David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord
Sometimes we end up with deep scratches and gouges in wood that we need to repair. The solution is wood putty, but what if the wood putty doesn’t match? Here’s how to make color match wood putty, and/or make wood putty match stain.
I remember when a 2×4 cost $3. And before you tell me I’m a grumpy old man, that was less sometime in 2019 or 2020. At the moment I’m writing this, a 2×4 costs $8. So what’s going on? Why is lumber so expensive? And will prices ever come back down to normal?
Retailers can and do use prices to manipulate you. But rumors of hidden codes in prices also abound. Home Depot is no exception to that. So what do Home Depot prices mean? Here’s how to find the hidden meaning in prices so you know when you might have found a bargain, and how long that bargain might last.
There are rumors that you can tell how long an item will be on sale from the numbers in the price, but those numbers don’t match what I found at my local store. Still, there are tricks for finding closeouts and other sale items.
If your mower deck keeps clogging, you’re not alone. It’s a common problem, especially in the spring. I wish I could tell you there’s one weird trick to fix everything. That’s not quite the case, but there are several things you can do when your mower deck clogs with grass that will help.
So I bought the Ryobi 13 inch ONE+ cordless lawn mower that I warned you about. I had my reasons for buying it. And I have to say, if you go in with the right expectations, it’s pretty great for what it is.
Super glue and epoxy are two specialty glues that certainly have their uses. But each of them have some pros and cons that will affect your opinion of them. Is epoxy stronger than super glue? Let’s take a look at super glue vs epoxy and when to use each, so you can get the best results possible from each.
Some epoxies work better on plastics than others. Modern plastics can be tricky to glue. But there’s more to repairing plastics than just making sure you bought the best epoxy for plastic. Prep work is essential too. While some epoxies definitely work better than others, the prep work can also make or break your project.
How long does it take for caulk to dry before painting? It depends on the formulation of the caulk, so the right answer the last time you did a project may not be the same as this time.
Paintable caulk is ready for paint in about 30 minutes. Other types of caulk take considerably longer, from 24 hours to as much as 10 days.
I hate when this happens. I’m at the end of a project, I take the battery out of whatever Ryobi tool I was using, put it on the charger, and get that infernal flashing red light. Why are Ryobi batteries so bad? Here’s what to do when your Ryobi battery won’t charge.
Sometimes your Ryobi battery won’t charge just because it’s too hot. Other times it’s because it’s discharged too far, in which case, you may be able to jumpstart it to bring it back to life.
The only thing worse than painting is unplanned repainting. So it’s good to ask questions first. One good question is this: Can you paint semi gloss over flat paint? Let’s explore.