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My M18 batteries are getting old, and several of them seem to be losing their oomph. They run down and charge back up very quickly. I checked with Home Depot, and they have a deal with three 5.0 XC batteries for $215. Is that a good deal? Great deal? So-so deal? I'm afraid to buy them from...

Kind of like the old movie where the machines turn against the humans, our kitchen went on a tear while we were away. Our neighbor was watching our dog, so the house wasn't empty the whole time, but- The range was flashing an error message. It's done this before; it's supposed to mean that a...

Saw this listed on Marketplace as a grinder. Doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. Some kind of motor-driven drum with an overhead attachment that runs on it? It's all cast, so I assume it's factory made.

I'm going through a massive old vise, and replacing parts that are beat up. One vise jaw was broken, so I made a new pair. I made them a bit heavier than the originals. They have a key in the back to locate them, and I milled serrations. It was tedious, but went faster than I thought it would...

As I rebuild my old American Scale vise, it occurred to me that I've never really done any maintenance on a bench vise. Just used 'em as they came. I would think that the screw/nut should be periodically cleaned and greased. What about the slide? 99% of the pressure on the slide is on the top...

I posted asking questions about this vise, and got those answered, so I figured I'd do a dedicated refurbish thread as I progress. It's a beast! According to the catalog, it weighs 195 lbs. 6" wide jaws. 26" long, and about 16" tall. These pics are on the back of my truck as I take it apart. The...

I'm watching an old Red Seal vise at an auction. It's severely rusty, but doesn't seem to have much damage. When I unscrew the handle, the screw comes out but the jaw doesn't move. What connects the moveable jaw to the screw? Easily fixed for a guy with a machine shop? Also, one of the jaw...

I have a generator with a Honda GX390 (about 13 hp) engine. I just discovered that it has electric start! I connected an 8 ga. wire to the solenoid, and another to the ground, and it cranks right up with a lawn mower battery. This was just to test it, so now I'm going to build a battery bracket...

Hey, ice is a-comin', and I'm gonna have to take the dog out, etc. Out to the shop for some quick 'n dirty crampons, redneck style. Gen-U-Wine South Calackalacky engineerin'. Accept no substitutes!

... do you figure you've thrown out over the years? Every time I have a job to do, the old can is solidified, and I buy yet another can, knowing full well it won't survive to the next project. I don't think I've ever actually finished a can, even when I was building our house. Why don't they...

OK, I spent the summer insulating and finishing the shop. I installed an 18K minisplit, which should be enough to take the chill off. Now I'm looking at where the heat is escaping, and where the cold air is coming in. Sealing up a structure can be as important as insulation. I have a crude...

I'm in the market for some decent bypass pruning shears. I already have a lopper for heavy stuff and a SawZall for really heavy stuff. I want something for more precise trimming, especially for my young orchard. From reading reviews, I'm leaning towards the Corona Classicut BP 15180. I'm not a...

After 12 years, I'm finally getting around to finishing the shop. I spent the summer doing insulation and wall/ceiling coverings. I pulled a cable out through the existing conduit so now I have wifi. I bought a cheap little TV that I mostly use to stream music. Yesterday, I finally installed a...

After a life time of struggling with the little springs that hold drum brake shoes against the backing plate, I was looking at a video to make sure I got everything back together correctly on my '95 F-150. The guy had a hand tool to do this task! I looked at the retainer, and it has a 7/16" hex...

I have an older shop vac, and it's losing it's suction. When it was new, it didn't ****, because it sucked. Now it ***** because it doesn't ****. Clean filter, no obstructions, makes plenty of noise, but suction is definitely weaker. What wears out on these things?

I went out for a walk with the dog this morning, and noticed that part of the driveway was wet. That's odd; it hasn't rained in weeks. I looked around, and right where my water main connects to a yard hydrant, the ground was wet. Sigh. I dug it up, and bailed out the water. I shut it off at the...

After years of thinking about it, I finally pulled the trigger on an M12 combo. I got the subcompact non-fuel drill and driver, plus (2) 2.0 A batteries. I love the small size and light weight for lighter-duty tasks. I've been using 'full-size' M18 tools for about 15 years. That being said, I...

Now that I've been safely pumped out, I can ask the question- How often do you have your septic tank pumped? Yes, I know that those of you on city sewer will say, "Never!" Our system was put in 14 years ago, and I had it pumped today as a preventative measure. The guy estimated it was about...

I saw an odd little drill press for sale. In all of my years around machinery, I've never seen one like it. Sorry, I only have the one picture.

I'm trying to put LVP in the finished great room in our barn. I've done LVP before; once you get it laid out, it goes quick. This stuff I bought (cheap) is a different animal, though. It's made by Shaw, a major brand. They have a little QR code on the box to take you to the installation...