In 2006, Danger Mouse is King Midas of the music world. He has an uncanny knack for creating jagged, dense, frenzied beats and odd, eerie, vivid soundscapes that never compromise the music’s natural flow. Meanwhile, rapper and singer Cee-Lo, a veteran of Atlanta’s Dirty South scene, has never been one to be constrained by hip-hop conventions, and is a willing partner in adventure. The result is an intrepid psychedelic blend of pop, hip-hop, soul, and rock that consistently challenges and delights. It’s no wonder that “Crazy,” with its modest riff, irresistible hook, and disarming opening line (”I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind”) became a worldwide Internet sensation a full six months before the official release of St. Elsewhere. But that relatively simple soul-pop gem is the tamest track on this wide-ranging, often dark and introspective collaboration. (In fact, the duo considers Gnarls Barkley to be a wholly new creation, as opposed to a collaboration of existing artists.) “Everybody is somebody, but nobody wants to be themselves,” Cee-Lo croons on “Who Cares?” He and Danger Mouse try very hard not to be their old selves as they creatively and confidently break down boundaries, but the brilliant cores of their musical personae–Cee-Lo’s eccentric spiritual soul man and Danger’s bold sonic explorer–remain. –Marc Greilsamer

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Reviews

Excellent saw..great features..some very minor issues…
Reviewer: Rich S (Madison, WI United States)

I recently purchased a Powermatic 2000 saw, 3hp, 1ph, with a 50″ fence. The saw arrived in excellent condition in a big sturdy crate along with several heavy boxes containing the fence and rails. A few comments on this saw. The fit and finish of the saw are excellent. The cast iron top and wings are ground to a fine polish and match up well. The cast iron top on this saw is much larger than that of the Powermatic 66 and the Delta Unisaw. After uncrating and assembling the wings to the top I checked the alignment of the miter slots to the arbor and found it to be less than 0.01″ right out of the crate. There was virtually no arbor runout. The arbor is a standard 5/8″, but the arbor nut is huge, about double the width of the one on a Unisaw and much thicker. Instead of using a cheap stamped wrench, Powermatic sends you a 27mm box end wrench to use on the arbor nut. Even with the big nut the arbor still accomodates a 13/16″ stacked dado head. In addition, the saw has an arbor lock which locks the arbor in place while changing blades. The lock mechanism works well and is fairly sturdy, but I’m a little concerned about its long term durability. The dust collection assembly for this saw is excellent, with the dust being mostly collected immediately below the blade by a “hood” with a dust collection hose hooked to it which is in turn hooked to the dust collection port on the back of the saw. The key to this system is to always run your dust collector whenever you have the saw on, even if its for one or two little cuts, otherwise you’ll end up with dust in the cabinet and will have to vacuum that out yourself. The Powermatic 2000 uses a wide flat drive belt instead of the 3 v-belts found on a 66 or Unisaw. The single wide, flat belt seems to work well, but it will be interesting to see how it performs over the long haul. The fence for the 2000 is the same as the one used on the 66, 72A and 74 (in fact my boxes didn’t say anything about fitting the 2000) and uses slightly heavier tube than the Biesemeyer and much heavier rails. While the saw itself is made in Taiwan, the fence is stamped “Made in USA”. The motions on the saw are very smooth and work effortlessly. The lock knobs for the motions are big in diameter and heavy and work great! The saw cabinet is stamped steel, but the base is cast iron like the old Unisaws were. The On/Off switch is pretty cool and is another massive piece of hardware. The On button is inside a donut shaped red Off button. When the saw is plugged in the On button glows green. The saw starts smoothly and runs really quietly. Now for some of the minor issues…the built in mobile base system works nicely, however it only raises the cast iron base off the floor about 3/16″ if that. So unless you have a perfectly level concrete floor you may have some issues moving the saw around. Plus you run the risk of damaging the legs on the extension table due to the lack of floor clearance. I would have like to seen the saw go up 1/2″ clear of the floor. One plus is that all four wheels under the base swivel so you can move the saw in any direction you want. The splitter/anti-kickback system is a European style which curves part way around the blade. It also raises and lowers and tilts with the blade which is great. The minor downfall with it is taking it on and off the saw is a little cumbersome since the throat plate and splitter must be put on at the same time and its a little tough to get big hands under the throat plate to throw the lever that locks the splitter in place. Another concern at this time is the lack of availability of accessories. The throat plate for this saw is huge! The saw still has the same amount of clearance ahead of the throat plate as the Unisaw, but the plate extends back a lot further than is does in the Unisaw or 66. At this point I can’t purchase a dado insert for the saw, nor can I purchase a zero clearance insert, so I’ll have to make some. The stock throat plate uses a total of five allen screws for leveling, three in the front, and two in the rear. Overall this is an excellent saw and I think that it will probably replace the 66 in the future as Powermatic’s primary saw for the serious hobbiest or professional user of 10″ saws.

Very Pleased
Reviewer: S. Jennings (Spring Branch, TX USA)

This is my first table saw. I bought it after reading previous Amazon reviews and doing some reading of reviews in the woodworking magazines. I was very careful to make sure I did my homework, so I was aware of the saw’s attributes before I clicked “Order” during Amazon’s ordering procedure. Delivery came with the packaged saw secured to and sitting atop a clean, sturdy pallet. The freight company, I was told, added a pallet which its forklift could fit at the warehouse. The freight company brought the saw in a truck with a lift on the back end and used a pallet truck to roll the saw directly into my garage. I used a 1-ton chain hoist and tow straps to lift the saw slightly, and I had my not-so-strong wife pull the pallets clear of the saw. After the saw was safely lowered to the floor, I followed instructions and everything fit in place according to instructions. One should be patient in fitting the cast iron extensions and the table extension (wood drilling required). I wired the machine to a circuit, using using 2 15A plugs (1 for the saw-switch cord and the other for the extension cord I rigged up), a 15A connector (for the extension cord), 12-3 water-resistant wiring (to make an extension cord), and a 20A receptacle. For the circuit regular Romex works with a 2-pole 20A circuit breaker on my GE workshop subpanel. I carefully read the instructions for operation. I also studied a couple of woodworking books I have and now I am ready to work on some projects (I just retired). Ahead of time, my biggest worry was over the delivery process. Eagle Freight did a great job! I am very pleased. PS: use rust preventative to maintain that beautiful shiny cast-iron table top.

Great Machine
Reviewer: jerryb54 (SPRINGFIELD, MA)

I’ve had several table saws over the years, each one an upgrade from the previous, but all of them contractor’s saws. I’m glad I waited until this beauty became available before I purchased a cabinet saw. The PM 2000 speaks of quality everywhere you look. Fit and finish are great. Everything is well engineered and well executed. I can’t imagine this tool not lasting several generations. The riving knife, easily removable guard, and built-in castors are icing on the cake. If I could think of one small criticizism it would be the attachment of the legs to the extension table. The screws are small, and putting them into particle board does not offer enough strength. The problem is easily solved by beefing up the underside of the table with some half inch plywood and using larger screws. If you’re looking for a cabinet saw anywhere in this price range, look no further.

Add comment January 4th, 2007

Power, power and more power! The 18-volt 1/2-inch hammer drill/driver’s high-torque motor churns out an impressive 500 inch-pounds of torque—imagine the jobs it could tackle. We were surprised by how good it feels in hand, thanks, we think, to its neatly balanced design that places the handle toward the center of the tool. A nice touch is the ratcheting chuck with carbide jaws for a superb hold on your bit. And the all-metal, three-speed transmission is so innovative that DeWalt patented it. All we know is that this is one powerhouse of a hammer drill/driver, no matter what mode it’s in. The DC385 recip saw’s keyless blade clamp wins points in our book for fast blade changes. And talk about fast—with its one-inch stroke length, it runs at 2,900 strokes per minute. Like the drill, it’s well balanced and feels good in hand. It’s compact, lightweight and offers great cutline visibility through the pivoting shoe’s open top. Plus, we like that the blade will reverse for flush and plunge cutting. The circular saw slices into 2×4s like butter, and you can always see your cut because the blade’s on the left. Bevel cuts are no sweat; the saw’s easy to adjust and the scale’s clear. Finally, the flashlight’s neck is super flexible, shedding light in just about any direction for up to three hours. This is a great collection of tools, essential for the contractor and perfect for the skilled do-it-yourselfer.–Kris Jensen-Van Heste

18V, Cordless XRP Hammerdrill/Drill/Driver, Reciprocating Saw, Circular Saw & Flexible Floodlight Combination Kit, Drill Has 500 INLB Of Torque, 3 Speed All Metal Transmission, 1/2″ Ratcheting Chuck Lock Prevents Bit Slippage, Reciprocating Saw Has 0-2800 RPM, 7/8″ Stroke Length, 6-1/2 LB, Electric Brake, Lever Action Keyless Blade Clamp, Circular Saw Cuts 2×4s In Single Pass, 90°ree. & 45°ree. Cuts, Left Side Blade For Maximum Visibility, 3,700 RPM For Faster Cut Rate, Flexible Floodlight, Has Extra Bright Xenon Bulb, Flexible Neck For Hands Free Lighting, 3 Hours Run Time On Single Charge, Includes DW988, DW938, DW939 & DW919 Plus 2 XR Pack Batteries, 1 Hour Charger, 6-1/2″ Blade, Screwdriver Bit, Reciprocating Saw Blade, Extra Bulb, 360°ree. Side Handle, Rip Fence & Carrying Case.

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Reviews

Great Value
Reviewer: Randall Hill “naked chef”

Power for the DIY homeowner
Reviewer: Magnus Opus (Washing DC)

Overall, a great tool kit for a DIY’er with some skill. Basically a pro-level set for the savvy homeowner/consumer. Long lasting battery and fast charging. The case is tough and well laid-out (the place to keep spare blades is a nice touch).

DC385 with keyless blade clamp for quick blade changes
PROS: Great balance. Nice power. Cuts through 2×4 like butter. Comes with 2 blades (coarse and fine-toothed).

CONS: Bottom loading battery requires upsidedown blade load for cutting through sole plates. This makes for awkward trigger position and the loss of that good balance. The unit can be bulky for tight spaces.

DW919 flexible floodlight for hands-free use
PROS: Mainly useful for people who have fulltime jobs during the day and work with the kit in the evenings in dark spaces. Usually rare but still happens, I guess. Adjustable beam is a nice feature.

CONS: The weakest link of the kit. A 4-piece kit with jigsaw would’ve been more useful. The rubber/plastic flexible arm feels a little flaky. I feel like I’ll destroy it before long.

DC988 drill/driver/hammerdrill has 500 in.-lbs. of maximum torque
Exclusive 3 - speed all metal transmission
PROS: I’ve use this tool the most out of the three. Drills through concrete slab floor like it was asking for the drill bit. Both horizontal and vertical drilling are well balanced. Easy to use extension handle. Keyless chuck is truly single-handed. Excellent power and goes on a single battery charge for longer than an hour under normal to high use (just enough for that other battery to charge).

CONS: Transmission is problematic. Sometimes won’t re-engage into hammerdrill mode from clutch settings. Running the drill for about 15 secs at full speed seems to get the clutch and transmission innards back in place and functioning properly (I cant explain why only this fixes it, but it does). I can sometimes see sparks from within the drill — stay away from flammable materials and gases. The balance with the extra handle on is somewhat poor. It takes some mastering to get it right so that you’re not bending your bit. Housing may get warm after more than 20 mins of heavy use.

DC390 cuts 2X4’s at 45 degrees in a single pass
Haven’t used it much yet to give an honest review. Will need to come back to this. But what I can say so-far:
PROS: Good balance with the battery in, like the other tools in the kit, but heavier than any corded model for obvious reasons. No need to buy furring strips anymore. Easily makes it down multiple 2×4x16 foot studs. It feels like a true pro-level tool after using Ryobi for so long.

CONS: None so far.

THE tool set for general rough construction (new or not)
Reviewer: J “Smiley” (Central NC)

***REVISED 11/9/06*** (also for info on DC988 drill wobble see bottom)

This set is worth the $500 or more + tax you would pay in a store… If you don’t mind your stuff possibly looking a little banged up (witch it will become over time if you actually really used them) your looking at a good deal here.

In the new construction world of homes this set is invaluable. You have the drill witch is also a light duty hammer drill, it has plenty of torque. I know as I have used it to boar a ¾” hole through a 2/4 with an auger bit… several times. It still had enough juice left in it to put in about 80 or so electrical devices before the bat stated to get low (and that bat was at least a year old and used at least every other week day). And the hammer drill is perfect for those finish or decretive jobs in brick. My only problem is the weight, the before mentioned would be murder on the wrist/s if that kind of work was done daily. A 14.4 V would be ideal if it just had the bat life and brute power I need at times. The circular saw is like any other, it’s vary convent when you need to do quick (as in not a lot) and neat work. The only time I used it is when I was in a hurry, way off somewhere or found I needed to cut some wood after getting there and didn’t want or just flat out didn’t feel like getting a cord out for the other just to cut a few peaces of wood. It’s not something I would rely on to do large jobs (cuz it sucks the bat dry fairly quick) like trimming 2×6 planks off the edge of an 800 SF deck or cutting 40,45 or so 2×4 “blocks” (that’s when you break out the corded tools). It has enough power and bat life to do what it looks like it could do. The light is great, the heavy 18V bat keeps it planted on the ground (normally) but it’s not to heavy or bungle sum to drape over pluming, wiring or 4″ duct work under a house. Only thing is after time the flex loosens and dose not stay put as well… The reciprocating saw is just like any other, quick change lock up or down orientation of the teeth. It has a nice amount of blade movement and a good strong motor. As long as the bat holds out it will do any job a corded one will.

The best thing I like is I know it’s 100% true that Dewalt tools are vary tough. Also they are apparently sealed well, as I used that model drill countless times to drill small holes in brick and mortar as did the owner. One day I cleaned the drill for the owner and found some vary thick, black, smelly grease in need of change but not much else in the gear train. Been using it nearly every weekday for a good 6 months or so after that and still no problems.

***REVISE*** (The drills wobble was result of defective thread rolling/forming on the spindle not the chuck. Problem fixed after ordering and instilling new spindle, see dewalt website for digram of drill and contact local parts dealer for fix).

I’ve bought and had this set since oct24 06, when it got here it was all but 100% new looking. I found only a few vary small nicks and some stains/discolorations. But hey I don’t care about that, yeh they work great! I opened up the drill and the gears where not new, but defiantly in good condition (no “mushing out” or anything like that).

Add comment December 26th, 2006