Handy Man Fix Home Repair » Tools

Buying Guide for a Stud Finder

keira — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:03:54 +0000

A stud is an upright piece of wood that is used to create the frame of your home. Most people really do not ever need to deal with these studs, but when you want to anchor an oversized mirror or picture frame or a piece of furniture such as a book case, it can be extremely valuable to know how you can find these studs when you need them. When you anchor something to the wall, you want to be able to do so using a stud, and so having a stud finder will be particularly useful for this purpose.

There are two different variations of the stud finder:

Magnetic stud finders are inexpensive and they make use of magnetism in order to identify the nails or the screws that are embedded within the studs. These tools tend to work pretty well in more basic situations, however they are generally best used when you supplement them to the use of a regular electronic type of stud finder. One of the troubles that come with the magnetic stud finders, however, is that they are also capable of identifying or detecting metal conduits and pipes, meaning that you will need to be rather diligent about actually marking each location of the real studs as you find them.

Electronic stud finders are the easier stud finders to use, and they also happen to be the most precise means by which you can locate a stud within a wall. The way that these stud finders work is by measuring a wall's relative density. Whenever the stud finder identifies an area where the relative density is higher, it will light up to indicate that there is more than likely a stud present there.

You should be looking for a stud finder that has a scanning depth that is at least 1.5 inches. Many stud finders also come with an automatic recalibration feature, and this is particularly useful when you begin to scan a stud and then accidently move away from it. If you are planning to drill deep or nail deep into the studs, such as 3 inches or even deeper, then it will be worthwhile for you to invest in a stud sensor capable of identifying when there are wires that are embedded within the studs. Most modern stud finders are made from plastic that is light weight and yet extremely rugged. Some even come with special pads that are non-marring to make sure that they do not cause any damage to your walls.

No matter which stud finder you decide to use, you should make sure that you mark the location of the stud using a pencil. If you need to find a number of different studs, pull out a measuring tape and mark 16 to 24 inches from the center of each located stud as wood studs are 16 inches spaced apart and metal ones are 24 inches apart.

Photo Credits: fille_de_photo

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Originally posted 2009-11-02 03:31:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Ladder Safety and Use Guide

keira — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:43:13 +0000

Even people who have been in the business for many years sometimes allow their common sense to get away from them when it comes to ladder safety and proper usage of a ladder. Sometimes people become more concerned with getting a job done for the sake of speed without spending enough time or attention thinking about safety. As a result, people end up doing silly and harmful things such as putting a ladder up on uneven ground. Sometimes it is important to brush up on the basics of safety, especially when it comes to tools that we take for granted, such as the common ladder. We expect our ladder to keep us safe up high, sometimes without remembering that we are in control of whether or not the ladder does its job.

Ladder Terms -

Butt / Heel: This is the bottom end of your ladder, or the part that is actually placed down on the ground.
Dogs / Pawls: This is a device that is attached to the inside of the fly section's beams, used in order to hold the fly section in its place once it has been raised.
Fly: This is the upper section of any extension ladder, the part that is raised up into the air.
Footpads: These are the rubber swivel parts that are attached to the butt of your ladder.
Halyard: This is the rope that is used in order to raise or to lower the fly section of the ladder.
Rail: This is the two lengthwise parts of the beam of the ladder.
Rung: These are the cross members of the ladder, providing a foothold on which you can climb.
Tip: This is the very top of your ladder.

There are a number of different types of ladders, including single ladders, folding ladders, extension ladders, combination ladders and step ladders. There are other types of ladders as well but these tend to be the most common out of all of them.

Before we get started on the ladder safety guidelines, you are always going to want to look over your ladder thoroughly in order to make sure that the integrity of the ladder has not been lost. When you are not around, a lot can happen to your ladder, so make sure that the integrity of your ladder has not been compromised since you last used it.

Before you lift or place a ladder, look up to find out what might be above the ladder such as power lines. Never simply raise a ladder without looking first.

You are always going to want to place your ladder on completely level ground. If you are not dealing with level ground, then you are going to want to put down some plywood and level your ladder on top of it to make sure that you are on a flat piece of ground before climbing your ladder.

Photo Credits: Bah Humbug

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Originally posted 2009-10-13 03:36:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Removing Caulk Guide

keira — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:17:37 +0000

If you are planning on putting down caulk, you probably have caulk that needs to be removed. Unless you are installing something brand new, there is likely caulk left behind that has to be taken care of. The following is a brief tutorial that will give you some useful tips in removing old caulk easily while preparing your surface to receive the brand new caulk. Just like anything else, preparation really does have a lot to do with how good your final results are, and caulking is absolutely no exception to this rule. You are going to want to remove the old caulk and to clean the surface really well before you put new caulk down.

Using a Manual Caulk Removing Tool

There is a great tool called the Caulk Away, and it is a caulk removal tool that is made by Homax. It has all kinds of little angles and cutting edges with three blades, making it possible for you to remove caulk directly from the joint. There is a corner scraper that is capable of scraping each of the sides of the joint using a plastic edge that is hardened but that will not damage the tile, the tub or the sink on its finished surfaces. The best way to use this tool is with a chemical caulk remover product like the one mentioned below:

Using a Chemical Caulk Remover

One of the easiest ways for you to begin the removal process for old caulk is to use a professional chemical caulk removal solution. One such product is created by the fine folks at 3M. This chemical caulk remover is capable of destroying the bond that exists between the surface and the caulk. The liquid caulk remover product by 3M comes in a handy little plastic bottle and it costs less than ten bucks. For $10, you can remove just a little over 20 feet worth of old caulk material. This is definitely a great way for you to get a jump on the caulk softening process so that you can remove the old caulk much more easily, rather than simply relying on a scraping tool to do the work. In order to use this chemical caulk removal product, the process goes like this:

The first thing that you are going to want to do is to squeeze the removal product onto the old caulk. You are going to want to make sure that it is completely covering all of the old caulk.
Now you are going to want to let everything sit for between 2 and 7 hours, as is directed.
Now you are going to want to take a plastic knife for putty or a tool like the one mentioned above and scrape away all of the old caulking. It should probably come off in nice chunks.
Finally, you can clean up what's left using soap and water.

Photo Credits: mtsofan

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Originally posted 2009-10-30 03:27:49. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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A Liquid Wrench For Every Job

keira — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:28:31 +0000

Liquid Wrench, a company that's been in business since 1941, knows how to make products people really need and use. Their product line includes lubricants, penetrating oils and protectants for people who know that one product can't do everything. While some products on the market today are hyped as all-purpose or multi-purpose, Liquid Wrench knows that you need the right tool for the right job, so they make products for specific purposes that do those jobs better than the rest. Some of their products can be used for multiple purposes but most are designed for a specific range of uses.

Dry Lubricant

Liquid Wrench's Dry Lubricant is designed to lubricate without leaving any type of residue that will attract dust or dirt. Unlike most liquid lubricants, it leaves nothing damaging behind. It can be used without fear of harming most substances and fabrics that a liquid or grease lubricant would at the very least stain. Paper, leather, most plastics, most fabrics, glass, vinyl, wood, rubber, windows and things like painted surfaces won't be harmed by the use of this dry lubricant. That makes it ideal for things like hinges and swivels where a lubricant used could come into contact with any of those surfaces. Rollers, lock cylinders, glides and hinges are also other ideal uses for the product.

The solvents in the product that provide the lubrication evaporate fast and their lubricating properties remain in a dry film without residue. It lasts a long time and resists washing away, and can also withstand a lot of heat so it's a great product for use in machinery to keep the parts sliding together and help the machines last longer.

Silicone Lubricant

The silicone spray lubricant is perfect for open-air applications like drawers and window runners, doors and locks. Some sports equipment and shop tools can also benefit from the silicone lubricant over other types of lubricants. For equipment that doesn't have parts that need to move very fast, this is the ideal product. It shouldn't be used in any application where there's not enough airflow to allow for fast evaporation.

Buy: Liquid Wrench Silicone Spray Lubricant

Penetrating Oil

Liquid Wrench's Penetrating Oil is versatile and dependable. The oil is best for things like corroded pipes and other metal fittings, rusted bolts, and any type of metal machinery or mechanism that is squeaking or gummed up. It's also good for cleaning certain things like guns or typewriters that need a heavy-duty application and aren't just lightly soiled. Mechanics and people who do a lot of do-it-yourself projects can find many uses for penetrating oils, like frozen joints and stripped out, rusted bolts and screws.

The lubricating oil and penetrating oil may seem similar to people who don't use them regularly but there are vast differences. The penetrating oil is designed to get into things and get behind rust and other corrosion to loosen it up and allow bolts to be removed and parts to move against each other again. The lubricating oil has a different, lighter formulation and is designed to simply lubricate and loosen things up that require a less heavy-duty approach.

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Lubricating Oil

Their Lubricating Oil lubricates and keeps things from squeaking and creaking. It can also be used to loosen things like rusted bolts or other parts when the rust or other corrosion isn't particularly bad. It can be used as a light-duty penetrating oil and can clean things like guns and typewriters that don't need the heavy-duty power of Liquid Wrench's Penetrating Oil. This oil is particularly formulated to repel and absorb moisture and remain in place for a long time to provide optimum long-term lubrication.

It can be used to clean and lubricate things that penetrating oil is too heavy for like sewing machines, casters, zippers, air conditioners and moving parts of a variety of things that just need a little bit of help. It leaves a film behind that inhibits rust and moisture and can be used to help dry out certain things like wiring, spark plugs and engines. It's also safe to use around things like certain fabrics, rubber, paint or even leather.

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White Lithium Grease

The White Lithium Grease in Liquid Wrench's product line is for heavy-duty applications where the grease needs to stay in place for an extended period of time and is exposed to outdoor conditions. This leaves a thick coat wherever you put it and it won't melt and run or freeze. It's ideal for anything that's exposed to the weather but that needs to maintain lubrication to stay in top working order. Boats and trailer hitches are two examples of places where White Lithium Grease is ideal. Lawn and garden tractors and any sort of outdoor hinges exposed to the elements are also good candidates for this lubricant.

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Chain Lube

While Liquid Wrench's Lubricating Oil can be used on things like chains, their chain lube is specifically designed to be perfect for just that application. It's a new and improved formula that won't leave a residue or any sort of grease behind and is just the right weight for things like motorcycle, bicycle and other vehicle chains as well as vehicle cables and wire cables. Even things like garage door chains can benefit from use of Chain Lube over other lubricants. It does the job of preventing corrosion and reducing friction so that the chain or cable works better but it won't corrode old chains or damage things like rubber O-rings.

Buy: Liquid Wrench Industrial Chain Lube

Liquid Wrench's motto is that "there's a wrench for every job." And their new and improved formulation in six of their top products helps to make their products the only "wrenches" you might need for any jobs. The products do what they say they do, and are precisely formulated to offer maximum lubrication, penetration or protection so that you won't have to jump from product to product just to get that one bolt undone or silent that squeak. The products work and if you make them the first you reach for, you'll find that you don't need to look for anything else.

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Features of Circular Saws

keira — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:00:50 +0000

Here are some of the features that you should be aware of when it comes to circular saws:

Electric Brakes - This is one of the features that you should be looking for when purchasing a circular saw, no questions asked. Electric brakes are capable of stopping the motor in approximately two seconds after you release the trigger. A circular saw that does not have an electric brake is going to take anywhere between 10 seconds and 15 seconds in order to stop. The way that the electric brake works is by reversing the flow of electricity going to the saw motor. The reason why you should choose a saw that has an electric brake, which is something that most options are now going to offer, is because it will save your limbs and your fingers. After you are cutting for a period of time, your arm is going to tend to get pretty tired and so you are going to want to make sure that you are always safe. When you can stop the blade more quickly, you will have a much smaller chance of getting hurt.

Blade Capacities - As you are probably already aware, circular saws are capable of coming in a number of different blade sizes. If you are buying a corded circular saw model then you are generally going to want to select a 7 ¼ inch model, and if you are buying a cordless circular saw model then it is generally recommended that you choose a 6 ½ inch model. The larger circular saw blade models tend to be heavier and bulkier, but in the long run, using a larger blade model is going to allow you to make less cuts overall, including angle cuts for example.

Shaft Locks - It is important that you choose a circular saw that features a shaft lock. Shaft locks are typically buttons that you can press, that allow you to hold the blade still. This makes the changing process for the blades much simpler. If you are buying a professional type of power circular saw, then you should absolutely find one that has this feature. Cheaper models of circular saws do not generally feature shaft locks, but professional versions almost always do.

Circular Saw Blades - Finally, one of the most important parts of a circular saw is, of course, the circular saw blades. Having the right blade is important, but having a blade that is sharp and capable is also quite important. There are a number of different circular saw blades intended for a multitude of different purposes. Choosing the right type of saw blade for your unique needs is vitally important in getting the most out of the circular saw that you purchase and use.

Photo Credits: tuchodi

Originally posted 2009-10-09 03:25:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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