October 21, 2008 AsktheBuilder News

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Issue

SMOKING GUN - DOWNSPOUT DRAIN PIPE
SATURDAY MEET AND GREET
BROKEN LINK IN LAST NEWSLETTER
SWINGING DOORS
NEW HAMPSHIRE PHOTO ALBUM
MEETING THE CANDIDATES
LATEST COLUMN AND VIDEO

SMOKING GUN - DOWNSPOUT DRAIN PIPE

This morning, I was on the phone with Greg. He had purchased one of my 15-Minute Phone Consults. Greg had a damp basement issue. When he first purchased the consult, I asked him about the problem and then requested he send me photos of the outside of his house as well as the inside basement walls.

Bingo! When I got to the seventh or eighth photo I saw one of the major issues. At least one of the roof downspouts was dumping water just feet from Greg's foundation. I wrote a column about this and actually did the calculations as to how much water comes off the average roof. Read the column and you'll be amazed!

The bottom line is that once Greg pipes all his roof water to the lowest spot of his property and he installs one of my super-duper Linear French Drains, his basement is going to be much drier.

SATURDAY MEET AND GREET

I had a great response to getting together with you at a local hardware store. I'm all set for this Saturday rain or shine. Let's you and I meet at the Aubuchon Hardware store in Concord, NH at 1:30 p.m. Here's where it's located:

Aubuchon Hardware Store #141
80 South Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-228-5500

Rod Hunt gets the honorary award for Person With the Most Desire to Attend. He lives in Australia and wrote to me that he would love to come, but it's a bit of a trip. I also heard from many others who had conflicts or it was too far to come. Thanks for contacting me telling me of your interest. I'm trying to figure out a way to do these on a regional basis. At the very least as I travel to conferences and other events, I'm going to plan these realizing that not everyone lives close to me.

One of the things I'll be talking about this Saturday, while in the store, are ideas I have that will allow you to drastically cut your heating bills this winter. I've been testing some things and the results are very promising. I'm also going to debunk some myths.

Remember, the cost to attend this event is nothing. You just have to get to the hardware store in Concord.

BROKEN LINK IN LAST NEWSLETTER

One of the links in the last newsletter was broken. I hate when that happens. It was a mistake on my part. The link will take you to an Eco Starter Kit that allows you to become part of the Green Movement and helping you to save the environment. You can purchase a kit that has things that can make you greener than a seasick person on a ferry boat crashing through 20-foot seas. Now don't take that to mean this product will make you sick. It was a pun!

SWINGING DOORS

Kathy from Milwaukee wrote to me today saying, "I would like to install a swinging door between my kitchen and dining room.  I can not find these types of door anywhere.  How do I install this type of door?  Is it just a regular wooden door without the handle (with window) and special hardware?"

That's an easy one! Kathy, those doors are just solid doors that come with no hinge mortises nor any cuts. These pristine doors are commonly called slabs. It's best to get a solid-core door for this, but hollow-core can work. If you want glass in the door, you'll have to go to a real lumber yard and order the door from a catalog. There are websites that sell these special doors.

You then need special hardware that creates the top and bottom hinge points. This is available from real hardware stores that sell an assortment of door locks, hinges, cabinet knobs and all sorts of decorative hardware.

Finally, the door edge that is on the hinge side needs to be milled with rounded edges instead of square edges. This needs to be done to prevent the door from rubbing against the jamb. You can do this at your house with a router and a round-over bit.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PHOTO ALBUM

I created a public photo album on Google Picasa to share with you some of the things I've been seeing over the past month. Autumn is my favorite season, and here are some photos that should explain why I moved here. Pay attention to the captions as they help explain where the photo was taken. All the photos that don't have me in them were taken by yours truly. Brent Walter took the photos where you see me.

If you're driving around New Hampshire, start paying attention to license plates. You may get behind me, and if so, honk! People up here seem to have a love affair with vanity plates. The one I got serves double duty. See if you can figure both of the things it stands for. I'll tell you in the next issue.

Editor's Note: The link to Google Picasa no longer works. Google has dropped Picasa.

MEETING THE CANDIDATES

In today's mail, I got a postcard from a candidate running for state representative here in New Hampshire. Her name is Kate Miller. On the card was her phone number and email address. Kate said on the card, "Call her at XXX-XXXX to let her know what issues are important to you."

So by gosh I called. I got her answering machine, but several hours ago she called me back. We talked for about ten minutes and I asked if she was going to have any public appearances where I could see her face to face. Kate said, "Why don't we just meet at the Village Perk near the Town Hall for a cup of coffee?" Bingo! We're getting together on Monday.

I only bring this up to urge you to get involved. I realize you and I can't meet every candidate, but there are usually websites that list who the candidates are and where they stand on an issue. Many candidates have their own websites. Educate yourself before the election and please vote. Election day is right around the corner. You must make informed decisions that day or suffer the consequences.

LATEST COLUMN AND VIDEO

Do you have cracks in your blacktop drive? Would you like some secret tips to fill and hide them? I thought so!

If you have a lot of logs to split and not much time or muscle, you may want to watch my latest video on hydraulic log splitters.

Index of past newsletters.

Fire Pit

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Last night I sat around a fire pit at a friend's house. Everything about this magical outdoor fire pit, including the occasional puff of smoke, was enjoyable. I've decided I want to build a fire pit. What's involved? Is it a good idea to have a patio fire pit or should I consider a garden fire pit? Do you have to have a fire-pit ring? Valerie C., Brant, MI

DEAR VALERIE: You and I, and thousands of other people, were doing the same thing last night. It was a glorious autumn evening and I watched the last rays of sunlight wash the trees across the lake from my house with my back to the fire. Unfortunately the previous owner of the house I moved into made several mistakes when he built my backyard fire pit. I think he was a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning from all the gas that washes over you as you sit in front of my fire pit. Next spring I intend to move mine.

The first thing you need to do before you get out your shovel and order the material to build your new fire pit is to check with your local officials. There are many communities that are starting to restrict outdoor fires for all sorts of reasons. At the very least, there may be zoning regulations that control if you can build an outdoor fire pit, and if so, its size and where it can be located on your property. Don't overlook this important step.

This fire pit, while attractive, was built in the wrong location by a homeowner who didn't orient it to the view and prevailing wind direction. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This fire pit, while attractive, was built in the wrong location by a homeowner who didn't orient it to the view and prevailing wind direction. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

There are countless fire-pit designs. Some are as simple as the traditional campfire surrounded by a ring of rock. A friend of mine built a fire pit in the middle of his patio and had a welder make a five-foot diameter steel fire pit ring. This homeowner set the top of the steel fire pit ring flush with his brick pavers for a very sleek look.

When I relocate my fire pit in the spring, I'll use large rounded boulders that currently form the back wall of my fire pit. These rocks will be about 9 inches higher than the surface of my patio. The inner diameter of my fire pit will be no less than 5 feet and there's a good chance I'll make it 6 feet in diameter.

The previous homeowner who built my fire pit made two enormous mistakes. The first one was to ignore the natural view. In my case, the patio is immediately adjacent to a very large lake. The fire pit is on the house side of the patio and your back is to the magnificent lake view when you look at the fire. I plan to move the fire pit so that you can see the fire easily and view the lake to the left of the flames.

The second mistake that was made was failure to orient the fire pit with respect to the prevailing winds. More often than not when you are sitting at my fire pit you're bathed in smoke as the patio is downwind of the fire. I can't believe the owner made this basic mistake. The new location will allow the smoke to drift over the lake and away from my patio most of the time. There will be occasions when the wind will shift, but for the most part I'll be smoke-free sitting on the patio.

Consult with your local fire department's fire-prevention officer. She/he may be able to offer some great tips so that you don't set your house on fire, your neighbors' and/or the woods around your home. Be sure you assemble some basic fire-fighting tools and supplies to have at the ready when you do decide to have a roaring fire. A charged garden hose is a must if it's available.

I prefer to build a fire pit that's recessed in the ground about 9 to 12 inches. It's best to construct a gravel-lined drainage ditch away from the bottom of the fire pit to a low spot on your property. This feature prevents standing water from laying in your fire pit. The last thing you want is to have to bail out black ash-laden water some evening when you want to build a fire.

As the trench leaves your pit you can install a drainage pipe to channel the water. Be careful if you choose to use plastic pipe. Don't extend the pipe into the fire pit as the heat of the fire and the coals will melt it in short order. I plan to use a cast-iron pipe in my fire pit to eliminate the possibility of problems.

If you decide to build an outdoor fire pit and you have neighbors who live nearby, you can maintain friendly relations with them if you take the time to burn only very dry wood. Wet wood creates vast amounts of smoke that pollutes the air and irritates neighbors. Dry wood releases far less unburned combustible material into the air.

Never burn garbage, plastic or anything other than wood in your fire pit. Different man-made objects can release very toxic gases as they burn. You can poison yourself, your friends or neighbors.

Use common sense in dry weather when there is a possibility of wild fires or forest fires. Follow all outdoor fire bans in dry weather or periods of low humidity and high winds. The seemingly simple fire in your outdoor fire pit can kill people and cause millions of dollars of damage in very short order if conditions are favorable.

Column 749

Hydraulic Log Splitter Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Look at the size of this log. Do you think I want to be carrying these around all day? Forget about it. When I have a lot of logs to split and a small amount of time, my weapon of choice is a gas-power, hydraulic log splitter. This is a massive hydraulic log splitter with 27-ton of power and it can handle longs up to 24 inch long and up to 24 or 30 inches in diameter.

Before you start using one of these log splitters, stop and get out the owner’s manual and read the safety instructions. The more complicated the tool, the more that can go wrong and the more serious the injuries.

The first step is turning the engine on to power the hydraulic pump. Then place a log on the splitter bed against the stop and turn on the hydraulic jack. Tell me that is not sweet!

If you do not want to lift the large, heavy logs and carry them over to set on the log splitter, because it is too much hard work. With this model hydraulic log splitter, you can tilt it up into a vertical position. Now instead of the piston going sideways, it goes up and down. Roll one of the logs onto the splitter stop, start the engine, pull the handle and the log is split with no lifting.

Tim Carter

October 16, 2008 AsktheBuilder News

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Issue?

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR
MEET AND GREET
THE GREEN MOVEMENT
TALE OF WOE
FINAL CALL FOR STAIN SOLVER SALE
LATEST COLUMN AND VIDEOS

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

Four days ago you tilted my email Inbox. I asked for your suggestions about the booklets that are needed to get all of us through these tough economic times. I got so many responses that I'm still sifting through them. I can't thank you enough. Already I'm able to see some clear patterns with respect to where you need help. This is going to be an interesting project.

The ideas you came up with are fantastic. Some of the projects you suggested are really ambitious in that instead of being a booklet, they would become 1,000 page encyclopedias! Those will have to wait, as my intention is for these short booklets to be no more than ten or twenty pages of text with a few photos to show the mission-critical steps.

I'm trying to write about things I'm confident you can do with little help from others. Money is tight so I want to create a product that shows you how to do the job yourself, will save you hundreds of dollars and empower you with a series of small successes. Once you gain confidence with some of these smaller projects, then you can move on to bigger jobs. 

I was very surprised at the number of projects that were suggested that I've already covered in either past columns of mine or EBooks I have already written. For example, you may have asked me for a booklet on installing Crown Molding. I've had that available for nearly 8 years. I got many requests for booklets on what it takes to Paint Kitchen Cabinets. I wrote that one about 7 years ago. You may have asked about the newer Instantaneous Water Heaters, well I wrote all about those six years ago.

It's tough to market all those things on one page of a website. I urge you to always use the search engine at the top of every page of my website. If you dig down into the search results, you may be amazed at what you will discover. As for completed booklets,  my suggestion to you now is to check to see if I already have what you need. You can do that at this page of my website.

The booklet titles on this page will soon start to grow, and as I complete each title, it will be offered to you first here on this private list.

Once again I thank you for emailing me. It's a joy to read your emails so keep them coming.

MEET AND GREET

I would love to meet you. Do you live within an hour's drive of Concord, New Hampshire? Would you be interested in coming to a local hardware store in Concord to hang out with me for 90 minutes or so? We could talk about a project you're planning or maybe I can help you selecting a product or tool. The only cost would be your time and the gasoline to get you there. If you're interested, I need to know as soon as possible. I was thinking of doing this on Saturday October 25th. Please email me now so I can tell the store how many people will be coming. Once I pull this together, I'll send a notice as to the time, place, directions, etc.

THE GREEN MOVEMENT

I've been slow to jump into the fray about the Green Movement that many are smitten with. This isn't because I'm anti-green. Anyone who knows about my recent move to New Hampshire knows I purchased 10,000 years or more of *carbon offsets* when I purchased my 90 acres of dense woods. I have tens of thousands of trees on the property now and 1,000 or more new trees are planted each year. My guess is my trees are manufacturing enormous amounts of oxygen each year by consuming tons of carbon dioxide each day. I have a mix of hardwoods and evergreens, so the evergreens can be true workhorses each day of the year.

I absolutely feel you and I need to do everything to conserve natural resources. Common sense tells us that each year there are more people on this fragile sphere that's hurdling through space. We have a finite amount of space and resources. We must limit or eliminate polluting our ecosystem. That's non-negotiable.

But what's been troubling me is the marketing I see. Some manufacturers are jumping on the green bandwagon using the green movement to sell. A product that's the same thing it was five years ago is all of a sudden green. That makes me lift an eyebrow as well it should with you. I ask all the time why it wasn't important five years ago to talk about these things, but now it is.

My daughter Meghan interviewed a green expert, and taped two videos with this amazing woman, Debra Green. Seriously, that's her name. Here are the two videos:

 
 
Going Green

If you are trying to become more eco-friendly and aren't sure where to start, you may want to look at this product that was sent to me to evaluate. It's a kit that can get you started down the green pathway in case you are procrastinating. I tried to discover from their website who the owners are and who is behind this product line, but I had no luck. I know the company's in Milwaukee, but that's about it. If you're a better detective than I am, please let me know what you discovered.

To discover more about the Green Kit, check out the Eco Starter Kit from eco hatchery.

TALE OF WOE

Steve Kennedy lives in Cincinnati, OH. He contracted to have some colored stamped concrete installed at his house. He had some issues with the quality of the concrete. You should really watch the amazing video he produced.

The lesson here is that exterior decorative concrete, while gorgeous and amazing, can be very unforgiving if things go wrong. In Steve's case a hammer drill and some colored cement stucco will solve the issue. The repair will never look perfect, but it will look lots better than it does now.

If you are a contractor who does work for homeowners, you absolutely positively MUST watch the video. If this doesn't teach you to be responsive to your customer's requests, nothing will.

FINAL CALL FOR STAIN SOLVER SALE

The huge sale I announced four days ago about Stain Solver has been such a huge success we are nearly sold out. If you want to get the 25 percent discount you only have three days left. The same goes for that classic 6-pound size. We're nearly sold out. If you want only six pounds, you have to act now. Once we sell out, the next size up from 4 pounds will be 8 pounds. If you are a new subscriber in the past four days, go to the Stain Solver website to see what the buzz is all about.

The promo code for the 25 percent savings is:  kathy25   Remember, use lower case. (Offer expires October 19, 2008)

LATEST COLUMN AND VIDEOS

Hardwood repair to flooring is a tough job. Read why you may want to hire a pro for this job.

Log splitting can be fun and hard work. Discover what is the best way for you to do log splitting.

Have you seen the cool Manual Log Splitter? It's a great way to contribute to the Green Movement.

Index of past newsletters.

Blacktop Crack

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have a blacktop crack that needs to be repaired. I've tried different blacktop-crack-seal products, but some have been messy. Is there an easy-to-apply blacktop crack sealer that produces great results? What is a good way to seal blacktop cracks to prevent water penetration? Maggie S., Athens, OH

DEAR MAGGIE: Blacktop crack repair can be a little messy for any number of reasons. I remember clearly years ago using a putty knife and a large bucket of sticky asphalt to patch cracks in driveways. No matter how hard I tried to stay clean, I had that black goo on my hands and lower arms.

There are any number of newer products that are somewhat easier to work with. One blacktop crack filler is a pourable product that works well in warmer temperatures. You can also use a blacktop crack filler that is applied with a standard caulk gun. I prefer this product as I seem to have the best control when tooling the crack sealant into the crack. Since the cracks themselves are unsightly, there's no need to make things look worse with crack sealant that's spread unevenly on the pavement.

This blacktop crack can be repaired with a simple caulk gun and a tube of asphalt crack sealant. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

This blacktop crack can be repaired with a simple caulk gun and a tube of asphalt crack sealant. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

The best way, in my opinion, to apply the blacktop crack sealants is to stop and read all of the instructions on the product label. You need to be sure you have all of the right tools and products to ensure successful completion of the job. All too often people forget a very important step or two when sealing blacktop cracks.

When you read the label and instructions on some of the products, you will probably discover they mention the use of a backer rod. A backer rod is usually a foam product that is pushed down into a deep crack to save you money and help improve the appearance of the repair. The foam backer rods look like miniature garden hoses and come in different diameters and lengths.

Many of the blacktop-crack-repair products shrink in volume as they dry and cure. If you apply the minimum amount of material as is called for in the instructions, the shrinkage will be minimal. But all too often someone in a hurry will simply fill the deep crack with the crack filler. When the product dries, there is a noticeable depression in the crack. What's more, the person wasted valuable material deep in the crack where it's not needed.

Usually the depth of the crack filler should be equal to or slightly greater than the width of the crack being sealed. The instructions on the label of a crack sealer I just used said that the maximum thickness of the crack sealants shouldn't exceed one-half inch. It also said that the maximum width of a crack shouldn't exceed one-quarter inch.

It's important for you to make sure the crack is cleaned of all loose debris and that the blacktop is dry. Once again, read the instructions on the product you intend to use as some may allow you to apply the sealant to damp blacktop. This is often the case if the sealant is water-based.

Temperature can also be an issue. Most blacktop crack sealants can't be applied in cold weather. The label will once again tell you the minimum temperature for good results. But be careful as you need to understand that the minimum temperature usually extends to the entire drying and curing time. This means that if the label says not to use the product below 40 F, then if the daytime high is 40 F and the temperature is expected to drop into the 20's F hours after you apply it, there can be product failure.

Blacktop crack repair is important for any number of reasons. Water that enters the crack can penetrate the gravel base and work its way into the soil below the blacktop. If this happens, mud can be pumped up into the gravel. The mud can lubricate the gravel causing it to shift as cars and trucks drive across the blacktop.

If you live in a cold climate, the water is more sinister. In really wet weather, the water can fill up and stand within the crack. If the temperature drops below 32 F, the water can freeze. When water freezes it expands nine percent in volume. This expansion can cause the crack to get bigger or cause more severe damage to the blacktop. The best way to extend the life of blacktop is to keep cracks filled.

Column 748

October 12, 2008 AsktheBuilder News

Posted on by Tim Carter

SPECIAL EDITION

This is a quick newsletter blast that has some big news, and I need your help again. I'm going to have some new-product news to share in about three or four days, so watch for that. There will be some cool video links in the next issue as well.

What's in This Issue

Scary Economic News
Stain Solver and the Economy

SCARY ECONOMIC NEWS

If you're not fretting about the economic news, then you're incredibly lucky. Today, I attended the annual meeting of my subdivision Association. The house I bought here in New Hampshire is part of a 60-lot development. The outgoing president of the Association, Matt, made a statement that his 401K plan was now a 125K plan because of the historic downturn in the stock market. That comment brought only polite laughter as everyone in the room was suffering.

Kathy and I have decided to substantially restrain our spending, and maybe you've decided to do the same. This preserves cash as none of us knows how long things will take to get back to normal. The trouble with this mindset is that it can actually make things worse. Consumer spending makes up a majority of our economy. If we all stop spending money, tens of thousands of companies will go out of business making the current mess seem like a walk in the park. It's really a conundrum.

My gut tells me that for our economy to get stronger again, we're going to have to go back in time and live like our parents. This means you and l should start to build a decent savings account and when borrowing money, do so conservatively.

Once again I need your help. I've decided to budget a significant amount of time to help you through this economic turmoil. You're probably stuck in your current home, and will not be able to sell it anytime soon. This means that you'll need to make improvements and you probably will not be hiring contractors to do it as cash is tight.

What quick step-by-step booklets, with photos and videos, can I produce to help you:

1. Do needed repairs
2. Save energy
3. Make simple improvements that will brighten your home

Think about the top three projects you would like to tackle, and I'll roll up my sleeves and start writing the quick guide booklets for you.

Here's my offer. The first 50 people who give me three great suggestions for the subject matter in these guides, I'll give you a secret promo code to get a 40% discount on anything you want from my store. I'll send you the promo code as soon as I determine who the 50 are. Remember, you MUST give me three titles or distinct topics.

If you're not one of the first 50, keep reading as I have something for you that should be of great interest.

STAIN SOLVER AND THE ECONOMY

If you're a seasoned subscriber to this newsletter, then you know that the last time I had a promotion about Stain Solver was when I moved into the new warehouse back in August. Since that time, there are nearly 10,000 new subscribers who receive this newsletter. If you're one of the new subscribers, I feel you need to experience the crazy Stain Solver sales I have from time to time. The last sale was so successful we completely sold out of all the material we had in stock. Kathy, my wife, was about to choke my guts out, she and Ellen had to work so hard to fill the orders. Ellen is in charge of the Stain Solver operation, and she was not too happy as well.

Kathy and I own Stain Solver - it's this crazy little cottage business we started 12 years ago to help us survive as I made the switch from full-time builder to full-time writer. Well, it's time for a crazy sale - really crazy.

First, Stain Solver is a great product for these harsh economic times. It's an oxygen-bleach cleaner that removes the toughest stains out of just about anything. Since times are tough and you can't buy those new clothes you might want or you need to clean the worn carpet in your house, Stain Solver can make those things look fantastic. There are literally hundreds of things around your house both inside and out, that you can restore by cleaning them with Stain Solver.

If you're embracing the Green Movement, then you have to love Stain Solver. When you mix the powder with water, all you get are billions of oxygen ions, more water and a little bit of natural soda ash! No toxic chemicals, no odors, no danger to plants, etc. It's simply a wonderful product.

So here's the great news! When we moved into the new warehouse, we needed to conserve space. To do that, I've introduced these cool new containers that save more of our planet's natural resources. With these new containers, I'm using far less packaging materials. Wait until you see these cute little buckets Kathy and I are using for our  bigger sizes. And to save even more of the planet's natural resources, Kathy and I have decided to eliminate one of sizes we've had since we started the company.

We are phasing out our six-pound size forever. If you want to be one of the last people to order this size, the time is now, and I mean now. Once we sell out of this size, which I expect will happen rapidly with this announcement, then all you will be able to get is the 8-pound size. Furthermore, we're replacing the 12-pound size with a new 16-pound tub of Stain Solver. Confused yet? Here's the rundown:

After we sell out of the six-pound size, we will offer Stain Solver in 4, 8, 16 and 50-pound quantities. That's still a wide range of sizes, so you will be able to match the size you need to the job you have. We discovered that you wanted the new 16-pound size to do those larger jobs where 12 pounds simply wasn't enough.

You need to know that Kathy is the chief financial officer of the company. I'm just the creative guy. I had to do some negotiating with her to get permission to offer you this insane sale price.

Kathy said that for the next week only I can give you 25% off any size of Stain Solver. If you're a long time subscriber to this newsletter you know a sale like this is about as common as a priest at a high-stakes poker game.

I urge you to act now. Go to the Stain Solver website now and read the customer reviews, look at the before and after photos and see all of the stains it will clean. And don't forget about the guarantee ..... You'll see that once you get there.

Here's the promo code for this sale: kathy25

http://www.StainSolver.com

The sale ends in just seven days. (Sale ended on October 19, 2008.)  If you procrastinate, you'll regret it.

Watch for the next newsletter in just a few days.

Thanks as always for your support and kind words.

Index of past newsletters.

Manual Log Splitter Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

"As you pump the handle back and forth, the ram pushes the log forward into the splitting wedge."

Manual Log Splitter Checklist

  • they work but are slow
  • easier on your shoulders if currently using a maul
  • 6 to 8-inch-diameter logs work best
  • easy to maneuver by hand

Is a Manual Log Splitter Better than a Splitting Maul?

A splitting maul is fast, but you put lots of strain on your shoulders. A manual log splitter is slow but mostly works the biceps and triceps in your arms.

If you have a large log splitting job, and you are tired of using one of those splitting mauls, try a manual log splitter.

How Big is the Hydraulic Pump?

This log splitter has a 10-ton hydraulic pump. The hydraulic ram pushes the log into the splitting wedge.

manual log splitter

Here's another manual log splitter. CLICK THE PHOTO to have one delivered to your home in days.

How Long Can the Logs Be?

It can handle up to 18" logs. It's probably best to cut your firewood to 16-inch lengths.

Does the Splitter have Two Speeds?

This model features two different ram speeds. The speed stroke for smaller logs. And the power stroke for larger logs.

Do I Really Need to Read the Manual?

Before using the manual log splitter, be sure to read the manual and observe all safety warnings.

What Kind of Safety Gear Do I Need?

Typically, you should wear safety glasses and heavy gloves. Be sure to be alert and keep the work area clear so you do not trip over objects.

Where Does the Handle Store?

This manual log splitter stores the handle right alongside the tool. Remove the handle from the storage area and drop it in one of the two jack handle positions.

How Does the Ram Split the Wood?

As you pump the handle back and forth, the ram pushes the log forward into the splitting wedge. A wide wedge will cause the log to split faster with less work.

The manual log splitter will save your back over using a splitting maul. This tool is portable and easy to use.

Tim Carter, AsktheBuilder.com

Log Splitters Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Do you have a lot of wood to split? What is the best method? There are three options you can use to split logs.

First is the standard splitting maul. It is like a 6 to 8 pound sledge hammer, and has a face like an axe, but it widens out. This splits the wood as you drive it down into the log. The pros to using a splitting maul is that it is inexpensive and portable. Just throw it into your car or pickup truck and head out. The cons include using a tremendous amount of physical labor to split a lot of wood. And if you are working with big logs, the maul just can't do the job.

A tool with a little more power is a manual log splitter. It features a 10-ton hydraulic jack that you pump with a handle. As you pump the handle, the piston extends and pushes the log into the splitting wedge on the other end of the log splitter. The pros include the ability to split larger logs and you exert less energy to split the logs. Some models feature a two-speed pump. The manual log splitters are not really that expensive. The cons are if you have a lot of logs to split, it is going to take a long time. In addition, you have to bend over a lot to load the logs onto the splitting rail and picking up the pieces. The manual log splitter is a good in-between tool.

If you have a lot of work to do and you want to use a minimum amount of effort, try a 27-ton, hydraulic ram, gas-powered log splitter. All you have to do is push down on a lever to split your logs. The logs are just set up under the ram. No lifting of the logs. The pros include the power and speed. You can split a lot of wood in a very short time period. The biggest con is the cost. This type of log splitter is very expensive if you are going to purchase one. As an alternative, these can be rented for four hours or a full day or weekend. If you have a lot of wood to split, this will save you time and save your back.

Tim Carter, AsktheBuilder.com

October 7, 2008 AsktheBuilder News

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Issue

ONE NEVER KNOWS
CORRECTIONS
HEATING COSTS
LOG-SPLITTER VIDEOS
PAINTING KITCHEN CABINETS
RANDOM THOUGHTS
PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS A & M
FOUNDATION PRIMER
SECURITY ON YOUR COMPUTER
NEW WEBSITE
LATEST COLUMNS

 

ONE NEVER KNOWS

About an hour after sending last week's newsletter, I was in the grocery store. Meghan and Brent had just dropped me off to pick up my Volvo wagon. It needed new tires, front brakes and the NH Safety Inspection. They took off to run some errands and I told them I would catch up with them at the store.

When I got there, they were just finishing paying for the supplies, and were talking to an older couple - George and Judy Brunstad. I walked up and joined in. We discovered that they live on the same street as we did! What a small world.

But it gets better. George and Judy asked about us and why we moved to New Hampshire. Somehow it came out that Meghan and I had Internet businesses and websites. George grabbed a small brown bag from the end of the checkout machine and wrote down our URLs. As we continued to talk, he tore the bag in half and wrote down a different URL. George handed me the scrape of brown paper and said, "I have a website of my own. You might want to visit it." That's all he said. He was very modest and as normal a fellow you might ever expect to meet.

Little did we know that we were talking with a world-record holder, and not just any record. We were talking with a man that holds the distinction of being the oldest living person in the world to achieve an incredible feat. What was it? Well, just go to George's webpage.

Remember, when you meet someone, you just never know who they are and what they've done. It's a good thing I didn't make some boastful comment about treading water.

CORRECTIONS

Last week for some reason two of the links in the newsletter didn't work. Don't ask me why. But here they are:

Stain Solver

 

HEATING COSTS

As I'm typing and editing this newsletter, we're having our first cold snap here in New Hampshire. The outdoor temperature is 39 F and my boiler thermostat is set to 61 F indoors. I'm toasty warm in a tee shirt and fleece that is zipped up to my neck. I'm saving big bucks on my propane bill. You can too! Turn your thermostat way down and put on more clothes. When it gets even colder, I'll put on a knit hat or wear my hooded sweatshirt and put on my flannel-lined blue jeans. They're softer than a baby's bum.

LOG-SPLITTER VIDEOS

The high cost of heating fuels might have you looking at wood to heat your home. If this is the case and you intend to cut and split the wood yourself, then you might be interested in a product test I'm about to conduct.

I just took delivery of two different log splitters and we're taping videos about both in a matter of days. I'm pretty sure you're going to be blown away by the one video, especially if you are a true environmentalist. If you are embracing the Green Movement, then you're going to see the dream log splitter. The video links will be in next week's newsletter.

 

PAINTING KITCHEN CABINETS

Sue England reached out to me with a few interesting questions about painting cabinets. She was having trouble with brush marks while trying to paint her kitchen cabinets. Spraying will eliminate this, but that process requires lots of practice and some special equipment. You can minimize brush marks by adding a product that reduces the surface tension in the paint.  Penetrol is a paint conditioner made for oil or alkyd paints that will really help you eliminate brush marks. There's a similar product made for latex paints called Floetrol. Neither of these products will negatively affect the adhesive qualities of the paint.

Sue also asked about how to make sure water doesn't ruin the cardboard core of paint rollers. Quality rollers have a special core that is water-resistant, but not always waterproof. Higher quality rollers will absolutely not fall apart. I have rollers I've cleaned nearly 50 times that have the cardboard cores. They're all in excellent condition.

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

This is going to be a new feature in the newsletter. Feel free to send me your random thoughts. Please change the subject line of your email to me to just these two words:  Random Thoughts. I'll include as many each week as I have space. Here are mine for this week to get this going:

Not every traffic engineer gets good grades when they're in school. Did many of ones who just barely passed getting their engineering degree go to work in Boston?

pedestal bath sink

These two pedestal sinks look great but might not be the most practical thing for a teenage girl. Narrow cabinets hide behind the mirrors, but no way will you or anyone be putting a hairdryer in one! Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Pedestal sinks look great, but they're really impractical. You can't hardly store anything on the curved edges around the bowl. These sinks seem to be breeding here in my New Hampshire house. The previous owner installed them, not me.

You don't save money on a energy improvement on your home until such time as the cumulative energy savings equal what you paid to achieve the savings. Once that happens, you then start to really save money. In some instances, it can take over 10 or 15 years to break even.

 

PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS A & M

This past Saturday I had an amazing phone call with Kelly Milligan the Technical Laboratory Manager at TEES / Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A & M University.

We're in the early stages of forming an exciting partnership where we obtain funding for official independent testing of building products and systems. Kelly and I are both in agreement that there's too much questionable information out there about energy claims, and myths that need to be addressed with respect to what does and doesn't really work.

For example, we're creating a wish list of tests that will tell you how much air really needs to pass through an attic to drop the temperature from 140 F to 105 F. I want to know exactly how well continuous ridge vents do at dropping attic temperatures. Do the foam insulations absolutely prevent condensation from forming in exterior walls and ceilings that have been sprayed?  The list of tests that need to be done and funded is almost endless.

My job is to act as the platform to publish these test results. Your job is to help me discover funding sources. Do you work for a utility company, some foundation that provides grants, maybe a large corporation that wants the truth to come out, etc.? Do you have other ideas how we can fund these independent studies? If so, please contact me so we can get this fantastic venture moving forward.

I'm also very interested in the tests you would like to see performed. What questions do you have about building products? The tests don't have to be all about energy. Maybe you're interested in roofing products or the durability of ceramic tile. Tell me what things you would like to see tested.

FOUNDATION PRIMER

You're going to think I'm crazy, but this is a true story. I'm convinced that this story is going to be of great interest to nearly 65 percent of the subscribers to this newsletter. First, there are different types of foundations.

About four years ago, I was a judge on the reality television show The Mansion.

The first time we did a taping, I had to get to the set about two hours before the cameras were turned on to get makeup put on. Yes, makeup. You bet that was strange for me!

The production company hired Lynne Molitor, a local professional makeup artist based in Cincinnati, Ohio, to do this each taping. The first week, Lynne asked me to go wash my face before she started to work on me. I got into the chair nervous as can be and quite embarrassed. Being the pro she is, Lynne could see I was overflowing with anxiety and didn't take advantage of the situation. The first thing she did was spread this compound all over my face and neck. It was clear and cool.

Being inquisitive I asked, "Lynne, what's that you're putting on my face?" She said, "A foundation primer." Not knowing squat about makeup, she could see from my expression I was clueless. She followed, "Tim, I read your column each week and pretty much know what you do. You've written in past columns that one should skim coat an old plaster wall before it's painted. The spackling compound fills small cracks and holes."

Lynne was starting to talk my language. But I still didn't understand the need. "Tim, if you could look at your face with a magnifying glass you would see holes and cracks. Most people call the cracks wrinkles. This clear primer dries on your face and bridges over the holes and wrinkles. By doing this, I only have to put on a very small amount of foundation to get the job done. Women who don't use this primer tend to put on lots of foundation to fill the holes and wrinkles. When you see a woman with too much makeup on, that's the cause", Lynne commented while continuing to apply different types of makeup on and around different areas of my face.

Wow! I knew exactly what she meant as I've seen women with thick amounts of makeup caked on their cheeks and foreheads. I never realized there was an alternative.

I mentioned this on my radio show the week after it happened and the phone lines lit up like crazy. Women called in wanting to know the product. One of the callers even asked me to stop by and show how to apply it. I kindly declined that offer. Well, the magical product Lynne used on me is made by Laura Mercier and is simply called Foundation Primer. I just checked online and there are any number of places you can get it.

So here's my question. How can you give it as a gift to a woman who needs it? You know, without offending her? Any suggestions? I can't imagine there's a way to do that.

The last question I asked Lynne while she was turning a sow's ear into a silk purse was, "Lynne, that wouldn't be eye liner you're applying would it?" Her straight-faced reply, "Absolutely not. I'm just brushing away some powder......."

SECURITY ON YOUR COMPUTER

I belong to a mastermind group made up of very successful and brilliant Internet entrepreneurs. One of them is my very dear friend Leo Notenboom. Leo is a lifelong software engineer who owns and operates a fantastic website that has countless questions and answers about computers and software. I use it all the time. A few days ago, Leo made a post to our mastermind group about the latest security measures one should use to keep their machines safe from all the sinister and nefarious rascals that are polluting the Internet ecosystem. Discover amazing tips that will help keep your computer safe and secure.

 

NEW WEBSITE

You're the best! I want to extend the warmest thanks I can to you for participating in the survey about the new website I'm planning. Your feedback was amazing. I underestimated the need and desire for this venture. The timing of your comments was perfect as I took the data with me to a special conference I attended this past weekend in Boston. The conference was all about special websites that attract people like you that want exclusive content both written and video.

One of the things I discovered at the conference was a fascinating statistic. People tend to join these websites at first for the deluxe content, but within just three months the community aspects of the website are far more important to them. When you become a part of my new website, you'll soon discover new home-improvement soul mates who are struggling with the same challenges as you.

I'm starting to work on the new website this week. As you might expect, I'm building it around your requests. I'll try to keep you posted each week via this newsletter how things are going. This much I can tell you now: There's going to be video content at this website you'll simply not be able to find anywhere else on the Internet. Many of these videos are going to save you enormous amount of time and money. And yes, you're going to see scads of product-review videos.

LATEST COLUMNS

Have you wondered about the effectiveness of continuous roof or ridge vents?

What happens when you are cleaning your ceramic tile shower and the wall gives or collapses?

Index of past newsletters.

September 30, 2008 AsktheBuilder News

Posted on by Tim Carter

What's in This Issue

THE STORM AND CINDER
STANDBY GENERATORS
NEW WEBSITE DESIGN
OP-ED PIECE FOR THE WASHINGTON TIMES
HUGH STAIN SOLVER NEWS
TROUBLING FINANCIAL NEWS
LATEST COLUMNS 

THE STORM AND CINDER

CinderThe past three weeks have been crazy and stressful for me as I am sure they've been for you. I traveled back and forth to Chicago on business, then five days later went from New Hampshire to Mountain View, California and finally this past Sunday night I got back from Chicago from yet another business trip.

In between all that travel, Hurricane Ike made many people suffer including my wife Kathy in Cincinnati. She, along with hundreds of thousands of other residents, was without power for five days. Millions of people from Galveston, TX to Detroit, MI were affected.

Then just a few days after the power was restored to the house in Cincinnati, our beloved dog Cinder passed away in his sleep. He was a young man - we believe he was born January of 2003. The autopsy showed he had a genetic defect in his heart that made the blood-pumping chambers too small.

Poor Kathy was alone to deal with the storm and all the associated cleanup as well as the shock of seeing Cinder not get up from his bed. I was helpless 1,000 miles away. This situation put me into a deep funk and stressing about how I was only able to offer support over the phone from all the different places I was as all this happened.

I tell you this only to explain my absence from your email boxes. We're starting to feel better, and will be picking out a special spot on the mountain property in New Hampshire to bury Cinder's remains. He never got to play on the land, but will have a fantastic view and be able to watch us live there.

STANDBY GENERATORS

The loss of power that Kathy endured really brought home the need for a generator. Electricity is something you and I tend to take for granted. We shouldn't. You may be one of my subscribers that gets electrons to us, as several linemen, power plant engineers and utility company employees have contacted me in the past. I thank you deeply for all the work you do in all kinds of weather conditions.

Kathy's dilemma has set the wheels in motion for a series of columns and videos I intend to write and tape about standby generators. These devices differ from portable generators. A standby generator typically is hard wired into your electric system and turns on automatically if there is a power outage. They tend to generate far more power than a small portable generator.

I'm doing everything possible to expedite the research and installation so I can share all of the facts before the winter snow and ice storms cause more people to be in the dark. In the meantime, discover more about standby generators here.

NEW WEBSITE DESIGN

A little over two weeks ago, I launched a new design at my website. My guess is that you might not have seen it because of all of the turmoil. You may have already contacted me with compliments, and if you did, I sure appreciate them.

The design was done by my daughter Meghan and the needed coding to make it come to life on your screen was done by Brent Walter. Roger Henthorn, my right-hand man, also worked tirelessly on the launch. These people are very talented, and I deeply thank them. Meghan is rebuilding her own website www.AsktheDecorator.com. If you haven't visited it, you should.

One thing I want to share about my new site design is the Search feature. You can locate the Search box at the top of each page. I urge you to really use that when you are searching for a specific column, topic or category. For example, let's say you want to discover some tips about doors. If you type the word doors into the Search box at the top of each page, you will see at the top of the Search Results the Doors category page as well as many of my columns and videos about doors.  Use that search engine. Rev it up and see if you can blow a cylinder or two. I doubt you can, as it's one powerful engine.

OP-ED PIECE FOR THE WASHINGTON TIMES - WOO HOO ! ! ! ! !

If you have been a subscriber for several months, then you know I had to testify as an Internet expert in front of the US House of Representatives twice this summer and the US Senate on one occasion. Those appearances led to an opportunity to write an op-ed piece for the Washington Times newspaper. The column appeared this past Sunday.

If you are a small business person or work for one (nearly 50% of the work force works at a small business), then you absolutely should read the article and forward it to the person who does the marketing for your company. You should also call your representatives in the House and Senate and let them know how you feel about the matter. Finally, if you like the piece I wrote, please make a comment at the bottom of the column. It only takes a few moments to register and it's free. You can also send a letter to the editor of the paper.

HUGE STAIN SOLVER NEWS

Next week, I will have big news about Stain Solver. I'm introducing a new size and two new containers! To celebrate, I'm having a monster promotion. If you don't know what Stain Solver is because you're a new subscriber, then go here to discover Uncle Tim's Magic Crystals as my good friend Kevin Savitz calls it.

TROUBLING FINANCIAL NEWS

Even if you live under a rock, you have to be aware of the earth-shaking financial news. It's affected everyone I know, and has Kathy and I on edge. The national newspaper USAToday had an interesting article about the economy yesterday.

Here's a small snippet of it:

"And in fact, the economic woes are nothing close to the Great Depression, even if it feels that way to some. We're nowhere near the days of wandering homelessness evoked in John Steinbeck's 1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath.

Starting in 1929, the U.S. economy shrank for four consecutive years. In 1940, the economy still was smaller than in 1929 before the stock crash.

The economy today, though wounded, continues to expand. It grew at an annual rate of 2.8% in the second quarter.

Unemployment in the 1930s was staggering, above 20% for four years. In 1933, 24.9% of the labor force was jobless. Today, it's 6.1%.

The Dow is down 21% from its October 2007 high. That's less than it lost in the first two days of the rout that brought on the Great Depression."

Even if the facts show that by definition we're not in a recession or depression, I'm starting to see a dramatic increase in emails from homeowners just like you who are facing the likelihood of putting off needed repairs to their homes because of a shortage of money. Perhaps you're one who used to call a professional to do a job, but now can't afford a pro or are thinking of rolling up your sleeves to try to do the job yourself.

The emails I'm receiving all have a common theme. If you're one of the people reaching out to me, you told me that you want more personalized interaction from me and you want a place to hang out with other homeowners who are in the same situation.

I want to do everything possible to make this happen, but I need your help. One of my business associates, Tim Kerber, suggested that I create a new website that is a club or a virtual garage where we can all hang out without being bothered by others. He said that my regular website www.AsktheBuilder.com would remain untouched. You will be able to always access it. All of my existing columns and videos will be there and new ones will continue to be added frequently. Of course I agreed with that.

But this new website would be a special place. Imagine for yourself what it might be. There could be in-depth columns and videos of mine found nowhere else on the Internet. It could have private discussion groups where you could communicate with me and other homeowners who have the same problem(s) you're experiencing.

I tried something like this in the past on two different occasions, and both times it didn't work out. The first attempt was a common discussion board that was open to anyone. Here's what happened. Companies would join the discussions and try to push their cheesy products or services on all who were there. Other loudmouth and boisterous people and contractors would barge into a discussion and offend many there with their rancorous and mean-spirited comments. I received so many complaints from my visitors, I shut the discussions down. The second attempt was a premium content website that faltered because the timing was not right.

But now I feel the perfect storm has arisen, and you and I need to figure out how to make this idea come alive and flourish. Part of the reason I feel the last two attempts failed is because I failed to include your ideas in the planning, and we all know planning is the most important part of a project.

Will you please help me to plan and create this new website? You can do it by just going to this  special page and answer some easy questions. I have also included plenty of space where you can provide me with your feedback. One of the things I would like to do is schedule a conference call with you. Tell me if that is of interest to you when you get to the following page. We could have a brainstorming session on the phone to refine suggestions you will make.

Remember, my www.AsktheBuilder.com website is not going away and it's not changing. It's really important that you understand that you'll always be able to get to it 24/7/365.

You and I need to act fast as many are suffering. Please go fill out this simple survey as soon as you can:

LATEST COLUMNS

Wood deck railings are rarely constructed properly. Discover why they fail before their time.

I don't know about you, but I am really worried about my heating costs this winter. You might be shocked at how easy it really is to slash your heating cost. I'll bet you can't guess what I will suggest.

Index of past newsletters.