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Home improvement and renovation tips

Sanding secrets from the pros 2

Last time we looked at a few of those amazing sanding tips those workshop guys seem to have so much time to come up with. But, actually, some of them are pretty neat. Here are a few more. To make sure you're sanding the entire surface of a piece, draw a bunch of squiggles over ...

Sanding secrets from the pros 1

Some people really get into sanding. I mean really. Here are some of the nifty tricks they've come up with in their never-ending quest for sanding Nirvana. If you're sanding an intricately shaped molding, it can be tough to get into all the nooks and crannies without dulling the corners and sharp edges. One trick ...

How to drill in concrete

Drilling through wood... no problem. Metal? With the right bit, easy! How about concrete? If you have the right tools, it's a lot easier than you may have imagined (or may have experienced.) Wood is made up of fibers, and your spinning drill bit slices its way through. The harder and sharper the better, of ...

Push sticks and push blocks

If you use a table saw, you should use a push stick. Even if you're not cutting a narrow piece of stock, which would otherwise bring your hands within a couple inches of the blade, you should get in the habit of using one or another variation. Kickbacks, jams, and other potential problems can throw ...

Screw tips and tricks

Now that you're armed with the right screw for the job, here are some driving tips to help you do a better job. Tough screws When it's tough to drive a screw, you have a few options. Drill a pilot hole, especially in hardwood. This will make the screw easier to drive and will avoid ...

Choose the right screw – part 2

Last time we looked at three of the more common screws you're likely to use around the house. Here are a few more. Machine screws or appliance screws are in a way more akin to bolts. Their threads -- which are finer than wood screws -- are designed to thread into a nut or tapped ...

Choose the right screws – part 1

Screws differ, of course, in their drive methods -- the type of screw driver you use might be a standard flat, a Phillips or a square-drive Robertson. (There are a few others, but those are the most common.) But screws also differ in other ways: their material, their head shape, and their thread. Different jobs ...

Brilliant bits – drill tricks and tips

Here's a "bit" of creative advice on how to use your drill and bits. When you get that Swedish furniture home in its box, all unassembled, you can expect to spend the next couple of hours tightening bolts with a small hex wrench. Here's a trick. Use a hacksaw to cut the short section off ...

Even more found tools

Let's see what other found and homemade tools we can dig up from the clutter in the ol' workshop. Here's an idea. Since rubber mallets can mark wood, giving you more work to finish the project, try wrapping the mallet head in an old pantyhouse leg. You get the same cushioned blow and no mark. ...

More found tools

Time once again for a sampling of those wacky tools and accessories you can make from stuff that's just lying around. Old bicycle inner tubes are great for a whole mess o' stuff. Don't have a rubber mallet handy? Wrap a tube around a regular claw hammer. Use them to "clamp" chair legs together when ...