How to Drill a Perfectly Straight and Square Hole without a Drill Press

Sure, every once in a while, you want to intentionally drill a hole an at angle. Sometimes, compound joinery demands it, or you're going for a stylish, contemporary look on a project.

But most of the holes we drill - I'd hazard to say a good 99% of them - are intended to be drilled straight on, perfectly perpendicular to the surface. You can do this precisely with a drill press, but many makers don't have one, and they require specific set up and work that's small enough to be placed on the table. 

So that leaves the cordless drill. A tool that, when balanced on the tip of a drill bit, can be easily canted and slanted off square in every single direction, especially when you're putting force behind it. But the task is not impossible.

Yes, DIYers, you can drill a perfectly 90° hole with a cordless drill. Here's how it's done.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4692-how-to-drill-a-perfectly-straight-and-square-hole-without-a-drill-press

CST/Berger TLM100 Review: Handheld Laser Distance Measure

The CST/Berger TLM100 is a hand-held laser distance measurer that is well-suited for use around the home, for basic DIY tasks and for hobbyists. Like other laser measures, it allows you to quickly get a highly accurate reading when measuring distance and works by using a laser. Here, the laser is projected from the front of the device and will then travel in a straight line to your chosen end point. Once it makes contact with the wall, the pillar or whatever else you are trying to measure, it will be reflected and bounce directly straight back. The device will time how long this process takes and that way, you’ll be given an accurate measure of the distance!

This can be useful for tiling estimations, for making window fittings considerably easier, for painting, for hanging wallpaper, for laying carpets and for measuring gaps for furniture. There are plenty more options and applications for laser measures too, but is the CST/Berger TLM100 a good pick?

Product Description: Basic Specs With Good Performance

The CST/Berger TLM100 has a range of 100 feet, meaning that you can use it to measure distances 100 feet long and no larger. This in turn means it is really best for indoor applications. The minimum distance is 2 foot, meaning that it may not be precise enough for some woodworking applications.

Within that range, it has a good accuracy of 6mm (meaning that it will be accurate to within 6mm). This is not industry leading but it is a good number for the price.

The device does have some other decent bells and whistles. For instance, it comes with a graphical LCD screen and has a decent case with rubber grip to ensure that a) you don’t drop it and b) it won’t break if you do drop it.

The device is light at 12.8 ounces and small enough to be slung in a bag or even to slip into a pocket (with definite, noticeable bulge).

Pros and Cons: Not the Most Powerful or Functional but Good for What it Does

• The pros of this device revolve largely around the convenience, the small size and the price. On the other hand, the cons tend to revolve around the lack of advanced features.
• This device is very quick and simple to use. In our testing, we found it to be quick to pull out and very accurate with just the touch of a button. That’s good news of course because it saves a lot of time and means that you aren’t waiting for things to boot up or find your way around complicated interfaces. The battery life is good too and the exterior – though not particularly attractive – is great in terms of ergonomics and durability.
• This is better than the comparable product from Stanley and anything cheaper is likely not a true laser measure but rather an ultrasonic measure – these aren’t as accurate and you need to be very careful when buying!
• On the downside though, there are really no bells and whistles here. There is no fold out attachment which means you’ll have to hold it in place and rely on your steady hands. There’s no on-board memory, 100 foot isn’t a huge range and there’s no attachment for a tripod.

Conclusion: What do You Want From a Laser Measure?

As is always the case, the suitability of this device for you is going to depend entirely on your intended use case scenario and the kind of work you do. It ultimately comes down to what you expect to get from a laser measure and what you’re using right now.

If you’re comparing this to a top of the range laser measure, then of course it’s going to lack advanced functionality. But if you’re currently using a tape measure and a pencil, then this will be a huge step up that will improve your accuracy and your productivity. It saves time and makes more accurate measurements.

It’s not over-designed and it really is the bare minimum in terms of what you can expect to get from a laser measure. But for the right kind of user, that’s going to be perfectly fine and possibly even desirable. A great choice in 2017 and 2018!

Source: http://www.toolerant.com/cstberger-tlm100-review-handheld-laser-distance-measure/

source https://toolerantcom.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/cstberger-tlm100-review-handheld-laser-distance-measure/

How to: The Easy Way to Remove Pencil Marks from Your Woodworking Projects

Saws are exciting, and chisels and hand planes look really great on top of your workbench. But if you ask me, the number one most-important, guaranteed tool I use on every single project is: the No. 2 pencil.

It's essential for everything from sketching to measuring to layout and marking parts, and its "easy to remove" nature makes it perfect for seeing now, disappearing later. Except, have you ever actually tried to remove pencil from wood before applying a finish?   

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4318-how-to-the-easy-way-to-remove-pencil-marks-from-your-woodworking-projects

These are the Best Bottles of Whiskey Under $20

There are times for spending on an investment bottle, but there are even more times for enjoying something perfectly good that cost less than an Andrew Jackson. None of them are going to blow your mind, but you know that already. But - seriously - if you're having fun and it's more about the conversation than what's in the glass, twelves drinks of anything palatable for less than twenty bucks is money well spent.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4691-these-are-the-best-bottles-of-whiskey-under-20

How to Clean Your Entire House in 45 Minutes: A Modern Man's Guide

Your bachelor pad. Your family home. That apartment with all the architectural detail and the amazing view. Wherever you live, houses get messy. And they stay that way, until you clean them. When your plans to let someone inside ends up happening before your hopes of getting your home back to normal, then it's time to clean it. Quickly. 

You don't have the time to deep clean and scrub, so make the little bit you have count. If you're smart and focused, you can pull it off in the running time of your favorite record.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/3847-how-to-clean-your-entire-house-in-45-minutes-a-modern-man-s-guide

How to: Make a Simple Wooden Passive Smartphone Speaker

Happy Monday, ManMakers! Today, I'm super excited to share an exclusive project with you. It's an excerpt from the new book Build Stuff with Wood, which is all about making cool woodworking projects with the most basic of tools.

The book is written by Asa Christiana, the former editor of Fine Woodworking magazine, and, I'm proud to say, a close friend of mine and all-around good guy. It features a variety of everyday objects you can make armed only with a cordless drill, a circular saw, and a jigsaw, plus a small palm router on one or two. There's a section on setting up a workspace, building a basic tool kit, and how to get great furniture-quality results from construction-grade tools. (Plus, a nice section on shop safety featuring a few photos of yours truly.)  Plus, the intro is written by Nick Offerman, so...enough said!

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4690-how-to-make-a-simple-wooden-passive-smartphone-speaker

ManMade Reader Poll: What's Your Favorite Stephen King Novel?

So... I realized something over the weekend. I was listening to a podcast that had intended to have a conversation the new Dark Tower movie, but since it was, apparently, completely boring and not worth discussing, they decided to chat about their favorite Stephen King books, movie adaptations, mini-series, etc. And it hit me:    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4689-manmade-reader-poll-what-s-your-favorite-stephen-king-novel

The No Bullshit Way to Bake Your Own Bread

Gluten is my homeboy. I don't care what the fad-diets say (and apologies to those of you who are truly gluten-intolerant). Paleo-be-damned, I'm grateful our ancestors developed agriculture, so we could stop foraging and eat mostly bread (and also develop science, art, culture, etc.). 

Great bread is easy to make. Here's how I do it:    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/bruno/posts/4243-the-no-bullshit-way-to-bake-your-own-bread

Amazingly Cool Vintage Railroad Logos

Web and graphic designer Christian Annyas has collected and dissected 100 logos from U.S. and Canadian railroad companies. He provides a fascinating overview of the evolution of the logos from 1845 to 2000.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/2178-amazingly-cool-vintage-railroad-logos

How to Make a Stylish Standing Desk Riser

This post is sponsored by the DIYZ® app.

When my friend Bruno hurt his back a few years ago, he started preaching about the value of standing while you're at work. Having made a bicycle-mounted laptop stand way back in 2010!, I'm not new to… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4662-how-to-make-a-stylish-standing-desk-riser

8 Things I'm Totally Obsessed with This Month (September 2017 Edition)

These are thoughts, the artwork, the news stories, the tools, the food, the conversations, and whatever else we just can't get out of our heads this month.        … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4688-8-things-i-m-totally-obsessed-with-this-month-september-2017-edition

How to: Make DIY Rustic Masculine Candles

Can't get into the floral smells and garish artwork of storebought candles? Nope, us either. So  we came up with our very own DIY version to make a reusable rustic candle that any guy can be proud to burn in his home. (Or log cabin?)… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/gabriel/posts/2605-how-to-make-diy-rustic-masculine-candles

How to: Build a Bike Repair Stand for $30 in Hardware Store Parts

Bikes have moving parts...it's precisely what they're designed to do. And things with moving parts need maintenance to keep them moving smoothly. And since a bike's very design is to move forward as its parts move, you either need to a) get your bikes wheels off the ground while maintaining access to gear shifts and break levers and b) grow two more arms and hands.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4062-how-to-build-a-bike-repair-stand-for-30-in-hardware-store-parts

When I Make Something For You, I Am Offering You My Humanity

Earlier this year, I agreed to complete a woodworking project for my wife. Actually, I offered and volunteered myself to do it. She has a particular storage need in her office, and because of the weird layout, access issues, scale, etc, it's not something that exists anywhere. It has to be custom built, and installed in the space.

The truth is, I've been avoiding it. It's a big project, and it was easy to move to the bottom of the project list when it was the height of summer. We had houseguests coming in and out of our home, and the days were long and full of activity. 

But now, that season is over, and it's time to start building. I realized this week why I've been putting it off: I'm afraid. It's beyond my skill level, and requires a lot of moving parts that need to line up...just so. In any other situation, this wouldn't be something I'd agree to do, because it's too big of a leap; I need to learn to do too many new skills inside the same project. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4687-when-i-make-something-for-you-i-am-offering-you-my-humanity

How to: Make a DIY Leather and Wood Paper Towel Holder

There are a couple standard household items where their never seems to be a reasonably attractive option. Tissue boxes are a big one; there, it's always about choosing the least of the evils. I'd also throw paper towel roll holders in that category. Head into any big box or discount store, and you'll be hard pressed to find anything that matches a style other than "I buy all my home decor items at big box discount stores."

So, in that case: you should make one instead. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/3565-how-to-make-a-diy-leather-and-wood-paper-towel-holder

How to: Stay Clean and Organized During DIY and Craft Projects

This weekend, I made a mess. A cover-the-entire-room-in-tiny-little-scraps-of-paper and a get-out-every-marker-and-cutting-tool kinda mess. It's still on the floor, on my office chair, on the main work table, on the computer desk, on my cutting mat, and its trail has seeped into the hallway. See, I've always been the kinda of maker that gets all the requisite tools and materials out … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/2914-how-to-stay-clean-and-organized-during-diy-and-craft-projects

Make This: DIY Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream

 

I can't say I can recall the ingredients on a basic can of shaving cream. It's pungent smell and pearly white appearance can only make one wonder if you're putting healthy chemicals on your face. Lucky for you, controlling what you put on your face is as easy as this recipe for your own jar of shaving cream.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/bryson/posts/3255-make-this-diy-rosemary-mint-shaving-cream

The best Roofing Nailer Review: BOSTITCH RN46-1

The BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a nailer that, as the name suggests, is intended specifically for use on roofing. If you’re going to find yourself on your hands and news driving nails into your roofing, then you want to make sure you have a trusty and reliable tool up there to help you. Apart from anything else, you really want to minimize the number of times you end up going up and down that ladder!

And if it’s a reliable roofing nailer you’re looking for, then this product should be more than up to snuff. We spent a few weeks with it to give it a proper run and we found that it was highly reliable, very powerful and had a number of smart features to make it that much more convenient. Let’s take a closer look in this full review….

Product Description: Reliable, Sturdy and Well Designed

The title says it all really: the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a reliable tool that is sturdy and has a number of useful design features.

To look at, this is a nicely put together nailer with a yellow and black chassis and a rubber handle to grip. It is a pneumatic nailer, so of course it needs to be attached to a compressor. If you don’t have one of those already, then that’s going to slightly increase the price so that’s worth considering for those new to nailers. Pros are already going to have one of these though and they’re a good investment seeing as they’ll be useful for a range of pneumatic tools.

The device is light enough at just 5.8 pounds, which is an important consideration when you’re using it for extended periods. And it is also very powerful and reliable. Capable of up to 410 in/lbs of force at 100psi, this should have no problem with most roofs or nails. It is also capable of driving up to 100 nails, although an interchangeable trigger will allow you to change firing modes if you don’t want to fire too many at once!

The magazine is also relatively high capacity for a roofing nailer and can hold 120 coil nails at once. The magazine is also ‘quick load’ so it should be easy to change when you do need a top up.

Pros and Cons: Lots of Pros for Pros

When it comes to the pros and cons, the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is mostly pros. BOSTISCH make great nailers and this is no different.

While you can get lots of specs from the manufacturers, what they won’t tell you is what it is really like to use in a real-world setting. That’s why we tested the device to find that out for you!

And we’re happy to report that the BOSTITCH RN46-1 roofing nailer is a powerful and accurate tool that will reliably drive nails home with no problems. In our time with it we didn’t experience any jams or misfires and it’s something that all the reviews on Amazon seem to agree with.

We’re also happy to say that the device is great to use. It fits very comfortably in the hand and is light enough to use for a long time without growing tired.

So, what of the downsides? There are always downsides… In this case though, they’re really not so bad. Everything it claims to do, it does well and you’ll be able to rely on this nailer to keep on nailing without error. Of course, you might be able to get more power, a bigger magazine or fancy extra features for more money but that is about it. It’s also worth noting that this is a roofing nailer and whether you want something specific or more general is another point to consider.

Other than that – nailed it!

Conclusion: Perfect for Roofing

In short, this is a really, really good nailer from a company that makes really, really good nailers. It does everything should and is powerful, reliable and well designed. There are more powerful nail guns out there and there are bigger magazines – but for the price this gives you everything you could need and top notch performance.

 

Source: http://www.toolerant.com/the-best-roofing-nailer-review-bostitch-rn46-1/

source https://toolerantcom.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/the-best-roofing-nailer-review-bostitch-rn46-1/

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid Whenever You Use a Random-Orbit Sander

The random-orbit sander is one of the first tools any maker or DIYer should own. In fact, I can't think of another powered tool that I use more, on nearly every project involving wood. The design is simple, and right there in the name - they… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4686-7-common-mistakes-to-avoid-whenever-you-use-a-random-orbit-sander

Make a Modern Cedar Slat Composting Bin for Your Backyard

This post is sponsored by the DIYZ® app.

Composting. Maybe you've heard of it? It's kind of a thing. It's no longer the sole purview of hippies, weirdos, and 7th-grade science teachers Composting has gone mainstream, and that's a good thing… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/4667-make-a-modern-cedar-slat-composting-bin-for-your-backyard

Perfect Fall Project: How to Wax Canvas Pieces for Better Weather Resistance

In summer, light breathable cotton works wonders to keep you cool, but as fall and winter weather approaches, it's time to turn to more heavy duty fabrics to keep the wind and water out - wool, leather, synthetics, and canvas.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/3191-perfect-fall-project-how-to-wax-canvas-pieces-for-better-weather-resistance

Never Buy It Again: Three Ways to Make Your Own Killer Ginger Beer

One of my favorite cocktail mixers is the spicy ginger beer, used for the summer favorite "Moscow Mule", or evening sipper, the "Dark and Stormy." But I've had enough of the spendy, over-sweetened bottles from the supermarket, so I figured: it's time to make our own. Here are three ways to make an extremely tasty version happen at home. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/david/posts/3915-never-buy-it-again-three-ways-to-make-your-own-killer-ginger-beer

How to Build a French Cleat Organizing System for Your Workshop

A well organized shop is a productive shop. But we all know that as our skills and interests grow and change and our projects vary, its nice to be able to switch out grab-able tools and organization systems to meet the needs of what we're currently working on.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/3837-how-to-build-a-french-cleat-organizing-system-for-your-workshop

5 Men's Style Staples to Help You Transition from Summer to Fall

This is the time of year when no one's ever quite sure what's best to wear on any given day. The nights are cool, but the days are still warm, especially in the sun, but then a breeze or the clouds hit and everything changes. Multiple layers are usually overkill, but the sandals are gone, and some flexibility is certainly required to not only look the season, but the feel prepared for the day.

Make it happen with these five summer-to-fall transition essentials.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chris/posts/3176-5-men-s-style-staples-to-help-you-transition-from-summer-to-fall