Fix Timber to Metal Framing Part IV

The Finished Product
Using the special wing-tipped screws Merbau slatting was used as cladding over a metal framed gate. The gate frame was made from 30mm RHS steel tube with a 2mm wall thickness.  The gate post is a 50mm RHS steel tube with a 4mm wall thickness.  This shows how robust the drilling tip on the screws is as the gate post and mid post, another steel post, were no problem for driving these screws into.

Take a look for yourself and as always you are welcome to leave feedback or feel free to ask a question.

The blank canvas

The starting point for this garden gate makeover. The customer requirement was to fence this area off to keep a dog in. As an added bonus it would be good to keep the kids safe behind the gate because those stairs lead up to the road.

The finished gate and fence

The transformed walkway. If the gate seems narrow it is.  This was a custom designed arrangement and the gate frame itself is a whisker under 700mm wide.

Timber fixed with Wing Tipped
Self Drilling Self Tapping Screws

The screw heads all sit slightly below flush with the timber surface.  It takes a bit of practice to get it just right and a little driving each screw in, backing it out and driving it home again helps to get the right depth of countersink.

And from the back side it looks quite neat and tidy, save the haphazard wood pile.











Wing Tipped Screws. Just a small thing but they make a big difference.  Oh, and this gate and fence needed about 120 of them, plus a handful of ordinary timber screws for the end post which is timber screwed to the boundary fence.

Happy days.  Hope you found this article interesting.
Cheers,
Paul

Click to Return to Part I of this Series

Fix Timber to Metal Framing Part III

The Wing Tipped Marvel
Here's a picture of the beauty. This is the tool, as it should rightly be called, that makes fixing timber to steel framing a cinch.  And at around 10 cents a pop they're cheap as chips.

These screws have a drill-bit-like tip that cuts easily through timber closely followed by a pair of metal wings. The metal wings make the pilot hole bigger and provide relief so that when the screw is driven home the timber will not split.

When the screw tip drills through the mild steel frame, which they do remarkably easily, the wings shear off. The countersunk head is also fitted with a cutting face that self countersinks the head.

So, in a simple single operation the clever design of this screw drills a pilot hole, opens the pilot hole for relief, drills a pilot hole in the steel and using a self tapping thread cuts a grip into the steel and finishes it all off by countersinking it's own head!

Wonderful! It may seem obvious to some but to achieve the same result using a standard countersunk self tapping screw requires the following:

1. Predrill hole through timber and metal to the correct size for the self tapping screw.
2. Oversize the hole through the timber to stop the screw thread pulling directly on the timber.
3. Countersink the timber piece.
4. Drive the screw into position for a flush finish.

This operation requires about four times as much time as using the special wing tipped screws. One word of caution though.. remember the wings shear off once the screw drives through metal. As such, a screw cannot be re-used to make a complete new hole. The cutting heads on these screws will generally make several holes and in a pinch can be used in lieu of a drill bit, for example, to drill rivet holes!

In the last article of this series we take a quick peek at the finished result.

Click to Read Part IV

p.s. Working in Brissy? You can buy your screws from Russ-All Industrial.. the local bolt bloke on Pickering Street, Enoggera. No, sorry guys, Bunnings don't stock these pearlers!

Fix Timber to Metal Framing Part II

In the first article we looked at some basics of screw technology.  Next up we need some equipment to put them in.  The trusty handpowered screwdriver just will not do with our high-tech screws.

Drills

Self drilling screws are designed to be driven at about 1000 revs per minute (rpm).  

Most electric drills range between 1500 and 3000 rpm. An electric drill with a variable speed trigger can work, HOWEVER, be warned! An electric drill will not stop turning when you release the trigger like a cordless drill. This can make the job of driving screws quite dangerous. You've been warned.  Please be careful.

Cordless drills are usually the best device to drive screws; they run at the right speed and have adjustable torque settings. However, drilling through wood, into metal and countersinking the screw head is tough even for the toughest cordless drills.

The absolute best idea is to hire a Tec-Gun.  A Tec-Gun is an electric drill that only takes screwdriver bits (i.e. no drilling) runs at a close to optimum drive speed around 1200 rpm and has an electric brake.  That means when you let the trigger go the spindle stops turning.

Driver Bits

Just about anyone can and has used a cordless drill. 

The bits we're talking about (so you can ask for them at the hardware) are 6mm hexagonal driver bits.  These bits interchange easily with various heads, to suit various screw heads. You may be familiar with the Flat Head bit for a slotted head, a Phillips Head bit, sometimes called a cross point as well as some of the newer styles such as Torx and Pozi-Drive bits.

For the special wing-tipped self-drilling self-tapping screws we will be using we need a phillips head No.2 driver bit.  This is the most common size of phillips head bit in use today.

The reason for the different driver bits is that they are used for different purposes and generally the more complex patterns provide a more positive driving experience.  This means the bit is less likely to slip and damage the head.  It also makes their manufacture more expensive.

As an interesting aside, I recently bought a pack of outdoor timber screws made by Buildex that included a square driver bit! It seems ironic to me that we went from flat to cross to several variations of hexagonal design before coming back to a simple square.  And it actually drives long screws into hard wood exceptionally well.

Buying the right driver bits involves a little understanding. In the next article we are going to see just how easy it is to put some of this screw technology to good use.  For now we need to make sure we have the right tools.

Cheap bits are a waste of time and money, even though they look the same as expensive bits. Fancy coatings do help but in general good quality bits will advertise quality forging with an added bonus of a special shiny coating. For driving self-drilling, self-tapping screws into metal, buy the best driver bit you can get.  

As a rule, spend about five dollars per bit (c2011).  A five dollar bit will outlast at least five one dollar bits.  Then again, the odds are good you will break one or two so I'd suggest buying at least two good quality bits for the job you're about to undertake. 

For a good education, buy a cheap bit while you're there, no, get two! When you see in practice how long the cheap bits stand up to real work you will never waste your money again.

In Europe bits are graded according to quality.  Five star bits are the right temper with a high quality coating. Here in Australia we currently do not have such a grading system. The best idea is to try one or two bits from Bunnings (mid-range quality bits) and then track down your local tool stockist.  They can usually point you towards the quality you need for frustration free work.

Remember that the harder a metal is the more brittle it becomes.  Drilling into steel tube, through hard timbers like Merbau is a shocking series of stop/start drill work and your drill bit needs a bit of flexibility.  Inevitably though, even your best bits will succumb to breakage after a while.

Right!

Now we're armed with the right driver bit in our tec-gun we're ready to take a look at this modern wing-tipped marvel.

Click to Read Part III

Fix Timber to Metal Framing Part I

Building a gate or adding an attractive screen to your carport? Slatted timber finishes look great and with the right choice of screw can be assembled in no time.

In this four part article we are going to look at a modern marvel of screw technology that takes the hard work out of getting an accurate finish, fast.  First up, though, let's take a quick look at all things screwy!!

Screw That!

Screw technology has come along way from the earliest modern brass screws with a slotted head designed for wood. 

When we started working with metal, it quickly became apparent bolts and welding were both a cumbersome option for many applications.  Thus the self-tapping screw was developed.  This screw has a thread that points (narrows) toward the tip.  After drilling a pilot hole a self tapper will screw into metal.

However, as anyone who has used self tappers more than once, they don't always behave! If the metal you are screwing into is too thick the thread on the screw will often strip. Also, if the pilot hole is not big enough the screw just cannot get a grip. When the thread starts to bite the next challenge is to keep the head of the screw intact; damaging the head makes it virtually impossible to install properly and if it does go in can be a nightmare to remove, especially years later.

Moving right along the materials science boys came up with a screw hard enough to hold a point sharpened like a drill bit.  These screws will happily drill their own pilot hole, exactly the right size, and follow it in with a self-tapping thread to hold tight.

Now, the only practical method of using these self-drilling, self-tapping screws is with power. A cordless drill or a driver bit in a power-drill is just the ticket to successful installation of these screws.

Click to Read Part II

Goal Miner Promo First Draft

Welcome to the F sharp Productions Goal Miner!

A practical worktool embodied in a beautiful creation.  From the outset the leatherbound journal inspires quality craftsmanship designed for years of active use and an attractive keepsake.

Looking for direction?
Discover your answers within yourself.

The guided discovery workshop comprehensively covers the key areas you need to address for a life of fulfillment.

From the weekly worker to the ambitious entrepreneur the work journal provides a minimalist format for maximal flexibility.

The companion guide details a step-by-step process that leads towards a set of clear, time-specific goals.

Advanced techniques in layout and presentation make it effortless to remember and schedule periodic review.  The Aspiring Ambitious and Newbies alike will delight in these features as it blasts through procrastination making the task fun and entertaining.


Weekly goal cards are designed to be placed in a prominent position that cause you to daily focus on your current targets.  The inclusion of recent achievements helps to positively frame your objectives with a can-do attitude.

Built into the very fabric of this gift-set planner is the psychology of the best sales persuasion strategies to actively sell YOU on YOUR goals.  It makes an ideal gift for a loved one, family member or perhaps encourage a up-and-coming member of your organisation.  Heaven forbid limitations: you can feel certain this would also make a great gift for your boss!

A refreshingly practical approach to setting goals and targets to aspire to the often lofty and elusive ideal of fulfillment.

The Goal Miner itself inspired by some of the most compelling and contemporary proponents from the fields of peak performance, motivational speakers, philosophers and life coaches, includes cutting edge technologies that literally compel you towards the desirable outcomes you set for yourself.

Show Me Your Goals
If you can't call to hand this very moment your list of priortised, time-sensitive goals there are two obstacles standing in your path.  The first is an attitude of ambivalence towards setting goals and the second is a successful strategy to make the process easy and straightforward.

The Goal Miner obliterates these two hurdles, pulling you out of apathy setting you on the path of success, your way!

By providing background information and a healthy dose of motivational phrases you have everything at your fingertips to make a set of empowering distinctions for your future.  An easy to follow layout provides a stable reference point from which to begin.

Like learning any new skill the early stages are maked by intensive coaching.  As you become more proficient the format makes room for a greater degree of freedom and self expression.

The result is a set of clear, timely goals and targets backed by a compelling list of your why's.

Even completion of the first task will undoubtedly have a positive impact on even the most modest and conservative forward thinker.

Don't delay.  Get into it now.  Order here.

Set, Plan and Achieve My Goals

Setting goals can be a highly productive activity and most successful entrepreneurs actively do this.

However, Joe Average can benefit enormously simply by doing a goal setting workshop.  From the nine to five worker to the philanthropic entrepreneuer completing an initial workshop to discover your goals and targets is the first step towards a greater sense of life fulfillment.

Many motivators, life coaches and other leaders of our time offer retreats, workshops and activities that centre around setting goals and attempting to motivate one to achieve.

While this works for some there are some shortcomings.  The F sharp Productions Goal Miner combines the best of available technologies that deliver results that for many will simply appear to be on autopilot!

So now for the big question:

Why Set Goals?
An often quoted introduction to Goal Setting, I included it here because it serves as a fundamental motivator for anyone looking to write better targets for themselves:

In the book What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School, Mark McCormack relays the story of a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program:

In that year, the students were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.

It would appear that properly formulated goals are essential by any metric of success in the modern world.  However, financial success is not the only factor and many people living simple lives simply do not (in fact) aspire to be millionaires.

A key distinction however is that those people who take a little time to diligently form clear targets and goals reap the biggest rewards in the material universe.  Arguably, they are also those that have the clearest sense of what lies beyond the grave - at least they have made the best preparation in this lifetime for what may lie ahead!

In the next post I will outline the salesy pitch with which I plan to market the leatherbound journal for the Goal Miner and a let you take a sneak peak at the format of the accompanying guide book and audio CD.

Feel free to jump over the marketing hype to get to the good stuff although the entire process of setting goals is in reality a sales pitch to yourself.

Once you sell yourself on the idea - and it is up to you to do so - that goal setting works, is a good thing to do and for a truly fulfilling life is a must do, you may be interested to learn that the marketing of such a resourceful tool is an essential ingredient of the whole process.

To recap, if you know you need to set goals and want some clear direction that walks through the process of setting clear targets, Goal Miner is the answer.  If you are mildly interested in a tool that just might make the difference then skim through the promo for a couple of clues.  When you want to maximise the positive impact from the sum total of your effort towards creating the life of your dreams then read every word, follow the instructions and reap the benefits! 

"They" say, the Devil is in the detail but you sometimes you gotta look a little closer to find the clues....  Happy Hunting and enjoy the process!

Click here to read the next post in the F sharp Productions Goal Miner.
Click here to read Programming the Painless Point.

Drinking Water - What's Best For My Body

How to Drink More Water


Release : 2 October 2010
Field   : Healthy Lifestyle
Focus   : Expert Advice
Status  : First Revision

We are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water each day, right?  But most of us drink one or two glasses of tap water and the rest we supplement with tea, coffee and fruit juices.  Our health is suffering and there are easy steps to beat the trend.  Read on to find out more.

The Problem
If you ask a hundred people from different locations and backgrounds why they don't drink 8 glasses of water a day you will get about a hundred different reasons: "I drink 6 cups of coffee", "I prefer fruit juice", "I'd rather something with taste", etc.

The real reason is that our bodies have a negative reaction to the water we're drinking.

Tap water and most bottled water has high concentrations of dissolved solids, or salts, that react with our tastebuds and send a subtle message to our brain that we should limit the amount we consume.

Our bodies wants pure, clean water.

It may sound far fetched to some people however the chemicals and other things in town water are the underlying reason we don't drink much of it.

The Solution
The short answer is drink pure water!

That isn't as helpful or as simple as it sounds because you can't tell by looking at a glass of water if it's pure or not.

Firstly, without proper filtration, town or city water contains salts, chemicals like chlorine and potentially other harmful substances.  Second, bottled water comes in as many different varieties and not all are particularly good for you or the environment.

Like any fad diet, many people latch on to brand of bottled water because:
it's fashionable
celebrities are drinking it
it has a cool tv commercial
an authority figure recommended it
it is reputed to have healing powers

Before you decide the answer is bottled water you may like to watch the following video.

While I agree there's a huge problem with the bottled water process and the video conveniently overlooks a number of problems with tap water, rather than hit you upside the head with a barrage of sales speak here's a good place to start by increasing your consumer awareness.

Ref: http://aquafornia.com/archives/category/bottled-water

 So at least for the long term bottled water is not the answer.

Another interesting point raised in the video is that both Pepsi and Coke bottle filtered tap water.  The fact is that tap water is basically good, certainly in most first world countries.

Rather than glamorise a particular mineral water spring, the best water for your body is pure water.  The best way to get pure water in the city is in the short term purchase ultra filtered water or buy a decent water filter.

Bottled Water
Selecting the right bottled water can be a challenge but here's a couple of simple guidelines:

Firstly, the less stuff in water the better it is for you.  Most water bottles have a label showing a typical analysis of the water.

Here's a completely useless water bottle label:

If you find a bottle with this label, don't buy it on principle that they are attempting to completely deceive you, the consumer.

It provides no useful information and is simply a statement that water contains no fat, calories, carbohydrates or protein. This is not news and is a short term marketing tactic that has attracted the attention of lobbyists and other activists.

We need better information.  At least the following label has some information that tells us something useful:

The numbers in the label on the left represent mg/L or parts per million.  This is a label from an Evian bottle.

I personally would not buy this water because I can see it is full of minerals that my liver has to actively remove to make use of the water!

Besides that, the only advantage this water has over tap water is that is has a lower level of Chlorides.  Otherwise it is virtually identical to 90% of 1st world countries tap water!

To be fair, according to the Evian website:

• Sodium is good for liver
• Calcium strengthens bones
• Magnesium is necessary for nerve system
• Bicarbonates stimulate peptic

What the website fails to mention is how our bodies are supposed to get the minerals advertised as good ingredients in the water.  Rather than embark on a scare campaign I would point out that in the grand scheme of things the contents of the above mentioned water - as long as they closely match the label - aren't too bad.


To clear up a few things
Sodium is salt.  Plain table salt known as Sodium chloride or the chemical shorthand, NaCl.  We get plenty in a typical Western diet and we don't need extra in our water.  Happy to say 6.5mg/L is quite low.

Calcium is used by our bodies to make and repair bones but we need it in conjunction with Vitamin D to be able to use it.  We don't need it in our water although it is relatively harmless.

Magnesium and Calcium contribute to water hardness.  Less is better.

Sulfates are bad, full stop!  We are carbon-oxygen machines and sulfur is poison.  Low levels our bodies can tolerate like air pollution in the city.

Nitrates again are poisons.  A level of 0 is beneficial to our body.  While they occur in nature and we can tolerate a level of them, ideally water should have zero, zip, zilch.  Water, the universal solvent, is what flushes these toxins out of our bodies.  The less contaminants in the water to begin with the better the water can do its job to keep our bodies health.

Bicarbonates are used for cooking, right?  A rising agent in bread and so forth?  Well, this 'ingredient' in Evian's water is the result of the 15 year long journey their water takes through some French Alp underground aquifer... or something...

Not a harmful substance in itself although through years of consumption this contributes to kidney stones.  It's basically dissolved limestone.

Right.

Want a good metric?  If the total 'ingredients' add up to less than 100 then the water is pretty good.  General tap water is typically 200 to 300 ppm, the combined level of all contaminants.

If I have to buy bottled water I go for ultra filtered water like the Coke and Pepsi brands.  On the Australian market we are fortunate to be able to purchase Nobles' ultra filtered water in a cask.  It's a better packaging solution and more affordable too.

Just bear in mind the marketing machine.  Doesn't it strike you as odd that filtered water from Coke costs more than a bottle of coke?  Their filtered water is the same they use in coke, just before they add all those special ingredients and a huge dose of sugar.  So why does it cost so much?  Hmm...  There is a better way.


The Right Water Filter
If you want a simple answer as to what the right water filter is then buy an RO filter system.  The long answer is that you should really inform yourself as to what water filtration is all about.  I have prepared a series of articles to make the process easy but here is a superficial treatment of the subject:

Filter jugs normally have a carbon filter.  This generally improves the taste by removing chlorine.  These are only half measures towards real water filtration.  They are also costly when you consider that most jug filters are ineffective after only a month of use.

Ceramic filters and fancy benchtop jug systems work more or less by removing some of the contaminants of the water.  They mostly look good but do little to improve water quality.


Single and twin undersink and benchtop filters are the real entry point towards real water filtration.  They use filter cartridges in a plastic housing to filter the water.


In general the first cartridge is a coarse filter designed to remove sediment and heavier particles from the water.  The second filter is a carbon filter designed to remove chlorine and some other contaminants like pesticides.


Reverse osmosis, or RO, systems pre-clean the water using a series of cartridge filters like the twin undersink and then forces the water through an ultra-fine membrane, usually made from latex, that gives the finest filtration possible.


It is generally inadvisable to drink distilled water although a good distillation system can remove almost every contaminant from the water.


Water conditioners come in a range of types from ion exchange to soften the water - which is good for showering and laundry water - to magnetic or electronic ionisation devices.  A water sweetener for example uses a strong magnetic field to align the precession of the water molecules passing through the filter.  Arguably the water tastes sweeter however this is generally a subtle improvement.


After a month or so of drinking and cooking with reverse osmosis water - the same process Coke and Pepsi use to filter their water prior to use in their sugar drink products - your tastebuds will actually be able to tell the differences in different waters.  This is also the point that an additional water condition can be added to the system for optimum performance.


I'm an advocate for RO water and I make no bones about it.


The list of advantages are long and even after wading through the plethora of sales information available the real difference to your health and vitality from making a simple lifestyle choice is huge.


As I add more articles to explore the details of water and water filtration I will update the relevant links.


To your health and longevity drink pure water.
Enjoy







Before we go on though, let's have a quick look at why our water is the way it is.

Why Our Water Is The Way It Is

Paint like Pro - Repaint a Room - Part III

Painting An Interior Room
Release : 30 September 2010
Field   : Home Handyman
Focus   : Preparatory Painting Tips

For Tips 1 to 3 Click Here

For Tips 4 to 7 Click Here

8. Masking Tape
An all important ingredient in painting clean, straight edges, all too often overlooked by the unsuspecting amateur, is masking tape. The rule? Don't be a cheapskate!

There are many types of masking tape available but only two you need to be aware of: common garden variety masking tape and painting tape.

Like crepè paper, general purpose masking tape will allow paint to soak through quickly and completely defeat the purpose of masking an edge in the first place.

Painter's masking tape, is a little more expensive, however it is of higher quality, tends to pull off the roll in a straighter line and will resist 'print-through'.

Basic painter's masking tape has the drawback that it must be removed shortly after painting. If a second coat is required it is still best to remove the masking tape, allow the paint to dry, and re-mask before the next coat.

More expensive painter's tape can be left for up to 48 hours and some specialised tape will hold for up to two weeks without damaging the surface underneath.

I often mask around the area to be painted, paint and allow 1/2 an hour to an 1 hour to dry. I then apply what is called a 'wet-coat' - repainting before the first coat is thoroughly dry.

Practically this means finishing the first coat and returning to the start of the painting job. If you have never attempted this technique I would strongly recommend attempting a smaller area like a single wall first.

As long as the masking tape is removed in less than about 4 hours the results are generally good.

As a side note, even when undertaking professional painting jobs I almost exclusively use basic painter's tape. There are rare cases that tricky masking of curves and shapes calls for the best quality masking tape I can buy so that I only need to mask once, but they are few and far between.

Know that just because you can spend a fortune on good masking tape it is not usually required.

9. A second pair of eyes
If in doubt, get a second opinion. If your second opinion wavers, get a third. If your third opinion fails to settle the argument, hire a professional!

It is always a good idea to have someone close by to cast an eye over your work and give a second opinion. I have found through years of experience that it requires a strict discipline to look over a paint job like it's the first time I've seen it and spot areas that need attention.

When you're the mug holding the brush you need to periodically step back from the wall you're painting and see the bigger picture.

It is easy to miss areas that are thin or even completely unpainted when you are working so close to your canvass. Bad lighting, painting light colours or very dark colours, being tired or simply fatigued from doing the job are all factors that cause our eyes to overlook things.

It is easier to re-roll an area before it dries rather than find the problem later.

The easy solution is get someone to look closely over the job you've done and find the spots that need attention.

The real problem in painting a wall is not that you haven't covered the wall with colour but that you have wet the entire surface of the wall.

Stippled or textured wall, wallpapered, rendered or porous brick is notorious for looking painted.

When the paint dries, surface that was not wet by the first coat will probably be missed by the second and subsequent coats but will be easily noticeable from a distance to the naked eye.

This can be really frustrating.

Now that you know what you're looking for, have someone with a little patience look over the painted area again.

10. Time
You need time.

Preparation of materials, shopping, getting the right colour and masking a neat edge. Time to paint and time to clean up. Time is a key ingredient.

Aside from the fact that you can pay someone else for their time to do the job, time is a major factor to do a good painting job.

Make sure you have more than enough time to get the job done without rushing.

Afterall, the time you spend enjoying the fruits of your labour should not be spent focusing on the bit you should have done better, could have done at the time or would have done if you'd noticed back then.

Do it right, first time. Follow the tips outlined above and may your next paint job be simple rewarding.

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Paint like Pro - Repaint a Room - Part II

Painting An Interior Room

Release : 30 September 2010

Field   : Home Handyman

Focus   : Preparatory Painting Tips

For Tips 1 to 3 Click Here

4. Fillers and Cleaners

Getting paint to stick requires a clean surface.  Sugar Soap is the best cleaning agent prior to painting.  This is especially important in rooms where a greasy film has built up over time, like the kitchen or a smoking room.

The other opportunity repainting a wall offers is to fill and patch any old holes where pictures were once hung or where chips have flaked off the wall.

Fine filler can be used to fill shallow surface dents and a heavy filler or deep-crack filler can be used to fill holes from rowel plugs, nails or damaged areas like where a door handle has banged into the wall behind it.

While there are a plethitude of specialised fillers, often the most basic and cheap work well prior to painting.

One of the best multipurpose fillers is bought as a powder that you add water to. It really is not hard to mix a thick paste in a small container and apply it to the wall with a spatula.

Ready made fillers in a tube are handy but tend to be ten times the cost for little added benefit.

One exception to using cheap fillers is where fine cracks and chips need to be filled. A fine epoxy based filler will hold fast in even the smallest crack and can be easily sanded smooth once dry.

For a weekend project, Saturday should be used to clear out the room, fill the holes and wash down the walls. This allows overnight drying for a fresh start come Sunday.

5. Drop Sheets

Naturally cotton or canvas drop sheets are the most long lasting but if you're not likely to need them again once the job is done then newspaper or plastic drop sheets are the way to go.

Newspaper can be really frustrating to use as a drop sheet unless you stick the sheets together with small tabs of masking tape.

Plastic drop sheets can be either very thin, single use items or made from thicker more durable plastic.  The difference is much like that between cheap rubbish bags and the super tough heavy duty Glad (tm) bags.  You get what you pay for.

Thin drop sheets go for under a couple of bucks and heavier plastic sheets are closer to the ten dollar mark. The thicker sheets are easier to work with, don't tear as easily and are easier to work with.

I'd recommend the thinner sheets to cover furniture that is going to stay in the room your painting and a thicker sheet to put under foot to catch the drips.

TIP: Stick newspaper sheets together with small tabs of masking to use as a drop sheet.

TIP: For carpeted areas always use a thick plastic drop sheet, old rug or blanket.

6. Stirrers

All paint should be stirred prior to painting, especially paint you've just had tinted and shaken by the machine.  Over time all paint will settle and you need to stir the lumps out and make sure it is all a nice smooth consistency.

A flat wooden paddle is generally the best paint stirrer.  One of the best stirrers I've ever found is a wooden fork.

You know the kind you can get from the discount store that goes with a wooden spoon and a wooden egg-flip? Well, these cheap and nasty kitchen utensils make great paint stirrers.

TIP: Don't use a stick from the garden to stir your paint.

7. Bucket and Cleaning Cloths

Preventative action is best but it is inevitable you will have to clean up a few spills and splashes here and there.

You should have a bucket and a few cleaning clothes on hand when you painting.

Cotton cloth is great for a streak free finish on glass but for mopping up paint an open weave cloth is usually best.

My first choice are Chux Super wipes because they're disposable, have an open weave and as well as mopping up paint splashes also stand up to a bit of elbow grease; they don't fall apart the first time you wring them out.

Article continues, click here to read Part 3

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Paint like Pro - Repaint a Room - Part I

Painting An Interior Room
Release : 30 September 2010
Field   : Home Handyman
Focus   : Preparatory Painting Tips


A change is as good as a holiday and a fresh lick of paint is one of the most rewarding ways to give a new lease of life to your living space. Sprucing up the bedroom or lounge room is a job you can easily knock over in a weekend by getting a few things right from the start.

Here are 10 Top Tips to make the job straightforward and hassle free.

1. Paint

It's a no-brainer that if you're going to repaint a room you'll need paint.  But what type of paint to use?  

    FINISH

Matt and semi-gloss finishes are most commonly used for painting interior walls.  Semi-gloss will appear somewhat brighter and shinier than matt which is great for a hallway or the kitchen but perhaps not what you want in the bedroom.

    QUANTITY

Be aware that painting is all about technique.  As a DIY'er your finesse with the roller is probably not as deft as a pro so you will tend to use more paint per square metre.  

As a guide, calculate the amount of paint you need based on the minimum area the paint is supposed to cover.. then double it and add a bit for safety!  You need two coats.  Even some 'single-coat' paints will need two coats if your technique isn't perfect, besides single-coat paint is also a lot more expensive.

    TINTING

If you need to buy more than a single tin of pre-tinted paint to finish your job then buy them at the same time because the tins on the shelf are likely from the same batch and therefore the closest colour match.

If you have a custom colour tinted, write the colour code on the lid.

It happens often enough when painting that the dribbles down the side of the tin will cover the colour code label from the paint store.

About 5 minutes after you've finished the job you'll forget the colour was called Fuchsia Marmalade or some other wild colour and that can make it a challenge in 6 months time when you want to paint the sunroom the same colour!

2. Brushes

One quality brush is worth 20 cheap brushes from the bargain bin.  Especially if you're an amateur painter, buy the most expensive brush you can afford.

Here's the idea: 

You need a brush to 'cut-in' the edges.  It should be up to 50mm or 2 inches wide. If your hand is small then you might prefer a 30mm or 1 1/4 inch brush. Some people, particularly in Europe, prefer an angled brush to do the cutting-in but I find a straight brush easier to control.

    COSTS

At my local hardware superstore I can buy the cheapie brush for about a dollar. A basic model is about $4.00 and the semi-pro models start around $11.00.

One brush, well cared for, painting smooth walls, will last for years so the brush for 14 bucks is the right one to get!  Oh, wait, there's a beauty for nearly 40 bucks but, er, that's meant for the pro who buys it just because he can!

Stay away from cheap natural bristle brushes.  Nylon or other synthetics are best.  The rule of thumb when choosing the right brush is to aim for middle of the range and go one better than you first thought.  

The pain of the price is nothing compared to fighting through the job with a bad brush.

3. Rollers

Quality of rollers is hard to guess and price isn't always the best guide.  There are some tips to point you in the right direction.

    BIG or little?

A full size roller (more than 200mm or 8inches wide) is great for covering a large area like a ceiling or an entire wall.  A big roller will hold more paint and cover a larger area faster at the expense of using more paint.  If you want to get away with a single coat this is the best tool for the job.  

While you're shopping, grab an extension handle to help reach the top of the wall while standing on the floor.

Small rollers are a brilliant and have become popular in recent years. After 'cutting-in' the edges with a small brush, a 100mm or 4 inch roller can be used to paint a boarder.  This makes rolling with a large roller much easier by reducing the risk of overpainting the adjacent wall or ceiling.

The other advantage of small rollers is they tend to make the paint go further. You can apply a thinner coat using a small roller because you can apply more pressure to a smaller area.  

Care must be taken though not to make the coat too thin or you may end up needing a third coat and another tin of paint.

    BRISTLE, SHAG, NAP, FOAM OR CASHMERE?

Small rollers come in a range of materials.  The guides on the packet give a good indication of the intended purpose.  For quick review consider the following points:

• Long haired rollers are best for heavily textured walls, larger areas and matt finishes.
• Short bristle rollers are best for smooth surfaces and/or high gloss finishes.
• Foam rollers are virtually useless for painting walls - they hold very little paint.

TIP: Use a small roller once and discard it.  

Cleaning these rollers is always possible however it is more environmentally sound to use one and dispose of it.  This is especially true when using oil based paints.

Make sure you have prepared and masked all the areas to paint with the small roller in advance.  If you can use a wet-coat technique this saves on rollers and often one small roller is enough to finished the job.

Article continues, click here to read part 2

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Design and Build a Bookshelf

Build Yourself a Bookshelf
Release : 23 July 2010

Field : Home Handyman

Focus : Construction Tips and Techniques


The sense of satisfaction gained from building your own bookshelf can be made all the more by getting a few things right from the start.

Here are 10 Hot Tips to make the job straightforward and hassle free.

1. Draw a plan

You don't need to be Da Vinci or Michelangelo to make a simple drawing for what you are about to build.  A pencil sketch is a vital first step to realising what you actually want; it helps you visualise the finished product.

2. Put measurements on your plan

Start with the main dimension.  How tall is it?  How wide will it be?  Once you work out how big the 'box' is, then you can work out the details.

The most important dimensions are those that affect others.  For example, once you decide the width of the bookshelf that will determine how long each shelf is.  The exact height of the shelves can be changed when you are building but the lengths will be what you design them to be.

3. Write the Cut List

This all-important step can make or break your project.  If you are getting the hardware store to cut the timber for you then you need to make sure your numbers add up!

Remember the Rule: Measure Twice, Cut Once.

What you need to think about with your Cut List is how the pieces will fit together.  In a simple design the ends of the cuts are all square, not 45 degrees.  That means that some pieces will be shorter by twice the thickness of the timber you are using.  

Why?  Well if your shelf is 1000mm long and you are using 16mm melamine then the shelves will need to be 1000 -- (16 x 2) = 968mm because 968 + 32 = 1000, right.

Also, think about how your finished piece will look.  If the sides go all the way to the top then you will only have screws in the sides, which is usually good.  However, what does the top look like?  Are you using laminate and can cover the top edge with a nice strip?  Will it sand smooth and paint nicely so you don't notice?

4. Bringing it Home

It may sound obvious but take care when transporting your timber from the store.  All too often I have seen a tremendous amount of work go into building a lovely piece of furniture only to realise at the painting stage that one of the shelves has a great big dent in it.  At this stage it is not so easy to fix so avoid the problem in the first place.  Carry with Care!

5. Laying it Out

With all the pieces you need cut to the right size, lay them out on the floor so you can double check everything looks right and will go together smoothly.

6. Pre-drilling Pilot Holes

Most timber bigger than 12mm can be screwed without pre-drilling. However, the finish is usually nicer and there is less risk of damage if you use a pilot hole.  

For chipboard or melamine I would always pre-drill a pilot hole through the side pieces.  As long as you align the centre of the shelf with the screw, the shelves themselves do not usually need a pilot hole.

To give a really pro finish, countersink the holes by hand using an oversized drill bit.

Method: If you are using 6 gauge, 45mm particleboard screws in 16mm board, for example, then drill a 3mm pilot hole and use an 8mm drill bit to countersink for the head of the screws.

Still a novice carpenter?  There are some great books available to show you the basics of carpentry and D.I.Y. Handyman work.

7. Putting it Together

The old fashioned way to get a screw in a piece of wood was to use a screwdriver!  Like using any hand tool this is a bit of a practiced art.  

I strongly recommend you beg, borrow or steel a cordless screwdriver or as a second option a cordless drill.  Driving a screw at a steady pace into a piece of wood will give the best hold.  That said, the example shown below was pre-drilled but hand screwed.  (The cordless drill showed up a couple of days later!)

On a cordless drill, set the torque setting to one of the lowest settings to start with.  

On my Bosch cordless with settings that range from 1 to 14, I would start on a setting of 3.  Ideally the torque setting should drive the screw all the way in and when the head of the screw is almost all the way home.  

It depends on the wood, the size of the screw and the size of the pilot hole but I often found that torque setting of 7 or 8 would give the best result. The last quarter turn can be done by hand (yes, using a screwdriver!) to avoid over-tightening.

8. Preparing the Finish

If you have chosen dressed timber to start with that makes this step a breeze.  A simple light sand by hand using a cork block or similar sanding block is all that is required before painting.

Wipe the whole cabinet with a damp cloth before applying any finish.

9. Coatings and Colour

When you plan to paint your bookshelf with a solid colour it is usually best to use an undercoat first.  This helps the paint stick.  Even if the paint job looks good to start with, it will only be a matter of months before the chips and other signs of wear and tear will become obvious.

Good preparation is vital to a lasting finish.

Making your own bookshelf gives you complete freedom over all the important choices; how big it is, how deep the shelves are and, some might thing most importantly, what colour it is.  Don't be afraid to try a bold colour first.  You can always paint over it with an earthy tone later if the shade of fluorescent orange you chose goes out of fashion!

101. Enjoyment

Sitting in a room with a piece of furniture you have made yourself can be a source of immense pride and satisfaction.  When it works out well you will have fans relaying the message down the line about how fantastic you are, 'doesn't it look good' and 'isn't she so clever' that it is enough to make most of us smile at least inwardly.

If it doesn't work then you can feed it to the fire and start again! 

Alternatively, there is usually a need in the student population for cheap, if not perfect, furniture.  At the very least you will recover your expenses to fund your next project.

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