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Who makes Masterforce power tools for Menards?

Dave Farquhar DIY March 25, 2021June 3, 2023

Masterforce is Menards’ house brand for power tools and hand tools. As a house brand, they are less expensive than the big name brands. But are Masterforce power tools good? And who makes Masterforce power tools for Menards? I did some digging to find out.

Masterforce power tools are made by Chervon, one of the 10 largest OEMs of power tools in the world. Contrary to rumor, they are not rebadged Maktec tools made by Makita.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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Can’t plug into outlet? How to open tamper resistant outlets

Dave Farquhar DIY March 18, 2021September 8, 2023

Modern tamper resistant outlets are a good safety feature, but they also present a challenge. They can be much harder to plug into. Here’s how to open tamper resistant outlets if you can’t plug into an outlet.

Dave Farquhar

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Are electric mowers worth the money?

Dave Farquhar DIY March 15, 2021November 15, 2022

Retailers started pushing electric mowers hard in 2021. When I walked into Home Depot at the beginning of March, I saw more electrics on display than gas-powered mowers. Even Harbor Freight, of all places, has two electric mowers on prominent display. But are electric mowers worth the money? Let’s look at whether a gas or electric mower makes more sense.

If you’re in the market for a mower anyway, an electric mower makes a ton of sense because it’s cheaper to operate than a gas mower. If you have a working gas mower, the numbers are murkier but electric may still make sense.

Dave Farquhar

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Can a neutral wire shock you? It shouldn’t but it can

Dave Farquhar DIY March 10, 2021March 6, 2021

I got shocked by a neutral wire on an outlet that was shut off at the panel once. That doesn’t make any sense. It’s a rare condition, but it can happen. It shouldn’t happen, but here’s why a neutral wire can shock you.

Dave Farquhar

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Do solar panels work during a power outage?

Dave Farquhar DIY, Saving money March 9, 2021February 28, 2021

The huge power outage in Texas in February 2021 got a lot of people thinking about solar. But a question quickly came up in all the conversations I had with people around the country. Do solar panels work during a power outage? That sounds like an absurd question. But under some circumstances, they don’t.

Solar doesn’t always work during a power outage, and that’s something that naysayers used to try to pin the blame on solar power. On-grid solar panels will shut down to protect electrical workers during an outage, but there are ways for you to compensate for that.

Dave Farquhar

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What is styrene?

Dave Farquhar DIY, Model Building March 8, 2021November 30, 2021

Styrene is a chemical derived from petroleum. We most commonly encounter it as a type of plastic. It’s an inexpensive and versatile type of plastic, so it’s been very popular for many decades.

Styrene’s cost effectiveness and relative strength make it a common material in construction and also in the manufacture of consumer goods. With the right prep work and materials, it is easy to glue and paint and repair as well.

Dave Farquhar

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How much do GFCI outlets cost?

Dave Farquhar DIY March 4, 2021March 15, 2021

Code requires GFCI outlets in areas where water might be present. It’s a safety issue. But how much do GFCI outlets cost? And why are GFCI outlets so expensive relative to regular outlets?

GFCI outlets cost around $16 because they’re more complex than a standard outlet. But you can save money by taking advantage of a GFCI’s ability to protect all outlets downstream of it.

Dave Farquhar

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How to coupon Harbor Freight

Dave Farquhar DIY, Saving money March 1, 2021May 31, 2023

Is Harbor Freight getting rid of coupons? That’s the rumor, but it’s not what’s happening. At any rate, the rules changed in 2021, so let’s talk about the new rules, and how to coupon Harbor Freight in 2023 and beyond.

The rumor is that Harbor Freight doesn’t do coupons anymore. While they do a lot fewer coupons now than they used to, Harbor Freight does still issue coupons. That means there’s still opportunity for savings.

Dave Farquhar

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Which side of an outlet is hot?

Dave Farquhar DIY February 16, 2021September 7, 2023

While an outlet or electrical appliance will work if you wire it in reverse, it’s a safety issue if you get it wrong. So which side of an outlet is hot? In this blog post, I’ll tell you which side is hot, then tell you a silly story to help you remember it.

Dave Farquhar

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Three prong plug wiring diagram

Dave Farquhar DIY February 10, 2021September 14, 2023

If your plug breaks and you need to replace it, you can get replacement three prong plugs at a hardware store. But it usually comes bare, without any instructions. So, I’ll write some for you. Here’s a three prong plug wiring diagram if you need it.

Dave Farquhar

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