PHILOSOPHY: Busting DIY Home Improvement Excuses
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, doesn’t accept excuses, and explains how simple it can be to work on DIY home improvement projects.
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RURAL LIVING: Add Seed to Salt Trough to Improve Pasture Quality
We’ve been pasturing beef cattle here on our Manitoulin Island, Canada property since 1987, and I’ve learned that the best pastures have much more growing in them than just whatever wild plants happen to be there. Productive pastures also have…
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WOODWORKING: “How Do I Get Quartersawn Lumber 2x6s?”
Question: “I bought plans to build a workbench and the instructions mentions making the top from quartersawn lumber to guard against warping and cupping. I don’t know what quartersawing is. I plan to use 2x6s for the top, but how…
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TOILETS: Choosing a Model That’s Tested to Really Work
As gross as this looks, it’s not what you think it is. These cylinders of soybean paste are especially formed for testing toilets. And testing like this has done a lot to improve the performance of toilets around the world. Read on to see how . . .
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BASEMENTS: Design, Function & Details of a Truly Reliable Sump Pump System
If you rely on a sump pump to keep your basement dry, then you need a good system that keeps on working even when electric power goes out. I often hear from homeowners who’ve endured a catastrophic basement leak that…
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TOOLS: Watch This 18-Volt Cordless Chainsaw in Action
Back in 2018 I got the chance to try Milwaukee’s then-new 18 volt cordless electric chainsaw. You can see me cutting some hard maple firewood logs using this saw in the video below. I know cordless tool battery technology has…
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TOOLS: Three Up-and-Coming Cordless Options
Power tool technology is the same as every other kind of advancement in the world. New stuff is expensive and exclusive at first, then it gets cheaper and more widely available over time. So what kind of new and interesting…
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LIFE & LIVING: How to Stay Sane In An Insanity-promoting World
The world is faster, more demanding, less free and more competitive than it used to be, and I find that staying sane in the 21st century requires mental and lifestyle strategies to match. Then there are personal issues which are…
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INTERIORS: Watch Wainscot Installation Process on Stairs
Want to install wainscoting along the side of a staircase? This short video shows an overview of an actual installation I was part of on a century home. We used a kit for this job from an outfit called Elite…
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HOME REPAIRS: “Why Is My Roof Leaking on a Sunny Day?”
Question: As the weather warms up in spring I sometimes hear a faint drip-drip sound coming from the attic of my 17 year old bungalow. Water stains and dripping also showed up on the ceiling. When I opened the attic hatch,…
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HOMEBUILDING: Why Brick Veneer Is An Excellent Exterior Option
Masonry wasn’t my favourite homebuilding material when I got involved in building and renovation back in the mid-1980s, but 35+ years of dealing with reality has changed my mind. Brick veneer, in particular, offers the best combination of quality and…
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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 real-world tips that have kept a 29 year-old pickup in great shape.
