The Handyguys start out discussing some tools for Fathers Day. Instead of doing a gift guide we decided to ask our twitter followers ( follow @handyguys ) what they would like us to discuss as a great fathers day gift for a handyguy. One follower said that her husband was eying up the Fein Multimaster 250Q in our store so we decided to devote a segment to this handy tool.

The Multimaster is one of those multipurpose tools that can make you ponder how useful it will be for regular handyguy tasks. Unlike other “space-aged tools” advertised on late night infomercials, this tool is actually a quality product. The multimaster, made in Germany, is extremely well built and solid.  Handyguy Brian used it for his kitchen project to undercut door jambs, plunge cut drywall for electrical boxes, detail sand trim, remove thinset, scrape paint and cut nails.  Believe us, it is a useful tool!

The Fein Multimaster may not be for everyone, its a little expensive at first glance (thankfully Brian’s Dad purchased one for the kitchen work!). Once you find the many uses for it you wont know how you ever did projects without one.

The Handyguys recommend that you get the “Top” kit. The Top kit comes with a nice case to hold all the accessories and a bunch of blades to keep you in business for lots of projects. If you bought all those blades and case separately you would ultimately spend more money them getting them all up front. The case alone makes this kit worth it. My only gripe is that Fein used to provide a steel case and current case is plastic. It appears sturdy and I am sure it will withstand most abuse, still, I would have preferred the steel case. Below is a chart that compares what is in each set.

Purchases made through our Amazon Affiliate store will help keep The Handyguys Podcast on the air. The links in the table below go to the details in our store. Take the plunge, get one for someone special for Fathers Day.

Compare Fein MultiMaster Sets
	FMM 250 Start	FMM 250Q Select	FMM 250Q Top
MULTIMASTER UNIT
MultiMaster FMM250
MultiMaster FMM250Q (w/ QuickIN system)
ACCESSORIES	Accessories with checks are included in respective sets; most accessories can be purchased separately (click on accessory)
Universal 29mm E-CUT saw blade
5 each: sanding sheets (60, 80, 120, 180)
5 each: perforated sanding sheets (60, 80, 120, 180)
Rigid scraper blade
Key and mounting bolts
Sanding pad
Perforated sanding pad
Carbide-tip segment saw blade
HSS segment saw blade
sanding set
Dust extraction device
Carbide rasp (triangular)
Carrying case

The Smart Power Grid

Once the Handyguys got over discussing the Multimaster, we discussed an article in Computerworld magazine about Smart Grid technology. What is a smart grid? The general idea is that your electric meter can act as a gateway for bi-directional data transfer to and from the power company.  What advantages does this have? How about variable electric rates depending on the efficency of a device? How about if the power company sent you details on how much your AC cost to run that hot August day? How about real-time monitoring of usage? The smart grid will be years away if it ever happens. For now, consider the Power Cost Monitor from Blue Line. We discuses the Power Cost Monitor in Episode 42 of The Handyguys Podcast.

Related shows:

1. New Innovative Tools
2. Buying Reconditioned Tools
3. Top 10 Essential Tools For DIY And Duct Tape Uses

The Handyguys revisit a bit of advice on keeping your lawn green and discuss various types of glues, in particular, EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive

Read on and listen to the podcast for details of a wood glue and tool bag giveaway from Eclectic Products.

First off – Good advice or bad advice

The Handyguys re-visit keeping your lawn green. Is the advice for making sure your lawn gets an inch of water a week sound? Yes, of course. What happens if you don’t follow this advice? Listen to the podcast to find out.

The Handyguys then discuss different types of glues

Common types of glue discussed are:

• Epoxy
• Hot Glues
• Household glue & paste
• Polyurethane glue
• Wood Glue

The Handyguys review a new wood glue from Eclectic Products. The glue is a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) wood glue called EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. Before making a recommendation and giving away a sample, the Handyguys did an informal test.

The Handyguys selected a piece of cherry wood for their test. The same glue-up was performed with a regular yellow wood glue and EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The documentation says to wait 24 hours for 100% strength on both the yellow glue and the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The sample boards were properly jointed, prepared and glue applied. The test pieces were clamped for over 24 hours.

The Handyguys then scratch their heads for a way to test the strength of the two glues. Obviously the test is not a purely scientific one. The goal is to ensure that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive is stronger than the wood itself. We then spanned the test pieces between two boards and applied weight directly to the joint. We had a bit of fun finding heavy stuff to apply weight to the glue joint. We added a 50lb battery, a case of shotgun shells, a drill press and Paul’s weight on the glue joint. Neither the yellow glue nor the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive joint or boards broke. Brian, being a bit heavier, was able to break the yellow glue sample board while holding the drill press and the car battery. The EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board still did not break.

Finally, to break the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board, Brian reached for his Estwing framing hammer and gave the glue joint a sharp rap. The board broke into three pieces but the glue held strong.

The Handyguys also tested scraping excess dried glue from the joint. The excess dried glue scraped off the same as traditional yellow wood glue. The Handyguys were very satisfied that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive will perform as well as a traditional yellow glue yet have lower VOCs.

OK, The Handyguys admit their test isn’t very scientific. Below are the results of two tests performed by Eclectic Products. Click on the thumbnail image to see the results full size.

 ASTM D 3164-03 Lap Shear Test	 ASTM D-903 180deg Peel Test

The Handyguys then go on to discuss a giveaway contest

Eclectic products will be sending some samples of EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive to one of our listeners. The giveaway includes two containers of wood glue, a sample board and a nice portable tool bag. This is an entirely free giveaway.

To enter the contest, you simply need to subscribe to our email notification of new podcasts. To subscribe, just enter your email in the box just below where it says “Subscribe and get the new shows in your email inbox” on the right side of our home page. You will be sent an email asking you to verify you really want to subscribe. Just click the link in that email to confirm your subscription. The Handyguys never spam. You will only get an email from us when each weekly episode is published. We will also use the address on occasion when we have other announcements.  The emails will usually arrive in your inbox every Thursday between 5PM and 7PM Eastern time. A winner will be drawn from the list of people who have signed up for our weekly notification. If you already receive our email notifications you have already been entered. If you get our episodes via iTunes or some other delivery method you will need to come to the site and provide your email address. A winner will be announced on our home page on August 7th.

Thanks for listening and good luck.

Related shows:

1. How To Repair A Porch Post And Choosing A Jigsaw
2. Choosing A Fiberglass, Wood or Aluminum Ladder
3. Choosing a Sawzall Reciprocating Saw