A Tough Tool Tote
Heavy Canvas Tool Bag
rufffianspecialties.com. $89.20
After nearly four decades of teaching woodworking, I’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out what tools I need to take from my shop for each class. I keep my leather-reinforced canvas tote packed and ready with the essentials—a tape measure, apron, machinist square, PPE (personal protective equipment), screwdriver, pencils, utility knife, and drill bits. I top it off with whatever else that night’s class might require. The bag’s outer pockets are great for holding small hand tools, while the interior is divided into three larger sections for bulkier items. The two end-pockets are great for stashing a water bottle and some snacks. Originally designed for maritime use, the suede-bottomed bag can be plopped down on a wet deck or parking lot without damaging the tools inside. The heavy-duty canvas wears like iron, and the leather-covered handles are comfortable and attached so well you’ll make the bag heavier than you want to carry before taxing them. If you work wood away from your shop, this bag will tote the tools you need to do it.
Ken Burton
One-Step Drilling
Milescraft CounterBit Countersink Drill Bit Set
4 pc, #153553, $12.99
Some obsessive-compulsive part of me appreciates the assembly line setup of using a series of handheld drills to bore the necessary holes for screws; one drill each for pilot hole, clearance hole, and countersink. But I can’t deny the speed and convenience of performing two of those operations at the same time using one of these combination bits from Milescraft. With this handy bit set, you can simultaneously bore a pilot hole and countersink or counterbore for #6, #8, #10, and #12 screws. Plus, the standard 1/4" hex shanks make the bits quick-change compatible. First, select the size corresponding to your screw’s root diameter. Then adjust the pilot hole depth by advancing or retracting the included brad point bit (the #6 is a twist bit) through the steel sleeve and tightening it in place with a setscrew and the included Allen wrench. After drilling your hole, the only thing left is to drill the clearance hole.
Chad McClung
