A Fixer-upper Farm
June 19, 2012An old friend of mine called this spring with the news that he and his wife were buying 15 acres in the country. They had gotten a real good deal on the place, but the buildings were in questionable shape.
Corner Shelf: Making Do
June 13, 2012The other day, my daughter wanted to hang a shelf she had made. The challenge was that it was a corner shelf and I only had one appropriate hanger for the job.
A Tool for Tilling
May 29, 2012One of the joys of my job as a farm-machinery writer is getting to try out tools. It’s especially fun when the tool turns out to do the job it was promoted to do.
Dryer Trouble-shooting: Keep It Simple
May 22, 2012Electric motors are great, and modern life wouldn’t be the same without them. Let an electric appliance stop working, as our clothes dryer did recently, and you are quickly reminded how vital these machines are.
How to Build a Trellis
May 15, 2012Several years ago, I built a trellis for a clematis in our front garden. We quickly established that that I had built it too small.
Angle Grinder Shopping: The Buy
May 8, 2012After brushing up on tools and motors during my tool-shopping expedition, I spent some time on the web looking at my options and reading reviews for angle grinders.
Tool Torque and Trade-offs
May 1, 2012When comparing drills, grinders, circle saws and other rotating tools, available torque is the important factor.
Tool Shopping: Check the Amps
April 24, 2012For a guy who likes tools, I really hate shopping for them. I want to add an angle grinder to my shop and have started the process.
Neat Ideas … If Only I Remembered Them
April 17, 2012Does anyone else ever get “neat idea” overload? I recently received an email with photos of neat ideas—like using a comb to hold a nail to be hammered … no more bruised thumbs!
Bed Building: Putting It All Together
April 10, 2012If the process of getting the bed parts into place was a hassle, it was our fault, not that of the company.
