A Primer on Home Security

This week  I showed you some simple things you can do to increase the security of a house, especially an older house.  When thinking about your security situation, you might want to remember two guiding principles.  You could think of them as Handyman Kevin's two laws of security:

1. Security is relative.  If you're house is more secure than the neighbors, then the bad guys will rob the neighbors.  
2. You will never be able to keep someone out who really wants in, but you can slow him down and force him to make a lot of noise doing it.

The first law reminds me of a saying we had when I was growing up in Montana: "You don't need to outrun the bear, you just need to outrun your buddy." Criminals are lazy by nature. That's why they make a living from crime instead of having a real job. Contrary to what you may have seen on daytime TV, they almost never bother picking locks, defusing alarm systems, or anything else that is complicated or time consuming. Given a block of houses, they almost always choose the one with the unlocked window. If all the windows are locked, they chose the one where all they have to do is break a back window or pry off a doorjamb. Given two houses, they choose the one that is less likely to have an alarm. This means that if you do a few simple upgrades, and the neighbors don't, then they will hit the neighbors instead of you.

The second law is closely related to the first.  If you make it hard on criminals, then they will move on.  Anyone who is willing to employee serious tools and make some noise is going to get in if they really want.  Trust me, I've made openings in a lot of walls in my time.  But if you create a situation where they need to use big tools or power tools, then the neighbors (or cops, if you are in a good neighborhood) are much more likely to notice that something is up.   Likewise, if you make it so they need to break glass or kick in doors instead of just jimmying them open, then that is also more likely to attract attention.

So that covers the philosophical portion of the lesson.  Let's look at some specific areas and what you can do.

Entry Doors

Re-key your doors  when you move in, and any time you think your keys could be in the wrong hands.  The "wrong hands" includes your sketchy ex-boyfriend, the cleaning lady you fired, the teenage stepson you threw out for smoking crack, that former roommate who still owes you money... you get the idea.  A locksmith can change the keying on the existing locks, but will charge you at least $100 to do it.  It is often cheaper to just pick up a package of lock sets and just change them out.  Generally, the only tool you need is a screwdriver. 

Always Change the Locks When You Move In

All doors to the outside of the house should be made of either solid wood or welded steel.  You would be surprised at how many interior doors I have seen installed on the outside, especially by miserly landlords who don't want to pay triple digits for a door that's just going to get kicked in next time a tenant gets arrested.  These interior doors are thinner than entry doors, hollow, and basically useless for security or insulation.  If your doors are not exterior grade, then replacing them should be an early priority.  We will talk about hanging doors in a couple weeks. 

You might think about putting security screen-doors over your entry doors.  These force an invader to deal with twice as many locks on their way in.  Make sure that the frame holding the screen door is held in with lag bolts, not screws, and that they are long enough to go all the way through the siding into the wall studs. 

A Security Screen Door

The normal way that burglars break into an entry door is to use a flat bar to break the door jam away from the house frame.  This works because the door latch hardware is usually held on with dinky little brass screws that only go into the jamb.  You can make it much harder on them by replacing the screws with sturdy 3" steel deck screws that go all the way into the studs.

Another possible failure point is the wood around the doorknob, which may break if they pry hard enough on the door.  I didn't show it in the video, but you can buy metal security plates to reinforce this area. 

The last thing that I want to mention about entry doors, is to remind you that you are only as secure as your weakest door.  In most houses I go into, the front door is the sturdiest and has the best locks.  This is backwards.  Thieves nearly always prefer a side or back door, and they will circle your house until they find the easiest one to get through.  Spend your upgrade money equally. 

Sliding Doors

Sliding doors tend to be much more of a security risk than entry doors.  The older ones, in particular, are very easy to knock off of their tracks.  The aluminum frames are relatively soft and can sometimes be pried apart with a screwdriver to expose the latch.  Unfortunately, other than covering the whole door with a security screen (which can get expensive) you can't do much with the basic door structure.

You can, however, give attackers less to work with by driving anti-jacking screws into the door frame.  Leave enough clearance for the door to slide, but not enough for it to be lifted off its track.  It's also a good idea to jam a broomstick or piece of 1/2" conduit into the track when the door is closed.  That way, even if they defeat the latch, it will still be hard to open the door.

Anti-Jacking Screw

Supplemental locks are available which clamp onto the frames of aluminum doors and windows.  I'm not sure they work any better than a broomstick, but they don't cost much and they probably help. 

Several Types of Sliding Window Locks

Windows

Windows seem to be a more popular access point for burglars than doors, if only because people tend to leave them open in the summer. The nuclear option would be to cover them with steel security bars.  However, this is expensive, and way beyond the abilities of a handyman or DIYer.  It can also cause evacuation problems in a fire, and it will enrage your neighbors because of the impact on their resale value.  The exception would be if all the neighbors already have bars, in which case you should stop reading this and go buy some (see the first law, above).  There are some less drastic things that you can do to harden your windows, though.

Sliding windows are a lot like sliding doors, and the same advice applies.

Jalousie windows, the ones with the individual louvers that open with a crank, are just hopeless from a security point of view.  Anyone with a flat blade screwdriver can pry the panes out in under 5 minutes (I know, because that's the first step I follow when I replace them).  They are also ugly and not weather tight.  Replace them immediately with a proper sash window.  It's pretty easy, just remove the louvers and the mechanism, then screw the new window directly into the old window frame.  Trim it out and caulk carefully, and you're done. 

Sash windows are my personal favorite.  All you need to do is drill a small hole in the frame to accept a pin, and you can restrict them so they only open a few inches.

For windows that will be left open most of the time (e.g. in a bathroom with no fan), think about making a wood or metal screen that you can install in the window.  Size it so the security pin jambs the sash against the screen, for extra security.   

Sash Window

Lighting

From a security point of view, you just can't have too much lighting.  Install motion sensor flood lights on the outside of the house.  You don't want to leave any routes for people to approch the house in shadow, or any places for them to hide and ambush you when you come home.  A basic incandescent motion-sensor fixture costs under $20.   You can get an LED fixture for about three times that, but you may make the extra cost back over the years in decreased power bills.  If you are lucky, you will be able to replace an existing fixture, in which case the new fixture will bolt to the same box in the wall.

Motion Sensor Flood Light

It isn't that hard to wire new fixtures, but it does go a little beyond the scope of this article.  Just be sure to follow the NEC which requires, among other things, that all wiring connections occur inside a box, and that any cable that runs on the outside of the house be enclosed in a conduit. 

In recent years, solar powered lights have become a viable option.  Since they charge with their own solar panels, you don't need to pull any cables.  I haven't used them myself yet, but installation seems to be a simple matter of screwing them to the wall. 

Alarms and Surveillance

I need to make an admission here:  I really don't work much with alarms or surveillance systems.  Low voltage wiring just isn't my thing.  One of my best handyman buddies is a wiz at it, but doesn't enjoy finish carpentry.  I turf most of my low voltage wiring work to him, he sends me his woodworking, and everyone is happy.  

From what I've seen, though, the current generation of alarm or surveillance camera kits are relatively affordable and meant to be installed by the average weekend handyman.  Look at online reviews to find a package that has worked well for other people at your skill level and price point.

I did install a two camera surveillance system to cover the entrances of the commercial loft where my handyman service used to be based.  I bought it from Harbor Freight for about $70.  It came with two cameras and a little black and white TV, and was useful for making sure no one was waiting to jump me as I left the building, since my windows didn't look down on the entrances.  Installation was a matter of drilling two holes in the wall, screwing the cameras to the eaves, and zip-tying the cables down.  It wouldn't have been that useful to foil burglars, though, because I never got around to putting a VCR on it to record and, once a bugler got in, their first priority would probably have been to wreck the VCR.  Nowadays, no one has a VCR anymore and most systems record to your computer with some sort of USB interface.  That works fine, unless the burglar steals the computer.

Of course the most effective electronic security systems have a live person on the other end monitoring them.  If you hire such a service, they will probably also install and maintain the equipment.  That sort of thing is a little beyond the financial means of a simple handyman, however.

The 10 Critical Hand Tools

Imagine a person who is just getting started in the world of being handy.  This person doesn't have any tools yet--or at least no decent tools.  What should they buy right away?  Maybe you are this person, or at least know them and want to give them advice.  Alternately, imagine a guy like me, who has some fairly specialized tools.  What should I put in my main tool bag, the one that I grab and toss in the truck no matter where I'm going?  This week's episode is about the 10 tools that I absolutely can't live without and think every adult human should own.

Mind you, the number 10 is pretty arbitrary.  I could easily have come up with the top 20, 50, or even 100.  But these 10 tools fit nicely in a small tool bag, and will allow you to tackle at least 80% of the regular household repairs that you will ever encounter.  If you buy these tools and master them, then buy other tools because you need them for specific projects, you will soon have a versatile, all-around tool collection.

Back when I was actually working in the trades, I would not have been ashamed to show up for work with just these 10 tools, plus a cordless drill.

NOTE:  Where appropriate, I have inserted a link to Amazon for each tool, where you can buy it.  You certainly don't need to buy them there.  However, keep in mind that a percentage of any sale on Amazon will go towards keeping Handyman Kevin "on the air". 

A Few Words on Cost Control

Buying these 10 tool will cost around $150.  I realize this is a big investment for many people.  It would be for me; that's two or three days pay for a handyman.  If you are on a tight budget, you can probably find many of these used at pawn shops, estate sales, or swap meets.  A used name brand tool with a few good years left in it is always better than a cheap import tool.  Also, keep in mind that tools tend to go on sale around Fathers' Day, Labor Day, and Christmas; you may want to schedule your purchase accordingly. 

Tape Measure

If you can't measure something, then you can't mark and cut it.  If you don't know what size something is, then you can't buy another one.  The tape measure is critical and there is no real replacement for it.

Get a 25 foot tape.  This is the size that most tradespeople carry 8 hours a day because it is big enough to measure most rooms, yet small enough to clip to your belt.  Try to find one with a reasonably stiff blade that you can stick out a ways before it collapses.  A bright colored case is a nice feature, since it will make it easier to find after you drop it in tall grass or a pile of scraps.

Any "name brand" tape is fine, but Stanley has dominated the market for years.  I currently use one of their bright green tapes because it has nice rounded profile that fits well in the small nail pouch on my tool belt. 

 

Utility Knife

The knife is one of mankind's first and most fundamental tools.  For job site work, a sturdy utility knife with replaceable blades is an absolute necessity.  It is both a marking and a cutting tool.  You use it instead of a pencil to mark boards when you want to make a precise cut with a handsaw or chisel; the teeth of the saw or edge of the chisel slips in and follows the knife mark.  As a cutting tool, it is the appropriate way to cut drywall, carpet, linoleum, tar paper, shingles, and many other materials.

Most brands work pretty well.  I personally use a Stanley with quick-change blades (below), but this is mainly because that is the style they had in the tool rooms when I worked in factories, and I got used to it.  I do like that I can get to the spare blades and change them without a screwdriver, and it fits well in the knife holster of the nail bag that I use when I'm hanging drywall, which some of the funkier designs don't.

 

Hammer

For such a simple tool, there is a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes of hammer.  However, the best all around hammer to have around has a 20 oz head, a straight rip claw, a smooth faced head, and either a fiberglass or metal handle.  You might get others later, but this is the hammer that you will reach for most of the time.

The 20 oz size is a medium--light enough to drive tacks and finish nails, but heavy enough for occasional framing.  At the risk of appearing sexist, I will share an observation that I've made.   Women I have known nearly always buy hammers that are too light for the work they are doing.  Good hammering technique uses gravity and inertia to do some of the work for you.  Weight is a good thing, and a you will actually need to work harder with a lighter hammer.  Men, especially young men, tend to have the opposite problem.  They buy the heaviest hammer they can lift, and wear themselves out carrying it to the job site.  Both men and women should start with a 20 oz hammer and buy other sizes later if they need them.

The straight rip claw is a more versatile design than the curved "claw hammer" style.  While this style makes it more awkward to pull nails, it makes up for it by being much more useful for prying and digging.  You can even sharpen it up and use it like a little sideways axe.  When I'm framing I usually keep the claw of my hammer quite sharp.  Then, when I need to let in a brace or a nailer in a wall I just cut the edges with my saw and hack out the wood between with the claw of my hammer.  You wouldn't believe how fast it goes (although you'll see for yourself when I get around to doing an episode on framing). 

The smooth faced head is a compromise.  You bend fewer nails with the hammers that have a milled or knurled head.  But you can't use them for finish work because they chew up the surface too badly. They can also damage the butts of chisels and similar tools.  Your "all around" hammer should have a smooth face.

Your first hammer should also have either a fiberglass or metal haft.  I actually like the action better on wooden handles, but they just aren't as durable.  This is your main tool-bag hammer and it needs to be rugged enough to face whatever you run into.  Also, I can tell you that less experienced workers break a lot of wooden hammer hafts, because they don't have a good understanding of the forces they generate when using the hammer to pry things.  Someone like me can get years out of a wooden handled hammer because he knows how much leverage is "too much".  If you are just starting out, steer clear of wooden handles. 

I'm really hesitant to recommend specific brands or models.  The best way to buy a hammer is to go to the store, pick a bunch of them up, and buy the one that feels the most natural to you.  When I bought the hammer that I have been using for the past 6 years (which appears in several videos in this series), I went into the hardware store with $40 in my pocket.  I picked up every hammer in the store, and ended up going home with the one that cost $8, because it felt the best in my hand.

However, if you do want to buy a hammer online, the three below all match the description above and seem pretty popular (going by what I've seen on job sites).

 

Channel Lock Pliers

The generic name for these is "groove lock pliers", but everyone calls then Channel Locks, which was the first, and is still the best brand.  These will be your number one tool for anything involving plumbing or pipe-fitting.  Get the kind that have curved jaws (also known as V-jaws) becuase they work better on pipe.  The 12" size is the handiest.

During my time in the Fire Sprinkler business, various members of Sprinkler Fitters' Local 709 showed me a bewildering range of uses for this tool.  Every self-respecting sprinkler fitter has a pair of 12-inch "channies" sticking out of the pocket of his overalls at all times.   A few of these uses:

1. Turning pipe and plumbing fittings, particularly when a pipe wrench isn't available or is all the way at the bottom of the ladder
2. Lifting manhole covers
3. As a hammer to pound in pipe hangers
4. As a pair of tongs to pick up red-hot objects
5. To grab and bend metal objects
6. As a nail puller
7. To turn bolts that are bigger than our biggest wrench
8. To compress brake cylinders when changing brake pads
9. To undo the tie-downs on the truck when we forgot the leverage bar
10. Etc, ad infinum

If I was going to be stuck on a desert island with only one set of pliers, I would pick a 12" pair of Channel-Locks.

If you can, get the real Channel-Lock brand, which is made in the USA and is still the best:

If you are on a constrained budget, I have had decent luck with the Stanleys.  Just be prepared for some ribbing if you work with union sprinkler fitters.   

 

Multi-Screwdriver

You can never have enough screwdrivers.  You will eventually want one in every shape and size.  However, to start out, get a multi-screwdriver (also known as a 6-in one screwdriver).  This style has the four most popular screwdriver bits, plus a shaft that functions as two sizes of nut driver (one of which happens to be the right size for most kinds of hose clamps).  I keep one in my tool belt at all times.  Since they are pretty cheap, I also keep one in the glove box of my pickup, and another in a drawer in my kitchen.  Most hardware stores that I've shopped in have a display of them right next to the cash register.

The one I've carried in my tool belt for the past few years is made by Stanley, and often sells for under $5, which I consider to be a pretty good deal.

 

Adjustable Wrench

The world is full of nuts, bolts, and other things with wrench flats on them.  While the channel locks will handle some of these, you will never be able to put as much leverage on a nut without destroying it as you would with a real wrench.

If you only have one wrench, you want it to be adjustable.  Even if you're like me and you own a pretty good selection of wrenches (SAE, metric, special shapes for bicycles, special shapes for plumbing, etc), you probably still find yourself fishing out an adjustable wrench on a regular basis for those sizes that you don't have.

Most people call this style a Crescent wrench because Crescent was the company that first came out with it.  Prior to that, a style called a "monkey wrench" (invented by a guy named Charles Moncky) was the most popular.  Monkey wrenches still turn up now and then, and they work fine, but the same length is both heavier and bulkier than the Crescent style, and can't fit in as tight a spot. 

Anyway, the wrench you want for your tool bag is about a 10" Crecent-style adjustable wrench.  You will use it to tighten and loosen all sorts of things.  Later, when you have a chance, try to pick up a little bitty one (say 6") and a big one (at least 14") to keep around the shop.   

This kind of wrench can also be put on the back of a screwdriver or another wrench and used for additional leverage.

Using Crescent wrench as a "Cheater" with Screwdriver and Smaller Wrench

An adjustable wrench is also great for bending pieces of metal.  I used to use one in the bike shop to bend derailleur hangers when bikes weren't shifting right.  I know several people who work on medieval armor who like to use them for fine adjustments on pieces of plate mail, or for closing chain mail links. 

Finally, when I have to make house calls in bad neighborhoods, I often tuck one in my belt.  A crescent wrench to the side of the head is a pretty good attitude adjuster, and it is less likely to get you in trouble with cops than a "real" weapon.  Just keep it in plain view.  Not only does it show the locals that you are prepared, but it avoids leaving you open to a concealed weapons charge.  (Such nice places you get to go in the handy-business...)

 

5-in-1 Tool

Don't ask me what the original five uses of this tool are, but I must have found at least 100 so far in my career.  I really can't imagine doing any sort of painting without one close at hand.  I keep one over the workbench, one in my main tool bag, one under the kitchen sink, one in...well, you get the idea. 

First and foremost, it is a scraper.  It works well for old paint, dried wood glue, dirt in rain gutters, old window glazing, old caulk, and many other things.  The cut away part of the blade lets it get into tight corners.  All of them have the end ground for scraping flat things, and many have the curved parts ground for scraping round things.  If you need to scrape a floor and don't have a floor scraper (eg, because you are about to glue down carpet), you can lash one of these to a broom stick and get a lot of leverage.  I've also used a 5-in-1 on the end of a stick to scrape hides when I was making rawhide.

Next, it is a light duty chisel.  Mind you, it will never take as sharp an edge or be as precise as a good bench chisel, but it works fine for a lot of the sort of rough and ready "hammer it in and pry" jobsite stuff that you would never want to risk your expensive bench chisels on.  I particularly like to hammer it into drywall to square off a hold I've made so it will be easier to patch.

It works as a thin prybar for removing moldings, cabinet face frames, and the like.  Because it is thinner than most regular prybars, you won't need to repair as much damage afterwards.

It can work like a froe to split green wood.  You can take a relatively straight billet of green wood and split it into stakes by hammering your 5-in-1 into the end.  With practice, you can make stakes this way faster than you could set up a power saw to rip the wood, and stakes come in handy for all sorts of things on a job site.  

The square bit on the side is made for opening cans of paint.  I like it better for this use than the church key things they give you at the paint store.  This part is also a good size to undo the big screw that holds the iron in a bench plane, as well as the screw that holds my camera to its tripod.   

The handle is sturdy enough that you can use it to hammer paint cans closed.  Some of them have a steel butt cap, and can be used to dimple a nail hole in drywall before you spackle it.

Some of them have cutouts in the blade for pulling nails, opening bottles, or changing tips on a paint sprayer.

In a pinch, you can use a 5-in-1 as a putty knife to apply spackle or wood filler.  It is a little too stiff to be a good putty knife, but it will work.  There are some spots that you can reach with a 5-in-1 easier than a with a putty knife.  What it does works rather well for is to scrape the putty knife clean after you are done with it. 

I think you get the picture.   

F-Clamp

You can never, ever have too many clamps.  If I was rich, I'd probably have a whole room full of them so I would always have enough of exactly the right size and shape.  The one that I usually keep in my tool bag, however, is a 12" f-style clamp, which seems to be the size I use the most.

The two obvious uses of a clamp are holding things together while they are gluing and holding things down while you work on them.  It usually makes things much safer if you can find a way to clamp down a piece of work before you use a rotary tool like a circular saw or router on it, and sometimes its just nice to have another hand free.

Clamps are useful for much more than that, though.  You can put them on nearly anything and they become a handle.  Or (spoiler alert!) put a clamp on the bottom of a door to keep it from tipping over while you cut the hinge mortises.  If you get to the point of building your own scaffolding (and you will get to that point very quickly if you work on Victorian houses), you will want to use lots of clamps to make sure that scaffold boards and safety rails stay put.

There are many jobs where you need a helper to hold the other end of something, unless you get creative and find a way to do it with a clamp.  Then you just saved having to hire a laborer or cajol a friend or spouse into helping you.  The definitive book on this topic is John Carroll's Working Alone.  Carroll is a guy who knows his clamps. 

I tend to buy the Jorgenson Pony clamps because that is the brand I got used to when I worked in cabinet shops.  Bessey is also another good brand.  Lately, however, I've noticed that the off-brand (i.e. Chinese) clamps are getting much better and I've been buying more of them; I would rather have plenty of "good enough" clamps than a few "pro quality" ones.  That being said, the one in my tool bag is a Jorgensen heavy-duty model.

 

Combination Square

This is the basic layout and measuring tool for any sort of precision work.  When I was a cabinetmaker I wore out several, and most machinists and finish carpenters probably have a similar experience.

It is called a combination square because, in addition to being 45 degree and 90 degree squares, it also includes a level and the sliding blade allows it to function as a marking gauge and a depth guage, both of which are incredibly useful when you start to do actual joinery.  Take it apart, and you have a small square (perfect for squaring the blades on circular saws) and a high quality ruler.

Combination squares are sometimes sold as sets with extra attachments that go on the blade.  The most common are a center finding head (useful to wood turners) and a protractor head that lets the square be set at any angle.  Sometimes you also see a surface gauge head, which you can use to mark things that are laid up on a surface plate.  All of the above are nice, but none of them are useful enough to get in the top 10 by themselves.  If it were me, I would just get a serviceable square with the standard head. 

Look to spend around $15 for a square that is accurate enough for general handyman and woodworking use.  Master woodworkers and machinists often fork over triple digits for a top of the line square, but they never take them on job sites where they might get knocked around.  The brands below are all adequate, and I don't have a personal preference between them.

Japanese-Style Handsaw

Even in this day of affordable electric saws, some sort of hand saw belongs in every handyman's bag.  There are still plenty of cuts that you can't finish with your circular saw or reach with your jigsaw.  There are still plenty of work locations where the nearest outlet is 10 feet further than your extension cord, or where you are up to your knees in water and afraid of electrocuting yourself.  And, if you don't have an electric saw, then you will be using hand saws for everything.

There are two main families of saws in the world.  European style saws have heavier blades and are made to cut on the push stroke.  They have thicker blades and leave a wider kerf, so they bind less when you are cutting.  The steel tends to be softer than Asian saws and the shape of the teeth makes it possible to sharpen them yourself (although it takes practice and specialized tools to do it right).  However, the push stroke makes it harder to control the saw with precision and more likely that the back side of a cut will chip out.  When using a European saw, always cut with the good or finish side of the work towards you.

European saws tend to be optimized for a particular purpose.  You use a different saw for cutting with the grain than you do for cutting across it.  A saw meant for cutting plastic will have the teeth shaped differently than one for cutting plaster or wood.  Back in the day carpenters used to carry saw bags with five or six different kinds of saws in them.  These days, with power saws available, you can get away with just carrying a smallish crosscut saw. 

Asian saws cut on the pull stroke.  This makes them easier to control and allows for a thinner blade that you can bend to, for example, cut something off flush with a floor.  Many of the job site models have blades with crosscut teeth on one side and rip teeth on the other.  The crosscut teeth are of a shape that works equally well on wood or plastic, and will cut soft metals in a pinch (although that's bad for he teeth).   Typically, the blade detaches from the handle so the whole thing will fit in a tool bag.

Asian saws are not meant to be resharpened.  The blades stay sharp a long time but, once they get dull, you toss them out and get a new blade for your handle.  A replacement blade costs about half the price of the whole saw.   The exceptions are some high end saws, for which you can mail the blade back to Japan to be sharpened by a master saw smith.

I started out using European saws, and still use them quite a bit for fine woodworking in the shop.  For about a decade now, however, my tool bag saw has been of the pattern the Japanese call a Ryoba, which is made for general carpentry.  Not only do I like the pull stroke, now that I've had time to get used to it, but I love that the saw packs down into a convenient package that doesn't require a super long tool bag.  

A regular European style crosscut saw would also be an option, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are really used to using one.  If you are starting out and don't have any bad habits, then you might as well learn on an Asian saw.

 

The Top 25

There were a lot of hand tools that almost made my top 10 list.  I chose most of the ones I did because they are multi-use tools that fill more than one niche.  Other tools didn't quite make it because, while I use them quite often, they only do one thing.  So, for example, a 6" taping knife didn't quite make it because you will buy it the first time you work with drywall, but you won't need it before then.  Still, I thought I had better list the other fifteen tools which I think would go in the Top 25.

If I was starting from scratch and trying to build a tool collection I would probably aquire the first 10, then buy the best cordless drill I could afford (with a basic set of drill and driver bits), then pick up the other 15 as I needed them for projects. 

In no particular order, they are:

• Hacksaw
• Vice Grip Pliers
• Flexible Putty Knife
• 6" Taping Knife
• Flat bar (preferably with the bulge in the middle so it is also a floor jack)
• Two-foot Level
• Block Plane
• 4-In Hand File/Rasp
• Diagonal Cutters
• Slip-Joint Pliers
• Scratch Awl
• Aviation Snips
• Wire Strippers
• Scribe (Carpenter's Compass)
• 3/4" Butt Chisel

Shaker Style End Tables

Here's a little bonus for those of you who actually read the blog, and don't just watch the videos.  If you want to see more of these, you might want to subscribe to Creative Minority's Facebook page, so you won't miss them. 

Several years ago I lost my cabinet shop in Oregon and had to fly down to Los Angeles to get a job in commercial construction (long story, but it worked out OK).  I realized that I wasn't doing much woodworking, so I developed this design and made several of them to keep in practice.  The design is based on hazy memories of a table I had seen Norm Abram make a few years previously on the New Yankee Workshop.  The beautiful thing about this design (as adapted by me) is that you can easily make it with nothing but hand tools and a router with a few common bits.  I know, because that's all I had at the time.  I still have two of these in my living room, and I always get positive comments whenever we have a dinner party.  If you are just making the jump from rough job site carpentry to building real furniture, this is an excellent project to start with.

The Basic Design

Obligatory Dovetail Shot

Another nice thing is that, by tweaking the overall width, you can make tables of several different sizes with the same plan.

A Smaller Version Made With The Same Plans

I won't give step-by-step instructions right now.  For one thing, I plan to do a Handyman Kevin episode about these tables in the future.  However, these shop drawings should be plenty accurate enough for you to build your own.  If you have any questions, feel free to post in the comments.

For .pdf files, suitable for hi-res printing, click here.

Or, if you use AutoCad, the original .dwg file is here. 

Otherwise, here are some pictures of the plans:

Changing a Kitchen Faucet

Hi everyone, and welcome back.  This week we dive into a common household plumbing task:  changing a kitchen faucet.  As we say in the handyman trade, "woodworking is fun, but plumbing pays the bills."

In general, you will want to buy your new faucet before you start this project.  When in doubt, follow the instructions that come with it.  That's right, I actually said to follow the instructions.  Seriously, though, the documentation that comes with plumbing fixtures tends to be pretty good, particularly for the major brands.

Since you will be spending much of this job lying on your back with your head in a cabinet, it pays to lay your tools out next to you where you can reach them easily. You will want to have:  a small flashlight, a pair of channel locks, a Phillips screwdriver, a small scraper or putty knife, a small adjustable wrench, and a scrap of something soft to protect your back.  You will probably also need a basin wrench, which is a specialty tool (available at any hardware store) for undoing the nuts on the bottom of a faucet. A couple of old towels will also come in handy for soaking up excess water.

Tools Needed to Change a Faucet (Not Shown: a Small Flashlight)

Another tool that is nice to have is the Rigid 2006, which is basically a plastic tube with wrenches at each end.  One end fits supply lines and the other fits the nuts that secure a faucet.  I don't actually own one, but I have borrowed them from other people on job sites and found them useful.  For old, nonstandard stuff, however, you will still want the basin wrench, which will grab nearly anything.  The rigid tool costs about $20, so only buy it if you are planning on changing several faucets in the next year. 

The general procedure for most sinks is a follows:

Step 1:  Turn Off the Water Supply

 

The hot and cold water should come into the cabinet through either the floor or wall as a pair of small brass valves.  Turn the handle all the way clockwise to turn off the water supply.

Step 2: Detach Garbage Disposal (Optional)

If there is a garbage disposal, and it looks like it will be in the way, you might want to temporarily remove it.  To do this, undo the slip nut connecting the disposal to the drain pipe.  Then insert your screwdriver into the quick release ring, and rotate it it until the disposal comes free of the sink.  Be sure to support the disposal as it releases so it doesn't just drop.  If you don't have much upper body strength, you might want to support the bottom of the disposal with a block of wood, toolbox, etc.  Set the disposal aside for now.

Step 3:  Disconnect Supply Lines

If you have enough room, use a small adjustable wrench (aka Crescent wrench) to disconnect the two hoses that supply water to the faucet.  Otherwise, use your basin wrench.  Some water will come out of the lines as you disconnect them, so have a towel handy to mop it up.  

The basin wrench can be a little tricky to use until you get the hang of it.  The main trick is to make sure the wrench end is folded in the right direction.

This is a good time to inspect the supply lines and make sure they are still good.  If they look really sad, this might be a good time to swap them out.  Measure them for length and replace them with braided stainless lines from the hardware store. 

Tuck the lines out of the way as you go on to the next step. 

Step 4:  Disconnect the Faucet

Most faucets are held on with a couple of large plastic nuts, which you can loosen with the basin wrench.  Although they are getting rare these days, you occasionally run into metal nuts.  These are frequently corroded, and can be a real pain to get off.  Try shooting them with some WD-40 and working on them with the basin wrench.  If this doesn't work, you may need to cut them off with a hacksaw blade or cold chisel.  You can also grind them off with a Dremel tool or angle grinder, but this is less than fun since the sparks go right in your face.  Your should definitely wear goggles if you decide to go this route. 

Step 5:  Remove the Faucet, and Clean up Underneath

You should now be able to pull the old faucet out.  If it was equipped with a sprayer, you may find that you need to cut the hose to get it out.  

The space under the faucet is usually pretty disgusting, so take a minute to scrape off any old silicone and corrosion, then clean it with rags or a sponge.

Step 6:  Set the New Faucet

While not absolutely necessary, it is a good idea to shoot a bead of silicone on the bottom of the new faucet.  This helps level any irregularities in the sink surface, keeps water from leaking though, and keeps the faucet assembly from shifting over time.   Butter up the faucet, set it in place, then go underneath and tighten down the nuts.  Hand tight should be enough (if you have strong hands). 

Step 7 :  Reattach the Supply Lines

 

Screw the supply lines onto the new faucet.  You will probably need the adjustable wrench or basin wrench to tighten them, but do not over-tighten.  There is a little o-ring in the end of the supply line.  You want to tighten the coupling enough that the o-ring squishes and seals, but not enough that it is deformed or damaged. 

Turn on the supply valves.

 

Step 8:  Reinstall the Garbage Disposal (if you Removed it Before)

When I was younger and stronger I had no trouble holding up a garbage disposal with one hand while I tightened it down with the other.  Nowadays I usually cheat.  I either cut a chunk of scrap 2x4 board to jam under the disposal and hold it or, better yet, go grab the jack out of my pickup to raise the disposal into place.

Whichever technique you choose, make sure that the rubber gasket is securely stuck to the top of the disposal, over the quick-release ring (sometimes it stays with the sink when the disposal comes away).  The idea is to line up the disposal and have it pressed against the sink.  Then, when you turn the ring, it will engage the little tabs and suck the disposal against the strainer assembly.   You can start it by hand, but will want to use a screwdriver to tighten it the last little bit.

Step 9:  Flush the New Faucet and Check for Leaks

 

Wipe down the sink and surrounding area with paper towels and a cleaning product like Simple Green.   Failure to clean up after yourself is the number one cause of handymen not getting called back.  When that is taken care of, unscrew the little aerator screen from the end of the faucet.  Let it run for about 30 seconds to flush out any dust or flash inside the faucet, the reinstall the aerator.

The very last thing to do is to check for leaks.  Take a dry piece of toilet or facial tissue and run it up and down everything you touch under the sink.  If something is leaking, it will immediately become damp.

Don't panic if you have a leak.  Usually, you just need to tighten the connection another half turn or so.  If you absolutely can't get something to stop leaking, then you may need to disconnect it and wrap the threads with several turns of pipe tape, which will usually fix the problem.

Some Final Notes

Between the video and this blog entry, you shouldn't have any trouble changing a kitchen faucet.  Be aware, though, that when you are under the sink you sometimes find other things that need fixing.  For example, when I changed the faucet in the video, I found that the sink drain had rusted out, and I had to change it before I put the sink back together.  In the past, I've found dry rot, wiring problems, and various kinds of pest infestation that no one had noticed before because they never put their heads under the sink.  I don't say this to scare you off.  Far from it; these kinds of maintenance problems tend to be cheaper to fix the earlier you find them.  That being said, allow yourself plenty of extra time for contingencies.  Also, don't be afraid to ask for help.  This might mean chatting up the guy at the hardware store for advice (many of them are experts on this type of repair), or calling in a specialist if you run into something too complicated.

Bathroom Sinks are very similar to kitchen sinks in terms of the tools you need and the process of changing a faucet.  There are two main differences, though.  First, most bathroom faucets also come with the drain and stopper assembly, which you will want to change at the same time.  I'm sure I will show how to change these in a later episode.  For now, though, you will probably be fine if you follow the instructions.

The other main difference, is that the space inside a bathroom lavatory cabinet is usually much smaller than in a kitchen cabinet.  Likewise, bathrooms themselves tend to be tighter; some half baths are smaller than a coat closet.  Sometimes it can be a real contortionist act just to get to where you can undo the nuts.  Actually, many bathroom lavatories (especially the kind apartment managers like to buy) have the sink and faucet installed in the cabinet shop, with the cabinet upside down on a workbench.  Sometimes, as an act of last resort, I have actually disconnected the supply lines from the wall and removed the entire cabinet so I could get to the faucet.  You do what you have to do but, since the cabinets don't always come out in one piece, you would definitely want to get your client to sign something before setting in with a crowbar.    Voice of experience talking here. 

-HK

Building Counter Tops

Hello and welcome to the first ever episode of the Handyman Kevin Channel!  This week, we look at how to build your own counter tops.  In the video, I covered a particle board workbench with tempered hard board (Masonite).  You could use a similar technique with plastic laminate (Formica) to build custom counters for your kitchen or store.  Or substitute fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) panels--the kind you see on the walls of commercial restrooms, and create a nearly indestructible counter.  

Pre-laminated counter top slabs in boring colors and standard widths are sold in many home centers.  However, once you can make your own from scratch you become free to make curves, odd angles, and multilevel counters.  Plus, any sheet material that you can cut with a router becomes fair game for the surface.  The Formica catalog alone has hundreds of laminates in different patterns, textures, and thicknesses.  Then add in all of the different types of hardboard and plastic sheet, and the combinations are nearly infinite. 

Back when I worked at Golden West, the ability to quickly make fancy custom laminate desks, tub surrounds, and shelves was one of the weapons that allowed us to dominate the manufactured home shows more years than not.  True, we also did tile and granite counters, but laminate was always the most popular.

The project in our video isn't nearly that ambitions; just a flat, durable workbench top that will last for years and be easy to replace when it finally gets chewed up.

Step 1:  Build your counter slabs.

 

I don't show this part in the video, but obviously you need a substrate to which you can glue the top.  By far the best choice is particle board underlayment.  For something like a shelf or a bathroom counter you can get away with a single thickness of 3/4" particle board.  For a work surface like a workbench or a kitchen counter, however, you want to use a double thickness with plenty of glue between.

When using a single thickness, you will usually want to build up the lip on the edge with a 3/4" x 1" wooden cleat.

Or, for a fancier and more durable edge, you could apply a hardwood molding or a tile edge.

Step 2:  Square Up the Slab

 

If your slab isn't square, the counter never will be.  The normal tool used for this job is a portable belt sander.  It takes practice to learn how to keep the sander square to the counter and not let it dig in.  This is a good reason to build a workbench first, and wait on those custom kitchen counters until you've mastered the technique.

If you don't have a belt sander you could try an orbital sander with a course disk.  It will take longer and require more care than a belt sander, however.  If you are limited to hand tools you can make an effective sanding block by buying an 80 grit sanding belt and stretching it over a scrap of board with rounded ends.

 Step 3:  Glue the Front Edging

 

Cut strips of edging a little wider than the edge of your counter.  Always dry fit your pieces before you put glue on them, especially if you have corners or butt joint seams.  Apply contact cement to both the edge of the slab and the back of your edging.  Let the glue dry until it is no longer liquid and just the barest bit tacky to the touch.  Press the edging against the edge of your counter and it should immediately stick.  Apply enough pressure (somewhere around 20 psi) to really activate the bond.   On edging, this is almost always done either with a rubber mallet or with a claw hammer and a scrap of wood (it's hard to use a roller effectively on the edge of the counter).

A Few Words About Contact Cement

Contact cement comes in two main styles:  brush-on and spray-on.  The brush on stuff is slightly cheaper and seems to hold better.  You slop it on with a paintbrush and spread it with a notched trowel (check the can for what size trowel you need).  The whole process gets very sticky, very fast.  Spray-on contact cement is applied from either an aerosol can or some type of spray gun.  The best spray-on contact cement ever is Sta'-Put, but it seems nearly impossible to find in regular home centers or hardware stores.  Try online or at RV stores.  Other brands work adequately as long as you apply them evenly and use plenty of pressure.   Production counter shops use a two-part adhesive system that is catalyzed as it is used and can be applied with an HVLP spray system by either humans or robots.  The system works great, but is totally overkill for a do-it-yourself-er or small cabinet shop. 

Crosscutting and Seaming Edging

With thicker materials like Masonite or plastic sheet, you will want to cut them to length with a miter saw or table saw and a fine tooth blade.  These tools leave nice square edges that will match up nicely, either on a scarf (straight seam) or a corner.  You can also cut it with a hand saw and square the edges with a sanding block.  Occasionally (if you messed up on  Step 1) corner joints aren't quite at right angles.  In that case you can adjust the ends of the edging with a belt sander.

Laminate is thinner and can be cut with tin snips.  You can often spot the counter top guy in a cabinet shop because he has a pair of tin snips struck through the hammer loop on his tool belt.  With practice and a sharp pair of snips, you can cut it quite square, to where it only needs a few swipes of the file to make it perfect.

Step 4:  Flush Rout the Front Edging

Chuck a flush trim bit in a router that is small enough to hold and control easily.  Rout all the way around the edge to trim off the excess, being sure to move in a counter-clockwise direction. 

Step 5:  Sand the Top (Laminate Only)

Flush trim router bits are not perfect, especially if you use a cheap brand or have had them resharpened a few times.  Often, the very top of the edge will be slightly proud of the particle board, causing a bad glue joint later.  For this reason, most people take a belt sander at this point and flush the top.  Make sure that the sanding belt is always pulling the edging against the slab.  If you sand the other direction it will pull the edging right off and you will need to go back two steps and start over.

I sometimes skip this step when working with thick materials like Masonite, since the glue joint problem doesn't seem as critical.

Step 6:  Protect the Edging With Tape

The front edge might not be perfectly square, causing your router to dig in too deep.  Or the bearing on the flush trim bit might seize up, scorching your edging.  For these reasons, smart counter top builders pause long enough to put a strip of tape along the edging for the router bit to ride against.  Duct tape works best because of its thickness, but a layer or two of masking tape will do in a pinch.

Step 7:  Glue Sheets to the Top

If you will be seaming any pieces, make sure to dry fit them before you apply any glue.  Try to match factory edges against each other, because they are usually straighter than those you cut yourself.  When there is a strong pattern printed on laminate, try to match up the pattern on the two pieces.  In a seam you will often need to adjust the pieces for a good fit, using a file and/or a block plane.  This takes patience and a good eye, but is absolutely necessary for a quality counter top.  Many people lay out the seams so they are partially hidden by the lip of a kitchen sink or other feature.  Also, it is a good idea, structurally, not to line up the laminate seams with the seams in the particle board.

If you need to cut laminate, you can use a table saw with a fine tooth blade set all the way up.  This will minimize chipping.  Or you could score it with a straight-edge and a laminate cutter then break it over the edge of a table.  The table saw method is faster and less likely to wreck your laminate.

Laminate Cutter

Pros will often lay several smaller counters next to each other so they can cover them all with a single 5'x10' piece of laminate, without having to measure and cut each piece.  Just make sure they are all on a level surface and that you leave enough space between to get a router bit through.

Once you have everything fitting nice, put some bits of masking tape on the pieces with notes about what goes where and which end is which.  It only takes a minute, and saves having to think about it while you are holding a big, sticky sheet of material.

Spray the tops of the counters and the undersides of your sheets with cement and give it time to dry.  Don't let anyone in the shop stir up dust while this is happening, because it will get caught in your glue.  Once the glue is dry you can put the sheets on the counters.  This is the trickiest part of the whole operation.  As soon as the glue on the sheet touches the glue on the particle board it will stick, and you won't be able to adjust it.  A second pair of hands can be invaluable here.  You can also stick scraps of 1"x stock between the counter and the sheet while you position it, then pull them out one at a time as you smooth it down. 

Once all the sheets are in place, you need to pressure them down.  Most people use a laminate roller (available in any specialty woodworking shop) for this.  Personally, I prefer a linoleum roller, which is a heavier, two handed tool that lets you apply more pressure to a wider area.  You can rent these, but they don't cost much more to buy outright (between $30-$50).  If you don't have a roller, you can get adequate results with a mallet or hammer and block.  Be especially careful to pressure around the edges, where the sheet is most likely to hook on something and peel off. 

 

Step 8:  Flush Rout the Top

Using your flush trim bit, run the router counter-clockwise around the counter to trim off the extra material.  Take care at corners to avoid snagging your edging.  If you have sink cutouts or other holes in the middle, you can (carefully) punch a hole in the middle with a hammer to give your router a starting point.  

Strip off the protective tape from the edge when you're done.

 

Step 9:  Bevel The Leading Edge (Laminate Only)

With laminate counters you normally do a second pass with a special, slightly beveled bit.  This breaks the corner just a bit so it isn't as sharp, and so you don't need to do as much filing later.  If you don't have this bit you can use a small round-over bit, adjusted so only about 1/64" or less of cutting edge is exposed. 

Set of Router Bits for Laminate Work. 

Flush Trim and 7 Degree Bevel are the Most Important

Step 10:  File the Edge

Edge filing rounds finish corners ever-so-slightly so they won't cut people or catch on things and allow the top to break off.  Go slowly until you get the knack.  Use long strokes parallel to the edge.  You want to take off just enough, without over-filing and wrecking the counter.  The ideal file to use is a new, sharp, flat bastard-cut, about 12" long.   

Hopefully, between these notes and the video, you will now be ready to go out and make your own counters.  As always, feel free to post your comments and requests for clarification.  In the meantime, I'm headed out to use my new workbench.  See you next week.

-HK

Not Long to Wait!

There is exactly one week to go before the season premier of Handyman Kevin.  Although I doubt anyone is as excited as I am, I hope you are all excited.

In our first season we cover everything from common plumbing repairs to custom cabinetry, with several detours along the way and, I hope, lots of solid advice and lucid explanation of the things which mystify handy-newbies. 

Check back here in one week for our premier episode, in which I explicate the hidden mysteries of counter top construction.

See you then!

-HK