Popular Mechanics articles from August 2004

Popular Mechanics archives from August 2004

Fit or fat?(Editor's Notes)(Editorial)
August 1, 2004... IF you're up watching TV at 2 or 3 am, as I am some nights (don't ask), or if you watch any sports programming whatsoever, it's pretty difficult to avoid those fitness machine commercials. Some of them are actually their own television...

Guns and butter.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... Let me express my appreciation for your article collecting coach guns, and for your editorial in the June issue. Thank you for standing up to the whiners and protesters who rail against the Second Amendment to our Constitution. These boneheads...

Reader project of the month.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... I built this battery-powered train from plans in a 1965 issue of PM. My version uses the chassis of a 5-hp Simplicity garden tractor. The engine is 3/8-in. plywood, the boiler is made of an old 30-gal. steel barrel, and I put a wheel on the...

Roll out the barrels.(100 Years Ago (August 1904))
August 1, 2004... "Water bicycles afford fine sport, and, like many other devices boys make, can be made of material cast off by other people as rubbish." The homemade water bike floated on three oil barrels "available from the local grocer in return for making...

After the fall.(25 Years Ago (August 1979))
August 1, 2004... When jetliners go down, sometimes only the flight recorders survive to reveal what went wrong. This story explained how these "black boxes" work, and how the information is extracted and analyzed in the lab. Such information was used to...

Spinning on air.(50 Years Ago (August 1954))
August 1, 2004... The author described his amazing experience of sitting on a bare floor sheltering his baby after watching the roof and walls of his house blow away during a tornado. With nothing overhead, he was able to look directly into the core of the...

Jump for joy.(75 Years Ago (August 1929))
August 1, 2004... Motorboating evolved from a romantic pastime of chugging along at 8 to 10 mph, to flying over the water at 40 mph. The change came about when more powerful motors were developed. When the water was too calm for wave jumping, a catapult,...

Robots dig in to defend earth.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... OVER the past decade, telescopes have identified 2672 near-Earth objects, giant chunks of rock traveling on orbits that bring them in the vicinity of our home planet. Also lurking in the darkness are uncounted other objects waiting to be...

Balloons go back to basics.(Future Flight)
August 1, 2004... IT is back to the future for airship designers. Techsphere Systems International (TSI) of Columbus, Ga., has adopted a retro design for its line of high-altitude platforms. Under its weight-bearing skin the sphere encloses an expandable gasbag...

New catalyst.(Tech Watch)(automotive catalysts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... A new type of exhaust fume catalyst that works better in the presence of water vapor has been developed at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. The lab says that when used on engines burning a lean fuel-air mix, the catalyst can remove...

Molecular thermometer.(Illuminating)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... MOLECULE-based optical thermometers typically operate across a narrow temperature range, thus limiting their use to a small number of applications. Researchers from the University of California working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New...

Face reconstruction.(Spy Stuff)(analysi based on functional magnetic resonance imaging)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... UNDERSTANDING how the brain reconstructs facial expressions will improve the accuracy of the computerized recognition systems police use to spot suspects in crowds. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, a technology that measures brain...

Light fabric.(Tech Watch)(creation of an advertising banner that catches attention by flashing and scrolling)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... WEAVING ancient and modern technologies, Sarnoff of Princeton, N.J., has created an advertising banner that catches attention by flashing and scrolling. To create FabriLED, Sarnoff wove electrically insulating yarns with conductive yarns...

Chip moves DNA.(Tech Watch)(Deoxyribonucleic Acid)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... A student at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University has designed a microchip that uses electric fields to separate DNA and protein molecules. "The chip has tiny wires, about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair, embedded in a circular...

New report on Roswell.(Tech Watch)(documentary movies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... ALIENS don't fade away. Building on the success of the SCI FI Channel's documentary "The Roswell Crash: Startling New Evidence," Pocket Books has published the complete report of the archeological excavation on which the special was based....

Lasers tattoo jeans.(Fashionable)
August 1, 2004... LONG used to remove tattoos, lasers soon will apply them to bluejeans. The Genie system that created the designs shown here consists of a 10-watt carbon dioxide laser and a pair of computer-controlled mirrors. Where the light strikes the denim,...

Bullet cooks terrorists.(Tech Watch)(creation of a tiny explosive charge that instantly turns a room into a self-heating oven)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... THE U.S. Army has created a tiny explosive charge that instantly turns a room into a self-heating oven. Dubbed "the first thermobaric small arms munition," the 25mm XM 1060 round creates a small explosion that disperses fine metal particles in...

Help for sore knees.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... TINY electromagnetic pulses may offer nonsurgical, drug-free relief for some of the 21 million Americans suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Bionicare of Sparks, Md., has received Food and Drug Administration approval to sell a...

Frowning at fast drivers.(Traffic Alert)(traffic signs,usage and analysis)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... IN London, traffic signs tell you whether you are breaking the law. A smiley face turns into a frown if you exceed the legal limit. Tests showed that frowns were more effective than fines at reducing speeding, says a spokesman from Counters &...

Earth news.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... 1 PAKISTAN A heat wave that lingered over the West Punjab province for three days in early May killed at least 10 people and hospitalized dozens of others, according to Pakistani health officials. In the cities of Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi...

Floating bridge links Europe with Africa.(Extreme Design)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... CALIFORNIA architect Eugene Tsui plans to jumpstart the chronically ailing African economy by building a 9-mile-long bridge that spans the Strait of Gibraltar. "The structure of the bridge is a series of fish-shaped sections, like the vertebrae...

Building cheaper UAVs.(Future Weapon)(unmanned aerial vehicles )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... CRUISE missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) cost a fraction of what piloted aircraft cost, and the Pentagon wants them to be even cheaper. Titan, of San Diego, has a plan to build $1 million cruise missiles for $60,000. The trick: Use...

Solar blast.(Space Shots)
August 1, 2004... TEN billion tons of flaming gas erupted from the sun in a coronal mass ejection that showered the Earth with a 2 million-mph blast of atomic particles. Matter from the high-energy event reached Earth on Nov. 5. 2003. It was recently found to be...

Arsenic eraser.(Following Up ...)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... A geochemist in New Mexico has found an inexpensive way to solve India's arsenic-contamination problem. which we reported in our May 1997 issue. David Norman of New Mexico Tech in Socorro has found arsenic can be removed by passing water...

Limited Liberty.(Following Up ...)
August 1, 2004... AFTER the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Statue of Liberty was closed for security upgrades. The grounds were reopened that December. If all goes according to plan, the monument, which we featured in an article on its 100th anniversary, will...

Nano self-assembly.(Breakthrough)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... ONE of the tallest barriers to producing human-scale devices from nano-size materials has been hurdled by scientists at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Scientists now have little difficulty making...

Smile for the mortar.(Tech Watch)
August 1, 2004... TRAPPED soldiers will someday be able to fire a mortar shell that spots the enemy. The reconnaissance round, developed by Charles Stancil of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, takes five photos as it parachutes to Earth, and sends...

PDRs: personal digital recorders make minitapes a thing of the past.(Digital Devices)
August 1, 2004... I have a new favorite toy. It's an Olympus DS-330 digital voice recorder, and these days you'll find that my personal tape recorder for saving interviews and recording passing ideas and thoughts has been tossed in the dustbin of history. ...

Joystick heaven: newest video games and gear from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo.(Video Games)
August 1, 2004... IT'S hard to believe that the first [E.sup.3] (Electronic Entertainment Expo) took place nearly 10 years ago. This year, still at the Los Angeles Convention Center, [E.sup.3] (the conference for all things video game) was bigger, better and...

Brains for your feet: Adidas unleashes the world's most technologically advanced shoe.(Footwear)
August 1, 2004... LISTEN, Your knees are talking to you. When you run, your knees bear the brunt of the shock of your feet striking the ground. And they let you know about it. Cushioning, or damping, this shock has long been the holy grail of running shoe...

Wandering poles: the mystery of the Earth's magnetic field reversals may at last be solved.(Geology)
August 1, 2004... TRUE north. No phrase conveys as powerful a sense of place. No matter how far we wander or how dark the night, the slow drift of the compass needle to magnetic north points the way home, GPS is great, My trusty Garmin eTrex lives in the bottom...

Rm 4 4, Sky Vu: the folks at Mini hope the sky's the limit.(New Car Reports)
August 1, 2004... What's a carmaker to do after introducing a totally new model that busts all segments with its style, innovation and instant public appeal? BMW has chosen the familiar open-top route by bringing out a convertible version of the 2005 Mini....

The renewed standard of the world: the STS is the third new model from Caddy with rear-wheel drive.(New Car Reports)(Cadillac, Automobile industry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... IF you don't believe Cadillac is back, look no further than the 2005 STS. And since it shares its underpinnings with the CTS and the SRX sport utility, it also offers an all-wheel-drive option. The STS is a big Caddy--think BMW 7 Series. And...

Escaping the gas lines: Ford's Escape goes semielectric.(Automotive)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... WHO says hybrid vehicles have to look futuristic? Not Ford. Aside from the small "Hybrid" badge and unique 16-in. wheels, the 2005 Escape Hybrid looks just like all the more mundanely powered ones sharing the road with it. Its conventional...

The face is familiar.(Detroit Spy Report)
August 1, 2004... THIS car certainly looks familiar. That's because it's a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Though it gets what industry folks call "an exterior freshening," it's still quite recognizable. Set for 2005 introduction, the coupe features changes in front and...

Winding it up tight: true to its roots, the Lotus Elise is a 2000-pound lightweight.(New Car Reports)
August 1, 2004... IT'S been years coming, but the Lotus Elise roadster has finally made it here. The Elise Series II is essentially the same car that's been for sale in Europe for several years. However, this Lotus is Toyota powered, compliments of a 1.8-liter...

Gilding the Lily: Jaguar continues to tweak its sleek cars inside and out.(Automotive)
August 1, 2004... JAGUAR has made some revisions to its S-Type and XK for 2005. Both cars have modest changes in front-end styling and a number of revisions inside the cabin and throughout the chassis. S-Type offers a new grille opening and lower front fascia as...

Right car, wrong dealership.(Detroit Spy Report)
August 1, 2004... THINGS are not always exactly as they seem to be. For instance, that Kappa-based 2-seater from Genera/Motors that we revealed a few months ago is going to Saturn. Our sources at the time indicated that it was Bowtie-bound as a Chevy, but new...

Lucky inheritance: the Crossfire SRT-6 gets gobs of gifts from Mercedes-Benz.(New Car Reports)
August 1, 2004... AS we wrote back in June ("New Car Reports," page 46), Chrysler's Crossfire is quite intimate with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It's also the very first Chrysler to receive the SRT performance treatment. Given the car's relationship with the baby...

Miata mania.(Asia Spy Report)
August 1, 2004... MAZDA'S MX-5 Miata has been with us, relatively unchanged, for 15 years. Well, for the 2006 model year Mazda will remake the popular roadster from the ground up. The company's new global 2.3-liter inline 4-cylinder seems the likely choice under...

Ride of the Valkyries: after a decade on the show circuit, the Honda Valkyrie Rune is here.(Automotive)
August 1, 2004... THE Rune is powered by a massaged Honda Gold Wing 1832cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected SOHC flat Six and 5-speed shaft-drive gearbox. This bike is a torque monster throughout its revrange--but what's most striking about the Rune is its size. The...

Take it with you--anywhere: Hummer H2 SUT is half pickup, half SUV.(New Car Reports)
August 1, 2004... ALTHOUGH it looks like a pickup, the H2 SUT has more in common with the Chevrolet Avalanche and its reconfigurable bed. To load long objects, just power down the rear window, flip the seats forward and unhinge the Midgate, and the 4 x 6-ft. bed...

As night follows day.(Asia Spy Report)
August 1, 2004... SUZUKI'S current Verona shares a chassis, powertrain and sheetmetal with the Daswoo Magnus sedan produced in Korea. This shot of the next Daewoo Magnus, due as a 2006 model, could well mean that the Verona will be remade on this platform in...

Custom fit.(Asia Spy Report)
August 1, 2004... In response to competition from Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia as well as Toyota's new Scion division, Honda will begin selling a subcompact model here, below the Civic, starting in 2006. The new car will be based on the Japanese market...

Fit For fat: Lou "The Hulk" Ferrigno takes on five TV infomercial workout machines. Will they make you ripped or ripped off?(Outdoors)
August 1, 2004... EVERYONE wants a great body, but not everyone wants to spew the sweat to get one. Isn't there an easy way out, a short-cut? Sure--if you believe the claims made about the infomercial fitness machines that you see on late-night TV. They're the...

40 wild horses: America's original ponycar is still going strong after four decades and 8 million units sold.(Automotive)
August 1, 2004... Few cars capture the essence of the American spirit as completely as the Ford Mustang. This icon has turned 40. That we're here to celebrate the Mustang's 40th anniversary is due to the vision and efforts of a small group of men at...

Spin machines: all-in-one audio players give you versatility and a retro look.(Technology)
August 1, 2004... Today's music lovers growing up with Nomads and iPods may never know the sound of music on vinyl. They probably haven't thought of their music system as part of the living room furniture, either. But a passionate audience of record owners who...

Dangerous science: maligned and ridiculed, cold fusion gains respect as a cheap way to produce nuclear weapons.(Science)
August 1, 2004... Reversing a 15-year-old policy, the Department of Energy has quietly ordered an evaluation of cold fusion research. Supporters of the technology believe it has the potential to become a limitless source of pollution-free power. Its...

Wheels of fortune: don't just admire Lance Armstrong's Tour de France bike. Buy it!(Outdoors)
August 1, 2004... This summer Lance Armstrong will set out once again to singe the egos of the world's top bike racers by attempting to win an unprecedented sixth consecutive Tour de France. While the French media slap their foreheads exclaiming "mon Dieu!" in...

Long-term: test cars: a newcomer with five doors, seven seats and all-wheel drive joins the fleet.(Automotive)
August 1, 2004... IT shouldn't be a surprise that like most things, automotive trends run in cycles. As an example, look at the latest addition to our long-term fleet and the senior member that departs with this report. It wasn't that long ago that the minivan...

Hedge hoggers: we test six hedge trimmers for power, convenience and safety.(Trimmers)
August 1, 2004... Trimming hedges, for many of us, is second only to mowing in terms of the time we spend on yard chores: Surprisingly, outdoor power equipment manufacturers don't offer nearly the array of quality homeowner-grade machines for this task as they...

Utility cutters: new ways of cutting old materials.(Tools)
August 1, 2004... OUTSIDE the kitchen, there was a time when cutting around the home and shop was done with a pocketknife, utility knife or a pair of scissors. On those rare occasions when there was sheetmetal to cut, you bought or borrowed a clunky pair of...

Installing a powered dryer vent: shorten drying times with an efficient new vent system.(Dryer Vent)
August 1, 2004... VENTING a clothes dryer seems simple enough, but there's really more to it than meets the eye. As a dryer heats up, the moisture in the clothes is expelled on a stream of hot air that's sent outdoors through a vent. The problem is that the...

Craftsman twin cutter.(Tool Review)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... IF the thought of a spinning circular saw blade meeting cold steel has you in a cold sweat, there's a new tool from Sears that's about to change your view of the world. The new Craftsman Twin Cutter features two 6 1/8-in.-dia. carbide-tipped...

Preventing deck failures.(Homeowners Clinic)(maintenance and repair)
August 1, 2004... From a safety point of view, it's essential to periodically inspect and maintain wood decks. This keeps decks looking attractive, protects your investment and can prevent a deck failure. Normally you don't hear about a deck collapse unless...

Advice on wiring.(book review)(Book Review)
August 1, 2004... How much is an electrician's time worth? A lot, and it should be. This book may cost $50, but if you had to pay an electrician for all the advice and data gathered in its 365 pages, you'd end up paying a lot more. It was written by a father-son...

Chalk one up.(Service tip: paint prep)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... A common cause of exterior paint failure is inadequate surface preparation. Paint will only bond properly to a dean, slightly rough surface. Dirt, chalk or mold prevent paint from being firmly anchored to the surface. Chalk, which is a layer of...

Strobe signaler.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... I need a way to know when someone is at the door of my small woodworking business when the machines are running and I can't hear the doorbell. Is there a doorbell button with strobe? JOHN HEAVILL Via Internet Harris Communications, a...

Low-temperature room.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... My husband's medical condition requires an air conditioner that can bring the room temperature to 55[degree]F. When our workhorse window unit gave out, our search for a replacement revealed only new models with thermostats that don't go cooler...

Residential noise barrier.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... I have a house that backs up to railroad tracks. Any suggestions on noise barrier fencing? MATTHEW STEINFELD Via Internet A noise barrier will reduce railroad or highway noise, but it cannot eliminate it. Noise barriers reduce sound by...

Air apparent.(Auto Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... I tried to flush the brake fluid on my wife's 5-year-old SUV. I opened all of the bleeder bolts and pumped all the fluid out into four small jars. Man, that brake fluid was black. Then I bled all the calipers one at a time. I've gone around the...

Let's do the twist.(Car Care Tip)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... THE plugs hadn't been changed in, well forever. Which may have explained the misfire when this fellow decided to change them. But he brought the vehicle beck to me afterward, complaining of an even worse misfire following his ministrations. I...

Fluid drive.(Auto Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... I have a 1987 Jeep with a 5-speed manual transmission. The last time I had it serviced, some bozo of a mechanic at the transmission place put ATF in the gearbox. The truck was driven about 20 miles with this fluid installed. Would this cause...

Your 2002-04 Acura RSX small like brimstone and rotten eggs?(Service Tips)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... * Your 2002-04 Acura RSX small like brimstone and rotten eggs? It's not possessed, but Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 03-031 says you can exorcise it by sealing some trunk seams, adding flaps to the tailgate drainholes, and you might need to...

If no air comes from the upper vents in your 2000-03 Mitsubishi Diamante, the a/c linkage on the plenum may have come adrift.(Service Tips)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... * If no air comes from the upper vents in your 2000-03 Mitsubishi Diamante, the a/c linkage on the plenum may have come adrift. You'll need to pin the levers together with a bolt to keep them from separating, and TSB 04-55-02 shows how.

Remote access.(Auto Clinic)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... I just bought a Saturn Ion. The battery is mounted in the trunk next to the spare. Why? Is this safe? Don't batteries give off hydrogen gas? There's no ventilation in the trunk. HARRY HOSLER Circleville, OH There are any number of...

Fixing faulty cruise control.(Saturday Mechanic)
August 1, 2004... ALARMINGLY, the speedometer needle steadily winds down from 75 mph toward 50. Just as you uncurl your feet and try to accelerate back to traffic speeds, the vehicle downshifts with a lurch and abruptly climbs back to over 80 mph. So you tap the...

SureFire 6P flashlight.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... A favorite of law enforcement personnel, the SureFire 6P is just 5.1 inches long but packs the power of a four D-cell flashlight. Precision-machined from aerospace-grade aluminum, it delivers a 65-lumen pre-focused brilliant white beam for 60...

Thompson's[R] WaterSeal[R] Advanced Wood Protector.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Interest in decks has never been greater. To protect your deck, nothing is tougher than Thompson's[R] WaterSeal[R] Advanced Wood Protector. It's the only formula that seals out 99% of the water, right from the start--and lets you clean and...

New 9 HP DR[R] CHIPPER.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... With nearly twice the power of "bargain" chippers, the new 9 HP DR[R] CHIPPER is in a class by itself. This heavily built machine makes fast work of tough branches, prunings, even small trees up to 3" thick. Easy to move with comfortable...

Stanley[R] Professional Grade Tool Set.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(product information)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... The Stanley[R] Professional Grade Mechanics Tool Set consists of over 250 unique items available in six graduated sets, which are designed for the enthusiastic "shade tree" mechanic or home improvement do-it-yourselfer who likes tackling...

04' limited production Golden Boys.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2004... Henry Repeating Arms is making its' popular Henry Golden Boy available in limited quantities in three new issues for 2004. The deluxe model pictured features a hand engraved receiver in period style engraving and is priced at an incredible...

Tie one on.(Great Stuff)(SPORTSTUFF MABLE TOW TUBE )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SPORTSTUFF MABLE TOW TUBE $259.95 www.sportsstuff.com The best ride on the water may not be in the boat--but behind it. SportsStufffs Mable Series for one to four riders offers kneeling, prone or seated riding positions. The 2-person model...

Free poster.(Great Stuff)(Advertisement)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
August 1, 2004... 100 YEARS OF PM COVERS FREE Here is one great poster. It shows 100 of POPULAR MECHANICS'S best covers, one from each of the first 100 years of PM's existence. It measures 11 x 17 in. and is suitable for flaming. And it's flee. To receive a...

Nuts 'n' volts.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... EOZ MBZ HEAVY-DUTY ELECTRIC MINIBIKE $899.95 Forget the noise and pollution. This electric-powered all-wheel-drive minibike uses dual integrated 48-volt hub motors and four 12-volt 20 AH lead-acid batteries. The 168-pound bike whizzes along...

DVD and away.(Great Stuff)(Toshiba Corp.'s LCD/DVD combination )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... TOSHIBA SD-P5000 $799.99 Watch DVDs anywhere your heart desires. Small, pretty and useful, the new SD-P500015-in. LCD/DVD combination from Toshiba is perfect for any part of the house or patio. It includes a TV tuner that can be hung on a...

Take it out.(Great Stuff)(Weber Q portable gas grill)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Weber grill $200 The Weber Q portable gas grill may be the world's best grill lover's present. The 41-pound Q is fueled by a standard 14.1-ounce propane cylinder that provides fuel for 1 1/2 hours of grilling. It features a body and lid of...

Latch onto it.(Great Stuff)(JVM CLASSIC Designs VE-LATCH)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... JVM CLASSIC DESIGNS VE-LATCH $19.97 The Ve-Latch is the first really good mechanism that we've seen to open a gate latch from the outside. Bore a hole through the gatepost and mount the re-Latch so it engages the gate latch. Push it on one...

On a troll.(Great Stuff)(Minn Kota's new Vector transom-mount trolling motors)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... MINN KOTA VECTOR $429.99 AND UP Minn Kota's new Vector transom-mount trolling motors use a 3X steering system for greater boat control. The manufacturer says the design is better than that of conventional filler models. The lower unit of...

Dish it out.(Great Stuff)(Sears Kenmore's dishwashers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SEARS KENMORE DISHWASHERS $329-$849 Sears Kenmore has equipped its new line of dishwashers with extra sound-deadening material to ensure they operate 10 to 20 percent quieter than last year's models, Sears says. Wash quality has been...

Shut it off.(Great Stuff)(TACO's water and gas shutoff)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... TACO WAGS $160 This product is simple yet ingenious. It's called WAGS (water and gas shutoff). It's plumbed onto a water heater's gas and water lines. If water leaks into the heater's drip pan and accumulates to 3/4 in. deep, a...

Smooth move.(Great Stuff)(Radiator Specialty Co.'s lubricant, Liquid Wrench)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... LIQUID WRENCH LUBRICANT $3.98 If it squeaks or sticks, check out new foaming Liquid Wrench. The spray has an ultra-low surface tension for better penetration of frozen parts. It displaces water from surfaces and contains long-lasting...

Blow hard.(Great Stuff)(Vornado Air Circulation Systems Inc.'s AirMaxx heavy-duty shop fan)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... VORNADO SHOP FAN $100 Working in a hot, stifling garage or shop is no fun. You can cool things off with Vornado's AirMaxx heavy-duty shop fan. This portable fan is mounted in a 1 1/2-in. steel tube hoop. The deep-pitch fan blades can shoot...

Air force.(Great Stuff)(ValveLock Tire Pressure Gauge )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... VALVELOCK TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE $19.95 Have you had it with tire gauges that practically deflate your tires while you're trying to get a reading? The ValveLock Tire Pressure Gauge uses a patented gripping mechanism that pulls the gauge onto...