DIY Projects

Did you know that most cars on the road have improper air pressure in the tires? This not only affects your gas mileage, but the handling of your vehicle as well. It also makes the tires wear unevenly.

Do not check the tire pressure after you’ve been driving! The friction of the tires on the road creates heat and will give you the wrong reading. Always check the tire pressure before you start driving, or after it has set for at least 3 hours.

Look in your owner’s manual, which will usually refer you to a label or decal somewhere on the car, typically on the driver’s side door jamb, the tire pressure recommended in the manual or on the door jamb is what is called a cold pressure. This does not mean that it is only for cold weather but the temperature that your tires should have before starting to drive on them for the day.

I recommend that you use a good tire pressure gauge. One that holds the reading so that you can remove the gauge from the tire to get a closer look at the number, also, one with a flexible hose so that there is no fiddling with the valve stem.

Check your tire pressure often, tires can lose 1 PSI for every 10 degrees the temperature drops, so it is important to regularly check your vehicle’s tire pressure at least once a month.

Gentlemen-have you ever wanted your wife to help you with a home project, only to find that your tools just don’t work for her?

Stop and think about it. Most tools are designed for guys, rugged, tough, & heavy. The handles are large so you can grip it, however, that usually means that she can’t. Also, your power tools are just too heavy for her to hold and control, making it just a little difficult for her to feel comfortable enough to help.

When my wife and I were flipping houses, there were a lot of jobs that she could do herself, once she found tools that she was comfortable with. So now she has some of her own tools. Not a full set, just some that are a little lighter or some that have smaller handles.

So next time you are shopping for tools, remember, that all things being equal, buy one that she can use too.

I’m not implying that you go out and buy all new tools, or that you buy her a set for Christmas, just think about it the next time you ask her to help. It can make all the difference.

The choice of tools that you will need to cut laminate with will depend upon the project, however, I would highly recommend a pair of Laminate Shears. They are capable of making straight cuts in all types of decorative plastic laminate, and have a patented, ‘double action’, hardened steel cutting blade.

Laminate Shears cut without binding, and will not crack or chip the decorative surface. Widely used by professional and do-it-yourself installers for rough cutting laminate before cementing in place.

There are a few different types of shears but the most popular are the Straight Cut Version. They are efficient for cuts on any lengths. Your hand is positioned over the top of the laminate and they are designed to cut with a single blade cutting into the decorative surface.

They can also be used to cut the irregular contour line for the laminate piece that fits between a wall and the backsplash top. They have vinyl coated handles for comfort, and the spring return handles can be locked in the closed position.

Channelocks

When you start building up your tool box there are a few hand tools that are necessary. Pliers come in many shapes and sizes. One choice is a pair of, tongue and groove pliers, also referred to as channellocks. Channellock is a name brand but almost everyone refers to their tongue and groove pliers as channellocks.

Channellocks are used by a wide range of professionals: plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, and firefighters, so if they put their trust in this tool, why shouldn’t you?

The special jaw design can accommodate many shapes and sizes. They can grip irregularly shaped items such as, round, square, flat and hexagonal, they also have serrated jaws to provide positive grip and they have insulated grips. Channellocks also have a tongue and groove mechanism that keeps the two handles in synch and allows you to really get a grip on what you are working on. The mating surfaces are undercut so they work to tighten against each other as you squeeze rather than spreading apart as other pliers do.

These are professional grade pliers, and cost a little more than your bargain basement type tools, but the old saying “You get what you pay for” is certainly relevant in this case. A quality pair of channellocks can last you a very long time, if properly taken care of.

When the tightness of a screw or bolt is critical, a torque wrench is used. This tool is used to precisely apply the proper tension to match the manufactures specifications.

It is very important to have a reliable, accurate torque wrench to properly tighten fasteners to specification. A torque wrench is used to measure the precise amount of pressure (torque) applied to a bolt. This is usually done to assure you do not over-tighten the bolt and thereby strip threads.