Have I mentioned how much I hate painting? If not, let me reiterate. . . I hate painting. I consider painting a more extreme version of Chinese water torture. About the only thing I hate more than painting is trying to clean the brushes afterwards. As much as I do not want to recommend something disposable, I love foam brushes for some painting tasks. They also work great for applying varnish to woodwork. Although disposable does not equal environmentally friendly, when you factor in the 2000 gallons of water I use trying to clean my paintbrush, I am not convinced a disposable brush is worse than cleaning and re-using brushes. Purists and paint pros always seem to recommend a high quality regular brush. However I think foam, especially versions resistant to breaking down, is a very viable alternative. Just avoid rough surfaces and replace the brushes frequently to keep them from falling apart and leaving little foam particles in the finish. I got mine from a big box store, but I found what appears to be a cheaper and better source online. A box of 50 2″ brushes is just $12.50 from WoodworkingParts.com. That’s 50 brushes for about the cost of one high quality standard brush. I have not tried them, but they have disposable foam rollers as well.

The other day I got the brilliant idea that we should restore a few of our more dilapidated older windows. After what seemed like an eternity of scraping, I realized we then had an extra eternity of sanding ahead. I had tried a Dremel contour sander in the past and it vibrated a lot and just was not that effective. Enter German engineering and the Fein Multimaster. This little tool sands, scrapes, polishes, cuts, removes grout and more (with the appropriate attachments). I used it mainly for sanding and scraping, both of which it handles remarkably well. You have to be careful with the scraper though, it’s very easy to gouge wood with. The sander works fantastic if you are sanding what the tool is designed for: small areas and details. The only downside to the tool that I have discovered is amazingly expensive accessories. Be prepared to shell out $50 or more dollars just for a cutting blade, and lots of recurring expense of sanding pads and paper. Despite the expensive attachments, I highly recommend the tool. It’s very well engineered and effective. Get more details at the Fein website. I got mine from AllProTools.com, and they are running a holiday Fein drill/Multimaster combo worth checking out for $389. Or you can get just the Multimaster starting at a little under $200.

If I had a dollar for every time I have accidentally hammered my own fingers, I would have at least four dollars. Chances are you would too! If you really value your digits, consider the Nail Gripper. This nifty tool made of soft PVC lets you grip nails from a (theoretically) safe distance. Despite the buffer I might still hammer my thumb on one of my wilder hammer swings. Once the nail is started you can slide the tool off and hammer away. Highly recommended for pianists and surgeons, and others whose hands are insured by Lloyds of London. Available for about $4 from McFeely’s.

Power palm sanders and random orbit sanders are true genius. I am unable to even begin to calculate how many hours of hand sanding my random orbit sander has saved me. If I could point to a weakness with these great tools, it would be the actual sandpaper. It seems no matter what I am sanding, the discs wear out too quickly. Thankfully, Microplane, the same company that makes those cool cheese graters for you, has a solution: the Microplane sanding disc. These stainless steel discs can be used on 5″ random orbit or 1/4 sheet palm sanders with or without vented hole patterns for dust collection. They are meant for use on hard or soft wood only and little or no pressure is needed to get results. Microplane claims the discs are at least 30 times more effective than regular sanding discs. They’re available for about $10 for a two pack at Rockler.

Do a Google search of “Crown Moulding” and you will be amazed what advice people give for coping crown moulding. I have yet to try my hand at it, but I will be shortly. When I do, I may give the EasyCoper a try. . . especially if free-handing it with a coping saw fails miserably. The EasyCoper lets you use a jig saw at just the right angle to get those perfect crown moulding joints we all dream of. So why use a mere tool like a coping saw when you can use a power tool instead? Available from Rockler.com for about $35 a pair.

Sometimes tweaking can be good. Take Mayhew Tools’ “Tweaker.” If you lug one of these two pound beasts around on your tool belt, people will take notice. Universally loved in reviews on Amazon, the tweaker seems to fit a niche. Whether you are doing some serious nail removal, tweaking 2×4’s, or framing a house, the Tweaker gets the job done. Available for around $20 at Amazon and other tool retailers. Manufactured by Mayhew Tools.

If you are looking to pick up a date after hanging those cabinet doors, make sure you take this item off before leaving the house! Rockler sells this watch-like device with a magnet to hold those pesky screws and nails you work with. For working with small fasteners it may keep you from dropping them and then suffering the humility of searching for endless minutes on your hands and knees. If you embrace your wood-working geekitude, order one for about $8 at Rockler.com

I have tried a few kinds of wood glue in the past, and nothing seems to live up to Gorilla Glue. This stuff bonds wood, stone, metal, ceramic, etc. It is totally waterproof, paint-able/stain-able, easily sanded and has a long open working time. It also contains no carcinogens and does not release fumes. If bonding wood, Gorilla Glue recommends dampening the wood slightly. You only need a little glue since it “foams” and expands a lot. In fact, it is good to be careful with it near finished surfaces. You may find it foams a little too much if you are not sparing with the application. Gorilla Glue creates a great, strong bond. Available at most home improvement stores.
Gorilla Glue