Potpourri of New Housewares

STARTER SET Basic Hammers

(l) A medium weight (16 oz.) nail ljuu,qLsl - lo acconrprrsh rne many household pro.iects re- projects quiring the use of the relatively soft common nail. Not for: nrasonry nails, cold chisels or other metal.

(2) A medium (16 oz.) ball neiO hammer - lor stflkrng the very small hand chisels and punches and for riveting, shaping and straightening unhardened metal.

(3) A three nound hand drillins hanrmer - for use with metal striking i66T such as cold chisels, bricI chisels. star drills and for har_ dened nrasonry nails.

on one,end.i before driving lhe crther..end,.

Its striking face can.be used for driving common nails.

ADVANCED SET Other Striking and Struck Tools

(l) A 20 ounce rirrrrins hammer - to elp with rough, heavy work. Its straight claw helps in prying boards and nails.

{2) A soft faced hanrmer of gent by a nretal striking face. Helpful for gluing furniture, closing doweled joints, replacing hub caps, etc.

(3) @)

An 8 nound sledee - for heavier Filffivo-iiEiT-t ri k i n g wood. nretal. concrele or stone. A 24 ounce brick hammer - for ffiocks. use for while its blunt end can be used for driving wooden stakes.

(6) An 8 nound woodchonners'maul ffi is for splitting snrall logs and for starting a notch in larger dianreter logs into which a wood splitting wedge is placed. The wedge is then driven by the striking face of lhe maul. l'f EW OR IMPROVED honre-use l! products to tenrpt consumer spending in the early'80s include honre security products ofall kinds and new and innovative gournlet lood preparation itenls.

A potpourri of new housewares was introduced a1 the recent National llousewares Manulacturers Association National Housewares Exnosition at Chicago's McCornrick Place. Morc than 60.000 visitors attended the show with 1,811 exhibitors showing the lalest housewares trends.

Anrong the itenls attracting attentlon were: o A water alarnr to warn of flooding or water damage. It is activated by as little as a teaspoon of water to set ofl a loud beeping signal which goes on for 48 hours or until resel: the alarm floats and continues to beep as the water r ses. o A cordless, battery-operated whirlpool is completely inrnrersible in the bath tub, with a special suction device 1o secure it to the wall of the tub, as well as rubber feet so it can be used on the bottonr ol the bath. An overnight battery charge gives 20 to 30 nrinules of whirlpool action. o The Rangetoppers cookware line has glass ceramic body with alunrinunrclad bottom. although designed specitically for use on the top of the stove, the cooking pieces also can be used in the oven or under the broiler. o A handi-sweep broonr with an adjustable handle that goes fronr 30 to 48" in length, and a broonr head that swivels I 80 degrees so it can reach into tight places lor sweeping or dusting floors, walls and ceilings. o The Le Foil reusable/disposable foil cookware line has a baked-on black, heat-absorbent coating for better cooking results.

. An electrical pot-scrubber cleans all pots and;rans: operates with all scouring powders, liquids and detergents, and has three interchangeable scrub pads adaptable to all cooking surIaces.

. An electronic mixer/blender operates with an infinitely variable, single-knob speed control instead of nush-buttons. and conres with its own coffee nrill attachnrent.

. The gournret Chop-er-Block is an end grain hardwood cutting board with a steel blade knife attached directly onto the board. The knife nray be pivoted in all directions for easy chopping, slicing. and mincing. while the end of the blade is held in nlace.

An electric egg scrambler scranrble/blends an egg inside its own shell in less than five seconds.

. A five-minute bell timer, for precision short-tinre cooking procedures with blenders and food processors. is nrarked off in seconds up to five nrinutes.

Story at a Glance

Home security, gourmet food preparation items are leaders at Chicago housewares show.. . new products include water alarm, electronic mixer, electric egg scrambler, adjustable broom, electrical potscrubber.

o A photo-electric smoke delector has a solid state chamber and sees even nricroscopic snroke particles to trigger a loud warning alarnr.

. A battery-operated quartz bedside alarm clock features an ascending three-stage alarm volunre which begins beeping softly to awaken the light sleeper. After eight seconds the alarnr sound autonraticillly increases to its middle level, and eight seconds later goes to its loudest level.

o A portable Yard 'n Garden steel storage chest nrounted on a metal pole that has a garden hose hook and a tool clamp attached. The unit can be placed anywhere in the yard or garden for easy access to needed accessories.

o Finally, a novelly Lox 'n Bagel deli coaster set made up of four ceramic coasters stacked to form a sculpture on a plate. lt resembles a sliced bagel filled with lox. cream cheese and onion.