Hammer basics
Hand Tools

Hammer basics

Every year there's a new type of hammer for sale, promising to be the ultimate nail driver. It seems to me hammers are similar to...


Get the most out of your brushes
Hand Tools

Get the most out of your brushes

As the son of a painter, I’ve learned to use and appreciate high-quality, natural-bristle brushes. Sure, a synthetic brush is...


Find the right hammer
Hand Tools

Find the right hammer

From Thor's weapon of choice to Maxwell's silver hammer of the eponymous Beatles' song, the world (of art at least) has known a...


Vise-grip tool test
Hand Tools

Vise-grip tool test

One of the most embarrassing moments I've ever suffered as a renovator involved a slightly battered adjustable wrench that...


Benchmark Shark utility knife
Hand Tools

Benchmark Shark utility knife

Every few months, a manufacturer sends me a new design of utility knife to test. So far, none have been able to sway my...


A new box-beam level
Hand Tools

A new box-beam level

I recently had a chance to try out a pair of very well-constructed box-beam levels made by Irwin, which had some features I hadn't...


A fine sanding
Hand Tools

A fine sanding

What would make your random-orbit sander work better? Most workshoppers would hope for smoother results with less airborne dust;...




Poll

This summer, my outdoor work includes:

Loading ... Loading ...

Recommendations