I spent the last week in Chicago at the Bosch Media Event held at its Chicago headquarters. The Bosch event is unique in that it allows the home improvement media to not only use its tools, but also those of its competition. I think all of us appreciate the no holds barred attitude towards being […]
Opening a Swimming Pool, Second Day Adding a Flocculate or Clarifier
Not much to report, the main pool pump’s bearings are shot and will have to be replaced. See my earlier articles for my thoughts on how a swimming pool’s expenses tend to add up. I have added the flocculate and the solids suspended in the water are
Getting Your Swimming Pool Ready for the Coming Season
After years of getting my parents pool ready for the summer months, I have finally given up any hope of being able to uncover the pool, add chlorine and let the swimming begin. The attached picture is after a few hours of ph adjustment, chlorine hyper-shock therapy and a large dose of algaecide. When I […]
The Great Pumpkin, dad and the IBEW Strike of 1966.
One of my favorite stories involved my dad, of all people, who hated gardening and never understood why my mom insisted on having a garden. I was no more than seven years old at the time, when I planted some pumpkin seeds in our backyard. But I planted them late, and my crop consisted of […]
Plant a Family Garden
Growing up in Alabama, my mother always had a garden. When we lived in the country, the garden was on a plot below our house. But when we moved to Birmingham, my mom began gardening on some acreage at my grandfather’s house that was really a flood plain for Five Mile Creek. I ran the […]
Solid Surface Installation for the Homeowner, Making a Template for Your Countertop
In our series on working with solid surface countertops for the homeowner or DIY, our second of four installments is up. Today’s segment shows how to build a template that will serve as your guide to cutting your solid surface material. Many of you have asked us about working with solid surface materials, like Corian […]
Solid Surface Counter-Top Installation for the Homeowner and DIY/ Design and Layout Segment
Are you considering updating a bath, kitchen or maybe even adding a bar to your home, then you will want to check out our series on Corian and solid surface counter top installation. Extreme How-To’s Hal Jones takes you step-by-step through the installation process. Using the same solid surface material any homeowner or DIY-er can purchase from […]
Two Tools for Laying Ceramic Tile in a Large Area
Two tools I discovered invaluable in my latest tile job are the Bosch Tile Layout Laser and the Wagner PaintEater. The Bosch Laser built for tile and wallpaper professionals is an inexpensive tool that handles these tasks very well. I found the 45 degree lines helpful even on my jack-on-jack layout. The 45 degree lines […]
Tile for Sunroom Project Finished, Third Update
The tile are installed and grouted. I won’t say there weren’t moments of exasperation, but now that it’s all behind me, I can sit back and enjoy the finished product. Many tile jobs are hurry up and wait. You wait for the thinset or mastic to dry. You wait for the grout to take a […]
Death of a Tool
Rarely have I had tool failures, but this week has been an exception. Monday night I had a Dremel rotary tool die an ignoble death. Monday afternoon I went by Lowe’s to pick up some cut off wheels and saw the new quick change kits and picked one up for a little more than $20. Monday night […]