Family Handyman May 2013

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com DOUBLE YOUR SCREW-DRIVING PLEASURE First there was the “Yankee” screwdriver, which rotated the bit multiple times with each pump of the handle. Of course, every time the bit jumped out of the head, you’d puncture or scratch your latest project. Then came ratcheting screwdrivers, but they cranked in only one direction and rotated only as far as you twisted the handle. Now we have Kobalt’s new Double-Drive Screwdriver, which drives the screwdriver bit in either forward or reverse on both twist directions of the handle. So you drive in or remove screws twice as fast as you can with a ratchet-style screwdriver. Find it at lowes.com (Kobalt 32-Piece Double-Drive Screwdriver Set with Bonus Pouch and Extension Bar, No. 407198; $25). Want to drive or remove screws even faster? Try…

TOOLS & GEAR Two guns for the price of one Hand-nailing metal connectors is easy enough, but it’s a monotonous progress killer when you have a boatload of them to install. There is NOTHING like using a gun to fasten a whole deck full of joist hangers or a garage full of uplift clips! If you’re a jack-of-all-trades and framing is only part of your repertoire, consider buying the Stanley Bostitch F33PT. It’s both a framing nailer and a metal connector nailer. One nosepiece allows you to shoot 2-in. to 3-1/2-in. framing nails. Switch to the other nosepiece, and blast out those hangers with 1-1/2-in. to 2-1/2-in. metal connector nails. You can buy an F33PT online for $220. Demo while you sleep Concrete demolition is usually a noisy, dusty, teeth-rattling…

FROM OUR READERS handyhints@thefamilyhandyman.com Rock dolly Need to move stones, potted trees or bags of soil? Make your own sturdy garden dolly from a two-wheel hand truck and plywood. You can make the box any size you want (a box 31 in. wide will still fit through a doorway) and then attach it to your hand truck with U-bolts. It can handle a lot of weight and is easily removed. It’s also low to the ground, so you can just roll stones and other heavy items right into it without lifting. Simple paintbrush drying rack This rack is a great place to let paintbrushes drip dry after washing. Just notch a couple of pieces of 1-by material and attach them to a cross support. Pound in some nails and set…

EDITORS@THEFAMILYHANDYMAN.COM Time and money Building and installing the arbor are about two days of work, but you’re best off spreading it over a three-day weekend. You can build it in a day, add a coat of finish the next morning, let it dry overnight and set up the arbor the following day. The cedar lumber we used cost about $300. Pressure-treated lumber would cost about half that. You can spend $150 on a porch swing or three times that much. We spent $250. Hardware, concrete mix and finish will cost $50. Build the sides Each side is made from just nine simple parts. Cut them to length following the Cutting List on p. 20. If you don’t have a miter saw to cut the thick 4x4 beams (B), cut from…

WHAT IT TAKES TIME: One weekend COST: $115 SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate TOOLS: Circular saw, drill MEET THE BUILDER A former editor at The Family Handyman, Spike Carlsen now spends his days dreaming up ingenious DIY projects. Find 75 more of his clever creations in The Backyard Homestead Guide to Building Projects (Storey Publishers). Available in spring of 2014. Wheelbarrows are great for hauling stuff around the yard—unless you’re working on a hill ... or trying to negotiate steps and rough terrain ... or moving a lot of bulky material like leaves and branch trimmings ... or trying to load something big into them. Since I added this garden cart to my outdoor arsenal of tools, life has gotten way easier. Two wheels means it doesn’t tip; large pneumatic tires means…

editors@thefamily handyman.com Few DIY projects are more rewarding than applying a satin smooth finish to a wood project or freshening up your house with a new coat of paint. Here are eight great tips to simplify your next painting or finishing job. CAPTURE DUST AT THE SOURCE Painting a room almost always involves some wall patching and sanding. And you know what a mess that dust can be! For less than $20, you can practically eliminate the problem with a dustless drywall sanding attachment for your shop vacuum. This one from Hyde Tools (No. 09165) comes with a 6-ft. hose and adapters to simplify the connection to your vacuum cleaner. Go to hydetools.com for more information and buying advice. Renew woodwork without refinishing If your stained and varnished woodwork is…