PEX plumbing is being used more frequently in today’s construction, tell us about your experience with it. Have you used it in existing construction or new construction and does its advantages outweigh copper pipe? From a cost perspective, which is less expensive. I have used it in vacation homes that have experienced freezing problems in the past. And yes […]
Archives for 2010
Working with Solid Surface Material such as Corian™, a Follow Up
I was talking to Kyle Carpenter at Solidsurface.com a few weeks ago about working with Corian™ and some of the other materials used in solid surface countertops. I asked him to send me a scrap piece or a drop end for me to practice some cuts, seaming and edge build-ups that I could form into a […]
Bosch Has a Winner With Its Drill/Driver Combination, Tool of the Day
We all know Bosch makes top quality tools and the 26618 drill/driver is no exception. With 1500 inch pounds of torque, the impactor leads its class, and the additional two modes allow one tool to perform drilling and fastening tasks. I attached a Jacobs chuck to the unit and tested it with round shank bits […]
Obama’s federal government can weatherize your home for only $57,362, or Red Tape Meets Duct Tape
Unbelievable was my response to this article. Matt Weber, EHT Editor-in-Chief brought this to my attention and after further discussion of this program you may soon see advertising for Weber and Jones Caulking. We are still hashing out the sordid details of our company, I am holding out to add duct tape to our specialties and I am […]
Extreme Log Home
Well, I must admit I am a sucker for log homes and log homes that stretch the boundaries of affordability I can’t resist. When I saw the square footage of this behemoth, I had visions of a log home that was larger than some hotels I have stayed in. Besides, 18,000 plus square feet for […]
Solid Surface Countertops like Corian®, Would You Consider Installing
We are putting the finishing touches on a step-by-step installation guide for solid surface countertops for the DIY homeowner. Would you consider installing this material yourself or would you think it’s better left to the professional? If you are concerned about installation problems, ask us so we can better address those in the article. If […]
Apollo 1040 VR HVLP Unit is Our Tool of the Day
HVLP sprayers offer the highest quality finish available for woodworking, automotive, furniture or any other application that requires an immaculate finish, and the 1040VR is the top-of-the-line unit in our opinion. This is the same unit we reviewed earlier, but felt it deserved its own blog post. For most of the applications I used the 1040VR on, I […]
Antex Pipemaster is Our Tool of the Day
Do you cringe when you realize a job requires soldering fittings? Does getting the copper tubing hot enough without turning it into a crispy black mess plague your efforts, then the Antex Pipemaster is for you. The Pipemaster heats the copper pipe using electricity instead of propane and is ideal for soldering where working with a torch […]
Skil’s New Flooring Saw Is EHT’s Tool of the Day
Several months ago we were asked to test a prototype of Skil’s new flooring saw. I had an installation of 1100 square feet of flooring waiting that I needed to get done before spring 2010, so we agreed to use the new saw and run it through its paces. When the saw arrived, Matt Weber and I both picked up the saw and wondered if maybe the saw had been shipped in two different packages. It was that light. We opened the package and everything was there, but the saw itself was smaller than we expected and Skil used an aluminum base to save weight.
Australia to check safety of ‘live’ foil insulation
The insulation programme was suspended after it was linked to a number of electrocution deaths. Tens of thousands of homes will now have to be checked. Improperly installed foil insulation can conduct electricity from mains cables, effectively making the entire roof cavity live. The national insulation programme was a key plank of the Rudd government’s […]