I'm a regular on Lumberjocks.com , a cool - neighborhood-style woodworking forum. There's one guy on the forum, Lee Jeesberger, who makes fine wood-crafted furniture, built-ins, cabinets, hand tools - you name it, this guy will make it out of wood. He's even invented a feeding system for sheet products, the Ezee-Feed Infeed/Outfeed System that you may already know about.

Anyhow, Lee started a post about crafting Dead Blow Mallets that caught my attention. He said "They’re easy to make, and useful around the shop. Not to mention they look great and are a good use for small scraps of exotic woods." I commented on how I would like one to hang on my wall because they really are a beautiful piece of art and he was nice enough to send me one! 

What are dead blow mallets used for, why do they make noise when you shake them and why the leather on the end?
Well, that's what I asked Lee and he responded with "The leather is to protect your head when whacking it. Start off soft until you build up a callous." It was very useful for me on that particular day...
Actually the noise is made by lead pellets on the inside. This gives the mallet extra impact when hitting a joint together with it, or convincing a board it is in the wrong place. The leather protects the wood projects you're hitting, while permitting you to give it a pretty good whack. So there you have it, a beautiful hand tool for making beautiful wood pieces. I still like to keep it on my desk for my knocking my knoggin.

Before Lee sent me the mallet shown in the photo, he adhered leather on each end using contact cement. He uses contact cement as opposed to other adhesives for the following reason:

"The reason to use contact cement for this is the very same reason not to use it on veneers. It remains flexible. Super glue is brittle after hardening and using the mallet will break the rigid glue line, and allow the leather to come off.The first mallet I made, at least ten years ago still has the original leather glue to it, and that was using contact cement. I sent one of the mallets I showed in the pictures to Jude. When I attached the leather to the face a couple weeks ago I used a non water based contact, applied a coat to each surface and allowed it to dry. I then second coated both surfaces and allowed that to dry. With the leather laying on the bench, glue side up i pressed the face of the mallet onto it. Than I whacked it against the bench a couple times. Using my scalpel I cut the leather around the outside edge of the leather. Then using a spinning and rocking motioned I worked the edges tight to the wood. This will never come off!"

Thanks for the fantastic mallet Lee! To read the entire post, click here.

In the hierarchy of favored tools, the utility knife rarely (if ever), comes close to the top of the list.  The definition of simplicity, the utility knife is nothing more than a sharp blade in a semi-fancy case.  It isn't handsome, unique, or even all that fun to work with.  But you might end up throwing all your preconceptions about the lowly utility knife out the window, as the new C.H. Hanson Flip Knife has come onto the scene.

Hey there ~ I finally got the chance to use this cool little Zip Sander to clean up the floor moldings before replacing them after our hardwood install. I have to tell you, it was a real treat for my tired hands after installing the hardwood floors.

The first thing I liked when I took it out of the package was the foam grip. Any of you who have used sanding blocks before can relate to this. It's a nice soft but firm, high-density foam handle which makes it more comfortable than a sanding block. In fact, the entire Zip Sander is made with the same high-density foam grip. That feature, in addition to it's hexagon shape with 2 pointed edges and 4 curves, makes it flexible to fit into most grooves, curves and edges - great for sanding trim and moldings.

The Zip Sander also comes with an assortment of sanding sheets from 80-220 Grit. These sanding sheets attach easily with hook and loop grip ~ basically slap them on the bottom, the same as you would stick a piece of sandpaper on an orbital sander. This makes them very easy-to-use for the do-it-yourselfer or any first-time professional user.

I have to say that the Zip Sander™ is the perfect tool for sanding most surfaces and is great for removing paint, smoothing drywall, refinishing furniture, restoring floors, fine woodworking, arts and crafts and dozens more projects. And for 12 dollars ~ you get more than your moneys worth! Your depression-era grandparents would be right proud of your thrifty purchase!

For more information, go to www.zipsander.com .

Get orbital sanders, palm sanders, belt sanders and more at Toolking.com.

THIS IS SO COOL! DIY NETWORK'S BLOG CABIN ANSWERED OUR TOOLOGICS QUESTIONS! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!

FYI ~ DIY Network’s Blog Cabin is the first ever interactive home-building television series, putting bloggers in control of the design and construction of a waterfront vacation home. Blog Cabin is returning for its second season SOON ~ watch it on the DIY Network starting August 14th !

Beginning in January of 2008, DIY Network.com invited visitors to vote each day on various aspects of the cabin –while maintaining an ongoing interactive dialogue through DIY Network's blog, millions logged on to vote on over 40 different design features, from the floor plan to the lighting to the paint colors in each room. DIY Network's expert hosts took the blogger suggestions and constructed the house based on the blogger's specs, and the results will be revealed in this season's Blog Cabin. DIY viewers can watch the "blog cabin" take shape next month (beginning August 14th) as well as enter online for a chance to win the blog cabin.
Official Site: http://www.diynetwork.com/blogcabin
Blog Cabin premieres August 14th at 9pm on DIY Network.

You can never have too much of a good thing... especially a GREAT deal!  Take for instance the Powermatic 1791216k Band Saw.  For a limited time only, this versatile Band Saw is available from Toolking.com for just $1029.00... INCLUDING shipping!  That's a savings of nearly $400.

Some of the biggest complaints with larger air compressors are no more.  Too big, too noisy, too expensive to run, and of course the ever-present costly maintenance.  A rotary screw air compressor often almost seems to be more of a necessary nuisance than a truly great tool.  But thanks to Chicago Pneumatic's line of QRS Rotary Screw Air Compressors, those worries are nothing more than a thing of the past.

Last night I was browsing the "On-Demand" music videos that my cable company has made available when I stumbled upon this little gem. It's called "Satisfaction" by an artist named Benny Benassi. It just seemed too perfect to not share with Toologics' readers.

WARNING: this music video contains a lot of booty shakin' & power tools, so definitely do not watch it if that could be an issue for you.