A woodworking innovation worthy of praise. Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, highlights a new way to join wood around your home and garden.
Continue ReadingEXTERIOR PAINT: Old-School Craftsman Brings Colour to Winnipeg
Want to learn something about exterior paint? Paul Tyzek has a lot to teach. He’s an old-school solo painter in Winnipeg, Canada and he comes to the trade from a different angle than most. Paul’s a journeyman painter with 30+ […]
Continue ReadingWISDOM & KINDNESS: Lessons I Learned From Grandpa
One thing about being a child is that regardless of your situation, you always regard it as normal – at least at first. And that’s why I grew up thinking that all grandfathers had white beards, spent weeks on-end fishing with their grandsons every summer, gave them really great birthday gifts, and taught the noblest life lessons by example.
Continue ReadingHow to Dry Wood
Q: How can I dry wood quickly? And more specifically, is there any way I can get freshly cut birch lumber dry enough for woodworking within two months? My daughter’s getting married this fall, and in July I cut 3/4”-thick […]
Continue Reading
Learn More from Bailey Line Road
HOW TO BUILD A DECK: Avoid the #1 Deck Construction Mistake
Q: What should I do about a deck that’s bolted to my house without provisions waterproofing? The edge of the floor frame is attached to the house frame, but with no flashing for waterproofing the connection. If I lift the […]
Continue ReadingLOG SPLITTER EXTRAORDINAIRE: How to Make Firewood Faster with Speedy Inertia Splitter
Canadian economist Jeff Rubin has a book that everyone should read, especially if you cut your own firewood. It’s called Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller. In it Rubin makes a well-supported case for the […]
Continue ReadingSOLAR GENERATORS: Three Questions to Ask Before You Buy
UPDATED 24Oct2019: Are you looking for emergency backup power during a blackout? Solar generators convert the energy of the sun into electrical power for running and charging small items. Solar generators need no fuel, they make no noise and create […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: “What Should I Do About Conflicting Deck Stain Advice?”
Q: What should I do with conflicting advice I’m getting about deck finishing? I just built a new staircase out of cedar for my deck and the measured moisture content of the wood is less than 10%. Some brands of […]
Continue ReadingHome Water Filtration System: Understanding the Basics
Are you concerned about the taste and quality of your drinking water? Lots of people are these days, but that’s not news. You hear this story all the time. What is news, however, are all the ways you can now […]
Continue ReadingQ&A of the Week: “How Should I Re-Strip a Deck for Refinishing?”
Q: What’s the best way to strip back to bare wood on a deck that I started to finish with a stain that I don’t like? I’ve covered two-thirds of the deck, but the opaque results are not what I want. […]
Continue Reading