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There's a Better Way - Fine Homebuilding Reader Quick Tips

WINNING ENTRY UPDATE: We’re Giving Away a Miter Saw

By Ed Pirnik
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Your best tip could win you this 12" Milwaukee Miter Saw

Update – September 10, 2009 – 9:30 a.m. EST:

In all honesty, I wish I had four saws to give away for the inauguration of our new Reader Quick Tips blog. Alas, I have only one tool collecting dust on the floor just outside my cube here at the offices of Fine Homebuilding. Our four finalist tips were all either incredibly useful or just plain ingenious–from a method for laying out a variety of different roof angles on a single block of wood, to one reader who took one of our own “There’s a Better Way” video tips and, well . . . made it even better.

In the end however, there could be only one. Our winner, having garnered a solid 54% of the vote, was the “California Dyrwall Patch.” Member, MDFContracting’s patch job does away with the classic method of installing wood backers behind the hole before screwing in a new scrap of drywall. While I wouldn’t recommend it for a large patch, it’s a much faster way to get the job done when confronting smaller holes.

Enjoy your new miter saw!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After mulling over the submissions to our reader tips blog, we’ve found our four finalists. Vote now for the best tip. Below, you’ll find the roundup with links to their tips. Have a look and cast your ballot.

*Voting will be limited by IP address.

 

Get Hip to Tricky Roof Angles

California Drywall Patch

T-Track Hold-Down Clamp

A Better “Better Way”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Put the Vote to You

Do you know a “better way” for getting something done on the job site or without expensive tools? Then share your tips on FineHomebuilding.com’s new community blog: Quick Tips from Our Readers.

What better way to celebrate the inauguration of the new blog than with a tool giveaway. We’ve had this brand new Milwaukee 12″ Dual Bevel saw burning a hole in our office carpet for too long. I’ve put my foot down and decided she needs a new home.

So get posting for your chance to score a saw and a shot at having your tip published in an upcoming issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine. (Note: Publication of the best tip in Fine Homebuilding magazine is at the discretion of our editorial team.)

Here’s the deal:

• For the next month, post your best tips in the new Quick Tips from Our Readers blog. Make sure to include some photos that clearly illustrate your quick tip.

• At 3 p.m. on September 3, a team of Fine Homebuilding editors will narrow down the pool to four finalist tips.

• That evening, we put the final vote to our readers. For one week, Fine Homebuilding.com community members will be able to vote on the best Quick Tip.

• Thursday, September 10: Our winner will be announced.

Post your tips here. (Do not post them to the comments field below)

 

 

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Your best tip could win you this 12" Milwaukee Miter Saw

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View Comments

  1. D11RDozer | Jul 31, 2009 03:05pm | #1

    Never let your fingers leave your hand

  2. PagosaRob | Aug 01, 2009 10:24pm | #2

    measure twice, cut once but bring back all your fingers!

  3. 55puget | Aug 03, 2009 04:47am | #3

    excellent tool for filling the kindling box when cleaning up the work site. Keep a long heavy duty extension cord exclusive for the miter saw's use so you are not searching for these items and wasting work time. This makes it easy to transport to an open deck and be ready for work.

  4. Highland1 | Aug 03, 2009 06:54am | #4

    With so many really great apps for this tool, my best tip is to be REALLY REALLY sweet to my hubby so he'll get to MY list instead of everyone elses!

  5. HB2pencil | Feb 14, 2016 01:54am | #5

    I'm shocked to witness a contest with a prize of..... "Fine Homebuilding tool review" payroll staff, standing behind this paticular product.
    I like Milwaukee products but strongly turn my cheek at their chop saws. These obese, dead weight, pain in the butt transportable saws will deter you from ever establishing a respectable relation with this tool! This particular model is the runt of the litter...the compound saw wasting more space in your truck and pulling your back to the extent of this opinion.

    Fine Homebuilding, your readers respect your published words and articles. Promotional goods leading to a hernia should astute to a standard your name represents.

    "I personally have learned through mistakes once taking 10 steps back, acknowledgement and experience through these underestimated experience grant us better judgement each day"

    This is an old article and my first expressed comment on this site.

    FYI: I would never buy/ offer to pack up this bulky space consuming tool. I do however plan on achieving a 8x11" glossy print published page on the back cover of your magazine one day:)

    Talk to you soon,
    Holly Bryce

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