01 May 2006

A close shave

Did your pressurised can of shaving cream expire just a few days before your scheduled trip to the supermarket? If so, here’s a useful tip to stretch your can for a while longer. It’s usually the gas pressure that runs out, not the cream, so you might be able to boost the pressure of any remaining gas by... 

01 May 2006

Bikers do it their way

I ride a large (950 cm³) KTM offroad motorcycle. On my bike, the spokes run through the centre of the rim, precluding (or so it seemed) tubeless tyres. Rear-wheel punctures can be a problem when one is in the middle of nowhere, so I decided to equip it for tubeless tyres. I removed the tyre and had the area where... 

01 May 2006

DIY central

Do you need to drill a hole at the dead centre of a circular object? Here’s how to go about it, using any available material (plastic, supawood, whatever). The guide pins are spaced 20 mm apart and can be either small wooden dowels or metal pins. The straight edge must be centred on the two pins. 

01 May 2006

Great grout

Here’s an easy way to apply tile grout. Take an empty silicone sealant tube and use a 10 mm steel rod to push the plunger out from the front. Next, place the spout on the front and fill the tube from the back (trim the spout to ensure an easy flow). Insert the plunger, place the tube in the application gun and... 

01 May 2006

Playing it safe

You promote POPULAR MECHANICS as a magazine for curious minds. Well, my 16- month-old grandson gives new meaning to “curious”. If you take your eyes off him for more than a few seconds, he’ll be in the next room, opening every cupboard door in sight and even clambering on chairs to reach higher cupboards. A... 

01 April 2006

Beware the glister

When you need to change components inside your PC and you don’t have the luxury of a grounding bracelet, simply plug in your power cord and turn the plug off at the wall (up is off!). This way, the live line is disconnected but the earth line is still connected to your case chassis. Touch the exposed metal on your... 

01 April 2006

How to drizzle a little oil

The next time you buy one of those “power” drinks, keep the container – it’s very useful for storing and dispensing sunflower and olive oil. The nozzle opens easily, and it doesn’t spill. Use a permanent marker to identify the contents, and keep it close to your kitchen’s work area. 

01 April 2006

In case of emergency

Many people have old cellphones that could be put to good use. My suggestion: buy a car charge adaptor (available from street vendors for next to nothing) and put it, together with that old cellphone, in your car’s glove compartment. Now you have an emergency call kit. You may not know it, but you can make a 112... 

01 April 2006

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

We created a “secret garden” in our tiny back yard by mounting a large mirror behind a wrought-iron arch and attaching it to the brick wall at one end of the garden. Once creepers and shrubs had grown up around it, the illusion of an entrance to another garden was perfect. Try it yourself. You can protect the... 

01 April 2006

Sticky situation

Ever had to struggle with a sticking shower door? Oil and other lubricants tend to be less than efficient in the humid environment, but candle wax is different. Simply rub an ordinary candle up and down the aluminium sliding rail, and off you go. You won’t need a wrench to get out of the shower any more, and the...