June 16, 2009
I had the best commute to work this morning. Steve Maxwell, CHW’s technical editor, towed the whole CHW crew through the woods using his 56-year-old tractor. The destination was a gorgeous piece of shore on Lake Huron. And this was for work: we shot a project that will be...
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June 12, 2009
Tonight’s final game in the Stanley Cup playoffs may mark the end of hockey season, but next Friday, June 19 is another notable date for fans of our national sport. Research In Motion Ltd.’s CEO Jim Balsillie and his organization Make it Seven are having all kinds of...
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June 11, 2009
I was at the Roxul insulation plant in Milton, Ont., yesterday. Curiosity brought me there. It wasn’t curiosity for the ribbon cutting for the $150-million facility or hearing Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty speak, however. I was interested in the environmental angle. Sure,...
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June 7, 2009
“Do you know what that is?” asked the gentleman with a cap that read “20X Ropes.”
The question put a conversation I was having with another gentleman on hold. We were in a room in which every available inch of wall space was holding an old tool of some kind. The man...
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June 5, 2009
I guess we ruffled his overalls:
Mike Holmes is seething. It’s a low boil, and he tries to suppress it, ignore it, tell himself it doesn’t matter. But it does, damn it “They call me a millionaire contractor” he exclaims, pointing to the April issue of Canadian Home...
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June 3, 2009
New York Times writer Matthew B. Crawford examines the benefits of real work. His discussion is mostly on motorcycles, but there’s a lot that speaks to working with wood...
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May 29, 2009
What finish do you put on an iconic schooner such as the Bluenose II? Something called “helmsman,” obviously!
The folks at Minwax are promoting their Helmsman spar urethane with contest that could get you a trip aboard the Bluenose II itself in Lunenburg, N.S. To get a ...
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May 26, 2009
You think you got a bit project on your hands? It’s probably nothing compared to this impressive story:
For a labour of love, it was the DIY job of the century. Brick by brick, the gutsy little old lady demolished her precious home, pulling each medieval nail from its ancient...
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May 21, 2009
I received some information from CIL recently on their Ultra Premium (yes, that’s right: it’s higher than “premium”) outdoor stain. For those concerned about off-gassing, the stain is low-VOC. The folks at CIL also say it’s long-lasting. I guess it’s too...
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May 15, 2009
Garden related projects: rolling potting bench by John Sillaots, a composter by Gary Walchuk and a video on how to maintain your compost heap from bobvila.com. (Warning: the video’s narrator has a really mellow voice. Don’t watch if you are feeling sleepy.)
Get the kids...
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