Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2015 i Family Handyman

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com DIY WORK WEAR We’re keen on Keens It turns out that half the staff here at TFH own and love a pair of Keen footwear. The Keen Company started out making airy, comfortable sandals with a rubber protective toe. The distinctive (some would say goofy looking) Newport sandal was born, and it became an instant success. Keen now makes a wide range of shoes and boots, including durable work shoes perfect for folks on their feet all day like medical staff and service industry workers. A steel toe is also an option for people in warehouse and industrial settings. Keens are not the cheapest, nor perhaps the prettiest, shoes, but they sure are comfy. Go to keenfootwear.com to find a retailer near you. Studios are always cluttered with light…

Go ahead—play with this project! It’s easy to make your shelf as long as you want it to be. Just put more brackets underneath it, maybe one every 2 ft. or so. You could also scale it up by using 1x8 lumber, or even wider stock, as long as you also scale up the brackets. Some of my other favorite variations are shown below. However, I have one strong recommendation: If you’re doing anything more than changing the size or color, first make a prototype out of inexpensive pine. Your plates, pot lids, cooking tools or whatever will be different from ours, so make sure they fit. POTHOOKS AND LIDS This shelf has hooks screwed underneath to hold frying pans. We gave the hooks a dark finish by heating them…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com PREVIEW A FENCE Will a privacy fence really deliver privacy—or hide your neighbor’s junk collection? Finding out is easy with a big sheet of cardboard. Along with a helper, you can determine the best location and height. BUY BETTER DUST MASKS Dust isn’t just a sneeze-inducing nuisance— heavy repeated exposure can lead to severe allergic reactions and even harm your lungs. You can buy a dust mask for as little as 50¢, but don’t. Instead, spend a few bucks on one with an “N95” certification. You’ll get a mask that’s more comfortable and truly effective at keeping dust out of your lungs. Before you buy a toilet … Here’s a story we’ve heard a hundred times: Homeowners go toilet shopping and decide that an “elongated bowl” would be an…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Exterior caulking is a lot like interior caulking: Your goal is a neat-looking seal over cracks and gaps. But outdoor caulking deserves some extra attention. It will have to withstand all the extremes that nature can dish out. And when an outdoor seal fails, water gets in and serious trouble follows. So here are some tips for caulking that lasts. 1 Choose acrylic for most jobs Acrylic caulk is easy to use, easy to smooth out and easy to clean up. And since it offers reasonably good flexibility and adhesion, it’s a good choice for most exterior gaps narrower than 1/4 in. Some acrylics are labeled “acrylic latex.” With others, you have to read the fine print to find “acrylic.” Price is a good guide to quality; bypass the…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com A spar finish is almost exactly like the interior polyurethane finishes we’re all familiar with. It forms a shiny coating that protects the wood while accentuating the color and grain. The application is the same as with interior polyurethane too. The big difference between spar and interior poly is that spar stands up to exterior conditions. It’s more elastic, so it’s less likely to crack as wood shrinks and swells from moisture changes. It also protects wood from UV sunlight damage. Originally developed for boats, spar finishes are now used mostly for outdoor furniture and entry doors. You’ll find spar finishes at home centers in gloss, semigloss and satin. A quart costs less than $20. Most formulas are oil based and labeled “spar urethane.” Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane is…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Here’s a quote from a friend of mine who owns two car dealerships: “These days we get two kinds of new-car and truck buyers: those who do their homework by researching our costs online before walking in the door, and those who walk in cold. The buyers who do their research end up paying close to our invoice cost, get the best financing terms and get the best trade-in prices for their existing car. We love the ones who walk in cold because we make a lot more money on them.” If you enjoy paying more than you have to for a new car, skip this story. But if you want to get the best overall deal on a new car or truck with the least amount of painful…

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! ■ The answers begin on p. 82. Get your DIY rating on p. 91. Good luck! 1. True or False? When you’re replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan, it’s necessary to use longer screws in the existing round plastic box to deal with the extra weight and vibration. 2. Your project calls for No. 8-32 machine screws. What does the “32” represent? A. Diameter of the screw B. Hardness of the metal C. Number of threads per inch D. Length…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com If you’re servicing or replacing a toilet or sink faucet, the first step is to shut off the water supply valve that feeds the fixture. But the simple task of shutting off the valve can be the start of a whole set of unexpected headaches. Unless your house is fairly new, chances are you have multi-turn shutoff valves at every toilet and faucet. Shutoff valves perform flawlessly for years. But when they aren’t opened or closed for a long time, you may find that the valve handle either won’t turn or will turn but won’t stop the water flow completely. And even if the valve does shut off the water, it may leak when you reopen it—the last thing you need after a plumbing repair! You can spend time…

editors@thefamilyhandyman.com Whether your project is finishing a garage or a basement or building an addition, it’s important to get the rough-in wiring done right the first time. We talked with several pros and got advice on drilling holes, installing boxes and pulling cable. With these tips in hand, you’ll work faster, avoid disasters down the road and put a smile on the face of your electrical inspector. INSTALL THE RIGHT BOX Either plastic or fiberglass boxes will do the job, and each is completely code compliant. Some electricians prefer fiberglass ones because they’re tougher, but others prefer the plastic ones because they’re cheaper. Whatever style you choose, pick box sizes that have a volume of at least 20 cu. in. Dimmer switches and other smart devices are common these days…