I just had occasion to fix my daughter's eyeglasses. They had snapped at the hinge, in a place where neither glue nor tape would find any purchase, and we needed a way to repair them until we could replace the frames. For about $5 at Home Depot I got a tube holding enough epoxy putty to last for years of small repairs.

Epoxy putty is your standard two-component epoxy in concept, but like plasticene in initial consistency.��You mix two strips by cutting an equal length of each and kneading them together with your fingers until it's even in color. Once it's kneaded, you mold it into shape with your fingers or the same kind of craft tools you would use on clay or plasticene. When it hardens, after about a half hour, it's like rock--you can pound it with a hammer with no apparent effect. I've used it to make handles for broken pocketknife blades, for fixing glasses (like this time), for temporary patches on water pipes, and for a variety of other repairs and odd tasks.��

-- Clifton Royston

[Magic-Sculp epoxy clay was featured in Cool Tools on March 3, 2005 but is packaged in a much larger quantity, at a much higher price, for larger repairs and sculpting.]

Henkel Solid Ribbon Epoxy
$3
Available from Ace Hardware
Amazon carries an Eight Pack for $28

Manufactured by Henkel

Back in December we got some wet sloppy snow which mostly got walked on before people got around to trying to shovel. As a result, there was lots of icy, treacherous, packed snow on sidewalks. Now, I'm not a little old lady (yet) but I don't want to fall on ice on my way to the bus stop, either--especially not while carrying my laptop back and forth to work! These things, which fit over shoes or boots, really work well! I can walk almost normally over packed snow, as long as the surface has a bit of texture--and the added confidence has been great! (Smooth ice is still pretty challenging...)

[You can also choose the Yaktrax Pro. Both models are pictured on the manufacturer's web site.]

-- Marie in Toledo

Yaktrax Walker
$20
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Yaktrax

Originally marketed to repair old tennis shoes (which it does very well), this industrial strength rubber cement has many, many purposes.

I had a problem with the trim falling off of my second Mazda Rx-7, so I went around the car and pulled off all the trim and re-glued it with Shoe Goo. I never had the problem again. Through all kinds of weather and at very irresponsible speeds, the trim was still on the car after the vehicle was used up, wrung out, stripped of parts for my third Rx-7 and sold to a salvage yard for scrap metal.

Goop makes several other varieties that are supposedly specialized for different applications, but after trying them I keep going back to the original.

-- Justin Belshe

[Note: Apparently "Shoe Goo" is not a trademark. Several products from differing manufacturers use the same name, in very similar packaging. The link below is to the source which Justin Belshe used. Beware of imitations!]

Shoe Goo
$7
George's Shoes

When I saw these in a commercial during the Super Bowl I thought finally, an ad that actually influenced me to buy something.

Mine arrived yesterday from Staples and they are everything I'd hoped they would be. The same great Sharpie ink and point, but no more cap to hold on to or put down and lose or forget about.

What the great engineers at Sanford have done is create a minuscule hinged door that operates entirely within the instrument's barrel, opening and closing like a submarine's hatch.

-- Joseph Stirt

Retractable Sharpie
$15 for set of 8
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sharpie

This kit makes tire repair pretty easy and even kind of fun.

I had opportunity to use mine on a ride a summer ago when I came across a rider with a flat rear tire. The kit worked as advertised. You used the serrated tool to clean and roughen up the puncture, and then you goop up the repair material and force it into the hole. Give the goop a few minutes to set, trim the plug flush, and use the CO2 cartridges to inflate the tire enough to get you to the nearest filling station.

-- Roger Los

[The manufacturer's site offers many different packages for bicycles, motorcycles, and motor sports.]

Ultraflate Plus
$25
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Genuine Innovations

I earn my living installing wood trim on doors and windows as well as crown moldings and molded wall panels and the like. When two pieces of trim come together at a corner they are cut, or mitered and fastened. The tighter the miter the better the carpenter. My boss is fond of saying if your paycheck can fit between the miters, you can't keep it.

Pinch dogs are simple u-shaped pieces of steel that are driven into the wood across the joint. They draw the joint together until the glue dries. They are also useful for clamping boards together edge to edge if you don't have bar clamps long enough to reach the outside edge.

I have gotten used ones on EBay at substantial savings.

-- Paul Francy

Pinch Dogs
$2 to $5 depending on size, quantity, and source
Available from Hardwicks
Also available from Japan Woodworker
Also available from Woodcraft

Manufactured by CS Osborne

I have been using a pretty cool detergent product that was launched recently. These are half ounce dissolvable packets of concentrated laundry detergent, so that you just throw one into the washer and you don't have to carry, measure, pour or waste detergent. Very cool and convenient!

--Kunal Bahl

[The manufacturer also emphasizes that its products are environmentally benign.]

Dropps
$6 for 20 loads
Available from Cot'n Wash Inc.

Switch off thousands of TVs using just one small remote! When you want some peace and quiet in that local bar of restaurant or office all you need to do is hit the TV-B-Gone button. I've used it in bars and clubs, and in the headquarters building of a large South African bank which had too many TV's on the walls and some of which needed to switched off. It really does work.

--Paul Parkinson

[When you press the button, TV-B-Gone takes slightly more than�a minute to emit more than 200 popular shutdown codes, like trying every possible combination to open a safe. The instructions include a diatribe against television in general, as if using this product is not merely a prank, but a serious political act. CP]

TV-B-Gone
$20
Available from
Amazon

Manufactured by TV B Gone

This tool is awesome, I use it all the time. The hawkmate is a spackler's hawk [tray for carrying mixed spackle] with a plate on its underside that holds the taping tools. I no longer have to hold multiple knives in my hand or in my pockets. Also when�I put the tool in my truck the knives stay protected from chipping or bending.

-- Matt

Hawkmate
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Hawkmate

[For many decades, consumers have been enticed to use "special" engine oil filters and additives despite a lack of real evidence for their effectiveness. I was dubious when Joachim Klehe told me of a bypass system from Filtration Solutions Worldwide that might have the potential to double engine life in pickup trucks, SUVs, and full-size Big Rigs, but Joachim makes a convincing case. CP]

The FS-2500 is a remote mounted bypass oil filter which cleans oil at an efficiency of 2.78 microns absolute. This allows the user to extend oil drain intervals dramatically, and most importantly, stop up to 99% of the wear in the engine. Only the bypass filter element is changed app. every 10,000 miles rather than the oil being drained and changed, reducing oil consumption and used oil disposal. Most of the testimonials for the FS-2500 note that the long-haul users change their oil between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. The light pickup and SUV users go between 30,000 and 50,000 miles between changing their oil.

If someone is skeptical about going that long between oil changes, the FS-2500 folks also offer an "Oil Analysis" club where oil can be extracted from the bypass filter via a T-valve and sent to the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX.

Maybe the FS-2500 could be adapted for use on a passenger car, but I suspect there would be two major challenges: a safe and secure mounting location, as it's a fairly large unit, and a means of mounting the oil fitting on the engine's regular oil filter where there's sufficient pressure.

-- Joachim Klehe

[Since most of the damage inside an engine is probably caused by small particles which act in the same way as an abrasive cleaner, a really good filtration system should make a dramatic difference. Whether it's worth the money will depend on whether you plan to continue using one vehicle for many years into the future, and�if you live in an area where underbody corrosion may terminate the vehicle's useful life before engine wear. --CP]

Filtration Solutions FS-2500
Price depends on vehicle: Call 888-440-9056
Information (including videos) available at Filtration Solutions

My sister gave a MysticMaid cleaning cloth to me for a birthday present. Prejudging the gift (a towel?) I feigned a thanks and a fake smile. Then I tried it. I cleaned my glasses and then my monitor. Wow! I'd swear I got a new prescription.

One of the best uses I found for it, was cleaning up items for online auctions. I cleaned an older digital camera to a nearly brand new state. Cleans CDs and DVDs, too.

Machine washable.

-- Russ Taber

MysticMaid
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by MysticMaid

Like many people, I've had a lifetime of those round shopvacs on wheels with various attachments strung out around the house. The Pro Pack solves a lot of the problems that the traditional shopvacs had. It's in a rectangular form factor much like a giant toolbox, right down to a sturdy handle and storage compartments for all of the attachments and the power cord. The shape and light weight make it easy to carry and store, and because the vacuum is so powerful -- 5.0 peak HP -- you can pick up all sorts of things. To empty, just pop off the top and pour the contents out. It's easy enough to manage that I'll probably be using it around the house almost as much as my regular vacuum cleaner.

-- Annette S. Leung

Ridgid Pro Pack
$89
Available from Home Depot

Manufactured by Ridgid

The Japanese Kugihiki flush cutting saw saves me time, makes a cleaner cut, and needs no setup time. Since the teeth have no set, you can slide the saw against a surface without marring it.

These and other Japanese hand saws such as Dozuki and Ryoba have caused me to abandon power tools for many jobs. The cut almost never needs cleaning up and is good for many materials. The Ryoba looks intimidating but can replace a cheap circular saw any day for a lot less money.

-- Alan

Kugihiki Flush-Cutting Saw
$27
Wood Craft


Takumi Ryoba 8-1/4" Super Fine Cut Double Blade Saw
$45
Amazon


Shark Corp 10-2610 Takumi Dozuki 9" Super Fine Cut Saw
$38
Amazon

This is the last nail file you need to buy. Do yourself a favor by replacing those sandpaper disposables with Tweezerman's 3in long Pedro Fina ceramic file. Comes in its own plastic carry case with pocket clip, about the size of a large pen. It's sturdy enough not to get broken or lost in any bag, and one end is tapered for cleaning under dirty nails. The best part is the triangular design, consisting of two flat surfaces with little lips on the edges and a third concave surface. Unlike the traditional flat file, these contours make it easier to file around shorter nails.

I have one in my office, my car, my handbag, my home computer desk, bathroom, bedroom...

-- Sarah Cooke

Pedro Fina Ceramic File
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Tweezernan

My office building's climate control is like a pendulum -- it swings back and forth in the general area of comfort, but never quite reaches it. I have long used small table fans, but have to leave a suitable gap between the fan and the wall/partition behind it, to avoid blocking the air flow. Now I use a Lasko "squirrel cage" blower, which takes in air from the sides, allowing it to be placed flush against any wall. The blower head is adjustable in a vertical direction. An added plus -- its design is extremely quiet, making it perfect for the office environment.

-- Bryan Quattlebaum

(In the United States, this product is sold under the Stanley brand name in a black-and-yellow package which is more likely to harmonize with a workshop than an office. A representative from Lasko stated that their original two-tone gray design is not available from retailers until the summer months. --CP)

Lasko Fan
$53
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Lasko Products

This is the greatest tool for removing ticks from dogs or people. We have 3 dogs and walk daily in the Oakland, California hills. During tick season, most of the year, they each pick up a couple of ticks daily. Two of the dogs, Bear and Girl, have long hair, Joey has short hair, and the tick twister works well on all of them. It also removes ticks well from the "hairless apes" in the house. It's better than tweezers which grab skin and fur while leaving pieces of the tick behind, also there is no need to worry about poking your pet in the eye with sharp tweezers.

-- Bart Trickel

Tick Twister
$4
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by O'Tom

As a remodeling contractor, I benefit greatly from a well-designed tool. One tool I especially like is the Tibet Almond Stick. I always have one in my toolbox. It is a remarkable quick fix for minor scratches in wood finishes. One swipe and the scratches disappear (or are greatly diminished!) Great for touching up wood floors, furniture, wood countertops, trim, etc. I have no idea how it works.

-- Rock Heindel

Tibet Almond Stick
$5
Available from
Amazon

Manufactured by Zenith Chemical Works

If you share your house with several children (as I do) it's quite common for one kid to grab another kid's toothbrush, creating a pathway for infection. I decided that this problem was real when my oldest boy got a cold sore on his lip, and my youngest daughter mysteriously acquired one of her own a week later.

The human mouth is well known to be crawling with viruses and bacteria, and a toothbrush naturally picks up its share, along with some saliva to form an excellent culture medium. A toothbrush sitting innocently in the bathroom may be one of the least hygienic items in your home.

Several sterilizers are available, but this one seems the best to me, using ultraviolet light instead of steam. It's also useful if you have a guest who didn't plan to stay overnight and came without his own toothbrush. He won't catch anything from you, and you won't catch anything from him (at least, not by him brushing his teeth).

-- Abigail Fromm

PureBrush
$70
Available from Dental Mart

Manufactured by Purebrush

CityMax is the coolest tool on the web.��I needed a website to sell my stuff and it took me forever to find a provider that would allow me to build, host and maintain my site so easily and for less than $20.

Its awesome because unlike the other site builders out there, it is integrated with eBay, Paypal, Google, Yahoo, Shopping.com and just has everything I need. I am their biggest fan.

(CityMax claims that more than 172,000 sites have been built using their software.)

-- Kirk McClean

CityMax
$20/month or $204/year
Available from CityMax

The SwiMP3 consists of swim goggles with an MP3 player using headphones that rest flat on the cheek bones, between your ears and your eyes, so that you hear the music through bone conduction rather than through your ears.

Music breaks up the tedium of lap swimming, of course, but even better is the fact that it encourages proper form. It sounds better when your head is in the water, so I keep my head down.

-- Bill Altreuter

SwiMP3
$169
Available from BuyDig