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WAY
8
Beautiful & Durable TO AVOS
SUBWAY
PLUMB ID
I
LEAKSNG
TILE
YOU ca n d o
Easy to build
it!
MEDICINE
CABINET
with a surprise!
7 STEPS TO RENEW
YOUR CAR’S INTERIOR
SPACE-SAVING
WINE RACK
OC T/NOV 2017
USB POWER
RIGHT WHERE
YOU NEED IT FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM
Contents
ƨƜƭƨƛƞƫƧƨƯƞƦƛƞƫƁſƀƆ
EXPERT
DIY ADVICE
SINCE 1951
ON THE COVER
Give a boring bath-
room high style with
tile wainscoting and
a medicine cabinet
you make yourself.
Photographed by
Tom Fenenga
34
Master the Art
42
Build Your Own
of Subway Tile Medicine Cabinet
Add wainscoting to The clever interior even
your bathroom walls includes a secret spot
for a fresh, new look! for a few valuables.
52
Space-Saving
60
Super-Easy
Wine Rack USB Outlet
Keep a few bottles on You can get rid of
hand right under an charger clutter with
upper kitchen cabinet. one simple project.
2 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM NOTE: Skipped pages represent advertisements that are not included in this digital edition.
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64
DO YOU PIN?
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to do to prep your house for winter. Go to
7 Stuff We Love 64 Home Care + Repair pinterest.com/family_handyman
A cordless air compressor, a Make your garage floor last,
compact garage heater, and keep your backup generator
stylish sink accessories. dry, and tackle that pink slime.
A
where I need it, one short ball valve at the tank bottom,
which makes it easy to drain
TFH, I use air strap for the hose. the condensation at the end
The R0230 is perfect for of the day. The truth is, I
haven’t used any of our other
several months, my go-to compressors since I started
compressor has been the using this one.
18-volt battery-powered The compressor sells for
1-gallon unit from Ridgid $200 at The Home Depot. The
tect floors from damage, batteries and charger are sold
My work often takes me to and it’s quieter than most separately. If you already own
small electric compressors. other Ridgid 18-volt tools,
you’re all set.
hassle finding outlets and JOSH RISBERG,
LEAD CARPENTER
Since I can carry it right to
HAND FRIENDLY
G
ot a slippery handle on your hammer or Cover
rake? Wish your wheelbarrow handles were
Plastic
a bit more comfy? The Re-Grip (re-grip.com) Coil
makes it easy to add or replace rubber handle covers on all
kinds of tools. No gluing or heating necessary—you just insert
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around the handle. Re-Grip comes in three sizes, which cost $9 to
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HOT TICKET
THIS SMALL
GARAGE HEATER
ALL WHEEL DRIVE PACKS A PUNCH
I bought this little NewAir heater (model
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ast summer I moved into a new house with a steeply sloped subzero temps, where it does a fantastic job
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Bench
Grinder
Basics
A
bench
grinder is
probably
not a tool you’ll use
every day. However,
if it’s available and
set up correctly,
you’ll be surprised
how often it comes
in handy for every-
thing from sharpen-
ing tools to
rounding over
thread ends on a
cutoff bolt. We’ve
assembled these
tips to help you get
the most out of
your grinder.
Aluminum
Oxide
Bath
Silicon
Carbide
Keep a container
of water handy
Most chisels and other cutting
tools are made of tempered steel.
Friable If the steel gets too hot and turns
Aluminum bluish black, it’s overheated and
Oxide won’t hold an edge very long.
To avoid ruining the edge of a
Grind small
tool by overheating, keep water objects safely
nearby to cool the tool. A good Hold small objects with locking
technique is to move the tool once pliers. This keeps your fingers a
across the grinder for no more than safe distance from the grinding
Match the a few seconds. Then dip it in the wheel and protects them against
wheel to the job water. If the steel edge does over- burns from the hot metal. It also
Most bench grinders come with heat and turns color, grind the edge gives you better control over the
one coarse- and one medium-grit back to good steel and start over. grinding process.
aluminum oxide grinding wheel.
These are fine for everyday grind-
ing on steel. But there are better
wheels for special tasks like
sharpening tools or grinding alu- Friable
Aluminum
minum, copper, brass or stone. Oxide
Here are a few key points to Wheel
remember when choosing wheels.
Q Grits go from coarse to fine,
which are indicated by numbers
like 80 grit or 220 grit, with larger
numbers indicating finer grits.
Q Coarse grits cut fast but leave a
more ragged edge.
Q Fine grits cut slower and leave a
more polished surface.
Q For tool sharpening, look for
“friable” aluminum oxide wheels.
Friable means that the grit breaks
off easily as you grind to constantly
expose fresh grit. This keeps the
metal cooler. Friable wheels are
Consider a low-speed grinder
usually white. for sharpening
Q For most sharpening tasks, a Unless they’re variable speed, most grinders run at about 3,450 rpm. If
60-grit and a 120-grit wheel are a you’re careful and keep the wheel dressed (more on that in another tip),
good combination. these high-speed grinders work fine. But for sharpening, a low-speed
Q Don’t grind soft metal or stone on grinder running at 1,750 rpm is a better choice. The lower speed reduces
aluminum oxide wheels. To grind the chance you’ll overheat the edge of your tool.
these materials, look for a silicon Another advantage of a low-speed grinder ($100 to $150) is that this
carbide wheel. See “Grinder Safety” type typically includes friable white grinder wheels, which do a better
on p. 24 for more precautions about job of sharpening than the gray grinder wheels usually included with
grinder wheels. high-speed grinders.
Folds Up Flat
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®
D I Y ESSENTIA LS
Pencil
Line
Diamond
Wheel Watch for the sparks to come over the top
Dresser
When you’re sharpening a chisel or other tool, you can tell when the edge
is getting sharp by watching the sparks. When the edge is blunt, the
sparks are deflected downward. But as the edge gets sharper, the sparks
roll over the tool and cascade down the surface facing you. When you see
this start to happen, be careful about grinding much more because a thin
edge is very vulnerable to overheating.
Dress wheels
frequently MAKE AN ANGLE GAUGE
Wheel dressing squares the face of Chisels and other cutting tools work best if their edges are ground at
the wheel, but more important, it the correct angle. You can search online to find the optimal angle for
exposes new grit for more efficient whatever tool you’re sharpening. Most wood chisels should be ground
cutting. As a wheel is used, the WRDERXWDĥGHJUHHDQJOHZLWKDVHFRQGDU\PLFURĥEHYHODQJOHRI
spaces between the cutting grit can degrees on the tip of the blade. An angle gauge allows you to set the
become clogged, and the grit itself tool rest at the desired angle. You can make an angle gauge from a
dulled. A wheel in this condition can thin piece of cardboard using an inexpensive protractor.
cause overheating and slows mate-
rial removal. A wheel dresser like
the one shown here ($15 to $30)
has a bar with diamond grit impreg-
1.
b
MARK THE
ANGLE ON
CARDBOARD
nated in it. Holding the bar against Align the center mark on the
the spinning wheel cuts away the Center
protractor with the top edge
surface to expose new grit, squares Mark of the cardboard. Then turn
the face of the wheel and rounds the protractor until the
the wheel. desired angle is also aligned
To use a dressing tool like this, with the top edge. Draw a
Align line along the protractor to
start the grinder and wait for it to
Angle mark the angle. Don’t forget
reach full speed. Then press the Here to label the angle. Cut along
diamond wheel dresser against the the line to create the gauge.
spinning wheel, holding it perpen-
dicular to the face of the wheel. Be
sure to wear a good-quality dust
mask. The fine aluminum oxide
dust is very bad for your lungs.
b TOOL
ADJUST THE
REST
Set the cardboard on the
tool rest and adjust the angle
Draw a pencil line on the wheel
of the tool rest until the
before you start to help you gauge wheel contacts the center of
when you’ve removed enough the angled portion of the
material from the wheel. Dress the cardboard gauge.
wheel just until the pencil line
disappears.
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D I Y ESSENTIA LS
Tool
Rest
GRINDER SAFETY
Q Wear safety glasses with side
shields, goggles or a face shield
when grinding.
Q Turn the grinder on and stand aside
until the wheels come to full speed.
If there’s a problem, you won’t be in
the path of flying debris. Polishing
Q Inspect grinder wheels for cracks or Compound
damage. Before you install a new
wheel, suspend it by a screwdriver
through the center hole. Tap the
wheel lightly with the plastic
handle of another screwdriver. The
wheel should ring. If you hear a dull
Set up a polishing station
thud instead, the wheel is probably A bench grinder fitted with a wire wheel ($15) on one side and a cotton
cracked and should not be used. buffing wheel ($8) on the other side, or buffing wheels on both sides,
Q When you install a wheel, don’t makes a great cleaning and polishing tool. You’ll also need a set of polish-
overtighten the nut. Just snug it
up. Overtightening could crack ing compound sticks ($14). Polishing compound sticks are color coded to
the wheel. indicate the grit, from coarse to very fine.
Q Keep the shrouds and spark shields To use the polishing wheel, hold the stick against the buffing wheel as it
in place. And maintain a 1/8-in. or
less gap between the tool rest and spins to transfer some polishing compound to the wheel. Then hold the
the grinding wheel. object lightly against the wheel and let the compound polish the surface.
Shown smaller than actual height 9345 Milwaukee Avenue · Niles, IL 60714-1393
of 16 inches high.
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The DR® STUMP GRINDER uses carbide-
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Best ProTips Expert advice from the job site. By Gary Wentz
FINISHING UP A
PLUMBING JOB How to spot tiny leaks and
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CHECK
SHUTOFF
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Simply using a
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stop the leak plumbing lines
just by tighten- or the floor
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nut. mistaken for a
leak. Wipe the
surfaces dry.
W
hen the job is done and you’re ready to pack up your tools,
take the time to do a final check for tiny leaks and sediment
lingering in the lines. There’s no 100 MEET THE EXPERT
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percent prevention for either problem, but if you editor-in-chief, did a
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B E ST P RO TIPS
Spot
Tiny
Leaks
Don’t Get
Fooled by
Condensation
In high humidity, a cold
water line will sweat, making
it almost impossible to
detect tiny leaks. Here’s how
to work around that: Run the
water just enough to fill the
line. Then take a coffee break
while the water in the pipe
warms to room temperature. Stress-Test Drain Lines
When it’s warm enough, To test drain lines under a sink, don’t just turn on the faucet. Instead, com-
wipe the pipe dry and look pletely fill the sink. (Fill both bowls on a double sink.) Then open the drain
for leaks. Condensation may to release a gush of water. In humid conditions, fill the sink with lukewarm
also be caused by cold water water. Cold water will cause condensation on the lines and prevent you
in drain lines. from finding leaks.
Detect
Drips
with
Paper
Paper towels or
newspaper are
great leak loca-
tors. You’ll
immediately
Flush Before You Caulk see—or even
A small leak at the toilet flange leads to a puddle. hear—leaks as
soon as a drip Trouble!
But if that puddle is dammed up by caulk around
the toilet base, it may not show up for months. So hits the paper.
before you caulk, flush a couple times and probe for
leaks with a strip of paper.
Check
Sink
Rims
Dribble water
around a sink
rim to check
the seal. Rim
leaks rarely
show up right
away, so wait
Locate Leaks with Tissue a few minutes
A wet spot on a tissue is a lot easier to see than a before
small droplet on a pipe. So wipe with a tissue and inspecting
look at it after each swipe. from below.
Flush Before
You Connect
Sediment trapped in a fill
valve can make a toilet fill
slowly or run constantly. To
flush out this sediment, run
water into a bucket before Old galvanized steel
pipes, on the other hand, usu-
you connect the supply line. ally contain a lot of debris and
call for every trick in the book.
B E ST P RO TIPS
Let It Run
When flushing lines, you’ll be tempted to shut off the water after 10
seconds. That’s not long enough. One minute is the minimum. In a
large house with long runs of supply pipe, let it flow for several min-
utes. Better to waste some water than to repair plugged faucets.
Start at a
High-Volume,
Low-Risk
Valve
To flush out debris, you
need a high-volume flow
of water. That makes out-
door hose bibs and wash-
ing machine supply lines
great for this purpose.
These faucets have
another advantage too:
Unlike kitchen or bath fix- Protect the
tures, they have big,
simple ports that are less
Showerhead
likely to get plugged or Low-flow showerheads have tiny
damaged by sediment. openings that can be plugged by
Just keep in mind that any a single particle. So run the tub
faucet you choose for faucet before the shower. In a
flushing should be down- dedicated shower (no tub spout),
stream from the work area. remove the showerhead and flush
Watch out! Washing the line.
machine hoses often have
screens that can become
plugged. Luckily, they’re
easy to remove and clean. Flush Hot and
Cold Separately
To get maximum flow through a
single-handle kitchen or bath
faucet, swing the handle to one
side and run the water full blast.
Then switch to the other side
and do the same.
Screen
Remove
Aerators Aerator
Subway
Tile
Transform your bathroom
in a couple weekends.
By Jeff Gorton
WHAT IT TAKES
TIME COST SKILL LEVEL
1 or 2 About $5 Beginner to
weekends to $25 intermediate
per sq. ft.
TOOLS Tile cutter, tile saw, drill,
nipper, notched trowel, level, tape
measure, grout float, grout sponge,
buckets. Optional: diamond hole
saws
Base Tile
Pencil Tile
Cap Tile
1/8" Spacer
Tile Cutter
Mitered
Pencil Tile
Outside
Corner
Cap Tile
Bullnose Space
Tile for Grout
Upside-Down
Base Tile
1/16" Shim
Mitered
Base Tile
Grout
Float
:
b
ith medicine cabinets, your choices are mostly high cost or
low quality. And sometimes both! The medicine cabinet we
GHVLJQHGLVEXLOWIURPVROLGZRRGDQGJRRGĥTXDOLW\KDUGZDUH
so it will hold up to the rigors of everyday use. The materials aren’t expenĥ
sive. And it’s relatively easy to build, making it a good project for an interĥ
mediate woodworker or an experienced DIYer.
Secret Compartment
Secret
Motion
Hiding
Sensor
Light Place
The small comĥ
partment is a
handy place to
hide prescription
medicine or
Front jewelry. The front
Panel panel is held on
with magnets. The
EDWWHU\ĥSRZHUHG
PRWLRQĥVHQVRU
lights make the
compartment look
like a lighting
valance.
E
Skills, tools F
and materials C
Even though the joinery is simple, assembling H
the door and cabinet requires careful measur- D
ing, accurate cutting and attention to detail. B
We used a table saw fitted with a table saw
sled to cut the parts, but a miter saw would
also work for making the end cuts. The door is
held together with wood biscuits, but you D
could use dowels or pocket screws instead. B
You’ll need a router and a 3/8-in. rabbeting
bit to make the recesses for the cabinet back D
and door mirror.
It’s critical that you choose boards that are
flat and straight, especially for the door.
Sight down the boards and reject any that
are twisted or crooked. The boards should lie
flat when you stack them. We built this cabi- D
11"
net from inexpensive aspen, which looks
great when painted. Pine or poplar would
C
also be good choices for a painted finish.
You’ll find full-overlay cup hinges at home
centers or woodworking stores, or you can A
order them online. We purchased the mirror
and glass shelves from a glass shop, but
some full-service hardware stores also supply
them. To save money, you could substitute
wood shelves.
3/8" flat-top wood plugs 32 D 4 1x6 board 3/4" x 5-1/2" x 5" Shelves
1-1/2" multipurpose screws, 1-lb. box 1 E 1 1/4" plywood Cut to fit Back
1" nails, small box 1 F 1 1x6 board 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 18" Compartment bottom
Magnets 2 G 2 1x6 board 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 3-1/4" Compartment sides
1/4" shelf pins 12 H 1 1x6 board 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 17-7/8" Compartment panel
Screen fasteners, package 1 J 2 1x3 board 3/4" x 2-1/2" x 36" Door stiles
Full-overlay cup hinges 2 K 2 1x3 board 3/4" x 2-1/2" x 14-1/2" Door rails
Mirror—cut to fit 1 L 1 Mirror Cut to fit (subtract 1/8") Mirror
Glass shelves—cut to fit 3 M 1 1/4" plywood Cut to fit Mirror back
Mr Beams Night Lights (MB723) 1
2. Prepare the
boards for
wood plugs Plug
Mark screw locations 1 in. Holes
from each edge of the
boards along the center lines
you drew in the previous
step. Then drill 3/8-in. holes 3/8" Forstner Bit
about 3/8 in. deep at each
mark. You’ll glue wood plugs Shelf
Center
into these plug holes to Lines
cover the screws. For clean-
edged plug holes, use a
Forstner or brad point bit.
Door Biscuit
Screen
Fastener
M
L
J
Sharp
Chisel
Back
1" Nail
Door
Door
9. Cut a rabbet for the
Rail mirror and mirror back
Biscuit Slot
Cut a 3/8-in.-deep rabbet to accommodate the
1/4-in. back and 1/8-in.-thick mirror. Cut the
8. Slot the door parts for biscuits rabbet using the same 3/8-in. rabbeting bit
Cut slots to connect the door rails (top and bottom) to the stiles you used for the cabinet back. Make a first pass
(sides). The No. 20 biscuits are a little too long, so rather than with the router set to about 3/16 in. deep. Then
center the slots, offset them so the biscuits will protrude from the set the router to cut 3/8 in. deep and make the
top and bottom of the door where they won’t be noticeable after final pass. Square off the corners like you did
you cut them flush to the door edge. Make marks 1 in. from the for the cabinet back. Next, measure for the
top and bottom of the stiles and rails and center the biscuit slots mirror. Subtract 1/8 in. from the width and
on the marks. Glue biscuits into the slots and clamp the door, height and take these measurements to your
making sure it’s square. local hardware store or glass shop.
Cup
Hinge
35-mm
Forstner Bit
Hinge
Plate
10. Drill for the 11. Mount the 12. Mount the
cup hinges cup hinges hinge plates
Mark the hinge side and the top of Press the cup hinges into the hinge Attach the plates to the hinges.
the door to keep the orientation holes. Measure to make sure the Then set the door into place on the
straight. Center the top hinge 8 in. center of the hinge mounting holes cabinet and align the top and
from the top of the door, and the are equal distance from the edge bottom edges. Shim up the door
bottom hinge 3-1/2 in. from the of the door. This will ensure the with two thicknesses of thin card-
bottom of the door. Check your hinge is properly aligned. Drive board and mark the screw locations
hinge specifications to see how far the included screws into the for the hinge plates. Remove the
from the edge of the door to mounting holes. door and unclip the plates. Drill
center the 35-mm hole. Drill a pilot holes at the marked screw
1/2-in.-deep hole with a 35-mm locations. Then mount the plates to
Forstner bit for the hinge cup. the cabinet with the included screws.
Continued on p. 51
FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 47
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Mirror Back
Mirror
Magnet
Screen
Fasteners
14. Build the hidden
13. Install the mirror compartment
Cut a piece of 1/4-in. plywood to fit the rabbeted opening. Set the Build the compartment using Figure A as a
mirror into the frame and place the plywood on top. Secure the guide. Attach magnets to the cabinet and
back with plastic screen fastener clips, available at home centers metal plates to the removable cover to hold
and hardware stores. For an easier and neater paint job, remove the cover in place. We mounted Mr Beams
the mirror and all other hardware before painting the cabinet. MB723 ($30 for three) motion sensor lights
Then reinstall it after the paint is dry. to the bottom of the compartment.
Center
Outside
Edge
Stud Location
1/4"
Bit
Wood
Stop
15. Drill
shelf-pin holes
Cut a scrap of 1/4-in. pegboard to
4-5/8 in. x 29-3/4 in., making sure
the distance from the holes to the 16. Install the cabinet
edges of the template is the same Hang the cabinet by screwing through the back into one or two studs. Start
on the sides and the top and making two marks, level with each other and about 30 in. apart, to indicate
bottom. This will avoid confusion by the top of the cabinet. Apply a strip of masking tape to the wall so its bottom-
allowing you to position the tem- edge marks align with these marks. Mark the cabinet center on the tape. Then
plate without regard to its orienta- measure out 15-1/2 in. in both directions and make marks to indicate the
tion. For 2-in. hole spacing, draw sides. Finally, use a stud finder or other means to locate any studs in the area
lines across alternate sets of holes. where the cabinet will be mounted and mark them on the tape.
Use a 1/4-in. brad point bit with a Transfer the stud locations to the cabinet back to mark the mounting
wood stop to limit the depth of the screw positions. If you hit only one stud, use toggle bolts or snap-toggle
holes to 3/8 in. Press the pegboard bolts to provide an additional hanging point. Prop or hold the cabinet in
against the back of the cabinet to position and drive one screw at the top. Then use a level to plumb the cab-
drill the back holes. Clamp it flush inet sides before driving another screw at the bottom. Add the second set
to the front for the front holes. of screws or toggle bolts to complete the job.
T
here’s a lot of
usable space
below many
upper kitchen
cabinets, and
it’s the perfect place to
store your favorite vin-
tages. This easy-to-build
wine rack requires just two
1x4s the length of the
under-cabinet bay (Photo
1) and a strip of 3/4-in. ply-
wood that same length and
8 in. wide (Photo 8). If you
have painted cabinets,
poplar is a good choice for
the 1x4s. Prime it and paint
it to match the cabinets. If
you have natural wood
cabinets, select and finish
the wood to match.
WHAT IT TAKES
TIME COST SKILL LEVEL
1 hour $10–$20 Beginner
TOOLS Drill, 3-1/8-in. hole saw,
any type of saw, 1-1/2-in.
drum sander, clamps
1-5/8"
Modify the
wine rack Figure A
to fit your Wine Rack
cabinets
8" 3/4"
Y
ou can use any of
Plywood
the bays under the
upper cabinets 1-5/8"
you wish. The wider the Screws
bay, the more wine you
can store. Our instruc-
tions will work for any
size cabinet bay. Most
cabinets have a 3/4-in.-
deep lip surrounding
each bay so the plywood
will be hidden. If you
have lips that are deeper
than 3/4 in., shim down
the plywood. If your lips
are shallower, use thinner
plywood.
This wine rack will hold
the most common bottle
diameters, but not all. If 1x4
you’re a serious wine col- Figure B
lector, measure the diam-
Hole Locations
ILLUSTRATION: JEFF GORTON
N THE U.S.A
EI
.
MA
W IT E
H P RID
Financing available
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Auxiliary
Handle
Clearance
Hole
CAUTION:
Drill with the slow speed and use the auxiliary handle if you
have one (Photo 3). Don’t force the cut, and never use the
trigger lock. Hole saws can catch and cause bodily harm.
Clamp
2x10 Scrap
Drum
Sander
Complete
5. the holes
Finish cutting the wine
bottle holes. Rock the drill HAMMER TIP
slightly as you cut. That 6DQGEHIRUHÀQLVKLQJ
enlarges the kerf, reducing
friction on the hole saw and
Tap or pry out plugs after
each hole. 6. Smooth the holes with a drum sander and ease the
HGJHVDURXQGWKHKROHVE\KDQGĥVDQGLQJZLWKĥJULWSDSHU
speeding up cutting. Finish the boards before screwing them to the plywood.
56 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM
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Support
Board
Hole-saw smarts
Q Running a 3-1/8-in. hole saw will tax all but the most powerful
drills. If you have a drill press, use it instead of drilling by hand.
Q For handheld hole-saw work, use a corded drill instead of a
battery-powered one if you have one.
QFeel the motor housing as you drill. If it starts getting hot, let it
cool down before continuing. Excess heat will destroy the motor
whether the drill is corded or battery-powered.
Q Space the board up from the workbench on 2-by scraps to
eliminate tear-out and anchor it with two clamps or the board
will spin free (Photo 5).
Q After you score each hole about 1/4 in. deep, drill a 1/2- to
3/4-in. clearance hole adjoining each score (Photo 4). This will
provide a place for sawdust to exit, which will keep the hole saw
Mandrel with cooler and speed up drilling.
Pilot Bit
Q Take your time and let the hole saw cool off after about 15 sec-
onds of cutting or you’ll scorch the wood.
Fence
P
rotect your hole saw from damage by
clamping or bolting a sacrificial board screws will take care of all
over the cast iron drill press table. Then fastening needs.
clamp a fence to the board, positioned to Q 1-1/2-in. drum sander: For less than
exactly locate each hole from the edge $10, you can get a drum sander kit that
without any guesswork. A speed of about comes with several sandpaper sleeves of
600 rpm is good for drilling the holes. different grits.
58 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM
A G
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Digital sound processing chip G) Sound Tube
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ϭϬϬйDŽŶĞLJĂĐŬ'ƵĂƌĂŶƚĞĞ of the hearing aid. The sound is then adjusted to amplify
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yĂǀŝĞƌ:
īŽƌĚĂďůĞYƵĂůŝƚLJ^ŝŶĐĞϭϲ
TM
US Company
Owned And
FDA
REGISTERED
Operated
WHAT IT TAKES
TIME COST SKILL LEVEL
1 hour $40 Beginner
TOOLS Stud finder, dry-
wall saw, wire stripper,
noncontact voltage tester,
basic hand tools
New
Cable
Existing
Box
New
“Old
Work”
Box
New
Outlet
Make your
garage floor last
We chose silane/
b Apply cleaner, scrub and power wash
Mask the walls with poly. Then use the power washer to apply concrete
FOHDQHU6FUXEZLWKDSXVKEURRP7KHQULQVHZLWKKLJKSUHVVXUHDQGDĥGHJUHH
siloxane nozzle. Squeegee and let dry.
This garage is in Minnesota, so pre-
venting damage from freezing water
and road salt was critical. We didn’t
care about gloss, but we wanted to
avoid two steps that are required for
many film-forming sealers: acid etch-
ing and roughening the surface. We
chose MasonrySaver All-Purpose
Heavy Duty Water Repellent, a water-
based silane/siloxane. It took 5 gal-
lons (about $30 per gallon) to seal
the floor of this three-car garage.
Paint Pad
Hex-to-
3/8-in.-Drive
Adapter
SAFETY FIRST
Stay-dry generator
I f you’re using a generator, chances are a storm just
rolled through and you’re likely to get more rain.
Here’s an easy way to add a roof to keep some of the
water off your generator. Cut four lengths of
ĥLQ(07ĪHOHFWULFDOPHWDOOLFWXELQJīDQGVHFXUH
them to each corner of the generator using hose
FODPSV1H[WLQYHUWDFRQFUHWHPL[LQJWXEDQGVHFXUH
LWWRWKHWXELQJZLWKVHOIĥWDSSLQJVFUHZV'ULOOKROHV
LQWRWKHLQYHUWHGOLSRIWKHWXEVRWKHZDWHUFDQGUDLQ
Mixing Tub
Dope about Soap
In our June ‘17 “DIY
Quiz,” we said
Ivory bar soap is
synthetic. Wrong! It
contains sodium
tallowate, which
forms soap scum. To
find a synthetic soap,
look for the terms
“beauty bar” or
“body wash.” Most
products using either
term are synthetic.
66 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM
DRILLING SMARTS
DEPARTMENT OF YUCK
Pink slime
in your bathroom?
E
ver notice red or pink slime
forming inside your toilet or
on your shower walls? It’s a
bacterium called Serratia marces- Turn a sheet of plywood into a box with just four cuts on
cens, and it can grow in wet areas. your table saw. Once the corners are sliced away with a
Chlorine in city water helps prevent
sharp knife, the sides fold to form continuous grain joints,
it. But if you have an activated char-
providing plenty of glue surface and strength. The Miter
coal filter, you’re removing the
chlorine, according to the North Fold is also a complete dado set, so you’ll have the magic
Dakota State University Extension of the Miter Fold as well as utility of a dado set ... just
Service. Water from a private well another way we help you Create with Confidence!
has no chlorine either. Miter Fold Dado Set (54799) $349.99
This bacterium has been known Not compatible with Sawstop or other saws with
Ʈ]k`%\]l][lagfl][`fgdg_q
to cause pneumonia, wound infec-
RYDAY
tions and urinary tract infections in EVE
hospital settings, so it’s important to For details go to rcklr.co/243
get rid of it. Stains are easy to or call 1-800-279-4441
remove with a general-purpose and mention code 243
cleaner containing chlorine bleach. SHIPPING
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You can also add 1/4 cup of bleach or more
to your toilet tank, let it sit for 20
minutes, and then flush the toilet a
few times to remove all the bleach.
Don’t leave it in your tank—it can For a store near you or free catalog:
damage rubber valves and seals.
7 Steps to
Renew Your
Unless you’re fastidious about
your car’s interior, it’s usually the
last thing on your cleaning list.
As the months roll by, grime,
wrappers, dust and junk can just
pile up. Unfortunately, most
of us finally get around to the
deep cleaning when we 1
tape the “For Sale” sign on Vacuum Like
the windshield. But why You Mean It
wait when you can easily Slide the seat all the
way forward and clean
get your car looking its best out all the junk under-
with these tips from profes- neath. You’ll be sur-
prised by what you
sional detailers? Your find. We found a lost
efforts will be rewarded cell phone, enough
pens and pencils to
with a car that looks and equip a small office,
feels brand new. and enough coins for
several vending
machine lunches.
Vacuum the seats,
remove the mats and
vacuum the carpet. Use
a brush attachment for
the dash and door
panels. Don’t forget to
clean out and vacuum
those handy door pock-
ets (another source of
buried treasure).
3
Clean & Condition 4
the Seats
After a few years, you’ll notice
that the color of the leather or Remember
2 vinyl seats no longer matches
that of the rest of the interior. It’s
the Recesses
Detailing means just that—
not enough just to condition the cleaning all the trim lines and
Clean the Carpet leather. First spray on leather recesses. Wrap a cloth around
Deep-clean the carpeting and upholstery. Use cleaner and rub vigorously with a worn screwdriver (no sharp
a carpet cleaning machine ($90) to get the a clean terry cloth towel. To edges) and spray it with
dirt that settles deep into the fibers of the avoid rubbing the grime back Simple Green or other all-
carpet. (Clean cloth seats this way as well.) It into the seats, keep flipping the purpose cleaner. Move it
sprays the carpet with a solution of water and cloth to expose a fresh surface. gently along the trim lines to
cleaner and then sucks the dirt and grime into Let the seats dry for an hour and pick up dirt, using fresh sec-
a reservoir. A machine like this pays for itself then rub in a leather conditioner tions of cloth as you go. Then
after just a few uses. You can also rent one like Lexol to keep the leather clean around the buttons and
from a rental center (about $30) or use a supple. It’s available at discount controls, and follow up with
spray-on cleaner and a scrub brush instead. stores and auto stores. a rejuvenator like Armor All.
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5 Brush
Out the
Air Vents
These louvers are a real
magnet for dust, and a
vacuum with a brush
attachment just won’t get
it all. Take an inexpensive
paintbrush and give it a
light shot of Endust or
Pledge furniture polish.
Work the brush into the
crevices to collect the
dust. Wipe the brush off
with a rag and move on
to the next vent.
6 Wash the
Windows
Don’t forget the top
edges. Ever notice that
line of grime on the
tops of windows when
they’re partially rolled
down? Most people
overlook this detail
when giving their
vehicle a quick wash.
A few minutes with
Windex and a clean rag
is all it takes.
7
Scrape Off Old Stickers
While all of your national and state park stickers may call to mind great
memories, they can be a visual hazard as they accumulate. The high-qual-
ity stickers will pull off if you can get under a corner and carefully pull
them free at a 90-degree angle. Others will leave a gummy residue and
require a bit more attention. Cover your dash with an old towel and dab
on Goo Gone. Then scrape and wipe it off.
FAMILYHANDYMAN.COM OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 71
WHAT’S WRONG
WITH THIS PICTURE?
We’ll show you the problem—and the fix. By Jeff Gorton
SAFETY RULES
Taking it to
new heights
This window washer is making the
most of a ladder that’s too short.
But if his luck runs out, he’ll pay a
hefty price for ignoring basic
ladder safety rules. Two rules are
being broken here. Can you guess
what they are?
FLOATING BEAM
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builder did. Maybe the builder so
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THE RIGHT WAY: handymanfamily
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Splices in beams should be sup-
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THE FAMILY HANDYMAN® ISSN: 0014-7230, USPS: 515-930. Vol. 67, No. 7, 582nd Edition. Published 8 times per year: March, April, May, June, July/
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THANKS BUT NO
THANKS, DAD
My father-in-law is a retired carpen-
ter, so we jumped at his offer to
help us with our leaky basement.
His plan was to mound dirt against
the foundation, sloping it away
from the house, and compact the
soil so water would run off. Before
long, he was tamping dirt with a
giant, engine-powered soil com-
pactor. However, he lost control of
the machine and sent it crashing
through our basement window.
He apologized and decided to
compact the soil by soaking it with
the garden hose. After an hour, I
went downstairs and saw that his
new plan had flooded the basement.
After again expressing his regret,
my father-in-law decided to call it a
day. As he backed out of our drive-
way, he plowed his pickup right
into the mailbox—shearing it off
its pedestal. We waved him on,
counted our blessings and
immediately called a profes-
sional to finish the job.
ERIC SULLENTRUP
the fill valve assembly at the base. on the engine and defroster
I turned off the water supply and tried and started scraping, but
to loosen the nut that secures the valve the job was taking too long.
so I could replace the part. It was cor- Then he had the brilliant
roded and wouldn’t budge. I decided
to pull the toilet for better access to the
idea of melting the ice by
stuck nut. I removed the flange nuts throwing a bucketful of hot
and lifted the toilet with all my might. water over the windshield.
The bowl base broke into three With a loud snap, the wind-
EDITOR: TRAVIS LARSON
Makers of PB B’laster, the #1-selling penetrant since 1957, B’laster comes from a place
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penetrate, lubricate, loosen, overcome, fix & conquer each job.
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