Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tools

Building a Utility Trailer without welding?

mrflibble — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:09:21 -0800

I'm thinking of building a utility trailer. I can't weld: no experience or tools for it. Would bolting and/or riveting do the trick and make for a sturdy trailer? Any other tips are welcome. Where to buy steel in SE Michigan, (Square rather than Angle) as well as an axle kit.

Also, will I really be able to build a better one for less cost?

Where can I buy a Hakapik?

subtle_squid — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:01:52 -0800

Does anyone know where I might be able to buy a hakapik? I'm not actually interested in hunting seals. I'm just interested in unusual hand tools. There is still commercial sealing going on the world so I'd think someone would manufacture the tools of the trade commercially. If they exist, they don't seem to have a website I can find through Google. Any ideas?

Help him adaptto finger amputation

shylady — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:41:12 -0800

My wonderful great uncle had to have his right index finger amputated at the middle knuckle a year or so ago. He is 92 years old, lives alone, and has coped with loneliness (since the loss of his beloved wife 8 years ago) by keeping himself busy with construction related hobbies and cooking. I found out that he is really suffering from the loss of his normal pincer grasp. He specifically mentioned trouble using a hammer and nails. What can I do to make his life/hobbies easier, other than suggest a thumb and middle finger pincer grasp? Are there any products or tools you can recommend?

Old Bosch jigsaw model equivalent?

Sebmojo — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:57:20 -0800

I'm looking for a second hand jigsaw that is equivalent in quality to a Bosch GST 100 BCE - any ideas? In a hilarious yet really damn annoying mishap, one of the tradespeople who worked on our kitchen recently took a jigsaw that a builder friend lent us. We've asked them all, but they claim not to have it - so, it's replacement time. Unfortunately the model of jigsaw, above, is no longer current.

What is a model of equivalent quality that I can look for second hand? Even better, any idea where I could pick up a GST 100 BCE in New Zealand for under $NZ200?

Seeking clicking mechanism or design...

pallen123 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:21:02 -0800

What kind of small toys or devices click when you rotate them forwards and backwards? Seeking mechanism or design... I’m trying to help a friend design a small toy and she needs a mechanism that will click in very small increments as she rotates a small (1 inch diameter) dial that turns 360 degrees on its axis. She needs the dial to click precisely as it turns clockwise and counterclockwise in smallish increments. I was thinking a fishing reel mechanism might work, but that just allows turning in one direction. Then I thought a ratchet wrench mechanism might work, but that also turns in just one direction (and I’m not sure how the inside of a ratchet wrench works either). Can anyone think of existing toys or devices that have a clicking mechanism that freely rotate? Novel solutions? Suggestions? Thank you!

Best online broker for newbie investor w/ modest funds?

mintyfresh — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:41:32 -0800

I'm trying to choose an online broker. Fees vs. site functionality and features are my main concern. (1) What is the best online broker for someone who has between 5 to 10K to invest? (2) Is there any advantage to paying higher per-trade or per-contract fees for use of a site that has better features, or can all of the common features be found elsewhere easily? (3) Which discount broker has the best site functionality? I'm afraid of signing up for a discount broker with a site I'll hate later because it doesn't offer enough, and I'm also worried about paying too much for awesome tools I won't really need. With less than 10K at my disposal, fees could easily eat up my profits.

I'll be dabbling in trades and options, so the ideal brokerage would have low-to-moderate fees on both. Bulk pricing discounts probably won't be too relevant at the volumes at which I'll be trading.

I know sites like MSN Money have free tools available, although I'd rather have them at hand on my broker's site. I've also read that some of the best tools are on pay sites, though this may be hype. How do tools from discount brokers such as TradeKing, TradeMonster, and OptionsHouse stack up to the tools from higher-priced brokers such as Fidelity, Ameritrade, and Schwab, and how do they both stack up next to free and pay tools from other sites?

I'd appreciate tales of personal experiences with these sites, or with any others that I haven't mentioned. Are you happy with your broker? Were you ever unhappy enough that you switched to another? Also, do some pay site subscriptions offer a significant-enough advantage to be worth the cost, or are they a ripoff, or only useful for the experienced investor? I'm going to be taking a class from Investools this week, but I don't know if I'll end up paying for the subscription or not. Thanks!

What's a good way to collect rent online?

getupandgo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:52:34 -0800

Would anyone have recommendations for a rent payment website? I'm looking for a good solution for simplifying rent payments for a few out of state properties. I have talked to all of the tenants and they are pretty much all in agreement that they would use it if it were available, rather than sending checks in.agreement

I need the service for 8 units currently, are there any websites that people have experience using that they'd recommend?

User friendliness is a priority; something that tenants can just enter their routing number and link it to their bank accounts for either one time or automatic payment. Additionally, cost is a factor, although not as much as reliability and simplicity (I'm guessing that the fees wouldn't be excessive, hopefully I'm correct in that assumption). I don't need anything ultra fancy, just easy and secure. It would also be great if I could expand it at a later date if I end up adding more property.

Backing up a messed up older Mac?

southvie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:59:51 -0800

Best method/software for efficient, non-annoying backup for a slightly older Mac (G4 running 10.3.9)? Trying to back up a ton of Pro Tools sessions and other audio junk from an older G4 running OS X 10.3.9 onto a newish LaCie external drive. From several years of misuse, mismanagement and abuse, there are a lot of duplicate and corrupt files. Simply dragging and dropping the folders in Finder is getting annoying, because every time it encounters a corrupt or wonky file I have to start over and be super-diligent to ensure every single possible file is copied. Trying to get about 200G copied this way is becoming annoying and wasting lots of time.

Is there a better method or application I could use (ideally, free or cheap) to let this run for hours and have it automatically skip, check or even fix any messed up files -- and just have it done?

31 stylesheet limit... class != className... double margins... get me out of here!

tmcw — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:50:45 -0800

So, I am sadly tasked with debugging sites on IE every once in a while. Is there anything that even approaches the awesomeness of FireBug/Web Inspector for this task? And, the more advanced the better. I'm debugging what one might call 'serious shiz' like namespaces, tricky CSS bugs, javascript screwups...

Thanks! (and, of course, I'd prefer it to be free but if it's a paid deal and it works great it would be cake to sell it to the ol' upper management)

Tweezers that Grip?

jimmyjimjim — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:31:46 -0800

Is there a tool that's shaped and sized like a tweezers, but functions like a clothes pin....i.e. the jaws grip tightly unless released? I don't need particularly good quality, so I'm hoping there's something cheap that does this in hobby or hardware stores.

Have thy tools ready. God will find thee work.

nax — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:22:05 -0800

WoodworkingFilter-- I need a basic list of wood sculpting tools I'm an artist, but I've never done much sculpture, and now find myself in possession of an entire pear tree, cut into 2 to 6 foot chunks of varying diamaters. It's been curing for about 18 months, and now I'd like to start carving, and maybe building some simple benches. Might add some mosaic elements as well. So, hive mind, set me up with basic woodworking tools. I'm fine with power, but will also need hand tools. I'm looking for the name of the tool and what it does, so I don't look like a complete idiot (partial idiocy is fine) when going to stores to buy these things. Also if anyone has basic instructions on making giant lincoln logs, that would be great.

As a corollary-- what's the best place to buy these? Web (suggestions welcome), hardware store, Big Box, or art supply store (I'm on Chicago northside)?

harbor freight type store in/near boston

6550 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:35:27 -0800

Is there anything similar to Harbor Freight in the Boston metro area, T-accessible? After breaking a few small drill bits today I missed being able to run over to Harbor Freight and pick up multi-packs of the same small drill bits, among all the other inexpensive tools and hardware they have.

I realize the closest locations are in Worcester and Attelboro but not having a car makes it pretty inconvenient, and the commuter rail fare would negate much of the savings.

Make a Genogram online ?

southof40 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:43:59 -0800

Do you know of a online service to produce/maintain Genograms ? [Asking for my sister - I didn't know this before she asked but a Genogram is like a family tree on steroids - see the Wikipedia link for full details]

Is there a web based application out there that does the following:

1. Allows data entry to define a Genograms.
2. Allows preview of resulting diagram in browser.
3. Allows diagram to be output in JPG/PNG etc so that it may be embedded in Word, etc.

By the way I'm aware there is at least 1 executable which will help in the creation of Genograms but I'm specifically interested in it being offered as a service via a web browser.

Cheap, efficient way to learn German online.

ekpyrotic — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:21:01 -0800

Cheap, efficient way to learn German online. Hey guys, I'm a physics/philosophy double major in the UK. My specialism is philosophical logic, to gain postgrad admission to my top institutions I'll have to be a competent German reader (speaking, listening would be nice, but not essential).

I have a year and a half.

I was looking for some good online resources to learn the language. I'd be especially interested in good, thorough treatments of the grammar.

Tools That Make Other Tools

toomanyplugs — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:27:04 -0800

How did we go from basic rough hand tools to the point of having really precise tools? Specifically, how do you make a better tool from the ones you have on hand? I came across an article on Make: Magazine about casting parts and building your own machine shop that got me thinking about how we as a species have arrived at very precise tools that are capable of creating a perfect sphere. The statement that got me thinking was:

"The order is important, because each tool requires the use of the previous machines in its construction."

How did we progress from only bare hands to these very precise machines? What fundamental laws of the universe can be harnessed to build these tools? I would expect that it required the development of measuring devices that could also become more precise.

Some of the other things that got me thinking:

The "Universal Measure" (as I found out from that scene in Stephenson's Quicksilver with Hooke and the mercury on the table), or the ideas of "straight", "square", geometric construction, linkages, etc.

Are there any good resources that speak about this? How would one go about recreating the level of precision we have now if trapped on a (technologically) desert island?

Looking for a farm-related gift for my father's birthday.

the foreground — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:58:14 -0800

Looking for a farm-related gift for my father's birthday. He recently bought a pretty large farm after living in the 'burbs his entire life. The main purpose of the farm is so my mother can house her horses there, but my father is quite excited to use their sizable land for other purposes too, which may or may not include raising chickens, growing all sorts of produce, and other activities that people do on farms... Also, he will have very little help in the way of manual labor, so any gifts that might make things easier or more automatic would be appreciated. Anything from books, tools, clothing, or anything else that will help him transition into the farm life. Price range <$300. Thanks!

Online Author Comparison

cell divide — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:41:08 -0800

Is there such thing as an online tool to compare two pieces of text and determine if they were written by the same author? If so, please link to them here and tell me about your experience using them. If not, please let me know about any offline tools or services that might be available. Thanks!

How can I strip a USB cable?

pwnguin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:24:57 -0800

How can I strip a USB cable? I'm cooking up some IR LEDs powered by USB, but I'm having a hell of a time with getting the power and ground cables stripped. I'm using the smallest hole on the tool (20 gage?), and I'm not sure if it's too small or too big -- it cuts into the insulation but takes a lot of effort to pull free, and the wires come with it.

Anyone have tips for getting this done? Better technique or a custom electronics tool?

I need power tools to rebuild my house

dness2 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:02:10 -0800

It's time to buy proper power tools and quit borrowing from the neighbors. I would like some recommendations on what has worked well for other people. I have the small items, but I need a good drill and a good circular saw. I strongly prefer cordless tools if available and up to the task, and of course want to buy into only one battery family. Given that I do some respectable renovation projects, will I be happy with an 18V system? Do you have any recommendations on the brand? I also need a compound miter saw (time to do the trim work), does anyone have a tool they love in that department? I realize this is all going to cost a few hundred - I'm looking for quality first, then budget. What tools will the neighbors want to borrow from me?

Man-Skills 101

man down under — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:23:23 -0800

Help me man-up! Inspired by these questions, I would like some pointers about how to become a more capable, handy man. My Dad never taught me any real practical skills when it came to household maintenance so now I am a 26 year old married man that is always asking brothers-in-law for tools and small maintenance jobs to be done. I'd obviously like to man-up a bit and be able to get my own tools from my own tool box and fix my own damn door that won't close properly!

So my question is two-fold:

1) What tools will I be needing in my beginners toolbox and for what reason?

2) What basic maintenance skills should I know or pick up? Please provide links to online tutorials, YouTube clips, or just really thorough idiot proof instructions for for unblocking the toilet.

Thanks for the oncoming Father-Son chat, AskMeDad.

Seeking massive lathe

mearls — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:58:52 -0800

Does anyone know where I can find an old wood lathe to restore and turn massive burls? This isn't your father's lathe, it's more likely your great grandfather's lathe and hasn't been out of the barn since before the War. It weighs half a ton. If you hang out at the VFW or in old union halls and ask around a massive bowl will be your reward for the beta. I'll go anywhere in the Northeast if it's cheap and farther than that if it is free.

Tooling for a belt

roomthreeseventeen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:33:39 -0800

What tool belt should I buy as a gift for my sweetie? SO has made several mentions that he is in need of a tool belt for the little projects he does around the house. Price isn't a huge factor, but I'd like one that's not terribly expensive/complicated. What do you use?

index, book ..... 124460

jessamyn — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:08:02 -0800

Creating my book's own index, crazy or sensible? I'm in the process of negotiating a contract for a non-fiction book I'll be writing. Part of the contract involves the indexer's fees being subtracted from whatever money I get. Indexing costs about $3/page, this is about a 250 page book, I'll be paid the typical small percentage per copy, no advance.

I'm aware of this question from 2004 which, yes, I even answered. I'm wondering whether software has advanced at all since then so that a person with a decent grasp of the tools could create a decent index given the time and inclination? Are there tools you'd suggest?

I'm actually interested in this process, not just doing it to save $750 or whatever. I think it would be fun to create my own index, but I may be wrong about that. Relatedly, since the book will be available in formats that are keyword searchable (I'm presuming) do indexes have the same import as they used to? This is more of an "I'm wondering" question but it's along the same lines. Thanks for any suggestions/advice.

Best Eyebrow Tweezers?

dreamphone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:35:08 -0800

Seeking your recommendation for best eyebrow tweezers. I’m looking for eyebrow tweezers that work. Revlon and other drugstore-brand styles don’t seem to work for me; over time they become less “true,” and some even don’t work straight out of the package. I’d like to take a step up in quality and price range (say $20-$50?), but don’t know where to look.

My only real requirement is that they have tapered (or pointed) tips. Would be nice to have scissor-style grips, but will consider any pair that you’ve had success with. (If it matters, I have thick hair, which occasionally takes some tugging to extract.)

A practical gift

blithecatpie — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:52:16 -0800

What are some useful items I can give to my friend as a gift for when she leaves to study abroad in Zambia? My dearest friend will be leaving in about a month for Zambia and I want to give her a gift of things that would really come in handy when she's there, only, I'm not sure what to get. I thought about a travel guide to the area, but what else would she find useful?

Thanks everyone!