Stuff I Want & Other Interesting Stuff

Big Books No Wammies!

2010-03-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Rockler is having a contest to win the book Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture: 27 Stickley Designs for Every Room in the Home

Click here to enter the contest!

Here is an excerpt from the site..

This fabulous book by Robert W. Lang gives 27 examples of "the sturdy, straightforward, and immensely popular oak furniture designed by Gustav Stickley and his associates early in the 20th century." Lang's new drawings are carefully checked against Stickley original catalogs and antique pieces. With this book you'll have "the heart of the Craftsman aesthetic along with all the information needed for success in [today's] workshop."

Hold on a second.... or longer

2010-03-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Yes more tools to add to my wishlist....

Baby, you make me soo hot!

2010-03-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

When i go fishing, I have to spend time, too much time if you ask me, in a freezer hold stacking fish. This freezer is chilled to around 30 below zero. Then you have two large fans about two feet wide each blowing cold air at your face while doing this. Effectively making the windchill about 50-60 degrees below zero. So as you might guess my face tends to get a wee bit chilly.

Enter the Cabela's PolarWrap Exchanger Headcover.

Well, if I'm gonna keep my face warm, I might as well keep my head and ears warm too. I found this hat and it looks like it would do a good job and not retain a whole lot of fish goo. I could use spray waterproof repellent stuff and make it even better too.

I am still looking for some good gloves. I even sent out a request to a glove specialist but havent heard back from them yet. Here are my requirements I sent them....

Glove #1- For general fishing Needs to be:

-Waterproof
-Breathable
-Cut Resistant (from fin pokes ruining the waterproofness of the glove)
-Have some cuff length or atleast not be able to allow water to run down into the glove

Glove #2 for putting wet fish in a 30 below zero freezer Needs to be:

-Waterproof
-Cut proof (Frozen fins can be a sharp as knives)
-Very warm
-Have some cuff length or atleast not be able to allow water to run down into the glove

I would like to have as much dexterity as possible for both gloves. For Glove #2, I am in the freezer long enough that the gloves I use now freeze up and get hard. I would like to change that. Also, both gloves I use know constantly get wet on the inside even though they are long cuffed and waterproof gloves, maybe due to perspiration? I would like to change that as well.

Something to go with my popcorn

2010-03-05T00:14:00.000-08:00

On the boat, in the car, flying, wherever, it's a must have.

Tools continued

2010-03-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

Not gonna say much, just click on the provided links to see the tools. This is for a good tape measure.

Better than a tin can with string.

2010-02-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

It does everything and even stuff you didn't know was possible, so I'm not gonna waste a bunch time writing about it. In short, it is fuckin awesome. It's the Nexus one Google phone.

Go here and watch their vids. http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleNexusOne

I'll Make Ya Famous

2010-02-12T21:51:00.000-08:00

Earlier I received an email from the Art of Manliness website. They were looking for subjects to write about in their column "So You Want My Job". And since I am a commercial fisherman they thought I would be a good candidate. While staring at the many questions I am supposed to answer for the article I started thinking. More specifically I was thinking about something that would be cool to have while fishing. Even more specifically than that, a waterproof camera that I could mount to the boat, or under the boat or on me via a helmet. Imagine how neat it would be to see underwater when the fish are striking the jigs. Or when we are reeling them in or other fish wildlife like sharks taking bait. Or a helmet cam so you can see the action as I see it thru my eyes and then post that for all to see. Imagine you are the one bringing the fish in, free climbing to the top of the 30 foot mast to look for "jumper fish", or working down in the 50 below zero fish hold during a storm getting knocked on your ass. Friends, family, random strangers, hell they could all be virtual fishermen! Yes, very neato indeed.

So once again, I scoured the internet and found something. What I found was the GoPro Wide HERO Waterproof Digital Camera. They have so many different models I can't really see a difference between the Surf model and the Motocross model or the Helmet cam. They are all waterproof and that's pretty much the only care I have.

So what happens after fishing season? You take that sucker snowboarding, rafting, biking, swimming, motorcycling, whatever! Just get the appropriate mount and go at it! Helmet cams are cool, no doubt about it. Check out a sample vid, looks like fun huh?

Gettin' Creative

2010-02-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, for some time now (around 5 years) I have been looking at getting a digital pad to do drawings, sketches, etc on. Back in the day I was a pretty good little artist. But life took over and I rarely got to practice the craft. Occasionally I would whip up things for friends or family or projects I was doing. My sister has every drawing I have ever given her, I'll have to ask her to scan them for me sometime to post here.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with putting lead or ink to some mulched and bleached trees but I have a strong inclination to go digital. Besides being able to manipulate my images and drawings, it is alot easier to share with the world in digital form. I don't have much to show for now since scanning things seems to be an elusive capability of mine. But here are two very plain examples of when having a digital pad would have been great.

I did this one when a scooter group that I am a member of was having the Nationwide meet in Seattle. So I made this up for our t-shirts, patches and fliers.
Another one I did was when i was trying to design some remodeling ideas for a project that I was working on.

I also do cartoon type stuff but I dont have anything with me or on the computer to show what that's like.

The digital pads I have been looking at are ones made by Wacom . They have many different styles, types, sizes and price ranges. The one I find most affordable and offers the best features is the Intuos line like the Intuos3 . It is not the most advanced, but it seems to have the capabilities of what my budget is looking for. Wacom does offer the Cintiq line which is awesome but also about $2000! Sometimes if you are persistant enough you can find good deals on any of the Wacom tablets on Craigslist. But be wary, sometimes they don't include things like pens, mouse, software etc. Wacom also offers a very affordable Bamboo, but this isn't that great and are geared more for people that just doodle.

Here is a quick review of the Intuos3 from YouTube that highlites the main points.

So as you can see, it's pretty damn awesome! I like his because he has the 6"X11", although they do come in smaller and larger sizes. One of these days, I will just make it happen, instead of wishing i had one everytime I wanted to draw something.
If anyone out there has one and wants to send me some feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

Tool Time

2010-02-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

Took a short break from blogging to host my sister from San Diego as we had a mighty debacherous weekend here in Vegas. And as we speak I am trying to multi-task by writing this and getting ready to fly out tonight to Cleveland for the weekend. But I will stay the course and keep my focus. Because after-all this is a very important subject! :)

So I started out by visiting one of my favorite sites Uncrate to see what cool stuff I just had to have. Turns out, they have alot of stuff I want. So I did some soul searching and remembered that I need some tools. See, the things is, I used to have all the tools one would need. But that my friend is a whole other story. Ahh, but I digress.

So I decided to head over to my trusty Amazon.com to have a look-see. And I couldn't be happier! They have everything I need to tool-up again. Normally I would buy heavier stuff close to home so that I don't have to pay shipping, but alot of times the shipping is either free or very cheap at Amazon. So let's take a look at what I consider the first and foremost necessity in tooling-up.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce my very good friend Makita. More specifically, the Makita LXT 18 Volt Lithium Ion Combo Kit.

Yes, it is a beauty to be behold. This specific kit has just about everything you need. The only other tool I would say is an absolute necessity is the jigsaw that you would have to buy separately.

Sure, there are some monster Makita kits that you could buy for about $1500-2000, but the fact is, you can do just about any project with the affordable kit I have listed here.

Just to give you a little background....
I have about 12 years in the construction field. I have used just about every brand of tool in search of what I believe to be the best tool for the money. I do like other brands such as Ridgid and Craftsman, but only for specific tools which I will address later.

The Makita combo set I have listed above is just the best I have ever seen or used. I have used this exact kit from jobs that range from rebuilding commercial fishing boat hulls to complete home remodels to just tinkering out of the back of my truck. They have a long and strong battery life, tough, durable tool bodies, ergonomic and well balanced feeling, the list goes on and on.

If you have not had the pleasure of using a compact cordless impact driver, OH BOY! You will wonder why you ever thought your drill/driver was your go-to tool.
This tool is actually included in most combo kits from Makita, so you don't have to spring for the extra $200, save that money for the jigsaw listed above.
The Impact Driver is your best buddy when it comes to driving screws, bolts etc. I remember the day I learned.... I was putting down backer board i prep of some tile installation. I kept stripping out screws, leaving some standing tall from not getting them all the way down. So what to do? Of course you bang the hell out of them or get your stripped screw removal tool. Then my buddy handed me his Impact Driver and said, "Quit screwing around with that drill and use this." When I put it in my hand, it was lighweight, comfortable... surely this little thing wasn't gonna do me any good. Boy was I wrong. I sunk those screws in the concrete backer boards like I was pushing a toothpick thru hot butter. I was instantly hooked. Wanna toenail some screws thru 2X6's? Easy. Wanna drive a lag bolt thru a post? Easy. You get the idea. You need, want GOTTA have this tool!

Ok so you get the point. Go ahead, Google it, look up the reviews of this Combo kit. Whatever you want. This kit is a beast and you'll wonder why you messed around with anything else.

Getting Hyped for UFC 109

2010-02-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

As I sit here getting anxious to go to the Fight Shop at the Luxor here in Vegas to meet Forest Griffin and other fighters and also thinking about the fight tonight at Mandalay Bay, I'm looking at the UFC site. Specifically, the UFC Store. They have alot of cool things in here. I like the lifesize cardboard standups , signed posters and lithographs like the one pictured over here ----------------------->>>

They even have a cool replica of the UFC Championship Belt, although it's $400! But if you just wanted something kinda close, they do have some kid versions for like 15 bucks.

Oh and I can't forget about last night! After Dana White gave away 60 tickets at Wasted Space last night ( which I couldn't make because I was at Eve's Nightclub) , I sent him a Twitter message telling him how cool I thought it was.Here's a screen capture of the Tweet....

And later when I was on UFC.com I saw it on the front page! I know, I know big deal. But I thought it was very cool to see Dana sending a Twitter message to me right there on the front of UFC.com!

But ya gotta understand, Dana is a cool dude. Just like me and you except that he happens to run a multi-million dollar business.

So, anyway.... tonight's After Party is at Eve's Nightclub with another great guy and fighter Randy Couture, of which I will be attending. So... I'm super excited !

Magazines I like or want a subsciption to

2010-02-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

I like magazines. Whether to have on the plane, or when fishing is slow, or in waiting rooms, whatever, I like 'em!

Here are the ones I know I like. Maybe you love a magazine not listed here that you think I would like? Well, lemme know!

Wired has techy stuff, gadgets, science stuff, etc. If you're a wannabe nerd like me, this is a fantabulous magazine. Yes, I just said fantabulous.

Mental Floss is where knowledge junkies get their fix. It makes me feel smarter and we all know I could use more of that.

Esquire "Esquire is special because it's a magazine for men. Not a fashion magazine for men, not a health magazine for men, not a money magazine for men. It is not any of these things; it is all of them. It is, and has been for nearly seventy years, a magazine about the interests, the curiosity, the passions, of men."
David Granger, Editor in Chief

In other words, it's the premier mens magazine.

Popular Mechanics is another magazine for increasing my nerd factor. I love it. Probably my favorite one of the bunch. I just know one day I'm gonna have this rolled up in my back pocket while I am scouring the beach with my metal detector. Cha-Ching!

Cigar Aficionado is the good life magazine for men. It isn't just all cigars, it has content dedicated to guys that like to enjoy some of the finer things in life.

Men's Journal has gear reviews, talks about current and upcoming events and other topics geared toward men.

I do get many many other magazines, but these are my all time favs. That's about all I can think of for now. Did I leave out any good ones? Do you like some that I have listed? Lemme know!

I am a cigar nut!

2010-02-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

I have been enjoying my new cigar hobby for about a year now. The more time goes by the more I enjoy it. The more I enjoy it, the more I want!

I don't do cigar reviews, but I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about cigars to the best of my ability.

Besides, this blog is about stuff I want, so let's get started with another item!

Oh wait wait wait! Hold the press! As i was just about to post an item, I ran across this...

A CAO Cigar Contest that puts YOU in their nationwide ads. That's right Average Joe America, you could be a supermodel (well, that's up for debate) in the cigar magazine Cigar Aficionado

So cool, anyway, back to the next item I would like to have....

I have been getting somewhat frustrated by trying to light my cigars with matches. If the wind doesn't blow it out, then the matches are usually too short and I end up using several to light up or it burns my fingers. So I have been looking around at a nice, but not too expensive, torch lighter.

Enter the Xikar Enigma Torch Lighter. This one looks pretty good and has recieved a couple thumbs up.
I looked at other brands like this one from Colibri
Or this one from Visol

But in the end, I like Xikar. I already have their Xi3 cutter, which comes with a lifetime warranty and I also have their travel humidor.

If you have a suggestion on a lighter, please send a comment to me so i can check it out!

An odd first item, but ya gotta start somewhere!

2010-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

So I know this is pretty random, but you have to start somewhere. In my quest to find the right items for my Man Cave , I scour the net for stuff I think is neatoriffic.
The first item I have to add to my list is the Elvis "Viva Las Vegas" framed gold record. This is the descrition: This officially licensed framed presentation features a 24KT gold-plated record mounted onto an amazing photo created exclusively for this framed tribute. Limited to an edition of 1969 in honor of the year that Elvis played a record-breaking 57 show engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. This piece celebrates the 40th anniversary of that achievement. Measures 16" x 20".

I'm not an Elvis fanatic but I did get married in Vegas by an Elvis impersonator! It was alot of fun and for anyone that knows me, I am a little on the outside of normal! haha

So that's my very first item, but many many more will be coming. Not all the stuff is going to be for the Man Cave, I will keep a nice variety of just about everything! I also plan on showing funny stuff that I find online or interesting things. So consider this a variable hodge-podge collection.

WooHoo!! My first blog post to start sharing !

2010-02-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

I am pretty darned exited about this! I used to scour the net for cool things and maybe once in awhile post it to my Facebook page. But then it would get buried after many entries from others or just forgotten about. Then today I had the bright idea to join the rest of the world and start a blog. This blog might feature some stuff of my personal life, but the main objective is to warehouse all those cool things I find on the web and want others to see too!

So I hope you will enjoy my posts, maybe follow it, maybe suggest other cool things for me or just say Hi once in awhile.

So thanks for coming to check out my new blog and welcome to my world!