<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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    <channel>
        <title>Cool Tools</title>

 <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/</link>

 <description>Cool tools really work. A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We only post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.  Tell me what you love. 

</description> <copyright>Copyright 2010</copyright> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</lastBuildDate> <generator>http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.32-en</generator> <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs> 

<item>

  <title>Duralex Gigogne</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/duralex-sm2.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>We have two active kids who are experts at breaking all manner of things. We also have been a bit concerned about plastics and, in particular, microwaving food in plastics.  These lovely glasses solve both problems elegantly. We've had the Gigone (<em>nested</em> or <em>stackable</em> in French) glasses for about 6 months and I absolutely love them. Although they are &#8220;for the kids,&#8221; I find that I use them the most. Beautifully shaped and feeling great in the hand, these are my go-to glasses for wine now. Something about the shape, size and heft makes them special. The impressive durability of the tempered glass is a wonderful bonus. They're good for hot and cold drinks. </p>

<p><img alt="duralex2.jpg" src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/duralex2.jpg" width="330" height="301" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></p>

<p>We've dropped them several times on our hardwood floor without breaking them. I can say that other glasses have broken on our floors, precisely the reason we sought these out in the first place. After 6-plus months of dishwashing, they look brand new. I haven't tried their other glassware, but I have it on my list to try for sure.                                                </p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Duralex Gigogne Glasses<br />
$24 (set of 6, 5.75- or 7.5oz.)</p>]]>





<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://brookfarmgeneralstore.bigcartel.com/product/set-of-6-gigogne-glasses-duralex-7-1-2-oz">Brook Farm General Store</a></p>

<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.duralexusa.com/">Duralex</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004193.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004193.php</guid>


<category>Kitchen</category> <pubDate>Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Carvin&apos; Jack</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/carvinjack-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>My favorite avocation is carving, and I've built up a modest collection of tools to turn wood blocks into sculpture. The first tools I used when I started carving were standard ¾- and ½-inch Stanley bench chisels. I then added a set of seven carving tools from Power Grip: ⅛-inch #10 gouge, ¼-inch #8 gouge, ⅜" #5 gouge, ⅜" #3 gouge, 5/16" straight chisel, 5/16" skew chisel and 1/4" V-parting tool. These are smaller than the Stanley chisels, better suited for the small pieces that I carve. The gouges are very good at removing a large amount of wood quickly and are essential for carving out hollows. However, they don&#8217;t suffer abuse as well as the Stanley chisels. I also have a basic whittling knife that&#8217;s good for removing large amounts of wood and allows me to use a grip different from the one I use with the chisels. Switching between different grips helps me minimize the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.     </p>

<p>The Carvin' Jack fills yet a different niche in my work. The first is the addition of some new tools to my collection. In total the Carvin' Jack includes six blades. Three of them, the gouge-scorp, the V-scorp and the hook knife are new to me and very useful. The gouge-scorp and the V-scorp both allow me to gouge or part using a whittling grip and motion. For some work this provides more control. The hook knife can be used to remove a lot of wood quickly or to carve wide shallow hollows.     </p>

<p>The other three Carvin' Jack tools are a standard whittling knife, a straight gouge and a chisel. Of these I use the whittling knife most often.</p>

<p><img alt="carvinjack2sm.jpg" src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/carvinjack2sm.jpg" width="330" height="426" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></p>

<p>One of my favorite attributes of the Carvin' Jack is that it&#8217;s much more portable than my chisels and Power Grip tools, and therefore the perfect tool to carry on the road. Everything&#8217;s in one place, and there are enough tools that I can do most of what I&#8217;d want. The Carvin' Jack is also surprisingly light. This was a little disappointing at first but I grew to appreciate this feature. The tool isn't an annoying weight in my pocket when I take it places. The tools on the Carvin' Jack sit between the Stanley and Power Grip tools in terms of robustness.</p>

<p>I'm not aware of another tool like the Carvin' Jack. I have other multitools, but nothing designed specifically for carving.    </p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Flexcut Carvin Jack<br />
$130</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000ZUBDV0/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.flexcut.com/">Flexcut</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004192.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004192.php</guid>


<category>Craft</category> <pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Copic Markers</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/copic-markers-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>Copic markers are Japanese-made markers that have been used for years by Manga and other artists in Japan. Though generally relegated to that purpose, they&#8217;re a very functional medium, an alcohol-based, refillable marker that can also be used with an airbrush. They are initially expensive to buy, but because they are refillable and so versatile, over time they prove to be less expensive than Prismacolor markers. Because they are alcohol based, they are also blendable; similar to watercolor in application, but much more convenient.</p>

<p>Copic markers are somewhat limited in application, and not something generally as versatile as acrylic- or oil-based media. The advantage in my case is mostly portability. For anything larger than an 8 1/2X11" page, they wouldn&#8217;t be practical. Think of them as more for cartooning than fine art. I do a lot of caricaturing and figure drawing, for which they work well.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $




<![CDATA[<p>[Check out the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/20276612@N00/pool/">COPIC Marker Flickr pool</a> for some stunning examples of what can be done with these markers. --cc]</p>]]>








<![CDATA[<p>Copic Markers<br />
$59 (Basic Set of 12)</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EJU7SW/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://copicmarker.com/">CopicMarker</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004190.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004190.php</guid>


<category>Paper World</category> <pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Kitchen Fire Extinguisher</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/kidde-fire-exting-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>You need a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. One that really works well rather than one that looks really good. Most fire extinguishers that easily put out a kitchen-type fire use a mix of chemicals that are not food safe. Cleaning up the sticky powder left after a short blast for even a small grease fire will be quite a chore. The benefit of this new Kidde extinguisher is that this regular 3-pound, high power, dry powder class B/C fire extinguisher is packed with only sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. It will extinguish fires as well as equivalent models, but the deposit left is not only edible, but a cleaner in its own right. While testing this extinguisher in our kitchen I had no qualms in tasting the discharge: it was indeed just bicarbonate of soda. Put out the test pan fire, too.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Kidde FX10K<br />
$25</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000IHUR58/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.kiddeus.com/utcfs/Templates/Pages/Template-53/0,8062,pageId%3D1201%26siteId%3D384,00.html">Kidde</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004188.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004188.php</guid>


<category>Kitchen</category> <pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:16:15 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Source Wanted</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/pipecutter.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p><strong>Pipe Cutter</strong></p>

<p><br />
Can you help me find this tool? It has no number on it. I used to use it on 1/2-inch polypropylene and schedule 40 pipe. It cuts pipe very easily. </p>

<p>-- Garry Shirts<br />
</p>]]>








































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004185.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004185.php</guid>


<category>Source Wanted</category> <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:05:48 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Sno Wovel</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/Wovel-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>As a Montrealer who has shoveled more snow than you can shake a very big stick at, I was intrigued when I first came across a video of this wheeled shovel in action. I live in the suburbs south of Montreal, on a street where there's a popular bus route; the snow plow can pass my house several times a day during heavy snow falls, repeatedly depositing a compacted mound of snow in my driveway entrance.</p>

<p>I bought a Wovel, and what was once a dreaded exercise in futility has now become a looked forward to workout! Thanks to the Wovel's design, all the snow's weight gets transferred to my arms and legs. The fulcrum at the center of the big wheel effectively allows the Wovel to do the heavy lifting for me. After becoming proficient in its use, I was able to master the natural seesaw action and launch the snow surprisingly high. Now, after a season and a half of use, I can consistently build snow banks up to five feet high. It's like having my own little nonnmotorized bulldozer.</p>

<p>I've been using mine to shovel my walk/driveway as well as my neighbor's for more than a year, and I&#8217;ve been beating the crap out of the thing. It won't quit. It&#8217;s made from a thick-gauge steel and is covered by a lifetime warranty. What was once about an hour of back-breaking work has been cut down to about 20 minutes, which makes this purchase one of the best expenditures I have ever made.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>The Sno Wovel Wheeled Snow Shovel<br />
$120</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001I7JWTO/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.wovel.com/">Structured Solutions II</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004182.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004182.php</guid>


<category>Homestead</category> <pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Freshette</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/freshette.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>The <a href="http://www.whenyagottago.com/">TravelMate</a> works&#8212;but I give it only about a 2 out of 5. A superior FUD I&#8217;d recommend instead is the Sport and Travel Freshette. It's slightly larger than the TravelMate&#8212;just longer than the palm of my hand when collapsed and about half as wide&#8212;but still can fit in the hip pocket of a camping backpack quite easily (and you can still use it through your pants&#8217; fly). The Freshette&#8217;s larger cup, similar to the unisex collar on the previously reviewed <a href="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/003808.php">Travel John</a>, fits more easily than the TravelMate&#8212;and solves the positioning and overflow problems to which the TravelMate is prone. It really is easy to pee all over yourself with the Travelmate due to its small size and smaller throughput (the main reason I can't recommend it).</p>

<p>The flexible outlet tube on the Freshette makes for easier aiming. With practice, it&#8217;s possible to collapse it after use, store it back in the bag, then get it back out and reuse it without touching any of the wet bits, if you're squeamish about that sort of thing. And if you need the extra feature, there's a "complete portable" kit that comes with sealable bags you can attach, in case there's a need to pack out your waste or you're going to drive like Lisa Nowak.</p>

<p>While it&#8217;s the best product of its kind that I found, the Freshette is more expensive than the TravelMate, and its weird shape and larger size make it harder to pack. Also, the plastic bag it comes with is not the most durable. Mine lasted through about three weeks of camping before getting a hole. Both models tie for ease of being able to clean yourself off without toilet paper.  </p>

<p>There are many other variations on the Freshette, which I imagine would work about as well: <a href="http://www.whizfreedomusa.com/">The Whiz Freedom</a>&#8212;quickdry anti-bacterial flexible medical plastic; the <a href="http://www.sheweeusa.com/">SheWee</a>&#8212;slightly smaller and available with a durable hard case; the <a href="http://www.thepstyle.com/">PStyle</a>&#8212;more a channel than a funnel and no tube; the <a href="http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___80976">Lady J</a>&#8212;wider funnel.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Sport and Travel Freshette<br />
$24</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000E5NJ1/ref=nosim/kkorg-20 ">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.freshette.com/">Freshette</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004180.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004180.php</guid>


<category>Living on the Road</category> <pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Nomad Sandals</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/jcsandal-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>I picked up a pair of these sandals in Hawaii many years back principally because they looked both good and tough. The latter came in handy over the many years I walked the beaches and drift timber along BC's west coast, picking out the salvageable logs. As a bonus, they provided the best traction on wet, beachsmooth logs of any footwear I have ever used.</p>

<p>Compared with the previously reviewed <a href="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004059.php">Chaco sandals</a>, these have no arch support and they can hang on to moisture for a while, but holding them by the heel and whacking the toe on a solid surface will go a long way toward getting moisture, dirt and sand out. The longitudinal run of the rope and its texture give a nice friction bond with the sole of the feet, so my feet don't slide around in them even when they get wet. I keep a couple of pairs on the go and could have probably sold a van-load over the years to folks stopping me to ask where they could be purchased.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Nomadic State of Mind Traditional JC Sandal<br />
$27</p>]]>





<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by and available from <a href="http://nomadicstate.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&zenid=n0qa0jufn0om7o4ap3c883rv60">Nomadic State of Mind</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004177.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004177.php</guid>


<category></category> <pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:21:57 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Artisan Bread in Five </title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/artisanbreadin5.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>As a practical guide to incorporating <a href="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004156.php">No-Knead Brea</a>d baking into daily life, regardless of your schedule, I highly recommend <em>Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day</em> and the follow-up <em>Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day</em>. I've been baking from the instructions in these books for some time now, and I hardly ever buy commercial bread. My young ones love the bread, especially warm from the oven, and there's something special about bringing your own fresh baked bread to a get-together.</p>

<p>Why <em>Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day</em>? Literally five minutes of effort. Throw the ingredients together, mix, pop the dough into a bucket and then into the fridge. After a couple hours of rising, I have enough for three big loaves. The dough keeps very well in the refrigerator for a couple weeks (and tastes noticeably better the longer it&#8217;s been sitting, though mine rarely makes it that long). When I want fresh bread I pull out a bit of dough, get the oven heated up and bake away. There are plenty of no-knead recipes about, but Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois perfected a process that works for me.</p>

<p><img alt="healthybreadin5-2.jpg" src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/healthybreadin5-2.jpg" width="234" height="288" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></p>

<p>The main advantage I&#8217;ve gotten out of <em>Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day</em> is feeding the kids a bit more whole grain and some protein as well. I find the flavor richer, too (beer helps that a bunch, but also subtracts a few healthy points). I do prefer the texture of the white loaf, and for guests or as a host gift, I&#8217;d likely choose the original recipe. Of late, our everyday breadbox loaf comes from the <em>Healthy</em> book.  Slices, toasted a bit, make a heavenly sandwich.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $




<![CDATA[<p>[Thanks to readers Drew Mills and Bob Mintiero for also recommending <em>Artisan Bread</em> -es]</p>]]>





<![CDATA[<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HSOoH686_b8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HSOoH686_b8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>]]> 




<![CDATA[<p>Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day<br />
by Jeff Hertzberg, Zoe Francois<br />
2007, 242 pages<br />
$15<br />
Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312362919/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>

<p>Helathy Bread in Five Minutes a Day<br />
Jeff Hertzberg,Zoe Francois<br />
2009, 336 pages<br />
$15<br />
Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312545525/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>










<![CDATA[ <p>Sample Excerpts:</p>]]>
<![CDATA[<p>From <em>Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day</em>:</p>

<p>Whole grain flour is better for you than white flour. Because whole grains include the germ and the bran, in addition to the starch-rich but fiber- and vitamin-poor endosprem....whole grain flours bring a boatload of healthy substances into your diet, including phytochemicals....,vitamins, and fiber. Those are pretty much absent from white flour. Iron, niacin, folic acid, riboflavin, and thiamine are added back in enriched commercial white flour, but no other nutrients—so whole wheat delivers more complete nutrition than white flour even when it's been enriched. But there's more—because bran and germ in whole grains dilute the effect of pure starch in the endosprem, the absorption and conversion of starches into simple sugars is slowed, so blood glucose...rises more slowly after consumption of whole grains than it does after eating refined white flour products.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>Our first book concentrated on ingredients from the traditional European baker's cupboard. We've updated our discussion to include whole grains, vital wheat gluten, and even ingredients for gluten-free breads. Perhaps the most crucial ingredient to get familiar with is vital wheat gluten. It's essential for achieving a light loaf when using lots of whole grains, never kneading, and still storing the dough in the refrigerator.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p><strong>Yeast Love to Keep Cool<br />
</strong>Jefferson University yeast biochemist Hannah Silver, Ph.D., loves great bread, and bakes her own with our method. We asked her where the great flavor comes from, especially with dough that has aged a few days: "Yeast extracts are sometimes used as a flavor enhancer in commercial food, and they introduce a savory, complex flavor, sometimes called umami, the so-called fifth basic taste recognized by the human tongue (in addition to sweet, salty, bitter, and sour). The flavor you get with stored dough comes from chemicals produced by yeast as they use sugars and starches to make carbon dioxide gas (which forms bubbles to leaven the bread) and alcohol (which boils off in baking).</p>]]> 
































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004175.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004175.php</guid>


<category>Edibles</category> <pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Can-Gun 1</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/cangun1.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>Using your index finger to press and steer a can of spray paint gets old very quickly. If your paint job lasts more than a few minutes, you really should use a snap-on pistol grip. It saves your knuckle, keeps paint off your trigger finger, and gives you an easy way to guide the spray. For years I've used an earlier model of this grip (called simply Can-Gun), but that one was only operated with a single finger trigger. This new version uses your whole palm. It's comfortable, quick-on and off, and the only way to spray. I had a 5-can job on a chain-link fence and the Can-Gun made it kind of fun. Even for small spray paint jobs, I slip one of these on.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Can-Gun1 2012<br />
$8</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002EQEE82/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.cangun1.com/">Can-Gun1</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004174.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004174.php</guid>


<category>Craft</category> <pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:26:44 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Call for Submissions</title>
            <description>
            
            <![CDATA[<p>We want to hear from you again. Tell us about a book you've read, a website you've visited, or a hand tool you've been using. It might be something that's opened up possibilities, introduced a new skill set, helped you make something, in any realm of your life.</p>

<p>Specifically we've had inquiries about the following:</p>

<p>What's the best guide to internet radio? A site, blog or forum where various internet radio stations are reviewed, compared, and recommended. Not just listings of links.</p>

<p>Have you used <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/">Shapeways</a> and do you recommend them?</p>

<p>Have you used both Black & Decker's Ready Wrench and Sears' Dogbone Wrench, and can you compare them?</p>

<p>What's the best compact/folding shovel?</p>

<p>What's the best lightweight/packable down jacket?</p>

<p>Collapsible silicon colander?</p>

<p>Best book/website on seed saving?</p>

<p>Best guide to barefoot running?</p>

<p>What's the best introductory video site for learning origami?<br />
 <br />
Have you used and can you recommend the <a href="http://www.whenyagottago.com/products/TravelMate.html">Travel Mate</a>?</p>]]>








































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004173.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004173.php</guid>


<category></category> <pubDate>Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:14:22 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Academie Wirebound</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/academiewire.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>I do a lot of sketching and art of various kinds and in various mediums, such as pencil, chalk, Copic markers and ink. For this I need a good quality paper, but don't want to spend a lot of money; I don't want to feel guilty doing throwaway work. The best buy I&#8217;ve found is Mead's Academie 70-sheet Spiral Bound notebook, and I&#8217;ve been using it for the past two years.</p>

<p>These sketchbooks are ideal for several reasons. First are cost and availability: They&#8217;re inexpensive and can be purchased practically anywhere, from office supply stores to Walmart and Target. The paper quality is good enough for frameable art. The sturdy notebooks have a solid pressboard back, so I generally don't need an easel, and the pages are perforated for easy removal. There's a two-sided pocket, so I can remove and stow keepers. I find the pocket helps me keep track of specific renderings, too. Because these sketchbooks are inexpensive, I can use a few concurrently and switch back and forth between different mediums. The paper quality is great for the price, too. It works well for Copic markers, especially, giving a true color rendering. The pages are non-yellowing (acid-free), as well.</p>

<p>For comparison, Strathmore drawing pads have more size options, but at 40 to 50 sheets per book, the cost per sheet is higher, and the Strathmore&#8217;s pages aren&#8217;t perforated for easy removal.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Academie Wirebound Sketch Book, 11 x 8-1/2 Inches, 70 Sheets (54404)<br />
$7</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00260VPTM/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>





































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004171.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004171.php</guid>


<category>Paper World</category> <pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Proxxon Mini Saws</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/proxxon1sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>For my work building <a href="http://www.dugnorth.com/">models and automata</a>, I own two Proxxon miniature power tools, and they are both amazing. Not amazing for their size&#8212;just plain amazing.</p>

<p>The Proxxon Miter Saw (table area 9" x 9"; weight 12 lb) has been a valuable addition to my tool collection, and it would also be ideal for anyone who has limited space in his/her work area. This miter saw is great for cutting 90-degree and 45-degree cuts in a variety of materials. There are detents every 15 degrees for cutting a range of angles. The saw has a really clever integrated clamp to hold the material and ensure that each cut stays on the mark. There&#8217;s also a built-in stop that helps me when I want to cut a bunch of pieces to the same length. Nice.</p>

<p>Micro-Mark sells a lesser miter saw that is slightly cheaper ($140), but it only takes cut-off wheels, not blades, so its range of functionality isn&#8217;t as broad as the Proxxon&#8217;s. The Micro-Mark allows for angled cuts, but doesn&#8217;t have the 15-degree latching detents of the Proxxon.</p>

<p><img alt="proxxon2sm.jpg" src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/proxxon2sm.jpg" width="330" height="232" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></p>

<p>A full-size miter saw is a powerful machine. A small, loose cut-off piece can get swept up by the blade into the blade guard housing. I know; it happened to me. This can be both costly and dangerous. It's not an experience I ever want to repeat. The Proxxon is more appropriately scaled for cutting small pieces, so this is less likely to happen. Compared to free-hand cutting with a cut-off wheel mounted in a Dremel tool, the Proxxon is safer and produces cleaner, more accurate cuts.</p>

<p><img alt="Proxxon3sm.jpg" src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/Proxxon3sm.jpg" width="330" height="338" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></p>

<p>These miniaturized tools are clearly not toys. The Mini Table Saw (overall size 11 13/16" x 10 5/16" x 6 43/64" w/o extension wing; weight 11.5 lb) can make a clean cut in 3/4" hardwood, and it's barely bigger than a toaster. Cutting small very parts on a full-size table saw requires that you spend a good deal of time constructing jigs and zero-clearance inserts in order to make the cuts safely. Unlike another miniature table saw I own, there a ton of useful accessories available for the Proxxon -- some that are simply not available for full-size machines. The Proxxon&#8217;s variable-speed control also sets this saw apart from lesser miniature tables saws, allowing me to adjust the speed depending on the blade in use and the material being cut. This can make the difference between clean, smooth cuts and ruined materials.</p>

<p>The truly handy thing about owning the miter saw and the table saw is that they use the same blades, and a surprisingly wide variety at that. I can get blades for slitting, cutting wood and cutting metals, and they&#8217;re all interchangeable between the two tools. Consider, for example, the diamond-coated blade, which allows me to cut things as hard as tile and stone. I&#8217;ve found the miter saw mounted with an abrasive blade for non-ferrous metals to be a great way to cut brass rod and bars to length.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <a href="http://www.dugnorth.com/"><mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Proxxon 37160 KGS 80 MICRO Chop Saw<br />
$205</p>

<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001AT5H1C/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>

<p>Proxxon 38070 FKS/E Table Saw<br />
$360</p>

<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001FWXENW/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>





<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.proxxon.com/us/">Proxxon</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004170.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004170.php</guid>


<category>Craft</category> <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:00:00 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Moog Modular</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/moog-soft-sm.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>I remember the first time I encountered a Moog Synthesizer: Switched-On Bach. I was all of 14-years-old and absolutely captivated. All those knobs and patch cords. And then there were the sounds that it made. To an adolescent boy growing up in the mid-late &#8217;60s whose hero was Mr. Spock, it was like a futuristic dream come true&#8212;my own musical version of the Starship Enterprise and for only a few thousand dollars. The <em>Last Whole Earth Catalog</em> even featured a review of it by Wendy Carlos herself!</p>

<p>Then I learned how much a few thousand dollars actually was. I tinkered with resisters and capacitors, transistors and chokes, but I couldn&#8217;t do anything like that. But this is what led me inexorably to a career in music and recording. Well, and the Beatles helped, too. Flash forward 41 years and many synthesizers, guitars and amps later, I still could not seem to afford that big gleaming Moog dream.</p>

<p>Then a company called Arturia released a virtual software version of my childhood Holy Grail, the Moog Modular V. And there were nine&#8212;count &#8217;em, nine!&#8212;oscillators. Filters, envelope generators. A fixed filter bank. A sample and hold module. A bank of configurable mixers. And with enough computer firepower, I could finally make the sounds I&#8217;d heard Wendy Carlos make. The software even has stereo chorus and delay lines, a very neat addition to the package to fatten up your sound without having to use any outboard effects. And did I mention polyphony? Yes, unlike its hardware predecessor, the Moog Modular V offers up to 32 voices, if you have the processor power to deliver them.</p>

<p>I&#8217;ve been using this powerful, flexible piece of software for almost four years now and I have to admit that it does almost everything I ever wanted a music synthesizer to do. It does things the hardware version couldn&#8217;t even do. My only complaint is latency (delay). I would never use it live, but then again I haven&#8217;t been playing live these days, and if I did, I&#8217;d probably sample off the sounds I want to use and do it that way. The software can be used stand alone or as a plugin, for Mac or Windows OS.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $




<![CDATA[<p>[Here's an <a href="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/moogmv6.mp3">audio sample</a> from Jeff -- es]</p>]]>








<![CDATA[<p>Arturia Moog Modular V2 Software Synthesizer<br />
$190</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002GUHQY/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Software by <a href="http://www.arturia.com/evolution/">Arturia</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004169.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004169.php</guid>


<category>Aural</category> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:23:38 -0800</pubDate> </item>  

<item>

  <title>Toto Eco Drake</title>
            <description>
            <![CDATA[ <img src="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/toto-ecodrake.jpg" />]]>
            <![CDATA[<p>A year ago my municipal water department in Portland, OR, offered a $100 rebate to anyone who replaced a conventional toilet with a WaterSense (EPA designation) qualified toilet. A review of my water bill encouraged me to give it a try. I&#8217;d heard that low-flow toilets don&#8217;t flush well. As someone&#8212;I&#8217;ll try to be discrete about this&#8212;who was a master of the plunger through frequent use, I didn&#8217;t want a toilet that would get clogged as much as my standard model. After some online research and a trip to a local green building supply store, I settled on a Toto Eco Drake, cheaper and more efficient than the previously reviewed <a href="http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000986.php">Toto UltraMax</a>.</p>

<p>The good news items: Water use is down through reduced flush waste. The SoftClose seat option has made a banging toilet seat a thing of the past. I haven't used the plunger since I installed the toilet. The bad news item: I should have gotten the round seat, rather than the oval model I purchased. It isn't as comfortable for extended&#8212;reading sessions.</p>

<p>Really, though, the flush mechanism on this toilet is amazing. It performs faster than the previous toilet I had, with less water and 100% reliability. Even if it used the same amount per handle press as my old toilet I'd be ahead&#8212;no more repeated flushes to finish a job. Yet it uses 1.28 Gal/flush and works the first time, every time. There are more expensive low-flow models available, but I&#8217;m quite pleased with the Eco Drake. The water savings are real and don't have to come at the expense of flush performance.</p>]]>

<![CDATA[ -- <mt:entrydataauthorsubname encode_xml="1" $











<![CDATA[<p>Toto Eco Drake Toilet 1.28 GPF<br />
$238</p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&amp;location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D0%26ref_%3Dnb%255Fsb%255Fnoss%26y%3D0%26field-keywords%3Dtoto%2520eco%2520drake%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Dtools&amp;tag=kkorg-20&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;cr">Amazon</a></p>]]>



<![CDATA[<p>Manufactured by <a href="http://www.totousa.com/">Toto</a></p>]]> 



































</description>
            <link>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004168.php</link>
            <guid>http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004168.php</guid>


<category>Homestead</category> <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:59:34 -0800</pubDate> </item> 
 
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