If you are not celebrating the last big hurrah of summer by heading to the beach or some other relaxing destination, now is a great time to tackle some projects before fall hits. My good friend and co-worker, Jule, passed this great article along to me the other day. It's full of projects that can add some value to your home.

All of the projects listed in "8 DIY Projects To Add Value To Your Home By Labor Day" can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to. Even though the article is very ...

Read more...

Here's a tip for marking large arcs.

Instead of using a beam compass, or a nail, string, and pencil, use a thin piece of stock or rip a thin strip. I like to keep thin strips ripped from 8-foot stock because I design many projects that call for 2 1/4-inch parts. Once a 1 x 3 (which measures 2 1/2 inches wide) is ripped to 2 1/4 inches I'm left with a 1/8-inch strip. (This will vary depending on the kerf of your table saw blade). Keeping 8-foot lengths of these strips gives me plenty to work with in nearly ...

Read more...

Red oak is a very open-grained wood. It can leave a rather rough finished feel if you just sand, stain, and walk away. Here are some tips that have worked for me that should give you a finish that will feel great to the touch.

• Sand your project to 180 grit.
• Apply stain with a cloth, working it in by rubbing it. Wipe off the excess.
• With the stain still wet, sand the project using 220 grit zirconium oxide (black) sandpaper. This creates a slurry with the sawdust and stain and will help fill in the open grain.
• Wipe down ...

Read more...

 

You may have debated at times which fastener to use during assembly of a project. You’ll get just as many opinions as woodworkers you ask, but generally you can follow these guidelines.

Use screws for:

• a lot of holding power in a high-stress connection.
• fastening hardwoods that tend to split, or that would bend a nail.
• when the “purchase” of the fastener is limited to a short depth, as in stock that’s too thin to hold a nail with sufficient strength.
• a project you want to disassemble later (don’t forget to NOT use glue).
• when the screw heads serve ...

Read more...

I live in a quasi-rural area and my address numbers are on my mailbox post. Were on my mailbox post. I flipped the mailbox closed and one of the numbers fell off leaving me with a partial address number. I panicked. What if important guests and emergency vehicles couldn’t find me?!? It turned out to be good timing; I was ready for a change. I bought a new set of address numbers, mounted them in a visible spot at the entry and created the perfect finishing touch to my home’s exterior.

 

Is it time to replace your address numbers ...

Read more...

Remember my tomatoes? Well, they've totally bit the dust. When I first brought them home they were flourishing in their pot on my patio. I thought my "black thumb" had greened and was looking forward to the triumphant moment when I could enjoy the fruits of my labor. It wasn't meant to be...

I first noticed the problem a few weeks after planting; we'd had a lot of rain so my best guess was that my plant was over-watered. I'd also been a little overzealous with the Miracle-Gro so that could have contributed to the problem. I took a ...

Read more...

I’m drawn to metal like, well, like a magnet. I tend to collect a lot of mismatched items like metal hooks because they look cool and who says hardware has to match?

 

Being a notorious key misplacer, I’ve lined up hooks in the entryway of my home where I grab my keys on the way out, and hang my keys on the way in. Same for dog leashes at the back door. The dogs love it. Think about it, no more, “Hey Mom, where’s my ____?!? (“backpack,” “belt,” “keys,” and about 200 other things)!

 

To tame the chaos creatively, hang your family’s stuff on hooks that reflect ...

Read more...

Maybe it’s the fiery Leo in me, but shades of red have always pulled me in. The pastel petals, cheery pinks and fervent crimsons just make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

If you’re looking for color inspiration, take a cue from favorite summer fruits and flowers. You can use these vibrant, cheerful shades to dress up flea-market finds, add a pop of color to mismatched frames, or brighten a drab powder room. Plus, Valspar has just introduced a line of Hi-Def paint, which has ultimate hiding formula for superior coverage.

 

What color inspires you? Let us ...

Read more...

Here we are, the 8th day in a row where North Carolina temperatures are topping the 90s. While my coworkers are sporting cute, little summer dresses and flouncy floral skirts, I'm sweating in pants. Why? Because my legs are covered in unsightly mosquito bites! Ugh...

Well, I've done a little research and, if you're like me, you may want to take heed:

1. Wear light-colored clothing. Mosquitoes appear to be attracted to darker clothes, which trap body heat and increase your appeal.

2. Check your feet. Believe it or not, they also seem to like the smell of dirty socks. ...

Read more...

Thanks to the versatility of table saws and power miter saws, making angled cuts requires only making some simple adjustments, not switching to another specialized tool or machine. That said, the cutting dynamics do change some when the blade or workpiece angle varies from a basic 90-degree cut, and this requires some different techniques.

 

When you’re making a standard rip cut or crosscut, you’re feeding the workpiece against the cutting teeth (or vice versa) with direct support to counteract and help control the cutting force generated by the spinning blade. Otherwise, that force would launch the workpiece like a ...

Read more...