Kelly Smith's Blog
Posted by Kelly Smith
OK, I know, I know; I’m a day early. But what the heck, I guess I’ll be sleeping in tomorrow like the rest of you!
If you look at the new poll I just posted, I’m trying to get a grip on what kind of articles you want me to focus on. Thanks for your many emails suggesting topics, but I know there are many “lurkers” out there. I’d like to know what’s on your DIY agenda as well. Feedback, please!
Just yesterday I posted an article on wood finishes. Many of you are doing indoor projects just now because of the weather. My kitchen cabinets are crying for attention and so wood finishes are a good thing for me to research.
I hope you also took time to read this piece on drywall texturing and how easy it is.
On project I worked on yesterday afternoon was putting in a new 4’ X 4’ to brace up my backyard fence. The hardest part was cutting away a maze of jasmine vines that have taken up residence there. That’s a messy job. Jasmine bleeds a white say that’s as sticky as Gorilla Grip glue!
Digging the hole was the easy part. The ground has been too hard lately so I’ve been waiting for rain. Night before last we got a real gully-washer!
And yes, I am very appreciative of pre-mixed concrete that you don’t have to mix in a wheelbarrow.
While I was setting the post, I remembered a home makeover show on the tube the other day. The guy was building a deck and said, “We’re using cedar here instead of pressure-treated pine because it’s a renewable resource!”
Pine isn’t renewable???
Posted by Kelly Smith
Have you finished your Christmas shopping? I know I haven’t! It’s a guy thing, I guess. But then I’ve got an advantage; as a writer working out of my home office, I’m my own boss. I can give myself time off during the week so I don’t have to mingle with thousands of “cheerful” consumers at the stores.
Christmas Toys!
The one thing that irritates me is all the lead-coated toys those conscientious Chinese have sent us. Even Toys for Tots is feeling the pinch as they throw away bad toys. Don’t misunderstand me – I’m all for free trade. But the Chinese simply don’t trade fair.
The upside is that some domestic toy makers have gotten a boost. They’ve been blacklisted by money-grubbing toy distributors far too long.
For instance, Don and Mary Hurley at D and ME Toys in Montana make their toys from wood and finish them with natural oils. And they don’t have any Chinese kids chained to the work bench!
Home Grown Christmas Trees!
The only other disappointment is that the local Christmas tree farm didn’t open its doors this year. Something to do with crop rotation, I think. We have a family tradition of cutting our own. It’s very cool for kids.
Progress on the PR (Perpetual Remodel)
Have any of you got any DIY projects in the pipeline? Since the weather has turned mild I’ve been spending some time working on the house. Yes, the wife is smiling! I’ve replaced a ceiling fan, finished most of the baseboard installation, and I’m about ready to start remodeling the bathroom.
I felt that morally I needed to crank things up a notch since my recent article on DIY New Year’s resolutions. Give it a read and start making your list!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Just recently I penned (rather keyboarded) an article for you on popular power tools for Christmas gifts. One of the tools I mentioned was that old all-around favorite – the bench grinder.
Well, as often happens, just as soon as I sing the praises of one, I find another tool that does some of its tasks even better. The bench grinder will always be more adept at some jobs, but not at some tool sharpening, as I found out.
So what tool could I possibly be speaking of? The Work Sharp Tool Sharpener, model WS2000. Where a grinder spins vertically and presents a narrow grinding surface, the Work Sharp spins horizontally at a respectable 1750 RPM.
The WS2000 comes with a nice wide tool rest to give you complete control over the tool you're sharpening, whether it's an ax or cold chisel. Although it comes with a nice assortment of abrasive disks, Work Sharp isn't one of those companies that lock DIYers into proprietary replacement parts. Any adhesive backed 6” disk will work.
One nice feature is the Edge Vision Underside Port, which, when used with the slotted wheel, allows you to keep an eye on your progress when sharpening small tools such as screwdrivers and lathe knives.
The Work Sharp eliminates another of the bench grinders drawbacks: tool overheating. How does it do this? By using a dry cooling system of routed airflow and a heat sink. No more over-tempered chisels.
Speaking of chisel sharpening, in my eyes that is the one thing that sets the WS2000 apart from any competitors. It sports the Chisel Sharpening Port which puts a precise 25 degree angle on your steel!
And yes, the WS2000, or its cousin the WS3000, makes a dandy Christmas present for your DIYer... or yourself!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Christmas, My Favorite Time of the Year
Ahh, Christmas draws near. It's my favorite holiday of the year. As a kid, this whole time of year held a certain allure for me. Imagine, first came Halloween; the carnival of candy and all things spooky. The next thing I knew, here comes Thanksgiving. Lots of chow and no school!
Then came Christmas. All those gifts, and again, no school! Some of my elementary school buddies were Jewish. Not only did they get presents and great chow over the Chanukah holiday; they celebrated Christmas as well, and got more gifts and chow. I remember thinking, “Oh now I get it, that's why the preacher said the Jews were God's chosen people.”
Unwrap Your Christmas DIY Articles
In the spirit of the season, I've posted three articles for you recently; Christmas, the Holidays, and DIY; DIY Hand Tool Ideas; and DIY Power Tool Ideas. (The second and third are hint articles for your significant other.) I'll try to crank out one or two more – email me with any ideas.
And... Your Non-DIY Christmas Articles
But I'm not the only one slaving over the keyboard for you. Boatloads of writers here at S101 have contributed Christmas and holiday articles in their areas of expertise. Mary, the Feature Writer over in Crafts, has been working like a slave to put them all in on place for your convenience. Surf on over to http://crafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/holiday_event to check out our holiday offering. You will be amazed at the variety!
The Christmas gift I feel like I'm getting out of this is all the great comments, questions, and article suggestions I've gotten from y'all these past few months. And I do appreciate it!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Wood Shop Organizing - It's Time
I have a confession to make. I'm guilty of not always putting my tools back where they belong. Are you? Come on, don't be shy; you know who you are!
It's not so much that I'm a slob. I just get involved and set things down. And, when it's time to quit for the day, I tell myself that since I'll be right back at it the next day; I'll just leave them. But I don't always get back to it when planned.
DIY Project Inefficiency
Consequently, when I've got a five minute chore, I spend thirty minutes assembling my hand tools. It's a blessing that my larger power tools are easy to spot. The lathe tends not to go anywhere. Neither does my band saw. The benchtop table saw and benchtop drill press are easy enough to spot.
So a few times a year I wander around my wood shop and pick up tools, containers of screws and nails, and put them back where they're supposed to live. This time I've got a pile of lumber right in the middle of the floor. That's going to need a solution.
High Quality Hand Tools
Do you have any old, dependable tools? I ran across one as I cleaned up. A Craftsman 16 once, fiberglass handled, straight claw hammer. The amazing thing is that I bought it in 1979 when I began my four year journey in my carpenter's apprenticeship with the Carpenter's Union.
Twenty eight years. And since I spent the next fourteen years as a journeyman carpenter (acoustical ceiling mechanic and framer), that hammer saw a lot of use. And it still does. Too bad they don't make tools like that anymore.
Posted by Kelly Smith
I ran across a very cool contest the other day. Even though anybody would be happy to be the grand prize winner, the prize really dovetails into the plans of any DIYers out there who have a remodel looming on the horizon. (Come on, income tax refund time!)
The electronics and appliance company LG seems to be into everything lately. Any stroll through Best Buy will convince you of that! Big screen TV's, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. The first time that I saw any of their products was when I was a supervisor at a hotel. There was a big remodel going on and here came a truckload of LG televisions. Over 400.
But back to why you're reading this. The contest. The grand prize is a collection of appliances and electronics that's worth over $18,000. When you win you'll probably have to pony up tax on it, but hey, who's complaining?
In addition to the grand prize, there will be a second and third prizewinner and then 20 finalists. All told, it all adds up to over $30,000.
So how do you win? You'll have to slap on your thinking cab and be incredibly creative and witty. Get out your director's chair and make a 15 to 30 second video. What's the theme? Anything that makes you sigh and say, “Life's good when...”. Yeah, like their motto.
You'll have to hurry because the deadline is 11:59:59 PM, November 10. No, I don't know why they didn't just say “midnight” either. Check out the official scoop on the LG page.
Posted by Kelly Smith
While doing research on recent articles on efficient lighting, I looked at light fixtures. The first article was on low voltage lighting, the next one was on LED lighting. Great ways to make your home more energy efficient!
The styles and types of lighting fixtures available is overwhelming. Stand-up lamps, indirect lighting, can or recessed lights, track lights; the list goes on and on. And like plumbing fixtures, you can pay what you want.
What I'm saying is that a fancier finish on a basic light fixture can triple the price. Like putting lipstick on a pig!
What really intrigued me about the pendant lights? They look sharper than flush mount, it's easy to install pendant lights, and they aren't as arrogant as chandeliers. Well, I take that back; some are. You know; the ones with lipstick?
In the end, there were three manufacturers that I liked. Hampton Bay was automatically on my list. Why? It's name recognition – I just trust their fans so I trust their other products.
The second on the list was the Instant Pendant Light from Worth Home Products. This fixture is a niche within the pendant light fixture market. It converts an existing can light into a pendant light in about two minutes. The dangling distance it from your ceiling is adjustable. And, it's in my budget (I can't afford lipstick).
Finally, I liked ones made by Progress Lighting. They have some interesting designs. The company is large enough so replacement parts should be accessible. For example, many of the glass components on these lights are so unique that replacing one might be a challenge.
The best thing about all the lights that I looked at were that you can still go the energy efficient route. I'm all about keeping those bills down.
Posted by Kelly Smith
It seems like lead is all over the news lately, doesn't it? Should we be concerned? Indeed! Although the U. S. Product Consumer Safety Commission issued a final lead ban to take effect in 1978, we continue to find it.
First we had the controversy over lead-based paint on toys imported from China. Not surprising. Bad things are bound to happen when we choose “cheap” over “regulated”. Did they know they were selling us lead-based paint?
That's a good question. A better one is, “Did they care?” One has to wonder.
But imagine my surprise this morning when I read in the Houston Chronicle that lipstick has excessively high levels of lead! Not just knock-off brands, either. We're talking L'Oreal, CoverGirl, Christian Dior and Mabelline!
My point is that we have to be vigilant. Owners of older (pre-1978) homes may think they're safe because they've repainted with unleaded paint, encapsulating the old lead-based paint. But every time that house was repainted before, suddenly lead-based paint was chipped and splattered in the soil around the house.
Do kids play in that dirt? Sure they do. Do some people grow a tomato plant or two around the house? You bet!
What can you as a pre-1978 homeowner do to address concerns about lead, family health, and the home? For one thing, you can get the soil tested. If you are doing any remodeling, avoid chipping or sanding paint when possible. Keep children and pregnant women out of the house.
We're safer than ever thanks to regulations. What we have to focus on now is awareness.
Posted by Kelly Smith
Since Halloween is rapidly approaching, I was thinking about writing a DIY article on building something spooky. Something like one of those caskets festooned with cobwebs that a creepy looking person rises out of to scare the britches off unsuspecting trick or treaters.
So, I started doing research on the fine art of casket, or coffin, building. Surprisingly, this is pretty hot industry. Lots of folks over the years have been put off by the high price of a fancy box that's just going to be buried anyway. Their solution? They build their own. It's the ultimate project for a wood worker; imagine, displaying your masterpiece to the wonder of those who have come to pay their final tribute to you.
What Funeral Homes Don't Want You to Know
Not surprisingly, funeral homes frown on this, and in fact lobby aggressively against it! According to law.bepress.com, “In approximately ten states, state law permits retail casket sales only through a vendor who has a funeral director’s license or operates a physical funeral establishment.” They go on to say that funeral homes typically mark up casket prices 300 to 400 percent! That's not in my Halloween budget!
The Art of the Creative Casket
That kind of profit is not just the ultimate insult. It's downright predatory. But it's a great reason for a DIYer to build his/her own casket. After all, that legislation refers to casket sales, not casket use. Extensive carpentry skills are not required; just the basics; and it makes for a great opportunity to reflect the life and personality of the not-yet-deceased.
I'm thinking of making mine to look like a kayak. Or a running shoe. Oh well, I've got time to decide.
Posted by Kelly Smith
Requiem for an Appliance King
Anyone out there planning a kitchen remodel? Planning to buy new appliances? Well, I don't have a remodel in the works but I did recently replace an aging and cantankerous refrigerator. The poor thing had served us well but its sunset was rapidly arriving.
Now, in our household we have always bought a certain brand of appliance because of dependability. That's why their commercials shows that bored repairman. So, I was free of the chore of brand shopping, I just needed to shop for features. (Oh, and my wife insisted that it match the dishwasher...)
I found just the right one! Everything was fine – for a while. We stocked it up with food both fresh and frozen. Then, about an month later, the water and ice dispenser went wacko. You know that bored repairman? Mythical. They outsource their repair work to a third party.
They work like this: wait a week for the guy to come. He diagnoses the problem. But he carries no parts. Their company is “streamlined” by having a central warehouse in another state. He orders the part and it arrives a week later. Only then is the repair made.
It turns out it was a circuit board. And an Internet search revealed that it has been a known issue for several years. But they keep selling and fixing them rather than redesign the board. Penny wise and pound foolish.
Two weeks go by and the compressor goes out. You guessed it; weeks with no fridge and several hundred dollars of food lost.
Is quality a thing of the past? The Internet tells me this company had been absorbed by another. The brand is just an illusion now. But we still have the image of the bored repairman to console us.
Posted by Kelly Smith
Time for Fall Projects
As fall approaches and I eagerly anticipate that first heat-busting cold front, I'm starting to think about those outdoor fall projects that I have been putting off. I fixed all my fascia board issues right before summer started so that I could get the roof re-shingled. There still remains some fascia painting to be done and I might get into that. It's not so bad that I risk being shunned by the neighbors.
There's that bit of fence mending to do. I already replaced the thirty foot section that a storm last year took out, but I need to shore it up because the jasmine has decided it's a good place to latch its tentacles. I certainly don't want to take the jasmine out.
A couple of years ago I made an interesting find. Wait until the jasmine is in full bloom. Then when it gets dark, set the camera on the tripod and take a family photo with the flash. Those thousands of tiny white flowers glow in the background like stars!
I would love to start on the deck, but before I get to that I think I'll build a wood walkway to put on the concrete walkway leading to the front door. They originally poured it a little low on the end by the driveway and when a hard rain comes it accumulates about an inch and a half or water – just enough to be a shoe-soaker.
Once I really start brain-storming I'm sure it will be a lot like an all-you-can-eat joint; I'll put too much on my plate and end up with a bellyache. But it won't be boring!
Posted by Kelly Smith
Aug. 24, 2007 Teaching the Kids
Today I took my nine year old daughter to her school for the meet-the-teacher ritual; the new school term begins next Monday. Seeing all those other parents and children in the educational setting made me think of that concept that is raised in the media periodically – families with both parents working are leaving it up to the schools to teach the kids everything.
In my mind that's just wrong. I have always taken the other viewpoint with my daughter. I have taught her to work on the car; not because I want her to do it but because I don't want her to get ripped off when she is older just because she is female. As in, “Sorry Miss, we're going to have to change those muffler bearings!” And yes, it happens. Sadly.
Likewise, I teach her about woodworking. At the tender young age of five I had her out in the shop making a pen on the mini-lathe out of a choice chunk of purple heart. Of course I was hovering over her like a vulture making sure that she didn't send that knife flying.
Not only does this practical training give kids a skill, it is a great bonding experience. It seems like parents are so into the “soccer parent” mentality today that they don't convey the right things to their children. Sure, it's great to take them to the practice and the game but the coach is doing the important bonding.
So include the little one. If you're painting, give her a brush; just use an extra few drop cloths and follow up on the runs. They will learn a skill, gain self-confidence, and in the end, you will have been a better parent.
Posted by Kelly Smith
Aug. 18, 2007 Modern Cookie-Cutter Homes
I don't know where you live or who the dominant burb builders are where you live, but around here in South Texas, and especially in my town, it seems like the builders have figured out how to pay an architect to design one home, run it through the Sims, and get all the variations.
Then they slash the traditional lot size so they can build one or two more homes per street and Ka-ching! I can understand them going to clone mode in middle-income subdivisions, but when the price tag is $250,000 and above (which translates to about $600,000 in places like California), I'd like to see some individuality.
I was recently doing some minor maintenance in one of these $250,000 new homes and was appalled by the craftsmanship. The use of “undocumented” subcontractors cuts their costs dramatically but the quality of the work also diminishes.
Some of the Materials are Shabby
One of the issues I was addressing on this visit (there have been others) is cabinet door hinge reattachment. The wood was of poor quality and the screws were way too short to have any holding power. What?
If you pay a quarter of a million dollars for a home, why should you have to worry about the material? Shouldn't you be getting hardwood cabinets? Because these commercial builders are going to pinch wherever they can, they do. After all, they are not thinking about a repeat sale for another ten years or so.
I was in another very high-end subdivision not long ago. The homes were about two years old and were brick on three sides and plywood sheet siding on the forth side. After only two years the paint was badly faded. This was the result of using inferior paint. Again, I would expect better materials for this kind of money.
The Solution: A Well Built Home
The solution is to purchase your own lot, have an architect draw up plans to your specs, and hire a good general contractor to build it. Ideally, you should visit the work on a daily basis to make sure the work is being done well with good quality materials.
I know a couple that were having a mid-range home built. Every day when it was time for the tradesmen to knock off for the day, the couple would show up with beer and cokes for the workers. A bit unorthodox, but when it was all done with, they ended up with the best looking home in the subdivision.
The irony of this is that most of the people that can afford very high end homes don't have much time to supervise the work. But make the effort, it'll pay off in the long run.
Posted by Kelly Smith
Aug. 13, 2007 Too Hot for Outdoor Projects?
These are the dog days of Summer. It's hot out there – and I mean scorching. By my estimation, at least here in South Texas, we've got about a month and a week before any relief arrives. I know that because I used to be diligent about keeping a running log, which included the temp, and better weather started arriving towards the end of September every year. Now that I'm older and wiser I do my summer running on a treadmill at the gym.
So what to do about those outdoor projects that can't be put off? Are you building a patio cover? Removing that unsightly tree stump? Adding gutters and downspouts? You can do all this and more; just work smart and avoid the sun.
A few years ago I contracted to replace a bunch of trim and paint a lady's house. It was in the middle of August also.
I had to do extensive chipping and priming since it had been a long time since the outside of that house had seen any fresh paint. This was not destined to be a three day job. What I ended up doing was avoiding the sun. I found that no matter what time of day it was at least one part of the house was shady. So I just did the job piecemeal. No doubt it looked odd to the casual observer but it worked for me.
And I drank about five gallons of ice water every day. Hydration is essential in this kind of heat. Save the cold beer for after the workday.
Wear long sleeves. This is something most folks overlook. Think about it though; once those sleeves are lathered up with sweat, even the slightest breeze will provide the radiator effect and some cooling relief. Not to mention your doctor won't slap you upside the head for leaving yourself open for skin cancer.
Posted by Kelly Smith
August 10, 2007 Are You a Do-It-Yourselfer?
Hi! This is my first blog on this site since I was just appointed Feature Writer here in the Home Reno and Repair section of Suite101. I'm happy to be here and hope this will be a useful area for all of you do-it-yourselfer's out there.
So what makes a DIY'er tick? I like to think it's not just the sense of adventure but maybe pride, as in, “I want to do it myself.” And well yes, I'll admit there is the element of saving a few bucks here and there. Not that I'm saying we're cheap!
For instance a couple of months ago I fixed our clothes dryer, even though I had never worked on one before. With the handy Internet it was a snap. I found the drawings, probable diagnosis, and bought a new heating element on-line. Heck, a repairman would have charged me $50 just to look at it and then marked the part up 30%. And I found out that a dryer is a remarkably simple appliance.
Having said that, there's one job I won't do: re-shingle a roof. I did one after a hurricane here in the midst of a Texas summer. Let me tell you, roofers don't make enough money.
My current project is replacing our home's floors with laminate. It was a remodel I had thought about for a long time but my hand was forced by fate. One afternoon as I pulled my pickup into the driveway I found myself wondering why water was gushing out from under the front door and garage doors. Uh, oh...
Well, it turned out that the hot water supply line on a pedestal sink in a bathroom had burst. I have no idea how long it had been running but you don't want to see the water bill from that month. Well, I didn't like the old carpet much anyway....