Toluu

Cool Tools

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.

Toys from TrashToday

The recycling, reuse and reppropriation of common household goods, trash and miscellany into functional and/or amusing items is something Cool Tools readers know well. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of tinkerers, whether you have children or not, it's near impossible to visit Arvind Gupta's Toys From Trash without wanting to attempt at least one of his many projects.

His web site boasts a fantastic range of educational experiments like how to fashion a potato battery and a bottle barometer, as well as a section called "Pumps from the Dump" which includes a stellar-looking Syringe Pump. Granted there's an array of light experiments akin to the ones you'll find in the previously-reviewed Science Toys You Can Make With Your Kids. But in addition to the nerdy, educational stuff, Gupta's site features quick and easy one-offs that aren't the least bit science-y, like how to fold six types of newspaper hat.

I first perused Toys From Trash a couple years ago, but found myself divin

Korg nanoKEYYesterday

A USB-connected MIDI controller, Korg's nanoKEY looks much like a mutated computer keyboard. It weighs less than a pound and takes up less room in one's bag than a paperback book. At first blush, it seems impossibly thin and a bit cheaply made, but after a few minutes, I found it to be playable just like any other keyboard. It has a trio of buttons that approximate a full-sized keyboard's pitch and modulation wheels (albeit in a binary fashion, no nuance available). There are also buttons that shift the keyboard's range up or down several octaves, and a special CC mode that makes each key output a MIDI continuous controller value when struck (instead of a MIDI note) which is handy when trying to get a hold of the dozens of little buttons that festoon modern music software. There are several behavioral options under the hood, too, and the included editor makes tweaking things simple.

So far, I've taken the keyboard with me on several trips and countless public transit rides. It has allowed me to take down ideas -- direct to my laptop -- that I never would have chronicled otherwise. It's also just plain fun.

I've been making music on computers since the early 90s, and the march of miniaturization and affordability in computer music gear has never ceased to astound me. The equivalent of a setup that once cost thousands of dollars to assemble and occupied an entire second

Barnett's ManualJanuary 7

The "bible" of bicycle mechanics, this 2000-page, four-volume manual is filled with detailed diagrams and repair steps for every aspect of fixing and maintaining a bicycle. Starting with a brief introduction to materials science, lubricants, and basic tool use, this comprehensive manual covers everything -- from tires and tubes to wheel building, drive-train theory and application to frame alignment, brakes, seats and more in explicit detail. If anything can break on a bike, Barnett's Manual tells you how to fix or replace it. The manual is far from cheap, but nothing else comes close to duplicating its value. I spent more than $1500 attending a professional bike repair and overhaul certification class this summer at the Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs, CO. While the classes were essential to boosting my skills and understanding of bikes so that I could get a job as a mechanic, this manual is a fantastic resource for everyone, gearhead hobbyists and professionals alike. I've got my electronic version at home and we use a printed version at work.

I have come to realize there are two philosophies of bicycle mechanics: what one might term Pascalian and Cartesian. The late Sheldon Brown believed in a highly-evolved intuitive approach to bicycles. In my opinion, this can only come through time and extensive exposure t

Nutshell CasesJanuary 6

I did a lot of research into hip cases when trying to find one for my Palm TX five years back. These handmade leather cases not only look good, but they're incredibly durable. Each one I've had has always outlasted each of my phones with very little sign of wear. Handmade from a single piece of leather, the cases are very supple. When empty they lie almost completely flat. When the case is new, the fit is a little snug. And although the case does relax over time, it's never enough to allow your phone to slip out. I've had cases with and without a top flap. Neither my Blackberry nor my Nokia ever fell out of the case despite there being no top flap (note: Blackberry cases also include the "magic magnet" that signals a Blackberry so it knows when it's in a case).

With my first case I went with a belt loop model because I thought it'd be more secure than the multi-way clip. Since there's no way to remove the case without removing your belt, I switched to the belt clip with my second case. Turns out the clip is rock solid and incredibly secure. Really keeps the case in much closer to the body so it doesn't get knocked about as much as other swivel-clip cases. Anything that's going to get my case off my belt is likely going to have to take a large part of the belt -- and possibly a bit of the hip -- with it.

A little pricey, but not compared to other high-end, leather cases. From time

5-in-1 Painter's ToolJanuary 5

I'd seen these scrapers for years and always figured them to be a gimmick, just a glorified putty knife. Then a friend helped me with a roofing project and brought one along. The more I used it, the more I came to see it as the single most handy, versatile and cheapest jobsite tool I've found. The basic functions: scraper, putty knife, chisel, pick, paint roll cleaner (squeegee).

I have probably a dozen of them floating around right now, always one or two on a jobsite. At a buck or so a piece, they are an incredible bargain. The pointy end does a great job of cleaning out crevices, scraping off excess glue or weld slag, prying up staples and getting into tight places. Makes a great little pry bar for wood trim. They can be used as a wedge and make a dandy temporary door stop/door hold open. The point can double as a Phillips screwdriver in a pinch. The flat side does a great job of opening cans. Sharpened up, the large flat blade can be used as a wood scraper or wood chisel. Great for those places where you may hit metal and don't want to trash a good chisel.

You can also customize them for specific tasks easily by filing or grinding them down if, say, you're refinishing and need a specific-sized scraper for the trim or you want to sharpen one side to a near-razor edge. I have seriously beat on these with a hammer and never had one shatter or snap. But they don't bend l