How happy would you be if your utility company put electricity on sale, offering 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 […]
Continue ReadingSANE & SUSTAINABLE HOMESTEADING PART 1: How to Thrive Without Burnout, Despair & Failure
Many people in the world long for a life in the country, lived on their own terms, close to nature, honest and hands-on. A few of these people take this feeling far enough to make the leap, leaving the city, […]
Continue ReadingWOODWORKING VIDEO: Use a Router to Make Fancy Handrails
In this video Steve Maxwell shows DIY (do-it-yourself) homeowners how to build wood handrails, beginning with making blanks from rough lumber.
Continue ReadingTHE BAILEY LINE ROAD CHRONICLES: Chapter 10 – Stories from Ivan
This is chapter 10 in my book The Bailey Line Road Chronicles, the 30-year story about moving from the city to live a modern homestead life deep in the country on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Missed Chapter 9? Click here to […]
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Q&A: How Can I Make 30-Year Old Aluminum Siding Look Better?
Q: The aluminum siding on my house has growths on it and the paint seems to be rubbing off. Other than this the siding is in good shape. What can I do to make it look better? A: Painting is […]
Continue ReadingTHREADING STEEL PIPE: Watch How We Do It In Our Shop
Threaded steel pipe is useful for all kinds of things and we use it fairly often here at our place at the end of Bailey Line Road. Watch my son Robert and I as we cut threads on the end […]
Continue ReadingHOW-TO: Save $$$ Installing Your Own Heat Recovery Ventilator
UPDATED: 8Nov2019: Some of the most common questions I get come from people looking to increase the quality of the air in their homes using a heat recovery ventilator (HRV). These are devices that bring fresh air into your home, exhausting […]
Continue ReadingCOLD WEATHER CONSTRUCTION: Five Tips for Building Well
Building houses for a cold climate requires things that aren’t immediately obvious. Read on for five essential building strategies for success. A lot of people miss this stuff.
Continue ReadingTHE BAILEY LINE ROAD CHRONICLES: Chapter 9 – A Big Decision & A Near Miss
This is chapter nine in my book The Bailey Line Road Chronicles, the 30-year story about moving from the city to live a modern homestead life deep in the country on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Missed Chapter Eight? Click here to […]
Continue ReadingCOLD ROOM FIX: Download Plans to Stop Ice & Frost
Do you have a cold room that is too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer? Steve Maxwell explains how to turn that room into a cold cellar for preserving food.
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