Cut-off Saw - metal-cutting saws

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This saw does the job for metal cutting but it is a little light in the base frame area and the rubber feet are rather light duty. Watch for them, they fall off fairly easy. I put some "Goop" on them to keep in place. Also arrived slightly damaged due to inadaquate packaging and the rough handling from UPS. This seems to be a popular theme with UPS as several other items they have delivered arrived damaged. It appears that perhaps they start throwing them out of the planes and/or trucks before they come to a complete halt??!! In all fairness , UPS is not the only one at fault. Companies [Hitachi, Jet, etc] need to wake up to the fact that you cannot send an item like a chop saw or a midi-lathe etc. in flimsy boxes with less than acceptable packing foam,and cardboard that is way too thin. Amazon should get on there case! Hitachi CC14SF 14-Inch Portable Chop Saw - Metal-cutting Saws'

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Cut-off Saw - metal-cutting saws metal-cutting saws Cut-off Saw - metal-cutting saws

Survival Gear - survival gear, survival

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UPDATED(3-28-2011) - SEE UPDATE SECTION AT END:



I tried this magnesium fire starting tool - SE(Emergency Fire Starter - SE - Emergency Fire Starter) out as well as the alternative from (from Doan Machinery & Equipment - "Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Fire Starter" Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Fire Starter).



Both tools work perfectly fine as described and were able to light up fine fibers(cotton, moss, dried grass) and paper without a problem. The Doan tool has more precise instructions and clearly states on the packaging to scrape the magnesium portion of the bar with a knife blade PERPENDICULAR to the edge of the tool. I found this to method made for the most shavings and larger shavings at that. The packaging clearly states that you want a QUARTER(U.S. Coin) sized amount (just shy of 1 inch or 2.4cm diameter) Then holding the bar at 45 degree angle to the pile of shavings drag the knife along the flint to create sparks. The directions remind you to hold the blade perpendicular to the bar while "striking" the flint. I would advise not to strike the flint as they are brittle. However, a nice quick full length drag of the blade down the flint creates a shower of sparks for easy ignition of the magnesium shavings.



Both brands work fine. They are nearly identical in shape(the SE is a few mm longer). Each brand has a different finish/coating on the bar itself is about the only difference I can tell. The performance seemed to be identical or at least close enough to not notice anything to complain about. The big difference is the price. The SE(made in China) is about half the price of the Doan(Made in USA - Patented). It appears to me that they are both the same design with slightly different execution of it, and one is just made overseas so that is why it's cheaper(unless there is less active "ingredients"(magnesium).



One other note: The SE(Chinese one) also comes with a saw blade striker that does work but you need to wear through a protective layer of lacquer for it to work and it's just small enough to annoy my large hands. I just stick with a cheap staineless steel pocket knife for this. I always carry about 3-4 blades when I'm out hiking(cheap folder that I don't care if it gets ruined, sometimes a higher quality folder, always a fixed blade that is larger with full tang, and usually a multi tool(leatherman).



You can't go wrong with either tool. I'd prefer to buy American(Doan - the "other" one) in the long run though, especially for something I might end up having my life depend on.



EDIT: One last note on product life- depending on how much magnesium you need to get your fire going each time, I think the flint will run out long before you ever use up all the magnesium.



UPDATED: 03-28-2011



There have been a ton of reviews mentioning that the DOAN tool being purchased is no longer made in USA or shipped as a knock off. Be careful which seller you buy from. I will be posting pictures later today that show the SE Tool side by side with the Doan tool. I no longer have the packaging to show what they look like however.



The seller I purchased the DOAN GENUINE ISSUE from was known as "CLASSICAL FITNESS & HEALTH" / "Waterglider LLC". They no longer have it stocked apparently.



A GENUINE DOAN FIRE STARTER SHOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION STAMPED ON ONE SIDE WITH AN ADDRESS ON THE OTHER. THE FIRST LINE IS THE NSN(Nato Stock Number):

"

4240-01-160-5618

FSCM 62561

MFR/PN 8702

FIRE STARTING TOOL

MAGNESIUM

U.S. PATENT NO. 4,188,192

"



Reverse Side:

"

SPARKING INSERT

MFD. BY DOAN MACH. & EQUIP. CO. INC.

P.O. BOX 21334

SO. EUCHLID, O. 44121

SHAVING EDGE

" Emergency Fire Starter

I received this today, and it works great. I would suggest using the back (non-serrated) edge of the steel to shave the magnesium and the serrated edge for striking the flint. The magnesium block and flint both have some kind of coating, so the first time you use it it'll take a few extra tries. I've seen these selling for double or triple the price and people were happy to pay it, so this is an excellent deal!

I bought this along with the Swedish Firesteel to test them out. I like this product due to the fact that you can shave the magnesium off and use it to start the tender, however I found that the flint was difficult to use and did not put off much spark. It did spark, though. The swedish firesteel throws of a much bigger and hotter spark and was much easier to use, however if you do not have good tender it doesn't matter much. I think that having both of them together is good and they are both are a relatively inexpensive purchase if you consider how valuable they are when needed.

I recently bought this and received it in the mail in about two days.

I opened the package and the instructions were very clear on how to use it. Great product it works its not expensive and very helpful.

This works as advertised for starting fires.



You can create magnesium shavings with a knife or the serrated edge of the striker, or you can use different tinder (dryer lint, Tinder-Quik and WetFire all worked for me without any Mg.)



The flint and striker produce a nice shower of sparks that's easy to get to ignite your tinder. I believe it would be good for thousands of uses.

A friend and I went out today hunting for morels, and decided to try this tool in semi-moist conditions. We were able to ignite a fist-sized bundle of grass and thistle into an amazingly hot fire very quickly. We scraped the shavings onto the dented side of an aluminum can, moved them gently into the tender bundle, and ignited them with a few strokes of the flint.



We were both shocked at the ease and success of the initial attempt.



The flint seems to have a coating on it, which may need to be worn off before good sparks will be produced. After it was a bit "worn", we were getting heavy sparks which would ignite dry tinder, even without the magnesium, most likely (though this was not tested, as tinder was moist). The magnesium gave substantial heat and height to the first flames, and the bundle went up very quickly.



Even those used to using flint and strikers should think about the addition of magnesium to their kit. In wetter weather, it provides a great burst of heat that might be the critical "push" to getting a good fire started--especially lacking proper tinder.



This is a great price and item that might give substantial ease and comfort in a bad situation. - Emergency Kit - Survival - Survival Gear - Camping'

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Ipod Touch Charger

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Any time I purchase an item this inexpensive, I'm always apprehensive about connecting it to a considerably more expensive device and risk damaging the connected device.



Therefore I decided to evaluate this charger with a dummy-load. I measured the charging current draw of my old Sansa MP3 player, which was nominally 180ma. For USB, the charger should maintain nominal output voltage of 5VDC, under various loads. Here are the results of the evaluation.

Open-circuit (no load) output voltage: 5.15VDC

Output voltage with 10 ohm (10 watt) resistor: 4.83VDC (ripple less then 200mv, sawtooth waveform, 30KHz, nominal current draw 480ma).



I burned-in the device under continuous load for 24 hours; the re-measured output voltage showed no substantial change. Also, after the burn-in period, the 2.4 watt load draw did not result in a significant temperature rise felt in the charger itself.



Disclaimer: These results are for the single unit I evaluated, I make no claims that all, or any other chargers of this type will produce the same results. It's clear that I did not stress to unit to it's maximum stated capacity of 1000ma. Users should not assume that their USB devices will not exceed the current draw rating of the device, particularly when charging more then one device. I have done this evaluation for my own purposes; I have no connection with any of the sellers, or the manufacturer of this device.



UPDATE: I used the charger to successfully recharge the Sansa MP3 player without issue. Of course, at this point I can not speak to reliability over time, as I just started using the device. As a side point, the power pins of the unit I have appear to be very firmly attached; again this is the only unit I have at this point (three more on order), so I can not speak to quality-control as regards this USB charge in general. Reminder, care should be taken not to exceed the current ratings of the device, as this could result in over-heating the charger, which could in turn result in loosening of the power pins. AC to Dual Port USB Wall Charger

I spent a considerable amount of time reading various reviews on the lowest priced USB wall chargers and other plugin chargers for the Apple iPod Touch.



The majority of them had a very large amount of poor reviews that included problems such as breaking, not working, malfunctioning and cause problems with devices used with, etc... So, consequently I was afraid I may be wasting my money on a product that might not even work cause the price is just so super cheap.. 15 cents for a USB charger + $2.97 shipping... I thought, yeah, right.. it can't possibly be that good for this price, particularly when Apple sells their made in china OEM for $30 and UP, but hey, for this price I figured I'd take a chance since it worked well for the other 4 whom left reviews, and I am glad I did.



It works and charges well. If you need a battery charger for your ipod or iphone for when you're not home or at a computer, this is a must have item. You don't need to spend $30 for an Apple one just because it's Apple when both the Apple one and this one are made in China, but this one works perfect and is a price you just can't beat.

I used this charger on a trip I took recently. Any time I landed in an airport, when sitting around waiting for a connecting flight I would plug this into the wall and then plug my ipod touch into one of the two open usb ports. I have a second generation ipod touch 16gig memory and this charger worked great with it.



I have been using it a lot at home as well to charge up my ipod touch because sometimes I don't feel like getting my computer out just to charge the device. So I leave this plug connected to a wall socket and just plug my ipod touch into it - works like a charm.

Bought this based on the relatively good reviews. Charged my iPhone 3GS once with it. Tried again two days later and this thing was dead.



I've tried a number of cheap chargers. Most were a complete bust like this one. Only cheap one that's lasted for me is the one called "Premium Rapid Home Travel Wall Charger ". It's the one with the blue LED light on it.

This item failed on first use. When I opened it up (I'm an electrical engineer... I had to open it, didn't I?) I found a decent circuit board, average components and the worst soldering job ever. What failed? The wires that were soldered to the back of the steel plug blades were cold soldered and came apart. Plus the blades were held in place with a friction fit which also failed, leaving exposed metal in the socket when the plug came apart. Construction is so bad that I estimate that the electrical integrity is likely just as bad and may actually harm delicate electronics like cell phones. Be careful and avoid this one!!!!

Purchased this travel charger almost a year ago. Worked fine for awhile (as long as I had it plugged into the wall outlet and didn't "travel" with it. A few weeks ago I took it out of it's usual position and carried it into another room to charge iPod. When retrieving it to take it back to its normal position, one of the metal prongs just came out! I was blessed that I wasn't electrocuted.



I believe I paid about 10 cents plus $3 shipping.



Moral of the story: "You usually get what you pay for."



Advise: Don't do it!

I bought this to replace my old USB charger which is not compatible with my new iPod touch 3G. It works great. I also use it to charge my Nokia cell phone, and charge AA/AAA Ni-Mh rechargeable batteries with an cheap ebay USB AA/AAA battery charger. All work great. And what I like it most is that it has two ports, so you can charge two items at the same time. For less than $4, I cannot be more satisfied.

Power pin came out in the wall socket. Had to flip the house breakers

to get it out. Inserted it back in the charger and plugged it in.

Heard arcing noises and the GFC tripped on the outlet. Device

no longer functions. Pulled on the other electrical pin and it

came out. They aren't secured to the device.



Worked on most of our clips until it broke.



See more bad reviews of the same product at

eForCity Universal Black 2 Port USB Travel Charger Adaptor

for iPhone / iPod / PDA / Digital Camera'

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Recommend - sawzall

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This is a rugged saw with enough power for most jobs. There are a couple of plain steel starter blades included although you'll need better for serious work. I bent the wood blade on my second cut. Now, I *was* cutting pressure-treated wood, which is metal insinuated into the cellulose fibers. But even the "manual" (just a single large sheet, with many folds) recommends using bimetal blades because of their superior durability. I picked up a couple for about 5 bucks total and got to work.The included case is nice. Note that you'll have to remove the blade when stowing the saw; it won't fit otherwise. But you can transport the saw without worrying about snagging the cord or damaging something.Nice for the price. Black & Decker RS500 8.5 Amp Reciprocating Saw

I bought this one based on price alone. There have been many times when having a reciprocating saw around the house would have been just the ticket. After looking around and not wanting to spend the money on a cordless I decided to give this one a shot and am glad I did. There is plenty of power for everything I've needed it for, the blade locking system is fine and provided you choose the proper blade for the task it will do what is needed. One thing to keep in mind is that blade selection is 75% of the equation with these things. Wood blade for wood, metal blade for metal, etc. DO NOT go with cheap blades and you won't be disappointed.

First, I am a casual, around-the-house handyman, not a professional. So this saw is great for me. Not too expensive, but does everything I need it to.Comes in a nice case, and I bought a couple of heavy duty blades at Home Depot for a project I needed to do.

I am doing a major remodel job to my bathroom. The steel bathtub had to be removed. Rather than rent a saw or hire someone to do the job, I purchased the RS500K and planned on splitting the tub in two so it could easily be removed. Spent another $30 for a few different blades. Tungsten Carbide worked best at a slower speed for this tough sawing job. Speed control was a little tricky at first but it was pretty easy to get the hang of it. Cutting in middle of the tub took a bit of acrobatics and was a bit tricky. I was able to reverse the blade and cut in a push instead of a pull direction quite safely. It also made the acrobatics easier to endure. Steady easy pressure finally got the job done. Actually took quicker than I thought it would. Holding the saw, whether pushing or pulling was quite comfortable. Dont forget the cutting oil, it does make a difference. The motor does get hot, but anywhere you are holding the saw, you are far from the heat of it. So for doing the odd tough jobs, this is all you need. The blades that came with the saw are not tungsten carbide, though I did try the metal blade and the quality seemed comparable to a similiar type from another brand. Storage case is nice and plenty of room to keep spare blades.

I purchased this B&D product from menards. I had an old milwaukee Reciprocating Saw that had the screw in for the blade change. When I got it, the screw was striped out. I tapped out the scew and put a new one in. After my first cut, it stripped out again. So I gave it away an bought this one. I have used this saw for hundreds of project and the quick blade change is completely awesome. For the money I spent on this item, it's well worth the price that I got it.



Buy it, you won't be dissapointed

I bought this saw a few years ago and have used it for a few small jobs. However, it proved itself this past weekend as we gutted our kitchen down to the studs. We used this saw to cut out an arch that was built into a breakfast nook area. It consisted of several layers of 2x4 boards, metal drywall corner pieces, metal mesh, etc. This saw zipped through all of that and we pulled the arch out in no time. I also used it to clean up the mess from our project and was impressed with how quickly it cut through the debris to make for more manageable pieces. I started my cleanup with a buddy's saw and its blade became stuck in a chunk of 2x4/plaster and I couldn't get it unstuck. I used my saw to get the other blade cut out and the rest of the structure cut up. This saw and a pack of good blades is all you will need for most demo projects!

I was a little concerned about a "refurb", 6.5 amps and a Black and Decker but once I put a blade in and put it to a pressure treated 4X4 my doubts were cut as quickly as the 4X4. I cut ten 4X4s in a row and it didn't get hot or bog down at all. As far as "refurb" goes I couldn't tell this from brand new and will continue to look for "refurb" bargains on Amazon. Granted I am not a carpenter or professional but I have an older Sawzall (Porter) that didn't have the easy blade inserts and frankly I can't tell the difference between them other than the B&D is lighter and the quick change blades is a blessing. Why buy a new one? I still can't find my old one in the garage! - Sawzall'

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Socket Wrenches - stanley, socket

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This is a great little spark plug socket set, and includes the three most common sizes, 5/8", 3/4", and 13/16".



I have several socket sets of various sizes (and costs), some big, and some little. For some reason, every one of them includes only one size spark plug socket, 5/8".



Recently I've noticed that my small power tools, like my chainsaw, trimmer, and leaf blower are getting really hard to start. So, I decide to replace the spark plugs on them, and that's when I discover that all of the spark plugs are 3/4", much too large to work with my 5/8" sockets.



I tried the little free socket wrench that comes with most of the power tools, and it bends without taking out the plug. I guess that's what happens when you wait several years between changing the plugs. Oops!



So I go in search of the right size, and I find that most sets include two sizes: 5/8" and 13/16". Every size but the one I need, of course!



Imagine my surprise when I run across this little beauty. It includes all three sizes, and holds the socket on the walls instead of the corners (which prevents the plug from rounding off). The little plastic case they come in is handy for storage and can hang on a pegboard hook, so you'll be able to find them when you need them.



Very nice little solution to a vexing problem. Reasonably priced, too. Just try not to wait as long as I did before changing the plugs!



Sean P. Logue, 2008 Stanley 85-721 3/8-Inch Drive 6-Point Professional Grade Spark Plug Socket Set, 3-Piece

These are high quality spark plug sockets in the three most popular standard sizes (5/8", 3/4", and 13/16"). They are made of Chromium Vanadium (Cr-V) and have a polish chrome finish. The rubber lining inside grabs onto the ceramic portion of the spark plug tightly, and it protects it from damaging the plug. It also keeps the socket vertical while you are loosening or tightening the plug. I highly recommend these to anyone looking for high quality 3/8" drive spark plug sockets. The picture on Amazon is wrong. The largest size, the 13/16" one, looks like a 12 point socket in the picture, but it's not. All three of them are six point sockets.

The only beef I have with this set is the retention rubber. It does an excellent job of grabbing the head of the plug, but the rubber tends to stay with the plug, not the socket. This is no big deal unless you have an engine with deep cylindrical spark plug shafts where no needle-nose pliers can reach (like my 2001 Toyota Tundra). And obviously this is only a problem when installing the plugs.However, I was able to solve this problem with a little Henkel 235522 Loctite 0.2-Ounce Tite'n Nuts and Bolts Locker. I'm sure epoxy would probably work, too, but I didn't have any handy. It was solid after about 10 minutes (I was antsy to get my plugs changed), and the rubber has since never come out.Great quality, but 4 stars for the need for glue.

I was working on my lawnmower getting it ready for the new season and realized that the spark plug change required a special sized socket that I did not have in my normal socket set. I went on Amazon to find the right socket and found this Stanley set -- they were perfect. The largest one fit like a glove on the spark plug I was changing and it did not require and special socket wrench handle, I just used the one out of my normal set. The perfect amount of oomph (torque) and the spark plug change was done in 2 minutes. For my application, this worked perfectly!



Predictable Stanley quality -- good stuff, solid socket set that I think will last forever given my use. It's found a permanent spot in my tool chest.

This socket set is unique in that it has a hex bolt at the top so that you can use a pair of pliers to rotate. I used this socket set in conjunction with an allen wrench to remove the strut mounts out of a 99 vw beetle, instead of buying that special metalgeek part. Worked perfectly. - Socket - Socket Sets - Socket Wrenches - Stanley'

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Playstation 3 - soccer, playstation 3

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I am one of those people who won't get a new game system any time soon. I'm happy to wait some time for an excellent machine. I may get a Kinnect sometime in the future. But still on the fence. That's why I'm still gaming on my PlayStation 2.



And was relieved to get PES 2011. The game is quality. FINALLY! Copa Libertadores! Its about time! Are you listening EA & FIFA Series? Copa Libertadores really stands out. I'm enjoying it massively.



Next - Continental Championships and World Cup-esque tournaments. These are quality as well. Highly recommended.



Next Next - Be a World Player for a season is Class. I'd say the most impressive aspect of this version. Well after Copa Libertadores! Of course. Being a Yankee Soccer Fanatic I of course play Yanks playing in Europe. I like playing with Stuart Holden. Its beast. But I also enjoy playing with the super stars because you know you're needed. Just pick you pick, Roanldinho, Tevez, Gooch, Spector, Dempsey, Davies and the rest of the greatest US Yanks Soccer team! Yeah! Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 - Pes - Soccer - Pro Evolution Soccer - Playstation 3'

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sunglasses - eye protection, boating

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Wow! Since when can one get 'safety' glasses that are as fashionable as this? At $12.99, Amazon is selling this at a good price and I'm happy with the product. It hugs my face, looks sporty, is light weight and feels sturdy. I would not hesitate to recommend this product or to buy it again. AO Safety/3M Tekk 90988 Fuel High Performance Safety Glasses with Platinum Frame #90988

These Safety glasses are great, certified, great looking, and stylish. I use these for outside work, and also have another pair to use as normal sunglasses because they look and feel really good. They also come with a protective case!

I am really hard on glasses. I clean my glasses maybe once a week in the dishwater after I finish washing dishes if that gives you any clue. These frames and lenses have held up well over a month or so of use, mainly for driving and lawnmowing. My two main issues are (1) the lenses are not dark enough and (2) the frames (though durable) look like cheap plastic. The plastic is some type of soft, flexible plastic rather than hard brittle plastic, and I'm certain that will make them much less likely to snap, but the flat matte surface finish is a little different. I like the wrap-around design and wide temples. The things that look like temple vents on the front aren't - they're just fake vents - so fogging is occasionally a problem as it might be with any close design like this without vents of some kind. Buy these if you need a good pair of durable safety glasses, but don't expect to be entirely happy with the styling and materials if you want a pair of very durable sunglasses for general purpose wear as I did.

These are comfortable and they definitely do their job. That being said, using these on a regular basis causes the rubber to start to peel off and deteriorate. Also, if you're using them for any application where they're going to be subjected to repeated hits (debris from weed-eating, for example), they are going to get scratched up pretty quick. There's not much point in spending 15 bucks if you're using them like that; you'd be better off getting a box of cheap safety glasses. Otherwise, they look more like sunglasses than safety glasses and are a decent buy.

Stupid looking? I honestly don't agree. I guess that's just a matter of taste but I have gotten nothing but positive comments about these when I wear them and I work in the public eye. They look stylish, protect my eyes, and have a nice case to store them in. I can't complain.

I have ordered 5 pairs of these glasses not at any fault of the glasses and more the fault of my kids and dog. Anyway they are very comfortable and light. They are great safety glasses and the only sunglasses I wear.AO Safety 93201 Orange County Chopper Eyewear, Blue Mirror

The lenses on these are great. I do not have prescription glasses, and usually see better with sunglasses. My eyesight is excellent with these. I also have had no color distortion, as I have had with other sunglasses in the past.



The arms are a little fragile, my 3-year old broke both arms on my first pair. The provided case provides great protection for the glasses though.



Two thumbs up!

I have several pair of the AO Safety "Fuel" safety sunglasses and swear by them for almost any outdoor activity. My first choice when I'm sailing and working on boats and even for general wear outside on bright days. Very comfortable, non-distorting and inepensive and compareable to sun glasses that cost several times as much with the safety factors to boot! One word applies: awesome! - Lawn Equipment - Boating - Sunglasses - Eye Protection'

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