FIELD-TESTED ADvIcEWork better, faster, and smarter with these expert tips from the guys who swing the hammers.

tips&techniquesF R O M T H E E D I T O R S O F F I N E H O M E B U I L D I N G

T © 2013 The Taunton Press00ZZRV

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Surefire patch with an oscillating multitool ................................. 4

Fishing wire with PEX tubing ....................................................... 5

TLC router-bit storage .................................................................. 6

Energy-efficient battery-charging ............................................... 7

Fitting coped crown molding ....................................................... 8

Shop-made edge clamp ............................................................... 9

Weather protection for a backyard shop .................................. 10

An efficient way to paint doors ................................................. 11

Mixing-bucket grip ..................................................................... 12

Extension-ladder storage ........................................................... 13

Housewrap cutting station ......................................................... 14

Wet-paintbrush storage ............................................................. 15

Drywall patch .............................................................................. 16

Removing paint and putty from old windows ........................... 17

Stackable site-built sawhorses ................................................... 18

Aligning drywall corner bead..................................................... 19

Asphalt-shingle cutting guide ....................................................20

Center a drain-line hole in a cabinet .......................................... 21

A simple cure for water hammer ...............................................22

Cleaning paint rollers .................................................................23

Power-cord control .....................................................................23

Tape-measure blade rescue .......................................................24

Spray-painting screwheads ........................................................24

Window-trim alignment block ....................................................25

Beveled caulk-tip tip ...................................................................25

Snake wires with a tape measure .............................................. 26

Cutting narrow strips of drywall ................................................27

Miter-saw workstation upgrade .................................................28

Solid ladder footing on a slick deck ...........................................29

Preventing damage to internet wires ........................................30

tips&techniques

Surefire patch with an oscillating multitool My Fein has become my favorite tool. As a carpenter who specializes in old-house repair, I use it all the time to excise rotten parts of sills and trim boards. I often screw a block of wood to the damaged piece to help guide a square cut. Recently, I took this technique a step further.

I had to patch the end of a dormer rake board that a squirrel had chewed through. Replacing the whole board would have been a nightmare, and because the dormer was 25 ft. off the ground, I didn’t think anyone would notice a well-executed patch. The rake board had a piece of molding nailed along the top, which was covered by the roof’s drip edge. Worried that roof shingles and drip edge were nailed into the top of the rake board, I decided to leave it intact. Hence, I needed to make a lengthwise cut in the rake board just below the molding, in addition to a square cut about 16 in. from the end.

As shown in the drawings above, I ended up making the patch first and screwing it in place on top of the rake board. Then I used the patch as a template to guide the cuts with the MultiMaster. I held the patch just slightly off my marks when I screwed it in place to allow for the thickness of the sawblade. I also used blue masking tape on the blade to gauge the depth of cut. The patch fit perfectly, and I was off the roof in time for lunch.

—Kevin ireton

new Milford, Conn.

Patch screwed to rake guides cut.

Squirrel-chewed rake board

Drip edge guides cut.

Screw patch to rake.

Biscuit and waterproof glue

Patch in place

Caulk this seam.

4

Feed wire into 1⁄2-in.-dia. PEX.

7⁄8-in. hole drilled in top plate

Insulation

Hole for new outlet

Drywall

PEX

Wire cable

Fishing wire with PEX tubingRunning new wires through existing walls is a routine task for electricians who work on remodeling projects. But, I don’t own a fish tape. Instead, I use a 10-ft. length of 1⁄2-in. PEX tubing.

As shown in the drawing above, I run the PEX through a hole in the framing—in this case, the top plate—toward the cutout in the drywall for a new electrical box. I use this method for both interior partition walls and insulated exterior walls. The tubing is rigid enough to plow through fiberglass insulation. Once I get the end of the PEX through the target hole in the drywall, the tubing becomes an obstruction-free channel to guide the cable through the wall to the new outlet or switch. When the cable is connected at one end, I simply pull the PEX loose from the unconnected end, as if removing a sock.

—Brian Walo

Mount Pleasant, S.C.

tips&techniques

5

TLC router-bit storage My trim-router tool case has several triangular-shaped storage compartments built into its plastic housing. They are handy cubbies for storing bits, but the bits just rattle around in there, banging into each other in the back of the truck and getting dull before I even open the case. As shown in the drawings above, I used some scrap pieces of foam insulation shaped with a scrollsaw to make custom storage inserts for my bits.

The foam is actually hard to drill. The bit wants to wander, and the foam has a tendency to tear out. My solution is to use 1⁄4-in. pegboard as a drill guide. It keeps the bit from wandering, stops tear-out, and gives you evenly spaced holes. A 3⁄16-in. hole provides a snug fit for the 1⁄4-in. shanks.

In some of the tighter spots, I drilled the holes at an angle to accommodate large bits. I secure odd-shaped bits to the foam board with electrical staples.

—Brian CaMPBell

Minnesota City, Minn.

2. Use pegboard as drill template to guide drill bit into insert.

Router-case storage compartment

3⁄16-in.-dia. holes for 1⁄4-in. bits

Foam insert

Scrollsaw

1. Cut foam-insulation insert to compartment profile.

6

Energy-efficient battery-chargingI’ve got a ton of battery tools. Many sit around for weeks or months before they’re needed on a job site. The last thing I want when I need a tool is a dead or weak battery. The second-to-last thing I want is to have 10 chargers drawing current all day and all night. The smart thing would be to plug in my bank of chargers the night before I need them, but remembering to do things is not one of my strong points.

Now I automate my recharging tasks to keep batteries topped off and ready for service using a seven-day programmable timer. I set it to operate for a 30-minute period once a week when I’m not burning through batteries on a daily basis. The timer uses about 0.05 kwh per week, which is way better than the 0.5 kwh per week consumed by the 24-hour timer I used in my first version of this charging station.

As shown in the drawing above, I plug a series of chargers into a power strip that plugs into the timer. Just make sure to get a grounded version that can handle the total amp draw of the chargers you intend to connect to it.

—MiKe Guertin

east Greenwich, r.i.

Timer Power strip

tips&techniques

7

Fitting coped crown moldingBefore I made this jig, I checked the fit of my coped crown molding the conventional way by climbing the ladder and holding the coped piece in place against the installed section. This method told me that it was either a good fit or that there was a gap, but it failed to tell me where to remove the material to eliminate a gap. All I knew was that there was at least one high spot somewhere on the hidden coped surface. I then had to locate the high spots and remove them by trial and error, while chanting those special words carefully selected by carpenters to reflect their degree of frustration.

With the fixture shown in the drawing, I am able to check my coping without climbing a ladder, and if it is not a good fit, I am able to see exactly where and how much material needs to be removed. I simply slide my coped section into the fixture until it engages the sample piece of crown. If a gap exists between their front faces, I view the hidden coped face through the viewing window. This enables me to identify where and how much more fitting is required by the amount and position of the light shining through the gap. (High spots allow no light to show through.) I usually get all the high spots on the first go. The fit is confirmed by a quick recheck on the fixture, and it’s up the ladder for installation.

The installed sample and the guide position can be changed to suit the particular crown molding being installed. Although I use separate left and right jigs, they can be modified easily to check both left- and right-hand coping by duplicating the window component— representing a wall and made of plywood—and attaching it to the front edge of the base together with the installation of a second guide.

—Colin S iddall

St. Paul, alta.

Viewing window

View through the window

Plywood side (wall)

Plywood base (represents ceiling)

Slide workpiece against sample crown.

Guide strip

Sample crown affixed to side

Coped end

Gap

High spot

Coped end

8

Shop-made edge clampI make a lot of built-in desks and shelves. I use hardwood-veneer plywood for the top surface, and I attach hardwood nosing to the front edge with biscuits. This method requires that I clamp the edge to the plywood wherever there is a biscuit. On a recent project, I needed more pipe clamps than I have in my collection, so I came up with the economical but effective set of clamps shown in the drawing above using ordinary material from around the shop.

Each clamp consists of a 2-in.-wide strip of plywood at least a foot longer than the depth of the workpiece. I mounted a 2-in. by 4-in. block of the same material to one end of the strip with a #10 wood screw. I then cut a circular piece using a 3-in.-dia. hole saw. I mounted this to the plywood strip so that the distance between the circle and the block was a smidge deeper than the shelf to be clamped. Again, a single #10 wood screw was the fastener. I drilled pilot holes for the screws to make sure the blocks sat flush against the plywood strip.

To use the clamp, hang the blocks over the back of the shelf and the edging, and rotate the strip sideways. The clamp squeezes the edge and the shelf between the circular and square blocks. The circular block rotates slightly, but the friction between all the moving surfaces holds the clamp tight.

—MiChael hoff

Boxborough, Mass.

2-in.-wide plywood strip

Plywood shelf

Solid edging

A bit deeper than depth of shelf

Rotate to tighten clamp.

3-in.-dia. disk

2-in. by 4-in. block

All stock is 3⁄4-in. plywood.

1-in. #10 screw

tips&techniques

9

Weather protection for a backyard shopIt always seems that as soon as you set up the power tools and workbench in the yard or driveway to begin a remodeling project, the clouds roll in. I used to keep a tarp nearby to sling over my equipment if raindrops fell, or I’d string one up between a nearby tree and the house as a precaution. Now, on the advice from another builder, I set up an inexpensive freestanding 10-ft. by 10-ft. pop-up canopy before rolling out my tools. I can fit my tablesaw and miter saw as well as a small workbench with hand tools beneath the cover. And even if I spread out beyond the perimeter, it’s nice to have a dry spot to shelter the gear if rain moves in.

Pop-up canopies range from $50 to $120 at department stores and home centers. They set up and break down in less than 10 minutes and are compact to store. And if you need more covered space, large, fully framed canopies run about $140 and up. Although they take two to three times longer to assemble than pop-up models, the luxury of spacious protection is worth it. Not only do portable fabric canopies keep the rain off, but they also offer a shady spot to work as well.

—MiKe Guertin

east Greenwich, r.i.

Pop-up canopy shelters tools.

10

Washer

1/4-in.-dia. by 4-in. concrete screw

Fender washer

3⁄8-in. I.D. plastic tubing

A 2x6 ties sawhorses to one another.

1/4-in.-dia. by 4-in. concrete screw

Plywood upright screwed to sawhorse crossbars

Brace

An efficient way to paint doorsThe setup shown in the drawing above illustrates how we use a couple of sawhorses, some long screws, and a few pieces of plywood to make a spinner for supporting a door while it is painted.

First, we tie a couple of sawhorses together with a 2x6 screwed to their crossbars. Then we screw a plywood upright to each crossbar. The uprights have notches in their top ends. Concrete-screw axles centered in the ends of the door ride in the notches, allowing the door to be rotated for painting both sides in the same session. We make sure that the uprights are tall enough to allow the rotating door to clear the 2x6 cross tie.

To assemble the axles, we use 1⁄4-in.-dia. by 4-in.-long concrete screws and a short piece of 3⁄8-in. I.D. tubing sandwiched between a fender washer on the outside and a smaller washer on the door side. The tubing acts as a bushing for the screws as the door is rotated. We install another 4-in. concrete screw 3 in. to the side of each axle. These offset screws protrude about 21⁄2 in. The offset screws enable the door to be locked easily in any position with a simple plywood brace and a clamp.

When we have a lot of doors to paint, we set up a drying rack that consists of rows of uprights with 4-in.-deep notches. The doors hang vertically in the notches as they dry, making it easy to put a lot of doors in a relatively small space. The screws act as handles for easy carrying by two workers and ensure that the doors will hang vertically.

—don MathiS

Macomb, ill.

tips&techniques

11

Mixing-bucket grip When installing tile, I used to mix the thinset in a bucket wedged between my legs. I finally got tired of the bucket spinning between my boots and the handle getting the best of my ankles and calves, so I designed and built a bucket grip out of some scrap plywood.

As shown in the drawing above, the bucket grip is simply two pieces of 3⁄4-in. plywood cut to the diameter of the base of the bucket. One piece is hinged to the base and moved 1/4 in. closer to the bucket to force the grip up the side of the bucket. Push down on the hinged section, and the bucket is wedged in place.

—BoB Carl i CuStoM deSiGn

unionville, Conn.

3⁄4-in. plywood base and grip

Grip wedges bucket in fixed position.

12

Extension-ladder storageWhere do you store a 24-ft. extension ladder? I once hung my extension ladder on the wall of my garage, but that space was more useful for shelving. I finally got the idea of hanging my ladder not on the wall but from the ceiling. I made a swing-away support that makes it easy to move the ladder away and pull one end of it down, as shown in the drawing above. The other end is similar, but doesn’t swing. Now the ladder is never in my way, and it doesn’t use valuable storage space.

—nilS oMholt

Sterling heights, Mich.

Ladder

Hinged support swings out of the way for ladder placement and removal.

tips&techniques

13

Housewrap cutting stationHere is an easy way to get crisp, accurate cuts on 9-ft. rolls of housewrap. As shown in the drawing (above), I use a pair of 10-ft. 2x4s spaced 1/8-in. apart to guide the blade of a utility knife. The 2x4s are held in alignment by a length of 1/8-in. plywood screwed to their bottoms.

To use the guide, hook your tape measure into the cutting groove, and pull enough wrap off the roll to get the measurement. Snug the roll up to the 2x4s to keep the cut square, and cut away.

—Keith WilSon

Mountain view, Calif.

9-ft. roll of housewrap

Two 10-ft. 2x4s

1/8-in. gap

1/8-in. plywood

Utility knife guided by 2x4 straightedges

14

1. Remove wedge near corner.

2. Insert handle first.

3. Slide brush against bag bottom.

4. Evacuate air, wrap, seal, and tape bag shut.

Wet-paintbrush storageFor years, I have used plastic sandwich bags to store wet paintbrushes until the next coat was ready or until the next workday. I would just open the bag and stuff the brush inside. The problem is that this method is messy. Paint gets all over the opening of the bag and on the brush’s handle.

Here’s a method I’ve devised that allows me to minimize the mess while achieving a virtually airtight seal. As shown in drawing 1, I cut a small wedge from the side of the bag about 11⁄2 in. above its corner. Now I can insert the brush handle first (2), with the opening of the bag wide enough to keep the wet bristles from making contact with the self-sealing strip. Once the brush is in the bag, I pull down the handle until the brush neatly tucks into the corner against the bottom of the bag (3). Next, I wrap the bag around the brush, seal its locking strip, and wrap a piece of tape around the whole thing to keep it tightly bound (4). The wet brush stays fresh for days.

This technique also works great for clean brushes that are dry and ready to store. Just wrap the excess part of the bag around the brush, and secure with some tape or a rubber band. The clean brush’s bristles are now protected, and the bag is ready if you need to reuse it to store the brush when it is full of paint.

—don r. S iMon Jr .

Bremerton, Wash.

tips&techniques

15

1. Locate repair site.

2. Remove damaged drywall.

3. Apply drywall patch.

Mesh tape runs 3 in. onto wall.

5. Tape edges, and coat with quick-set mud.

4. Push patch flush with wall.

Flatten mesh tape against wall.

Drywall patchAs a drywall contractor, I often encounter situations where I have to patch walls of different thicknesses, from 1⁄4 in. to 7⁄8 in. for old plaster walls. Instead of carrying all those different thicknesses of drywall, as well as scraps of wood for backing and furring, all I need in my truck is a remnant of 1⁄2-in. drywall, a roll of fiberglass mesh tape, hot-mud (quick-setting) joint compound, and my normal taping tools. As shown in the drawings above, I cut out the damaged area, then I cut a piece of drywall to fit the resulting hole. Next, I cut two pieces of mesh tape, one piece about 6 in. longer than the width of the patch and another 6 in. longer than the height. I center the tape over the hole, forming a cross with the sticky side toward the wall.

Next, I push the patch over the cross until the patch is flush with the existing wall. Then I press the four mesh-tape tabs that are now poking out until they also are flush with the wall. I always tap on the patch to make sure the mesh tape running behind it is taut. If the patch is too deep, I just lift the tabs and adjust it outward. Then I put mesh tape over the joints and apply a coat of mud, as shown in drawing 5. When that coat is set, I sand the patch flat and apply a skim coat to ready it for painting.

—Corey latiMer

Pearce, ariz. 16

Removing paint and putty from old windowsOur Victorian house has its original windows. They have lots of divided lites of different sizes glazed with lovely old wavy glass. Every window needed to be stripped of its paint and putty, then reglazed. It was a daunting job.

We used a heat gun with a tip that creates a concentrated stream of hot air capable of softening both paint and putty to where it can be scraped away. At first, we used foil-covered pieces of plywood to protect the glass. But that proved to be time-consuming because it required various sizes of plywood to match the different windows.

The drawing above shows the method that we finally settled on. We used a drywall taping knife, propped up by a spring-clamp leg, as a heat shield to protect the glass. This worked surprisingly well because the radiant heat bouncing off the knife seemed to help speed things along.

Incidentally, we were concerned about the possibility of lead paint on the windows, so we worked on them outside, wearing suitable respirators. We took the scrapings to our local transfer station for proper disposal.

—Jay Chen

york harbor, Maine

Taping knifeHeat gun

Foil-wrapped plywood shield

Spring clamp

tips&techniques

17

Stackable site-built sawhorsesThese sturdy sawhorses serve a multitude of functions around our job sites. They have provided the base for a working-drawings table or improvised miter-saw stand, held walking planks, and supported heavy lumber. They can’t be folded into a small package, but they are surprisingly light and stackable.

There are no exotic materials required to build these horses, and on some job sites, the parts might come right out of the burn pile. The top is a 4-ft. 2x8. The legs are 1x8s, and the stretchers are 1x4s. Gussets made of 3⁄4-in. plywood reinforce the legs. The 2x8 is beveled at 17° on a tablesaw. The 1x8s are cut with 17° compound miters at both ends, so when placed against the bevel of the 2x8, they are flush with its top and firmly planted on the ground. Attaching all pieces with 11⁄2-in. deck screws should ensure many years of rugged, continuous use.

—ty S iMMonS

fort laramie, Wyo.

301⁄2-in. overall height

331⁄4 in. short point to long point

17°

1x4 stretcher

1x8 legs

8-in.-wide 3⁄4-in. plywood gusset

4-ft. 2x8 with 17° bevels, both sides

18

Aligning drywall corner beadIt seems as if installing drywall corner bead ought to be a snap: Just hold it flush to the intersecting walls, and staple or screw it to the framing. Corner bead, though, sometimes has a mind of its own, and it can twist into shapes that don’t want to lie flat against a wall. That’s where the squaring device shown in the drawing above comes in.

It’s simply a piece of 1⁄2-in. plywood or particleboard that has a square notch cut out of it. My crew and I use a chainsaw file to cut a radius into the inside corner to accom-modate the bead’s radiused edge. Pressed against the bead as we work up and down the wall, this gadget keeps the corner bead where we want it.

—MiKe nathan

hailey, idaho

File inside corner to accommodate corner-bead radius.

Metal corner bead

Squaring device holds bead flush to intersecting walls.

tips&techniques

19

Asphalt-shingle cutting guideHere is a little jig I made for cutting asphalt shingles for cut roof valleys. It consists of two strips of 1⁄2-in. plywood, one wider than the other. I drilled a series of holes in the ends of the plywood and made a hinge from some plastic cable ties. That’s it.

To use the guide, I slip an upside-down shingle between the two pieces of plywood, align my layout marks along the edge of the upper layer, and use a utility knife held against the guide’s edge to make my cut.

I use the wire anchor line at the top of the guide to tie it to a scaffold plank to keep the guide from sliding off the roof.

—don MathiS

Macomb, ill.

Clamp shingle upside down in shingle guide.

Nylon ties as hinge

Asphalt shingles

1⁄2-in. plywood cutting guide

Anchor line

Run utility knife along straightedge.

20

Drain-line coupling for wall-mounted sink

Center a drain-line hole in a cabinetA quick, easy method for centering the drain behind the back of a cabinet is to take a length of masking tape, as shown in the top drawing above, and twist it so that the sticky side faces out in the middle. Stick it to the wall over the drainpipe. Push a rare-earth magnet into the center of the tape as shown. Next, move the cabinet into its position, and place another rare-earth magnet on the inside of the cabinet’s back panel. Move it around until it is drawn to the other magnet. Now you can trace around the magnet to know where to center the drain-line hole in the back of the cabinet.

—Geoffrey MontaGu

lawrenceville, n.J.

Position cabinet over drain line, and locate the drain center with a second magnet.

Rare-earth magnet centered over drain line

Twist masking tape to leave the sticky side out over the drain.

Step 1

Step 2

tips&techniques

21

A simple cure for water hammerI recently changed the water hoses on my clothes washer from the all-rubber type to a new style with a braided-metal covering. The next time I used the washer, a loud bang resounded when the water turned off. The all-rubber hose is much more expandable than the metal type. Being more expandable, the rubber type dampens the pressure surges that cause water hammer.

At the hardware store, I bought a couple of water-hammer dampers, 4-in. lengths of copper tubing closed at one end and threaded on the other. Inside, an air chamber dampens pressure surges. The instructions said to cut into the copper water lines and to solder in T-fittings to mount the dampers. I figured out a way to avoid that step.

At each faucet, I installed Y-hose fittings. Next, I attached a female hose thread to a female pipe-thread coupling on each Y-fitting, followed by a water-hammer damper threaded into each coupling. This solved the problem. The copper tubes will likely fill with water over time. When that happens, I’ll unthread them, pour out the water, and reinstall them.

—roBert tata

huron, ohio

1⁄2-in.-dia. threaded-copper tube, closed on one end

Y-fitting connects to faucet.

Hose-thread to pipe-thread coupling

Braided supply line to washer Water-

hammer damper

22

Cleaning paint rollersFor cleaning paint rollers, I have set up a spinning station in my laundry sink. I use a section of sheet-metal furnace ducting, open to create a shroud, as a spray shield. The shroud extends the length of the sink, and I wrapped its cut ends with duct tape to create a tight fit that won’t mar the sink.

As shown in the drawing above, I use a short hose and a jet-spraying nozzle to spin the roller while I hold it under the spray shield. A strong spray can get the roller spinning fast enough to shed its paint, but a good soaking at a slow spin between fast spins dilutes the paint, making it fly off the roller even faster. The rollers come out clean and almost dry, ready to be used again. Now that I use this cleaning method, I almost never have to buy new rollers.

—dave Gillard

vancouver, B.C.

Sheet-metal duct splash guard spans sink.

Paint roller

Direct nozzle at roller’s bottom edge.

Power-cord controlWhile using a floor sander recently, I threw the cord over my shoulder to keep it out of the way. The cord kept slipping off, though, so I attached a carabiner (the cheap kind you buy for your keys) to the back belt loop of my pants and ran the cord through it, then up over my shoulder. The cord never slipped off my shoulder again. Now I use it any time I need to keep a cord out of my way.

—SCott hurley

des Moines, iowa

tips&techniques

23

Tape-measure blade rescueTape-measure blades always seem to break near the blade hook. The flexing and bending at this weak point fatigues the thin metal blade, and it begins to tear along one edge. The tear works its way across the width of the blade as it bends, and soon it’s trash.

Recently when I noticed the blade beginning to split, I happened to be cutting some metal flashing and had my snips nearby. To keep the sharp edge of the split metal from cutting my fingers when I handled the end of the tape, I made a quarter-moon cut into

the blade just deep enough to head off the crack. The quarter-moon trim stopped the fracture dead in its tracks and saved the blade, which is hanging in there two months after the surgery.

—MiKe Guertin

east Greenwich, r.i.Use metal snips to head off tear.

Fatigue tear in blade

Tape bag in place.

Screws ready for spray paint

Plastic bag stretched across coffee can

Spray-painting screwheadsI wanted to spray a finish on the heads of 50 or so screws, but spraying the screws while they were scattered on a drop cloth was yielding spotty results. I took a look around the shop to see what I could cobble together out of available materials to prop up the screws for painting. The rig I came up with took about a minute to assemble.

As shown in the drawing above, I put a plastic grocery bag over a coffee can, pulled it taut, and ran a strip of tape around it to hold the bag in place. Then I poked the screws through the “drumhead” and sprayed away.

—eMMa KirK

Corvallis, ore.24

Window-trim alignment blockThe drawing above shows the tool I use to align the edge of a window apron with the casing above the sill. I take a scrap of 1x (in this case, a piece of baseboard stock) about 10 in. long. With a jigsaw, I cut a U-shape out of the middle of one edge. To align the apron, I press the tool against the jamb casing with the U going around the overhang of the sill. I slide the apron over until it meets the bottom of the tool, and then I drive a quick nail to hold it in position.

—Billy MCGraW

South yarmouth, Mass.

1. Hold alignment block against jamb casing.

Sill2. Butt apron against block, and nail.

Beveled caulk-tip tipBefore caulking in a corner, I cut the end of the nozzle at a 45° angle, then draw a solid line with a felt-tip pen on top of the 45° cut along the length of the nozzle. I also draw a dotted line on the bottom of the 45° cut. In this way, I always know where the 45° angle is even when the nozzle gums up.

—alex oPPediJK

forest Knolls, Calif.

45° tip for caulking corners

Caulk tube

Solid line marked on tip centerline

tips&techniques

25

Snake wires with a tape measureWhen upgrading the electrical outlets in my kitchen, I needed to pull a wire from the bottom of the wall into the attic. As shown in the drawing above, I used the blade from a defunct measuring tape to pull the cables. I slipped the end of the tape (the one without the hook) into a hole cut in the drywall at the top of the wall. Even though this is an exterior wall with fiberglass insulation and a vapor barrier, the flat tape slid easily between the drywall and the vapor barrier.

Once the end of the tape emerged in the hole in the bottom of the wall, I looped the cable through the slot in the tape and pulled the cable to the top of the wall. From there, it was an easy path to the attic.

—BoB Kelland

St. John’s, nfld.

Loop cable through slot in tape.

Tape-measure blade slides between wall and vapor barrier.

Exterior wall with fiberglass insulation and vapor barrier

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Cutting narrow strips of drywallOn a recent job, we had limited space to work, so the drywall was stacked against a wall rather than lying flat on benches. We needed a bunch of long, narrow strips, but with the drywall leaning against the wall, it was difficult to score narrow pieces properly, at least at first. Then we discovered that we could use an inexpensive plastic Speed Square to help us quickly and accurately score the drywall.

As shown in the drawing above, we placed the square’s flange on the edge of the drywall, and then pressed the knife’s blade against the edge of the square so that the knife tip just sliced through the drywall paper. Then we simply pulled the square and knife along the length of the sheet, resulting in perfectly straight cuts for those pesky narrow pieces.

I think the reason this process works so well is that the knife blade can dig a little into the plastic square, creating a shallow kerf that keeps the blade from wandering. A metal square wouldn’t work as well.

—Sariq turner

newfoundland

Plastic Speed Square Utility-knife

blade rides in shallow kerf.

Drywall

tips&techniques

27

Miter-saw workstation upgradeBack in the days before sliding miter saws, I built a clunky divided-box stand with outrigger fences that I set up on sawhorses. It worked well until I bought a new sliding double-bevel saw. The new saw is just too big for my old setup, so I bought a universal saw stand. I missed the storage function of my old rig, though.

As shown in the drawing, I made a simple modification that is a throwback to my old workstation: a storage shelf. It attaches to the new stand with four short panhead screws, which makes for a quick on/off operation. The screws run through the bracket at the top of each leg and into plastic inserts that are let into the 3⁄4-in. plywood sides.

The sides have 20° rakes matching the angle of the workstation’s legs and hang down 12 in., which gives the shelf ample room to store at the ready the next round of tools I’ll need after I’m done with the saw. On one side is a power strip for the tools used at the station. For extra credit, I added a pencil sharpener to the other side.

I am still creating more options as I use it, but these personal preferences can be tweaked to match the task at hand. The best thing is that it saves trips and cuts down on clutter.

—MaCGill adaMS

anchorage, alaska

Miter-saw stand

Threaded insert in shelf upright

Custom tool shelf of 3⁄4-in. plywood

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11⁄2-in. metal angle sandwiched between 2x4 and 1⁄2-in. plywood

Plywood ladder base on PVC decking

Solid ladder footing on a slick deckI recently installed a new deck using PVC decking material. The decking is a great product, but I think it’s a little too slippery to provide a reliable grip for ladder feet. Because I frequently must extend a ladder to reach the roof, I’ve relied on temporary 2x4 ledgers braced by shims driven between deck boards to ensure secure footing for the ladder. This solution works well, but it’s tedious. My alternative solution, as shown in the drawing above, is a movable platform made out of a piece of 1⁄2-in. CDX plywood, a length of 2x4, and a 11⁄2-in. metal angle iron. The angle iron slips between the deck boards, keeping the platform where I want it, and the ladder feet get a good grip on the rough surface of the CDX plywood. The 2x4 provides extra insurance and anchorage for the screws.

—dave Shain

Marshfield, Mass.

tips&techniques

29

Preventing damage to internet wiresAs a drywall installer, I get to see firsthand what happens to stiff internet-coaxial cable wires when installers use a router to cut the openings for electrical boxes. Unlike electrical cables, which can be folded to the back of the box where the router bit can’t hit them, these cables are stiff. They won’t stay put when folded to the back of the box. As a result, the cables can be damaged by the drywaller’s router bit.

The electrician on a recent job ran the wires through the holes on the other side of the box, then held the ends in place with loosely fit staples. This worked great, saving me some time and eliminating the risk of the wires getting damaged.

—Myron r. ferGuSon

Broadalbin, n.y.

Cable wires are run through the box and lightly stapled to keep them away from the drywall router bit.

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