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Archive for the ‘DIY electrical tools’ Category
Baldwin Lockset installation DIY
| There are two sizes of Baldwin mortise bodies that are commonly used on conventional residential doors as shown below. You determine which one is right for you by how much room you have on your door “lock stile” and which trimset you have selected. General door hardware specs that any DIY’er CAN DO!
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| The illustration below is a Baldwin mortise body with a 2.5″ backset. This means that the CENTER of whatever trimset style you select will be 2.5″ from the edge of your door. This body must be cut into the door’s edge approx 3.75″ deep. You will need to drill approx. 5, 3/4″ holes centered on the doors edge 3 1/2″ deep and remove whats left with a sharp 3/4″ wood chisel. |
The illustration below is a Baldwin mortise body with a 2.75″ backset. This means that the CENTER of whatever trimset style you select will be 2.75″ from the edge of your door. This body must be cut into the door’s edge approx 4.25″ deep. This type requires a 7/8″ bit drilling 4″ deep and removing the rest with a sharp chisel. |
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Pre Paint Prep with BONDO
Thats right folks the same 2 part epoxy mix that autobody shops use on cars. In SOCal where some of the new rich reside is also 
where some of the best professional house painting occurs. Magazine model material, custom multi-million dollar homes with the same home improvement center paints the rest of us buy and use on our biggest investments in our IRA plans, the biggest d
ifference though is the prep work being done to create some of the finest home painting on the prestigious west coast.
I only emphasize this painting prep point, because I see the difference. Bondo or whatever brand you buy will change your homes detail of paint grade finish like night and day. Case and base nail holes, vacuum dents, mars and gouges, offset splices and even some miter joints go from nice job to vavoom. Interior spackling never really can give you that it truly is “all one piece look” but bondo does and does not shrink.
Fascia do’s and dont’s [how to prevent expensive repairs]
Can you believe my client actually paid for this for this fascia board/ termite repairs, removal and replacement, 2-1/2 years ago, in California during a drought period. We also will point out that 1×6 fascia board was not pre-primed before install and fastened by the drip edge metal roof flashing by the face nails through the bottom half of the drip edge flashing. Forcing it tight against and not letting it perform it’s designed task.
Extremely important is the fact that the moisture has to fall free from the roof and away from the face of the fascia board. This allows the costly repairs of real estate construction work, more time [6-10 years] between home improvement repairs.
Tools required: nail puller / small prybar / tin snips / electric reciprocating saw [sawzall] / straight claw hammer / primer / paint brush etc. DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME and REAP the REWARDS of HOME OWNERSHIP!
Find Your Creative Outlet
Redesigning an entire room from the ground up can be as daunting as it is exhilarating. After you have done the heavy work and can put your electrical tools away, it is time to consider the interior decorations. Once a homeowner has settled on the general theme of a room, it comes time to add some complementary touches. Some of the smallest elements of a room can attract the most attention, especially when they are selected carefully.
For a room with white walls, it’s nice to spice up the décor with a few flourishes. Electrical outlet covers can add flair to a room’s functional necessities. When decorating a library or study, think about implementing some earth tones - something that connotes the comforting smell of books.
diy how to handle 90lb bags of concrete mix
When there is a will there is always a way for the DIY’er. Concrete mix [redi-mix] bags are sold in 90 lb bags, and there are like move your sleeping 13 year old, but with no handles. If you have a few bags to mix for that patio slab for instance, there is a great technique to facilitate this chore. Diy home improvements for your real estate portfolios. The object to save your back and ease the dumping process. All these types of jobs needs you to get the mix into your choice of mixing bin. IE, wheelbarrow/ electric mixer / bucket or whatever?
[A] 
The first step is to set and lay the bag of mix flat over a short piece of rebar, where the center of the bag will fold as you lift upwards on the rebar.[B] take a utility knife and cut the bag across the width [C] Now as you lift the rebar or halfing tool, the cement, ceramic tile grout or bag of mix, will split into half with the sides standing. The open tops set upright waiting for you to grab and dump into your mixing apparatus. The beauty lies in the fact that for an extra minute of work you’ll be able to continue this fun chore the whole entire day.
Mix - IT Yourself
Chances are slim to none that you get into a situation that you cannot export concrete from a truck through a pump and into the area needing the cement. But in this case the job at hand proved to be just this challenge. Rental yards have mixers for lease, and the best price i found was $30 u.s. per day, generally the type to be towed to any location, but the wheel span was larger than the 2 side gates we had to pass. So where there’s a will there’s a way proved correct.
Along comes the Home Depot savior again, in that for $300 u.s. a quite electric tool [110v] 1/2 horse bulldog, this 5 cubic feet beauty paid for itself on the 3rd day of performing [no gas]. It’s capacity to keep up with 2 concrete finishers is uncanny, with a 1700 rpm 3 / 90-lb bag / combination of portable and powerful finesse it’s akin to having 2 more guys on the project. Patio work or a block retaining wall, we love this tool. Also this concrete DIY electric tool can break down and easily fit inside the trunk of your car. After watching this baby working, i would have never believed it. We give this tool a 8.5 out of 10, for sure.
How to DIY laser LeveL
![builders level [common excavation use]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/thumbnail-5.jpg "builders level [common excavation use]")
Funny thing about this new age gizmo, laser levels are very accurate and can be extremely helpful in many area’s of home improvement projects. Being highly unlikely that any home, such as yours, is perfectly level. From the floor up to the ceilings, you will be surprised at exactly how far out of level most homes end up in the final escrow stages or purchasing ready product. Rather than fret though, the old saying is simply ” close enough”, and not to worry because the off kilter numbers in mention here is within a 1/4″ to 3/4″ of an inch, in eight feet. More importantly, there are some types of finish cabinetry work that better be within an 1/8″ inch for styles and margins to appear and function right.
Stanley makes a great laser level that shoots an awesome beam up to 60′ or so and will aide in many outdoor home improvements like a sweeping deck or masonry block wall, where the ends need to equal the whole by the time you adjoin the opposing sides from a distance. The down side is you have to level the laser in place for it to pivot and do its function’s. Which is said here because it can be a difficult and frustrating process. Every make or model of laser levels has good and not so good points to consider, so pick your poison.
![stanley laser [manual pre-leveling]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/thumbnail-4.jpg "stanley laser [manual pre-leveling]")
The other selection is a 4 AA battery operated laser level tool that is a gem but mostly for indoor usage. The sun tends to supersede the red laser light beam and you cannot make it work past 10 or 12 feet, because you cannot find the laser light to measure or mark, period. But the good feature on some of these is that if placed on a small flt surface [paint bucket] the self leveling adjust before, and then signals when it is ready. When storing from non usage remove the batteries, though.
An Edge Up
Acquisition strategies for existing home owners and new buyers tend to make many costly mistakes. But with the climates ever changing cycles, and the 10 year note being a commodity and trading daily. There is other ways of getting this right the first time, like any home remodeling being done your only as good as the Diy electric tools you have available, perhaps that tool chest looks a little sparse in today’s economy also. Consult an expert or practitioner in every field you want to get better in, and soar with the results. 
When refinancing a 30-year mortgage, too many people start from the beginning again. When you refinance a 30-year loan that you’ve had for five years, pay off the new loan in 25 years. Just ask the lender to amortize the loan for the remaining period of the old loan, this will give you that edge because if you have made it this far chances are you only have three feet to go.
Change a Light - Change a Life
(CBS/ AP) Has been reporting another real problem on the isle of Haiti, it’s there children and the lack of family to see over them, another report say’s others are selling these kids for $ 20 dollars to what they describe as foreigners? Lacking volunteers as well as resources to stop the mayhem. The smallest survivors of Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake are growing into one of the biggest problems in its aftermath. 
Many of the countless thousands of children scattered among Port-au-Prince’s makeshift camps of homeless have nobody to care for them, aid workers say, leaving them without protection against disease, child predators and other risks.
“They are extremely vulnerable,” said Kate Conradt, a spokeswoman for the aid group Save the Children.
She said U.N. experts estimate there may be 1 million unaccompanied or orphaned children or youngsters who lost at least one parent in the Jan. 12 quake.
Some young Haitians are even being released from hospitals with no one to care for them - there just aren’t enough beds for them.
“Health workers are being advised to monitor and send separated/unaccompanied children to child-friendly spaces,” the U.N. humanitarian office said in its latest situation report.
My story is this: I believe that we all can help to make a difference here, “change a light” is the vessel that can help produce something a little extra in time of need. Your purchases via our e-store affiliates will generate a commission from the sale, and that commission is going to the Haiti relief fund, plain and simple every dime could help change somebody’s dire situation. Thank you in advance for participating.![if your going to do it, anyway's!!! [energy efficient lighting]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/645e3e5f1c185e2a.jpg "if your going to do it, anyway's!!! [energy efficient lighting]")
Rebuilding Haiti
It’s been 24 hrs since i have reached out to Mr Scott Kraft, a Los Angeles times media reporter. My message was very clear and to the point, in that i wish to donate 100% of the commission proceeds for 1 month, starting yesterday. I expect for him to publish our story and return my phone call and e-message tonight, we want to put a little pressure on all of our E-store affiliates IE., Sears.com/ Amazon.com and Home Depot.com, when they meet our challenge of charitable contributions and building supplies as well as energy efficient lighting fixtures and plumbing supplies.
The building codes are questionable at best but that will not stop the masses from any further advancements. We will build a better tomorrow for the people of Haiti and their families, that have suffered long enough. Our vision here at My-DIY.net is for a brighter future in all the world, pull soldiers from the middle east and put soldiers to work on an island that right now is far worse off than any war zone Mr Obama, let us help each other in this world and end the chaos today.
Stand tall you masses and understand how critical a place these Haitians are in at this very moment, tell a friend/coworker/family member about this action that requires all of us to rise above and shout ” WE CAN DO THIS”. Climb on board with that donation and help make a difference today.