Valuable and reusable sandpaper
Diablo Sandpapers
PRICE: 50-pack for $20, available at The Home Depot
In terms of material removal and eliminating scratch patterns as you move through the grits, I’ve found Diablo SandNet to have a slight edge over other mesh-style sandpapers. It’s ceramic make-up cuts fast, and the nylon coating reduces pitch buildup. In the box, Diablo includes a connection pad that fits most sanders. Between this pad and the sheets’ hook and loop design, it never loses grip. But where Diablo stands above is that it maintains efficiency for much longer. Plus, when a SandNet sheet clogs, simply pull it from your sander and shake off the dust or hit it with a burst of air from your compressor, reapply, and get back to work with the same sheet. If it gets really jammed up, run the sheet under water to clean it up. Sanding is notoriously boring, but it can be a little less tedious and costly with Diablo SandNet.
Chad McClung
No-math accuracy
General 147 Digital Caliper
PRICE: $31.99, acehardware.com, #2133429
One of my basic woodworking rules is that I can’t make a measuring mistake if I don’t measure. I’m a cut-to-fit guy. But when I do need to measure something, I want a fast, easy-to-read, and accurate result. That’s when I reach for my stainless steel General 147 digital caliper with 6-inch capacity. The large LCD readout displays your choice of three modes: fractional inches, digital inches, and millimeters. Select the one you want by toggling the mode button at left. Rated accuracy is plus or minus 0.001” or 0.02 mm. The center button is the on/off switch, but the caliper also has automatic shut-off to preserve its battery. The zero button at right allows you to reset at any point along the beam to measure the difference between two points—no math required. In addition to inside and outside dimensions, the tool also measures depth. A fitted foam-lined plastic case houses the tool when not in use and stores a spare battery as well as a tiny screwdriver to access the compartment.
Robert J. Settich
