Venting Dos and Don'ts

When venting a roof remember that vent areas at the eaves and the ridges should be roughly equal. Consult manufacturers specs for vent areas they are less then the physical size of the vent. Be careful about painting vents as this reduces the vent area and eventually closes them up. Vents should let air in and out and not insects and varmints. Turbine vents appear to be doing a lot but they are really not very effective. Power vents create a negative pressure in the attic and air will be pulled from somewhere be sure it is being pulled from other vents and not from your living space.

Paper Keepers

Some folks are paper keepers and some aren't. When it comes to home improvements and repairs be a paper keeper even if it hurts. Many home products are warranted but if you don't have the receipts you might be out of luck. Start a file and just put everything, receipts, product literature and warranties in there and keep it forever. If you pay someone else to do the work make a point of getting all the literature and receipts from them. Make it a condition of final payment. So when the seal breaks on the thermopane windows or the fan goes out in the bathroom or you need to change the program on the thermostat or you are trying to minimize your capital gains tax... Get the picture?

Installing Hinges

When installing hinges on doors or cabinets one of the toughest things to do is get the holes in exactly the right place. Marking is not a problem but drilling the hole on the mark is tough because the wood grain often pulls the bit a little to one side and then the hinge is a little bit off. The answer to this problem is the Vix bit or self-centering bit. These bits are available for common screw sizes and make drilling holes for hinges foolproof. The bit is inside a shaft that fits perfectly in the screw holes on the hinge. As long as the hinge doesn't move the hole will be spot on.

Cordless Drill Tip

Most cordless drills have variable speed settings and reverse switches and high/low speed ranges. Most also have a variable clutch mechanism. If you were wondering what those numbers around the chuck of the drill were for it's the clutch. The clutch allows the chuck to slip at different torque settings and this is useful when there is danger of over tightening a screw. Use the clutch when fastening drywall with screws and screwing in small screws on cabinet doors that can easily strip.

Basic Carpentry: Working Wood

Basic carpentry involves many talents, one of which is understanding the materials. Wood acts in certain ways by its very nature. Wood has grain and wood will split along its grain, which most always runs the length of a board. Nailing near the end or edge of a board will most likely result in a split. To minimize wood splitting it can be drilled first to accommodate a nail or screw. Wood acts differently when cut with the grain (ripping) or across the grain (crosscutting). There are saw blades for ripping and blades for crosscutting using the appropriate blade will achieve better results. There is also a combination blade that makes OK cuts in either direction. Sanding wood is typically done parallel or with the grain. Sanding across the grain will tear wood fibers and leave a rougher surface.

Basic Carpentry: Cutting Straight

Wood is frequently cut with a circular saw. The circular saw is often guided by hand and with practice relatively straight cuts can be achieved. When an accurate cut across a 2x4 is required a small square is held tight to the board and its edge is used as a guide for the saw resulting in a square straight cut. When a long straight cut is required a ripping guide can be attached to the saw or a long straight edge can be clamped to the board and used as a guide resulting in long straight cuts.

Basic Carpentry: Drilling Wood

Wood is drilled in a variety of ways with the size of the hole generally dictating the type of bit used. Small holes 1/16" up to about ½" are usually drilled with twist drills. Medium size holes 1/2" to about 1 1/2" are usually drilled with spade bits. Large size holes 1 1/2" up to about 3 1/2" are usually drilled with hole saws. Professionals often use auger and wood boring bits for medium and large holes because of their ease of use and superior performance; they are also considerably more expensive.

Basic Carpentry: Fastening Wood

Wood is typically fastened with nail or screws. Nails are driven into wood and are held by the friction between the nail and the wood fiber. When fastening to boards together the nail completely penetrates one board and partially penetrates the second. Then the boards are drawn up tight by the nails and the friction between the two boards helps hold them together. Tight fitting connections are important for this reason. Screws act a little differently. The screw threads work their way between the wood fibers and have considerably more holding power than nails. Pilot holes should be drilled for screws for maximum strength and ease of fastening. When two boards are screwed together the screw should pass through the first board and be screwed into the second. This allows the two boards to be drawn up tight which increases the strength of the connection.

- Stephen Corwin

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2002