01 July 2010

To strip or not

The exterior wood trim on our 20-year-old house has hardened drips and blobs of paint everywhere. We’re wondering whether we should strip the paint or simply replace the trim. Since the trim is not historically valuable, I don’t think it’s worth saving. 

01 June 2010

Tool Techniques: Impact drivers demystified

Stuck fasteners are a mechanic’s worst nightmare. Nothing’s more infuriating than spending an entire afternoon trying to remove a single Phillips head. 

01 June 2010

Going green - part 2
Minimise your waste

As part of a "going green" crusade (we’ve already explored how to reduce organic waste by starting an earthworm farm), * * we've decided to show you how to further reduce your household waste by dabbling in... 

01 June 2010

Reader project: cut and dried

As any self-respecting omnivore will attest, biltong is a national institution, a denture-destroyer of note, a culinary treat of rare delight. That acknowledged, you are invited to follow our instructions for making your own biltong dryer in under a day – for less than R300.
- Story and pictures by Sean Woods 

01 June 2010

Rig a tyre swing for your kids

David Labens’s 15-inch motorcycle tyre just happened to fall off at the right time for him to rig this swing for his twin daughters.  

31 May 2010

The Unbelievable Saw is truly believable!

The amount of new gadgetry that comes passed my desk on a monthly basis is enough to make any gadget junky’s head spin. Apart from being constantly tempted to spend money I don’t have, this definitely has some plus points. For starters, it makes all my buddies insanely jealous. Secondly, I get to test the stuff... 

13 May 2010

Make your own biltong dryer in an afternoon

If you think Soccer World Cup tickets are expensive, you obviously haven’t bought any biltong lately. Selling for around R180 per kilogram, often more, it has to be one of the most expensive delicacies on the omnivore’s hit list. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

01 May 2010

Radiant barriers worth it?

What is your opinion of foil-faced radiant barriers? I wonder if it's worth installing one in my attic. I live in a hot, sunny climate, where you would think that it makes sense. 

01 May 2010

The varnish truth

I'm buying my son an unfinished pine bed. I'm debating whether I should use a stain first and then apply a finish on top of that, or whether I should just apply a clear coating. Also, I'm wondering about the choice between shellac and varnish. Which is best? 

01 May 2010

Washer woes

We have a two-year-old dishwasher that up until recently performed very well. Now this expensive appliance is noisy and the dishes come out damp. That's bad, but what's worse is that the dishwasher gives off a dank odour. We thought the problem might have something to do with our instantaneous gas water heater,...