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-Jim Moorehead
Barrigada, Guam

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-Bob Mohalski
Hebron, Kentucky

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Tool Connect Battery App

The new app allows Apple and Android devices to pair with the Bluetooth batteries remotely, and DeWALT says the app takes just a few moments to set up. Users can connect their compatible DeWALT batteries to their Bluetooth® enabled smartphone or tablet (by initiating the pairing process) and view the inventory of paired units on the Tool Connect App home screen. This home screen allows users to remotely turn all compatible DeWALT Bluetooth® batteries on or off at once, monitor battery charge level, view Bluetooth signal strength, and pair additional batteries.

From the Tool Connect App home screen, users can select an individual battery to view its diagnostics and change settings by tabbing through four pages:  Diagnostics, Actions, Info and Alerts. The Diagnostics screen indicates a battery’s state of charge, temperature and connection to Bluetooth®. This screen also allows users to enable and disable a particular battery. By disabling a battery, the user prevents it from being used until it’s re-enabled. This feature makes it easy to shut down equipment at the end of the day to conserve battery life and deter theft.

The Actions screen allows the user to customize their alert preferences depending on what information they need and when they need it. These options include Alert if Out of Range, Disable if Out of Range, Alert at Low Battery Charge, Alert at High Temperature, and Alert at Charge Completion. In addition, this screen offers a Lending button, which allows for battery sharing. The user can select an amount of time for the tool (with battery) to be lent. When the time is exceeded, the battery shuts down, and the owner receives an alert.

Finally, the Alerts screen provides a comprehensive list of all of the alerts that have been generated by the Tool Connect App and the compatible DeWALT Bluetooth® batteries. From here, users can select an alert to view more details or clear some or all alerts in the log.

Contractors who must inventory multiple tools on a jobsite, and those responsible for cordless tool maintenance, should find this free app a handy way to keep better tabs on their DeWALT Bluetooth® battery investment.

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Chris Marshall: I wouldn’t want to be without double-sided carpet tape in the shop. It’s helped me in so many different ways over the years, but that backing layer can be frustrating to remove. I don’t have a great solution for getting it off, but I do want to share a trick that Richard Koury, a fellow reader, sent into the magazine eight years ago (see below).

In terms of what I do when I apply it, I press it down really firmly and burnish the end of the tape repeatedly with my fingernail to make sure the adhesive is stuck down to the substrate (wood, plywood, metal, etc.) well. If the sticky tape isn’t firmly adhered, you end up wrestling with both the backing and the tape layer peeling up at the same time. Then, I scrape the end of the backing with a fingernail, and that usually lifts the end or a corner of the backing up for easier peeling. I’ve also found that the backing on mesh-type tape peels off better than older forms of double-sided tape that were made of a film material (closer to office tape) instead of mesh.

Richard Koury: Separating the backing paper from double-sided tape can be hard to do, especially for those of us whose dexterity may have diminished over the years, but here’s my trick: Just make a slit through the backing at one corner to form a triangle, with a sharp utility knife. Now slip your knife blade under the slit and lift the backing up far enough so you can grab it with your fingers to peel it off. The little triangle of backing paper that’s left in the corner is easy to lift off the same way — with the knife blade.

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“I’m sorry I didn’t get this to you before the wedding, but better late than never, I guess. The following message is sponsored by my wife of 44 years. As a former manager of dozens of young software engineers, she always gave this advice to every one of them that was getting married: there are six words that you, as the husband, need to learn, as they will save your marriage many times. Those words are: ‘You’re right, I’m wrong, I’m sorry.’

“I’ve used those words many times in these 44 years. I will take the Fifth about how many times I meant them.  You have to practice a bit to get the inflection to sound believable.

“Best wishes to you. I hope you have at least as many great years as we have. At my age, I’m starting to learn that even if there are some not-so-great times, if you get old enough, you’ll forget them. Ouch! That last sentence got me smacked.” – Rob Cotton

“Congratulations on your marriage! Two words that you need to learn for a successful marriage: “I’m sorry”. I’m kidding … kinda. Seriously, after being married for 43 years, I’ve found the most important brick in the foundation of marriage is communication. Listen more than you speak.” – Don Pulliam

“Ah, yes, Rob – marriage – a very expensive way of getting your laundry done for free. (46 years this year) Congratulations.” – Mike Potts

“I just wanted to give my blessing and best wishes to the both of you.  May it be a long ever-lasting union full of joy, and happiness that will follow you both for the rest of your lives, and may your home be filled with blessings and good cheers. Congratulations.” –  P. Walpole

“Yes, it does look like your grin has gotten a bit wider and brighter.  Good for you!” –
R.L. Hoyle

“Wedding advice from my father, who was lucky enough to be married to the same woman for 53 years.  He told me, ‘Always get in the last word, and it should be Yes, Dear.’” – Donn Mason

“Being married doubles your joy, and halves your sorrow!” – Peter Burrows

“I apologize, but I missed the issue where you asked for marriage advice, but it put me in mind of a story told to me by a friend, mentor and former employer. Elmo, was 88 years old when he passed away a few years ago, and he’d been married 4 times in his life (widowed twice and divorced once). One day we were discussing our wives and associated problems, when with a thoughtful sigh and a serious look he proclaimed, ‘Well, there are two strategies to arguing with a woman.’

“Being 39 years younger, I really perked up.  Wow!  I was about to benefit from his many years of wisdom and experience. So, I sat up straight in my chair, ready to take in all the details of the ‘two strategies to arguing with a woman’ when he said flatly, ‘neither one of them work.’ Mazel tov.” – Gene Perham

“A toast to the two of you: May God bless you. May you always have all that you need. May the road you choose be smooth and your burdens lightened by your faith in Jesus Christ. And may the joys of your love for one another be everlasting.” – Dave Anderson

And, with the wedding come some other changes – like the upcoming shop move.  – Editor

“I know I am a bit late on this, but my shop is 12’ x 22’ and I have a lot of stuff (tools) laid out in a pretty efficient manner.  I have 8 feet, plus, to the left of the radial arm saw, the miter saw fence is on the same plane as the radial arm saw fence, and their beds are the same height. The drill press table gives me support to the right of both saws. I also designed an outteed table that houses my 12” planer. It is pretty heavy and I got tired (too old?) of  picking it up and putting it on my workbench, so with some 80-20 and a trailer jack,  I have made it so it can be raised to table saw height using a cordless drill.” – Al Micucci

“About the Goldilocks workshop: After we bought our new home in Raleigh, I designed a workshop that’s about 2-300 square feet. The pix I see of the 1, 000- to 2,000-square feet workshops are way beyond my means, and they never seem to have a scrap of chips or sawdust on the floor, walls or tools. Maybe I can get our housecleaning girls to take a shot at my workshop. Ah, maybe not.

“Enjoy!  It looks like there are many nice designs floating around.  Pick the one your wife is willing to support you in creating.”  – Alan Falk

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-Bob Lanzilotta
New Castle, DE

View the Slideshow Below:

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