Tool Champion

New water pump site

2007-08-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

If you need a water pump, trash pump, sump pump, submersible pump or virtually any kind of water pump you have to see this site. The best selection on the web, not to mention very competitive prices.

This site also has a full line of very hard to find hydrostatic test pumps, fire pumps, sewage pumps and even a few battery operated submersible pumps.

Pressure Washer Tips

2007-07-14T23:19:00.000-05:00

Great segment from the Ask the Builder blog regarding pressure washers and how to use them safely. Most likely not much to worry about if you are going to be using a smaller electric pressure washer like a Campbell Hausfeld or Powerwasher, but if you have something a little bigger like a Briggs and Stratton pressure washer, or something really big like a Mi-T-M or Simpson pressure washer, it's always good to have a refresher course.

Wildfire Season is Here!

2007-06-27T07:47:00.000-05:00

If you live in the North West then you know what I am talking about, but Wildfire season is off to an early start in Lake Tahoe where the blaze jumped a fire line yesterday. Some homes were reduced to charred ruins. Many residents have been evacuated and have not been able to return to their property yet.

I know the fine men and women of the Forest Service and BLM do a great job of protecting our homes and property but it I would not rely on them 100%, they have thousands of acres to protect. Protect your home, property, farm or ranch with your own Firefighting setup. Owning your own fire pump can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

If you live in a wildfire prone area invest in a complete fire fighting package, most of them cost less than a Flat Panel TV.

Plenty of Power!

2007-06-25T11:42:00.001-05:00

This Portable Generator from Generac is one of the best generators I have seen. 15,000 running watts and 22,500 surge watts with out draining your bank account!This model features the Generac OHVI engine renowned for its reliability, long life, and performance. Engineered for efficient, uninterrupted performance to get the job done. Whether you are powering your home or your jobsite, this generator is one of the most powerful portable generators on the market. This model comes with features such as electronic quick start, a wheel kit, and a heavy-duty lifting eye, making it one of the easiest generators to use and rely on when you need it most. Many of the perks of a home standby unit with increased portability.

Pumping News

2007-04-29T12:43:00.000-05:00

From Compact Equipment regarding
pumping and keeping the pump going. Its always
a little surprising the extent of which people
don't take care of their tools,
even more amazing the simple steps people
don't even know about regarding how to
take care of their tools.

Article is from Dale Gabrielse from Subaru.

Garage Must Haves

2007-04-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

You pay a lot for your tools and your power equipment but do you take care of them as well as you should -no, of course not. Mostly it's because taking optimal care of your equipment is a pain, This unit helps...a lot. You can change the oil in your generator, gas powered pressure washer and air compressor quickly and easily! This oil vacuum pumps engine oil out through the dip stick/fill tube. Just pump it up, release the clamp, and let LiquiVac do the rest! Perfect for engines with hard to reach drain plugs like cars, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles, tractors and many other hard working engines. When you think of the saved time and most importantly the headache and mess that will be avoided, it's definitely a garage must have.

Hurricane Pre-Season

2007-04-03T19:33:00.000-05:00

(via the Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Society) A good little FAQ on why we just don't drop nuclear bombs into hurricanes and tropical storms. Kinda seems like a really bad idea without thinking about it, never the less that AOMS goes on for about a page.

While it's really unlikely that we will be dropping any nukes on this years batch of severe storms it is likely that we are going to have more than a few this year -if history has shown us anything it's that when we have uneventful years in a row, the third always tends to bring the big ones, like Hurrican Katrina pictured above.

I will be posting my picks for this years best Generators and power supplies in the next few weeks, but the best bet is probably to get started preparing for the worst now. You can never underestimate the importance of a good dependable generator. It is worth having, even if you want to consider yourself lucky to have never used it.

Build Your Own Snow Machine

2007-04-01T22:19:00.000-05:00

This is from the "so easy, why didn't I think of it" files.

Found this great little clip on making your own snow using only an air compressor, some tubing and a pressure washer. Might be a little late for this season, but this idea would probably work equally as well scaled down and applied to your deck or backyard in the summer for the kids to play in.

ULTIMATE POWER!!!

2007-03-31T22:24:00.000-05:00

I love this unit, the HSE-2003-0M10 - HSE Series 2000 PSI Hot Water Electric Pressure Washer is a beast at just under 400lbs and pushing 2.8 gallons per minute at 250 degrees, doesn't matter what you are tyring to clean or blast away -nothing can stand up to it. Mi-T-M's units are always a little more expensive, but they are rental grade so they are gonna last. (link)

Easy Welding Projects

2007-03-31T13:33:00.000-05:00

(From www.joystiq.com) great little article on building your own gaming chair. We are huge fans of DIY yourself down here at TC Headquarters, so this is right up our alley. Of course you could always buy a video game chair, but that would be so easy and convenient...especially when you have the opportunity to weld your own, which is fun. Joystiq offers a "guide on how to build a totally badass gaming chair with $80 worth of materials. That covers the chair, steel, and paint; it's bring-your-own-steering-wheel-pedal-set" If you are going to make this happen I strongly suggest upgrading and getting Corbeau Chair to make the experience the ultimate in realism (link)

Genius

2007-03-30T20:49:00.000-05:00

I met with the leadership team from Buffalo Tools (a great company, that makes some really great tools by the way) in Vegas last year and they were showing me their new stuff for 07 and this item really caught my eye. It's a gas powered blender for tailgating. I remember thinking that it may be the most important invention for the furtherance of mankind since the printing press and that I was definitely picking one up for this summer.

While looking around I think I may have found a better one..couldn't quite pin down the manufacturer, but this one shoots flames, and at the end of the day if you have two equally great items and one shoots flames -it is obviously the better choice.

Check out the video of this hero showing all the guys who runs the parking lot, and the gentleman in the stripped shirt behind him being very impressed.

Things You Need

2007-03-30T20:17:00.000-05:00

(from www.toolmonger.com) a great little piece on the Grip-Rite cap stapler. The cap stapler is one of those tools the world may try to tell you that you can live without -but just image how good it would look on the wall in the shop. From Toolmonger:

It drives 5/8″ leg 20-gauge 1/2″ crown staples — that’s a mouthful, isn’t it? — or brads with plastic caps in tandem. Staples and brads load into the center track just like any nail gun, and caps load into a separate adjacent track.

When you pull the trigger, the GRC-58 pushes a brad through a plastic cap, then nails the brad and cap assembly into your target. The plastic caps do a great job of holding down tar paper and such by evenly distributing pressure over a wider area than a standard brad or staple.

It weighs about 4 pounds, which isn’t bad considering that it’s pneumatic, and it comes complete with hard plastic carrying case, a bottle of tool oil, and air fittings.

Grip-Rite isn't the most famous brand on the market, but what it lacks in name it makes up for in price. They make a full line of staplers and compressors. (link)

It’s Pressure Washer Season

2007-03-30T19:32:00.001-05:00

Best Choice– Campbell Hausfeld PW1810

Seems like the industry consensus is that the CH is gonna take best in show for the residential market for the 2007 season. The Campbell Hausfeld PW1810 is really getting off the chart reviews in the media and from people in the industry. I haven't used this one myself, but I know people at CH, and I know they were excited with the way this unit turned out. It's a perfect balance of function and value for the home user or a very light industrial application, and the price. People I talked to let me know they are selling really well –I think most places are out of them now for the next two weeks, from what I hear picking one up by Mid-April should be no problem. I know its going to be the big winner this year though, people know the Campbell Hausfeld name and they trust it. The PW1810 should last be able to get the job done for you, provided you take care of it and store it properly –for years to come. (link)