One Hundred Episodes of The Handyguys Podcast. Wow! The Handyguys discuss some of their favorite shows, talk about what is in store for the future and have a special guest, Marc Spagnuolo, aka “The Wood Whisperer“.

Looking Back

Brian & Paul reminisce about some of our favorite shows.  We had fun trying out riding mowers in episode 71. The dishwasher episode was great because it gets a ton of plays every day. Talking about snow blowers with The Wall Street journal was great last year and has recently been popular again due to all the snow. An who would have thought that the how to build a trellis show would get so many hits?

As I’m writing this I’m thinking about what is a common element in our shows about mowers, snow blowers, dishwashers and trellises. The common element is they all have something extra beyond the podcast. That extra is usually a video, a download or some special images. Expect much more of this in the year ahead.

The Wood Whisperer

Marc was able to call in to the show to congratulate us on show number 100. Marc runs The Wood Whisperer website. We didn’t ask him how he came up with the name but it works. Marc has a ton of information for woodworkers. The Wood Whisperer website teaches fine woodworking, techniques and finishes. He engages his audience and provides valuable content. If you want to learn about woodworking make sure you visit The Wood Whisperer. In this podcast we talk about each of our websites and our strategies for the future.

Looking forward

Marc gave us a great segue into our future plans. For our regular listeners you have heard us mention video before. We have posted a few short video clips already. We are in the process of refining our techniques and delivery mechanisms. We expect to deliver quality beyond the generic youtube video. Think High Definition. We intend to make our regular weekly show available on video as well as audio only. Video subscribers will have the added benefit of some additional content and visuals. We will also be interspersing short how to videos. You will be able to watch The Handyguys online, on a Roku, Tivo, AppleTV, iTouch, iPad, other portable video players or on the big screen in your living room. This will be fun so stay tuned, make sure you subscribe to either iTunes, RSS, email or twitter. You don’t want to miss the official launch of Handyguys TV.

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.