Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2016 i Family Handyman

A welder with a brain I own a MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welder, but I don’t use it often enough to remember all the settings, so I end up ruining a lot of material getting reacquainted with the welder. A steep relearning curve is not a problem with Lincoln Electric’s new POWER MIG 210 MP. All you need to do is enter the type and size of the stick or wire electrode and dial in the steel thickness (up to 3/8 in.), and it automatically sets the right power for the job—you can hit the ground running every time. The kit comes with just about everything you need to do stick, MIG and flux-core welding—including sample wire spools. The welder is super portable (40 lbs.) and works with both 120-…

1. Too much water weakens concrete If you mix too much water with concrete, cement crystals form farther apart, leaving concrete weak and porous. That can cause trouble later as pores and pockets fill with water, freeze and break up the concrete’s surface. With the right amount of water, cement crystals grow tightly together and interweave to form strong, watertight concrete. 2. Floating too soon leads to trouble As concrete sets, water rises to the surface. Left alone, this “bleed water” is reabsorbed into the concrete. But if you float the watery surface, you’ll force the aggregate and cement down, leaving a watery mix of sand and too little cement on top. Wait for the bleed to disappear before floating. Also, don’t overwork it. Too much floating (or troweling) will…

Drains always seem to clog at the worst possible time, like when you have a houseful of overnight guests or a big party. And while you may not be able to stop every drain clog, there are steps you can take to prevent most clogs and nasty backups. Here are 10 tips to help you keep your drains running freely. 1 Don’t wait for a main line blockage If you have a clogged sewer line every year or two, don’t just keep getting it cleaned. Most sewer service companies will “scope” the line to see what’s causing the problem. That entails sending a remote camera down the line for a visual inspection. The recurring issue could be tree roots entering through clay tile joints, a partially collapsed pipe or even…

Put on your thinking cap and take this month’s quiz to see just how smart you are when it comes to DIY. Here’s how it works: There are easy, intermediate and really tough questions all mixed together. There may be more than one correct answer! Get the answers and your DIY rating on p. 82. Good luck! 1. True or False? The roller bearings on router bits eventually wear out and lock up, leaving the bit useless. 2. What are these items shown below? A. Circuit jumpers B. Auto fuses C. High-amperage fuses D. Mini circuit breakers 3. What’s the significance of the “4410” stamped on this tire? A. It describes the dimensions: .44 meters in diameter and 10 centimeters in width. B. It’s the “born on” date. C. It’s…

KEEP YOUR CORD CONNECTIONS DRY To avoid tripping GFCIs when you’re working outdoors, tool cord connections should be kept out of the mud and snow. To keep your connections high and dry, drill a hole near the bottom of your sawhorse and hook a carabiner into the hole. Secure the end of your extension cord with the carabiner and you’re good to go. Mark Petersen, Associate Editor OVERDRIVEN NAILS CAUSE ROOFS TO FAIL As a home inspector, I examine a lot of roofs. Overdriven nails are one of the most common mistakes I find, a problem easily fixed by adjusting the air compressor. Air pressure needs to be adjusted based on the substrate underneath. Softer material like OSB plywood requires less pressure than Douglas fir planks. The pressure may also…

FUR FILTER FOR DOG BATHING I used to pay to have my dog bathed because if I washed my dog in the bathtub or shower, I’d end up with a clogged drain. Not anymore. To keep fur out of the drain, use a mesh-type scrubbing pad. In a shower, clip the pad to the drain plate with a bobby pin. In a bathtub, wedge two pads under the stopper from two sides. The pads catch fur but let water flow through. Lucy Rusert A sure fix for loose screws To secure a machine screw that keeps coming loose, add a few drops of superglue to the screw’s threads. Put the screw back in quickly; you have only a few seconds before the glue sets. Joe Patto Note: If you may…

Bagged concrete vs. ready-mix Most small pads require less than one yard—27 cu. ft.—of concrete. You can buy several bags ($3 to $5 per bag) at the home center, which you’ll have to lug home, mix with water and pour yourself. It’s a lot of work, but it might make more sense financially for a small pad at the bottom of your deck stairs. For bigger pads, have “ready-mix” concrete delivered. It comes mixed with water and the delivery guy will pour it right into your forms. Prices vary by region, but expect to pay about $300 for 1 yard. Order it a few days ahead. If rain threatens, you can usually cancel up to two hours before delivery. Order the right concrete mix Plan to pour a pad at…

A “front-end job” makes it cut like new Keeping your chain saw’s bar, chain and drive sprocket in tip-top shape involves more than regular chain sharpening and re-tensioning. Even with meticulous care, a chain saw’s drive sprocket and bar eventually wear out and must be replaced. We asked our small-engine expert, Roger Wyatt at Reed’s Sales & Service, to walk us through a typical chain saw “front-end job.” He showed us how to keep a saw on the cutting edge. You can replace all the drive components yourself in about an hour. The parts cost about $70, and you’ll save about $70 in shop labor. 1 CHECK THE DRIVE SPROCKET FOR WEAR Examine the drive sprocket teeth for wear grooves. A shiny spot where the drive links engage with the…

Closed-cell polyurethane spray foam has some pretty awesome qualities. It has a high R-value. It’s resistant to water, mold and insects. It expands into hard-toreach nooks and crannies. Heck, it can even add structural support to walls and roofs. MEET THE EXPERT Bob Templin works for Citywide Insulation in Shakopee, MN. He has been in the insulation business for 27 years, starting long before spray foam insulation became mainstream. However, it is expensive. So we spoke with a couple manufacturers and some pro insulators about where and when to use it, when to call in a pro with a truck-mounted unit, and when a portable kit is the best option. We also dug up some great installation tips to help you spray safely and get the most bang for your…

KILL CRABGRASS NOW! The most cost-effective way to control crabgrass is to use a fertilizer with crabgrass preventer added to it. But you have to do this in the spring, before crabgrass seeds germinate. Apply it between the second and third times you mow, and do it just before it rains to work both the fertilizer and the herbicide into the soil. The fertilizer will help thicken the turf. Thicker turf helps squeeze out crabgrass plants missed by the herbicide. When precision matters Two tapes may give you slightly different measurements. And sometimes even a 1/16-in. variation spells trouble. So when I’m building furniture, I pick one tape, label it and use it throughout the job. Cut cooling costs Washing air-blocking debris off air conditioner fins is as easy as…