It’s been a little quiet around OPC recently. That’s partly because we’re in-between Pro-Follows and partly because we’re working on improving the site. We recently had a site evaluation, and now we’re working to implement many of the suggestions so expect to see some changes in the coming days. If you have a site design suggestion, we’d love to hear it. The best way to do that is email me ^[1] with the details.

Just this morning I restocked the Rewards Center ^[2], and there are lots of good items especially with Father’s Day rapidly approaching. If you’re new to OPC or The Better Half ^[3], we reward readers with points for visiting the site and leaving quality comments. Here’s a brief overview.

Project Rewards ^[4] (click here for full details) is a reader appreciation program, and for a change to win something, you need to:

• Register: All you have to do is pick a username and provide an email address, and you’re all set to start earning Project Points. There is no cost, and we never distribute your info for any reason. Register here ^[5]. If you bump into any problems, just shoot me an email, and I’ll help you out.
• Visit and Comment: You earn Project Points (pp) for various actions on our site, like logging in (worth 2pp once/day), or by leaving a valid comment on an article (worth 5pp /valid comment). If your comments aren’t very good (i.e. “Nice work”), I’ll probably email you and deduct a significant number of points so make sure you’re adding something worthwhile.
• Spend Points: You spend Project Points in our Rewards Center, which includes auctions for home improvement gift cards, tools, services, crafts and more.

The Prizes

Here are just a few of the prizes available right now. For the full list, head over to our Rewards Center ^[2].

Keen Boots

OPC is giving away a pair of KEEN Portland PR Slip-On Utility boots ^[6]. These boots are built in the USA, waterproof, and feature an aluminum-toe. The midsole plate is puncture resistant, and the easy on and off saves time going from the job site to the office.

Ryobi Nation

The Ryobi Drill and Impact Driver combo kit is back again to promote Ryobi Nation ^[7]. Ryobi Nation is the ultimate destination to fuel your inner tool enthusiast. Members can register their tools, find special deals, and submit their own projects – or vote on others — in the Project Gallery, where monthly winners receive $500 in RYOBI tools. Check it out at that link.

Weller Soldering Iron

This new high performance consumer soldering iron deliver the ultimate soldering experience. The three on-board LEDs mean no more fumbling with a flashlight while doing work in a basement or poorly lit area. The iron also has a round, soft grip, non-slip handle that provides greater comfort. It’s ideal for a variety of tasks, from crafts as diverse as jewelry making to electronics and PC modification. Weller irons ^[8] are available in four different watt models with prices ranging from $14.99 to $27.99 and available for purchase from major retailers, including: Home Depot, Lowes, True Value and Sears.

Ridgid Combo Kit

Not sure what to get dad for Father’s Day next month? Give dad the Ridgid 18volt X4 Hyper Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit ^[9] (3-Tool) with Radio. The compact drill and impact driver feature best-in-class torque for the most demanding applications. Both the compact drill and impact driver feature exclusive Grip Light technology which engages the LED light by simply holding the tool and innovative Hex Grip micro-texture for maximum comfort to make every job easier. The Compact Radio offers 3 different modes for AM, FM and Auxiliary Input. All three tools are powered by HYPER Lithium-Ion Technology built for high performance.