by Andy on December 16, 2009
Over the past few years Bucket Boss has become quite popular. We sell a lot of Bucket Boss all year round but November and December are huge months for these products…probably because Bucket Boss (any style) makes a great gift. Of course there are the specific products like the power tool holster and jumper cable bag but most of the Bucket Boss products are pretty versatile.
Here are 10 Uses for a Bucket Boss tool organizer:
1. Use the 56 pocket tool organizer and a 3-5 gallon bucket as a gardening bucket
2. Store fishing equipment i.e. pliers, tape measure, etc…
3. Use the wrench roll or tool roll to store paint brushes so the bristles don’t get damaged
4. Make an emergency car kit for your trunk using a Bucket Boss GateMouth bag
5. The 16 Pocket Super Bib Apron makes a great BBQ apron
6. Bucket Boss briefcases are some of the world’s toughest backpacks and laptop bags
7. Carry all your necessities for the range i.e. tripod, ammo, ear plugs
8. Store camera equipment and accessories in one of the durable bags…Bucket Boss Extreme bags are a nice looking alternative to the traditional Bucket Boss bags
9. Keep one on your boat with extra boat keys, first aid kit, toiletries, etc…
10. Let’s not forget the most obvious…use Bucket Boss to store you most frequently used tools…keep them handy and ready to go when needed
by Andy on December 10, 2009
Check out some of our holiday gift ideas – perfect for the hard-to-buy-for techie!

LED Flashlights – Our brand of LED flashlights boasts up to 10,000 hours of light from its LED bulbs. Coast flashlights use a Cloverleaf Reflector design for high powered bright illuminating.
The V2 Triplex flashlight (pictured) has an effective range of up to 92’ and is ten times more energy efficient than standard flashlights.

Indoor/Outdoor Temperature Alarm – This handy thermometer shows indoor and outdoor temperature simultaneously and runs off one AAA battery.
A 10’ weatherproof outdoor temperature sensor is included. Also included: built-in stand, AAA battery, and screws for wall mounting.

Motion Sensor Alarm – Wire free and battery operated, this alarm can help protect valuable tool bags, or tool chests, or even entry points in your home. Its motion sensor detects slight movements and sounds a loud alarm – 110dB.
This alarm is activated and deactivated with a key. Operates with 2 AAA batteries (not included).
Leatherman Tools – Multi-purpose tools make great gifts for almost anyone on your list. This particular model includes the following 12 tools – needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, hard-wire cutters, large screwdriver, small screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, wire stripper, lanyard attachment, 8” ruler, clip-point knife and bottle opener.
by Andy on December 3, 2009
Hello all you XML-inclined developers,
I’ve been working on some fun toys for integration and general geeky playtime. This first set of tools will be limited and restricted on a request-only basis, but it will give us all a feeling of how popular such tools would be to our valued customers and their coders and integrators. If we get good feedback and the level of acceptance is high then we will be upgrading to more complicated services. Here’s the scoop.
What services are available for consumption?
- Real-time stock/availability by All-Spec SKU#, including stock quantity and lead time
- Real-time pricing, by All-Spec SKU#, with quantity break structures, minimums, carton quantity, and various other data elements
- Real-time product information, by All-Spec SKU#, consisting of a wide range of data elements including the previous shorter queries, product specifications(if available), image links, MSDS/Spec file links, and any other data we think is tasty enough for public consumption
Plans are in place for an XML search engine so that you can locate SKUs by manufacturer, manufacturer part# and/or keyword. You can then use the SKUs to obtain additional info.
There’s no SOAP here yet, so it can get dirty. The initial tools are traditional HTTP queries that return text/xml content formatted for the specific service requested. Format specification docs for the XML services will be available soon. If you are interested in integrating with these tools drop me an e-mail and I’ll be glad to compose a multi-thousand word e-mail describing every morsel of geeky goodness. Or, I can just send you what I’ve written in the docs so far. Phone calls are OK, but not preferable. I would probably talk about integration solutions and connectivity methodology for an hour and neither of us would get any work done.
If interest is high and integrations are successful, then we will consider adding real SOAP services to handle price quote requests, ordering, shipping estimation, and even product/order tracking. First things first, though. Show us some interest! Send me an e-mail.
[UPDATE Dec 9 2009]
The XML search tool is now available. Also, order status and shipment history inquiry is available as well.
Glen Batchelor
webmaster@all-spec.com
IT Director/In-House Geek
by Andy on December 3, 2009
All-Spec now has over 350 options when it comes to gloves and finger cots; our selection includes the basics such as blue nitrile gloves and dissipative finger cots but we also offer niche application gloves such as elbow length chemical resistant neoprene gloves and cleanroom compatible gloves. We actively try to increase our glove options to offer what is in demand. As the number of glove options grow, so does the confusion regarding which glove to choose.
Showa-Best is a new vendor of ours and they have a handy little tool for selecting the best glove. To use the tool you start by selecting either the application (i.e. aircraft assembly, animal control), hazard (i.e. abrasion, grease) or chemical (i.e. acetonitrile, methanol).

Once you choose, you’ll be taken to a product listing page with a picture, part number and a row of graphics telling you if the glove is chemical resistant, wear/abrasion resistant, cut resistant, puncture resistant and the price range of the glove.

To find more information about a particular glove, click on the picture.
All in all, the tool seems to be very visual and user friendly. My only complaint: there is no key (unless it’s hidden) to show the price range (i.e. I have no idea what two dollar signs means). The same is true for the other options. I’m guessing four knives is about as cut resistant as you can get but I’m unsure how four knives compares to one knife.
Note: For those of you who don’t know. Showa-Best Glove is the result of the 2007 merger between Best Manufacturing and Showa Glove; Showa-Best Glove is now capable of offering 1,800 glove choices.
by Andy on November 24, 2009
It’s always exciting to find informational videos about our products on YouTube. This neat pick-and-place tool is an ideal, low cost way to handle small SMT, metal, or plastic parts. The suction cup will adhere to any item which has a smooth and nonporous surface – just as long as it can form a seal.
See our website for more detailed information on the Virtual Industries Handi Vac – All-Spec part number HVKIT2ESD.