Can you "DIGGIT"?

My new Diggit tool and Diggit Hori knife

I am such a tool geek. At last weeks farmers' market in Burien, there was a vendor selling Digg It's- a garden tool that easily uproots taproot weeds like dandelions. And a Hori Hori knife that she claimed was an improvement over other Hori's. Anyway I was interested and let continue her spiel... The Hori knife is stainless hardened stainless steel, and the (strong selling point if you are me)blade wont rust if you leave it outdoors. In fact the way to store the tool, by her suggestion is to leave it in the ground! Wow a tool designed for me! The diggit tool and I are familiar acquaintances,  And it is really a great tool. But the HORI will dig, cut roots, and act as an ad hoc weapon in a pinch. And the great things about these tools they are made right in Seattle, Washington. USA
Check out the DIGGIT website!-

Rent a tool

I was just reading on yahoo green, about tool libraries. A tool library is a place were people join to borrow tools. Tools you wouldn't necessarily buy, because of cost, size or storage issues. There is one in this area, The West Seattle Tool Library. They have a membership cost of $40 suggested donation annually ($20 for students/seniors) You get to borrow the tool for a week, then return or request more time. This isn't just a Seattle thing either- there are tool libraries in Portland, Oakland, Berkley, CA and many other cities across the nation.

Of course there is Home Depot rental tools and other businesses that rent tools, but they get kinda pricey. So unless you know how to use the tool efficiently enough to not need for a week, these tool libraries may be the way to go.

A tool lending library was started in Columbus, OH in 1976. Originally run by the City, the Tool Library is now operated by Rebuilding Together Central Ohio, a non-profit organization that works to preserve and revitalize homes and communities in Central Ohio. The RTCO Tool Library makes available over 4,500 tools free of charge to both individuals and non-profit organizations.

Here is a list from Wikipedia on tool libraries.

The advantage is little or no cost to you. The green side is it is better to rent or borrow tools than buy. I mean why buy a tool you may only use once?

Very green idea this. And 1 big like from me.

17 Things You Didn't Know You Could Rent

Recently, the daily green published a slide show about 17 things you didn't know you could rent. Some of these are some we know, like tool rentals (Yes Rob doesn't go out and buy every tool on the face of the earth), Bicycles and cars. Some of these are things we didn't know like Wives and Sex Dolls. Anyway good to know that there are a lot of useful and some not so useful things to rent. Did I ever mention my Dad, who was cremated, was laid in a rented casket? Wasn't an Eco-issue, but a cost issue. Since he was to be cremated, and he was known to be extremely frugal, there was no sense in spending thousands on a casket just for the funeral. Renting one was about one tenth of the price. And it was the funeral home director that suggested it.

Another Rob Home Made tool

Ever wonder how to water those seed starts? Do you use a hose and sprayer (my water wand has a mist setting so it is doable, but still gets water everywhere.
Well, I used the logic of my fore fathers (er rather fore grandmother). She used to make a "spritzer" bottle out of a mason or a mayonnaise jar and lid with holes punched in it, for when she ironed clothes. Well, this is 2010, I took Grandma's invention and one upped it! I took two plastic bottles I found in the trash at work, 1 wide mouth Gatorade bottle and 1 regular water bottle. (Yes the food service still gives out bottles of water- they haven't seen that light yet, but they have started to compost their leftover veggies bread and wrappers- so I'll let them off the hook this month)

Anyway, I digress, I simply drilled some small holes in the caps of the bottle. Now I just take my bottle set up directly to the seed starts-no mess no fuss.

Plants are happy (haven't seen any yet but I am sure they are pleased with a good drink of water), Rob is happy, The only person around here who isn't happy is Romeo; he likes hose water!

My Own Stick Light

I needed a clamp light at work- but didn't want to pay the price of one or buy something new- so I got my Creative Freak on and put one together myself. I found a clamp with a magnet on it and took a "Stick Light" one pf those LED lights that you stick up in a closet or somewhere dark, put some Velcro on the clamp and some on the light. And Presto- I have a light that clamps to ledges and such,or clamps on to my hat or coat pocket and as a bonus is magnetized so it sticks to pipes and other metallic objects. Makes working in dark spaces a whole lot nicer, and doubles as a flashlight!

The Velcro makes it nice to remove the light.

Magnetic it sticks to the car!

Taking down the Christmas Lights

I am so with it. I am taking down the Christmas lights and it ain't even Easter! And I made some light holders to store the lights on, out of my favorite tool material, Wire Coat Hangers. Took the tree down yesterday, and all the decorations! Yay me!

I simply form the wire hangers into a "Martini Glass" shape and they work perfect for holding a string of lights.

Making The Tools- A rebar Bender

Bending a shepard's hook out of rebar

I was getting a brain-wave today. I want an easy way to bend rebar- so I set forth and googled- I found this site on building cardboard domes, he explains how to construct a cheap bender out of beam pieces and spikes. I wanted something a bit more... concrete, to pun around. So I made mine out of a half inch floor flange, four 1/4 20 thread, 1-1/2" blots, eight nuts, 4 flat washers and 4 lock washers. On the backside of the flange I inserted a 1/2 inch 90 degree elbow (so my vice could hold on to the flange). Guess what? The damn thing works! I made a Shepards hook on it. Hint- you should keep a couple of pieces of pipe to help you manipulate the rebar- I used 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch steel pipe, 16" and 24" inches long, respecfully. Then I insert the rebar into my tool and bend away! Not perfect but it works! More info and pics here