A model train set toolkit should be well-organized and contain a plethora of tools. A small toolbox or plastic container with a lid and handle will allow you to move your toolbox around the track or train area as needed. A gardener bag with pockets on the outside and a large interior is another good idea for a toolkit holder.

Include several rags or a roll or two of paper towels in your toolkit. The rags are useful for cleaning up spills, wiping brushes, or dusting the tracks. Washable rags may be less expensive overall.

Needle nose pliers are used for holding items that need cutting and bending. You can also hold wires and small pieces of scenery in place while joining or gluing them. The pliers should be 6" to 8" in length. Wire cutters at the end will be helpful.

A hobby hammer is much smaller than a regular household hammer and allows you to get in between train track rails and other small places. You will probably want both a ballpeen and footed hammer.

An X-Acto type knife is needed for trimming scenery, placing glue in place, and a myriad of other activities. Be sure to get at least a medium-duty as it will hold up longer. Rubber grips will provide a cushion for your fingers if you will be doing a lot of cutting and trimming.

A rail nipper looks similar to a pair of flat-topped pliers and is used to cut model train tracks. The cutting edge is square, which allows you to cut very close to the track. The best length is about 6-1/2" long.

An assortment of small screwdrivers is needed for your model train set. You will need Phillips screwdrivers in sizes #1 and #0, and standard screwdrivers in both 1/16" and 1/8". Magnetized ends are helpful to pick up small parts that drop during construction and additions to your track.

Tweezers will be useful for detail work, building scenery, and putting together buildings and structures. You can pick up tweezers at any store, but you might consider a curved set so you can get inside small places.

Clamps, such as rubberbands, alligator clips, or small v-blocks are needed when gluing together model train assemblies. Use an old cookie sheet to store your work while it's drying - the sheet will prevent glue from sticking to paper and creating more clean-up later.

Paintbrushes in small sizes are best because much of your detail painting is on a small scale. A good hobby shop or craft center has an array of paintbrushes; pick up an assortment in sizes 2, 3, 4, and 10. Look for round brushes with a good tip.

Filing tools are needed to remove leftover plastic or metal from your buildings and train cars. Get an assortment of about eight to ten files to start; you can add more later. Sandpaper will also be necessary when building track layout boards as you will want to be sure the surface is smooth. A sanding block or electric sander can make your job easier.

Solder iron is useful when you are doing any amount of wiring. There are corded and cordless models. It is recommended to find a solder iron with a fine tip so you can get into those tight wiring places.

Scissors are needed for cutting and trimming. Pick up several pairs ranging in size from small tips to larger tips for cutting track covering. A bent tip allows for precision cutting.

A lighted magnifying glass is useful when working with extremely small parts. A bench magnifier with either a movable or fixed base allows you to use both of your hands for your work.

Power tools, such as drills and saws, are nice for cutting boards and drilling holes for wiring. A miter box cuts perfect corners and a cordless drill allows you to move the drill wherever you need it.

Finally, be sure to get an NMRA gage for your model train set. Match the gage to your model train size. This gage allows you to check your tracks and switches for proper sizing of your model train parts. You use the gage to check and make adjustments to your train tracks and wheels.

Finally, it is recommended to always wear safety glasses when working with power tools, sanding, or cutting any items that may fly into your face.

My Dad's Weird (Unlike Me)

Three! I was just three mouse clicks away from hacking into Bayfield High's computer system when...

BOOM!

My bedroom rocked. What was that? Earthquake? World War Three?
A shock wave (or maybe just shock) toppled me out of my computer chair. I almost landed on Fang, my dad's deaf ferret. Fang hissed and spat.

Then I smelt smoke.

'Nnnnno!' I cried. 'Dad's blown himself up! Again!'

I rushed to his rescue. Almost. For my earphones were still connected to my stereo, my left foot snagged in the jumble of power cables under my desk, and Fang took out my other leg with a biting crash tackle. I tumbled through my door into the hall, bringing down my chair, stereo and something that made a nasty, tinkling crash.

I looked up. A cloud of smoke rolled down the zigzag hall, shrouding a shadowy figure. Out waddled... a Frankenstein possum. 'Ack,' he coughed, and scratched his stitches.

More movement behind. Out lurched... my dad! Splattered with globs of fire-extinguisher foam, his eyebrows smoking, but alive.
Damn him! Why did Dad have to worry me so much? Causing worry was supposed to be my job!

Somewhat mad, I let rip a big Vietnamese rice burp. But my dad didn't notice, not even when I kicked my guilty door shut. He just swayed and smoked in the hall like a black dog on a hot tin roof, eyes bug-wide open, beard half shaved, the hair on his head part gone, part pointing in every direction (looking for the missing crop circle perhaps). Luckily, when he gets blown up like this, my dad wouldn't notice if I'd rented out my room to a homeless family (I hadn't, but there's a future money-making idea...).

I should point out that my old man normally has only a few kangaroos missing from his brain paddock, by which I mean he's only partly a mad scientist. He's actually a pass mark single father and a very clever inventor who's invented clever inventions like the laser toaster (banned in every state), the wallaby wheelchair (zero sales) and chocolate flavoured toothpaste (his bestseller to date). That's where I inherited my brains from. (Have I mentioned I'm brilliant yet?)

Yet unlike me, my dad is also somewhat weird. Especially at... normal things. For example, he works very strange and too long hours, sometimes wears his shirts backwards (like now) and, when cooking, has been known to burn water (which explains why we eat a lot of Vietnamese take-away) (which I don't really mind) (burrrp).

If you think I'm being too critical of my dad, well, I have to be, because I'm the Organised One. It's hard enough starting high school, topping every science test and preparing to wrestle with puberty, without worrying if my dad is going to blow himself up inventing a fart magnifier at nine in the evening. He just needs to get a faster car and a social life. (If he married Ms Trang from the Vietnamese restaurant on the corner, we could have discount take-aways every day.)

Even more embarrassing, my dad's way too soft hearted. Every week he comes home from his long walks with yet another run-down, half-dead dog, cat, bat, galah, possum, kangaroo or homeless crazy person he's scraped off the expressway or retrieved from under the electrical wires. Healthy animals are gross enough, let alone splattered or electrocuted ones.

So our house is too pitiful for me to invite any friends home (don't believe any other rumour you might hear). The only good thing about Dad being such a softie is that I can almost always con my way (especially if I use goo-goo eyes or guilt him out about my lack of a mother (but that's another story (and not really his fault (Aren't brackets fun?))))...

VROOM!

I jolted with surprise as hall fans kicked in, blowing away the smoke.

'Erasmus!' My dad focused on me at last.

'That's my name,' I replied, casually waving away my burp fumes. (In case you readers haven't guessed, I'm also the hero and teller of this story (a story that is 95 % true).) 'What went boom this time?'

'Who boom?' My dad flicked at his burning ear hair. 'Oh, that boom! Well, I wanted to celebrate, so I decided to light up a cigar. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I failed to notice the build up of methane caused by the close proximity of a certain flatulent camel named Abdul.'

I began to untangle myself. 'So camel fart gas caused your lab to blow up? Cool!'

'There was a fire, but I put it out.' My dad suddenly looked right at me. 'How'd you get that black eye, Erasmus?'

'Oh... that?' I fingered my still-sore cheek. 'Ah... cricket ball. Hazard of being small and hating cricket, I guess.'

'Hmm...' Dad raised one smouldering eyebrow.

I quickly changed the subject. 'Um, you said you were celebrating something?'

'Yes!' My dad jolted back to his happy state. 'I've finally finished it! The Nobel Prize will be ours!'

'I'm happy for you, Dad,' I yawned. 'But I'm busy, um... e-mailing my stockbroker in Singapore.'

'Your fiendish schemes can wait, Raz. You simply must see my latest invention!' With a smile almost off his dial, my dad ignored my frown and picked up my roller chair, indicating I should sit. I grumbled, and sat. 'Let's roll!' Dad laughed, scaring the one-eyed cat skulking outside the toilet door.

I sighed and figured I'd better play along. After all, my dad did pay my generous pocket money, and he was pushing me down the zigzag hall at speed, and I did love speed. Plus I didn't want him to check my room too closely. Besides, he seemed so excited, even I was becoming a bit interested.

'Eeeeh!' My dad imitated a car braking as he pulled my chair to a skidding halt. A bandaged puppy slid by, her three legs skittering. We were outside the secret door, beyond which a solar powered escalator led to my dad's even more secret lab in the basement. Normally, I wasn't allowed down there (though I had snuck in before (roughly 367 times)).

'Are you ready, Raz?' My dad grinned. 'Ready to see the most amazing invention in the history of inventions?'

I humoured him, and nodded. A willy wagtail with a bandaged wing plonked in my lap. 'Stupid bird. Poop in someone else's lap.' I stood up. 'Let's go, Crazy Dad.'

'Look out,' he warned.

I ducked, and a ferret in a mini hang-glider cursed past my ear. Crazy Dad grinned even harder and reached out toward his secret door.

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Ladies, we men know that we men usually do a terrible job of selecting your holiday gifts. We are big enough to admit it. Sometimes, though, the women in our lives are just as bad as we are. Not always, but sometimes.

So, to help you in your quest for the perfect gift this year, here are 10 of the hottest "As Seen on TV" gift ideas for this holiday season, including a few from last year that you may have missed out on.

The Fushigi Gravity Ball: .99 The Fushigi Gravity Ball is an illusionary, reflective sphere that mesmerizes the mind & confuses the senses. Contact juggling with the Fushigi Gravity Ball creates the illusion that the sphere may be defying the laws of gravity, as if it is levitating. The Fushigi Gravity Ball is already THE hottest item of the year! As the holidays approach, Fushigi will be very difficult to find. So, get it now! The Shake Weight for Men: .99 The Shake Weight for Men is the perfect gift for the guy that wants to maintain or obtain tone in his upper body. You have to try the Shake Weight to believe the level of resistance that is generated & how quickly the burn sets in. I watched each of the fitness instructors at my YMCA wince as they each tried the Shake Weight. Bucky Balls: .99 Rolling Stone Magazine voted Bucky Balls as the "Toy of the Year." Bucky Balls is an amazing magnetic desk toy that our customers just can't put down. A desk toy that delivers stress relief & fun all-in-one. TV Listener: .99 If he likes to sit up and watch TV, while you are trying to drift away to dream land, then the TV Listener Wireless Headphones are a great gift idea for him that you'll enjoy as well. Similar to other high-priced models, but at a much more affordable price, the TV Listener settles numerous arguments. He'll be able to watch his late-night sports, news or comedy shows without bothering your peaceful sleep. And if differing volume preferences are an issue, additional headsets are available. Knight Hawk Magnifying Pen from Bell & Howell: .99 The Knight Hawk Pen Magnifier is a fine writing instrument that combines a smooth-writing ballpoint pen, a magnifying glass that magnifies up to 3X, and a super bright LED light all in one. Perfect for reading menus in dimly-lit restaurants, enlarging the tiny words on prescription bottles, or reading at night without disturbing others. Water Jet Pressure Washer: .99 The Water Jet Pressure Washer was one of the top items during the last holiday season and is still a popular choice. The Water Jet is the hose attachment that turns your garden hose into a high-power washer. So, instead of dragging out the bulky, expensive pressure washer, he can use the Water Jet Hose Attachment to tackle those common outdoor chores. Wonder File: .99 If you'd like to help him find a way to de-clutter his desk space, the Wonder File is a great gift idea. It's actually great for everyone in the family. Wonder File is an ingeniously designed organizer that turns any space into a neatly organized workspace. With loads of pockets & room for a laptop, it's a great on-the-go solution. Windshield Wonder: .99 Windshield Wonder is another one of those hits from last year that continues to be popular. An unbelievably simple, but useful concept, the Windshield Wonder cleans the car/truck windshields without straining or stretching. Wiper Wizard: .99 Another item under that solves a simple problem. The Wiper Wizard is a windshield wiper restorer that makes old windshield wipers work like new in just a few minutes. You don't have to remove the blades either. Wiper Wizard slides right over the existing blades. Save-A-Blade: .99 Save-a-Blade Razor Sharpener comes back for a third holiday season and is still a favorite with the guys. Simply put, the Save-a-Blade turns dull shaver blades into sharp razor blades, saving a ton of money throughout the year.

So if your man is into cool gadgets or Cool Infomercial Products then any of these would make for a perfect gift this Christmas.

Today, problems of vision have become very common among individuals across the world. This problem bars none--it victimizes people from almost every age group.

Although, scientific developments have brought new innovations in various procedures of correcting vision like lasik surgery,etc, yet, the majority of people still prefer to go for the traditional glasses. These single visioned reading glasses come in handy especially when you become almost frustrated with not being able to read even your morning newspaper, leave alone reading hundreds of documents at office.

When getting yourself a pair of new reading glasses you will find that they primarily come in two types:

o Full framed glasses: In these glasses, the entire lens is adjusted to the power as prescribed in your prescription

o Half eye glasses: These are comparatively smaller in size and usually remain stuck to the lower part of your nose. These types of glasses resemble those worn by Ben Franklin.
You need to choose one of these two types of reading glasses for yourself as per your requirements.

If you spend almost your whole day doing a lot of reading and paper works then you need to go for the full framed reading glasses. However, if you look up from your books and have a look around through this glass of yours, then, everything may seem to be a bit blurred.

But the half eye glasses seem to be somewhat more advantageous because when looking down, these allow you to do all your reading and such stuff at a close distance clearly and at the same time on looking up they enable you to have a clear vision of the surroundings and the things at a distance.

Those of you who have not required a pair of glasses in the past while newly opting for a pair of spectacles will usually require reading glasses, unlike those requiring glasses after a certain age, who need bifocal lenses or no line progressive lenses. The latter types of lenses should be availed of by those who have a problem in seeing both near and at a distance.

You can also go for the reading glasses that act as sunglasses during the day protecting your eyes from the ultra violet radiation. These glasses can also be fitted with bifocal lenses whose upper part is fitted with normal glasses of no power for clear view at a distance and the lower part with lenses as per your prescription that will assist you in reading and having a clearer closer view.

Besides going for reading glasses, you can also opt for handy readers which need not be worn regularly and are so small that these can be easily carried in tiny cases. Also, some magnifiers are available in the market which you can wear around your neck like a pendant. You can even go for those lenses made up of plastic which are so thin and sleek that they can be fitted into credit card holders and put into the wallet. So, even if you do not have spectacles, you will have the lens at your hand to suffice your needs in desperate times when your inability to see clearly can cause you much trouble.

Thus, to sum up, in short, the types of lenses that you can avail of are:

o Whole framed glasses
o Half eye glasses
o Bifocal lenses
o No line progressive lenses
o Day and night glasses that act as sunglasses
o Portable, sleek lenses

Now, the reading glasses can be made under supervision or else can be bought readymade from either a pharmacy where eye testing is done or from shops selling various kinds of eye gears.

The readymade glasses mainly developed and got popularized in the 1900s. Statistical data shows that there was a burgeoning increase in purchase of readymade reading glasses during this time. These types of glasses prove to be much less expensive and so allow you to buy a number of pairs of spectacles, that too, without drilling a hole in your pocket.

While you are buying readymade ones you can go for the various styles, colors that ensure your making a fashion statement. Some designer frames really are very fashionable. However, these usually are a bit more expensive. Also, if you do not like the design, you can always opt for the cheaper ones that do not give you much of a fashionable look but are of the conventional types.

If you get your glasses made then you can make quite a few of them so that each can be kept at a different place in the rooms of your house, your office, your car, etc.

However, the problem with the readymade reading glasses are that they are made fitted with a standard power meant for all and not specifically for an individual. So, often the power may not be accurate enough to give you a clear vision. The optical centre of the lenses are not personalized enough to suit the prescription of each wearer of glasses. Besides, cases are very rare where one has the same eye power in both eyes. Most people have some astigmatism correction done in their prescription.

You should seriously try to avoid such glasses which are not as per your prescription because these can cause you harm in return. These can cause severe headaches due to strain exerted on your eyes; can also result in nausea. If you already have such problems, then, be sure to pay your eye doctor a visit so that he can ascertain whether your reading glass comprises of the correct prescribed power.

Eyes are the windows to the world. So, you cannot afford to take risks with it. Get yourself the correct pair of reading glass in order to have a clearer view of the world again.

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Features - Carson MM-200 Carson Micromax LED 60X-100X LED Lighted Pocket Microscope

• LED lighted
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Are you planning an 80th birthday celebration for someone special this year? If so, you may be looking for ideas for party favors. Here are the top seven tips to help you find just the right keepsakes to commemorate this milestone.

1. Plan ahead. Give yourself time to brainstorm and browse. If you leave this to the last minute, you may have to settle for whatever you can get. To find the very best 80th birthday favors, first you'll need to figure out what you want and then set out to look for it.

2. Skip the dollar store. But don't spend a lot. Of course, you'll want something unique and personal, which you probably won't find in the bargain bin. But that doesn't mean that you'll have to invest a lot of money to impress your guests. A savvy shopper can discover inexpensive custom gems online. With a little persistence, you should be able to find amazing, personalized party favors in the .50 to .00 range.

3. Choose something useful. By the time a person reaches their 80th birthday, they will probably have accumulated a lot of dust collectors from other occasions. Don't be tempted by that impractical knick knack, no matter how appealing it is. Give your guests a keepsake; something they will actually keep. Merely decorative items will eventually end up in the back of a drawer or worse. Instead, find functional, fun favors. Some possibilities include frames, pocket magnifiers, keychains, mini spiral notebooks, mint tins, mugs, little flashlights, bookmarks and photo albums.

4. Consider the personality of the person celebrating their 80th birthday. Don't just settle for bland and generic. Instead give a memento that is customized to reveal something about the celebrant. For example, if he or she loves gardening, you might choose packets of seeds. Or If he or she is deeply religious, you could select photo bookmarks personalized with a favorite Bible verse. Or if the guest of honor is an avid golfer, you could go with party favors with a golf theme. Make a list of his or her hobbies, interests and tastes. Then try to choose favors that reflect their uniqueness.

5. Include an element of nostalgia. Add an old photo of the birthday man or woman and it automatically transforms your party favors into keepsakes. One possibility for a giveaway that stirs memories would be a custom mixed CD. It could be filled with the guest of honor's favorite songs from each decade of life. Another option is to select personalized year you were born bookmarks, magnets, notebooks or mint tins. These deliver a blast from the past by featuring prices, songs, top events and entertainment and sport news from that year, and can spark conversations about the good old days.

6. Look into something edible for a real crowd pleaser. This is always a safe choice and will appeal to your guests of all ages. You could go with custom wrapped chocolate bars. You can order them online or make them yourself. They're a little time consuming to make, but relatively easy to put together.

Another idea is to order unfilled personalized candy or mint tins, and then fill them yourself with the guest of honor's favorite treat. You can even put milk chocolate in the kid's candy tins, give the adults the dark variety and use the sugar free kind for those with special diets.

7. Make it personalized. The best 80th birthday party favors will be one of a kind because they're customized. Whatever item you choose, it should include the guest of honor's name and birthdate, and possibly a longer message and even a photo.

The 80th birthday favors that you select are more than just a memento. They are also little gifts that say "thank you" to your guests for sharing the celebration. Send them home with something practical, fun and personalized that reflects the celebrant's personality. With a just a little effort, you can find keepsakes as unique as the guest of honor.