with me. All I had was the portable charger and the USB cord and no power source that would work... But it simply means, I have to plan better next time and bring everything with me.

I purchased this a while back for my Iphone 3gs. I am so in love with this product. It charges my iphone 1.5 times its battery. What I love the most is being able to stream radio and charge at the same time. This little thing charges pretty fast too. The size is shorter than the iphone, about the same width but thicker depthwise. Perfect for a pocket. I recommend this for any iphone 3gs(or lower) user. I'm not sure how well it'll charge the 4g. I can only hope Duracell comes out with an upgraded version with a higher capacity later.

It's a good battery backup if you need one for your device. Although, I looked like kind of a moron with a cable and two boxes in my hands. But, hey, whatever gets the job done, right?

Only other complaint is that mini USB is pretty outdated. Only a minor complaint- you can use any USB cable you want anyhow. But most phones I've seen these days use micro USB.

Other than that it'll charge your devices for a little while longer and it does that well. What more could you really ask for?

I bought this to recharge my Garmin GPS cycling computer for long road rides. Since the Garmin only lasts 5-6 hours, for longer days in the saddle, or multiday tours, I'm able to connect it to the USB and it is small and light enough to park the charger in my top tube bag. It charges the unit in about 2 hours, even while the GPS is in use, and I'm able to recharge the GPS 3 times from this device before a reload. Perfect!

I use this product as a second battery while on long trips. I hate skulking around airports looking for power outlets. Most are already taken by 15 year-olds who simply can't survive 5 minutes without texting somebody. Doesn't quite fully charge up my Samsung Epic smartphone but it does give me several more hours of heavy usage. Small, lightweight, perfect for what I need. For 20 bucks, much cheaper than a spare battery.

Complaints are minimal - on/off button is recessed into the body but not completely protected so I am always careful how I cram it into my backpack so as not to unintentionally turn it on un. Also, there is no meter to gauge how much power you have left. I think it just shuts off when it is no mas. I would recommend this product.

As a tent camper I gladly rough it without many things, but music is not one of those things. I have a shuffle and an incredibly small iHome USB charged portable speaker that I use with this product. I used to have to use AA or AAA battery powered devices on my trips due to lacking electricity, but that's become a thing of the past (making this product both cost-effective and environmentally friendly). I am amazed that something the size of a standard deck of playing cards can do what this does. I have been able to charge my shuffle 3 times and my iHome speaker 1 time with the Powerhouse fully charged up and there's still juice in it to spare.

The Powerhouse is supposed to be able to charge 2 products at the same time. I haven't tried that yet since I drain my rechargeable devices right down to nothing before I charge them. Since my shuffle and iHome haven't fizzled out at the same time I'm not able to comment on that capability. I'm also unable to comment as to how long it takes this product to fully charge anything since I seem to forget to make note of it - I have 2 shuffles so while one is charging I can use the other and if my iHome is charging I can use my headphones until it's done. I also charge it using a standard USB wall adapter vs. using a USB input on my computer (which is what the instructions say to do).

The Powerhouse packs a lot of punch for its price and size with the products I've described here. Highly recommended. - Duracell - Cell Charger - Cell Phone Accessory - Cell Phone Charger'

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School Supplies - plastic folders, oxford twin pocked

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I needed folders for the first day of school and wanted something more sturdy than the cardboard homework folders we've used in the past. These are reasonable for the price, you get 12 folders, but the plastic is very thin and flimsy, almost totally transparent, and I'm not sure that they will hold up any better than the cardboard ones. However they are easy to use and an nice color range. They are the classic oxford twin pocket format.

Edited to add - 3 months later I'm eating my words, these folders have stood up far better than cardboard ones. The cardboard ones would be disintergrating by now and these look as good as the first day I opened them. So despite being thin, they seem to do the trick! And my son loves that they are almost transparent and he always knows what's in them and can't forget things... So def would order again, should need arise... Filexec 3120, 2 Pocket Folder, Letter Size, Frosted, Set of 12 in 6 Assorted Colors , 2 Each Blueberry, Strawberry, Grape, Lime, Lemon, Tangerine

I have now ordered mult. of these folders. Some for my kids and some for myself after trying them out w/ my 13 year old. They are thin, but very durable. I like the thinness as it allows for punch holes to accommodate a three ring binder. The colors are vibrant. I like to color code things, so with so many choices, it makes it easy to spot the one I want. - Plastic Folders - Folder Accessories - Oxford Twin Pocked - Project Folders'

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Snorkeling

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I had a pair of "Parkway" booties until I discovered "U.S. Divers". They are amazingly comfortablewhile wearing your fins or walking around. I like the higher cut, as it allows my Body Glove wetsuit to wrap over it. 5mm is perfect for cold water, but I use it in warm as well so I don't get blisters from my fins. The sole is a new feature which is a little thicker than most (but I still don't understand `vulcanizing'). Most booties will have a non-corrosive zipper, but this one doesn't need lubricating and works fine. The boot is an easy on and off fit. Easy and comfortable. U.S. Divers 5mm Comfo High Cut Snorkling and Diving Boot (Size 10)

Bought these for fall kayaking and they're working out great. The first time I used them the water that I had to step in to was too deep, so obviously I got wet, but my feet were still very warm. Second time I used them, I was able to step in fairly shallow water. They kept my feet dry and warm for the entire 5 hour kayaking trip. Highly recommended.

What a great buy! I bought these U.S. Divers booties after seeing other dive boots that did not even look as durable at dive shops for 48$ and up..

I recieved these from Amazon, and immediately tried them on to get a great big smile from the great bargain I got- for $25..

VERY nice construction and re-inforcements on the top of the foot and the back of the heel.

VERY comfortable with a generously thick soft sole.

**I had read reviews that said that these run big, so I ordered my size 11 feet size 10 boots, and I ordered my fiancee's size 7 feet size 6 boots. Both pairs fit us perfectly! Order them a size smaller than normal.

They even LOOK great!

Great product at a great price!

I ordered three pair of these boots for my family. Based upon other published reviews they were ordered on the small side. I usually wear a size 11 so I ordered a 10. It is a bit tight but usable. I ordered size 5 for my daughter (normally a women's 8) and size 6 for my wife (normally women's size 8 1/2). The 6's barely fit my daughter. I sent the 5's back in exchange for 7's to fit my wife.

Conclusion: The published sizes are reasonably accurate. Think twice about the recommendations to order small.

The quality seems very good for the price.

When making order, there is no way to choose men or women, thought it's unisex.

Based on others review that the boots tend to be larger, so, ordered size 6 (normal shoe size 7 ). After received the order, the boots look slim, and cute, fit for me. But there is a little problem with the bottom inside. so called the customer service, and ordered a replacement. After the size 6 replacement arrived, they look much bigger than the original size 6, put them together and compared, found they look different, the original have a blue print at the back looks like "W", and do not have the white line at the bottom, guess that's for women, and the replacement does not have it (looks exactly like the pic on the website, with the white line at bottom), probably for men. but there is no selection options on the ordering page, so you never know which style will be shipped to you.

The boot itself is ok.

Well, I followed the advice of other feedback and ordered a size smaller than the shoe sizes we wear. My Womens 7 shoe size was perfect as a size 6 boot, BUT my husband's Mens 11 shoe size was a catastrophe as a boot size 10. The size 10 boot looks more like a women's shoe size 8 -- about 2 inches shorter than my husband's 11 shoe. Both the packaging and the boots say size 10. So, guess we'll try another size...Boots look great. My size 6 fits great. Very comfy!'

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Framing Nails

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I bought a new Bostitch N80CB framing nailer from Amazon, then had difficulty finding a local source of coil nails here in Silicon Valley. So I ordered these nails in the 400-pack from Amazon also.The nails came in two coils of 200 nails each, in a corrugated cardboard box; I expect the 2500-pack to be similar. There was no other packaging, and my coils were a bit squashed after shipping. I had to unwind the full 200 nail coil and rewind it to fit smoothly around the spindle of my nailer.How did the nails work? Very well, after recoiling. I had no jams; no problems at all. A few cardboard cores to keep the coils from getting squashed in transit would help a bunch. I might well have had some feed problems if I hadn't straightened out the connecting wires before loading, so I deducted one star. But the price is decent, and Amazon's free shipping can't be topped. B & C Eagle 314X120C 3-1/4-Inch by .120-Inch by 15 Degree Wire Collated Coil Framing Nail (2,500 per Box)

I imagine any nail will hold two boards together, especially when fired from a gun. Fortunately, I found out the holding power of these nails when I needed to pry two boards apart. I was almost able to pry them apart with my bare hands after separating the boards a mere 1/4 of an inch. After further inspection of the nails I realized that the glue simply peeled off and was too soft in composition to marry the boards together with any real integrity. I recommend Senco nails if u can afford them. The glue is good quality and the grooves which run the length of the nail marry the boards together very well. Make sure u get it right the first time because getting them apart is tough.

These nails work better for me than the last batch I purchased. Not because of a defect in the product but because they are longer than the last ones I purchased. My suggestion would be to analizer the product that you are doing and buy the bigger ones for multiple jobs in the future or just buy muliple boxes and sizes. have not had any jams or hang ups with these nails. I am a weekend warrior so mine isnt for commercial use though I think they could be.

I bought these, and a box of Bostitch framing nails. These came bouncing around in a flimsy, dented box that was too big for the nails. I easily opened the box and found 11 out of 12 coils of nails were smashed to the point I had to "work them out". The Bostitch nails were actually less money, and they arrived in a stout, perfectly packaged box, in perfect condition, a day sooner than these. These nails worked fine after "fixing" them. They leave a black greasy residue on your hands.'

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Best Finish Nailer

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I posted this review over in the Hitachi MA2 version, a long standing favorite amongst the pros. I wanted to post it here as well considering it really is about the MA4. Here it is.

I've done/doing some professional woodworking and have a lifetime of experience. In air driven nailers I have Porter Cables upholstery stapler, their 23 gauge pin nailer, an 18 gauge, two of their 16 gauge nailers. I impulsively bought the Bostitch after reading the first page reviews, and then spent a couple of hours researching the Hitachi vs. the Bostitch. After comparing, this is what I found.

A lot of people are jumping on the Bostitch band wagon because it is the lightest at 3.8 pounds, it is dry as in no oil, and it has class leading 400 inch pounds of power. I was dazzled and bought right away. After digging deeper, I am refusing the Bostitch and getting the Hitachi. They both have the "durable composite magazine" (plastic) that holds the nails. The Hitachi with its aluminum housing only weighs .4 pounds more as in 4.2 instead of 3.8. That extra .4 is not going to make a difference. The oil issue is seemingly an advantage in that the Bostitch runs dry, but my other nailers are all oiled, and all I do is drive 2 or 3 nails into a piece of scrap to blow out the excess oil when first putting a couple of drops in the gun, and the rest of the time it is dry. Also the 400 pounds of torque is not an issue because the 15 gauge nailers have tons of power as compared to the 16 gauge, so much so that a small difference in power is irrelevant. When I borrowed a PC 15 gauge and first fired it, it went off with a POW instead of a pop like the 16. Substantially more power resulted in me being able to drive the nails into the tongue side of a 7/8" board deep enough that I didn't have to get out my center punch and tap it in the rest of the way; it drove deep and flush on the first try every time after setting it properly.

I am concerned about the many reviews that appear mostly all on the secondary pages on the Bostitch about having driver failure problems. Professionals who hit nails when driving a nail complain of having to go back and spend $35 to have the driver replaced every time they do. On the other hand the Hitachi has a ton of reviews many from deeply seasoned pro's that use it daily, for years, and never had a hiccup, other than an occasional, easily correctable nail jam. I'm using this right away on driving nails into crown moldings in a circa 1955 house with plaster walls, and the corners are all strengthened with lath wire so it is probable that I will be hitting metal more than just a few times. I don't want to worry about having to send it back to the shop to replace a driver every time I do.

This Hitachi NT65MA2 15 gauge has been updated twice. The 3 was out before in a lime green, and now the new item is the same model with a 4, as in NT65MA4. It has the same layout, but a slightly different look with the same industrial feel to it, and it is not lime green or gray, but silver. It appears that the main body is also a little bit larger.

The Bostitch is a fine tool but you will notice that the home hobbyist is praising it more and the pro's are booing it more. All you have to do is look down the review results and you will see the Bostitch has a wide spread review base with a liberal amount of 3's, 2's, and 1's as well as the 4's and 5's. The Hitachi is mostly 5's, and some 4's with no 3's, 2's, or 1's at all. That's quite a drastic difference. With reviews going all the way back to 2004 that is quite a lot of time for someone to hate the tool, and nobody does.

I wanted to say that the MA4 is only available at the time of writing this review through an Amazon merchant and not an Amazon in stock item, but I am sure Amazon will be picking it up directly soon. That was another decision I had to make. Do I buy the older tried and true, super reviewed MA2 model, or go for the newest version from Hitachi and get the MA4. After speaking to the rep he mentioned that it was the same industrial grade piece of equipment as the MA2 so I went for it. The body of the MA4 is even a little beefier.

Now onto the Hitachi and some of the things I love about it. First off it has an air blowing feature. You may think that is trivial, but it is a great feature that everyone is raving about. When I bought my Bosch jig saw it had an air blowing line that would remove the dust from where the blade meets the wood so you can see the line. After using lesser jig saws and not being able to see the line due to instant dust buildup, that was quite an improvement, so I am partial to air blowing capabilities. Even though with a nailer you don't wind up with the same problem, this thing has an air blower that is so strong that you can clean off a large workbench in only a few seconds; it comes in handy. It also has an interesting air input connection that is configured so you can keep the air line out of the way, and suspended in air so it is not so likely to bump into things. The Hitachi also has the continuous firing option whereas the Bostitch has the single firing option only. With continuous firing you can squeeze the trigger, and as fast as you plunge the head into the workpiece it fires repeatedly. You may have seen this feature on guns that are used to place tar paper on the side of buildings. Once up on the ladder they spread out a sheet, and pow, pow, pow. None of this stuff of positioning the gun, depress the nose, and then fire. That is great when you are doing precision work, but when you have larger areas that require multiple shots the multiple fire feature is great.

Nail availability. The Bostitch is the odd man out when it comes to nails in the industry; they only accept Bostitch nails. So Bostitch is proprietary forcing you to buy their nails. The Hitachi accepts the popular standard size from other manufacturers so when you are in the middle of a job you can access them locally, and not have to worry about overstocking everything all of the time. I normally would still prefer to use Hitachi nails in the Hitachi gun just in case but when viewing the ads for B&C Eagle nails they state, "Fits Senco, Hitachi, PC, Rigid, Milwaukee, Makita, Craftsman, Dewalt, and most other 15 gauge angled finish nailers." So you can see that you will never be stuck finding a compatible nail for the Hitachi 15 gauge nailer.

Overall the Bostitch is not a bad gun, but it appears that jams are more frequent after some use, and of course when they occur they bend over and mar the wood. Maybe this feature of having more power may be the reason why the driver gets broken. Combining that with a no oil environment may be the culprit.

I've also seen some pretty high priced Hitachi equipment, and with the discount I was able to purchase it for a price super close to the Bostitch. Bostitch is a good name, but in this case, I like the Hitachi better. Hitachi includes a nice case, and even a pair of safety glasses; nice touch. I just wish they included a small bottle of the oil. Maybe they didn't want to deal with the oil spill creating a mess problems. Oh well, no biggie. The bottom line to me is ease of use with multiple nail driving options and reliability. Hitachi NT65MA4 15 Gauge Angle Finish Nailer'

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