 DIY Home ImprovementHow-To's ~ Articles ~ Tutorials |
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For reasons of design and proportion, you typically make the individual "fingers" in box joints as wide as the thickness of the workpieces. In this article, we'll make a jig for cutting 1/4" wide fingers in 1/4"-thick stock. For thicker or thinner stock you adjust the size of the jig's pin and the width and height of the dado cut accordingly ... |
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An attractive piece of fine furniture that doubles as a bench seat. The sturdy construction ensures this small chest will be passed down for generations. As the child grows, the chest can become a souvenir or keepsake chest, a hope chest or even a blanket chest ... |
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A bookcase is an essential item of furniture, and one that virtually anyone with a little know-how can build. Since they're expensive to buy and awkward to move, here's an economical knockdown version that you can tailor to suit your needs.Planed, dimensioned lumber is widely available, and some stores will even cut it to length, so you can complete this project without a table saw ... |
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A slight tilt of a saw blade gives your corner splines a whole new look. It doesn't take much work to put a new spin on traditional splined miter joints. Just install the splines at an angle, as we did as shown with this maple-and-walnut letter tray, and you get eye-catching results. First, make a simple spline-cutting jig for your tablesaw ... |
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With a tape measure, carpenter's pencil and speed square, measure two 2-by-6s for lengths A and B, and cut those pieces to length with a chop saw or circular saw. Fasten the parts together with galvanized 12d nails or 3" outdoor screws (often sold as "deck" screws) ... |
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A good workbench is literally the foundation of good work. What makes a good workbench? First, it should be strong and sturdy. The top should be thick enough to withstand pounding and large enough to handle everything from cabinets to lawn mowers. It should be level and flat so any assembly you do on it will be accurate ... |
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There are two ways to strip wood: A heat gun softens the finish and works best on thick, many-layered paint. Chemical paint strippers, on the other hand, partially dissolve paint, so they're favored for removing fewer layers of paint and clear finishes. Either way, you'll have to scrape the softened finish from the wood. Professional strippers often use both methods on a single job ... |
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A plumbing contractor will charge about $350 to remove an old toilet and replace it with a new one; you can buy a new toilet and materials for about $180. With some plumbing experience, most homeowners can replace a toilet, but it requires heavy lifting and there's some risk of breakage ... |
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Few projects are as easy to build or as beautiful to look at as an arbor. Don't overbuild your arbor—whatever you plant to climb the arbor will support itself to a large degree. Four-by-4s or 6-by-6s will be more than adequate for arbor posts. By and large, build horizontal crossbeams out of 2 x 6's or 2 x 8's ... |
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It's fun to build a fence. You're out in the fresh air, the project goes quickly, and it gives you a chance to gab with your neighbors. Our basic design sets the boards inside the posts, so both sides look equally good, which your neighbors will appreciate especially if the fence is near the property line. Add lattice to the top of our basic design, and you get a fence that's downright elegant ... |
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You've cleared out the space, written down all your measurements, and now you're ready to go out and buy that long-overdue closet-organizing system. OK, but prepare yourself for some sticker shock. Depending on the off-the-shelf system you choose, a single closet's worth can end up costing hundreds of dollars ... |
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Made of plastic or aluminum, pet doors have a waterproof flap and a lockable panel to keep out unwanted visitors. So installing a pet door in an exterior door will give both you and your pet newfound independence. To buy the right-size pet door, get a rough sense of your pet's dimensions ... |
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You'll make most of the box from 1 x 8 and 1 x 10 boards of pine, fir or other dressed softwood, and its bottom from 3/4" plywood or particleboard. Check that the boards you buy are reasonably flat and free of large, loose knots. Construction is extra-simple: you just cut the boards to length and assemble them with brackets and hinges ... |
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Pin hinges, the most rudimentary of all hinge mechanisms, are simply rods (made of wood or brass) inserted into the carcass and lid, which allow the lid to be opened. Pin hinges (also called pivot pins) are used mostly in contemporary boxes. They are often used in boxes in which traditional hinges will not work or in boxes where a traditional hinge method would detract from the box design. ... |
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