The Handyguys August 14th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys provide an introduction to DIY home security, surveillance and automation.

The Handyguys give an overview of these technologies in this episode. We may dedicate a show to each of these topics later in the year. If you have any specific products that you would like discussed or have any questions on DIY home automation, home security or surveillance, please contact us. We want to deter the creepy looking creeps from invading our personal space with a cool DIY project.

First off - The Handyguys discuss DIY home security

There are two primary methods of doing DIY home security; wired and wireless. A wired system consists of hard wired sensors on doors, windows, smoke detectors, motion detectors, CO2 detectors, etc. Those wires come back to a main security panel. When an alarm is tripped it can notify a central monitoring service, your cell phone, email and/or sound an alarm. The main advantage of a wired system is that it is reliable and requires no batteries. In contrast, a wireless system is much easier to install and the prices are dropping but their entry cost is higher. Complete wireless and wired security packages are available from many different companies. Handyguy Paul is looking into Home Security Store as one possible vendor.

One wireless system that looks easy to install is the InGrid system  Like other security systems, InGrid provides central station monitoring and a cool web interface. We may discuss InGrid in detail on a future episode.

The Handyguys then discuss home surveillance

Home surveillance systems are a network of cameras. Two types of video monitoring include overt and covert installations. The covert systems are virtually invisible with cameras in things like clocks or teddy bears. The overt system is what Handyguy Paul is more interested in.  It includes an obvious camera hooked up to a PC based digital recorder. They are motion activated. Such a system can act as a deterrent and can also be used in identification of criminals and assist prosecution.  One DIY kit is from wylife.com The Handyguys Podcast is looking forward to discussing the wylife.com solution in a future episode. If our listeners have a favorite DIY home surveillance system they want us to look into for our episode on home surveillance please let us know.

Lastly The Handyguys discuss home automation

How does home automation fit with home security and home automation? Home automation can traditionally do things like turn on and off lights, control HVAC, etc. Some home automation systems can interface with home security systems. The Handyguys ideally want to find an all in one system that can handle home automation, security and surveillance in one easy to use DIY package. One possible place to get everything needed may be smarthome.com Do any of our listeners have any other suggestions? Let us know.

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The Handyguys August 7th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys address the soon-to-come fall lawn care season.

Before The Handyguys talk about fall lawn care they address a listener question.

TerBeek sent us the following message -

How can I remove a broken drill bit from the window moulding without damaging the moulding? We were drilling a pilot hole for hardware to hang a custom sized window blind when the bit broke.  The molding area isn’t large, limiting the area in which we can install the window treatment hardware.  (i.e., we need that bit out, because the hardware can’t be moved up, down, forward or back from the initial pilot hole position.) The bit was very thin, and about half of it remains in the window frame/moulding.  It broke off flush with the surface, so we can’t grab it with a pliers.  Help!  We’re getting sick of the temporary blinds but don’t know what to do to reclaim our pilot hole.

The Handyguys Brian & Paul have some ideas. Listen to the show for their possible solutions.

Now on to Fall lawn care.

We know that this is not a popular thing to say this time of year, but the fall season is just around the corner!  And with Fall, comes the most important time in lawn maintenance.  It is the time when you need to feed, de-weed, and pamper your lawn to make it strong and healthy for the winter season.  For cool season lawns, this is the time for the handguy get to work your yard.

What do the Handyguys recommend?  Good fertilizer, a good core aerator, a rake and some new grass seed will be your main tools.  In addition to fertilizing and aerating your lawn, you will want to remove all the leaves and possibly over seed some of the weaker areas of your lawn.  But before you start, get those kids off the grass and listen to our podcast!

Lastly - We have a winner!

During our show on Glue we announced a contest sponsored by Eclectic Products. We have concluded the contest and drawn a winner. Congratulations to Condoblues… We will contact you directly and send you your prize.

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The Handyguys July 31st, 2008

 

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The Handyguys, Brian and Paul, first take a question from our call in line regarding repair of rotted porch posts. We then move into a Head to Head tool challenge to test out jigsaws and then wrap up with a new segment Buy, Borrow or Rent. We also discuss tool borrowing Etiquette.

Listener Questions

First off, the Handyguys answer a good question from one of our listeners regarding the repair of some porch posts. Our caller listened to our episode regarding using Bondo to repair rotted wood.  His posts were too far gone for repair so The Handyguys recommend replacing the posts. Listen to the Podcast to hear the question and Brian and Paul’s response. Brian and Paul provide some good information to help you evaluate how to go about such a repair.

Head to Head Tool Challenge

The Handyguys then move to the garage to test out two jigsaws.  Their tests pit a cheap jigsaw against a finely tuned cutting machine. The Handyguys devised three different tests: cutting a curved line in 1/2″ plywood, cutting 4″ circle in 5/4 cedar and cutting a piece of 2x pressure treated southern yellow pine. The cut in the pressure treated lumber might be similar to creating an interesting detail on the end of a rafter for a pergola.

The tests were done with similar toothed blades in the same condition. The Bosch jigsaw handled all cuts without breaking a sweat. The Skill jigsaw could not even finish the cut in the pressure treated 2x material. The finished cut of the pressure treated material, using the Bosch, was square to the face of the board; a key indicator of a quality jigsaw. The Skill was almost uncontrollable in the thinner softer material and did not create a clean cut.

Buy, borrow, rent or steal

The Handyguys discuss the merits of renting versus borrowing versus buying tools. Being tool junkies, the Handyguys usually prefer to own their own tools but renting or borrowing makes sense if it is a one-time-use tool. What about borrowing? The Handyguys will lend certain tools to people and are not afraid to borrow tools either.

Listen to their take on Borrowing etiquette. Oh, and you cant borrow Brian’s chainsaw but he will be glad to help you with some cutting tasks.

Remember, its not too late to enter the drawing for our EcoGlue and tool bag giveaway. The winner will be drawn and announced August 7th. To enter the drawing just subscribe to our email announcement of new shows. More details can be found in our Episode 25 show on glues.

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The Handyguys July 24th, 2008

 

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Can You Sell Your Home In a Downturn Market?  The Handyguys Say “Yes”!

This show is sponsored by Basement Waterproofing

First off, Brian and Paul discuss the Wall Street Journal article entitled “Will Upgrading Your Home Help You Sell It?”
The Handyguys agree with the author,  M.P. McQueen, that a big ticket upgrade will not pay for itself when re-selling your house. If you want to add on or upgrade your home, and you can afford it, then go for it. If you want to DIY the upgrade you may be able to re-coup your costs if the upgrade is done well.

There may be a possible benefit to an upgrade that is indirectly related to costs and that is time on market. If you have a finished basement, for example, and none of the other similar homes in a particular market have that, then your house may sell first or be more attractive to buyers as long as its priced similarly.

The Handyguys also discuss the negative impact of a bad remodel. When the housing market was hot many buyers overlooked bad renovations. In today’s market buyers can take longer to make up their minds and be more discerning. A poorly executed remodel will turn away buyers so make sure your remodel is up to snuff. Remember, you can always ask The Handyguys if you need any help.

It is certainly no fun trying to sell your home in a buyers market.  In some areas of the country there are dozens of homes for sale on every block .   To be sure, you won’t fetch the price you would have received a couple of years ago.  And you may be better off not selling at all if you can help it.  However, if you need to sell now, here are some tips.

 Curb Appeal

Pictures compliments of Triton Builders

The Handyguys recommend doing everything you can to make your house stand out form the minute potential buyers step out of their car.  Clean up your landscape.  Remove that broken down old car on cinder blocks.  Tear old old, overgrown shrubs.  Scrape off pealing paint and repaint.  Make sure siding is clean using a power sprayer.  Update outdoor light fixtures.  Repair any rotted wood.  Get your lawn looking good. Do anything you can to make your house more presentable.

Declutter the Inside

Pictures compliments of One Bag Nation

In addition to cleaning the inside of your house, make sure that you declutter.  Kitchen counters should be clear of everything.  Closets should be clean and free of junk.  If your closets are stuffed with clothing, remove at least a third and store elsewhere.  Remove or reposition furniture to make the house look more spacious.

Update fixtures

Improving light fixtures and plumbing fixtures can help your presentation.

No last minute Cheap Improvements

A downturn market is not a time for updating your kitchen with the cheapest cabinets possible.  It is not a time for shoddy work either.  In this market, buyers are taking their time, looking over houses.  They will not overlook bad products or shoddy work that was done at the last minute to try to make a house look more presentable.

Correct any structural problems, including leaky basements or cracked foundations.

You don’t want to scare off potential home-buyers with a house that could cause them headaches.  Correct the irritating problems caused by leaky basements.  Be sure that your structure is solid.  Many potential homeowners are willing to make the cosmetic changes in a new home but they do not want to deal with major issues to the foundation.

These are just a few areas to address.  Listen to our podcast for more information.

Time running out on the eclectic products wood glue and tool bag giveaway.  See Episode #25 for details.

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The Handyguys July 17th, 2008

 

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Dare to be a sharp dressed handyguy!

Those old jeans have got to go. They always get holes in the knees and you end up wearing them out on those tough handyguy jobs. Consider becoming a sharp dressed and smart dressed handyguy with the proper handyguy attire.

You probably thought you could just grab the oldest clothes in your wardrobe (and you can) but your knees are too important to be left unprotected. Those old jeans always wear out on the more rugged jobs. Every handyguy knows how jeans get holes in the knees as soon as you get down and dirty working on your home. Before you know it, you don’t have a decent pair of jeans to wear to church social events!

Replace those jeans with Carhartt Canvas work pants . These pants protect your legs and keep you cool using a 7.5 oz lightweight canvas. These pants performed well for Paul during Katrina relief work on 95+ degree days! Despite hard labor, his legs came out without a scratch and he did not have to sweat over it. However, do be careful which Carhartt pants you purchase. Reserve the heavier 9.5 oz Carhartt pants for the winter months! This link will take you to our store where you can purchase the lightweight Carhartts.

Depending on the work you are doing, it may be wise to invest in a good pair of workboots. Some have a steel shank to protect your feet from those nails that you step on when demolishing that old shed in the back yard. Others have a steel toe to protect you when you drop that cast iron drill press. However, many handyguys can get away with a plain ole’ pair of sneakers.

Once you upgrade your handyguy clothing, you need to consider accessories… although these accessories are not optional! Safety glasses and ear plugs or muffs should always be within reach. In addition, knee pads are a must for that tile job.

Listen to the podcast for more details. Can anyone tell what music Handyguys Brian had on when the show started? Leave a comment if you know.

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The Handyguys July 10th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys revisit a bit of advice on keeping your lawn green and discuss various types of glues, in particular, EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive

Read on and listen to the podcast for details of a wood glue and tool bag giveaway from Eclectic Products.

First off - Good advice or bad advice

The Handyguys re-visit keeping your lawn green. Is the advice for making sure your lawn gets an inch of water a week sound? Yes, of course. What happens if you don’t follow this advice? Listen to the podcast to find out.

The Handyguys then discuss different types of glues

Common types of glue discussed are:

• Epoxy
• Hot Glues
• Household glue & paste
• Polyurethane glue
• Wood Glue

The Handyguys review a new wood glue from Eclectic Products. The glue is a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) wood glue called EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. Before making a recommendation and giving away a sample, the Handyguys did an informal test.

The Handyguys selected a piece of cherry wood for their test. The same glue-up was performed with a regular yellow wood glue and EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The documentation says to wait 24 hours for 100% strength on both the yellow glue and the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive. The sample boards were properly jointed, prepared and glue applied. The test pieces were clamped for over 24 hours.

The Handyguys then scratch their heads for a way to test the strength of the two glues. Obviously the test is not a purely scientific one. The goal is to ensure that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive is stronger than the wood itself. We then spanned the test pieces between two boards and applied weight directly to the joint. We had a bit of fun finding heavy stuff to apply weight to the glue joint. We added a 50lb battery, a case of shotgun shells, a drill press and Paul’s weight on the glue joint. Neither the yellow glue nor the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive joint or boards broke. Brian, being a bit heavier, was able to break the yellow glue sample board while holding the drill press and the car battery. The EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board still did not break.

Finally, to break the EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive sample board, Brian reached for his Estwing framing hammer and gave the glue joint a sharp rap. The board broke into three pieces but the glue held strong.

The Handyguys also tested scraping excess dried glue from the joint. The excess dried glue scraped off the same as traditional yellow wood glue. The Handyguys were very satisfied that the new EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive will perform as well as a traditional yellow glue yet have lower VOCs.

OK, The Handyguys admit their test isn’t very scientific. Below are the results of two tests performed by Eclectic Products. Click on the thumbnail image to see the results full size.

ASTM D 3164-03 Lap Shear Test	ASTM D-903 180deg Peel Test

The Handyguys then go on to discuss a giveaway contest

Eclectic products will be sending some samples of EcoGlue Premium Wood Adhesive to one of our listeners. The giveaway includes two containers of wood glue, a sample board and a nice portable tool bag. This is an entirely free giveaway.

To enter the contest, you simply need to subscribe to our email notification of new podcasts. To subscribe, just enter your email in the box just below where it says “Subscribe and get the new shows in your email inbox” on the right side of our home page. You will be sent an email asking you to verify you really want to subscribe. Just click the link in that email to confirm your subscription. The Handyguys never spam. You will only get an email from us when each weekly episode is published. We will also use the address on occasion when we have other announcements.  The emails will usually arrive in your inbox every Thursday between 5PM and 7PM Eastern time. A winner will be drawn from the list of people who have signed up for our weekly notification. If you already receive our email notifications you have already been entered. If you get our episodes via iTunes or some other delivery method you will need to come to the site and provide your email address. A winner will be announced on our home page on August 7th.

Thanks for listening and good luck.

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The Handyguys July 3rd, 2008

 

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The Handyguys discuss fixing that old BBQ grill that no longer cooks as well as it should.

Does one side of your grill heat better then the other?  Does it take a long time to cook your steaks on your outdoor grill?  Don’t go out and buy a new grill… a couple new parts is all you need.  The Handyguys discuss how you can fix up your grill and get it working like the day you brought it home.

In addition, the handyguys discuss grill accessories such as this handy stainless steel grill set.

The Handyguys also provide some tips for purchasing a new grill. Listen to the show for their thoughts.

As for Paul’s busted down grill, he had good success getting his new burner from www.grillparts.com*.  He liked the fact that they had a phone number with real humans that you could call for service or orders.  This demonstrated their desire to ofter decent customer service. Check it out and if you do purchase from them, let them know that you heard about their store from this podcast (when I talked to them they had never heard of podcasts before).

Here are some pictures of Paul replacing his burner with new parts.  This job took less then 1 hour. You can click on the picture to see it full size.

Essentially Handyguy Paul had three primary steps. Your grill may be different.

1) Remove grates and clean everything well

2) Remove Knobs, trim and gas valves

3) Swap in new burners and re-assemble

The grill now works as good as new. Last step is to clean the sink Paul.

*This is a personal recommendation from Handyguy Paul and not a sponsored or paid referral.

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The Handyguys June 26th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and address listener questions

The handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and decided to make plans available to anyone who wants them. Feel free to download the .pdf and pass it around to whoever may want it. Listen to the podcast for details on the design and construction. The trellis only uses one board and some screws. It will only take an hour or two to build.

Before the Handyguys get too deep into the trellis project they answer some listener questions.

First up is a question from Rob - Rob wants to remove a support pole from his basement. Don’t do it Rob. We share some tips for incorporating it in your design.

Second is a question from Roger about a white gritty substance in his hot water. Listen to the podcast for some suggestions. Its likely time for a new heater for Roger. Roger may find other useful information in our podcast entitled The Cold Water Heater

Third is a question from Tilo - Tilo is stuck as to how to run crown moulding around a window that goes up to the ceiling. The Handyguys recommend building a valance. We discussed nail guns and compressors in our episode entitled Compress It! Tilo, you may want to also give that a listen. A nail gun will make your project a lot easier.

Lastly listener Calster wants to know if they could glue a medicine cabinet to a large mirror in a bathroom. The Handyguys discuss some options but ultimately recommend removing the mirror. We will be talking about some new glues in an episode in a few weeks.But not likely something that will help Calister.

On to the Trellis

Tools and materials needed:

• Table saw
• Drill and bits
• Wood glue
• Spring clamps
• 5/4″ x 6″ x 8′ knot free cedar or similar
• 4″ exterior wood screws
• 1 1/4″ exterior wood screws
• bar clamps
• square

Steps to build:

1. Using a table saw, rip cedar into 3/4″ strips. You will be left with a small piece of wood about 3/16″ wide. You want that piece to come from the center of the board, not the edge.
2. Cut one of the slats into cross pieces as show on the next page
3. Cut your 3/16″ slat into eight 6″ pieces.
4. Assemble the base first as shown on page two. Use glue and screws. Pre-drill to prevent splitting. A bar clamp will help hold everything together while you are drilling and screwing.
5. Attach the top cross piece first. Use spring clamps to hold it while you drill and screw. Attach the center and outer two slats first then slats two and four. Attach with 1 1/4″ exterior wood screws. Use a square to ensure the first cross piece is square to the center slat.
6. Attach the remaining cross pieces in the same fashion and make sure they are square to the center slat.

We hope you find this to be a useful project. If you have any questions about it you can click on where it says comments right below this post and ask away.

If you have any other questions about your home or other DIY project you can always call us at 615-676-0877 or email The Handyguys at us@handyguyspodcast.com or use the contact form on the website.

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The Handyguys June 19th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German.

Part 2 of 2 of Roger German’s interview, Part 6 of the basement finishing series.

Brian and Paul complete their interview with basement remodeling expert Roger German. Mr. German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press’ “Build Like a Pro” series of books. This is the second half of our interview.
In part 2 of the interview, Roger discusses the following:

• Basement Extras
• Lighting
• Drop Ceiling vs. sheet rock
• More on water mitigation

Thanks to listening to this interview with Roger German.

This post will conclude our 6 part series on basements. As always if you have any questions about any DIY or home improvement topics feel free to contact us. You may also comment on these posts.

In next weeks episode we will address several listener/reader questions as well as provide plans and give guidance on building and arbor for your garden.

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The Handyguys June 12th, 2008

 

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The Handyguys complete their basement finishing series with an interview of a basement refinishing expert Roger German.

Part 1 of 2 of Roger German’s interview, Part 5 of the basement finishing series.

Brian and Paul are fortunate for the opportunity to interview an author and basement finishing expert. Roger German is the author of Remodeling a Basement from the Taunton Press “Build Like a Pro” series of books. Due to the length of this interview, it will be split up into two parts.

In part 1 of the interview, Roger discusses the following:

• How Roger got started with his book
• To DIY or not to DIY
• Mistakes seen
• You can do it cheap, do it fast, do it high quality - Pick two
• Some code issues
• HVAC, heating, venting, cooling options
• Steel vs wood studs
• Water mitigation

We wrap up the show talking about insulation, R values, vapor barriers, and mold prevention, etc. Thanks for listening. Buy the book or shop in our store to support the Handyguys Podcast. Next week will be part two of the interview.

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