Reader Tips - Page 70 of 213

Not long ago, I accidentally hit several of my favorite tools with a quick blast from a can of spray paint, giving them a black-speckled look. The cap was anchored…

As a renovation contractor, I work mostly in old homes that require straightening (where possible). To find out how much a floor sagged from one corner to the other, I…

The on/off switch on my tablesaw is the style with the on button recessed and the off button proud of the faceplate, but I still often find it hard to…

On straightforward roofs with rectangular shapes, snapping chalklines on the sheathing is easy because chalkline hooks are designed to grab at 90°. When a roof becomes more complicated, with hexagonal…

Woodpeckers made some awful 1/2-in.-dia. holes in my red-cedar sidewall shingles. After replacing more shingles than I care to admit, I came up with an easy, effective solution. I simply…

Before I remove a mirror that has been glued to a wall, I cover it with carpet protector. This is an adhesive-backed clear plastic sheet. If the glass should fracture,…

Production-minded installers using pneumatic tools aren’t always cautious about where they drive the nails or staples that fasten cedar shingles to a wall. I was asked to strip and reshingle…

Use this creative custom solution to create a rounded 45° corner.

Here’s a simple drying rack for hanging freshly painted balusters. It is made with a couple of sawhorses and 8-ft. 2x2s. I cut a dovetailed slot in the 2x2s, drive…

Because fiber cement is heavy and dense, it is difficult for one person to hold it to a line, match up to an end, and start the first fastener. My…