Hand Tools
Digging a bit deeper and looking beyond the monster displays at the Builders' Show, we're looking forward to visiting these 4 booths that might be small on space but deliver big on product.
Parasoleil
If these architectural panels are as beautiful in person as on their website, we're sold!
RipCart
We're hoping they have a demo setup. Would love to see a circular saw rip some stuff up at IBS 2010.
Stilleto Tools
We'd love to take a swing with their TBII-15. Is the most expensive hammer out there worth it?
Carhartt
This clothing company keeps it simple yet rugged and stylish. We always pine for their latest but our current Carhartt coats never wear out.
We'll follow up with live tweets from these booths and blog posts later next week.
Featured writer Deren S. Monday wants to pass along 4 DIY skills to his kids. The first was building a fence that rots before it falls. The second is laying a caulk bead properly.
I never appreciated the wonders of caulk until adulthood. I thought caulking was as simple as squeezing out a fat bead and walking away. How wrong! Turns out once I started remodeling my house, and actually caring (ok, obsessing) about quality, I needed a new caulk strategy.
So, I did a little asking here and there, and came up with my current caulking rules:
1. Surface prep - Clean your surface thoroughly with a wet rag before applying caulk.
2. Bead thickness - The bead need be just thick enough to cover the gap.
3. Wet finger rule - Always, always, always use a wet finger to immediately smooth the bead.
4. Gun quality - Buy a good quality manual caulking gun once and use it for 20 years.
5. Cap it for Reuse - Buy one of those 79-cent caulk tube caps that pressure fit to the nozzle and get more use out of one tube than you could imagine.
We're ecstatic to announce this weeks Giveaway as we know every handyman or handywoman would love to add this tool to their arsenal. The Black & Decker ReadyWrench puts 16 of the most popular standard and metric socket sizes into one tool. With a spin of the tool's two rotating heads it's easy to find the right size and you won't have to worry about losing sockets or keeping them all organized.
This tool could really become your go-to wrench and be as valuable as your tape measure and screwdrivers.
We've got 5 Black & Decker ReadyWrenches to giveaway this week to 5 lucky winners. So your odds of winning this one are better than ever.
****THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - CHECK MONDAY FOR ANOTHER GIVEAWAY****
HOW TO ENTER
You've got 2 ways to enter to win the ReadyWrench from Black & Decker:
1. Leave a comment on this post with the words "Ready for the ReadyWrench".
2. Tweet this post. See the green "retweet" button above. Just use it and tweet away!
Only one entry permitted per email address but each method of entry counts and so you'll increase your chance of winning if you comment and tweet. Please use a real email address so we can contact you if you win.
GIVEAWAY DEADLINE
The random winner will be chosen at 12 midnight EST on Nov. 27, 2009 and will be notified immediately.
COMMENT HERE TO WIN
Just as paint brush bristle type is dependent on type of paint used, the same applies to roller naps.
+ Nylon and wool blend naps are to be used with alkyd paints.
+ Nylon only naps are required for latex paint usage.
Nap length (thickness of fuzzy stuff)
+ Use a shorter nap for glossier and smoother surfaces.
+ Long roller naps are better for textured surfaces where you need better coverage like brick and stucco.
+ Plastic nap cores are of higher quality than cardboard and don't lose their shape and can be used repeatedly.
The bristles on a paint brush are either natural or synthetic and in some cases both. Bristle choice is determined by type of paint used.
+ If your paint can be cleaned with paint thinner then use the natural bristles.
+ If you are painting using latex paint then use synthetic bristles.
+ Natural bristles can absorb the water in latex paint and will become limp and difficult to use.
+ Brushes that contain both types of bristles can be used with any type of paint.
A strong indicator of a good paint job will be the quality of brush or roller used. You may have everything else in place (high quality paint, clean surface) but if your brushes are cheap the finished product will not have the desired result.
When shopping for brushes do these quick steps to make sure you are getting a good quality paint brush.
1. Paint brushes should be balanced and comfortable in your hand. Heavy brushes contribute to fatigue and your work will suffer.
2. Do the bristles spread out evenly when you press the brush against the palm of your hand? If you see obvious spaces then the same will happen on your wall.
In most situations a sharp nail tip is required but when driving larger nails (8d and higher) into 2x4's or other wood panels, the force and size of nail can cause the board to split.
Quick solution is to turn the nail upside down, place the head on a hard surface and give the tip of the nail a quick but firm tap to "dull" it. Then turn the nail around and drive it just as you would normally except this time you'll notice the board won't split. Good luck!
If you're into hammer tips check out our all-time favorite nail pulling tip that will keep your walls clean and help you pull ANY nail.
Check out this video of Master Carpenter Norm Abram being interviewed at last years AWFS show by Popular Woodworking magazine. Great insights into his favorite tools and techniques.
Tools Norm Abram Value's the Most
Table saw - because it touches each project
Joiner - straighten rough lumber
Surface Planer - required to keep everything level and square
The Homewrecker is another demolition tool that promises to help you tear down much faster. What's unique is the cat's paw claw end that will have you pulling nails at a much faster rate.
If the Homewrecker is too light duty to do the trick then check out our previous list of Tools of Mass Destruction that will take down any home.
[via Toolmonger]
We all recognize that Norm Abram is a master carpenter and his work on This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop is both technically solid and beautifully crafted, but there are other master carpenters who deserve to be recognized after many years in the workshop and behind the camera.
Roy Underhill has been the host of The Woodwright's Shop since 1979 and is by far the longest running "how-to" show on the air today. Roy's focus on hand tools is unique in the current day of power-everything and many would say that his skills in the workshop are unmatched.
