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After decades of paying someone else to sharpen my chains, I saw this on utube and gave it a try. It is simple and does a terrific job. It incorporates both a round file and a flat file. I am able to give my chain a little touchup every time or two I refuel. It is a big improvement over...

I find an 11" high stool the best height for me under my mid rise lift. Couldn't find one to buy, so I made one. Four swivel casters, a small cushion, some upholstery material, and some scrap wood laying around the shop. I also made a riser that can raise the seat height to a comfortable...

I have a man door and 2 car roll up on my north wall. I have a man door on the east wall. A single car roll up door is on the south wall. Another single car roll up door and another man door are on the west wall. If it is hot, I open most of the doors. When the trade winds are too strong...

The irrigation reservoir is easily 200 or 300 feet higher in elevation than my house and it is just gravity fed. I'd have to check, but I don't think there would any reason to shut off the system in the event of a fire as it is located up a canyon on a dead end road which would be a pretty...

Thanks for all the input. There is apparently more to this issue than I would have imagined. I have a lot to consider here including the sprinkler suggestion. Maybe a hose and a sprinkler system. Temperatures here are very mild throughout the year. The irrigation line is gravity fed...

I have some questions for the fire hose experts here. I have the recommended 30' defensible space in back of my garage, but beyond that is a steep downward hillside with dry grass, brush, and some small trees. It would be rather dangerous to clear this fuel beyond 30' as it is quite steep and...

I was fortunate to inherit a number of tools from my dad including tools that once belonged to each of my grandfathers. These are quality tools, some up to 100 years old, that will likely remain serviceable long after I am gone. I am reminded of who previously used these tools whenever I pick...

I have the Miller 215 Multiprocess welder. It is a terrific mig and tig welder. It is very quick to change over between mig and tig. I haven't used it for stick welding. Suggested machine settings are usually good enough for most applications and can easily be tweaked if necessary. There...

I weld with bifocals and do not have a problem. Here is what I am doing:

I've had the experience of making several runs with a tailgate lift truck to first transport all my possessions and then load everything into a 40 foot long shipping container mounted on a truck trailer. I locked my toolbox without emptying it and secured it to the shipping container wall...

More than 40 years ago, I was doing some high quality, automated pipe welding using the hot wire TIG process on stainless, high nickel, and chrome moly materials. The automated TIG torch was driven by a constant current power supply and the wire feed torch was powered by a constant voltage...

You might want to consider a hybrid table saw. I have a Grizzly G0771 hybrid table saw which is now sold as a model G0771Z (with an upgraded fence). I recently finished a large cabinet job for the wife, and this saw performed flawlessly. If you are a weekend warrior like me, rather than a...

I have a carpenter's square, machinist's square, speed square, precision Woodpecker square for cabinetry work, and a Starrett combination square. Each has its own best use depending your application. However, if you are just getting started, you might find spending a couple of dollars on a...

Got a 1/2 hp mixer at the home despot many years ago. It was always on the ragged edge of being under powered and would occasionally stall out at the most inconvenient times. I finally replaced the motor with a 3/4 hp motor and it made all the difference in the world.

I have a Miller Multimatic 215 and a Hypertherm plasma cutter on top of a 41 x 18 roller cabinet. An argon bottle and a C-25 bottle are chained to the wall next to the roller cabinet. I mostly fab small parts on my weld table, and the roller cabinet is close enough that it doesn't need to be...

My old Delta compound miter saw needed a new blade guard a few years ago, and I too found that it was a discontinued item. I fabricated a replacement guard out of sheet metal that is still in service. I run equipment with a stationary cutting blade (like a table saw or a router table)...

When I need a large quantity, Albany County Fasteners has better pricing and as good or better quality than the big box stores.

I used 3/8" pressure treated plywood up to the fire stops on the lower 5', and have an un-insulated open stud wall for the upper 5'. The fire stops serve as a shelf at the 5' level all the way around my shop. The plywood is attached with screws to facilitate the addition of new electrical...

I got a new tool belt recently. Since my waist is a lot less than 60", I'd like to shorten the length of the web belt and in a way that will prevent the end from unraveling. It looks like it was hemmed at the factory with an industrial duty sewing machine; but I don't have any way to get it...

Another dipper.