Recent content by Mikeman

I would suggest reconsidering the combo tub and shower for resale value. More people want a shower and as the population ages there is more of a concern about safety in climbing into and out of a tub. A large shower with the multi-nozzel setup at each end and easy access will be more popular...

The overall cost of construction with manufactured structures is often the same as stick built but the time required is greatly reduced and weather not a concern. With a concrete pad in place a manufactured home can be in place in a day. Even with SIP panel modular construction a house can be...

I have a similar problem and have opted to have the area ground down flat and filled with an epoxy filler designed for use on concrete. The grinder can be rented for less than $50 for a day and a 7" diamond grinding wheel costs $100 or you can pay someone $300 (as I am did) to do it for you. I...

Easiest way to muffle the noise is to blanket the furnace or the closet with leaded foam of the type used to muffle engine compartments on boats. It is fire proof and very effective at muffling noise so long as the noise is not coming through the ducting from the motor which is often the case...

Remodel can mean adding electrical and and sinks and a toilet or it mean finishing the walls and ceiling and floor. Two very different situations in terms of complexity and permits needed. If you are just covering the walls you can get a drywall contractor to give a quote or for a drop ceiling...

Suggest checking with the association for your complex as to what is approved in terms of modifications to the outside wall of your townhouse. If the original plans had a laundry area that was located where it would be too far to vent properly to the outside you may be able to get some...

The furnace should be vented but cook tops do not need to be vented at all. Microwave ovens designed for use over a cooktop all have a provision for forcing the air through a filter and then back out into the room. Above a stove some provision needs to be made for stove top fires but that is...

I would also try flipping the breakers all the way off and then back on. One may be tripped and not resetting all the way.

A Nobel Peace Prize was also given to Henry Kissinger who did more to encourage the slaughter of civilians in East Timor, El Salvador, Chile, Argentina, and Vietnam than any other man alive. Unfortunately President Obama seems to be following in Bush, Reagan, and Nixon's footsteps. We have had...

Best I have used are Vaco. Harder to find but they hold up very well. Snap On also makes some great screwdrivers and you could probably buy some through your local garage.

Every consumer test I have seen shows WD-40 outperforms everything else by a wide margin. Developed for use by the US Navy using your tax dollars so might as well take advantage of the investment.

It depends upon whether the table saw needs to be portable or not. I like my Porter Cable contractor saw but my next one will probably be a Bosch. If I was doing a home woodshop I would look for a used high end model like a used Delta (not the newer Deltas). Very little that needs to be done to...

Cordless drills will work a lot better with the right drill bit or hole cutter. A self feed bit that removes all the wood from the hole takes a lot more power than a big gullet hole cutter - like the Blue Boar TCT hole cutters. Auger bits work more efficiently than spade drill bits - like the...

Saw a new design for a cheap welding cart that used to C sections of tubing to give it a lot of rigidity. My cheap cart was a starting point and I needed to weld on reinforcing straps to keep it from wobbling when pulled around. I always end up adding a tube for rods as well so every cart is...

I saw a guy using a Hole Pro adjustable hole cutter in Germany and then found one in the US. It adjusts from 2" up to 12" and I use it to make holes for recessed lighting and ceiling speakers and in the shop for making discs (having removed the pilot bit) using a drill press. It uses a clear...