My First Approved iPhone Apps on the App Store

This post is a bit off topic, but hopefully it is interesting to some.

I have been spending some time learning the iPhone SDK recently, while planning to develop a DIY Handyman iPhone application, (that will include the Spirit level and calculators etc.)

However, as a start I have completed my first few apps that have been accepted into the iTunes App Store.

Being my first attempt I have kept to simple finance / productivity applications that calculate and reverse calculate sales tax, and you have a choice of 5 different versions.

Oz GST Mate - Australia, Goods and Service Tax (GST).
VAT Mate - United Kingdom, Value Added Tax (VAT).
NZ GST Mate - New Zealand, Goods and Services Tax (GST).
HST Mate - Canada, Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).
GST Mate - Goods and Servics Tax (GST) for Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore.

Clicking on any of ther links above will take you to their website that has all the info and a link to the iPhone App Store to download.

I am still planning the DIY Handyman Application, so if you have any suggestions on the features you would like to see implemented please let me know.

New Dewalt Power Tool - The Tracksaw

Dewalt is launching a new exciting product simplify the process of making long straight cuts. Gone are the days of measuring the distance between your blade and the guide and clamping a straight edge onto your material.


I haven't had a chance to use one, but this product looks very handy indeed. The product details from Dewalt are below.

Click here to go to the Dewalt site.




DeWALT LAUNCHES CORDED & CORDLESS TRACKSAWS

New Precision Saw System Allows Users to Quickly Cut Large Sheet Materials

August 2008 – DeWALT, a leading manufacturer of industrial power tools, announced the launch of its corded and cordless TrackSaws (DWS520 and DC351). The DeWALT TrackSaws provide a new option to finish carpenters, woodworkers, and contractors looking for a portable tool to make straight, splinter-free, precise cuts. Winner of a 2008 International Design Excellence Award, the TrackSaws combine the precision and cut-quality of a table saw, the capacity of a panel saw, and the portability of a circular saw.

The DC351 and DWS520 TrackSaws travel along an anti-slip aluminum track allowing users to make clean, straight and precise cuts. The zero-clearance track features anti-splinter edges indicating the exact cut location, so cut positioning is fast, intuitive, predictable, and accurate. The track’s underside has two friction strips to “grab” the material – keeping the track from moving without the need for additional clamping. The top side of the track has four low-friction glide strips, enabling the saw to smoothly travel along the track. Tracks are available in several lengths. All wear components are user-replaceable and will be available as accessories.

The DWS520 features a DeWALT-built, 1,300 watt motor, providing enough power to cut though hardwoods, and all common woodworking and construction materials. The straight plunge mechanism enables the user to make clean, straight, and splinter-free inside (plunge) cuts. A Continuous Anti-Kick-Back feature may be engaged as well – providing additional control by only allowing the saw to move in a forward direction on the track and thus preventing kickback.

The DC351 and DWS520 also have a dust management system with a universal 1¼” dust port that collects up to 90 percent of excess dust and debris. A 6-1/2” 48-tooth woodworking blade with a laser cut plate and precision ground teeth provides exceptional cut quality. Cutting depth (on the track) is 2-1/8” @ 90º, and 1-5/8” @ 45º bevel, allowing users to cut through all common materials.

The DC351 offer users the flexibility of a cordless TrackSaw option powered by DeWALT’s 28V Lithium Ion battery. The 28V TrackSaw provides users the same accuracy, capacity, and quality of cut as the corded version – and cuts more than 121’ of 5/8” plywood on a single charge.

Available in Q4 2008, the new TrackSaws are designed for cabinet makers, remodelers, finish carpenters, general contractors, furniture makers, and hardwood floor installers. When cutting sheet-goods, paneling, or doors, the new TrackSaws will make straight, splinter free cuts at nearly any angle in practically any location.

DIY - How to make a handy sheet material rack

I recently built a rack in my shed to hold all the sheet material that I keep, or have left over from other projects. It was basically 2 lengths of 3x2 fixed to the wall on an angle with a couple of shorter bits on the bottom to keep the sheets raised off the ground. Nothing fancy but it does the job.

My system does have a problem though, and that is when I need to access a sheet from behind the stack I either have to move all the other sheets in front of it, or try and lift it over the other sheets, or slide it out from behind which requires leaving enough space for the length to slide out completely.

Now what about this system I found on the Readers Digest site. A material rack that is hinged to the wall on one end and has casters on the other. This way it just rolls away from the wall on one end, and access to all the sheets is easy. I think I like this idea much better.

Here is a bit from the site:

They allow you to swing the storage rack out from the wall and slide out the board, panelling or other offcut item you want. Dividers strengthen the rack, while allowing you to separate large sheets from small. If you buy all materials new, they’ll cost less than $400 (see our cost details at right). But why not take advantage of all the offcuts you previously had nowhere to store and use them first before buying new material?

Read the whole story with pictures here.

Only Roof Stuff

Following on from an earlier post on Solar Roof Tiles, I have found a great site called "Scenes from the Roof". That site covers not only solar but everything else you could think of about roofs and roofing.

This site has information on:

Green Roofs, Solar Roofing, Contractors, Equipment, Products, Safety and more.

Check them out for yourselves at www.roofinfo.com

Kitchen Counter Top made from Paper

Here is a product I first read about on the Bob Villa site.

A company called Shetka has a new environmentally friendly product that looks like stone.

Products that are produced from shetkaSTONE are manufactured from pre and post consumer waste paper and rely on using none of the Earth's overtapped resources.

Click here to go to their site for more information.