Each spring since 1987, I’ve maintained a nearly forgotten part of Canadian heritage that’s still a working feature of the rural landscape where I live on Manitoulin Island. Nestled along the shore of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, you’ll find…
It goes without saying that being a professional contractor is about making money. Building and renovation is a business. The contractors you hire have families to feed and retirements to hope for, just like the rest of us. But I’ve…
We all face troubles in life, but an idea I call the “River of Life” is immensely worthwhile when trouble gets big. Perhaps you’ll find the concept worthwhile, too. It occurred to me as I lay in bed shortly after…
Thinking of buying a generator? Don’t do it before reading this article and watching the video. Everything you need to know about connecting a generator to your house is here, plus lots of insights on generator selection, and a FAQ…
How happy would you be if your utility company offered three kilowatt-hours of power for every one kilowatt-hour you paid for? Too good to be true? Not if you have a heat pump. Modern heat pumps both heat and cool…
Water jet cutting is a computer-controlled process that can create crisp, intricate cuts in metal of all kinds. A few years ago I had some parts cut out of mild steel at a shop that specializes in water jet cutting,…
Clean water is very important for life, and making sure it is safe is key for our health. Home water filters can get rid of bad stuff in the water, making it taste better and smell better. They can also…
Modern homes are so much better with expansive outdoor spaces for barbeques, family parties, relaxing, and unwinding. While you can hire a professional to install your deck, you can still create one from scratch. In fact, your input is exactly…
Got some outdoor building projects in mind? Heavy 6×6 and 8×8 timbers of the kind you can get at any building supply yard are a great material to use, and the tricks you’ll learn here will help make those timbers…
Are you building or renovating wooden stairs? Or perhaps you need to precisely fit other pieces of wood tightly between two fixed surfaces? You’ll learn something useful with the video below. This is the first video I ever posted online,…
Check out five handy tips from Steve Maxwell for great mill-it-yourself lumber. Tips you’ll never find in your thickness planer instruction manual.
If you’ve got weathered wood that you’d like to make bright again, or mold stains on any kind of porous surface, you need to see this oxygen-based product in action. It’s pretty amazing. Completely non-toxic, door-free, not harsh on skin…