Copyright (c) 2012 FineHomebuilding.com en-us Fine Homebuilding - "There's A Better Way - Fine Homebuilding Reader Quick Tips" contest entries http://www.finehomebuilding.com/contest/reader-quick-tips Sat, 26 May 2012 14:08:48 -0500 Fine Homebuilding - "There's A Better Way - Fine Homebuilding Reader Quick Tips" contest entries http://www.finehomebuilding.com/assets/images/cs_logo_sm.jpg http://www.finehomebuilding.com/contest/reader-quick-tips Tue, 01 May 2012 14:55:13 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/23399/integrated-night-lights-a-worthy-weekend-project http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/23399/integrated-night-lights-a-worthy-weekend-project Posted by triedandtrue_design
Navigating your house in the middle of the night, in the dark, might be easy for you, but what about your occasional houseguests? What about your kids? Mine seem to always have a reason to rouse me... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/23399/integrated-night-lights-a-worthy-weekend-project Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:41:13 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22862/38-drill-bit-extension-long-as-you-need-it http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22862/38-drill-bit-extension-long-as-you-need-it Posted by barker
Well, I had to have a short extension for my 3/8 inch drive Forstner bit. Just had to. I went to three hardware stores and was pretty well convinced that they don't sell such a thing. 1/4 inch... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22862/38-drill-bit-extension-long-as-you-need-it Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:40:33 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22029/concrete-vibrator http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22029/concrete-vibrator Posted by Noecom
This tool uses any 3/8" (chuck) drill and a length of rebar #3 or #4. Cut rebar to comfortable length allowing insertion to the full depth of the form or trench. Put a little wiggle in one... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22029/concrete-vibrator Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:45:44 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21836/painful-skin-cracks http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21836/painful-skin-cracks Posted by Realestatelady
Good response by dermatologist in Q&A of Feb/March 2012 issue as to question of painful skin cracks.  But she omitted the best, easiest, quickest tip:  a drop of Super-Glue on the crack takes pain... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21836/painful-skin-cracks Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:35:10 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21577/protecting-birch-trim http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21577/protecting-birch-trim Posted by Luber
With Birch window and door casing, I'm reluctant to use my pneumatic nailer because it's never 100% sure to get the heads below the surface and it's hard to fix things when that happens. So I'm using... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21577/protecting-birch-trim Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:23:19 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21310/the-hole-punch-protection-method http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21310/the-hole-punch-protection-method Posted by marissadmoore
Here is an easy way to spackle or paint small areas with very little clean up, while protecting surrounding areas. All you need is painters/masking tape and a hole punch. Just rip a small piece of... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21310/the-hole-punch-protection-method Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:39:10 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21103/temporary-no-pest-vent-cap http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21103/temporary-no-pest-vent-cap Posted by swc_boise
Before closing up our Idaho remodel for the season, I made a final walk-around to check for openings where pests might find their way in over the winter. I noticed an open plumbing air vent pipe... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/21103/temporary-no-pest-vent-cap Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:49:52 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/20086/installremove-eyescrews-and-hooks http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/20086/installremove-eyescrews-and-hooks Posted by fogmann
I used to painfully install hooks and eyescrews with a screwdriver through the hole. Predrill an appropriate sized hole, and then mount a matching hook or open eye bolt onto your drill chuck. Hand... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/20086/installremove-eyescrews-and-hooks Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:44:04 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/17963/miter-saw-multi-cut-jig http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/17963/miter-saw-multi-cut-jig Posted by tsmtnman
Here is a quick jig that I used on my dads miter saw. I needed to cut some one by twos to 24 inches. Since the saw was just on saw horses and I wanted to make sure all the parts were equal. My dad... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/17963/miter-saw-multi-cut-jig Fri, 20 May 2011 22:33:42 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16066/dead-level-demo http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16066/dead-level-demo Posted by bikinmatt
When cutting out a new RO for a window installation, I wanted to be sure my cut at the bottom would produce a level sill. I happened to have my layout laser set up because I wanted the new window to... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16066/dead-level-demo Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:16:16 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16847/saving-money-on-dump-fees http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16847/saving-money-on-dump-fees Posted by jasonneil36
When I am installing gyproc I leave one side of a wall unfinished untill the very end. I do this so i can have a place to store all those scrap bits of gyproc that have been produced. You... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16847/saving-money-on-dump-fees Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:09:36 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16270/easy-toggle-anchor-clean-up http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16270/easy-toggle-anchor-clean-up Posted by MarcCaputo
When installing toggle anchors for towel bars, the last thing you want to do is lug around a vac. Instead, it carry a roll of 2" blue painters tape. Simply fold the tape back to the non sticky side... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16270/easy-toggle-anchor-clean-up Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:30:14 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16224/amazing-magnetic-vacuum http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16224/amazing-magnetic-vacuum Posted by EGHMS
I received as a gift from a supplier a magnetic wrist band to hold screws and what not. It just got in the way so it has been lying in the bottom of my tool tote. while vacuuming up drywall dust on a... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/16224/amazing-magnetic-vacuum Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:50:00 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/15918/using-a-zip-line-for-quick-demo-removal-aka-the-flying-bathtub http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/15918/using-a-zip-line-for-quick-demo-removal-aka-the-flying-bathtub Posted by BillyD
In the process of remodeling a third floor bedroom/bath, we needed to find a way to quickly, safely, and efficiently remove all the demo materials. Guess what we came up with... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/15918/using-a-zip-line-for-quick-demo-removal-aka-the-flying-bathtub Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:48:58 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14330/e-z-toilet-bolt-cutting http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14330/e-z-toilet-bolt-cutting Posted by chuckstir
toilet bolts hold down ,to the toilet flange,are cut with bolt cutters....instead of using a hacksaw ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14330/e-z-toilet-bolt-cutting Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:38:11 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14232/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14232/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 Posted by backissues
  Thanks to all who called.  The collection was picked-up this morning by a long time carpenter in nearby Royce City, TX, who also was the first to telephone.  ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14232/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:02:11 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14210/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14210/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 Posted by backissues
See how it was done with square nails!  (1983-1992 and 1998-2002)My parents collection, in fine shape.  You pay shipping from Dallas (about 71lbs.).   I can't trash themnbsp... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14210/free-fh-backissues-12-thru-71-and-118-thru-147 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:53:25 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14135/paint-brush-keeping-it-from-drying-until-the-next-use http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14135/paint-brush-keeping-it-from-drying-until-the-next-use Posted by SharperTool
Just saw the Chuck Miller video on using a ziplock bag to put your wet paint brush in, but I think this trick is easier, less messy, cheaper, and more effective.  Take a length of SaranCling... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/14135/paint-brush-keeping-it-from-drying-until-the-next-use Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:16:57 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13938/repurposing-a-broken-tape-measure http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13938/repurposing-a-broken-tape-measure Posted by PEBuilder
I have too many broken tapes to be proud of.  In this day of toss and turn, I used the clips from the old tape measure case and screw them to the usual "hand only" toolsnbspnbsp... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13938/repurposing-a-broken-tape-measure Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:17:16 -0500 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13026/replacing-a-starter-rope-on-a-gas-engine http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13026/replacing-a-starter-rope-on-a-gas-engine Posted by carpenterbooks
This is a typical recoil starter assembly for asmall gas engine. I know most carpenters andcontractors own and rent many pieces ofequipment powered with gas engines, and Iknow that nearly all of you... ]]> http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/13026/replacing-a-starter-rope-on-a-gas-engine