Expert Advice on Home Improvement

The Heat Seeker Infrared Thermometer from General Tools is perfect way to conduct a do-it-yourself inspection of your heating/cooling system for leaks in the ductwork, or a general home energy audit. To use, simply train the laser pointer on the object and read the remote temperature reading on the LCD screen. The Heat Seeker is available at The Home Depot. Watch this video.

This 4-volt Cordless Screwdriver from Ryobi is lightweight but powerful thanks to the lithium-ion battery that can hold a charge for as long as two years. It features a 1/4″ SpeedLoad quick chuck, a 12 position clutch, and LED work light. The Ryobi 4-volt Cordless Screwdriver is available at The Home Depot. Watch this video.

Finishing is one of the most important steps in woodworking, and it all starts with a smooth surface. In this video Danny explains the different types and grits of sandpaper that are available and shares some tips on how to sand hard-to-reach areas. Watch this video.

An old hollow core door makes a perfect workbench that is both lightweight and easy to store. Start by laying the door on the floor and position two collapsible sawhorses upside down on top of it a foot or so from each end. Screw the sawhorses to the solid wood frame that runs around the outer edge of the door, turn it upright, and it’s ready for use. Watch the video to see how it’s done. Watch this video.

The Ziron MetallicScanner m40 is a combination metal detector and stud finder that not only finds nails in walls but can detect other hidden metallic objects as well, such as copper pipes or ductwork. It works on everything from drywall and plaster to paneling and tile. Watch this video.

This fluorescent work light from Husky is perfect for illuminating large areas. Simply unfold the legs, plug it in, and raise the center shaft to turn the light on. It puts out the equivalent of 300 watts of incandescent light but uses much less energy. Watch this video.

Installing screw hooks by hand can be time consuming. A simpler method is to use a power drill to do the work for you. Watch the video to find out how. Watch this video.

An expandable office folder is a great way to keep your sandpaper organized. Start by labeling manila folders for each kind of sandpaper you use, then file them all in the expandable folder. Not only will this make the sandpaper easier to find, but it keeps it flat and prevent curling due to changes in humidity. Watch this video.

Taping around moldings is an important step when painting a room, but the end result is often less than desired. Paint tends to seep under the tape, making it hard to remove and leaving an uneven line. Frog Tape from Shurtape Technologies has solved those problems by adding a thin layer of a superabsorbent material that reacts instantly with latex paint to prevent it from seeping underneath. Watch this video.

When using a paint tray to roll walls, cleaning it can be almost as much trouble as the painting itself. To reduce cleanup time, turn a plastic shopping bag inside out, and slip it over the roller tray. Watch this video.

The Dremel Multi-Vise attaches to work surfaces up to 2½” thick. The cushioned jaws can grip even delicate objects and expand to over 7” wide. A locking ball and socket base allows the clamp to rotate 360° and tilt up to 50º in any direction for easy positioning. The Dremel Multi-Vise is available at The Home Depot. Watch this video.

If you’ve ever wondered how long you need to wait before painting after repairing a wall, DAP DryDex Spackling Compound is for you. The spackling goes on pink but turns white to indicate that it’s dry and ready to sand and paint. Watch this video.

This simple tip will allow you to hang a picture exactly where you want it without the need for a level or measuring. Watch this video.

Gecko Grip Levels from Black & Decker are available in 24” and 36” lengths. Both come with rubber pads that grip the wall without leaving marks. The 3’ level has sliding marking targets for easy alignment of multiple holes when hanging pictures. The 2’ version comes with a built-in torpedo level and stud finder. Gecko Grip Levels are available at The Home Depot stores. Watch this video.

The Handy Ladder Pail from Bercom holds over a gallon of paint or other liquids. A foldout metal bracket attaches securely to both step and extension ladders while the built-in magnet holds a paintbrush or putty knife when not in use. The Handy Pail is available at The Home Depot stores. Watch this video.

The Milwaukee cordless wet/dry vac resembles a toolbox, making it easy to carry and store. Models are available in either 18 or 28 volt and use NiCd or lithium ion batteries. Available at The Home Depot stores. Watch this video.

These auger style bits from Ridgid drill through wood up to six times faster than standard spade bits. The self-starting screw tip pulls the bit into the wood while the sharp spur and cutting surface power cleanly through the wood. Watch this video.

To keep pictures level on your walls, add self-adhesive rubber bumpers (available at hardware stores and home improvement centers) to the bottom corners on the back of the frame. Not only will your pictures stay put, but the bumpers prevent the frame from marking the wall and can keep dust from collecting behind it. Watch this video.

The PaintMiser from Hyde Tools is a multipurpose tool that helps remove every last drop of paint from the can. It has a paint can opener on one end, straight and curved scraping surfaces that contour to the inside and outside of the can, and specially shaped edges to clean under and around the rim. Watch this video.

This motorized tool sharpener can put a fine edge on every tool in your shop. The grinding surface has interchangeable disks to make it easy to switch between coarse and finer grits. An angled tool port under the grinding wheel allows chisels and plane blades to be sharpened at a consistent angle while the air cooled design helps to keep tools from burning. Watch this video.

To increase the capacity of a wheelbarrow, a shelf can be added to the space between the two handles. Watch this video.

The Cordzilla stretch rope from Lehigh is a bungee cord encased in a flexible polypropylene rope, giving it a working strength of up to 400 pounds. Available in 3, 4, and 5-foot lengths, the brightly colored tie downs feature vinyl coated steel hooks with a security clip. Moveable foam rubber pads can be positioned to protect delicate cargo from damage. Cordzilla is available at The Home Depot. Watch this video.

The hard plastic end caps on an extension ladder can damage the paint or siding on the outside of your house and allow the ladder to slip while working on it. To keep this from happening, wrap the top ends of the ladder with carpet scraps and secure them in place with duct tape. Watch this video.

Rolls of brown paper come in handy in the workshop, but it can be hard to find a convenient place to store and cut them. One solution is to screw two metal hooks horizontally to the wall of the shop far enough apart so the paper fits between them. Watch this video.

Moving heavy boxes can be hard work, but there are some simple tricks that will save your back and make the job go much easier. When moving a box on carpet, put a piece of heavy (6 mil) plastic sheeting under it. Watch this video.

Sheetrock Plus 3 Lightweight Joint Compound with Dust Control is especially formulated so that the dust particles bind together during sanding. These heavier particles then fall to the floor where they can easily be swept up. Besides clearing the air, Sheetrock Plus 3 weighs over a third less than standard compounds, so it doesn’t shrink as much when it dries. Watch this video.

You don’t have to dig a big hole in your yard to cut a piece of plastic PVC pipe that’s buried in the ground. Instead, dig around it just enough to slip a piece of thin nylon string under the pipe and attach each end of the string to a wooden handle. Holding a handle in each hand, pull the string tight and use a back and forth sawing motion to cut through the pipe. Watch this video.

It’s often dark and hard to see when you’re drilling a hole or screwing in a screw under a cabinet or in a closet. A simple solution that works great is to use rubber bands to strap a small flashlight to the top of your drill. Slide a rubber band around each end of the barrel of the drill and slip the flashlight under it. Watch this video.

Since the tape will tend to wear out after a few holes, a more permanent solution is to drill a hole lengthwise through a piece of 1” x 1” stock and slide it over the drill bit to act as a stop. Stop drilling when the tape brushes away the shaving, indicating that the desired depth has been reached. Watch this video.

Danny demonstrates how to repair an interior door that keeps swinging open or closed. By putting pressure on the hinge pin and bending it slightly, the problem is solved. Watch this video.

If you’re like me, walking into a hardware store or home center can be dangerous. If I see a tool I don’t have, then I want it. But, in reality, there are tools that I simply don’t need. This is where it really pays to examine the option of renting a tool. Watch this video.

To strip paint from door hardware without the time consuming use of paint thinner, heat 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a pot on the stove and then pour it into an old cake pan. Let it set about 5 minutes. It’s a good idea to use pliers to take the hardware out of the pan because it may still be a little warm. Using a soft bristled brass brush, so as not to scratch the surface of the hardware, dip it in the water/vinegar solution and then scrub the hardware. This is a great alternative to purchasing new hardware. Watch this video.

One way to maximize the storage space you have in your basement or garage is to look overhead. In this case we were looking for storage space to accommodate different sized clamps. Watch this video.

A bench grinder is the ideal tool for all those sharpening jobs around the house, but if you don’t own one you might find a belt sander works as well. Invert the sander and clamp it to your worktable, so that the belt is facing up. Lock the trigger switch “on” and you’e in the sharpening business. Watch this video.

Sagging doors are often the result of loose hinges caused by hinge screws that don’t bite into the door jamb. A quick fix for this problem is to fill in the door jamb’s so the screw will remain secure. To do that, we used a wooden golf tee. Watch this video.

Sometimes you have to install a screw in a location that’s too small for your hands to hold it in place. A magnetic screwdriver is great for these applications but for brass or aluminum screws it’s no help. Instead, try using a piece of plastic food wrap. Watch this video.

A miter saw goes a long way towards simplifying a lot of jobs around the house. However, for long material, a saw table makes a good thing better. To improvise one for your next project, set an extension ladder on a pair of sawhorses. A piece of scrap plywood set in the middle creates a platform for the saw, and scrap 2×4s laid across the ladder support the material on either end. Watch this video.

Sometimes keeping up with your tools is the most difficult part of a job, so here’s a simple solution to make your work go more smoothly. Take a nail apron (you can get them at most home centers for $0.99) and divide the two large pockets into smaller, vertical pockets by sewing from top to bottom every two inches or so. Watch this video.

Danny and Joe share some ways to keep tools and hardware handy while you’re working on a ladder without losing them every time you move it. An empty tuna can mounted on top of the ladder is great for small nuts, bolts, and screws. A small magnet dropped in the can ensures that the hardware stays put even if the ladder is tilted. Watch this video.

Extension ladders are a must for painting on higher areas of the home. But where do you put the paint? Create your own hanging device from a wooden dowel purchased at the home center. Choose the largest dowel that will fit inside the hollow rungs of the ladder (usually 5/8″ to 1″). Watch this video.

If you waste time and energy running back and forth from the garden to the shed for tools and garden supplies, use an old golf bag and cart to “caddy” both long- and short-handled garden tools. Watch this video.

Circular saw blades can often cost as much as $20-$25 so you not only want to keep them nice and sharp but clean as well. A build up of pitch and tar can quickly dull a blade and even make it smoke when it goes through wood. You can clean saw blades fairly quickly with ordinary oven cleaner. Watch this video.

Cutting an accurate circle in wood can be as simple as drawing one with this tip for creating a jig saw compass. Trace the shoe of the saw onto a thin piece of board and then draw a beam that runs perpendicular to the saw blade (we used a framing square.) The beam should be as long as the radius of the circle you want to cut. Watch this video.

It never fails: you’re in the middle of a project and you don’t have tools needed to complete it. Here are just a few improvised ideas that may get you over the hump. Watch this video.

You really can’t get an accurate level reading on an area that is larger than your level without a little modification. Effectively extend the accuracy of the level by putting it on top of a perfectly straight 2×4. If you purchase a new 2X4 for this purpose be sure to use it within a day or so since it may warp as it dries out. On a vertical surface you may want to tape the level to the straight board to simplify the process. Watch this video.

If you don’t use a circular saw on a regular basis you may find that it’s a bit of a challenge to make a nice straight crosscut. One of the easiest ways to consistently make accurate crosscuts and do it safely is to make a jig. They are incredibly effective and worth the time to make. Watch this video.

Drawers with wooden drawer guides often stick with age or changes in humidity. To smooth things out apply wax to the contacting surfaces and then lightly dust with cornstarch. Reapplication may be necessary with excessive use. Watch this video.

Maintaining your metal garden tools is important. Tools that have become rusty probably haven’t been cleaned at the end of the day. Brush off all dirt and debris and make sure the surfaces of the tools are dry before you store them. By simply adding a little lubricant to the edges and surfaces of your loppers, trowels and shovels and then wiping them with a soft cloth you can help prevent the surfaces from rusting. Watch this video.

It helps to pre-dill a hole, but to prevent splitting wood and to make screws go in easier try rubbing the threads over a piece of wax or soap before driving them in. Watch this video.