Popular Mechanics articles from October 2004

Popular Mechanics archives from October 2004

Changing drivers.(Editor's Notes)
October 1, 2004... EVERYBODY has a favorite-car story. Here's mine: The car was a 1968 Ford Galaxie 500--with Ford's plain-vanilla 302 engine. No air. No power steering. Solid black, inside and out. By the time I got my hands on it, the car had kicked around with...

Hot debate.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... The August issue cover story about renewed interest in cold fusion, including the possibility that the process could yield material useful in the production of nuclear weapons, generated strong reactions from readers. Here is a sampling of the...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2004... As some of you noticed, in our August issue, the Mustang pictured on page 66 is a 1973 Mustang Convertible, not a 1971 Mach I. The car on page 65 is a 1970 Mach I, not a 1969 Mach I.

Reader project of the month.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I built this motorcycle loading ramp after my 1979 AMF Harley-Davidson Fat Bob fell off a 2 x 12 while I was unloading it from my pickup truck. Six years and three designs later, I developed this system, which consists of articulated 3/8-in....

Watts up.(100 Years Ago (October 1904))(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The world's largest machine was a star exhibit at the St. Louis World's Fair. The steam-powered 8000-hp behemoth generated enough electricity to illuminate the nearly 200,000 light bulbs that brightened the Fair during the evenings. It also...

Homemaker.(50 Years Ago (October 1954))(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... PM asked 5500 readers what kind of home they wanted. From their responses, Rudolph A. Matern, one of the world's leading designers of ranch-type houses, came up with a design that aimed to satisfy the demands of a vast majority, yet with no...

Private class.(75 Years Ago (October 1929))(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The predicted future of air travel included a private cabin, containing all amenities, that was attached to a parachute. In the event of danger, the pilot would release the cabin, which would drop through the fuselage and float to Earth. The...

Plugola.(25 Years Ago (October 1979))(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... If you wanted an electric vehicle, you could make your own, buy one that was available or wait for one that was still on the drawing board. PM showed real-world examples of all three. The Commuta-Car (shown) from General Engines was in...

Stealth for the special forces.(Tech Watch)(Lockheed Martin Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... DRAWING on its expertise in building stealthy aircraft, Lockheed Martin hopes to revolutionize naval warfare. At a recent armaments convention, the company revealed its plans for blending the offensive capabilities of an attack helicopter with...

Backward flashlight pierces fog of war.(Tech Watch)(Pelican Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... LIGHTING efficiency decreases as smoke and dust levels rise. This problem is most acute in the wet and dirty conditions often encountered by military and rescue personnel. Pelican Products of Torrance, Calif., has found that reversing the...

Laser foils missiles.(Tech Watch)(Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronics and Systems Integration Div.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... AT altitudes below 15,000 ft., jet engines look like giant bull's-eyes to heat-seeking missiles. Flares that burn hotter than engines can divert missiles, but this solution, which is used on military aircraft, creates too much debris to be...

Novel nanotube.(Tech Watch)(General Electric Global Research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A new type of electronic component that is capable of both detecting and emitting electromagnetic energy has been constructed from a carbon nanotube. Called a carbon nanotuhe diode, the device was developed by Ji-Ung Lee of the General Electric...

Computer reveals lost realm.(Tech Watch)(University of Birmingham)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SEISMIC data used to locate oilfields has revealed a previously unknown prehistoric village. Provisionally named the Shotton River area, it is located in the North Sea off the coast of Europe. Water from melting glaciers submerged the region...

Over-the-horizon lasers: light tuouch.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... AN effort to coordinate separate Army, Navy and Air Force laser weapons programs has produced a revolutionary plan for protecting future fighting forces from attacks by cruise missiles and other fast-flying threats. The Aerospace Relay...

Dirty bomb damage control.(Homeland Defense)(Vanguard Response Systems)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... HOMELAND Security agents faced with a terrorist bomb laced wit radioactive waste have a new tool to limit contamination from an explosion The Universal Containment System made by Vanguard Response Systems (VRS) of Ottawa, Ontario, uses a...

Coast Guard tilts skyward.(Tech Watch)(Bell Helicopter Textron HV-911 Eagle Eye)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... ALTHOUGH glitches continue to delay the deployment of the manned Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft that will be used by the Marine Corps, a smaller, unmanned version is ready to report for duty. The 17-ft.-long Bell Helicopter Textron HV-911 Eagle...

Electric car suspension.(Breakthrough)(Amar G. Bose)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... IN theory creating the perfect car ride is simple. Replace the mechanical suspension system with four linear motors that extend and retract rapidly enough to balance irregularities in the road. The trick is delivering the right amount of...

Death of a star.(Space Shots)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... THIS spectacular photograph is the post-mortem portrait of the rings of Supernova 1987a, a star that exploded 167,000 years ago. Supernovae are stars that die when they run out of hydrogen and no longer can support their own weight. 1987a...

Civilian flies into space.(Following Up ...)(Mike Melvill)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SPACESHIPONE was the first clean rocket to cross the 62-mile boundary that marks the Start of space. Pilot Mike Melvill had anxious moments toward the end of the June 21 flight When the ship rolled to the left and later Sloped off its flight...

Lessons from Iraq.(Following Up ...)(United States. Army)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... DRAWING on the experience of the first Stryker Brigades assigned to combat in Iraq, the Army is revamping its plans for the future of high-mobility warfare. Although it is generally pleased with the performance of the Stryker armored .vehicle...

Advanced booster.(Tech Watch)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... NASA has successfully test fired a new type of booster for the space shuttle, but it is doubtful if it will be used by the three ships that remain in the fleet. Normally made of four segments, the solid-fuel booster in the tests had five. That...

Fighters under fire.(Farnborough 2004)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UNCERTAINTIES about the future of the world's best-performing combat aircraft emerged at the Farnborough Air Show in England. Pilots who have flown three cutting-edge aircraft--the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35, and the EADS Eurofighter--tell...

USB crazy: the wild world of USB devices gets personal.(Computers)(Universal Serial Bus)
October 1, 2004... I love stupid gadgets. Really. If a techno-thingy has no discernible purpose, I smile and clap like a toddler. That's why this column has, without a doubt, been the most of any I've done for this magazine. Besides, I got to go to Japan. In...

Drive pod: BMW and Apple iPod unite.(Audio)(Apple Computer Inc.)
October 1, 2004... NOW that Apple's newest 40GB iPod ($399) can hold up to 10,000 songs, it may take hours, days--even weeks--of your time to download your entire CD collection onto its hard drive. Once that work is done, all you need is a pair of headphones and...

The 400-mph man: Russ Wicks is betting his life to set a water speed record--but he's not alone.(Speed)
October 1, 2004... IN the winter of 2005, a craft that's currently in the design phase will fire up its engines on a large reservoir in eastern Washington state and try to crack 400 mph--setting a new water speed record. The boat, the American Challenge, piloted...

The cold truth: tree rings, satellites, and ice cores suggest global warming models underestimate risks.(Climate)
October 1, 2004... FOR years critics of international treaties aimed at controlling greenhouse gases claimed that the complex mathematical models that predict widespread global warming were wrong. The latest look at those models suggests those critics may have...

World's largest radio telescope: a supercomputer will link 10,000 antennas to create a window on the early universe.(Astronomy)(Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy)
October 1, 2004... WHETHER it's a simple 3-in. refractor aimed at the craters of the moon or the $3 billion Hubble Space Telescope searching the sky for unseen galaxies, the telescope is the closest thing we have to a time machine. It is not the sort of science...

Mining the moon: an Apollo astronaut argues that with its vast stores of nonpolluting nuclear fuel, our lunar neighbor holds the key to Earth's future.(Science)
October 1, 2004... Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt left the moon 32 years ago with 244 pounds of rocks and an abiding desire to see humankind continue its exploration of space. Now, in an exclusive essay for POPULAR MECHANICS, Schmitt explains why the time...

Gentlemen, start your [tiny] engines: they're fast, cheap and--some people say--out of control. But can something so fun really be bad for you?(Thrill Seeking)
October 1, 2004... A faint, tinny hum tickles my ears shortly after I exit the interstate in Hercules, Calif. Hum grows to buzz as I pull into a business park of sprawling asphalt and scrawny saplings. Stopping in front of a low-slung office building, I kill the...

Rear-drive redux: our annual roundup of new cars reveals that what's old is now new for 2005.(Automotive)
October 1, 2004... It seems there's precious little new under the sun. Since the dawn of the automobile, most cars have had an engine in front of the driver powering wheels under the passengers. That began changing as carmakers adopted front-wheel drive as the...

World's largest digital camera.(Quest)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... The ancients called them "wanderers." We know them as planets, and, according to the textbooks, Pluto is most distant of the nine orbiting the star we call the sun. Or is it? A team working at California's Palomar Observatory discovered an even...

Cadillac one: a look inside the president's limo.(General Motors Corp. Cadillac Motor Car Div.)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... On the final Monday of Bill Clinton's presidency, the White House and the chief executive prepared for a five-day visit with an imposing visitor, one that would soon become a trusted regular in George W. Bush's administration. No, this was not...

High-tech harvest.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Today's high-tech farmer needs to know as much about computers and satellites as he does about agronomy and phases of the moon. Modern precision farming allows farmers to work more efficiently, while obtaining increased yields from their crops....

Doomsday watch: an elite group safeguards America's potent nuclear arsenal.
October 1, 2004... Threats to America's safety could be the opening scene from an adventure movie. But they are not figments of a scriptwriter's imagination, They're real events. And we can expect more of the same in the future. Lunatic-fringe terrorists are...

Look for these exciting new episodes on Modern Marvels.(Program listing: Modern Marvels)(A and E Television Networks)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Coming in October HARVESTING It all began with hand picking and today it's often one man and one machine harvesting hundreds of acres in a single day. Learn how the Ancient Egyptians debuted the sickle--history's most celebrated hand...

Moving movies: portable DVD players let you take your video anywhere.(Technology)
October 1, 2004... You've invested a lot in your DVDs so you should be able to enjoy them wherever you want. That includes viewing in the SUV to calm fidgety kids or on a plane to soothe restless adults. A portable DVD player is your ticket to entertainment on...

Shed reckoning: build this stylish, multipurpose outbuilding for your backyard.(Project)
October 1, 2004... Contrary to what you may see around the neighborhood, a backyard shed can be functional and beautiful. It can provide storage space and possess the architectural accents, decorative trim and splendor of a quality-built home. This handsome...

Plane truth: a simple method for building three basic hand planes.(Shop Project)
October 1, 2004... OF all the tools you use to shape wood, the hand plane is the one that has come to symbolize craftsmanship of the highest order. And it's no surprise. Here's a cutting tool that's designed to create truth: dead straight and flat surfaces ready...

Redefining sound.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Advances in technology have continually redefined our standards for clarity, variety, and accessibility in movies and music, in just one generation, we've moved from the LP to the CD to the MP3 and the DVD. Leave it to Bose, the most...

The Music Essentials.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Music is a universal mystery. It exists in every human culture, and often commands a place of honor. Our ancestors played music as far back as paleolithic days--scientists have found carved bone flutes tens of thousands of years old. What...

Listen, learn, adapt.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Bose Lifestyle[R] 48 and Lifestyle[R] 38 DVD home entertainment systems feature the revolutionary new uMusic[TM] intelligent playback system. An ideal listening companion, this proprietary Bose[R] technology takes the digital music...

Responsive and personalized.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... As smart as the new Bose[R] Lifestyle[R] 48 or Lifestyle[R] 38 DVD home entertainment system is, it gets even better with time. The Bose uMusic[TM] intelligent playback system grows more responsive as you live with it, understanding the...

Jazz.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The blues may be America's first truly indigenous music, but jazz is daughter to the blues. It started as dance music played by swinging big bands but quickly evolved into something new, with an emphasis on daring improvisation and musical...

Custom-fit audio.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... All Bose Lifestyle[R] DVD home entertainment systems feature the exclusive Bose ADAPTiQ[R] Audio Calibration System. No matter which Lifestyle[R] DVD system you choose, the ADAPTiQ system will adjust the sound quality to its surroundings....

Expansive sound.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Music should live throughout your home. Like you do. That's why Lifestyle[R] systems have Bose[R]link. Just add Bose[R] products to your Lifestyle[R] system and expand sound wherever you'd like... even outdoors. You can add up to 14...

Country.
October 1, 2004... Many people think of country music as contrived or even bland, a polished commercial product. But real country music is the white man's blues--music echoing down a thousand years from the Celts and Gaels of the British Isles into the hills of...

Complete control.(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Bose Lifestyle[R] DVD systems can become even more personalized with the Personal[R] Music Center II. Much more than a remote, it provides complete, interactive control over the Lifestyle[R] system media center and all attached devices, all...

Integrated technology.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... The premier Lifestyle[R] 48 DVD home entertainment system features the latest technology from Bose[R]. * ADAPTiQ[R] audio calibration system adapts and adjusts the system to your room's acoustics. * New uMusic[TM] intelligent playback...

Rock covers.
October 1, 2004... Cover versions have been part of rock since its very birth, as both sincere homage and exercise of rocker ego. But a truly great cover has to stand up to the original and add something--a sense of occasion, a new arrangement, a thread of irony....

Lifelike sound.(Bose Corp.)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Bose[R] premier Lifestyle[R] 48 DVD home entertainment systems feature award-winning Jewel Cube[R] speaker arrays. When it comes to performance, smaller can be better. Just 4 1/2 inches tall, Jewel Cube[R] speakers offer greater clarity...

Bring the performance home: choose one to suit you.(Bose Corp.)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... With Bose[R] Lifestyle[R] 38 DVD home entertainment systems, you bring the power and emotion of a live performance home. Five Direct/Reflecting[R] speaker arrays offer rich, spacious sound Only 6 1/2 inches tall, they utilize the same basic...

Box sets.
October 1, 2004... Okay, we all know the world is littered with lame box sets: attempts to cash in and clear someone's vault of demos and alternate takes, carelessly sequenced, shoddily packaged. But some are obviously labors of love, assembled with real thought,...

Choose one to suit you.(www.ask.bose.com)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Any one of the Bose[R] Lifestyle[R] DVD home entertainment systems will take your home audio and video experiences to a new level, whatever level you choose. These complete systems provide a range of options to suit your tastes, your home,...

Building the classic sawhorse.(Project)
October 1, 2004... HERE'S nothing more frustrating than setting out to tackle a job and finding yourself with no place to work. Using the garage floor as a work surface just doesn't cut it. It's hard on your back, and it's inefficient. One of the simplest and...

Showoffs: cool products that make you look like a pro.(Awards)
October 1, 2004... VERY year there's one hardware show where the nearest tools, paint and gadgets make their debut. This year, however, an industry rift created two shows, one in Chicago and one in Las Vegas. Not that the rift matters much to us. The two shows...

Light bulbs, up and down.(Answers to your home improvement questions: expert advice on topics from tight bulbs to sump pumps)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... I have a light bulb designated as "base down" installed in an exterior light fixture. The problem is that the fixture uses a lamp socket that requires the bulb to be installed base up. Is there a fire hazard or other danger when a bulb is...

Review: come out swinging.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2004... AN ax cannot fell a tree as quickly as a chain saw, but what it lacks in speed, an ax makes up for in versatility, simplicity and even fun. But learning to use an ax properly on your own is difficult. It's best if someone experienced shows you...

The trusty stair gauge.(Service tip: carpentry)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A stair guage is a traditional carpenter's too. It's a small piece of brass-plated steel or solid brass, machined into a hexagon. The hole in its center receives a threaded stud with a knurled knob, or it has a thumbscrew. It clamps to an...

Dryer venting.(Answers to your home improvement questions: expert advice on topics from tight bulbs to sump pumps)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... My home has the dryer vented to the underside of the house. Is this okay? If not, how do I correct it? FAYE LONG Barnsdall, OK I assume from your letter that your house is built on piers and that there is a crawlspace under the...

Boiler controls.(Answers to your home improvement questions: expert advice on topics from tight bulbs to sump pumps)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... My previous homes had hot-water baseboard heat, and my current home is also heated by a 3-zone hot-water baseboard system. However, unlike my previous homes, there doesn't appear to be a control to set the boiler water temperature. There is...

Sump pump discharge.(Answers to your home improvement questions: expert advice on topics from tight bulbs to sump pumps)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Is it possible to connect my sump pump discharge pipe to my old septic tank? The tank hasn't been used in 15 years. BILL BOLLIG Elk Grove Village, IL You can discharge to the septic tank and the leaching field connected to it if...

From Dickies, the leader in workwear, comes the Ultimate in Work Pants.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Dickies "Ultimate Work Pant" comes with all of the features you would expect on a work pant. Made of our heaw weight 8 oz--65% polyester/35% cotton twill, with Scotchgard[R] stain release finish, this pant will stand up in almost any work...

Stanley[R] Professional Grade Tool Set.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Advertisement)
October 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...

Build & price your SunPorch[R] online.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... This unique insulated paradise during the winter months converts to a breezy bug-free screen room during the summer months. This 2-in-1 sunspace features sturdy aluminum framework, shatter-resistant glazing with a 1" airspace, and a 10 year...

Smith & Wesson.(The goods: great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... The Smith & Wesson Versa Vault[TM] is a personal security device that offers quick accessibility to secured firearms and other items. A lighted keypad offers more than 65,000 combinations to provide the highest degree of home security. For more...

How to add a video card: upgrade your computer's video performance.(Technology)
October 1, 2004... VIDEO cards are responsible for the quality of the image you see on your computer. So if you've ever wanted to do something graphically powerful, like run 3D video games, it's essential that you upgrade your current video card. In fact, if your...

Win this bike! Enter the PM sweepstakes for a Suzuki Boulevard.(Popular Mechanics, American Suzuki Automotive Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... CRUISING the boulevard on a warm summer s night is a rite of passage for some folks. Suzuki, hoping to channel that feeling, has re-engineered its line of cruiser motorcycles for 2005. The bikes formerly known as Volusia will now be called the...

'Rude awakening.(Great Stuff)(Evinrude)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... While others are developing 4-stroke outboards, Evinrude is perfecting its E-TEC 2-stroke V6 lineup. The new, clean-burning 200-, 225- (shown) and 250-hp models require no dealer-scheduled maintenance for three years (or 300 hours). The engines...

Smooth operator.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... DEWALT BELT SANDER $220 By positioning the motor between the drive rollers on its 3 x 21-in. belt sander, DeWalt achieved a double play. The motor position lowers the sander's center of gravity and improves its balance. The innovative...

Hide-and-seek.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... HIDES EYEWEAR ACCESSORY SYSTEM $7.95 AND UP Eyeglass retainer cords keep your eyewear from flying off your face, but here's one that does triple duty. Using a double thickness of DuPont microfiber that's coiled to form the cord, the...

Picture this.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... LG VX7000 $179.99 Combining a VGA camera with an LED flash, a rotating lens for self-portraits, and video capabilities, the LG VX7000 is a new flip phone that will be available only to Verizon customers. If you need an Internet connection,...

Little on this side.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... CHARIOT BICYCLE SIDECAR $400 Sidecars aren't just for motorcycles anymore. Here's one for your bike that's designed for transporting kids ages 1 to 4. The unit mounts to most bikes with a special hitch that allows easy joining and...

Extreme RV.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... EARTHROAMER.COM RV $147,500 AND UP EarthRoamer.com has created a high-quality, truly self-contained, 4-season, comfortable expedition vehicle. Based on a 4x4 Ford F-450 or F-550 chassis, the 23-ft 7-in. EarthRoamer uses a monocoque...

Mail safe.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORIES MAIL VAULT $350 This mailbox is designed to keep identity thieves out of your mail. The postal carrier drops mail through the top chute. That leads to the collection box, which you open by entering a code on...

Inspiring minds.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... DELL INSPIRON 700M $1399 Weighing in at under 3 pounds and boasting a 12.1-in. widescreen monitor, the Inspiron 700M-Dell's newest lightweight notebook-comes with a Centrino processor to fulfill all your mobile needs, as well as an...

New standard.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... AMERICAN STANDARD TOILET $410 American Standard was founded in 1875, a time when most Americans still used privies. Few companies know the humble commode as well, so when American Standard says it has redesigned the fixture, we pay...

Movie magic.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... THQ'THE INCREDIBLES' $39.99 With the upcoming Disney and Pixar film "The Incredibles" comes its companion--the video game of the same name. In the film, a family of superheroes just trying to live a quiet life in the suburbs keeps getting...

Climate control.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... CLIMATEKEEPER2 $2000-$3100 To keep both sides of the refrigerator at the optimum temperature, the GE ClimateKeeper2 uses twin evaporators-one for the freezer and one for the fresh-food compartment. This permits far higher levels of...

Sound investment.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... BOSE LIFESTYLE 48 $3999 Great big sound from tiny little speakers is what Bose is all about. The new Lifestyle 48 home entertainment system uses five Jewel Cube speakers standing just 4.5 in. high. You also get an improved Acoustimass...

The hitch is back.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... SNAP HITCH TRAILER HITCH $350 Hooking your tow vehicle to a trailer just got a lot easier. Snap Hitch acts like a fifth wheel, but it fits into any 2-in. receiver. The hitch head, kingpin assembly and interchangeable ball system lit onto...

Load and lock.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... DURASAFE T-REX TRANSOM SAVER AND PROP LOCK $59.95 Transom savers support your outboard while trailering your boat and protect your transom from the stresses caused by your motor bouncing around. Durasafe has added a locking system to its...

Earth mover.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... UNION SHOVEL $26 Union Tools is calling its Razor-Back shovel the world's strongest. We don't know about that, but here in the office we did use it to lift some fully loaded file cabinets that weigh a couple of hundred pounds apiece. Its...

One tough bolt.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... SPLIT LOCK MECHANICAL-LOCKING HEADER BOLT $47.10 AND UP Here's a new twist in locking fasteners, especially in exhaust-header applications. The Split Lock mechanical-locking header bolt is the first internal, self-contained,...

Wunderkind.(Great Stuff)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... MOTOROLA A630 $200-$300 Sleek and ultracompact, the Motorola A630 promises a full multimedia experience in an innovative design. Flip it open to use the full qwerty keyboard or check out the 176 x 220-pixel color display. A VGA camera with...