If you’re one of those curmudgeons who grumps about how “they don’t build them like they used to,” the great finds from VintagePlumbing.com may be in your renovation future. While many companies and manufacturers have copied the aesthetic of the old days and created modern reproductions of baths, sinks, toilets and hardware, Los Angeles-based VintagePlumbing.com sells the real thing.

When looking through the inventory at VintagePlumbing.com, I must say that I never knew a toilet could be so pretty. Just like some food looks too good to eat, some of the thrones featured on the website look too good to do your business in. We’re talking embossed, hand-painted and lovingly etched toilets, people!

If the loo isn’t your obsession, there are also plenty of other plumbing-related beauties like old ribcage showers (so neat!), beautiful clawfoot and pedestal-style bath tubs, Victorian marble sinks and even farmhouse kitchen sinks. If you prefer to just get some finishing touches, there are lots of accessories and fixtures available at VintagePlumbing.com. There’s everything from vintage shower doors to nickel-plated bath tissue roll holders to art deco taps and faucets.

Whether you’re restoring the beauty of a 1930s home or you just want to inject some authentic vintage pieces into a powder room, VintagePlumbing.com is worth a look. While LA-based home owners can be treated to an in-person tour of the inventory, VintagePlumbing.com welcomes virtual customers from around the country.

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VintagePlumbing.com Keeps It Real

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Our friend Tony over PoundedThumb.net recently reviewed a batch of Scotch duct tape. Since I’m too lazy to duplicate his efforts, and it got cold outside here in San Diego (52 degrees. . . . brrrr), I’ll summarize his thoughts and testing here.

It turns out the days of strolling into your favorite home improvement store and simply grabbing a roll of duct tape are over. Scotch now has specialized tapes including No Residue, Extreme Hold, Heavy Duty All-Weather, Outdoor Painter’s Clean Removal, and, my personal favorite, Clear! Sometimes duct tape can look a little. . . how can I put this not delicately. . . . ghetto. Clear Scotch duct tape sounds like the ultimate stealth tape application. Ideal for when you don’t want your neighbors to know when you’ve stooped to using duct tape over some more permanent means of mechanical fastening.

Tony, not living in San Diego, apparently has had to contend with taping things in stuff called “snow” and “sub-zero” temperatures. He describes duct tape application environments I hope to never deal with: “This year, I used Extreme Hold to secure the cord to my garage floor and Transparent Tough tape to secure the extension cord to my siding and chimney exterior. Total install time – about 8 minutes. Two weeks after it went up, there’s 3 inches of snow on the ground, the temps have dipped down to the sub-zero level on a few nights and the tape is still holding.” Suffice it to say, if Scotch Tough duct tape can hold for 2 plus weeks in that environment, it would hold for at least 10 years here, when I do the unofficial San Diego vs. Cold Places time conversion.

So if you’re intrigued by special use duct tape, you can check out PoundedThumb.net’s full Scotch Tough Duct Tape review article directly. Scotch Tough Duct Tape is available for about $6-$10 at many Home Depots.

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Scotch Tough Duct Tape, The Review Is Clear

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That’s right we’re reviewing hand lotion. On HomeFixated. Your source for all things brutish. But this isn’t some rose-cotton-candy-pixie-dust-infused lotion you might be nasally accosted by when briskly walking by Bath and Bodyworks the last time you were dragged to the mall. This is “On The Job” hand lotion, made specifically for tradesmen (although I’m assuming women could use this too).

Here’s the first clue this isn’t your ordinary lotion, the container color is not fuscia, pink, light blue, or even white. . . it’s navy blue. There’s even a burly construction worker on the container and he’s holding a wrench that must be three feet long and weigh 80 lbs. This hand lotion dispenses like epoxy (one part antiseptic to kill whatever sketchy things have found their way onto your hands, one part moisturizer to prevent your hands from cracking like a stone mason’s).

Did I try it? Yup, but extremely reluctantly. I hate lotion. My wife on the other hand is a total lotion freak. If they produced lotion in 55 gallon drums, my wife would buy it. It’s not uncommon for my wife to hold my hand after she lotioned-up and for me to immediately recoil like her hand was covered in Ebola virus. I can’t help it, I just don’t like lotion. So with that “I hate lotion disclaimer” firmly in place, on to the details.

Aside from the über-manly marketing, what makes this lotion different? For one, it’s infused with Benzalkonium Chloride. That’s right, not aloe vera, but instead, a compound designed to kill stuff. According to Wikipedia, “As an antiseptic, it has the advantage of not burning when put on a wound, which is not the case with ethanol-based antiseptics or hydrogen peroxide.” If you’re job has you grabbing dirty stuff, On The Job might be your perfect weapon. On The Job Lotion also doesn’t feel like you just rubbed your hands in Crisco either. It’s about 100 times less greasy than my wife’s lotion, for whatever that’s worth. No OTJ product trials were conducted on animals, so you can rest assured this lotion potion wasn’t applied to the eyes of cute little bunnies either.

Will I use it now that HomeFixated testing has completed? The honest answer is no. Of course, my answer to that question would be no for any lotion. However, if you do burly work and your hands take a beating, On The Job is worth checking out. Thanks to the marketing and packaging, your construction buddies probably won’t even heckle you if they see you applying it. Assuming you don’t ask them to rub it on for you.

You can order On The Job hand lotion for about $9 directly from OnTheJob.com

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On The Job Hand Lotion Review, Really

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Picture this:

Imagine you actually like the people you work with (gasp?). You’ve invited the boss, some colleagues and their spouses over for a weekend barbecue where it’s your mission to dazzle them with your meat cooking prowess.

… and, Houston, you have a problem.

While you were sure you had plenty of propane, your BBQ insists that is not the case. Now you’re forced to run out on your guests to grab more. Visions of colleagues mocking your organizational and planning skills are running through your brain. You also hope none of them decide it’s time to know the “real” you and start exploring your house – especially that box under your bed.

Lifting a propane tank is no way to tell how much is left in it. A foolproof way is to get a Lite Cylinder See-Through Propane Tank.

We like it for several reasons:

Hank Hill, seller of propane and propane accessories, would drool over this baby – and if you’re a gas grill BBQ enthusiast, so will you. The Lite Cylinder See-Through Propane Tank is available in a few different sizes and colors, starting at $85.

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Save Face With A Lite Cylinder See-Through Propane Tank

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We have to hand it to the people at Integrity Windows’ Builder Skills Blog – they know how to create a fun video.

Check out this viral goodie of a contractor on the job showing off his tape measure
skills:

So, what do you think? Real? Fake? I just tried to flick my tape measure out to grab a set of keys and instead of looking like a frog snapping at flies with its tongue, I ended up looking more like a jackass and a dork (the tape measure flew right back at me and, yes, I yelped a bit).

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New Olympic Sport: Tape Measure Shooting

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Who hasn’t forgotten their keys? Or hasn’t been able to find them as they’re trying to dash out of the house? If you’re among the absent-minded, you might want to consider the Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad (well, unless of course you’re so absent-minded that you can’t recall numbers and combinations. If that’s the case, you’re sort of screwed).

The Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad allows you to set a code that locks and unlocks your door without the use of a key. Besides being great for key-forgetting types, the keypad system is ideal if you’re going on a run and don’t want to bring your keys (if you’re like me, there’s nothing quite as irritating as having a bundle a jingling metal pressing against you as you pretend to like exercise).

The numbers also light up when in use, which is pretty handy if it’s the evening and your front porch light is off. This avoids the potential embarrassment of blindly and suspiciously trying to punch in a code while your neighbors call the police to report a burglar at your house.

The reviews for the Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad in Aged Bronze
on Amazon, where it retails for $121, have all been quite positive. It looks good, is easy to install and works just like you expect it to.

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For the Semi-Forgetful: Schlage Camelot Deadbolt Keypad

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Bear with me, as I eventually get to the point of this article: a hands-on review of the Paslode CF325 Cordless Framing Nailer. Remember the first time you ditched your phone cord and used a cell phone? Neither do I, but I’m pretty sure it was awesome. Back in the day, I still remember Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs toting around their briefcase sized cell phones in Miami Vice. Technology has come a long way, especially when it comes to ditching cords (and hoses).

So then, why is it that we’re still shackled to our air compressors whenever we want to use a nail gun? One company is on a mission to take us from cheesy 70’s corded phones, right past the Miami Vice bag phones, and straight into the 21st century: Paslode. Several manufacturers make nailers that ditch the air hose, but few have the reputation for it that Paslode does.

Paslode took a bit of a risk sending me this cordless nailer to review: I am a self diagnosed air tool addict. As long as you don’t accidentally shoot a nail into a body part, they are lots of fun, and make for incredibly productive work. Sometimes using a hammer is so. . . retro. Despite my love for air tools, I kept an open mind in checking out the Paslode cordless nailer.

The Paslode uses a small fuel cartridge (not unlike what you might use to refill a butane lighter). There’s a little access port on the CF325 you simply open up, drop the fuel cell into and then snap closed again. It’s quick and easy. In addition to the fuel, the Paslode nailer uses a rechargeable battery to spark things up. The handy case comes with the nailer, a battery/charger, and even safety glasses (which I highly recommend when working with hazardous projectiles). When I first picked up the CF 325 it felt big, so I compared it to my Porter Cable framing nailer (air powered). The Paslode, although a bit beefier in spots, was actually more compact overall since it didn’t have the exceptionally long magazine the PC does.

After a quick charge of the battery I was ready to lock and load. Most of my testing of the Paslode was done framing up some dimensional vintage 2×4’s and 2×6’s in a garage ceiling. The job involved a lot of up and down ladder work, and a few awkward / tight nailing positions. Any skepticism I had about the Paslode CF325 quickly evaporated after the first few nail shots. Having the freedom to carry and move the gun without an awkward hose dragging around and getting in the way was epic!

The Paslode also performed very well. I had no jams, and the CF325 was incredibly consistent in terms of nail depth on each drive. The nail depth adjustment looked a little wonky compared to the dial adjustment I was used to, but I found the Paslode system pretty easy to work with. Be aware that there is a little bit of cycle time between each shot, which might slow down some of the ultra-high speed nailing pros out there. But it’s still fast. The tip on the CF325 is seriously aggressive, looking more like a weapon then a nail gun tip. You won’t need to worry about the tip slipping, even when doing some toe nailing. The CF325 also includes a built-in rafter/belt hook, which is a paid accessory on some other nailers. Nice.

The only two areas I can really find any fault with are with the fuel and the system for clearing nail jambs. In terms of the fuel, it’s the magic stuff that lets this thing work without a hose. You trade in your hose, but you do need to replace fuel cartridges periodically, and there’s a mild smell of fuel exhaust when the tool is in use. The Quicklode fuel cell drives about 1000 nails, and Paslode conveniently sells them in combo packs, so you never need to worry about running out of fuel with your Paslode nail supply. However, if you already have a huge stash of nails, or you like buying non-Paslode nails, the combo pack might be a minus. Currently the fuel cannot be purchased separately. Personally, I think the fuel tradeoff is well worth the convenience of being cordless.

I was also a bit disappointed to see clearing nail jambs does require tip disassembly via an allen wrench. I would have liked to have seen a tool-less option as some of my Porter Cable nailers have. Since I didn’t have any jambs, that particular design issue wasn’t a problem for me. Minor tradeoffs aside, I really liked the CF325 Framing Nailer, especially for someone like me who often does quick projects which are made much easier sans compressor and hose.

So if you are someone who wishes you could go back to the good ole days of dialing your rotary corded phone, the Paslode is probably not for you. But if you like being cordless, hose-less and wireless, the CF325 is a very handy tool for your arsenal. The Paslode CF325 Cordless Framing Nailer is about $430 online, with the Paslode Framing Nail and Fuel Combo Pack running a little over $40. We’re also giving away the same Paslode CF325 we used for testing in this review (don’t worry we babied it, so it’s like-new) in our February 2010 Free Stuff Giveaway!

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Paslode CF325 Nailer Review, Going Hose-Less is Fun

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A freelancer for the DIY Network recently contacted us to ask what we thought of their commercial, “Do It Yourself.” You want an opinion? Mine? Happy to oblige!

First, take a look at the video yourself:

As you can see, it’s yet another “hot chick” ad. Super original, right? There’s all the typical hot chick action sequences – stripping down into cut-offs and a midriff-exposing tank top, a fan blowing her tousles around, various excuses to show her bending over. There’s even the get-up-on-a-platform-to-dance moment, complete with what Glee fans now know as hairography (frequent, dramatic hair-tossing to distract the audience from lacklustre dance skills). All that’s missing is some water to the chest and her handing her man a sweating bottle of beer at the end.

Anyway, throughout the commercial, we see her using various tools on his prized possessions: she pulls out a grinder, a sawzall, welding torch, a nail gun, a cordless drill – and what’s in every toolbox (or in her case … a postal bag?) – a bat. We’re waiting for the big reveal and twist that will somehow convince us that her stomping on his CD collection was a reasonable reaction to him coming home late.

And the twist is, she wasn’t simply wrecking his stuff with her DIY skills, she was making … art? But since the art doubles as a bed and because she’s so hot, it’s all cool with the dude. Oh, fantasies, how fun.

I can tell you that had I gathered all my partner’s favorite things – his Montreal Canadiens gear, the plasma TV and Hot Rod Pepperettes – and welded them all together around a mattress – there would be a restraining order coming my way before I even had a chance to turn the fan off.

So what do we think of the video? I give it a “meh” with a mix of “huh?”. The DIY Network, however, still has our love.

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Ad Critics For A Day: The DIY Network Commercial

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When I say “Sucks Hard”, I mean that in the suction sense, not in the “dude, that sucks!” sense. For most HomeFixated types, their “shop” typically is part of the garage. The reality for small workshop environments, is that it may not make much sense to install a 15 horsepower, 120 decibel mega-cyclonic dust collection system that rivals an F5 tornado. And I’m not the only one that thinks this way. Marc Spagnolo (aka The Wood Whisperer) suggested a portable dust collector in his October 2009 Shop Tour Video. Granted Marc’s dust collector is a little daintier than the Delta 50-760 (no offense Marc), but it’s the concept we’re focusing on here. The dust collector part comes in at about 12:25 into the video, however the whole thing is definitely worth checking out. As are most of Marc’s other well respected and very informational videos. Plus he wears cool t-shirts in every video (in this case, GI Joe). And he spells “Marc” properly, sans the “k”. Ok, enough sucking up to carpentry royalty. Let’s get back to sucking up dust with the Delta 50-760.

I tend to think of dust collection in two general ways: 1) Permanent ducting runs to various tools connected to a hugely powerful dust collector that ideally filters and collects the dust outside the shop, and 2) A smaller mobile dust collector like the Delta 50-760, that can either be quickly wheeled to different tools and connected as needed, or is connected to a very small number of tools in close proximity. For most weekend warriors, option 1 just isn’t realistic, and that’s where the Delta 50-760 comes to the rescue.

I found the Delta 50-760 Dust Collector to be very easy to assemble, with one exception. After assembling the dolly and motor housing portions, there comes a point where Delta recommends using two people to lift the motor housing piece onto the dolly section. I, of course, ignored this very reasonable advice and elected to lift everything myself. I managed to get the two major parts united without destroying anything, but my solo technique was dicey, and definitely not recommended. Have a friend give you a quick hand with the heavy lifting portions of the assembly and you can avoid that awkward hernia conversation with your doctor.

Hernias aside, Delta provides two methods of attaching the dust collection bag, via cloth covered flexible ring or using a metal bag clamp. I found the cloth ring to provide a very secure fit. The filter bag goes into place fairly easily as well, and is kept upright by a support rod that gets bolted to the motor and blower assembly. Delta has also conveniently provided two different orientations for the 50-760: with the dust intake coming from below, or with the intake coming from above. Potentially very handy depending on your shop and ducting setup. Once assembled, you’re ready to start sucking!

Although it’s a tad out of date, Wood Magazine did a super-comprehensive dust collector comparison / showdown, which the Delta 50-760 triumphed on. In their grading, the only other dust collectors that came close were the Grizzly G1029Z and the Penn State DC2000B. And unlike the Grizzly unit, the Delta runs on standard 120v juice, making finding a plug a lot easier. I highly recommend reading the article, even if you don’t plan to buy this particular unit, as it provides some valuable insights into dust collection.

My testing was a lot less scientific: I rolled the Delta 50-760 to various machines in the shop and tested how it did with my super sensitive nasal spectrometer. Considering my shop / garage normally fills with a huge cloud of dust anytime I run the table saw or chop saw inside it (I typically wheel them outside whenever possible), the Delta 50-760 made a world of difference. I mostly used the 50-760 on my Bosch miter saw. I used the included “Y” (seen to the left, with 5″ single port to two 4″ ports), to allow two very short duct runs to the same tool. One hose I connected to the built in dust port at the top of the saw. I connected the other duct to a Rockler dust hood which I placed under and behind the saw. The result was that the Delta 50-760 was able to pull almost all of the visible dust out of the air. The nasal spectrometer didn’t even sniffle. Pretty slick!

The Delta 50-760 Dust Collector uses a 1 micron upper filter bag and six mil plastic bags to collect the larger particles for the lower bag. Relative to its competition, the 1 micron filtration is great, although there are still some that say that even 1 micron filtration poses a health threat in terms of the even smaller particles that get back into the air. For an insane amount of dust collection information, visit Bill Pentz’s site, however you may wish to do all your woodworking in a full haz-mat suit/respirator after reading it. I also found an interesting mod of the 50-760, retrofitting a Wynn Environmental .5 micron filter.

Almost every review I found in my research raved about the 50-760. I did find one negative review at LumberJocks from Charlie, who felt the rod that helps hold the filter bag upright was under-engineered. I haven’t had an issue with it, but some have. Other than that, I found many people very happy with the 50-760. You can find the very reasonably priced Delta 50-760 Dust Collector at Rockler for about $400 plus shipping, which is nothing to sneeze at.

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Delta 50-760 Dust Collector Review, It Sucks Hard

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Here’s a scenario many of us are familiar with: After a bunch of shuffling of things around and having one person impatiently hold a painting up on the wall while you stand back and look at it, you figure you’ve finally found the perfect spot to hang your latest décor acquisition.

Problem: When you pull out the stud finder, there’s no stud to be found in the spot you want to hang your picture. Instead, you get to hear (or perhaps say) that joke that every man with a stud finder in his hands has done – points it at himself, beeps and says “oh, found a stud here!” Nope. That one never gets old.

Rather than just saying ‘to hell with it’ and putting your nail in anyway (in which the weight of your picture can cause it to fall or even damage your wall), there’s another solution – the CRL NoStud Drywall Picture Hanger.

You simply create a ¼” hold, pop the CRL NoStud Drywall Picture Hanger in place and then secure it with three nails. The anchored design lets you hang an item up to 200 lbs on it and it works on drywall that is 1/2″ and 5/8″.

Simple. Smart. Sweet! Gordon Glass Co. sells the CRL NoStud Drywall Picture Hanger by the carton, which means you get five of these hangers for $31.84.

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No Stud? No Problem!: NoStud Drywall Picture Hanger

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