Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Family Handyman

Screws are the only fastening method used in this entire project. They make fast, strong joints. But screwing into melamine presents a few complications: STRIP-OUT: As with any other particleboard product, melamine strips easily if you overdrive screws. Go easy on the drill trigger as you drive screws home. Use coarse-thread screws only. Finethread screws will strip every time. Longer screws also minimize stripping. If this project had been built from plywood, 1-5/8-in. screws would have worked fine. But we used 2-in. screws to assemble the boxes. SPLITS: Particleboard splits easily. Never drive a screw into particleboard without drilling a pilot hole. We drilled 7/64-in. holes and used No. 8 screws. Even with a pilot hole, screws will split particleboard if you place them close to ends. Keep them at…

TREE PROTECTOR We have a lot of deer where I live, and they do a lot of damage by stripping the bark off newly planted trees. And in the fall, the bucks rub their antlers on the bark to scrub off the velvet. To prevent such damage, I cut lengths of 4-in. flexible drainage pipe, slit them and wrapped them around the base of the trees. I used the kind with holes in it so air can circulate and keep the trunk from rotting. The pipe also protects the base of the tree whenever I run my string trimmer and prevents winter burn from the sun reflecting off the snow. Blake Bethards Blow out your hoses If you don’t drain all the water from your garden hoses before winter, ice…

I’ve filled thousands of stud spaces with fiberglass batts over the years. So when I think insulation, I think fiberglass. But I recently tried a different type of insulation called “mineral wool.” Mineral wool has been around for decades, is widely used in Canada and Europe and is making a comeback in the United States. It’s made by melting down basalt stone and recycled slag from steel mills, then spinning it into fiber that can be formed into batts or boards. I did some research, talked to installers and filled a few walls with the stuff. Here’s my verdict: Mineral wool has some real advantages over the alternatives. If you have an insulation job coming up, I strongly recommend that you check it out. THE PROS AND CONS R-value Mineral…

A rusty or dented bumper can drag down the whole appearance of a pickup that’s in otherwise good shape. Having it replaced by a pro will set you back $1,000, but you can save $500 or more in labor and parts by doing the job yourself. It takes only a few hours. To make sense of all the bumper buying options and various prices for the “same” part, we contacted parts expert Tom Taylor, owner of rockauto.com. Tom walked us through the options and offered buying advice for owners of new and old trucks. MEET THE EXPERT Tom Taylor started his career as a Chrysler engineer and co-founded the online auto parts store RockAuto 17 years ago. 1 REMOVE THE TRAILER LIGHT CONNECTOR Reach behind the bumper and hold each…

SILENCE PLEASE When it comes to construction equipment, we look for durability, portability and ease of use. Something we previously hadn’t considered is noise. In construction we are all used to equipment noise. In fact, so much so that we all wear ear protection at work. At the National Hardware Show we met Jeff Wood, President of Wood Industries Inc. and an award winning compressor manufacturer. He developed a line of heavy-duty compressors that are quieter than ever called the “Eagle Silent Series.” The series includes seven oil-free models ranging from a one-gallon up to 20-gallons. Our favorite is the Eagle EA-5000, a 2 HP, 5.5 Gallon, 125-PSI compressor that has an oil free double piston pump that’s really quiet. When a compressor runs at 49Db from 25', it’s worth…

If you’ve ever thought about stripping and refinishing an old piece of furniture you inherited from a loved one or just rescued from a dumpster, this article is for you! Furniture refinishing is an easy and very satisfying DIY project. It’s also a great way to furnish your house on the cheap. With just a little elbow grease and not too much money—$50 to $75 in supplies—you can easily remove old paint or other finish and give an old piece of furniture a new lease on life. CHOOSE THE RIGHT STRIPPER Most stripping products work well on just about any type of finish. So, when you’re shopping for one, it really comes down to two factors: speed and safety. Don’t blindly accept marketing claims on the front of the bottle…

Shopped for light bulbs lately? If you have, you may have noticed that most bulbs sold now are LED (light emitting diode) bulbs. Old-fashioned incandescents have all but vanished from store shelves, and the popularity of CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs is on the wane. That’s because, although they’re more energy efficient than incandescents, CFLs just can’t compete with the energy efficiency and light quality of LED bulbs. And, while you’re lucky to get two to five years of life from a CFL bulb, LED bulbs can last 20 years or more. But trying to figure out which LED bulbs to buy can lead to a lot of head scratching. Here’s what you need to know before you shop. MEET THE EXPERT Susan Arnold, a Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC) and…

If you own a home with a well, you know that trouble can hit at the worst possible time, like at the start of a holiday weekend, and off-hours repairs can cost a small fortune. We spoke with Steve McCullough, owner of Lauren McCullough Well Drilling, to get his advice on how DIYers can fix well problems. If you’re comfortable replacing electrical and plumbing components, you can save at least $150 on the service call as well as money on the parts. All the parts that can be replaced by a DIYer are located inside the house. You’ll need to call a pro for outside electrical, piping, pump and check-valve failures. Most of the time you’ll find the parts you need at home centers. But home centers may not carry…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com A good garage door will last decades, maybe even a lifetime. So it makes sense to spend a little extra time and effort making the best choice possible. To help you understand your options, we interviewed Dan Mueller, who has been in the garage door business for more than 20 years. Here are his 10 tips to help you spend wisely and get the features that are right for you. 1 Get an “in-person” quote Ordering a garage door over the phone or online is asking for trouble. Every garage is a little different, and a knowledgeable salesperson will check details like opening size and shape, headroom and side clearance, and even help you make design decisions. And if something does go wrong, there won’t be any question about…

METAL CONTAINER Because some strippers eat plastic, manufacturers recommend pouring their products into a metal container, even though some are sold in plastic containers. Use a foil pan, a paint can or an old coffee can. FURNITUREFRIENDLY SCRAPERS Use a wide putty knife to scoop the finish off once the stripper has softened it. Be sure to round off the corners of the putty knife with a file or electric grinder to prevent gouging of the wood. A 3-in. x 3-in. piece of 1/4-in. plywood with the corners rounded off also makes a good scraping tool. BRASS BRUSH A brass brush has soft bristles and is less likely than a steel brush to damage wood. Use it to remove finish from deep wood pores and turned parts like chair legs.…

Recently we loaded up our camera gear and followed around a sod crew to get the lowdown on how pros lay sod in a new yard. We learned a lot from the Wagner crew, and believe it or not, there’s more to laying sod than “green side up.” We got some great installation tips, including what needs to be done before the sod arrives and how to care for the sod after it’s down. Armed with this helpful information, you’ll be able to lay sod like a pro, and the grass will always be greener on your side of the fence. MEET THE EXPERTS Wagner Sod, Landscaping and Irrigation Company is run by three brothers: Norbert (left), Paul Wagner (right) and Willard. Located in Inver Grove Heights, MN, Wagner grows…

HOW MUCH STUFF ON TRUSSES? The horizontal bottom chords of most roof trusses—whether they’re in your home or garage—are normally designed to carry an extra 8 to 10 lbs. per sq. ft. This 8 to 10 lbs. approximates the weight of the drywall nailed to the bottom of the chord and the insulation laid on top. Strictly speaking, you shouldn’t store anything on, or hang anything from, the bottom chord of a truss, according to the truss manufacturers we contacted. Off the record, if you’re going to put stuff up there, they advise: ■ Caution: Never cut through or remove any wood member of a truss, metal fastening plate, catwalk or brace. Trusses are designed as a system, and removing any part of it can lead to truss or roof…