Handbook - Popular Mechanics

DIY
Handbook
2011
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Cover pictures: iStockphoto/Dmitriy Shironosov (main); iStockphoto/Vecdog (icons).
DIY
Handy hints
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Getting down and dirty
Compiling our annual DIY handbook has become
more a labour of love than a chore, exposing us to
all manner of good ideas and practical solutions to
everyday DIY challenges. Interacting with our readers
across a variety of channels – including e-mail correspondence, audience surveys, face-to-face conversations, social media exchanges and visits to trade
shows – we’ve met a bunch of amazing people who
are quite happy to share their hard-earned DIY experience, and occasionally their secrets.
This year’s compelling line-up addresses a variety
of common domestic problems – from sticking
doors to leaking taps, from sagging gates to dodgy
showers – and offers sensible solutions. We also
DIY Handbook 2011
showcase an assortment of non-threatening projects
(remember, it’s all relative), tackle two slightly off-beat
Saturday builds (have you ever dreamed of making
your own T-shirt cannon?) and unpack a gloriously
eclectic mix of hints from our readers – all delivered
in language that encourages rather than frightens.
So what’s with “down and dirty”? Hey, we’re
speaking from personal experience here. Whereas
we don’t actually recommend bruises, expletives,
mislaid tools and the like, we have to say that anyone
who emerges from a DIY job without so much as a
pinched finger or grubby face is either pathologically
focused or hasn’t really put his heart into it.
The Editors
Some of our projects, hints, problems and fixes are extracted from the following Popular Mechanics
titles, published by Hearst Books (a division of Sterling Publishing Inc): When Duct Tape Just Isn’t
Enough, How to Carve a Turkey, When Changing a Light Bulb Just Isn’t Enough. Available from
selected book retailers or via Kalahari.com
CONTENTS
HANDY HINTS
Cover pictures: iStockphoto/Dmitriy Shironosov (main); iStockphoto/Vecdog (icons).
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
Run of booklet
3, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
PM SATURDAY: Hammock of the futurist
4
PROJECT: Do-over caulking
7
PROJECT: Build a rotating compost bin
9
PM SATURDAY: T-shirt cannon
10
PROJECT: Replace your countertop
14
PROJECT: Turn a dresser into a bathroom vanity
24
PROJECT: Replace a cracked ceramic tile
25
PROJECT: Destroy your old hard drive
26
PROJECT: Reattach a loose deck plank
27
PROJECT: Sharpen a knife
29
1
NOW YOU’RE SMOKIN’
Here’s a tip born of my experience
with smoking fish over many years:
use chainsaw chips or sawdust from
the black wattle invasive alien tree.
It produces a much sweeter smoke
than oak, assists in the eradication of
unwanted aliens and gets something
good back from an Aussie.
TREVOR BLAMIRE
PORT ELIZABETH
2
GET STUCK INTO
STITCHING
To repair a tear in a garment or
piece of material, first use a paper
glue stick to apply a generous layer
of glue over the area. Cover it with
single-ply tissue paper. Now align the
damaged area, applying more glue
as required. Allow to dry. This stiffens
up the whole area when dry. Whether
you darn it by hand or zig-zag on your
machine, this method helps to stop
the material from gathering. When
the repaired item is washed, the glue
Icons (top left): iStockphoto/MightyIsland
DIY Handy hints
THE ONE THAT DIDN’T
GET AWAY
On a fly-fishing trip, in a stage of
excitement, I pulled too hard and
broke my rod between the eyes of the
last segment. With no resin or tools
available, I took a pipe-cleaner and
wrapped it tightly around the break.
Fortunately, I had some superglue
to use as a resin for strength, and
exposed it to light as well. Within a
matter of minutes I was able to pull
out a big one. The rod has been used
in three more sessions and I don’t
see the need to replace it in the
near future.
MARCO VAN ZYL
NORTHERN CAPE
NO STAIN, NO GAIN
For a number of years, I have been using leftover wine and port rather
than branded products to stain new woodwork projects. I collect the
dregs from bottles of red wine and port and test it on various types of
wood to see which gives the required colour, after which I seal or varnish
the wood in the normal way. My home-made stain is much cheaper than
the commercial variety and produces some interesting outcomes.
GORDON SMITH
RONDEBOSCH
melts and the tissue disintegrates.
MIKE MEYRICK
VIA E-MAIL
CUTTING-EDGE
PROTECTION
Even when not in use, a sharp saw
blade can inflict a nasty cut. Protect
yourself (and, for that matter, the
blade edge) by using a length of
garden hose or, better still, a piece
of thin plastic electrical conduit.
Simply slit it down one side and
slip it over the blade.
ALAN WOOD
TABLE VIEW
DEATH BY DESSERT
Ants can overrun kitchens, pantries
and pet food areas. They also nest in
alarm sensors, causing false alarms.
In other words, they are a damn
nuisance. However, I have found an
eco-friendly way of getting rid of
them: place a used 2-litre ice cream
container, quarter-filled with water,
in an ant-infested area. The ants are
attracted to the ice cream scent that
has been embedded in the plastic,
and drown in the water.
SIMON SHIFFMAN
VREDEHOEK
I BEG TO DIFFER
Contrary to popular legend, a liberal
dose of salt is not the best way to
treat a red wine spill on your carpet.
In fact, salt may actually change
the colours of the fibres. Instead,
use paper towels to blot the spilled
wine, then treat the spot with carpet
cleaner.
TONY BARNARD
TAMBOERS KLOOF
Icons (top left): iStockphoto/MightyIsland
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
FIX A LEAKY TAP
A tap dripping once per second does more than shred REM sleep: it wastes up to around
11 000 litres of water per year. You can reduce your indoor water usage by up to 75 litres a
day simply by fixing leaks. While most can be repaired by replacing a washer, a cartridge
tap is slightly more complex – so bring along the old cartridge when buying a new one.
1: Regardless of the tap, begin the repair by turning off the shut-off valve on the supply line to
the sink. This is usually located near or under the sink.
2: Next, close the sink drain to avoid losing small parts; then disassemble the tap. Take note of
the order of parts to aid in reassembly (your cellphone has a camera; here’s a good opportunity
for you to use it). To ensure an exact match, take the removed components to the hardware
store or home centre. When repairing a pair of compression taps, repair one at a time to avoid
mixing the parts and causing the tap handles to open and shut in the wrong direction (counterclockwise and clockwise are correct!).
3: Clean mineral-encrusted parts (that will not be replaced with new parts) with warm vinegar
before reinstalling them. If friction makes the O-rings tough to install, use a drop or two of
dishwashing liquid to lubricate them.
4: Hot water wears out washers more quickly than cold water, so the washer on the hot tap
usually wears out before the washer on the cold tap. Protect the washer with heatproof
plumber’s grease.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
● Plumber’s wrench ● 1 cup vinegar ● Rag ● Dishwashing
liquid ● Heatproof plumber’s grease ● Drain plug
3
DIY
Hammock of the futurist
Geodesic-dome visionary Buckminster Fuller built easily erected, adaptable
structures using tension belts and compressed rods. He called the idea
tensegrity. Bucky’s ideas underpin this DIY hammock stand.
1. FIND PARTS Hit the hardware store to
find: three 25 mm-diameter, 3 m galvanised steel
pipes with threaded ends; six threaded 25 mm pipe
caps; six 9 mm-diameter, 10 cm eyebolts, with 4
cm eyes, nuts and lock washers; nine ratcheting
tie-down straps at least 3,6 m in length; three 45
cm ground stakes. You can hang up to three hammocks.
4. MOUNT MORE STRAPS Adjust
three additional ratcheting tie-down straps to
3,6 m in length. Attach a strap to each remaining
unstrapped pipe end to make the top triangle.
Operate each top strap ratchet a few clicks at
a time to shorten the straps. As you tighten,
the structure will lift from the ground, seemingly
erecting itself – it’s almost magical.
Stop ratcheting when the top triangle is
equilateral at 2,4 m per side. Take the three
remaining straps and adjust each to about
2 m. Connect each strap end from the upper
eyebolt to the lower eyebolt most directly
beneath it. Operate the ratchet a few clicks at
a time to tighten the straps and stabilise the
structure. Don’t overdo it; a bit of play is fine.
4
2. PREPARE PIPES Drill a 25 mm
hole in the centre of each pipe cap. Insert
the eyebolt and fasten it securely with a lock
washer and nuts. Screw pipe caps on to both
ends of the three pipes.
PM Saturday
3. ATTACH BOTTOM STRAPS Arrange pipes on the
ground in a weave pattern as shown in the top view. The pipes
must overlap in exactly this way. Adjust three tie-down straps to
2,4 m. Attach each strap to the low point on the three pipe ends,
forming an equilateral triangle along the ground.
TOP VIEW
5. STAKE, NAP The tensegrity hammock stand is freestanding, but it can tip over. Add stability and safety by staking each
bottom eyebolt to the ground. Hang a hammock from any of the two
top eyebolts. Use ratchets rated to handle more than the nappers’
combined weight. Climb in, take a snooze, and dream of perfectly
inert static equilibrium – or even geodesic domes.
5
DIY Handy hints
PROTECTIVE COATING
Gutters need regular maintenance
to keep them looking good as well
as ensuring they do their primary job
– channelling rain to the downpipe. If your gutters are the metal
type, there’s the added danger of
corrosion. My tip meets both goals –
protection and aesthetics – and even
has the potential to save you cash. I
should mention that this tip is really
aimed at DIYers who have woodwork
that needs regular varnishing.
Here’s what to do: pour all your
leftover varnish, from various containers,
into one tin. Apply it to the interior
(upper) surface of the gutters – even
if they are rusty, with flaking chips.
Varnish the lot, chips and all. When
the varnish dries, it forms an extrahard coating in your gutters and
lasts for years, saving you the cost
of replacement.
STAN CINMAN
KENGRAY
LEVEL BEST
To level your fridge or freezer, pour
a little water on top, in the middle.
Adjust the feet at the bottom to the
opposite side to where the water is
running. Big deal, you say: what’s a
little out-of-balance between friends?
Here’s what: this little exercise will
also extend the life of the appliance’s
motor and compressor.
KOBUS OOSTHUIZEN
DERBY
NO BUGS, TO BOOT
It’s likely that many PM readers
own Wellington boots, and equally
probable that they store these boots
in their garages or tool sheds, where
they tend to attract all manner of
creepy things in search of a home.
My solution: put aside two plastic
bread bags (of the kind used for
sliced loaves) and slip them over
the tops of the boots.
ROBERT COWLEY
BELLVILLE
6
ALL STUCK UP
Ever tried cutting very sticky doublesided tape with a pair of scissors,
only to end up with a ball of chewing
gum? My advice – simply apply a
little saliva to the scissors with your
finger, and the scissors will do their
job without a hitch. (Warning: don’t
lick the scissors; you may cut your
tongue.)
CLEM STEYN
PRETORIA
LIGHT MY FIRE
If you enjoy braais, this one’s for you. Place a few pumice stones in a
glass jar and cover with paraffin. Leave for at least a day, then remove
a couple of stones from the jar and use them as firelighters. Afterwards,
allow the pumice stones to cool, then place them in the jar and top up the
paraffin. Your firelighters are ready for the next braai.
PETER KUYPERS
BLAIRGOWRIE
PROJECT
DO-OVER CAULKING
2
Stained and cracked caulk can be very unsightly.
Fortunately, it’s very easy and inexpensive to remove
and re-caulk. Not only will your bathroom look better,
but you’ll remove mould build-up and keep the water
where it should be – in the bathtub.
1: Soften the caulk by applying caulk remover.
4
2: Slice through the softened caulk using a utility knife
with a fresh blade. If you’re lucky, most of it will fall free. On
the other hand, if there are several layers or if the caulk is
too thick, you may need to pull the material from the joint
with a pair of needle-nose pliers.
3: Rake remaining chunks of caulk from the joint using
the hook end of a painter’s five-in-one tool.
5
4: Now, clean the surface and remove mildew. Use a
non-ammoniated bath cleaner to remove soap scum. If
you do decide to use bleach, do not use an ammoniated
cleaner prior to applying because, when mixed together,
they give off poisonous fumes.
5: Kill any mildew on surfaces using a solution of 1
part vinegar to 4 parts water (or 1/3 cup bleach to 4 litres
of water). Use a paintbrush or foam brush to apply the
solution and to work it into the gap left by the removed
caulk. Scrub the area with a brush or plastic pad, rinse,
then dry the surfaces with a cleaning rag.
6: Finally, apply a bead of tub-and-tile caulk that contains
a fungicide.
6
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
● Caulk remover ● Utility knife ● Needle-nose pliers ● Vinegar
(preferable) or bleach ● Non-ammonia bath cleaner ● Paintbrush
or foam brush ● Bristle brush or plastic pad ● Rag ● Caulk
7
DIY Handy hints
8
STAYING IN TOUCH
I live in a large house and care for my
mother, who’s 83 and in frail health.
We don’t always hear her call when
she needs help, so I came up with a
great solution – the (portable) pushbutton from a wireless doorbell. Costing about R120, and available from
your local hardware store, it’s a cheap
but effective way to stay in contact.
I place the battery-operated receiver
close by, be it in my garage or out in
the garden. The same solution will
work for people who are bedridden as
a result of illness or injury.
CHRIS VAN VUUREN
PORT ELIZABETH
TAKE NOTE
Many DIY projects require us to make
a note of measurements, and if you’re
anything like me, these will end up
being written on pieces of paper,
timber off-cuts or assorted cardboard
boxes. It all gets a bit confusing, and
you risk a minor disaster should the
measurements be mislaid. Here’s my
solution: keep a small roll of masking
tape handy, write the measurements
on it, then tear off that strip of tape
and stick it on the relevant workpiece.
Problem solved.
JOHANN OLWAGEN
VIA E-MAIL
RUST BEGONE
Have you ever had a problem with
rust in your cast iron potjie? Are you
tired of washing off the sticky oil (or
TOOL-POST TIP
Anyone who uses a lathe will know that the accurate placement of tools
in the tool post can require many attempts using cut-offs and metal scraps
to shim the tool up to a proper height. There’s a better way: for about
R20, you can buy a feeler gauge and use its blades to achieve a high
degree of height accuracy with minimal fuss. I chose a feeler gauge with
long blades so that the rest of the gauge can be folded out of the way.
RAFI LEIGH
JOHANNESBURG
similar rust preventer) before you can
start cooking? Here’s my solution:
after you have washed and dried the
pot, pour in a cup or two of rice – the
amount depends on its size. The rice
absorbs any moisture, leaving the
inside of your pot dry and rust-free.
Happy cooking, guys!
ANDRÉ MOUTON
VIA E-MAIL
WELL, BLOW ME DOWN
If you haven’t used your caravan or
trailer for a long time – in my case, it
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
A LITTLE OFF THE TOP
Trimming grass too short
lops off much of the energyproducing top growth, resulting in weak, sickly lawn that
will require more of your time,
water and maintenance.
Frequently mowing to the
correct height will also
produce tiny grass clippings
that may be left on the lawn
to decompose and return
nutrients back to the soil.
Adjust the height of the
mower’s deck to the top or
second-highest position.
Time your mowing so that
you remove about one-third
of the grass blades every
time you mow. In the early
spring, this may mean mowing every four or five days.
In the summer, once a week
should do it. In late summer,
you may not need to mow at
all if the grass goes dormant
and stops growing.
was two years – you may find that the
plug has corroded to the point where it
no longer works. To fix it, soak the plug
in malt vinegar (I used a small plastic
bag) for a few minutes, then blow-dry
with a hairdryer.
TOBY ZIETSMAN
BLOEMFONTEIN
KEEP IT COOL
THIS SUMMER
Mica has all the “Elements”
you need in terms of fans
for this season! Visit your
nearest Mica and ask about
our exclusive range of
Elements fans – we have
pedestals, standard and a
High Velocity 3-in-1 fan that
can be mounted on the wall,
stand on the floor or used
as a pedestal! Get blown
away with Mica this season!
IF THE KEY FITS...
If you are anything like me, you will have
assembled many items of flat-pack
furniture over the years – and can’t
find the accompanying Allen key when
you need to tighten a joint or make
adjustments. The solution is simple:
once you’ve assembled the item, attach
the Allen key to the back or underside,
using duct tape. That way, you’ll always
PROJECT
BUILD A ROTATING COMPOST BIN
About 25 per cent of the
food we purchase gets
thrown out – every year.
When these organic materials decompose in anaerobic
(without oxygen) conditions
in our landfills, they produce
methane, a greenhouse gas
21 times more potent than
carbon dioxide.
Help divert organic materials from the landfill and
make your own compost
at the same time by building a rotation bin. The rotation bin
will not only speed the composting process, but it will keep it
rodent-free. Once assembled, fill it two-thirds full with scraps,
moisten with water, and rotate every few days.
1: Mark an opening on the side of a food-grade barrel using
masking tape. Bore a 7- or 8 mm-diameter hole at each of its
corners and use a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade to cut out
the shape of the door. Clean up the edges of the door and
barrel with a file.
2: Attach the door to the barrel. Use screws or bolts to fasten metal hinges or make a flap hinge from scraps of bicycle
inner tube. Screw a couple of small blocks inside the barrel
to keep the door from falling in, and another on the outside to
act as a latch.
3: Make two X-shaped stands using scrap wooden planks.
Fasten the Xs together with bolts, screws or nails that are
bent over where they exit. Connect the two X-shaped stands
with a horizontal plank, and add diagonal braces to keep
them steady.
4: Attach a wooden turning lever to the end of the barrel
using large sheet metal screws or bolts. Rub wax or a piece
of candle on the components of the wooden stand that make
contact with the barrel to lubricate them.
Food-grade barrel ● Masking tape ● Jigsaw with metal
cutting blade ● File ● Several
small blocks ● Two scrap planks ● Bolts, nails, screws
● Hinges or old bicycle inner tube ● Diagonal braces
● Large sheet metal screws ● Bar of soap (for lubricating)
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
●
9
DIY
T-shirt cannon
Blast ballistic souvenirs to your adoring
audience using PVC pipes and
pressurised air.
By WILLIAM GURSTELLE
TOGGLE SWITCH
BARREL
PRESSURISED
TANK
SOLENOID
VALVE
TANK
VALVE
10
1 → STOCK UP Nothing adds value to an
item like firing it from a cannon. To make sports
fans scramble for a T-shirt (or galvanise guests at
your next braai), use the items from the materials list
above to build an air tank, barrel and trigger.
PM Saturday
#
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
MATERIALS LIST
90 cm length of 5 cm-diameter PVC pipe
40 cm length of 7,5 cm-diameter PVC pipe
7,5 cm threaded-to-smooth PVC coupling
7,5 cm threaded end cap
7,5 cm-to-5 cm PVC reducer fitting
5 cm-to-2,5 cm PVC reducer bushing
5 cm-to-2,5 cm PVC reducer fitting
2,5 cm-diameter iron pipe close nipples
2,5 cm smooth-to-NPT PVC adapter fittings
2 → ASSEMBLE PIPE Solvent-weld the
pipe and pipe fittings together to make the barrel
and air-tank assemblies, using purple PVC primer
and cement to make the connections. The idea is
to reduce the 7,5 cm (air tank) and 5 cm (barrel)
pipes to fit the 2,5 cm solenoid valve openings.
Use iron pipe nipples to connect the solenoid valve
to the PVC fittings on the air tank and barrel. Apply
pipe-thread sealant to prevent leaks.
3 → COMPLETE CONNECTIONS
Drill a 6 mm hole centred on the flat part of the
7,5 cm end cap. Tap the hole. Insert the tank valve
and screw the cap to the pipe. Use a compressor
or foot pump to fill the tank to 2,7 bar. Check
pressure and test for leaks with a tyre gauge. Build
a circuit to control the launch by connecting three
9-volt batteries in series with a toggle switch, a
push-button trigger and the solenoid.
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
2,5 cm-diameter 24-volt sprinkler solenoid valve
Momentary pushbutton switch
On/off toggle switch
9-volt batteries and harnesses
Electronic project box
Pipe-thread sealant
6 mm NPT tank valve
Mötley Crüe T-shirt (or whatever)
4 → AIM AND FIRE Tightly roll a T-shirt,
slip it into the muzzle and push it to the bottom
of the barrel with a broomstick. Put on safety
glasses. Connect to the air tank and pressurise to
2,7 bar. Set the toggle switch to on. Aim and fire.
Reload, refill and repeat. Warnings: PVC weakens
in cold weather. Don’t over-pressurise the tank.
Don’t fire at a target less than 10 m away. This is
an unconventional use for PVC and water sprinkler
equipment – so proceed at your own risk.
?
11
DIY Handy hints
know where it is, and the air won’t
turn blue!
DAVID COOPER
KIMBERLEY
DEFYING LITTLE FINGERS
I recently needed to child-proof
our home in the expectation of our
grandchildren’s visit. Rather than fit
unsightly rubber loops to door handles
or damage our cupboards with ugly
latches, I opted for industrial-strength
Velcro pads – available from good
hardware stores. Our cupboards now
defy little fingers but can be opened
by an adult’s firm pull.
TONY KINNER
ILLOVO
DOING THE TWIST
On inspecting the plug on my wife’s hairdryer, I noticed the wires were
badly (and dangerously) twisted. To solve this problem, I located a small
cable tie and pulled it tight around the insulation on the cord gripper of
the plug (see “before” and “after” pictures). I did this almost a year ago,
and the problem has not recurred.
E P ERASMUS
WELLINGTON
NO CREATIVE MAYHEM
My wife, who is more artistic than I
am, decided one day to stencil the
bathroom and kitchen walls in a
variety of colours and patterns, which
would have necessitated covering
the floor with a whole bunch of small
paint pots. My solution was to fit an
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
SHARPEN THE BLADES
You use less water, fertiliser and fuel if you keep your mower’s blades sharpened. Dull
blades also rip the grass rather than cutting it, and leave behind jagged ends that quickly
turn brown. Sharpen your blades every spring, and they should cut cleanly throughout the
summer. If you have a petrol mower, before you start, make sure it has an empty or nearly
empty fuel tank and make sure the fuel cap is firmly tightened.
1
2
12
4
1: Disconnect the spark plug on petrol mowers
or make sure electric mowers are unplugged,
then tip the mower on its side. Use a spanner and
remove the blade.
2: Wearing work gloves, use a mill file to smooth
out damage and sharpen the edge. Maintain the
bevel at 40 to 45 degrees.
3: Test the blade for balance by placing it on a
cone-shaped blade spacer, or drive a nail into your
workbench and hang the blade from the hole in its
centre. On the balancer or the nail, the blade should
hang evenly. If it tips to one side, remove metal from
the opposite side.
4: Replace the blade, refuel or plug in the mower
and test on a firm, level surface to check for vibration before cutting grass.
8-division muffin tin with paper liners, pour a small
quantity of paint into each cavity – and voila!
TA O’NEIL
PINETOWN
BEND IT, SHAPE IT
Plasticine (the non-toxic modelling clay) can be
used for a variety of things in a workshop. Here are
some of my favourites: use it to make a small pool
when drilling materials that require a lubricant;
mould replacement parts; mould silicone stoppers
and washers such as the ones under your toilet
seat; fill pinholes in a plaster-of-Paris mould.
SEAN ADAMS
LAKESIDE
SLIPPERY SLOPE
If your ladder is prone to sliding along the floor, try
putting socks over the feet to increase the friction and
reduce the chance of a fall. Be sure to test this before
you climb too high!
JOHANN OLWAGEN
VIA E-MAIL
TACKLE THAT OIL SPILL
Whether you’re cooking in the kitchen or servicing your
car in the garage, you occasionally have a mishap and
spill oil on the floor, creating a potential hazard. Dealing
with this is child’s play: simply pour maize meal over
the spill and scoop it up after it has absorbed all the
slippery stuff. It works just as well when you need to
mop up spilled oil from the stove top.
LJ VAN ROOYEN
WIERDA PARK SOUTH
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
PAINTING TIPS
Invest in canvas
Canvas drop cloths are durable, and rip- and
puncture-resistant. They lie flat as you walk
across them, presenting less of a tripping hazard;
seldom, if ever, must you tape canvas to the
floor. Canvas also absorbs paint drops, unlike
plastic drop cloths, which become slippery when
spattered with wet paint. You’re much less likely
to pick up paint on your shoe soles from canvas.
Canvas drop cloths can be easily folded around
corners and doorways – something that’s virtually impossible to do with plastic sheeting. Plus,
canvas can be re-used countless times, which
makes using them eco-friendly when compared
with discarding metres of plastic drop cloths after
just one use.
Roll with a pole
When painting rooms, forget the ladder and get
a telescopic extension pole for your paint roller.
They come in various sizes, but one that extends
from about 45 to 90 cm offers plenty of reach
for painting rooms with ceilings that are 2,7 m or
lower. There are also extra-long extension poles
available for painting cathedral ceilings and loft
spaces.
Look for an extension pole with a soft, non-slip
rubber grip and a rigid metal core. And be sure
the threaded end of the pole is metal, too. Allplastic handles are too flexible, making them hard
to control, and the plastic gets fatigued over time
and can snap under pressure. Also check to be
sure the telescoping shaft locks securely in position and doesn’t collapse when forced.
Record the colour
Keep track of the brand name and colour of the
paint used so you can buy more when it’s time to
touch up or re-paint a room. Instead of attempting
to record this information in a notebook, write the
vital information (brand name, paint colour, paint
number) on a piece of masking tape and stick it to
the back of a light-switch plate before replacing it
on the wall. It’ll stay there until it’s time to re-paint.
13
DIY Handy hints
a bit fragile, but if you work carefully,
it’s not a problem.
MIKE PIENAAR
EAST LONDON
SHINY SIDE UP
Do not underestimate the usefulness
of aluminium foil. A friend recently
used a few rolls of foil to make his
own “light tubes” to bring natural
light to his workshop. The results
were amazing, and all it took was
a can of spray glue and a Saturday
afternoon. I had similarly good results
a few months ago when I helped my
son make a solar cooker; the foil is
KEEP IT CLEAN
Here’s how to keep your gas braai
clean and free of greasy build-up.
Place a double layer of aluminium
foil under the gas burners and pour
in a layer of cat litter. When you’ve
finished your braai, you need only
dispose of the cat litter that has
caught the fat.
RICHARD MONAGHAN
PLETT
STICKY DRAWERS?
If the wooden drawers in your cupboards are sticky and do not close or
open easily, I have the solution: spray
furniture polish on the runners. This
creates a smooth, virtually frictionless
surface for the drawer to travel on.
WAYNE HARDMAN
DURBAN
THICK AS A PLANK
If your garage is just deep enough for
your car and you keep bumping into the
end wall, try this: place a heavy plank
across the floor, then ease your car
PROJECT
REPLACE YOUR COUNTERTOP
If your kitchen needs a facelift but your budget can’t handle a major renovation, a new counter
top may be a practical answer. Replacing an old, worn work surface can go a long way
toward giving your kitchen a new lease on life. Here’s a breakdown of your alternatives.
14
1: Re-laminate your countertop. Just like a fresh coat of paint, a new layer of plastic laminate
is a fast, low-budget way to quickly update and add value to your home. You can only re-laminate
a countertop with a flat backsplash or no backsplash, as bending laminate around small-radius
corners can be done only at the factory.
2: Tile it. Ceramic tiles offer a richness of texture that no other countertop surface can match – in
addition to being inexpensive, readily available and easy to install. While it’s more time-consuming
than other countertop installations, you can cover just about any surface with tile. Keep the grout
clean by applying grout sealer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3: Install a post-formed countertop. Durable, stain-resistant and inexpensive, these are now
available with left- or right-mitred ends and with sink openings partially cut. You’ll also find matching endcaps, splice hardware and built-up kits for counters where dishwashers are installed. If the
additional expense is not an issue, consider ordering custom-cut lengths from a home centre.
4: Install a solid-surface countertop. Differing from laminate or tile countertops where cutting
produces a raw, exposed edge of plywood or particleboard, a solid-surface countertop is solid all
the way through. It is the most expensive option available, especially if you choose a high-quality
surface like granite or quartz, and you won’t be able to install it yourself. Cutting, routing and joining solid-surface materials is somewhat hazardous and best left to a professional.
BEER CAN HORROR
If the ring-pull tab on your can
of beer breaks off just before the
start of a big rugby match, don’t
go to pieces. Because the hole
in the can’s top is scored, you
can open it by placing the tip of
a teaspoon against the hole and
pressing down hard.
LUKE STEMMET
DURBAN
inside until the front tyres touch the
plank. Voila! – no more scuffed bumpers.
MICHELLE ROBERTS
CLAREMONT
LOST AND FOUND
Spray products such as Q20 generally come with handy plastic tubes
for targeted delivery. However, these
small tubes are easily lost. My solution – remove the copper strands
from a length of plastic-covered
electric wire and use the tube to
create a flexible point of delivery.
If necessary, you can glue it to the
spray can nozzle.
PIETER GROBLER
KRUGERSDORP
PROTECTING ROVER’S
SUPPER
Are you having problems with ants
getting into your dog’s food bowl?
Here’s the solution: just spray a ring
of Q20 around it to create a barrier
that no ant can pass.
MARTIN WEBER
HLUHLUWE
STICKY STUFF
If you need to apply glue in a restricted
space, or are working on small and
delicate projects (for example, assembling model cars or planes), you
may find that the tip of the glue tube
is too thick to be practical. I might
just have the solution: fit the needle
from a hypodermic syringe to the tip
of the tube, sealing the joint with a
dab of silicone, and you’ll be able to
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
SQUARE IT AWAY
You’ve got the house and the white picket fence, but a drooping gate is ruining the dream
QUICK FIX
Wear and tear plus the elements combine to make picket-fence
gates droop, but handymen have long used an easy fix straight
from geometry class. Install an eye screw in the frame of the gate,
about where it connects to the upper hinge. Attach a strong cable to
the eye screw using a clip (available from most home centres) and
fasten another cable to the corner diagonally opposite – that is, the
bottom outside, as shown in the illustration. Now join the two cables
with a turnbuckle, tightening until the gate is back in square.
15
DIY Handy hints
apply the right amount of adhesive
exactly where you want it.
HERMANUS SPOELSTRA
PRETORIA
ACE IN THE HOLE
If you over-drill a hole, especially in old
and powdery brickwork, you may find
that the screws either don’t grip or grip
unevenly. Rather than buy a proprietary
chemical anchor (which tends to be
expensive, and isn’t readily available
in volumes suitable for domestic use),
I squish some Pratley putty into the
hole. Next, I insert the jacketed screw,
70 per cent screwed into its jacket. I
set the screw angle, allow it to set, than
screw it in all the way. It’s important
that you don’t fill the gaps completely
with putty, or there will be no space
left for the expanding jacket to move.
This solution allows you to hang
heavy items on powdery walls.
MATTHEW FRIEDLAND
CRAIGHALL PARK
A QUESTION OF
AESTHETICS
Sometimes, when repairing or restoring
old and antique furniture, joining pieces
of timber with screws may not be the
best option because the screw holes
are enlarged, and a larger screw may
not be aesthetically desirable. An alternative solution is to glue the parts
together, then drill a 5-6 mm hole
through the parts joined, squeeze in
some wood glue, and hammer in a
normal golf tee (of the long, natural
timber type). Allow to dry, cut off the
top of the golf tee with a wood chisel
or Stanley knife, and sand lightly until
smooth. You’ll be left with a perfect
timber joint in a natural timber colour.
DICK VAN STRAATEN
SUNNINGHILL
CATCH THEM IN THE ACT
After a very near miss on Hospital Bend
(Cape Town) when a car cut in front of
me before braking hard, I wondered
how, if there had been an accident, I
would have been able to prove who was
at fault. The answer: simply attach a
cellphone to the rearview mirror (I use
Prestik) and set it to record video
when you set off. It’s good for 1,5
hours of video on my phone, and the
peace of mind is very reassuring.
BOB SEDDON
PLUMSTEAD
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
RUNG OUT
One of your dining room chairs is complaining and splaying every time someone sits down
on it – and a lawsuit could be only a matter of time.
QUICK FIX
16
Over time and prolonged use,
chair rungs can work themselves
loose. The simplest way to
remedy the situation is to inject
white woodworker’s glue around
the rung and clamp the legs until
the joint dries. Chances are you
don’t have woodworking clamps
lying around, but don’t let that
stop you. Strap a belt around the
legs, compressing them together
by notching the belt as tightly as
possible. Once the glue dries,
chisel any excess glue that has
bled out, and the chair will be
stable once again.
UNLOCK THE VALUE OF
GRAPHITE
Locks need to be regularly lubricated,
but oil makes the mechanisms sticky
and gathers dust, eventually jamming
the whole thing. Graphite powder is a
much better lubricant, but is expensive
and difficult to get into the key slot.
A much cheaper and easier solution is
to use the replaceable “lead” from a
mechanical propelling pencil. Slide
it into the key slot and insert the key,
crushing the graphite and delivering
lubricating graphite right where it’s
needed (at the pins). The softer or
darker the lead, the higher the graphite
content and the better its lubricating
properties (so HB is better than 2H,
and 2B is better than HB).
MICHAEL QUAYLE
PIETERMARITZBURG
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
IT’S THE PITS
Baby’s drumming has left a nice collection of craters on the surface of your pine kitchen table.
QUICK FIX
Small dents are a cinch to remove. Prick the surface of the dents
several times with a fine-point needle, then cover with a moistened
cloth. Set your iron on low heat and iron the cloth until it begins
to steam. The moisture will infiltrate the wood and swell the wood
fibres, filling out the dents. The steam will raise the grain, so you’ll
need to lightly sand the treated area after raising the dents. A word
of caution: don’t use this technique on a veneer; it will separate and
peel up when you steam the underlying adhesive.
17
DIY Handy hints
GET A GRIP
Ever since Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong campaign, people have been
using these rubber wrist bands as
promotional items. What you may not
realise is that they provide a useful
gripping surface: I stretched one over
my motorcycle’s slippery oil filter (it
unscrewed easily) and gave another
to my wife for use on the lids of those
hard-to-open mayonnaise jars.
TOMMIE
VIA E-MAIL
GIVE EGGS A BREAK
I own a small pick-up truck that I use for dumping rubble and garden
waste, but it’s no good for transporting stuff in shopping bags, which
tend to slide around when I brake or turn a corner. After breaking some
eggs, I hit upon the idea of using shackles and snap-on hooks to hold the
packages in place. They cost about R10 each and are available from your
local hardware store.
DEAN RABULALL
CHATSWORTH
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
CHAIN REACTION
You’ve just stepped into the shower when some family member flushes the toilet in the
second bathroom and makes you a victim of shower shock.
QUICK FIX
18
In a busy household, it’s inevitable
that someone is going to use the
toilet when someone else is using
the shower. The problem is that
a flushing toilet draws cold water
away from the shower, making for
a quick (and occasionally painful)
temperature change. The solution
is to slow the rate of the toilet flush
so that the effect is minimised.
Find the water valve to the toilet
tank and close it until it’s about
a quarter- to one-half turn from
completely shut off. It will take
longer for the tank to fill, but if this
makes the difference between
second-degree burns and a mild
temperature fluctuation, does it
really matter?
FINAL CUT
When you need to remove a picture
or fitting attached to the wall with
heavy duty double-sided tape, don’t
risk damage to the picture (or wall) by
attempting to slice through the tape
with a knife. Instead, use a length of
fine wire or nylon fishing line with a
sawing motion, starting at one corner
and working your way around.
HANNES WAGENER
BRYNSTON
HEY MAN, BE COOL
We recently renovated our house
and ripped out the ceiling over the
living area, exposing the rafters and
corrugated iron roof, and installed a
large room in the “attic”. Naturally, we
were concerned that the summer sun
would turn our house into an oven.
The solution: a domestic version of
the whirlybird-type industrial venting
system, which uses a turbine that
rotates in the slightest breeze, plus
an evaporative cooler for extra-hot
days. Check it out before you invest
in conventional (and expensive) air
conditioning.
MARK LLOYD
DURBANVILLE
STAY LOOSE
If you’re like me, you probably overfill your ice trays and then battle to
extricate them from the bottom of
the freezer compartment, where they
have stuck fast. My suggestion: place
a sheet of wax paper under each ice
tray. Another tip: use boiled water to
make crystal-clear cubes.
S CHAMBERS
TOKAI
LIFE’S TOO SHORT
Using a brush to paint long wooden
items such as dowels or thin poles
can take hours. Rather don a pair of
cheap rubber or plastic gloves, dip a
piece of woolly cloth in the paint, and
run the long items through the cloth
in your lightly clenched hand.
WILLEM DUURSEMA
PRETORIA
SUCKER!
From time to time, you’ll find your
automatic pool cleaner taking a nap
when it should be cleaning your
pool. A blockage in the throat rubber
is usually the cause, and fixing this
entails switching off the pump or
unplugging it from the weir (this is
to prevent the pipe from sucking
in air while you’re inspecting the
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
LOCKED OUT
You’ve finally set aside an afternoon to clear out that storage shed that hasn’t seen the light
of day in a year. But now you discover that the padlock is rusted shut.
QUICK FIX
First, try to loosen the
mechanism with penetrating
lubricant. If that doesn’t
work, attach a can to the
hasp on the garage, gate
or other structure (see
illustration), fill it with
paraffin and immerse
the lock for 24 hours.
19
DIY Handy hints
pool cleaner).
Try this instead: pull the pool cleaner
to the surface and unplug the pipe,
still holding it under the water. Next,
press it against the pool wall, where
it will attach itself like a leech. It
stays latched while the weir valve
opens to compensate for the sudden
“blockage”. You may now remove
the cleaner, clear the blockage and
reconnect the pipe without having to
open the covers, switch off the pump
or remove the pipe from its natural
habitat.
DRIES CORNELIUS
CENTURION
WHEN THE BELLS TOLL
Cats may not be intellectual giants, but they’re certainly cunning. We
were distressed when our favourite feline began catching small birds and
depositing the remains on the kitchen floor (did he really think we would
be impressed?). We tied a small bell to his collar to give the birds fair
warning, and that worked for a while, but it soon became clear that the
cat had learned to move silently even with the bell. We’ve now attached
a second bell to his collar, and that seems to be working (that is, the bells
don’t tinkle in sync!). We can live with the reproving looks from our pet.
JA BROWN
LAKESIDE
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
WEAK FLAME
Your sauté is a mess because the pan is heating unevenly over the stove’s gas burner.
QUICK FIX
20
Although they don’t necessarily show it, gas burners inevitably become
clogged with food particles and other kitchen grime, and the burner may
provide a weaker flame on one side. If food is cooking unevenly in the
pan, use a toothpick to poke all the burner-head holes clean, then turn
the burner on a high flame for a few minutes to ensure that all residue is
burned off.
NUKED BLOOMS, OKAY?
My daughter recently produced an attractive display
of dried flowers for a school project after a long and
somewhat tedious process. Her first effort required her
to press them between sheets of newspaper, resulting
in a two-dimensional display, after which she tried drying
them in bunches hung from a rafter in the garage. It
was only later that we found out about a more modern
method – using a microwave oven. All you need do is
nuke the flowers for 2-4 minutes, depending on the
type and number of blooms, and off you go!
MONICA LE ROUX
DURBAN
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
ROUGH RIDE
A sliding glass door that doesn’t stay in its track is more than a minor annoyance; it’s a
safety hazard. The metal guides that contain most sliding doors can get bent out of shape
by daily wear and tear. Badly bent or flattened guides will allow the door to slide out of the
track, so badly damaged tracks need to be re-formed into their original shape.
QUICK FIX
First, check to see
if the door has
adjustable rollers.
If so, you can
improve the door’s
action with minimal
fuss. If not, read
on. Use a scrap
piece of wood that
is just thick enough
to fit into the slot of
the tracks. Secure
it in place and use
a mallet to pound
the track guides
back into their correct position.
21
DIY Handy hints
PAINT
TINTING
Colour is simple at Mica!
Come into any one of our
stores, choose the colour
of your choice and we can
mix it for you! Try Mica’s
exclusive range of paints,
Colour Co – we bring you
pure, fresh colour that
you can afford.
BARGAIN HUNT
Yard and boot sales can be a nightmare if you don’t plan them properly.
Here are a few essential tips: 1. To save haggling time, put a price sticker
on every item – and don’t price your unwanted goods out of the market.
If you ask for more than 30 per cent of the retail value, you’re probably
wasting your time, and will probably end up having to pack it all away
again. 2. Be prepared to start half an hour before the advertised time. Yard
sales always attract early birds in search of a bargain. 3. If you’re selling
electrical appliances, have an extension lead on standby (connected to
a power supply, naturally!). If prospective buyers can see the appliance
working, they are far more likely to part with their cash. 4. Carry a cash
float; you won’t have a chance to rush off to the corner shop for change.
MANDY SWART
VIA E-MAIL
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
DODGY DOOR
The bedroom door sticks every time it’s opened or closed, but the idea of repeatedly hanging and
planning or sanding what you think are the trouble spots seems like more work than it’s worth.
QUICK FIX
22
Tape carbon paper
or any other type of
blued paper along the
edge that is sticking.
Open and close the
door, and the blueing
will mark the problem
areas, allowing you
to sand or plane at
exactly the right spots
that are causing the
door to stick. This
works on the side,
top or bottom.
A STICKY END
If you run out of insect spray and you
really need to zap a flying or crawling
bug, try a quick squirt of hairspray
(you know, that stuff you use to keep
your Sixties coiffure in place). The
sticky stuff will generally immobilise
the insect, allowing you to, um,
dispose of it humanely.
AR WATTS
VIA E-MAIL
RIGHT ON THE NAIL
I don’t know a lot of women who will hold a nail while their male partner
wields the hammer (the reverse is also true, naturally). However, if you
must have help when you tackle this simple job, here’s how to go about
it: cut a piece of stiff paper about 15 mm wide and 50 mm long, and push
the nail through one end. You then hold the paper by the other end and
start hammering. Voila! No need for the first aid kit.
DARRYL DE NECKER
VIA E-MAIL
IT NEVER RAINS...
If the hot water cylinder springs a leak
and discharges its entire contents on
to your ceiling, immediately punch or
drill (using a hand drill) several drainage holes before the weight of the
water causes the ceiling to collapse.
You can catch the water in buckets
on the floor, replacing them as they fill
PROBLEMS AND FIXES
DISASTER PREVENTION
Useful though it is, that cordless drill could turn into a bad trip if you’re working on a
complicated renovation project and it gets underfoot.
QUICK FIX
Make a handy holster for the
drill by cutting off the bottom
of a 1-litre plastic soda bottle
and making two vertical cuts
about 3 cm from the cut.
Invert the bottle, thread your
belt through the cut slots,
and you have a hip-mounted
holster custom-made for your
cordless drill.
23
PROJECT
DIY Handy hints
TURN A DRESSER INTO A BATHROOM VANITY
24
up. If you move quickly, you can minimise
the damage.
N MURRAY
PORT ELIZABETH
GENTLE REMINDER
It’s happened to all of us: we lend something to somebody, then completely forget
who borrowed it. My technique for retrieving long-lost items is simple and
effective, and all it requires is a telephone
answering service. If you call my number
while I’m out or unavailable, you’ll generally
get a message on the lines of: “Thanks
for phoning. Please leave a message after
the beep, and by the way, if you’ve got
my Bill Bryson book/water pump pliers/
Pink Floyd DVD/jumper leads, please let
me know – I really need them back.”
Sooner or later, the person to whom
you lent the item will call while you’re
out, and respond to the message. It may
take some time, but in my experience,
it’s always worked.
JULIAN MAYER
CAPE TOWN
Recycle an old, worn-out dresser rather than sending it to the
landfill – and add instant value
to your home without spending
a lot on a bathroom remodel.
You can take this project to the
next level by replacing the top
of the dresser with a marble or
stone countertop purchased
from a salvage company.
1: Remove and dismantle the
top two drawers, then re-glue
just the drawer faces back in
place. Keep the bottom two
drawers functional to allow
access to the plumbing. Apply
water-resistant finish to the
entire cabinet.
2: Measure your current basin
and cut a hole on top of the
dresser to fit.
3: Turn off the water mains
and disconnect the plumbing
from the sink.
4: Remove the old cabinet,
then fit your new basin cabinet
against the wall. Drop the basin
into the new cabinet.
5: Apply caulk around the
basin where it meets the dresser
top and (if needed) around
the tap deck. Reconnect the
plumbing and turn on the
water supply.
Screwdriver ● Power drill
Circular saw ● Glue
● Nontoxic water-resistant
finish ● Caulk ● Pencil
● Wrench ● Measuring tape
● Utility knife
●
●
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
PROJECT
T
REPLACE A CRACKED CERAMIC TILE
1
2
3
If you’re a little clumsy with your favourite cast iron pan,
you’ll find out just how fragile ceramic floor tiles really are.
Fortunately, replacing a tile – even in the middle of a floor –
is a fairly easy task. First, remove the damaged tile. Home
repair expert Danny Lipford suggests using a masonry bit
to drill a number of holes in the centre of the tile (1) so that
you can begin to chip out the damaged tile (2). “Use a brick
chisel and hammer to chip it out, and remember to wear
safety glasses. Those little ceramic slivers can be nasty.”
As you remove the tile, use an adhesive remover to rid the
subfloor of any adhesive. “Use a putty knife to remove the
adhesive and tile so that the surface is nice and smooth for
the new tile,” says Lipford, adding: “Just be careful when
removing the grout around the edges so that you don’t damage the surrounding tiles.” After you’ve removed the old tile,
adhesive and grout, you’re ready to set in the new tile. If you
saved a tile from when the floor was initially laid, good for
you. If not, match the new tile as closely as possible to the
original.
Says Lipford: “Use a thin-set adhesive applied evenly with a
notched trowel to avoid hollow spots underneath the tile (3).
The next day, grout around the tile with a grout that matches
the rest of the floor (4). Pay particular attention to how the
other grout was applied, whether it was laid flush with the
surface of the tile, or rubbed down to a little concave around
the tile. There again, match the grout colour as closely as
possible.”
TIP
Even if you’re working from the original bag of
grout, it may not match perfectly. That’s why
Lipford suggests one last step: “Go ahead and
put that grout down, and let it dry for a few
weeks. If you’re not happy with how it blends in,
use a grout stain on the whole floor to create a
consistent look. Grout stain is inexpensive and
easy to apply, and it’s amazing how it blends
everything in.”
4
25
DIY Handy hints
for a day or two before completely
removing the bag.
MERCIA VAN NIEKERK
VIA E-MAIL
26
WET, WET, WET
If you’re going away on holiday for a
couple of weeks and can’t find a friendly
neighbour to water your plants, try this:
pour a generous amount of water into
the pot, then cover it (pot and plant) with
a transparent plastic bag, sealing it at
the top. When you get back, remove the
seal and allow the plant to acclimatise
CALLING FOR BACKUP
It can be a nightmare when your cellphone is lost or stolen, but losing all your
contact numbers may be even more
traumatic. (Yes, I know you can back
up your data on your computer, but
how many of us actually get around
to downloading the supplied software
and doing it?) Here’s a quick and easy
way to save that critical information –
and it works for any handset.
First, buy a SIM card (they’re
available for next to nothing from your
local supermarket; you’ll need to do
the RICA thing). Next, back up your
numbers to the phone memory, swop
your SIM card with the temporary one,
download the numbers to the card,
then swop again. Keep the backup
card in a safe place until it’s needed.
MARIO DIPPENAAR
NEWCASTLE
PROJECT
DESTROY YOUR OLD HARD DRIVE
Getting rid of your computer? If your idea of wiping
the hard disc clean is formatting the disc, you may
be leaving sensitive data to chance. Art Costigan,
CISSP (Certified Information Systems Professional),
is a security analyst with Global Network Security Consultants who holds little regard for simple
formatting.
He explains: “Formatting just kind of rearranges
stuff on the hard drive. Anyone who knows anything
about hard drives can un-format the drive and
restore it to original condition. Someone really
skilled... can restore the original information from a
drive that’s been formatted and overwritten half a
dozen times.”
That’s why Costigan recommends either an
electromagnetic cleansing or using a commercial
disc-cleaning program. The electromagnetic option
usually entails using the services of a company that
specialises in EMF destruction. He elaborates: “We
call it certified destruction, and it works much the
same way as having a company shred your papers.
You get a certificate guaranteeing that all the information has been destroyed.” It’s a costly process,
but it’s guaranteed to destroy your data.
The real do-it-yourself disc-destroying method
involves one of the many disc-cleaning software packages available to consumers. Says
Costigan: “I like to use one called ‘Evidence Eliminator’ (visit www.evidence-eliminator.
com). You can set it to overwrite the area every time you delete a file from your hard drive.
But there are many good programs out there. Personally, I’d stay away from free programs
you might find on the Internet.”
DISPENSE OIL WITH
PRECISION
It’s hard to find an oil can that delivers
on the first stroke of the lever, that
doesn’t over-dispense, and doesn’t
leak around the filler. Cheap Far East
imports are the worst offenders. A
well-known maker of skin creams
packages one of its products (“total
effects day moisturiser”) in a precision
pump container that can be utilised
for dispensing oil or other fluids or
gels, as long as they are compatible
with plastic, in easily-controlled
volumes, exactly where you want it to
go. I use mine for cutting-fluid, when
threading or turning small items.
Once the skin moisturising contents
have been used up – by your partner,
of course! – separate the reservoir
from the pump component and clean
out the remnants of the cream with
a tissue. A little paraffin or meths
helps, but avoid paint thinners or
other solvents that might attack the
plastic. Extend the nozzle with a metal
or plastic tube (4,5 mm diameter is
a nice tight fit) of the required length.
Fill up the reservoir with a suitable
volume of oil and reassemble. Between
uses, the pump stays primed for
instant dispensing.
JOHN FREAN
JOHANNESBURG
IMAGE-ENHANCED
CONTACTS
If you’re an early riser like me, and
end up tinkering around the home
all weekend, it’s important to know
when your local hardware/vet is open.
I use my phone to take a photo of
the relevant store’s operating hours
board, and save it as the photo for
that contact. This has saved me hours
of wasted driving time.
JAYSON DUNNE
NORTHCLIFF
DIY GUTTERS
I would like to pass on an idea I
applied to our mountain holiday hut,
where we are 100 per cent dependent
on rain water, and to an extension
of our property in Gauteng. Instead
of using a normal gutter, I opted for
a 110 mm drain pipe with a slit cut
out lengthwise, the width of the slit
being equivalent to the roof thickness
PROJECT
REATTACH A LOOSE DECK PLANK
1
A loose deck plank is a stubbed toe waiting to
happen. That’s why an important part of deck
maintenance is re-securing loose planks. In
most cases, the plank just needs to be reattached
because the fastener – a screw or nail – has
worked loose within its hole. In some cases,
however, the problem is a warped or splitting
board, which calls for a replacement.
In either case, start by removing the old
fasteners. Pry out nails or reverse out screws.
Often, the screws will be stripped, in which case
you should use pliers to remove them. Replace
the fasteners with long, coarse-threaded screws
installed through the existing holes. If you decide
that the entire plank needs to be replaced, stain
or finish the wood to match, then drill the holes
before screwing it into place.
2
27
DIY Handy hints
(in my case IBR sheeting). Use a saw
or angle grinder to cut the slit, then
slip the tube over the edge of the
roof, fastening it in place with binding
wire every metre or so. If you are
feeling lazy, you can use cable ties.
For downpipes, bends and joints, use
regular plumbing fittings. Oh, and be
sure to use UV stabilised PVC pipes.
CLEM ECCLES
PRETORIA
ON REFLECTION...
Every DIY person should keep a mirror
in their toolbox – it’s indispensable
for connecting cables to the back of
hi-fi equipment, and working inside
kitchen cupboards or under a dashboard. However, glass mirrors tend to
break and are often the wrong size.
Try this: buy a plastic mirror (Midas
sells a replacement car mirror kit for
about R30), cut it to size if necessary
and use duct tape to attach it to the
end of a dowel.
GEOFF LINE
VIA E-MAIL
A STRETCH OF IMAGINATION
Are your new shoes too small? Don’t panic – my two tips will stretch
them enough to make them wearable. First up is the freezer method: you
pour water into large plastic food bags until they fill the entire shoe cavity, then place the shoes in the freezer. As the water freezes, it expands
and stretches the shoes. Alternatively, wet the shoes with normal rubbing
alcohol (not water, which will damage the leather) and put them on immediately. The alcohol dries quickly and the shoes stretch to fit your foot.
DANIE TALJAARD
DURBANVILLE
MAKE A MOBILE TOOL
CABINET
Most of us DIY types encounter a
garage storage problem at some time
or another. The solution is to acquire
two secondhand steel cabinets of the
kind normally used in an office for
stationery (the fact that they’re lockable provides extra peace of mind).
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Mica has a wide range of power tools for you to choose from!
From tools suitable for small DIY projects to heavy duty
industrial tools in top quality brands, we have the power…
to give YOU the power. Visit your nearest Mica store for
expert advice and great service! Take back the power in
all your DIY projects.
28
Place the cabinets back-to-back on
an angle-iron base fitted with strong
castors. Fit the inside of one cabinet
with pegboard for power tools, and
equip the second cupboard with
racks. Adding handles to the sides
will allow you to move your combo
tool cabinet around the garage with
ease.
ANDRE DE WIT
PRETORIA
MEMORY AID
Here’s a good way of remembering,
and permanently recording, the correct
locations of cables, plugs, etc when
moving around your TV or sound system.
Before disassembling the equipment,
use a digital camera to take photographs of the various plugs and other
fittings in their original positions, then
consult the image when you’re ready
to put it all back together.
SELWYN SCHWENK
BENONI
NONE SO BLIND
Instead of spending a bomb on hiring
people to clean my Venetian blinds, I
do it myself, and need no more than
10 minutes per blind. First step is to
unhook them from their mountings
(this is fairly easy), after which you
need to hang them over a garden wall,
with the slats in the closed position.
Next, spray the blind with a garden
hose to remove loose dust, then use
a soft brush and dishwashing liquid to
wash away the dirt – ideally, making
downward strokes. Finally rinse well
with the hose and hang the blind over
the washing line until it’s dry.
RK DE WITT
VIA E-MAIL
CLAMP WITH EASE
Any handyman worth his salt has at
least a couple of G clamps in the garage
or workshop; they are the equivalent
of a third hand. Here I’m referring to
the metal clamps, typically made from
cast iron or pressed steel. Unfortunately,
on many of these, the moving face is
a dished washer. The problem with this
is that if you clamp soft material, you
will damage the surface of the work
piece, so you end up putting pieces
of scrap material between the work
piece and the two clamping faces,
which can be awkward.
My solution: file or grind the fixed
clamp face flat and square to the axis of
the clamp frame, then braze or weld a
flat metal disc to the dished washer. It
was well worth the time and effort required to modify the half a dozen G clamps.
PETER WEBER
CENTURION
PROJECT
SHARPEN A KNIFE
A knife may be the most elemental of all human
tools – but it’s useful only if it’s sharp. Hone it the
way your grandfather did, with a steady hand and
a combination stone (available from your local
hardware store) with a coarse side and a fine side.
The trick is the hold the blade at the correct angle.
According to expert sharpener Bob Montagno, most
European knives have a 22- to 25-degree blade.
“That’s about the angle of a book of matches,”
he says. “Japanese knives and fillet knives are
12 to 15 degrees.”
First, lubricate the coarse side of the stone with
mineral oil or water; then push the blade across in
a sweeping motion, as if you’re cutting a thin slice
off the stone. “Flip the knife and work the other side
until a slight burr forms along the edge,” Montagno
says. “Switch to the fine side of the stone, lift the
blade to a slightly higher angle, and hone off the
burr to create a razor-sharp micro bevel.”
TIP
Stroking each side of the bevelled edge at the
honed angle on a steel (the rodlike tool in carving
sets) straightens microscopic distortions.
29
DIY
Handy hints
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2011/09/15 4:55 PM