Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2018 i Family Handyman

SMALL-SPACE SOLUTION Sweet Little Sucker I have a big shop with a dust collection system, two wet/dry vacs and an 18-in. broom for cleaning up. So I wondered, “When am I ever going to use a pintsize tool like the Milwaukee 18-volt vacuum?” The answer was “hourly.” The M18 Compact Vacuum 0882-20 isn’t a wimpy broom-closet hand vac—it’s a real tool. I took it for a test drive, and powered by the 5.0-Ah battery pack, it worked full tilt for 28 minutes before sputtering. I used it to vacuum floors and drawers, suck up dust around stationary tools, clean off my workbench, get dust out of cabinet crevices and remove sawdust from my clothes. I even connected the hose to my random orbital sander and put it to work as…

1. Auto-darkening helmet ($40 to $100). These helmets let you see normally through the face shield until the gun sparks. As soon as the spark is detected, the face shield darkens to protect your eyes. 2. Welding jacket ($20 to $80). Made from thick leather, a jacket prevents sparks and molten metal from burning your clothes or skin. 3. Square. This tool lets you make square and angled lines on steel. 4. Chipping hammer. You’ll use this to remove slag from the weld bead after stick welding. 5. Sheet metal gauge. You have to know the thickness of your material. This is the perfect quick reference. 6. Metal file. You’ll need a few files for shaping parts that you can’t get at with an angle grinder. 7. Framing jig ($50).…

▪ Pay attention to the label. The lower the amount of weed seed, crop seed and inert matter, the better. ▪ Consult your local county or university extension service for a list of recommended lawn seed varieties for your area. You can also check university websites for tips on how to purchase quality grass seed. ▪ For quality lawns in full sun, look for a high percentage of Kentucky bluegrass in the mix. ▪ Lawns containing heavy shade should be seeded with a mix containing 70 percent or more fine fescue. ▪ Fine fescues (creeping red, sheep’s, hard, chewings) use less water and need less fertilizer and fewer mowings. ▪ Avoid mixtures containing annual ryegrass because it lasts for only one year! ▪ Stay away from unnamed varieties or “Variety…

A typical vehicle will need at least three brake jobs during its lifetime. And if you don’t learn how to spot the rip-offs, you’ll waste upward of $1,000 on parts and services you don’t really need. Brake job rip-offs are far more common than you think. I’ll lift the curtain on these shady practices and show you how to get a good brake job and avoid getting taken. Rip-off #1 Buying calipers when you don’t need them Brake calipers work in a push-pull sequence to squeeze the brake pads against the rotors (see “Anatomy of a Brake System”). First, the caliper piston pushes the inboard pad outward until it touches the rotor. Then the caliper slides backward, pulling the outboard pad against the other side of the rotor. When you…

Do it faster, safer and better Removing plaster and lath is always an ugly ordeal, but my first try, 25 years ago, was the worst. I made every mistake in the book—mistakes that cost me time, frustration and blood. Since then, I’ve gotten smarter. Here’s what I’ve learned. Turn off the power! Old walls hold hazardous surprises like wires without insulation and devices without junction boxes. In one wall I tore out, the wiring was embedded in the plaster! So turn off the circuits inside the wall and check any outlets or switches with a noncontact voltage tester before starting the tear-out. Prepare for a dust storm Demolishing plaster and lath is a dusty, filthy job. Wear a dust mask, cover doorways with painter’s plastic, turn off the furnace or…

1-HOUR PROJECT Wooden crates are a staple at flea markets and antiques stores, but now you can also buy them at home centers. The crates shown here cost about $10 each, and are sturdy enough to hold books and record albums. We wanted a quick and convenient way to hang the crates, and easily take them down if needed, so we devised this simple hanging rack. The rack is just a 1x8 board with hangers every 16 in. We assembled the hangers from machine screws, nuts and aluminum bar stock. The most difficult part of the project is cutting the aluminum and drilling the holes. And even this is simple enough for a beginning DIYer. Display or storage for any room • Crates are available in various shapes and sizes…

Do you have a shed or other outbuilding that could use light and/or power? In many cases, running an underground cable from your house to the building is the most economical way to go. But if the building is a fair distance from the house, so that wiring it would be a hassle or a large expense, consider a solar-powered system. If you just need some light for putting away yard tools, you can get by with a simple system costing $100 or less. But if you want AC power for tools or charging batteries, you’ll need to spend more than $3,000 for a high-end system. Solar kits eliminate guesswork You can cobble together your own system with individual parts, but that can be dicey. Matching the right collectors, charge…

NO HANGIN’ AROUND Electrifying Wardrobe Hanging clothes from exposed wiring is a bad idea. The heavy load of clothes could pull connections loose, and the hangers could abrade the plastic insulation and expose the wire, potentially causing shocks or a fire. Instead, mount a clothes rod. The small expense in time and materials could save your house and your life. CORROSION CALAMITY Cave dwelling pipes This corroded joint is likely the result of a pinhole leak in one of the joints. Water seeps out slowly and evaporates, leaving behind these deposits. A COMMON MISTAKE WYE IS THIS WRONG? Connecting a trap to a vertical drain with a wye fitting and a 45-degree elbow seems like a good idea. But it’s not. As water drains down the steep slope at the…

It’s a conversation piece with a practical purpose, a woodworking masterpiece you can build in a few afternoons. This bench hits the sweet spot as a project that’s both functional and beautiful, and a vehicle for showing off your skills. If you’re handy with a drill press, table saw, jigsaw and router, you’re ready to build it. Figure A Wave Bench Overall dimensions: 72" Long x 19-1/4" Tall x 14-1/4" Deep MATERIALS LIST Figure B Wave Bench Parts CUTTING LIST What you’ll need I made this bench from cherry, a wood that’s as resistant to rot as cedar or redwood. Hardwood lumber prices vary widely, so your cost could be much higher. Whatever wood species you choose, beware of knots. Knots near the center of a board aren’t a problem,…

BATHROOM BUST-OUT I take my painting prep very seriously. So before painting the bathroom door, I removed the door handle rather than taping around it. But when I closed the door and heard the lock click, I realized I had left the latch in the door. “No need to panic,” I thought to myself. I fit the handle back into the door— but the latch wouldn’t catch. I then tried to manually pull back the latch, but it wouldn’t budge. Then I used my nail punch and hammer to remove the hinges—a sure bet—but the door was so tight in the frame I couldn’t free it. There I was, trapped in my own bathroom. I considered escaping through the window, but given the 9 in. of snow outside, my stocking…