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Right at Home

You’re going to do what?

Naturally, we’re big proponents of teaching homeowners the skills they need to get projects done around the home. But we also believe that there are some jobs that should be left to the pros. So our advice is to get good help if you’re going to, for example:

Do major electrical work. Changing a fixture or hanging a ceiling fan is one thing, but other jobs, such as changing a service or switching out knob and tube wiring, should be left to a licensed expert whose work will be inspected by the appropriate body. Keep in mind too that in most jurisdictions, electrical work done by a homeowner must also be inspected.

Need heavy outdoor equipment for the job. A BobCat may look like the Dinky Toy you had played with a kid, but driving one isn’t child’s play, believe me. Even though anybody can rent one, it takes special training to use it. One wrong swing and you can take out a building column, or your neighbour’s wife. These are not for amateurs. You also need to know where they shouldn’t go – i.e. over an area that contains a septic bed or unstable ground.

Take on structural work. It’s not that the actual work required to move a wall that’s so complicated. It’s that it takes specialized engineering knowledge and an understanding of the complexities of how a load needs to be borne. Without that, you might make a move that causes a wall to crumble or a roof to fall in. Never, ever try to puzzle out this kind of work yourself.

Having said that, there are tons of tasks you can take on yourself that are relatively easy. In fact, there are several jobs that I am always surprised more people don’t do themselves. They include:

Trim work. A small investment in trim can pay big design dividends. Learn your way around a chop saw and you can quickly and easily cut trim, and apply it to create a customized look. And if you mess up once or twice, it’s not a big deal – wrecking a small piece of trim won’t break the bank.

Flooring. It’s easier than you might think, especially with the new systems that are now on the market. The trick is to understand each step of the process. Follow them carefully and there’s no reason most homeowners can’t install their own floor.

Tiling. Another design element that offers lots of bang for the buck. You’ll definitely need some practise here, especially if you’ve never used a wet saw before. But once you’ve got the hang of it, tiling is a do-able project for most homeowners.

The other thing to ask yourself when trying to decide if you should take on a job is whether or not it’s something you like and that you’re good at. I firmly believe that nobody can be good at everything. I think you should invest in gaining or enhancing skills in an area that will give you satisfaction. If plumbing’s not your thing, but you love carpentry, focus on that. And never tackle a job that you know in your gut is beyond your skill level. That can make for a frustrating — and even dangerous — situation.

If you do want to learn new skills, or brush up on old ones, check out the BiY course calendar. Pick a course that you’d think you’d really enjoy and go for it. You’ll be surprised by how much you can learn in a short time from a seasoned pro on the BiY teaching team.

Great Gadgets

Last month, we looked at what you should have inside a basic tool box. This month, we’ll look at a few toys that any tool-head would be happy to find space for in his or her workshop. And in honour of Father’s Day, we’re going to suggest that most every Dad would choose one of these cool tools over yet another pair of black socks. Trust me on that one. Nothing says you care quite like a honkin’ new power tool, or a clever gadget.

If Dad’s been really good this year, consider a miter saw, which can be a huge help to any home reno enthusiast faced with lots of trim-work, such as base boards, crown, and casings. But if you’re going to get one for Dad, get him a good one, because an unreliable tool slows things down and is frustrating to use. We’ve been really impressed with the new 12-inch dual bevel miter saw from Bosch. The cutting capacity offers more versatility because of the sliding component of the saw. This lends its use to cutting lumber for decks, shelving and many other projects around the house. And it’s portable — especially when used with the Bosch T4B Miter Saw Stand.

Other stand-out features include the fact that the controls are on the front of the machine — easy to see and easy to set. It’s also got pre-sets for standard crown moulding cuts. Another thing worth noting — it has two carrying handles. Why does that matter? Because unless you’re King Kong, carrying a 59-pound tool is a two-handed job. And since the handle is adjustable, it’s easy to use for both left and right handers.

While it’s not a power tool, Stanley’s QuickSquare is a handy addition to any took kit or workroom. It’s very versatile, functioning as a protractor, scale, and layout tool for rafter cuts. The adjustable arm means it can also be used a fence guide for a circular saw, so it helps get multiple cuts done quickly and accurately, whether you're cutting studs, joists and rafters or, say, making angle cuts of wood to build custom planters for your deck. The fact that it’s made of aircraft-grade aluminum means the square stays true, and doesn’t slip while in use. Nice to know.

We also like Bosch’s 18-volt 2-Speed Ultra-Compact Drill/Driver. It’s got the shortest height and the shortest head length (about seven inches) of any standard-chuck drill/driver. At just over two pounds, it punches above its weight. That means it’s great for jobs where there’s lots of fastening to be done in a cramped space. (The on-board LED light helps with that, too.) The two-speed drive train lets users quickly choose between high-torque or high-speed function. But you can finesse it further, because a variable speed trigger lets you dial in your preference to match the job at hand. We also appreciate the three-year warranty.

And while I don’t want to stereotype, I think it’s safe to say that lots of guys collect socket wrenches the way women horde shoes. So you could probably make Dad very happy with one of the new Stanley Mechanics Black Chrome 109 piece kit. Black chrome socket offers twice as much resistant to corrosion than traditional socket sets, and each set has a quick-release and reverse mechanism. Each kit include pear-head ratchets, deep well sockets, standard sockets, a spinner handle, extension bars, spark plug sockets, and a set of bits.

Any of these would make a great gift — either for Dad, or yourself.

Ask Jim

Go ahead – ask Jim anything. He’ll give you the straight goods. Some questions will be answered during Jim's online Radio Show, BIY RADIO, which will run on this site every other Thursday at 9:00 p.m starting in June of 2010. If Jim doesn’t know the answer, he’ll find an expert who does. You can submit your questions to "ASK JIM" by clicking here.

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