Handyman-gift ideas for Father's Day

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With Father's Day coming up this Sunday, here are some gift ideas for that handyman in your life.-- Energizer, the "bunny" people, has a new line of Hard Case Professional flashlights with very bright LED lighting.The new Hard Case Professional lights are available in a small pocket-sized light that takes two AAA batteries and gives ample lighting in dark places, and a professional-looking swivel headlight that uses two AA batteries and has the standard white LED lighting plus a red and a green LED light for inspecting pipes or for use in emergency or low-light conditions. The swivel head might come in handy if you are trying to change a tire on a dark road.The third light in the set is one I use all the time, a headlamp with bright LED lighting that allows me to use both hands when I'm working in dark or low-light situations. The headlamp also has the red and green LED lighting for special uses.The Hard Case Professional lights are available at Lowe's and Ace Hardware for $30 to $40 each.-- Every home workshop or utility drawer contains at least one or two razor-sharp box knives that can be either dangerous to use or frustrating when it comes time to change the blades. How about a motorized cutter that has the lasting power of a 3.6-volt lithium ion battery, is easy to use and has a safety cover to prevent accidental shredding of your flesh?The handheld cutter has a small circular, self-sharpening blade that will make precise cuts through hundreds of different materials up to 1/4-inch thick. Want to cut leather? Go ahead. How about vinyl flooring or carpeting or felt for crafts? The Power Cutter provides precise cutting. I've used it, and the battery holds a charge for up to 18 months. It's available at Lowe's for $49.99.-- When it comes time to change an electrical outlet or an electrical switch, you can never be sure the power has been turned off to that one circuit without shutting off the power to the entire house. Gardner Bender has screwdrivers, wire strippers, knives and even a small flashlight that contain a snap-on voltage sensor that detects AC current without ever having to make contact with the wire or fixture. An audible and visual alert system warns of any danger near live wiring.These tools would be a welcome addition to any handyman's toolbox. As a home inspector, I use a circuit alert tool every day to prevent dangerous accidental shocks.Gardner Bender Circuit Alert tools are available at Do It Best, Lowe's, The Home Depot, Ace Hardware and True Value Hardware stores nationwide. The suggested retail price is $11.95 for the tester with clip and up to $23.99 for a Linesmen's Pliers. Additional information can be found at www.circuitalert.com.-- For the serious woodworker, hobbyist or even the weekend carpenter, a new idea in circular-saw-blade technology is now available. The Final Cut 10-inch saw blade has 40 carbide teeth for smooth cutting of wood or laminates, but this blade has the added benefit of a sanding disc on either side of the blade. The blade cuts so smoothly that the seams of the cuts virtually disappear.Because the sanding disc is slightly larger than the cut made by the teeth of the blade, the cut in the work piece is sanded smoothly in a single operation.The 10-inch blade with a 5/8-inch bore retails for $74.95. It is available for immediate shipment at www.finalcutblade.com.-- Phillips Screw has packaged a Compact Ratchet set of tools that can be stored in a tool drawer, automobile, boat or plane or simply added to Dad's tool kit. The set offers the leverage of a wrench when used with any of the nine driver bits and the 2-inch extender. Phillips screwdriver bits have "Anti Cam-out Ribs" to prevent the bits from coming loose when the user is tightening or loosing the fasteners. This handy addition means you can add or remove fasteners in hard-to-reach areas where it would be impossible to reach with a standard screwdriver.Innovations in tools from Phillips can be found at www.phillips-screwinnovation.com.-- If Dad is in the market for some serious bench-top tools, Skil's new X-Bench series offers top-of-the-line products at reasonable prices.One of the handiest new ideas is the X-Bench folding portable table that holds up to 750 pounds, is adjustable from 24 to 36 inches in height, has adjustable legs for uneven surfaces and opens in the middle for cross-cutting larger panels of stock such as paneling or plywood.The surface of the table is slightly convex to prevent binding of the saw blade. With the universal insert system, the table can be converted to a router table or used to support a drill press, a scroll saw and a bench-top sander.The basic kit, including the table, retails for $179.99 and is available online at www.skilxbench.com.With the addition of the Deluxe kit, which has all the features of the basic kit, the X-Bench can be converted to a downdraft table for dust collection and has a tail vise for gluing and fastening and four insert plates that allow you to turn your portable tools into bench-top tools.The X-Bench Deluxe kit, including the table, retails for $389.97.(Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 286, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or e-mail him at d.Barnett(at)insightbb.com.)