Outdoors
This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.
Review the entire Archive of Outdoors Articles here, or do a more in-depth search to find what you’re looking for.
MAINTENANCE: How To Keep Cars & Trucks Alive & Well for Decades
With a little proactive maintenance, you can keep vehicles running and looking good economically for decades. Click to see 5…
OUTDOOR WOOD BOILER: See Insulated Underground Pipes That Deliver Heat
Even people who don’t heat with wood or use an outdoor wood boiler find it interesting to see how heat…
AUTOMOTIVE: Buff Out Scratches With a Woodworking Sander
Sometimes a simple and effective solution to an annoying problem is right under your nose, but you can’t see it…
COUNTRY LIVING: How To Find & Buy a Rural Property in the Real World
Have you ever thought of living in the country? Finding the right property isn’t all that easy. Read Steve Maxwell’s…
DECKS, DOCKS & OUTDOOR PROJECTS: Take a Tour of Nuts & Bolts That Are Up To The Job
If you’re building a deck you should aim to make it last at least several decades. In fact, there’s no…
AUTOMOTIVE: Why It Makes Sense to Do Your Own Seasonal Tire Changes
Want to feel better about yourself and life? Try changing your own tires. I’ve found that this common seasonal chore…
OUTDOOR LIVING: How to Use a Wood Splitter
Watch this detailed video tutorial to learn the basics of using a wood splitter safely and productively. I think you’ll…
TOOLS: How to Choose & Use a Pressure Washer
Watch the video below for tips and tricks on using your pressure washer, including some uses you’ve probably never seen…
See a Tractor-Mounted Wood Chipper in Action
I’ve been doing some wood chipping lately with a tractor-mounted implement from Woodland Mills that I really like. I bought…
RURAL WATER: How to Get Lots of Water From Weakest of Wells
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, examines water wells and discusses pumps as well as the trickle system.
HOMESTEADING: 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,…
UNEXPLAINED: My Strange Light Sighting
In September 1990, I saw something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It happened…
AUTOMOTIVE: 3 Reasons I Change My Own Motor Oil
Recently, the people at Mobil 1 asked if I’d be interested in partnering with them to make a how-to video…
BUILDINGS: Learn What Matters When Choosing A Fabric Structure
Got lots of big stuff to store? Need a barn, workshop or drive shed? Consider a fabric structure. Many people…
“Can I Use An Impact Driver for Nuts & Bolts on Mechanical Work?”
Question: Can I use an impact driver to tighten and loosen bolts? I just bought a new DEWALT 20-volt impact…
RESTORATION: See How I Breathed New Life Into My First Building Project
In 1986 I was living in a 7′ x 9′ tent on my newly-purchased, very rural Manitoulin Island property. With…
FABRIC STRUCTURE PROJECT: See Steel Leg Installation Process
Watch the latest in my video series on building a 42×80-foot Calhoun fabric structure. See all the videos in the…
BACKYARD CHICKENS: Raising Leghorn Chicks For Eggs
Watch the transformation of day-old Leghorn chicks into full-fledged free-range laying hens. Besides being cute, there are key things you…
RESPONSIBLE FORESTRY: Good “Certified” Wood Without the Guilt
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, advocates promoting sustainable forestry through purchasing wood lumber that uses certified harvesting practices.
CONSTRUCTION: Pole Barn Building Visual Guide & Instructions
If you need to add shelter to your property easily and economically, pole barns may be for you. They’re one…
INTERESTING: Meet a Mural Painter Who Makes Buildings Better
Have you ever noticed how outdoor art can make a neighbourhood so much better? This article is about a remarkable outdoor…
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This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.