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Should I paint my basement?

Dave Farquhar DIY February 20, 2019February 23, 2019real estate

Painting a basement is a cheap way to really improve its appearance. It also takes a fraction of the time it takes to finish it. But it’s not a zero-maintenance option. So, should I paint my basement? Only after you weigh all of the factors.

Painting a basement isn’t a one-time effort that you can just do and forget about. Over time the paint will degrade and you will have to paint it again. It can take years or decades. But as long as you don’t look at it as something you do once and forget about, painting a basement can improve its appearance and make it less humid, making it a more pleasant and useful place.

Cut plywood without a table saw

Dave Farquhar DIY February 19, 2019February 12, 2019

There are tons of woodworking projects available online that allow you to build some great-looking stuff with inexpensive lumber. But so many of them assume you have a table saw. How do you square up cheap dimensional lumber without a table saw? How do you cut plywood without a table saw? It turns out you can.

You can buy or make clamp-on jigs that allow you to make long cuts in a straight line with a circular saw or jig saw. This lets you do many things people normally do on a table saw, such as cutting the rounded edges off 1×4 or 2×4 lumber or ripping plywood. It’s much less expensive than a table saw, and in some cases, it’s also safer.

Change batteries in a 27 LED Harbor Freight work light/flashlight

Dave Farquhar DIY February 18, 2019February 4, 2019

If you shop at Harbor Freight, you know their little blue 27 LED work light/flashlight. It sells for $3.99, but they almost always have a coupon to give you one free with any purchase. But you don’t have to throw them out when they stop working. The batteries are replaceable. Here’s how to change batteries in a 27 LED Harbor Freight work light/flashlight.

The Harbor Freight work light/flashlight has three AAA batteries inside. Simply remove the three Philips-head screws from the back, pop off the back, and replace the batteries.

Reduce American Flyer voltage drop

Dave Farquhar Toy trains February 15, 2019April 7, 2022

If your American Flyer train slows down on part of your layout, you’re experiencing voltage drop. Fortunately, there are things you can do to lessen the effect of voltage drop and give yourself a smoother running layout. Some of them won’t even cost anything. Here’s how to reduce American Flyer voltage drop.

Make sure you use a thick enough wire (thicker than 18 gauge, generally), run feeder wires every third or fourth track section, have a good electrical connection between each rail, and treat any rust present to ensure good, consistent electrical conductivity throughout your layout for smooth running trains.

How to sort by color in Excel

Dave Farquhar Office February 14, 2019February 14, 2019

When doing data analysis, frequently you’ll use conditional formatting to highlight certain cells. But then you’ll probably find you still need to group those similar cells afterward. That’s where sorting by color comes in. Here’s how to sort by color in Excel.

You can sort by color in Excel using either the filtering function, or the Sort button on the Data tab of the ribbon. Sorting with the filtering function is faster and easier, but using the sort button lets you set up complex criteria, including multiple levels. This is useful if you want to sort on both cell color and font color.

1989 Donruss variations

Dave Farquhar Baseball February 13, 2019March 13, 2021

The 1989 Donruss set is controversial, due to the number of variations in it. There are no fewer than six variations of the set, all minor. But there is no effect I can find in the value.

1989 Donruss variations hinge on the presence or absence of a period after the abbreviation “INC” and the number of asterisks in the line “DENOTES LED LEAGUE.” This makes for an interesting and (usually) inexpensive curiosity for completists to chase in an overproduction-era set, but it typically has no effect on the card’s value.

What are scam likely calls?

Dave Farquhar scams February 12, 2019February 3, 2019

What are scam likely calls? It’s a partial solution to the problem of unsolicited phone calls. It’s probably not the ideal solution and it’s probably not the final solution. But it’s a way for your phone company to warn you that it’s suspicious of the call that’s coming through.

Flagging a suspicious phone call as “scam likely” is T-Mobile’s way of alerting its customers that it has reason to believe the phone call you are receiving isn’t legitimate. If your caller ID says “scam likely,” use caution if you decide to answer the call.

How to sort screws and nails

Dave Farquhar DIY February 11, 2019September 15, 2023

I think almost every adult at some point in their life ends up with at least one container, or maybe multiple containers, full of assorted nuts, bolts, screws, and nails. Sound like you? I bet you’d like to use them, because they’re expensive. But they aren’t useful if you can’t find anything. So here’s how to sort screws and nails and nuts and bolts.

The important part when you sort screws and nails and nuts and bolts is to identify the parts that are most useful to you, then set those apart. Also set apart items that exist in large quantities, figure out what those are, and determine if they’re useful. Then group them in a way that makes sense to you so the next time you need a bolt, you can spend two minutes in the garage instead of making a trip to the hardware store.

Using landscape transformers on train layouts

Dave Farquhar model railroading, Toy trains February 8, 2019February 3, 2019

It’s fairly common for hobbyists with extremely large train layouts to use outdoor landscape transformers instead of specialized train transformers to power the lights and accessories on their layouts. Landscape transformers are large, rugged, and less expensive. But it can be confusing how to set them up. So here’s a step by step guide to using landscape transformers on train layouts.

I use PC power supplies to power lights and accessories, but that limits me to 12 volts DC for power. I’m OK with that. But if you want 15 volts AC, or you’re uncomfortable modifying a PC power supply, low-voltage landscape transformers are another viable alternative. I don’t think they’re as economical as an old PC power supply, but they cost much less per watt than a train transformer.

How to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox

Dave Farquhar DIY February 7, 2019January 28, 2019

I bought a Stanley toolbox to get some extra tool storage space. I had to take drawers out to put it together. If you got a used or floor model one without a manual, here’s how to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox.

Most Stanley toolboxes use small hand-operated levers on either side of the drawer. Extend the drawer as far as it will go, then push the levers on each side in opposite directions. This releases the drawer so you can pull it out the rest of the way.