Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2015 i Family Handyman

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com A SAWHORSE AND THEN SOME The Centipede is a multi-legged, portable support base that folds out in seconds and is as versatile as it is funky looking. It can function as a workbench, tool stand, table base, or as a pair of good old-fashioned sawhorses. It’s not only perfect for construction but also handy on a camping trip, tailgating or anywhere you need a stable platform. The two sizes both come with quick clamps to cinch down sheet goods, and X-cups designed to hold 2x4s. The 2 x 4-ft. model can support 1,500 lbs. and costs $80. The 4 x 8-ft. version costs $160 and can handle 3,000 lbs.! They’re available at Lowe’s. VACUUMPOWERED ROTARY TOOL The folks at Dremel figured, if you’re going to connect a vacuum to…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com When you’re shopping for an air compressor, the first thing you’ll notice is that they’re plastered with specifications: 2 hp, 3 gallon, 2.8 cfm, 130 psi, 73 dB.… But don’t let all those specs confuse you. We’ll tell you what they mean, what matters and what doesn’t, and help you choose a compressor to suit your needs. We tried the most widely available compressors on the market— more than 20 models—and selected eight that we thought were the best choices for DIYers. We focused on small to midsize models because they were affordable ($60 to $260) and portable, as well as powerful enough to handle the most common DIY projects. THEY’RE NOT FOR ‘HIGH-DEMAND’ TOOLS None of the compressors we tested are good partners for air-hungry tools like pneumatic…

from The Family Handyman editors editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Ask a TFH editor when his wedding anniversary is, or even what day of the week it is, and you might get a baffled look. But ask him about hand screw clamps or the best way to use a router, and he’ll talk until you’re sorry you asked. After decades of collecting tool tips, our brains are so full that there isn’t room for much else. For this article, we sifted through those thousands of tips and selected a few that have been most useful on our own projects. Tuck them away in your memory and they’ll come in handy for you, too (but try not to forget your anniversary). HAND SCREWS TO THE RESCUE When I started woodworking, I thought hand screw clamps…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Dealing with the dust created by a remodeling job can be inconvenient, time consuming and, sometimes, an unhealthy chore. We consulted our friends in the trades and came up with some great tips, cool tools and handy products to help minimize the mess. Seal off the room It’s important to prevent dust from traveling from where the work is being done to other rooms in the house. A loose curtain of plastic hung over a doorway with a few strips of tape won’t do the job. Instead, completely seal the top and sides with tape and lay a board over the plastic at the bottom. Use heavier 4- or 6-mil plastic and add an adhesive-backed zipper for easy entry. The zippers are available at home centers and lumberyards for…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com A quality vacuum cleaner should be versatile enough to clean a variety of surfaces (carpet, upholstery, wood floors) and durable enough to perform well for many years. But beyond that, with so many different choices and price points, how do you know which one to buy? Whether canister or upright, bagged or bagless, the best models have features that work together to maximize airflow and agitation. We’ll help you narrow your search with great advice from an expert who has 40 years of vacuum savvy. BAGS VS. BAGLESS If allergies are a concern, buy a bagged vacuum cleaner or a top-of-the-line bagless. Bagged vacuums require less maintenance and tend to be cleaner to run because the bags themselves act as a very efficient filter (especially high-quality synthetic anti-allergen, or…

FROM OUR READERS greatgoofs@thefamilyhandyman.com When I rented the machine to blow insulation into my attic, I was told that the on/off switch at the end of the hose didn’t work. But there was another switch on the machine, so I didn’t worry about it. I manned the hose in the attic while my dad fed insulation into the machine, and everything went fine until I dropped the hose. It instantly slipped down through the scuttle hole and blasted the bedroom with insulation until my dad heard me yelling to shut off the machine. Now I know why they warned me about the faulty switch. Stranded and phoneless One evening after my wife and daughters left the house for a few hours, I enlisted my four-year-old son to help me inspect…

Editors’ Choice: Best Lightweight SENCO NO. PC1010 Light, quiet and loved by pros This is an upgraded model based on the PC1010, which is a favorite among trim carpenters. The gauges are shrouded, but other parts are exposed. $155 • 0.7 cfm • 21 lbs. • 68 dB • 1-gal. tank • 135 max psi PORTER-CABLE NO. C2004 Smaller, quieter and lighter It looks a lot like its sister, the C2002, and carries the same cfm rating—but it’s better in terms of weight, size and noise. $180 • 2.6 cfm • 29 lbs. • 75.5 dB • 4-gal. tank • 165 psi • Cord wrap • Ball valve drain • 2 outlets CRAFTSMAN NO. 16574 Easy to store This model can be stored upright or flat; either way, its gauges…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com The trouble with standard drawers is that they’re too deep for small stuff, so you end up with a heap—and the thing you need is always buried at the bottom. That’s why I designed this chest. The shallow drawers keep small items organized and easy to find. Aside from easy storage, this chest is also easy on a woodworker’s wallet. Since the parts are small, you might be able to build it entirely from scrap plywood. Build the chest box Start with the sides (A), but don’t cut them to size right away. Instead, cut a single piece of plywood large enough for both sides. Mark out the rabbets and dadoes with the sides back to back and a 1/2-in. gap between them (Photo 1). Then rout the rabbets…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com For most do-it-yourselfers, there will likely come a time when you’ll have to drill a hole through a piece of metal. The tools and methods used to do it are almost as varied as the different types of metals out there. Here are 10 tips to make the task fast, easy and safe. 1 No fancy bits required Almost any general-purpose twist bit will do a decent job of drilling holes in metal. In fact, most are manufactured to drill through a variety of materials, including wood and plastic. The least expensive twist bits are made of highspeed steel (HSS), and these basic bits are just fine for most metal-drilling tasks. If you’ll be drilling a lot of holes, or need to drill through hard, abrasive metals like stainless…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com TIP FROM A FELLOW PRO Isolate the repair When I’m making supply line repairs in an accessible area, I like to install a shutoff valve right away so the water in the rest of the house can be turned back on while I’m working. Plus, many shutoff valves can be used as transitional fittings when you’re joining dissimilar pipes. That’s what I call killing two birds. Les Zell, Zell Plumbing PRO GOOF BINGO! I was helping the HVAC guys lug a new air handler through the attic at a retirement home. From the auditorium far below us, we could hear the big, noisy crowd enjoying bingo day. Just as a player shouted “BINGO!,” my foot slipped off a joist and punched through the ceiling. Chunks of gypsum rained down,…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com As a professional tool nut, I’ve tried every system under the sun to sharpen chisels. The very best methods require hundreds of dollars in equipment and materials, but you can get great results for about $40 using just sandpaper and glass. A chisel that’s in good shape and only in need of a new edge can be sharpened in less than five minutes. But if your chisel is really dinged up, this method would be way too slow, so we’ll also show you how to speed up the process by prepping your chisel with a bench grinder. PART 1: BASIC SHARPENING Getting started The first thing you’ll need is a piece of 1/4-in.-thick glass. The exact size isn’t important. A glass shelf, which you can buy at a home…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Storing a miter saw can be tough. Most people don’t have the space to leave it set up with long support tables. Storing it under the workbench is a pain: You gotta dig it out, set it on sawhorses and then figure out how to prop up stuff while you’re cutting. A high-end manufactured stand is great—but probably costs as much as your miter saw. So what are you going to do? Build this simple miter saw cabinet! 5 FANTASTIC FEATURES █ The support wings, when extended, give you 7 ft. of working room. When closed, the cabinet takes up only 33 in. █ The casters in back allow you to easily move the cabinet, while the legs in front keep it rock-solid when you’re using the saw. █…

STORMY KROMER A cap that stayed on George Kromer (nicknamed “Stormy” for his blustery temper) was a semipro baseball player, but his future father-in-law insisted he get a real job before marrying his daughter. Stormy joined the railroad and married Ida. In 1903, Stormy was frustrated at repeatedly having his caps blow off his head, so he went home and instructed Ida to sew an ear band onto one of his old wool baseball caps. The next day, all his coworkers wanted one, and the Kromers were in business. The caps were sewn in such a way that six panels of fabric met at the top, and they became so popular that “six-pointer” became synonymous with Midwest railroad workers. The Stormy Kromer cap is currently made in Ironwood, MI. Black…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Fixing your own car or truck can save a bundle, and the experience can be rewarding, especially if you have the right tools. We assume you already own the basics, like sockets, ratchets and screwdrivers, so we rounded up an assortment of accessory tools that make auto repair a little easier. Convertible creeper Most creepers are hard, flat, unpadded boards with tiny wheels that get stuck in cracks in your garage floor. Not this one! Here’s a creeper that’s not only comfortable but also convertible. Pull the release pin and lift up on one end and you’ve got a roll-around seat that’s the perfect height for working around wheels. The padding is extra thick and the wheels are extra-large 3-in. soft polyurethane, so the creeper rolls smoothly, even over…