On the Wire - DIY Holiday
As you make your holiday shopping list and check it twice, you’ve probably got a range of tool-and gadget-lovers to please. Baffled by the shopping possibilities for the home improver in your life? Don’t be! Consider this selection of the season’s hottest home improvement gifts for the handyman or woman on your holiday shopping list.
New additions to the home workshop
Surprise the owner of a well-stocked toolbox with a gift that’ll help them make the most of what they already own. One great idea is Portamate’s PM7000 Miter Saw WorkCenter™, which allows bench-top planers, band saws, scroll saws, miter saws and more to be used interchangeably. More than one tool can be mounted and used at a time thanks to the long bed and four-outlet power center, and the universal machinery mounts snap securely to its aluminum top to make tool changes fast and easy. Three material supports, an 8-inch wheel, and a storage compartment are also part of the deal. And just in time for the holidays, Portamate is packaging the WorkCenter™ with two free bonus gifts: a heavy-duty, cast aluminum work vise ($49.99 value) and a work light with integrated machine mount ($19.99 value). Visit www.htcproductsinc.com for more information and retailer info.
When it comes to tool care and maintenance, the Drill Doctor 350X is an ideal addition to the home workshop. This handy accessory keeps projects on track by quickly delivering the sharpening power and precision needed to restore dull drill bits. The Drill Doctor handles high-speed steel, masonry, carbide and tin-coated bits ranging in size from 3/32” to ½”, and incorporates an easy, front-loading chuck for simplified bit alignment. An ergonomic low-profile design provides increased stability, and V-block jaws eliminate jaw twisting on small bits. Check it out at www.drilldoctor.com.
Practical pampering for the homebody
Entertaining at home for the holidays and year-round requires a fully geared-up kitchen, and InSinkErator’s Evolution Excel™ food waste disposer is an ideal addition to an existing or brand-new gourmet work space. Featuring the best of InSinkErator’s grinding and SoundSeal Plus™ noise-reduction technologies, it handles more volume and more types of food waste while making 60% less noise than standard disposers.
The Evolution Series is a high-tech kitchen thoroughbred. It includes features like MultiGrind™ technology, so you can put almost anything down the kitchen sink, as well as Jam-Sensor Circuits that can sense when a jam is imminent, automatically increasing the rotational torque of the motor while simultaneously pulsing at a rate of 60 times per second. These actions produce a powerful hammering effect that breaks through the toughest jams before there’s a problem. For more information, go to www.insinkerator.com.
A must-have for handy men and women
Finding a way out of tight corners and trimming away little project challenges is made easy with Black & Decker’s Cordless HandiSaw. This compact, lightweight tool works on materials ranging from 1-inch-thick wood to PVC to thin metal. One-hand operation makes it possible to cut in confined spaces, while soft grips provide comfort. What’s more, the keyless blade change system adds ease and speed. Check out www.blackanddecker.com for local retailers and to buy online.
Stocking stuffers for everyone
Multi-use tools that work great on the go are always a welcome gift, and we’ve got two winners for your shopping list. Loggerhead Tools has just unveiled the ImmiX™ multi-tool line, which blends the functionality of up to 34 full-sized tools in a compact six-inch, eight-ounce package. At the core of the ImmiX™ is a 6-inch Bionic Wrench™ head that automatically adjusts to fit 14 standard and metric fasteners. Two versions are available: the ImmiX™ 20X, which holds 20 of the most common screwdriver bits in its handles, and the ImmiX™ 10X, which has two retractable stainless-steel blades and 10 bits. Both models have a magnetic bit driver at the end of the body, creating a full-function screw-driving system with a torque-enhancing pistol grip. Visit www.bionicwrench.com for a demo and retailers near you.
With their powerful cutting action, Black & Decker’s Cordless Power Scissors will come in handy as the gift-opening ceremonies commence. They easily zip through heavy fabrics, cardboard, leather, vinyl flooring, wallpaper and that pesky plastic blister packaging. Ergonomically styled Power Scissors are ideal for quick, straight cuts, and their design puts your hand directly in line with the material you’re cutting for greater control. An easy-click universal blade set, lock-off mechanism, table mount, and charger complete this gift that keeps on giving. Cut to the chase and buy online via www.blackanddecker.com.
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Ask Tom & Leslie - Siding Solution
My house has cedar wood lap siding which looks good but the north side takes some pretty rough weather. I don't want to repaint again and wonder if it would it be OK to put either vinyl or metal siding over it? I’m thinking it might act as sound barrier if I kept the old siding on but I’d probably have to put on a plywood sheathing first for it to be a smooth surface. Can you tell me if this idea is practical or economical?
Vinyl siding can be installed over top of wood clapboard siding and doing so would be the most economical way to get the home resided. New plywood sheathing would not be necessary. A skilled siding contractor can install the vinyl over top of an uneven clapboard surface. The only type of siding I do not recommend be covered is Cement Asbestos shingles. In that case, covering the siding means nailing through and crushing the asbestos shingles which can release it into the air and potentially end up as a big toxic mess for any future homeowner that needs to replace or even repair the vinyl siding.
The only down side to putting vinyl over wood is that since the siding is about an inch or so thick, areas around windows and doors may appear recessed behind the “J” channel that would be used as trim. That being said, it is still not worth the cost of stripping off the old siding.
As to your question about sound proofing, adding the siding will not significantly reduce sound transmission so that should not be a part of your consideration.
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Got A Question About Your Money Pit?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!
- The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.moneypit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
- Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
- Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.
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On the Air - What's New
Play Santa to your favorite DIYer by shopping The Money Pit. NEW for this holiday season, you can purchase home improvement themed gifts including apparel, décor items, accessories and even toys. There’s free shipping for orders of $50 or more. Surprise someone on your honey-do list with an “I Love My Money Pit” shirt or a coffee mug that says, “I came, I sawed, I conquered”. Are you “All Truss, No Fuss”? Or do you “Love Power Tools”? Shop for yourself, shop for a loved one… if it has to do with your Money Pit, you will find it in our extensive selection of humor gear and logo gifts online at www.moneypit.com.
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Dot Common Sense - www.Freecycle.org
Everyone in the U.S throws away enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet. If you want to keep some of your stuff out of landfills, there is a great website you should look into. www.freecycle.org is a unique way to give away stuff you don’t want. When you want to find a new home for something -- whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano, or an old door -- you simply send an e-mail offering it to members of the local Freecycle group. Or, maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself. Simply respond to a member's offer, and you just might get it. After that, it's up to the giver to decide who receives the gift and to set up a pickup time for passing on the treasure.
Non-profit organizations also benefit from The Freecycle Network. Post the item or items you want to give away and specify that you wish the gift to go to a nonprofit cause. It's entirely your choice! It's a free cycle of giving.
The Freecycle concept has since spread to over 50 countries, where there are thousands of local groups that have more than a million members - truly a grassroots wildfire of people helping people by "changing the world one gift at a time." As a result, the organization currently keeps approximately 50 tons a day out of landfills!
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Fun Fact - Investment Grade Roofing
If you've been considering upgrading your home and increasing its resale value, you should know that beautiful and enduring metal roofing is highly valued as one of the top renovation-friendly building materials for rehabbers and new home builders alike.
As reported in Remodeling Magazine, homes renovated with standing-seam metal roofing show a rate of 85.9% cost recouped in the national average with up to 95.5% for homes in the Eastern states. And there is added safety and longevity associated with quality metal roofing matching installation job costs that reach only one half that of cosmetic room remodeling averages or even one eighth of that of a master suite addition. That’s why metal roofing is called “investment grade roofing”.
Plus, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows for a tax credit for homeowners who install qualified energy-efficient improvements to an existing home, including some metal roofs. As an Energy Star labeled metal roofing system has at least 65% solar reflectance for low-slope roofing and 25% solar reflectance for steep-slope roofing, many metal roofing manufacturers who are members of the Metal Roofing Alliance qualify for the credit. The government-funded Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) has posted on their website the complete list of eligible measures for this tax credit which include "pigmented metal roofs."
What's more, a $500 tax credit is truly an extra $500 in your wallet. Tax credits are subtracted directly from "total tax liability," so a credit has a higher take-home value than a deduction. For example, if Dave is in the 28% tax bracket and wins a $500 credit on his new, energy-efficient metal roof, that's equal to a tax deduction of approximately $1785.50!
Many of the MRA’s member contractors and manufacturers offer roofing that meet the Energy Policy Act's specifications. And, of course, the best way to decide on the correct roof for your home is to consult your local MRA Member Contractor. You can find a qualified contractor in your area by visiting www.metalroofing.com.
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Short Cuts - Candle Safety
Home fires caused by candles peak during the holiday season, with the highest number of candle fires occurring on Christmas Day, followed by New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve. Use the following tips when decorating with candles:
- A lit candle can cause a fire in the blink of an eye. Never leave burning candles unattended even for a short time. Extinguish all candles before going to sleep or leaving the room. Before leaving your home, double check to make sure that all candles are extinguished.
- Do not permit children to keep or use candles or incense in their rooms. Candles and candle-making kits should only be used when an adult is present and awake.
- Never use lighted candles on or within three feet of a Christmas tree or other greenery.
- Keep candle flames at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including other decorations and wrapping paper.
- Always use stable, nonflammable candle holders (such as ceramic or glass). Using a hurricane-lamp enclosure around a flame is a good idea.
- Place candles where they will not be knocked down or blown over and well away from drapes, blinds and other materials that can burn.
- Always keep burning candles up high, out of the reach of children and pets. If you have children living in or visiting your home, store candles, matches and lighters out of their sight and reach (preferably locked away).
- As an additional safety measure, consider using flameless candles (with a battery-powered “flame” light) which will eliminate the risk of an open candle flame.
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Copyright 2006 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
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