Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2015 i Family Handyman

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com About once a year here at the office, we encounter “The Perfect Product.” This year the title winner has to be the SnapRays Guidelight. Even though it’s just a lowly night-light, it’s practically perfect in every way. Here’s why: Everyone needs it: If the sun goes down where you live, you need a few night-lights, right? Anyone can install it: It takes all of 60 seconds. Remove the single screw on the old cover plate, snap in the Guidelight and reinstall the screw. That’s it. It’s inexpensive to operate: The three tiny LEDs come on only when it’s dark, thanks to the light sensor built into the cover. It’s not an ugly plug-in. It looks exactly like an ordinary cover plate. The LEDs at the bottom light up the…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Whether you’re changing sky-high warehouse lightbulbs or replacing windows on a two-story home, using scaffolds is a safe and easy way to get things done off the ground. We picked the brain of a scaffold expert, and he gave us great advice on how to work smart and stay safe on and around scaffolds. HAUL THE SCAFFOLD SAFELY Stack up the planks, braces and bases on the bottom between the wheel wells, and stack the frames on top. Avoid propping the frames up on the side of the bed. It’s best to have everything as low as possible so parts don’t get blown or bounced out. And frames that stick out past the side of the bed can be a conk hazard for someone walking by the truck. If…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Your car or truck owner’s manual shows you how to change a flat tire, assuming a best-case scenario. But the real world includes all kinds of surprises: lug nuts that won’t budge, a wheel that’s rusted to the hub or a spare tire that’s so underinflated it’s useless. In other words, even if you know how to change a flat tire, chances are pretty good you’ll run into problems you’re not prepared for. Don’t think you’re out of the woods just because you have roadside assistance. Because if you get a flat tire in an area with no cell phone coverage, or the service is so backed up that it’ll be hours before they get to you, you just might have to change your tire yourself. To help you…

FROM OUR READERS handyhints@thefamilyhandyman.com HALF-PENCIL MARKS EXACT COPIES While trying to trace an exact copy of the throat plate for my table saw, I came up with this nifty technique using an ordinary pencil. I just shaved my pencil into a half-pencil by carefully grinding it on my belt sander. The flat edge enables my modified pencil to ride straight up along the edge of the template. It also works great for marking and then shaping inlays for my woodworking projects. Tim Reese Pet hair remover When we were moving my daughter from her apartment, I wore my nonslip rubberdipped gloves that I had gotten at a hardware store. While lifting her upholstered chair, I brushed some dog hair off with my gloves and noticed the hair rolling up into…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com A well-designed, properly installed septic system can last for decades—or fail in just a few years. It’s up to you. Maintaining a healthy septic system isn’t all that expensive, but you could easily spend tens of thousands to dig up and replace a septic system that has totally failed. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Good maintenance starts with understanding how a septic system works and how it can fail. Let’s take a look underground and see what’s supposed to happen in a well-functioning septic system. After that, I’ll show you why things go wrong and give you some pointers for keeping your system in top shape. HOW IT WORKS It’s a cafeteria for bacteria Bacteria are what makes a…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Over time, every asphalt driveway develops cracks. They’re more than just an eyesore; they actually speed up the demise of your driveway if you ignore them. And in cold climates, water seeps in and destroys the asphalt when it expands during freezing. If you plan to topcoat your driveway (which we’ll cover in an upcoming issue), you’ll need to fix the cracks first. You can buy squeeze bottle and caulk tube–style crack filler products from any home center. They’re quick and easy to apply, but they shrink and crack and don’t last very long. However, there’s another way to fill asphalt cracks: with melt-in filler that doesn’t shrink—the same type used by highway crews. The melt-in material and trowelable cover mix cost about $100 for a typical driveway. It’ll…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com There are tons of new decking products on the market, and building methods continue to evolve and improve. To keep up with the changes, we traveled to builders’ shows and deck expos to meet with tool and product manufacturers and get advice from top-notch deck builders. Here are some of the best tips and products we found. Smart spacing These yellow deck board spacers can be used to space boards either 1/8 in. or 3/16 in. apart. Our experts like large spacers like these because they’re easy to grab and pull out, and less likely to fall down between the boards. They’re also highly visible, which makes them less of a trip hazard. You can find the Johnson DeckMate spacers at some home centers or online for about $5…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com “I borrowed my buddy’s pressure washer, discovered I couldn’t live without one and bought my own the very next day.” After hearing a hundred stories like that, we decided it was time for a tool test. So we picked eight gas-powered units priced from $320 to $430 and five electric models priced up to $270. You can buy pressure washers for much less, but the service pros tell us those units break down often and usually can’t be repaired. We limited our choices to major brands sold at home centers and online. Two critical ratings Pressure washers carry two ratings that reflect their cleaning power: pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (psi), and water flow rate, which is measured in gallons per minute (gpm). A machine with lower…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com 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! Find the answers and get your DIY rating on pp. 68-69. Good luck! 1. True or False? When assembling a wall, you should lay out the studs with the crown (bowed) edge down before attaching them to the top and bottom plates. 2. Which uses the most water in a typical home? A. Toilet B. Clothes washer C. Shower D. Dishwasher 3. Which glue works on most surfaces, is great for filling gaps and is completely waterproof? A. Polyurethane B. Yellow C. Epoxy D.…

AVALANCHE!! Last winter we had such a huge snowfall that I became concerned about the weight of the snow on our fiberglass-paneled lean-to carport roof. To relieve the stress, I decided to thread my garage broom head to a telescoping painter’s extension handle to pull off some of the snow. Just as I started pulling, the whole mass slid off at once, burying me in about 3 ft. of snow. The task was completed—just a little faster than I expected! Brian Westerhoff Our iPad edition has twice as many Great Goofs! It’s available in the App Store. Dignity vs. the garage door A story in The Family Handyman inspired me to tune up my overhead garage door. I set up my stepladder and prepared to lubricate the bearings and pulleys…