workbench magazine 309-2008

7/27/2019 Workbench Magazine 309-2008

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workbenchPUBtISHIR

Donald B.Peschke

MAi{AGll{GDlT0RDavid StoneSElllOR DITORSill Link,Wyatt Myers

ASS|STANTDIIORSouiseRitchhart, AlyssaSchmittEDIIORIAINTERI{r iannaNelson

AR T IRECT0Rim DowningASSISTANTARTIRE(T0RSurt Schultz,Doug Appleby

SEtll0RIIUSIRAT0Rrich LageSEI{l0R EBDESIGt{tUILtUSIRAToRatt Scott

GRAPHICEsl6Nt{TERt{tephenEmlund

CREAIIVEIRECT0Red KraliceksENlORR0JEfiDESIGNERSames R.Downing,Ken Munkel, Kent Welsh,Chris Fitch, Mike Donovan

PROrtCTESIGNER/BUlIDERohn DoyleSH0PRAFTSMEIIteveCurtis.SteveJohnson

ADVERIISII{GAIES ANA6ERSeorge A. Clark,Mary K. DayADVERTISINGR0DUCTI0NOORD|I{AI0Rinniette Johnson

ADVERIISINGOORDINAT0RelissaStone(s1s)875-713s

EDlT0RlAt IDIADIRECTORerry J. StrohmanEXEOTIVERI DIRECT0Rodd Lambirth

sENlOR H0T0GRAPHtR5rayolaEngland, Dennis KennedysENlORtECTR0tl lCMAGEPE(lAtlSTl lan RuhnkeASSOC|ATETYIE lREfi0RRebeccaCunningham

WORKBENCH (tSSN 0043-8057) is pubtished bimonthly (Feb.,a,iir e,rF),, April,June,Aug.,Oct., Dec.) by August Home PublishingCompany,;i c;;"t;il; 2200 Grud Ave., Des Moines, IA 503t 2. workberclr s a mdemrk ofAugust Home Publishing.Copyritht 02008 August Home publishingCompMy. All rights reserved.

Subsiption nts: Single copy, $4.9). Onc-yea sbscription (6 isues), $22; two-yer sub$ription,$33; three-yearsubscription, $,14.Canadian/Intl., add $10 per year Periodicalspostage paid at DesMoines, Iowa, and at additional offices. Postmaster: Send addresschanges o l4rortbench, O Bor37272, Boone, lA 50037-0272.Cmadim Subscriptions: Canada PostAgreement No.4OO38Z0l.Send changeof address nfomation to: PO Box 881, Station Main, Markhm, ON L3p 8M6. CanadaBN 84597 5473 RT Printed in U.S.A.

;:"ii,lr5ir,'r-iiiq;;!l"r;i*i:i"riiiiiiii;;ti::li:"l4li*ONLINEUBSCRIBERERVICES' 'i:'l i i i:."::your account nformation' r-ii j:i*i.:,Uour subscription. .. '_:r.:''r,n a subscription payment, : : ' i r ' . ourb i l l' ' : ' : ' i i : i 1 ' ' :r our mail ingor emailaddress. ...,:: - ,. .::r ;:,, ,i : i :r OU r if t SUbSCfiptiOn, : , : I us f you've missedan issue

Click n Magazine ustomer ervice"n he iston he eftside four homepage.Menus nd ormswil l take ou hrough nyof heaccount-maintenanceervicesou need.-. ii,:. ; iii :. : .:,,,- l li. l,: phone: 00-31I _3991WorkbenchCustomerService WorkbenchMagazineP.O.Box842 2200GrandAve.DesMoines, A 50304-9961 DesMoines,A 50312Subscriptions(DAugustHome.com [email protected]

EDITOR'SOTESack n 1987, n the hit movie Wall Street, orporate marauderGordon Gekko uttered one of the seminal statementsofthat decade: "Greed is goodJ'This phrasebecame a rallying

cry for the conspicuous consumption of the 1990s,when SUVs thesize of cruise ships and homes asbig as shopping malls became thehallmarks of success n suburban America.

Fast-forward a couple of decades,and things have changed.Sky-high gasprices find SUVs sidelined in favor of hybrids. Increasingutility costs and a mortgage crisis have made monstrous homes lessfunctional, if not less ashionable.And almost everyone has at leastheard the term "carbon footprint." These days, rom Wall Street toMain Street, "greeri'is good.

It's about time.Thankfully, these changes, hough forced for many, are bringing

people to the realization that living green doesn t have o mean livinglean. We can still live well and have cool cars and stunning, stylishhomes without destroying the planet or our budgets.

Need proof? You'll find it on more than 40 pagesof this issue.They're filled with ways you can go green and still improve yourlifestyle, your budget, and, of course,your home. It's easy fyou justfollow the three "R's" of going green- Reduce, Reuse,and Recycle.

We'll showyou how to reduce with 50 easywaysto cut energycosts, he latest n nontoxic paints, a bunch of eco-friendlyhomeimprovement ideas,and more.

Want to reuse?Then check out howyou can save ainwater foraround-home irrigation. We also have an easywayto capture sunlightand use t to illuminate your home.

We'll even help you recycle by transforming flea-market finds intofashionable furniture. Then we'll offer up a batch of inspiring ideas orturning castoffitems into fun, functional organizers.

Of course,asaWorkbench eader, ou expect more than just greatideas,green or otherwise. That'swhywe deliver them with the inspira-tion, information, and instruction you need to turn those ideas ntoreality. And that leadsto a fourth "R'that all DIYers understand: thereward that comes from doing it yourself.

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Thistltttft:rrn ed eltLiresritote hrtngrear ooks.tsu t -7e ciescln 0 ceptseither ntaltress nc ibcxspring r us ta n(lttress,ciependingn howyoubuild t.F-ither ay,ntaking t worir ake oumare harirs ,veekend.

- page 70

ON INWorkb_grch _aaz ine.gomGe teven more nformationabout he projects ndart ic lesn his ssue:. Bu i lder 's lans Cut t ing

Diagram:PlatformBe d- S l ideShows: ay l ight ingIns ta l la t ion , indowFi lm,Co lorWashing

. FreePrintablePatterns:WindowFi lmCutouts. BonusAr t ic les : loorRefi ishing,ReplacementWindows

From Trash o Treasure:FleaMarket Finds/\ ievtt ricks sre li it tokes tct tirn ott,t, n -te tn ct i o i e n ft t(tst p ece'-;.

i-it:re:,,ii: rrtrisii:rrtic'hriirs, trittit:, .it](iocliest with t bir of o.ciritcu'td .tphol:;iery.36

Let YourLight Shine(cpltire: :rrclht :ctttirai iqfir , i t , in , , trcatn oi the hoitte vvilha icticitttbe

D ayi g'rttng 5yslem, an eJ sV io -! is t !(i e notive io ex ;en sive sxy l gh rs .

DIY Tips: Build a Height-AdjustableWorkbenchAt.irJisefui ioraqt: :nda versattie',r,,orkspaceio votirqrlracle ithittt ttcijtistabie torkbencir. i,Ls,/

moreqrcat euciersi|. is.22

ReuseRainwaterwith anEasy-to-BuildRain BarrelSuve ,,uieranci i)oney) y buriclingln >inipiJ or e IJ (iptute roinwoiet.

Your lants"ntl lov e r.54Re-Organizers: ewSolutions rom Old Items

Don recyclet .vou-an cuse. rtcify'\)!.i ."v'Onttet Ct.i5,.U1;yi ' lctt 'c,i ftVet?

Wt: offer isi11111'gjeciso insDire .yoLt.

48iEasy,ElegantPlatformBed

The tppeaicf ri y:latforn bea conesfronq tsstt't'tpie esigrt and f"lexiiti ttriy;.

l)iirs wt.tn'idisi:iispcini n iho[ coLint,tttif it r.Ji,st;41'trir,rr:sttntcitiestirr:rise.

4 WORKBENCHCTOBEROO8

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Window Makeover:FrostedFilm DecorAdhesivend stoticcltng ilrnoffer he

perfect ombinatron f decoration ndprivacy or wrndows.WeacJdec)imptle

cutout5 rsoersr:nlize urs.76

PaintPower:Color-WashedWallslireci f solid-color alls?Givehenta rnottled ookwitlt colctr ashi g,

a great-lookinqechniquehat's otmuchnorc difficulthanbaic parntrnq.

83Instant Makeovers:3 GreatBacksplashdeas

Addingsptce oyourkitcherto,,:sn'rrectruirevvhc:leev lcauntertop.

lnstead, resshinqsup withon eofthese asy rnd leclant acksy;lashes

94

New! DIY GearGetu gripon rlifferentypesof pliers.

28FinishingTouches

The nsdnd outsoi lc>w-VO(-aint.30

GarageGear32TanklessWater Heaters

Tankless oterhecsterstre itherthe bestot v/orst hintl o corne oindoorStlurnbinoince ot water.5o whichone s t?We el l ou th e

trulhabaut ankless.58Tool & ProductShowcase

Over he Fence I3lAskworkbench]141

TheGreen omeGuideIFronthebasernento he Ibathroon, eshow ou ealistic,IaffordableNoysoqoqreencLrour Inext onlentprovementroject.If:

cutr":?#ffi,l:Ihebest reenips re hec-tnesI

Iha[saveaumoneV.ere re50 Igreat,raysoc,t the:: ";r;j:I641


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CLEANWATER ATURALLY-Build aWetlandSystemlf you'rehinking bout nstalling newseptic ystem,here regreener lternativeso helpyouget ridof wastewater.onsider subsurfaceonstructed etland.

Rural areas often rely on septic systems to treat theirwastewater. But did you know there's a way to treat that waternaturally and create an attractive yard feature at the sametime? Itt possible with a subsurface constructed wbtlandwhich is a disposal system that uses natural processes o helpcleanse household wastewater.

Many residential constructed wetland systems consist ofa septic tank, a wetland cell, and a dispersal area. The septictank is the collection area or waste from your home andallows only the wastewate.r o pass hrough to the next stage.

The water is then piped below the surface to a wetlandcell - the trench where treatment takes place. Itt often lined

Whyo eopleuyreenroducts?

with an impenetrable barrier and gets filled with gravel orrock and aquatic plants such as cattails or bulrushes to aidtreatment (shownabove).Since the wastewater s treatedunder the surface, there should be minimal odor. Dependingon local regulations, the water may have to go through moretreatment steps before i t can return to the environment.

Ifyou're interested in the systems,checkyour localregulations for wastewater treatment construction. Thenworkwith agenciesand licensedprofessionals or design andconstruction if your area allows constructed wetlands. Whenthey're managed properly, the constructed wetland systemscan be cost-effective and look great, too.

,""^,,.*9T,Vem0ney|3!%fiffiffi,WORKBENCHCTOBEROO8


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CastleHarnessesWind EnergyEach ay, t becomes learer hatgreenenergysources rehere o stay.Moreenergycompanies regettingon board o purchasewind energy ora varietyof uses.

Castle n the Hudson, 1OO-year-old castle n NewYork, igneda windenergydealwith JuiceEnergy. hehotelwil l receivewind-generatedelectr icity qual o the majorityof i tsannualuse. hrough he agreement,wind energy acil i t ies crosshecountrywil l provide he power.

Timothy Treadwel,envi onmentadirector or JuiceEnergy, ays heagreement eflects movement o"green"he hospitality ndustry. uiceEnergy lsoworkswith colleges,stores, nd manufacturing lants.

A


7/90

GETA HEALTHIERHOMEWITHHardwoodFloorsHardwood floors are highly desirable for their upscaleappearance and style versatility. They can also serve double-duty by providing your home with a healthier environmentthan many other flooring types.

Ifyou have allergies, you knowyou should avoid flooringthat can trap dust, pollen, and animal dander. With hard-wood floors, the dirt and allergenscan easilybe seen andswept away.

The American Hardwood Information Center has severaltips for making your home a clean and srylish environment.For starters, use washable floor mats at the entrances ofyourhome to trap the dirt before it gets tracked in.

Itt also important to take extra care when cleaning yourfloors. For example, use brooms with fine, exploded ends tobetter trap dirt. Larger bristles may not capture dust, leavingit to circulate in your home. Alro, go over your floors witha multi-surface vacuum cleaner eachweek to remove anyallergens that sweeping may have missed. Finally, make surethe products you use to varnish, wax, or clean your floorsdon t further add to allergy problems.

For more tips and information, visit Hardwood.org andspeakwith a salespersonor contractor about the best choicesfor your hardwood floors, including the growing number ofprefinished flooring options.

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Greening he KitchenThe kitchen s he hub of your home'sactivity,so what better place o startgoing green?At an eventhostedbycabinet manufactu er Alno,architectPeterPfeiffer, ho was behind thecreationof a green home in Texas,offered his advice or making yourkitchenmore earth-friendy.

Pfeiffer uggests hat one of the bestplaces o start s with your ighting.Optfor fluorescentand LED ights ha t give

off lessheat,so your air conditionerwon't have o work as hard.

When t comes o energyconsump-tion, refrigerators re surpassed nlyby air conditioners. ook or the EnergyStar abelon applianceso save.

Also,manyga scookingsurfaceswaste he majority of the energy heyconsume. f you make he switch oinduction cooktops,more energy willgo toward actually heating he food.

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OVERIIILff"\iCT

ONLINEHELPFORBreakingthe ClutterHabit

IIIIIlIIl 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

If all your possessionsare keeping youfrom parking in your garageor usingyour hallway closet, t maybe timeto call in the professionals. ClutterDiet (ClutterDiet.com) is an Internet-based organization service that helpshomeowners get rid of those peskyextra pounds - of junk.

For a monthly fee,Clutter Dietprovides plans to help you get startedon your project. From wallets toclosets, he service ets homeowners inon trade secrets rom the pros.

Each week, the service providesclients with an organization plan. Likea real diet, Clutter Diet is structured in

courses: a "main dish"'is he project tofocus on for the week, plus two "sidedishes" that provide advice for smallerprojects. The "sensiblesnack" s a shorttip or project for the week, and the"dessert" s a suggestion or a specialtreat to reward your efforts.

The program offers support fromprofessional organizers hrough itsonline message oards. One of theprogram's philosophies is that organiza-tion is easier o manage n bite-sizedpieces. f you're attacking a big project,Clutter Diet helps keep you on taskbyfocusing on the rewards that you'llgetwhen you complete it .

BEFOREClosets ecomeunusablewhenthey're u ll of extra unk.AFTERClutterDiet helpedmakebetterus eof this homeowner's pace.

GuttersDRAINAGE:

EN DCAP:ELBOW:FASCIA/FASCIAOARD:

FLASHING:

LEADER:

step or cleanup s o air out the roomfor at east15minutes. sea p iece fpaperor cardboard o scoop ragmentsin toa g lassar w i th a l idor a sea ledplastic ag .Pickup any smaller rag-nrentsan d powderwith a pieceof tape.

l f the bulb breaks n a hard surface.clean t with damp paper owels,an dthen p lace he towels n he ar or p las t icbag when you're inished.Fo rmore ips,visitEPA.gov/MercuylSpi sl lndex.htm.

Get Rid of CFLs SafelyConrpact luorescentigh ts CFLs)anofferenergysavings, ut there's catch:Tlrey ontairr mallamountsof mercury,which makes isposing f them r ick ier .

A new program t HomeDepotprovides safemethod for getting ri do f the bu lbs . he e ta i le r i l l acceptcompact luorescent ulbs rom an ynraker t eachof its ocatiorrs.

Themercury onte nt salsoa causefor concern f the bulb breaks. our irst

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9/90

WATCHINGWindow SafetySometimestt easyo overlook dangerswithin yogr ownhome.Windows canposea significantsafety isk for childrenbecause f the possibility of injuries or deaths rom falls.TheNationalSafetyCouncil (ftSC.org) recommends hese ipsto keepkids safearoundwindows:

1. Keep he windows closedwhen there arechildrenaround. fyou'd like to open hem forventilationr limit it tothose hat are out of a childt reach.For example, penanuppersash ather han the ower one.

2. Remove urniture or any other tems hat youngchildren maybe able o climb from the window area.

3. In the eventof a all, the surface nderneath hewindow can educe njuries.Plant shrubsor put in woodchips,which canprovide a softer anding.4. Don t rely on window screensor protection. Most of

them arenot designedo prevent alls. t5. If you install window guardsor other safetymeasures,makesure heyhave anemergencyreleasen case ou needto use he windows asemergency xits.

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oz=oo-Takesteps o prevent alls by keepingwindows closed f they

ca neasily e reached y children.Makesureall atches realsosafely ut of reach, nd supervise oung children.


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\ / r / f \DkQi - | \ . t f -L - 'u_v_/-l)I-\t)-L1 \l L-j.-l--

SIMPLE TEPS AKE T EASY O

.-II

Replaceawindow ScreenQ Vour ecent rticleon repairing creens,as erygood,butit didn't explainhow o replacehescreensn tryold woodwindows.What'shebestwayodo hat?

BillAmsteadRoanoke, A

A: Replacingscreensn theseold-srylewindows s actuallyvery easy. hatt becausehey're ust stapledonto the screenframe.Thescreenedges nd staples re hen hidden withthin wood retainingstrips,often calledscreenmolding.

First, you need o pryup thesemolding strips.Just nserta putfyknife under eachone o loosen t, and hen pull it upwith aflat prybar (Photo,above). he strips canbe fragrle,especidlyon oldwindows, so ift gently and only around henails hat hold them in place.

Evenwith caution, hough, you'll probablybreaksomeofthe strips,but thatt okay.You canbuy screenmolding at ahardware tore or home centerand hen cut it to size.

Once he molding stripsare emove4 pull out the staplesthat hold the screenn place.

If the screen rame needspaint, now is the perfect ime toput on a freshcoat. tt a whole ot easierwithout the screenin place.Paint he screenmolding, aswell.

To install the new screen,ust lay an oversize iece ofscreen abric over he frame.Then staple t in placealong he

{:{1,Ttl;'rrfl'?'li},rui;it HAUENSWERS!Includeyourfull name, address, nd daytimephone number.You'll

receivea freeone-yearsubscription o Workbench (or a one-yearextension o your current subscription) f wepublishyour question.

top edge, making sure to place the staples where they'll becovered bymolding.Wrap the other end of the screen fabric around a narrow

board or a dowel, pull the screen taut, and then clamp it inplace to keep it taut. Then staple down one side of the screen(Photo,above).Nowpull gentlybyhand asyou staple theother side and finish up with the bottom.

Next you can install the molding strips using small brads.To prevent the molding from splitting, pre-drill holes for thebrads using a small bit or a nail.

Finally, trim the screen flush with the outside edges of thestrips (Photo,below).

HOWOSTNDOURUISTIONS:Email: Ask(Dworkbenchmag.comForums : forums.woodnet.netMail: Ask Workbench,2200GrandAve.,DesMoines, A 50312

WORKBENCHCTOBER2OOs


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AN OPENAND SHUTCASEFORRestoringWindow WeightsQ t lir" in an old house hat haswindows with weights hat are supposedto help hold the windows open.A coupleof the ropes hat hold the weiglrts arebroken,so now thewindows slam shut.Istherea way tofix them? MariaLundy

Philadelphia,PA,t: Weights were used for manyyearsto counterbalance the sashand holdthe window open. They're connectedto cords that attach to the edges of thesash. The cords can break, but luckilythey're designed o be easily ixed.On most windows, you can getto the weights through access anelslocated on the side ambs (Illustration).

To reach the panels, you first have toremove the sashand the stops that holdthe sash n place. Use a utility knife i fnecessary o cut through the paint orfinish where the inner stops meet thejambs, and carefullypry the stops free.This allows access o the weights forboth the upper and lower sash.

Remove the sash rom the jamb.Now you can get to the access anels.Remove the screw holding the panel,pull it out, and take out the weight.

Then cut a new sash cord usingthe old, broken one as a guide for thelength. Fish the cord over the pulley,and tie it to the weight. Finally, knotthe other end, and attach it to the edgeof the window sash.

Access anelOuterSashStop(foruppersash)lnnerSash top(for ower sash)


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Can I Paint Rusted Metal?I Jound an old tractor seat hat I'd like to turn into a gardenstool. plan to paint the seat,but it's really rusty. s therean easy

way to get the rust off, so the newpaint will stick?lacquieHansenLouisville,I(T

' Paint won t stick to rusted metal, but getting rid of all therust, especially on shaped pieces,can be difficult. Sand-blasting is probably the best way to get rid of it.

But there is a way that you can paint a rusted metal piecelike this seatwithout having to remove all the rust. The secretis to first coat the piece with a special rust-inhibiting primer.This type of primer actually changes he chemical composi-tion of the rust to neutralize and encapsulate t, whichprevents the rust from coming back through the paint. Rust-inhibiting primer has been used for years o help maintaincars and industrial equipment, so it will easilywithstand yourintended use.And now it's available n any hardware store.

Plus, using the primer is easy.First, scrub the piece withdetergent and water to get rid of dirt and grease.Then usea wire brush to remove any loose or flaking rust. You don'tneed to get down to bare metal.Just get rid of the loose stuff.

Now spray he seatwith the rust-inhibiting primer. Itcovers he rust and leavesa paint-ready surface (Photo,above).You may need to apply severalcoats o fully seal herust. You'll know it's sealedwhen the surfacehas a uniformcolor. Then just paint the seatwith the color of your choice.

For a special offer,woodmastergreen.coml r r J

a - -

ITIATURAIENERGY*

Product Information Number 248


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TWO EASYWAYSTOCut Boards o Size{f: Izr ourprojects ouoften alk about ippingand cross-cuttingboards.re thesewo diferentkindsof cuts?

ShunillosephNashville, TN

i{: There s a diference between these wo cuts, but bothare made pretLymuch the sameway, whetheryou're using acircular sawas shown at right or a table saw.The differencelies in what direction you are cutting through the board.

To understand the differencebetween the cuts,youfirst need to know about wood grain. It almost always unslengthwise on a board.

A rip cut is made in line with (parallel to) the woodgrain. That means a rip cut trims a board to a narrowerwidth (TopPhoto).

A crosscut s made across he grain of the board to trima board to a shorter length (Bottom Photo).

--r J

BrinqEve11|RoomtoLifer A greatway o bringsunlight o yourdarkest oomsr Cost-effective ay to improveany homer Ge t morenatural ightwith

high-performanceechnologyr Easy eak-proofnstallationVisitwww.solatube.com r call(888)345-0945oday to light up your life.

.* sol.nru BE"Product InformationNumber 364


14/90

iI

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CORDLESSDrill DitemmasQ f^ consideringa new cordless ritl and I seemany new

modelsofered with Lithiurn-Ion batteries.Should I pay theextra pricefor the Lithium-Ion or saveafew bucksand get onewith a regular NiCad battery?

Steue shlandLansing, MI

A; Lithlum-Ion (t i-lon) powered.drills are becoming muchmore common now. Though theirprices are coming down,they still can cost up to twice as much as a similar drillthatt powered by Nickel-Cadmium (Nicad) batteries. Thequestion is whether the extra money is worth it. To answerthat, you need to understand the performance differencesbetween the two types ofbatteries.

Weight- Oftentimes bigger is better, but not when itcomes to batteries. Li-Ion batteries are smaller and weigh lessthan NiCads. You can see he size difference in the Photo atright. That equates to a tool that won't wear you out as muchif you use t for a long period of time.

Fade-Free Power - If you've used NiCad-powereddrills, then you know that as the battery runs down, thedrill gets slower and slower until it eventually stops. Li-Ionbatteries deliver fade-free power right up until they need tobe recharged. TJratmeans, at least in theory, that you candrill holes and drive screws with the same strength from fullcharge to discharge. Of course, the drawbackto this is thatyou may not know if the battery is getting weak and needsrecharged, which is unhandy if you're just starting a ob.Thatt whymost Li-Ion tools have a fuel gaugebuilt in thatshows you how much charge remains in the battery.

Low Discharge Rate - NiCad batteries also tend toweaken considerably as they sit idle. Leave your drill sitting

These18-voltdri l lsclearly how one ke ydifference etweenLithium-lon lilon) an d Nickel-CadmiumNiCad) atteries.Th eLi- lon at ight) s about half he sizean d }ralf he weight.for a fewweeks, andyou mayfind it has little or no batterypower when you pick it up. And the last thing you want todo when you need the drill is wait for it to charge.Li-Ionbatteries, on the other hand, discharge very slowlywhennot in use. That means you can let the drill sit for weeks ormonths, and it will still be charged when you need it.

Cost- Of course, the advantagesof a Lilon batterycome with a cost. So you'll want to weigh howyou'll usethe drill before making the purchase. If you plan to use itoften and can swing the extra cost, then go for the Li-Ion.For occasional use, he NiCad is probablyfine as ong asyoukeep the battery charged between uses.

Do BoltsMakethe Grade?You'l lusually ind two grades f bolts n hardware tores:grade5 and grade8.S imply ut ,a gradeB bo l t sstrongerthan a grade5 bolt.Grade5 boltsar eadequate or most homeconstruction ses, uc has attachinga deck edgerboardordeck posts.Grade bolts are he correctchoice or high-stressapplications, uchas attaching tems o a ca ror trailer.

Yo uca n ell he difference etween he two grades asily(Photo, ight).Gracle bolts often havea gold tone,whilegrade5 boltsar esilver. oucan also ookat the headof thebolt.A grade5 bolt ha s hree idgeson the head,while agrade8 boft hassix.

t f'"t L , ' 4et r,. .

A grade bolt left)s ated o toleratemuchhigher hear,stretch, nd ighteningoadshan hegrade bolt(right).Thatmakest the rightchoiceor high-stresspplications.



15/90

REPLACINGNORDINARYMower Blade(* f* not sure how to change ny old, beat-up lawn mowerblade.Do youhave any aduice?

Jim McDougalOmaha, NEr{.: The big challenge in this job is removing the old blade.Start by disconnecting the spark plug from the motor forsafety.You want to remove any chance that the blade couldspin and cause he motor to start.

Then turn the mower on its side.Ideally, the.gas ankshould be empty. And make sure you tip it so the carburetoris facing up to prevent fuel from spilling out.

Nowyou can remove the blade. Itt held in place with abolt in the center. The problem is that when you try to loosenthe bolt, the blade just turns. To prevent that, clamp a block ofwood under the mower deck to jam the blade and stop it fromtuming (Photo,above igh). Now remove the bolt. They can bestubborn, so you may need a long wrench or a breaker bar.

Once you get the blade off take it to the hardware storeor the store where you bought the mower. Even if the bladeis damaged, hey maybe able to sharpen t, which is cheaperthan buying a newblade. If the blade is too beat-up, use t t oget the correct size replacement.

Then you can reinstall the blade.You'll need to rotate theblade so it again rests against the block of wood to preventspinning.Just be sure to get it oriented correctly. It's usuallyeasy o tell, but not on all blades. If you place the bladeupside down, the dull edgeswill be leading as t spins, and itwill do a very poor job of cutting the grass.

YourffegfigGhanggillteUlay ouWorlrr0nil[n!

Product lnformation Number 220


16/90

ASKWOF]K5L}J[H

SIMPLE CREWSi SecureaDeadboltQ' a housedown the street otbroken into recently.Apparently,all the ntruder had to do was kick thedoor, and the atch anddeadboltsmashed traight hrough theframe, allowingthe doorto open.What can do to makesure his can't happen o me?

ChrisAndersenSeattle,WA

.'t I It's alwaysdisconcerting to hear of a break-in, especiallywhen it could havebeen eas ily prevented like this one. Itsounds as f the latch and deadbolt strike plates were onlyinstalled with short screws.

To make sure your home is safe, remove the screws thathold those plates n place. f they're short, replace hem with2" or even 3" screws hat will penetrate through the doorframe and into the studs.That way, even f someone hits thedoor hard enough to break the door frame, the screwswillhold and help prevent entry.

Deadbolt/

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q,fllenlrunercrm'PnoFeet-lnch-Fraction and Metric Dimension GalculatorGet fast, accurate material estimates or your woodworkingprojects.Makes t easy o work n, and convertbetween,mostcommondimensionalormats. ncludes uilt-inBoard-Feet olutions.Model 4020Consrrnaonnfrnlrien'PmAdvanced Feet-lnch-Fraction Gonstruction-MathGalculatorOur mostcomplete alculatoror he advancedwoodworker. he perfecttool f yourwoodworking assion ncludes rojectsike emodeling raddinga room. t even provides ngles or compoundmiters.Model 4065HonzPmno(lru,Do.lt-Yourself Project GalculatorSimplifyyour home mprovementprojectswith this easy-to-usecalculator. uilt-in unction eys etyou quicklyand accuratelyindmaterial equirementsor paint,concrete,iles,wallpaper nd carpet.Model 8510To see how these tools can help you today, go to

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Product Information Number 351

wB-908 @


17/90

; . #

ffi

:_ RISER(3/c"16" 22")

(\\---r_\ Replaceriginal oltswith 1" ongerbolts o passthroughplywood,henuse herestof he existing ardware

Motorcycle if t(Torin T64017;

REACHNEWHEIGHTSWITHAN ADJUSTABLEWorkbenchAworkbench is an indispensable ool in anygarageor shop (hence the name of this magazine).But if you've ever needed to work on somethingtall, awkward, or heavy,you know the averageworkbench has a limitation: It sits at a fixedheight, which makes it difficult to lift items onto it.

Roger Baresof Rapid City, South Dakota,devised a workbench that overcomes his limita-tion. He made it height-adjustablebybuilding iton top of an inexpensivemotorcycle lift. (We useda Torin Model #T64017 from NorthernTool.com,but any similar lift should work.)

In its lowest setting, the lift positions the benchjust 21" offthe ground, so it t great orworking ontall projects or lifting heavy things onto the bench.Raising the lift with a foot-operated pedal bringsthe bench up to a comfortable working height of34". The lift also has ocking casters, o you canmove it around easilyand then lock the wheels tocreate a stable work surface.

Building the Bench - The bench top is madeof two layersof 3/+" lywood that are cut to sizeand screwed ogether. Then edging strips get gluedand nailed around the perimeter.

With some of the scrapsofleftovqplywood,make apair of risers to go underneath the top andraise t up to its working height. The risers arebolted to the upper arms of the motorcycle liftthrough existing holes - you'll just have to replacethe lift's original bolts with ones that are l" longerto pass hrough both the arms and the plywood.

Finally, a pair of 2x4 cross members getscrewed o the top of the risers.These n turnreceive screws rom underneath to hold the topin place. (To seehow it all goes ogether, see helllustrationat left.)

::: BESTTIPRIZE: WINNER!

%"x 7q"Notch27e"Screw

Dril lholes o matchsize& location fholes n iftarms

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For his ssue'saward-winningtip, RogerBareswill receiveanArrow O50Cordless tapleGunKit valuedat overSZOO\

STTIDSVOURTIPSMail:WorkbenchlYTios2200Grand ve.De sMoines,A50312Online:WorkbenchMasazine.com

(2layers f 3/q" ly.x2912" 60")

EDGING(3 /+"21A" 61lz")CROSSEMBER(112"31/2"22")

22 WORKBENCHCTOBER OO8

NorthernTool.com)


18/90

YETANOTHERCheesy deaTiredof dumping out a whole otof grassseedwhere you us t needa lit t le?AugustNemecof Elkridge,Maryland, se san ol d parmesancheesedispenser. he hree-holedsidedispenses eeds moothlyan devenly,or use he open side f youneed more seeds or a big barespot.

$ Empty Toilet Tip. lf youhave o remove oilet,KyleMusick f lndia-napolis asan easyway o getal l he waterout:First,urn off hevalve,and lush he oilet o empty he ank.Nowpoura bucket f water ntothe bowl. hi s reates siphoning ction ha tsucksmostof heremainingwater rom he bowland rap.

> WaterWisdom. The ainbarrelCIn age54 of this ssuesn't he onlywayto reusegray"wateraround ourhome.Another imple ption romDanStein fWaukee,owa, s otake hewater hatcollectsn a dehumidif ieran duse t to water lants.

$ A BetterWa y o Measur.Bending apemeasurentoan nside ornerisa sureway o have measuring ishap. better de a ro mWill iam eeof SouthDaytona, lorida,s o picka spot n the center,measureo it fromeither orner, nd henadd hedimensionsogether.

A GREENERUNNELRatherha n insehe oxic hemicalsn a unnel own he drain, l l is idersonfHuntington each, alifornia, akes isposableunnelsromplasticugs.He hentakes hem o ahazardousaste isposalit ewith hisotherchemicals.


19/90

THEPENISMIGHTIERTHAN

TheStrawThenext imeyourpen unsdry,dont throw t out.Instead,o whatPaulKrausefTitusville,lorida,does ndglue hecasingo thesideof a WD-40 an ocorral hatpeskystrawand keep tfrom unning ffon you.

WallStud ---------rFIRST:ount ack lateto wallstuds

MAKEA MORE TABLERAB ARThe ocation here ouneed o mountagrabbaralmostnever lignswithwallstuds. oTomBuscherf Algona,owa,justmountshe bar o a solid-wood ackplate. hebackplateallows im o drive nscrews nywhere long ts ength, ohecanmake ure t'sattachedo wallstudswhenhe mountst.



20/90

Paint lateto match he

SECOND:ount rabbar o backplate

THIRD: lide ecorativecover ve rmountingplate

ffiffiffiffiOpennd lose our aterom heconveniencend ecstity fyour ehicle ith ust he ouch fabutton'.,E.Z OATE@OPENEESATERICA'S .I.YAUTOMATICATEOPENER

. Low voltage attery ack-upo-it-yourselfutomaticate penersystemsor single nddualgate pplications.. Solar ornpatibleor ruralapplications.. Easynstallationn all types fgates:esidential,armand ndustrialchainink, ron. ube.wood nd inyl.

Availablen stockor hrough pecial rderat HOMECENTERS,HARDWAREUPPLYndAGRICULTURALUPPLYTORESationwide.Frtrmore nfr.trmtttionnd he ocutiort .f'1'oureuest ctuilercnll...1-800-543-G l'F, 4283)or visitwww'.mightyntule.cont

Product nformationNumber25 2

TIEDOWN

LooseCablesRather han staplingoff everysinglelooseTV r audiocableon floor oists,RyanBaller f Lincoln,Nebraska,eepsthingscleaner y us t drivingonestaple very12"or so.Thenhe uses n-expensive able ies o corralall hosecordsand cables t once.

Yosn cdtr with ff&o-Sr 5lo$ edingst ith ydro-$lr Furnoreiee- ductfreer lifetirnewcrronly.loserviceonlrodsr Sofe omdefeeocefmindr fleon, o umei, nvironmenhllyofer U.l.lhtedr Premsembledreodyouser Porloblell0Ylorpermonenl220ll}r Vilholeouseeofingrsingleoom

Hydro-Siliso high performonce ndividuolroom heoting system hot con soyeyouhundredsof dollors n home heofingcostsbyreplocingold ond inefficientheofing. lt conreploceor supplement our elechicheol, gosor oil furnoceond woodsfoves.Hydro-Sil epresenls conomy n heoting:inside he heoter s o seoledcopperchomberfilled with o hormless ilicone luid designedfor heot retentionquolities.The luid isquicklyheoted by o vorying omountof micro'monogedproportionolpowei. Thisexclusivetechnologygreotly increoses nergysovings.Check MosterCord Viso I Discoverl-800-627-927bwww.hydrosil.comHydro-Sil,.0. ox 62,lott iil,S(29715

MosterCord.isoor Discover ccountn{ormolion:

fiefl,llfth,flo,i;*'*fffly' &rory8'2000w 250-300 f $319 $25d 1500w 180-250sf $ZeC $2551250w l30l80sf $zsc $z s41000w l00l30sf $239 $183'750w 75-100 $189 $te2',500w 50-75 f $tOC $18Thermosfots Coll or oolions& exoctheoterneeded.ll0vou PotTABl.ts(lhermostotnduded.l5 Hydro-Mox50-15003'750w- Silicone


21/90

$-,-

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PAINLESSNailingHere's pain- f reeway o star ta smal lna i l :E r i kL inco ln f Lod i ,W iscons in ,pokes t t h rougha p ieceo f ca rdboa rdf i rs t .Then,af terget t ing he na i ls tar ted, e ust r ips he cardboard reef rom he na i l .

DRYWALLUST ATCHERDr i l l ing ho le n a cei l ing anmakea bigmess, specially ver carpet.To preventthat,JoshShirey f York,Pennsylvania,drives isdri l lbit through he centerof aplast ic id irst, nd he n dril ls lowly.

SANDPAPERLICERToget c lean uts n sandpaper, ona ldFou116f Waco,Kentucky, creweda hacksaw lade o the s ideof h isbenchtop.He alsomountedwashersbeh ind he blade o create smal lgapfor s l ipp ing n the paper.

26 woRKBENCHcroBER oo 8 Lookor t atSears, heHomeDepot, owet lorthernTool, nd uhereveroubuyyour ools.


22/90

A GREENERBATTERYLEANERCorrosion n battery erminals andisruptperformance,ut KyleMusick fInd ianapo l iseminds s hatc leaningthose erminalsseasy nddoesn't e-quirecaustic hemicals.us tmix a argeamountof baking od awith water,pour t onto he corrosion,nd clean twith a wirebrush.

THEPUCK TOPSEREAi rcompressorsreno isy oo ls o beginwith, and many havemetal egs hat rattlearoundand make hem even ouder.Dennis i tchkosky f Winn ipeg,Mani tobago t tired of the racket, o he boltedapairof hockeypucks o the bottom of h iscompressor's etal eg o serveas shockabsorbers nd compresshe sound.

Jt

Ask or it at Sears, ceHardware, enardt,or whereveroubuyyour ools. www.WorkbenchMagazine.com 27


23/90

Get A GripTools on'tgetmuch impler-or muchmore ndispensable-thanpliers. uteven hisbasicool hasmorevariationshanyoumight magine. ere rea fewof our avoriteypes.

TONGUE.AND.GROOVEPLIERSNutsan d bol ts,big or smal l , hesepl iers an grabthem al l .That'sthanks o themultiple grooveson one aw thataccepta tongueon the other aw .Justopen upth e pliers, djustthem to the sizeyo u need,andthen tightenthem down onyour workpiece.

28 WORKBENCHCTOBER


24/90

LOCKING LIERSLockingpl iersmight be one ofthe best nventionsever,with

adjustableaw s ha t griPon anddon' t et go unti l yo u sa yso .LECTRICIAN'SPLIERS

You can strip,cut,an d crimpwireswith ease, r evencut he smal lbol tsthat hold outletsin placewi th thesehandypl iers.

NEEDLE-NOSEPLIERSYou us t can'tbeat hese ong,slenderaw s orreaching nt otight spotsorgr ipp ing mal lobjects.Andthey ' l l evencut wire.

CLAMPING LIERSWith wide aw sand smooth,pivoting pads, his is he tool tochoosewhen yo u need o holdworkpieces ogether bu t wantmore capaci ty ha n standardlockingpl iers.

SLIP-JOINT LIERSTh e most basicbut st i l l he most useful f al lp l iers, i th two-posi t ion aw s ha t easi ly ra bonto smal lan d medium-sized bjects.

LINEMAN'S LIERSThese ugged pliershavewide, la t aw s ortwist ingwires, nd a big side-cutter lade ornipping hosewires o length.

Il1

www.WorkbenchMagazine.com 29


25/90

, , .7 i . .#.:"v ' t / . . ^ ,.{v.'wff

t n

A GreenerWay o PaintWant o breathe asier, elp he environment, nd st i l l

get great esultsrom your next paint ingproject?t'sass imple s earn ing ourVOCs.

. ew do-it-yourself jobs aremore accessibleo theaveragehomeowner than

painting.Just pick up a can and a brush,and the opportunity to totally trans-form a room is right at your fingertips.

In recen t years, hough, we'velearned that not all paints are createdequal- not only as hey relate to theenvironment, but also to your health.And the difference n choosing anenvironmentally friendly paint overone that's not comesdown to itscontent of volatile organic compounds,alsoknown asVOCs.

The ABCs ofVOCs - There aren'tmany home improvement products withan environmental history thatt beenmore, shal l we say,colorful than paint.Throughout much of the 20th centurytoxic leadwas a standard ngredient.And the oil-basedpaints common untilrecently contained high levels of VOCs.

In recent decades,water-based, rlatex, paints have become the norm.Yet despite the absenceof o il as a base,many of these paints are far from envi-ronmentally friendly. "Conventionallatex paints contain a variety of VOCs,"saysCarl Minchew, director of productdevelopment for Benjamin Moore."These nclude glycols,coalescingagents,alcohol, and mineral spirits."

GoodorvourfamitY:Itii:er i*{ aurworld''



26/90

In otherwords, even hough the paintsays Latex" on the can and cleansupwith soap and water, there are still a ot ofoil-based ngredients floating around inthere.And these ngredients can be toxicwhen released nto the airwe breathe,both inside and outside he home.

A Sea Change in Paints - The airqualiry concernscausedby paintsweregreatenough that certain states,andeventually the federal government,began cracking down on the acceptablelevelsof VOCs, starting n the early'90s.(For a breakdown of whatt acceptablenow, see he Sidebar t right.) Soon,manufacturers were looking for new andinnovative ways to offer the same high-qualitypaint in a ow-VOC formulation.

Since then, the changeshavebeendramatic. Nearly every major paintmanufacturer seems o have at least onelow-VOC, or evenno-VOC, option.Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams,Dutch Boy, ICI, and Olympic are ust afew of the brands that have umped onboard. Plus, many small paint compa-nies have started up to fill the niche forenvironmentally friendly paints.

The Science Beneath theSurface - To accomplish the change,manufacturers took the high-VOCsolvents n latex paints and figured outhow to do the same hings with water-basedand other bio-based ngredients."Traditional latexpaints are made withbinders that require high amountsof solvents o form a paint fi.Im,"saysSteveRevnew, director of productdevelopment for Sherwin-Williams.'Advances in resin technology havemade it possible for paint to form a filmwithout all these solvents."

What Green Paints Do forYou -We al l want to do our part tohelp the environment. But let's behonest: It gets a ittle bit easier o "gogreen" f the products offer some typeof personal advantage.We tried severalof these paints, and we can honestlysay hat the advantages hey offer gobeyond being "green."

Fo r starters, low-VOC" is morethan just a catchphrase.What it reallymeans s "low-odor." And that meansnot leaving your house for the weekend

after painting, or breathing in nastystuffeven months down the road. "Thisis especiallyhelpful for homeownerswho struggle with sensitive allergies,have young infants and children in thehome, or just want to avoid inhalingharmful fumesi' saysEileen Schnorr,bran{ manager or Olympic Paints.

The Proofls in the Painting-Thattall well and good, but "low odor" ispretty useless f the stuff doesn't gosmoothly and evenly on the walls.Thankfully, thatt not a problem withthe low- and no-VOC paints we tried.If you were to put conventional andno-VOC paints in blank cans,you'dbe hard-pressed o tell the differencein smoothness, low-out, and generaleaseof use between the two. What'smore, several ow- and no-VOC paintsactually have higher levels of solids dueto their lack ofVOCs. That means hepaints coverbetter n many cases.

Low-VOC = High-Dollar? -Whenwe started working on this article, wewere certain these new paints had tocost more than their competitors.Butin reali ty, when you look at the typicalprice breakdown of low-end versushigh-end paint, and how it comparesto the costs of low-VoC paints, there'sreally not that much difference.

For example, Olympic offers theirno-VOC paint at a starting price ofjust $17 per gallon.Aura, the ultra-premium no-VOC paint from BenjaminMoore, checks n at over $50 a gallon.That range s not much different thanwhat you d find for standard paints.

A Green Conclusion-Whicheverway you decide to go with your nextpaint purchase,we strongly recom-mend choosing a ow- or no-VOCproduct. The advantages ar outweighthe tradeoffs.

The list of low- and no-VOC paintshasgown so argethat it's difficult to listthem all here. But there'san easywaytomake sure you get one.Just specificallyrequest t from your storerepresentativethe next time you need paint. Chancesare,he or she will have a ow- or no-VOCproduct that will fill the bill. 'H- Written by Wyatt ALyers

Greenaint y heNumbers

NumberfpoundsfV0Cshatwill beeliminatedy sing,000allonsflow-V0Caint.

Acceptableevel fV0(sgrams/liter)nflat aints,ccordingo heEPA.

Acceptableevelof0Csgrams/liter)nflat aintsnmost ortheasterntatesand alifornia.

Acceptableevel fV0Csgrams/liter)in lat aintsnLos ngelesndhesurroundingasin.

Percentagefairborneollutantsausingground-levelz0nehat an e ttributedto heV0(snpaint.

Theevel fV0(snseveralfthe aintswe ookedt or his rticle.

31

:".^ '. g

www.WorkbenchMagazine.com


27/90

AlliqatorBoaitlFrompatrioticsteelwallpanelso roll ingpegboardstorage enters, l l igatorBoardhelpsbringpegboardinto he 21stcentury.

PEGBOARD ITHPERSONALITYROM

After years of commendableservice, t's time to retirethat bland pegboard in yourgarage and replace it withsomething more interestingfromAlligator Board.

Alligator Board manufac-tures a wide variefy of steeland stainlesssteelpegboardpanels,strips, and shelves.Th.y offer specialty kits likethe American Flag (SZOO;and Finish Line ($170)packagesshown in thePhotos,leftand above.

Of course, hey also offermore conventional packagesin various sizes hat includehooks and hangers(Photo,

below).Thesekits are dealfor any utility or storagearea and start at around $80.

Individual strips, panels,and shelves are also avail-able n a range of colors andsizesand cost between $20and $50 each.

The latest offering fromAlligator, however, is an'bff-the-wall" p egboardpackage.The WOW (WallOnWheels) Cart makes

pegboard mobile. Threedifferent sizesofWOWCarts are available, rangingin price from $120 to $250.All three models feature 20-gauge steelpegboard andheavy-dufy 3" casters.

To learn more aboutthe full line ofAlligatorpegboard storageproducts,contact the company at866-338-8000or visitAlligatorBoard.com.

TheAlligatorBoardWall onWheelscomes nthreesizes: he32"-wideunitshown hereand.|6"-and 48"-widemodels,as well.Thismodel retailsfor about 5200.

-

A full complementof steelor stainless teelpegboardwallpanelsand accessories,ncludingpegboardshelves, egboardstrips,hooks,and hangers, re alsoavailable. hewall panels,shelves, nd stripsare offered n a varietyof colors.

'i

,l&ffiirffi



28/90

GARAGE [AJ]

Sliding DoorCabinetUpgradeIt's no longer enoughto simply cleanor evenorganizeyour garage.Justl ike the restof the house,the garages now ripe forrernodelir-rg.nd one of theleadinggarage emodelingcompanies,PremierGarage,offerssome compellingproducts for your parkingspot makeover.

As a full-service garageenhancement"company,PremierGarage ffersdesign,sales, nd nstallationof afull rangeofgarageupgrades,includingpolymer floor coat-ings Photo,below),specialtyorganizers Photo, ottont),work surfaces, nd storagecabinets Photos,igh).

Most recently,Premier-Garageexpanded heircabinetofferingswithPremierAccess abinetsthat featureby-pass lidingdoors.Thesear eperfectfo r garagesha t don't haveadequate pace or swing-out doors,so you cangetinside the cabinetswithouthaving to mol'e the car irst.

PremierAccess abinetsca nbe mixed and matchedwith PremierGarage'sradi-tional cabinets nd come nal l the same inishes(maple,pewter,bronze,and white).

Bestof all,becausethe sliding doors wereconstructed o work withexisting abinetdesigns,previousPremierGaragecustomerscan retrofit theircabinetswith the sliders.

To learn more aboutthe full l ine of Premier-Garageproducts, ncludingPremierAccess abinets,or to schedule meetingwith a garagedesigner, isitPremierGarage.com r call866-483-4272.

A lonqw i tha u l li ineof cab i r re ts ,Prr :nr ierGarage;:;lso ffersa v a r i e ty fspe


29/90



30/90

FleaMarketFINDSThey night ookdatedand batteredwhenyou discoverhemat the thrif t store, ut with a litt levisionand know-howyoucan urn rattyrel ics nto fabulous urniture or your home.

heret hardly a more greenendeavor than rescuing oldfurniture from a yard sale,

auction, orvintage shop. Everytime anexisting piece is refurbished and putback into service, that's one less temin the landfill. And we all know thattgood for our planet.

With that in mind, we took a trip toa ocal secondhand shop and returnedwith a wicker table and chair set anda cedar chest.The wicker pieceshadsuffered a'70s-era redo that left themgarishyellow andburnt orange.But thewoven wicker was in excellent condi-tion, and all three pieces felt sturdy andwobble-free. Considering the currentpopularity of wicker furniture, thesepieceshad lots of potential.

The cedar chest (pogr39), from the1930s, featured graceful raised carvingsand trim, diagonal walnut veneer, andclassicbun feet. On the down side, ithad quite a few chips and scratches,the finishwas faded and dull, and theveneer on the lid was missing. But therewas nothing aweekend in the work-

shop couldrt't remedy, so we chose togive this lovely piece a second chance.

Triage Those Treasures- Whenyou're shopping for vintage furniture,take the time to evaluate whetherany damage is structural or cosmetic.Sometimes a piece can look charming,but it might not be a good candidatefora DIYfacelift.

If you're not experienced withfurniture repair, and you don't want topay a professional restorer, rememberthat repairing a frame is a major job. Ittbest to avoid pieces with frames thatare broken orwarped, have dryrot, orjust feel flimsy.lfyou're considering anupholstered piece, checkto make surethe frame isn't so full of nailholes fromprevious upholstery jobs that newnailswon'thold.

On the following pages,we'll showyou some quickways to give deservingflea market finds new life. With theright materials and techniques, you canupdate sryles and correct most commondamage without spending a lot of timeormoney.



31/90

CC lVithhc igltnuterialsanr{ echnicyes,t}L,ttutupdatestlt|etzntl orrt* tnost l|wnt)nrlnttmge ;ithout lterttling lotof"thne )rmoney))

TRENDY ICKERRIOPeople have been weaving wicker itemsfor thousands of years,and todaywickerfurniture is more popular than ever.Our set ust needed updated colors andfabrics and a fewminor repairs.

Technically, "wicker" refers to anend-result product, such as a "wickerbasket." Manytypes of materials canbe used for weaving wicker, includingrattan reed, willow, bamboo, andpaperfibre rustr, a man-made productcommonly called "paper wicker." Paperwicker has a rope-like twist and is thecolor of a brown paper bag. Itt oftenused for wicker repair and can be foundat upholstery shops and canesuppliers.

We used paper wicker to repair afew areason the chair legs where theoriginal material was missing (Fig. ).

After the repair, we allowed the glue todry overnight. Then we gave all threepieces wo new coatsofbrown exteriorlatex enamel.

Creating New Cushions - Themoldy old chair cushions hit the trashcan. We cut new ones from 4" high-density foam and re-covered them witha durable indoor-outdoor fabric. Theold upholstery, taken apart, workedperfectly as a pattern for making thenew cushions. Lastly, we secured thenew2" foam and matching fabric tothe front and back of the chairs usingupholstery tacks (Fig. 2).

Revive with Veneer - Like theyellowwicker, the orange top andshelf on the table had to go. Our firstthought was to strip and stain them,but the crack in the tabletop was aproblem. We started by screwing steelmending plates to the underside toincrease stability. Then we smoothedthe crack as much aspossible with ahand plane and filled the crackwithwood filler. After it was dry, we sandedthe top smooth.

Thatstill didn t get he tabletopperfectly lat, so we decided o applyhardboardoverboth the top and heshelfand cover hemwith adhesive-backedmapleveneer.We tracedcircleson the hardboardwith trammels Fig.S)andcut the top and shelfwith a igsaw.Next,we applied he veneer fig. +)and rimmed t to fitwith a utilityknife(fig. S).Thenwe ust glued he veneeredhardboard iscs o the old tabletopandshelfwith constructionadhesive, ndbrushedon two coatsof polyurethane.



32/90

SUPERCEDARCHESTIn its earlierdays,his pieceprobablyserved sayoungwomant"hoPechest" o store hingsshewished obring into her marriage.Today,cedarchestsarestill valuedfor their gener-ousstorage pace. he aromaticcedarlining evenkeepsclothes,blankets,andlinens reshand nsect-free. Alightsandingwill releasehe wood'soilsandreinvigorate hat wonderful scent.)

Do No Harm -Antiques Roadshowhas aught us all that refinishing oldfurniture candiminish its value.And ifyour find is truly a classicexampleofcraftsmanship,or madeby anotableartisanor manufacturer,you ll want toleave ix-up tasks o aprofessional.Butrun-of-the-mill old piecescanactuallygainvaluewhen carefullycleanedandbroughtbackto a usableconfition.

If you re not bureaboutaPiece,lookfor anymarksorlabels that mightindicate ts origin. Contactaprofes-sionalwho dealswith antiquefurnitureif you suspectyoumight havestumbledupon anextremelyvaluable ter4-

ln hisageof cookie-cutter,ass-producedurniture,t'ssatisfyingoreturn vintage iecewithqualityandcharactero service.

The Action Plan-We researchedour chestonlineandlearned hat,whilebeautiful, it isn't a rareantique.Still,it's oftenbest o take he path of leastresistance. he. riginalpatinaaddedto the chestt character, owe chose osimply enhancet with Restor-A-Finishfrom Howard (HowardProducts.com),which doesrt'tdissolveexistingfinish.Withthewipe of a cloth,minorimper-fectionsvirtually disappeare (Fig. ).

For deeperscratcheshat hadgonethrough the varnish layer,wethen used

a stainmarker. Usea ight touch, andblend the stain nto the surroundingareawith acloth (fig. Z).Experimentin an nconspicuous lace irst-youmight need o blend two different colorsto get ust the right shade.f in doubt,startwith a ighter shadeof marker.

We alsopatcheda few chiPs n thewalnut veneerwith stainablewood filler(rig. S).When dry,sand he repairedspotscarefully,andtouch them up witha stainmarker.

Ratherthanveneer he li4 whichwould requiretricky stainmatching,we ust bought a newpad,so he chestcanpull double-dutyasabench.Withits timeless ryleanduniquehistorytheret hopefor this chestagain.]f- Wr ttenbyL ouiseRitchh r

www.WorkbenchMagazi e.com 39


33/90

.*%, .'1,t: , j : dk*# GREENwith ournextbmetmprovement

Watch TV or read he newslately,and it seemshat "greert''iseverywhere.Green loorirg, greenappliances, reencars,evengreenhomes it'sno wonder that someof us arealreadysufferingfromgreen atigue.Considering his, it'seasy o developa healthydoseofskepticismwhen it comes o goinggreen n your own home.

The messagehat often gets ost in all thisgreenmania is that it's usually greener andcheaper- to reuseor recycle an existing compo-nent of your home than to buy a new product.After all, what's less green than throwing some-thing in a landfill?

With that in mind, we'd like to help you take agreenapproach to your DfYand home improve-ment projects. We'll start by sharing some easy,creative ways that you can reuse, repurpose, orotherwise breathe new life into existing areasofyour home.

Of course,we also understand that some-times you need or just want something newwhen improving your home. So we'll showyou some of your best-looking, cheapestoptions - which also happen to be environ-mentally friendly- for every room. In manycases, he greenestoption is also the one thatwill saveyou the most money, which alwaysgives you extra incentive to go green.

Along the way,we'll also dispel some greenmyths, and showyou what kind of impact you canhave on the environment "bythe numbers."

p oject

writtenby WyattMyersti ustroti n byKonstati osKokki s

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FIXTHEFLOORINGFor something that getssteppedon, flooring isheld in high regard n greencircles. Green flooringoptions have exploded in popularity recently.

Reuse - Before we get to those, et's start withthe greenest looring option: Leaving it in place.If you have vinyl or laminate, for example, youcan apply new flooring right over the top (after athorough cleaning,of course). Some of the newestoptions in vinyl and laminate have the look of ahigher-end floor at a significantly lower cost.

Wood flooring offers plenty of new greenchoices,but the greenestchoice s to refinish anexisting wood floor with water-based loor finish.For a floor refinishing guide, see he free articleonline at WorkbenchMagazine.com.

Recycle -Another interesting way to"recycle" flooring is to install somebody else'soldfloor in the form of reclaimed hardwood. Thisflooring, availableonline and at architecturalsalvage tores,has a unique aged ook and patinathat you can t get from new boards, and no treesare cut down to make it. For carpet,MohawkGreenworks (MohawkGreenworks.com) turnsplastic bottles into beautiful recycled carpets.

Responsible New Options - If you're in themarket for new flooring, there are a number ofenvironmentally responsible options. Bamboo, forexample, s an excellent choice because he plantsgrow so quickly. But not all bamboo floors are"green" (Sidebar, elow).

Cork is evenmore renewablethan bamboobecause t's made from the bark of cork trees,which then grows back. It's also a wonderful heat

TRUEGREEN

#-ffiTheumberfyearshatt akesbamboolantoreachaturity.4#-m#Yearst akes ost ardwoodrees0 each aturity.

ff_4ffi#NumberfplasticottleshatMohawkreenworksrecyclesnto arpetarn very inute.retainer and sound absorber,and it's available n awide variety of interesting colors and styles.

Next on our list is linoleum, which many peoplemistake for vinyl. Though natural linoleum (themost commonbrand is "Marmoleum") comes nrolls and tlles (Photo,above) ike vinyl, itt a greenerchoice.The ingredients n linoleum - linseedoil,flour, rosin, jute, and finely ground limestone - areall either renewable or available n abundance andcombine to make a unique, durable floor covering.Visit Marmoleum.com for more information.

Finally, you don't have to give up real hard-wood if thatt the lookyou desire.Just look forwood floors certified by the Forest StewardshipCouncil (eSC) from companies ike EcoTimberFlooring (EcoTimber.com). Engineered flooring,which featuresa thin "show" layer of hardwoodwith scrapwood underneath, is another green"hardwood" option.

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BETTERATHROOMSA whole new look in the bathroom doesn'tnecessarily have to mean a massive tear-out. Aswe showed ust a few months back in theJune2008 issue of.Workbench,yoacan ransform anold vanitywith just a few coatsof paint and newhardware. The sameconcept can ust as easilybeapplied to an outdated medicine cabinet. Use alow- or no-VOC paint (pogr 30) to make it a trulygreen makeover.

Refreshed Fixtures - Vanities and cabinetsaren the only bathroom features hat can get newlife from refinishing, though. Several companiesspecialize in refinishing old tubs, sinks, showers,and countertops. The most notable of these sMiracle Method Surface Restoration, which has anationwide list of professional refinishers availableat MiracleMethod.com. As you can see n thephoto sequence shown, above right, even a vanitycounter made from dull "builder's white" tile can.get the distinctive look of stone with a profes-sional refinishing.

Recycled Options - Two popular looks fortoday's bathrooms are vintage-looking tubs and

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42 WORKBENCHCTOBER2OO8

Annualost fwaterelatedoa ow-consumptionoilet.

sinks, and glass iles. And both looks just happento offer great ways to go green. For vintagetubs and sinks, check out a local architecturalsalvageyard or a Habitat for Humanity ReStore(Habitat.org/env/ReStores) to get the real thing.If you want to dressup the floor, walls, orshower surround with glass iles, a number ofcompanies make incredible-looking tiles fromrecycled glass.These nclude Oceanside Glasstile(Glasstile.com), Stardust Glass(StardustGlassTile.com), Bedrock (B edrocklndustries.com), Sandhill (Sandhilllnd.com), and Amdec(Amdec GlassTile.com)

2AAverageumberfgallonsfwaterlushedownconventionaloilet achay.IAverageumberfgallonsf waterlushedownlow-consumptionoilet achay.$120Annualost fwaterelatedoa conventionaloilet.$45


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Go Green o SaveBlue - Few hings aregreener hansavingwater,which is why afaucet,toilet, or showerhead pgrade s a good consider-ation n the bathroom.

Somecutting-edge xamples f low-flowfixtures nclude he growingnumberof sensor-operatedaucets hat areavailableor homeuse.Made by reputablemanufacturers uchasDelta(DeltaFaucet.com) nd Kohler (Kohler.com),thesedon t costmuchmore than standardaucets.Youcan ind anumber of choicesonline startingat around 150.While federalaw n theUnited States owmandateshat a oilet useno more han 1.6gallonsofwaterper flush, a companycalledBrondell (Brondell.com)has iguredout awaytomake oilets evenmore efficient.Thatt thanks o aunique product called he EcoFlow.Available oriust over$100, tt aneasy-to-installixture thatconvertsa standardoilet into adual-flushmodel(Illustration,left).Onceitt instdle4 yoo can causea half-flushby pushingonebutton and a full flushby pushing he other buttoryeffectivelycuttingyour water usagen half.

The raditionalcomplaint about ow-flowshowerheadss that they don'tprovide enoughwater o makeyou feel clean.A companycalledOrygenics Orygenics.com)hassolved hatproblem. Their uniqueshowerheadsnject oxygeninto the water to provide greatercoveragewith

. lesswater.Th"y alsopushwater hrough an hcce-lorator fin" to increase hepressure. he result s ashower hat usesonly 1.5 gallonsper minute,yetfeels ike it's deliveringmuchmore (Photo,tghA.

IITRUE REENOn e myth that has ingered or years n regardto low-flow ixturesand low-consumptiontoilets s hat they don't actually se es swater,since ou have o spendmore ime in theshoweror f lush more.Thankfully,ime andwater usage igureshaveproven his myth alse.

What'smore,most people no w agree hatlow-f low ixturesdon't perform an y es seff icient ly ha n their higher-f lowcounterparts.Technologyn to i le tand ixturedesignhasensured omparable or bet ter)performancein models hat usesigni f icant lyesswater .

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GREEN

;' TRUEGREEN

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CREATIVEITCHENOLUTIONSWhen it comes to the kitchen, the two thingsthat get updated most often are cabinetsandcountertops.But they don't necessarilyneed tobe replaced.

Reface the Cabinets -Just like in thebathroom, you can alwaysbreathenew life intocabinets with paint. And the growing number ofhardware options availablemeansyou can get anew look for your cabinetsby simply switchingout the handles and door pulls for somethingbolder or more interesting.

A more dramatic, albeit more expensive,option is a cabinet refacing.This involves usingpeel-and-stick veneers o cover up the exposedface rames of the existing cabinets,and thenupdating the doors and drawers o match. Kitsavailableat home centershavemade this processeasier han everbefore, and you can get them in awide variety of colors and styles.

Refinish the Count Most people aren'taware hat you can get your countertops profes-sionally refinished,but it is an option. MiracleMethod, the samecompany that refinishesbathroom fixtures,usesa finishing processcalledNatural Accents to give an old laminate counterthe high-end ook of stone.

If you're hesitant to tear out your old counter,another interesting option is available rom GraniteTransformations. They actually make a "hollow"countertop that fits in place and gets securedoveran existing counter. Less material is used to makethe counter,and you get the addedadvantageofnothaving to remove and throw out your old counter.

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To see he options or locate a dealer n your area,visit GraniteTransformations.com.

Better, Newer Counters-If you decidethat new counters are a must, some options aregreener than others. Several companies makesolid-surface counters from recycled glass,plastic,paper, and other materials (Photo,aboue).Someexamplesof these nclude PaperStone (PaperStoneProducts.net), Yetrazzo (Vetrazzo.com),EnviroSlab (EnviroGlasProducts.com), andAlkemi (RenewedMaterials.com). A companycalled Eleek (Eleek.com) alsomakesstrikingmetal countertops from recycled aluminum.

Poured concrete counters are another greenoption. Th"y are made from limestone, a mineralthat is available n abundance, and they providea unique high-end look for about the same priceas granite.

Cool Cabinetry-As far asnew cabinets go,your best bet is to choose one of the many FSC-certified products if you want wood cabinets. Oneunique choice is cabinets n the "Woodglas" linefrom Alno, which feature a wood-grain patternprinted on aluminum-framed doors (nhoto, left).For more information, visitAlno.com. And ratherthan tearing out and discarding your old cabinets,look for creative ways to reuse them somewhere

$52Costo un conventionalishwasheroroneear.$28Costo un nEnergytaratedishwasheroroneear.#24The nnualavingsealizedromunningheEnergytarratedishwasher.fi247Themoneyou'll ave verheaverageifecyclef adishwasher.

else n the home, such as n a laundry room,garage,or shop area.

Smarter Sinks - To Prove how extensiveyour opportunites to go green in the kitchenreally are, they include everything andthekitchen sink. Specifically, a Canadian comPanycalled Julien ( ;ulien.ca) manufactures great-looking sinks completely from recycled stainlesssteel.A number of styles are available, ncludingthe increasingly popular undermount sinks.Eleek also makes attractive kitchen sinks fromrecycled bronze and aluminum.

Energy-sippingAppliances - One final areawhere you can make your kitchen greener is withappliances.Just be sure to look for the EnergyStar label when you're shopping. The refrigeratoris the greatest energy hog in every kitchen, butyou can also make great strides by replacing thedishwasher, aswell. For more information, visitEnergyStar.gov.

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GREEN PTHEOUTDOORSEven your yard presents severalopportunities tomake smarter choices,whether it's choosing theright plants for gardensor going battery-poweredwith your lawn tool arsenal.

Greener Gardens - In the garden,one of thesimplestactions s to chooseplants native o thearea.They are accustomed o the typical rainfallyou receive,so ittle extrawatering is needed tokeep them looking great. Your local greenhouseshould be able to help you in this endeavor.

If you do irrigate, there are a couple of waysto make it a greenerprocess.One is rainwatercollection, which we go into in greaterdetail onpage 54. The other is drip irrigation, which targetswater directlywhere you want it , usually at theplantt roots (Photo,below).Becausedrip irrigationmakes roots moist without overwatering them, aproperly maintained system keepsplants lookinggreat and can result in a 50 percent reduction in

water usageover a standard sprinkler system.youcan also run it at night to avoid evaporation.

Brighter Lighting- To make that gardenlook greatat night, check out solar andscapelighting. A small solar cell charges he lightsduring the day,so they give offa warm glowat night. A host of new styles and options areavailable rom manufacturerssuch asMalibu(Vtalibutights.com). Plus, the solar cell meansthere are no wires to hide or bury.

Smarter Structures - Most people thinkof cedar or pressure-treated umber for buildingoutdoor projects,bu t compositesarea greenerchoice. Made from recycled wood and plasticfibers, composites can be machined, fastened,and painted just like lumber. Though theywereoriginally sold as deck boards, compositesare nowbeing made for other purposes,such as railings,stair components, and fences.Common brandsinclude Trex (Trex.com), CorrectDeck (CorrectDeck.com), and Evergrain (Evergrain.com).

Gas-Free Tools - To cut down on gasuse,check out battery-powered lawn tools. Black& Decker (BlackandDecker.com), Remington(RemingtonPowerTools.com), and Neuton(NeutonPower.com) all make a variety of cordlesstrimmers, blowers, and mowers (Photo,above).

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WHOLE-HOUSEOLUTIONSSome green improvements can be implementedhouse-wide. One of the best choicesyou can makehere is choosing a greener, nontoxic insulationproduct. Bonded Logict UltraTouch NaturalCotton Fiber Insulation (Bondedlogic.com) ismade from recycled denim, which explains whyit looks like jeans (Photo, rtght).Johns Manville(;tvt.com) has also made a commitment togreener products by making all their insulationproducts formaldehyde-free. And when it comesto spray foam insulations, several options are soy-based (BioBased.net, EmegaBiopolymers.com),though you'llneed a professional o apply these.

Speaking of formaldehyde-free, many manufac-turers have done awaywith the formaldehyde intheir caulks, sealants,and adhesives to make themsaferproducts with lower VOCs. Be sure to lookfor nontoxic formulations of caulk and sealant onyour next trip to the home center.

Forest-Friendly Lumber - We've mentionedForest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified itemsa few times in this article, but theybear mentionagain,simply becauseFSC-certified products gofar beyond iust flooring and cabinetry. Most woodproducts, including basic lumber, offer FSC-certi-fied options, and many are available asclose asyour local Home Depot or Lowe's.

Be aware, though, that the growing Popu-larity and acceptance of FSC-certified productshas generated a number of copycats, some ofwhich are not as stringent as he FSC. If yousee a different type of certification on a lumberproduct, don't be afraid to ask the manufacturerhow it stacks up againstFSC certification.

Energy- Saving Windows - Installingnew windows isn't usually considered a DIYproiect, but installing replacement windows is.These easy-to-install kits allow you to leave theexisting structure of the window and replace

85PercentagefBondedogic's ltraTouchaturalottonFibernsulationaderomecycledaterial.$15,000AmountavednonemonthyheAdobeystemscompanyfternstallingattstopperlugoadontrols.roThe umber fweekst takeso makehemoneyackinvestednaSmart trip owertrip.

StoresikeGoodwilland he SalvationArmyaccept otmore hanclothes.Beforehrowing utold housewaretallyour ocal ffiliateoseewhatthey'lltake.HabitatorHumanity'sReStorelsowillallowyou o bring n anum-berof old ixtures ndconstruction aterials.

the sashes. nd most replacementwindowsaremore energy-efficienthan the onesyou'rereplacing,making hem agreatgreenoption.(SeeWorkbenchMagazine.comor abonusarticleon replacementwindows.)

Intelligent Electronics - If you'reworriedaboutpowerusage, onsidera"smart"Powerstrip.These hutoffthe electricalcurrent o idleelectronicsaftera preset ime of your choosing.Models nclude heWattStoPPer lug LoadControl (WattStopper.com) nd he SmartStripPowerStrip (SmartHomeUSA.com).Make Your Trash Green- Amidst all thesecutting-edge roductsand gadgetry,hough, ettnot forget hat oneof thegreenestwhole-housesolutions s properlydisposingof wasteafteraproject. So akewhat you can o the Habitat forHumanity ReStore Habitat.o g env ReStores),the SalvationArmy(SalvationArmy.org), r atleast heproperwaste isposal ite.lT

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Lookinqor greeneraytobrightenlp oorn?ooknourtherhanhe oiatubeDayl ightingystem,sinrplesolutionorbringingreataturall ightnsidet 'sasynoughto nstal l thatr lenbeginnerDlYeran andiet,andt coststhousandsesshanortlentionalskyliqtsHere,e'll rovideouwithallthe olatubeasrcs,lussomenstallationips ndricks

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spread aturalight:

Skylights have ong been popular fortheir ability to provide natural light.But until recently, hey were somethingof a uxury item. A typical skylightinstallationwould run over $1,200,andthe installation was complex enoughthat most DIYers were hesitant to try it.

That all changed n the late'80s withthe advent of the SolatubeDaylightingSystem. nstead of a complicatedwindow-like structure, here was asimple pipe that delivered more lightthan a much larger skylight.

Because he installation onlyinvolves cutting holes in the ceilingand roof and then fiuing pipes togetherthrough theseholes, the installation isnow realistic for even a beginner DIYer.But perhaps he best part is the price:The 10" Solatube160DS costs$300,and the larger 14'290 DS is $400.Theresult is an economical way to bringnatural light into your home.

Daylighting Details - Theamount of light put out by adaylighting systemreally is surprising.In many cases,a room will go frompitch-black to comfortably bright

tubethanks to the light of the Solatubealone.The 10" Solatube can effectivelylight up to 200 square eet; the 14"model can cover300 square eet.

The secret s in the Solatube'sdesign,which we'll show in greaterdetail rn an lllustration on page 50. It allstarts on the roof, where a durable domegathers he light and points it at a reflec-tive strip installed within the dome. Thisreflector in turn directs sunlight downthe tube. Once it reaches he room, alens attached o the tube called a diffusersoftens he light and createsawarrn,ambient glow (Photo, eft).

Where to Install lt-The mostappealingplaces o install daylightingsystemsare n the interior rooms of thehome, where no natural light canreach.Bathrooms, kitchens, aundry rooms, andwalk-in closetsare all ideal candidates.

Unlike a traditional light, though,you can't exactly shut a daylightingsystem off. In the past, hat madebedrooms poor choices or daylighting.Living rooms and home officeswerealsoquestionablebecauseof thepotential glareproduced by the tube.

Solatube recently releasedanoptional dimmer that actually letsyou darken the daylighting when youdesire.Now a lot rnore rooms havebecome attractive ocations for aSolatube. Fo r more on the dimmer

and Solatube'sother daylighting acces-sories, ee he box on page51.)

Thanks to the optional "extensiontubesi'you can evenuse a Solatube ona ower floor ofyour home. (The 160DS canbe up to 20 feet long, and the290 DS can stretch as ar as30 feet.) Todo this, though, you'll need to accom-modate the tube by either hiding it in acloset or by building an enclosure or it.

As long as he room you have nmind for your daylighting is on theupper floor, though, with nothing morethan an attic between it and the roof,then installing one is a completelyrealisticdo-it-yourself project. Solatubeprovides complete instructions withtheir kits, but we'll give you a briefoverview and some installation tips onthe following pages.

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When you really break t down,installing a SolatubeDaylightingSystem only requires cutting holes inthe ceiling and roof and then gettingtubes to line up between these woholes.Then, asyou can see n the lJlus-trationat left, the dome assemblyatthe top and the diffuser at the bottomboth simply click into place to deliverlight into the room.

Of course, here'sa bit more to itthan that, but thatt the basic dea.Alltold, the entire installation processshouldn't take you more than a fewhours.Just make sure o pick a nice dayto do it, since t requires making a fewtrips up to the roof - and cutting ahole in it .

.4I Th. fuststep s iguringout ustI where n the roomyouwant oII put the difi.rser. t needs o bebetween ceiling joists, so start by locatingthe joists by tapping with a hammer orusing a stud finder. Then insert a nail orscrewat the desired ocation.

If you don't have easyaccess o theattic, there's a simple trick to double-

CeilingRingholds hebottomtube n heceiling'andacceptshediffuser

Diffusertransformsunlightintowarm, mbientightwhen t reacheshe oom



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If you can'tget he two holes oline up precisely,hough, hatt okay.In fact, he top and bottom tubes hatmakeup the SolatubeDaylightingSystem oth rotate ndependently pto 30 degrees. oyou canmove helocationof the roof holequite a bitand still get he tubes o line uP.

With both holes located,youcan finish up work on the ceilinghole. First,lay out its shapewith

a compass.Then cut it out ascleanly aspossible with a drywall saw (fg. :).

Nowhead back down into theroom below, and insert thebottom tube and ceiling ring

assembly through the hole (Fig.4).(This is the tube with the white ringaround it.) By rotating the screwsonthe underside of the ceiling ring with ascrewdriver, you activate the fasteningclamps,which fixthe ring and tubein the hole. Onlytighten two of theclamps for now, though: You'll Prob-ably need to adjust the bottom tubeposition later on.

SOLATUBECCESSORIESDIMMER dimmerets oudarkena Solatube'saturalight,makingtanexcellenthoiceor bedrooms,offices,nd iving ooms.LIGHTThepposite xtremerom hedimmersa ight ixturehatmountsinsidehe ube orusingt at night.FAN nstead f nstalling separatefanan ddaylightingystemn hebathroom,se hecombinationnitthatSolatube akes.

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check that the joists won t interferewith where you want to position yourSolatube.Just bend a piece of stiffwire to match the radius of the holebeing cut (57e", n our case), nsertit through the hole, and turn it in acircle (fi1, l).If it doesn't hi t anythingsolid, you're in the clear. f it does hitsomething solid, you'lIwant to reposi-tion the diffuser.

For an deal nstallation, hehole you later cut n the roofshouldalignalmostprecisely

with the hole in the ceiling. To seeif thatt a possibility, you'll need toclimb into the attic with a plumb boband string. Dangle the plumb bobabove the nail or screw you insertedthrough the ceiling, adjusting thelocation until the two align (fig. Z).If this roof location is free of raftersor other obstructions, then mark itwith a screw or nail driven all the waythrough the roof. This is where you'llcut the roof hole.

DIFFUSERS os t PeoPlePrefer hewarm, ambient glow of the "Vuzion"diffuser (right),bu t the "OPtiView"(left) creates n interesting multi-faceted ook.

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With the bottom tubetempo-rarily in positior5 tt time togatherup your suppliesandheadto the roof to install he top tube.Ifyouhavea shingled oo{ you'll need heflashingpiece, op tube,roof sealant,drill, lumber crayon, eciprocating aw,prybar, andscrews.Layrngout the circle or installingthe top tube s actuallyeasierhan thecircle or the bottom tubebecauseyou canuse he nsidediameterof theflashingasa guide.Justcenter t abovethe nail or screwyoudrove hroughthe roof to markthe hole ocation,andthenmark the circlewith a umbercrayon rig. sa).Then,mark a secondcircleroughly r/2"beyondthat first one.This s the circleyou'll be cutting.Areciprocatingsaw s probablythebest ool to use o cut through he roof.

Justdrill a starterhole to insert thebladethrougb,and hen cut carefullyaroundthe hole,holding the saw's hoe ightlyagainsthe shingles fig.Sb).Beforeyoucomplete he cut, hold ontothe nail orscrewwithonehand o prevent he cut-out piece rom falling onto thebottomtubebelow.Now set the flashing piecein position, and make sureyour hole is large enough. If

it is, you'vereachedprobably hemost abor-intensivepart of theinstallation (and even his isn't thatbad) -prying up shingles o installthe flashingpiece.Youonlyneed to pryup the shinglesfrom the midwaypoint of the flashingandup.Below hat point, the flashingwill actually estabove he shingles.Keeping his in min4 takea prybarandcarefullyslip it under the shingles,pulling up nailswhereneededandtakingcarenot to damagehe shingles.When you think you'vepriedup enoughnails,checkthe fit oftheflashingover he hole n the roof. Nowapplysealanto the undersideof theflashing,set t in place,and drive screwsat the pre-punchedhole ocations.Finishup bysealingoffthe screwheadswith Sealant, nd hen replaceanypulled-upshingles.With the flashing nstalled simplyinsert he top tube anddome ringassemblyinto t (fig. e). T,ineup the

holes n the dome ringwith the holes nthe flashing,and hen insert (but don tdrive) one dome ring screwinto oneof the holes.Thiswill hold the tube na ixedenoughposition that you canmakeany necessary djustmentso lineup the tubes n the attic.Thatt preciselywhereyou'reheadednext- to the attic- toline up the tubeswith oneanotherandconnect hem.Asmentionedearlier, ou canchange he

angleof the tubesby rotating hem.Thery o makesure heymatch up, useatape measureo check he distancefrom the top tubeto the bottom tube atseveral oints around he perimeterofthe ubes fig.Z).For shorter nstallations, ou mightbe able o simply connect he twotubes o eachother at this point. This



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is accomplished by removing the linerfrom each tube to reveal the reflectivesurface, and then driving a couple ofshort sheet metal screws(includedwith the kit) into the joint between thetubes.Then, cover every oint on bothtubes, including the seams or the angleadjustments, with foil tape.

For longer installations like ours,however, you're going to need extensiontubes. The extension fubes are each 16"long, and they start out as ndividualaluminum sheetswith shallow and deepnotchesonboth ends.Byweaving oneend ofthe tube into a shallownotch, andone end of the tube into a deep notch,you createa tapered tube.

This taper is important becausethe bottom tube is slightly smaller in

diameter than the top tube. So thenarrow end of the extension tube fitsnicely into the bottom tube, and thewide end fits into the top tube, or intoanother extensiontube if necessary.(We neededtwo tubes for our installa-tion.) You'll want each oint betweentubes to overlap by at least lYz".

Onceyou figureout how all thetubes it together, emove heprotective iners rom the tubes

and then foin them all as describedabove,with two sheet metal screwsat each tube joint and foil tape overevery seam (fig. S).AIso, where thetop extensiontube meets the toPtube, wrap weather stripping aroundit to keep out anybugs or dirt. Thencomplete the connection.

Now it's time for your last ripup to the roof. Startby securingthe domering to the flashing

by driving screws through the holes inboth. Then you can install the dome.First, use a compass o position thereflector (just a small aluminum strip)facing due south within the dome (Frg.9a).The reflector then just snaps nplace on tabs inside the dome. With thereflector in place, remove its protectiveliner, and then snap the dome onto thedome ring(Fig.9b).

A11hat's eft is to headback ntothe room, whereyou can ightentheremainingscrews n the ceilingringand hen drivedrywall screwsn thepre-tapped olesaround ts perimeter.The ast part to go n place s thediffuser,which just snapsover heceilingring. Now getready o enjoythe greatnatural ight providedbyyournew daylightingsystem.f,- WrittenbyWyatt IvIy r , llustrated yErichLage

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It's ree, t'seasy o store,and t helpsmake lowers,grass, ndgardenshrive.I t 's ainwater,ndyoucancapture ndstore t in a rainbarrel hat's ast,easy, ndinexpensiveo bui ld.

i : . i i

very time it rains,waterpours offyour roof and outyour downspouts. Some of

it may end up feeding your yard, butmost probably ends up in the stormsewer. nstead of letting that water flowawlft why not savesome and use t forwatering flowers and plants aroundyour house?You can with a rain barrel.

If you're wondering whether savingrainwater is worthwhile, consider this:Even a quarter-inch of rain can causeover 150 gallons of water to pour offanaverage-sizeoof. Save ust a portion ofthat, and you'll have an ample supplyof natural, untreated water that helpsplants thrive. Plus, t's all free.

Rain Barrel Basics - Thankfully,capturing that water is easy.As you cansee n the Photo at right, all you need sa container that sitsbelow a downspout.Water pouring offthe roof fills thecontainer and sits at the ready for youryard and garden needs.Justconnect ahose, and the water flows. -Ihe lllustra-tion onpage 56 shows more detail.

Of course, hat flow is dependent ongravity. Water can't flow uphill, so thatmeansyou'llneed to position the barrelabove he level where you want to usethe water.

If your property slopes, ry to locatethe barrel on high ground. If that's not

possible,place the barrel on a sturdysupport,suchas andscape locks, oraise t. Even if you can't raise he barrelhigh enough to effectively connecta hose, you can simply use t to fillwatering cans.Either way,you'11 tillget a lot of free water.

Build Your Own Barrel - Makinoa rain barrel is easy.The main thingyou'll need is a container. We used aheavy-duty industrial trash can.Butyou can alsouse a "food-safe" barrel,which may be available rom restaurantsuppliers n your area,or even an oldwine barrel. Add a fewbasic plumbingparts from the hardware store and acouplehours of work, and you'll be set.

We chose o use a trash can becausethey're readily available n homecenters.Plus, a trash can has a remov-able id that makes t easy o get intothe barrel to clean t out.

Granted, a trash can might not bebeautiful,but it canbe placed ncon-spicuouslyor disguisedwith plants.If you reallywant an authentic woodbarrel, you can buy "retired" winebarrelsonline. But be prepared to payasmuch as$100 for a barrel,plus closeto that much for shipping.

Now that you know the basics,you're ready to turn the pageand seeexactly how to build your own barrel.

54 woRKBENcHcroBER oo8


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To get started building your rainbarrel, the first thing you'll need todo is gather supplies.You can findeverything you need at your nearesthardware store or home center.

The first item to find is the containerthat you'llturn into a barrel.We usedan ndustrial plastic rash can.Don'ttry to savea few dollars by purchasingan inexpensive rash can. They're tooflimsy and tend to deform when filledwith water.We used a "Brute" 40-galloncan from Rubbermaid.

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In addition to the container,you'llneed a few items that you can find int

workbench magazine 309-2008

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