Great Father's Day gift ideas

It's that time of year again. Father's Day is right around the corner, so here's a roundup of some interesting new tools that any handy Dad ought to love. They're listed mostly in order of price, with something for every budget.

Magnetic LED Light (Striker Tools, www.strikerhandtools.com, $7.99): About the size of a golf ball and looking like a miniature naval mine, this little light really is clever. It has a bright, LED light in the center of a tough plastic sphere. The outside of the sphere is studded with 12 powerful rare earth magnets, so you can stick it to anything steel, or you can just set it down on any flat surface. Its design allows you to easily position the light to shine right where you need it, making it ideal for under the sink or under the hood of the car.

Micro Zip Sander (Ali Industries, www.zipsander.com, $9.99): Here's a perfect little sander for small jobs and tight spaces, as well as for craft and hobby work. It's just 3 1/2 inches by 1 inch, and its soft contoured handle fits comfortably in your hand, greatly reducing the fatigue and soreness usually associated with hand sanding. It has a quick-change hook-and-loop system for changing the sandpaper, and the paper is precut in several different grits. The complete kit includes the sander and an assortment of 80-, 120- and 220-grit paper.

Black & Decker 100Watt Power Inverter (Black & Decker, www.blackanddecker.com, $19.99): Does Dad have a lot of electronic gadgets? If so, consider one of these handy power inverters, new from Black & Decker. It plugs into any 12-volt DC power port in the car, RV or elsewhere, and converts it to 115 volts AC for recharging cell phones, iPods, camera batteries, laptop computers, or any other electronics up to 100 watts. Also features a USB port for direct connection to USB recharging cords.

Personalized Stanley FatMax 25-Foot Tape Measure (Stanley Tools, www.stanleytools.com, $32): What Dad wouldn't love a personalized tape measure? This is a professional-quality, 25-foot tape measure from Stanley's excellent "FatMax" line of tools. It has a 1 1/4-inch blade, cushioned grip and a convenient thumb lock for locking the tape. But best of all, it's personalized with Dad's name in bold yellow print on the side. This is one tape he'll never lose!

Wagner Power Painter Plus (Wagner Spray Tech Corp., www.wagnerspraytech.com, $99.99) Here's a very nice, easy-to-use spray painting kit that Dad will find very useful for small to medium-size projects such as shutters, decks, fences, outdoor furniture and even sheds. The sprayer uses a high-speed piston pump and a tungsten carbide tip to create a smooth and even finish. The tip guard rotates, so you actually have two different spray patterns to choose from. There is also an electronic 2-speed control that lets you adjust for larger projects or smaller detail work. There's an attached 1.5-quart paint cup, or you can use the included 6-foot hose to draw material directly from a can. ...CONTINUED

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