One of the Best Ways to Use Your Grill This Summer

How to Drill Better, Cleaner Pocket Holes

Pocket hole joinery has a lot going for it. An affordable jig makes the process fool-proof, it comes together in less than a few minutes, and the joint itself is super strong.

The Kreg jig itself does most of the work, but a little knowhow makes the pocket hole clean and precise. This is especially important if the pocket hole will be visible, plugged, or filled.

Ready to make nice, sharp pocket holes? Let's go!    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4672-how-to-drill-better-cleaner-pocket-holes

How to Build a Canoe in 72 Hours

This project began, as it were, with a "crazy idea" - the possibility of canoe travel without taking a canoe with you. Of building one upon arriving in a new place or country, paddling it, then leaving it there upon departure. 

And...?  It worked.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3407-how-to-build-a-canoe-in-72-hours

Make This: Sweet Zucchini Relish

Grilling season is in full swing. You're slinging burgers and dogs off the fire into the waiting hands of hungry family and friends. ManMade has been, and will continue, to keep your grilling skills sharp, so let's focus on what's going on your food. I'd take a bet you have some store-bought relish sitting next to that plate of hotdogs, right? It's time to ditch that generic stuff, get your hands dirty, and let your guests relish in the best relish they will ever have! (forgive me).

For real though, those of you who are looking for a fantastic gift, a chance to create something from scratch, and, in my honest opinion, the best relish to grace your taste buds, take this summer to make this sweet zucchini relish...           … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/sweet-zucchini-relish-recipe

10 Summertime Date Ideas: Celebrating the Romance of the Season

The Vanilla Wet Dog: The Summer Coffee Drink You Never Knew You Needed

In my post Head Tea: The Greatest Cold Remedy Known to Man, I mentioned a funky little coffee shop on the main street of the historic town where I went to college. As far as shops go, it's definitely part of the pre-hipster wave of hippie shops: you're likely to find ratty couches, a castoff mannequin dressed according to the season, a take-a-book-leave-a-book shelf, and cryptic messages like "Evolution is not bound by recipes" scrawled on the walls.

Speaking of recipes, most of the drinks you can order are on the "underground" menu because rather than having a comprehensive list on display, there are only some house drinks scribbled on small chalkboards suspended above the front counter. By far the best of these official house drinks is the Vanilla Wet Dog, which certainly does not smell like man's best friend after it jumped in the lake.

Here's how to make the summer coffee drink you never knew you needed.        

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/vanilla-wet-dog

My Tears: Reflections on Crying as a Grown Man

My tears. Since I was in my late 20s at least, they've come more easily than ever before. Sad things can bring them on, sure. But mostly, it's the beautiful things. The profound things. And things that are just poignant and stirring. But whatever the cause, they come with frankness and in real earnest. 

Sometimes I wonder if I should listen to Sufjan in public anymore. Always an emotional songwriter, his last few efforts, Carrie and Lowell and Planetarium, have been especially frank, incisively autobiographical and completely leveling (especially when you get clued into his autobiography.) It is inevitable that my eyes will become wells in a coffeeshop. But I guess I believe that it's not reasonable to blubber in public or have a crying fit while I'm at work, there is a deeper sense of shame that, if I'm honest, rests down in the nether regions of my psyche, and it is activated when my tears come. I am brought to tears in public by openness, but then shame comes and closes me up again. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/my-tears

A Foolproof Cast Iron Skillet Maintenance Routine

How To: Grill a Scotch Egg

I love eggs and will eat them just about any way you can possibly imagine: fried in a pan (runny yolks, please), scrambled with cheese, gently poached in water or tomato sauce, structured into an omelet or frittata, emulsified into a perfect egg salad. I quote Michael Ruhlman in The Elements of Cooking:

My reverence for the egg borders on religious devotion. It is the perfect food—an inexpensive package, dense with nutrients and exquisitely flavored, that's both easily and simply prepared but that is also capable of unmatched versatility in the kitchen.

And then there's that wonderful pub concoction, the Scotch egg, which totally sounds like the kind of food a couple of dudes came up with at about 3 in the morning. "Let's wrap an egg in meat and DEEP FRY IT!"

Since it's summer and I'll take any excuse to whip on the charcoal, I took it upon myself to create a simple grilled version.         

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/how-to-grilled-scotch-egg

Summertime Shoes: How To Dress Your Feet in the Summer Heat

Here's the Thing About Gin...

Selecting the Best Protective Finish for Your Project

How to Create Secure Passwords You'll Actually Remember

The 25 Essential Jazz Records Every Man Should Know

You've built the bookshelf, covered it with great books, but it needs a little something more. Some classic records perhaps? Why not treat yourself to this essential guide to the greatest collection of jazz albums in the history of recorded time – bar none?

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3562-the-25-essential-jazz-records-every-man-should-know

For Better Tasting Grilled Foods, Try the Dual Fuel Technique

Among the true believers, there's a fair consensus that when it comes to grilling: charcoal simply tastes better than propane. No disrespect to the gas grill; it can turn out great results. But when the true taste of summer is the priority, nothing can beat the smoky, open-flame flavor of food grilled over hardwood coals.

Well, except for food cooked over an actual hardwood fire, with coals freshly made from whole logs that you just ember-ed down yourself. This is easy enough to do in a backyard firepit, or even in the same kettle grill you likely use with your charcoal.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/for-better-tasting-grilled-foods-try-the-dual-fuel-technique

How to: Make Your Own Shorts from a Pair of Pants...No Sewing Required

Quick! There are only a few weeks left of summer, and clearly, you're not going to spend money on buying a brand new pair of shorts. So today we present you a super easy, super affordable, super badass way of making your own. This project is awesome (if I do say so myself), 'cause you customize the length to your personal preference, and you don't have to know how to use (or have access to) a sewing machine.… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/2626-how-to-make-your-own-shorts-from-a-pair-of-pants-no-sewing-required

How to: Simple, Stylish Wall-Mounted Lighting Project from Hardware Store Parts

As this point in the DIY movement evolution, no one is surprised to learn that the strength and construction toy-like versatility of plumbing pipe makes it awesome fodder for building all sorts of projects. You've probably even seen it applied to lighting and lamp projects before. But, there's still room to improve on a classic, and we think this piece by Alyssa does exactly that.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4388-how-to-simple-stylish-wall-mounted-lighting-project-from-hardware-store-parts

20 Items You Should Pick Up at your Local Asian Market

At home, I am the cook of our family. I love to make meals, and… let's be honest, I really just love food in general. I also do all the grocery shopping. Typically, I’ll take one big shopping day at the grocery store during the week and maybe a couple short trips if I need specific items. But, whenever I announce I’m taking a trip to the Asian market, my entire family eagerly jumps in the car with me.

If you're not in the habit of shopping at your Asian grocery store, 1) you’re missing out on an entire hemisphere of goods, 2) it’ll open a new world of food and sundries that’ll keep you coming back, and 3) food, kitchen supplies – everything – is extremely affordable. 

In short, tons of flavor. Great value. Win. Win.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/asian-market

No Vise, No Workbench, No Problem: How to Hold Your Woodworking with a Simple Wooden Batten

I'm a lucky guy. My family has allowed me to dedicate half our basement into a dedicated shop space, complete with a custom woodworking bench and a growing collection of tools. It's bright, clean (at least right now), and I'm slowly turning it into a functional workspace that will allow me to be as productive as possible. 

But it took me a long time to get here. For nearly fifteen years, I worked out of dining rooms and back porches and portions of the garage, lugging my tools around in plastic totes and home center toolboxes, setting up shop on the washing machine, folding tables, and 1/2" plywood scraps screwed to 2x4s.

And, in the early days, it was that lack of a proper workbench that prevented me from thinking I could could use hand tools. Without a vise and hold downs, how could I safely secure my work for handplaning, chiseling, or sawing?The answer: a batten, which will take you 5 minutes to make and turns any flat surface into a work bench. Let's make one!   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4656-no-vise-no-workbench-no-problem-how-to-hold-your-woodworking-with-a-simple-wooden-batten

How to: Make a Fold-Away BBQ Table and Grilling Cabinet

This great project keeps all the basic grilling supplies close at hand, but out of the weather when the fun is done. With a large preparation space and room for the essentials it’s a great upgrade for the outdoor chef.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3561-how-to-make-a-fold-away-bbq-table-and-grilling-cabinet

How to: The Quickest, Simplest, Tastiest Route to Good Weeknight Tomato Sauce

Hey, ManMade. My name is Stephen Cusato (you can call me Steve), and I'm the host of Not Another Cooking Show. I'm excited to collaborate with the ManMadeDIY.com team to show you how to step your game up in the kitchen. And we're going to start with this specialty of mine right here: the easiest, most practical, most delicious way to make fresh tomato sauce in less than 30 minutes any night of the week.  This is my Weekday Sauce. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/the-quickest-simplest-tastiest-route-to-good-tomato-sauce

If You Can Only Grow One Thing, Make it Tomatoes. Or...

So I have a friend named Dan. I met him through work. Dan is in his early 70's. For the past––I'm not EXACTLY sure on the time here––30+ years, Dan has grown tomato plants from seed beginning in the very early Spring. And when he hears that you have even a passing interest in the garden, he comes by with three plants––one of each of the varietals he grows––along with a laminated sheet of paper with information about each of the plants. Dan is the definition of good people. And I love my three little tomato plants.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/if-you-can-only-grow-one-vegetable-this-year-make-it-tomatoes-or-wait-peas-no-make-it

ManMade Recommended: This is the Paracord You Should Be Taking on All Your Adventures

Even if you don't know it by name, you likely already know paracord. Chances are very good that you've seen it, either in the aisles at your local craft store or knotted into a survival bracelet.

It's a classic example of how a military-specific product found new life as a civilian utility item. Originally designed with airborne units (the name is portmanteau of "parachute" + "cord"), its strength, durability, and versatility lend well to all sorts of other functions. It's especially useful for survival and adventure situations, which means that enterprising outdoor gear companies have begun including other materials in the core of the cord besides the standard separate nylon yarns: in the case of ParaTinder, a waxed thread meant to be used as a firestarter.

I got a package of this as a stocking stuffer last Christmas and wanted to give it a whirl—it's important to test out your survival gear when the stakes are low rather than trying it out for the first time in an emergency. 

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/manmade-review-paratinder-paracord

30 Metalworking Accounts You Should Follow on Instagram

I've stated it before:  I'm a total workshop rat. There's something about spaces where skilled work gets done that invigorates my spirit. At various points throughout my life, I've wandered into blacksmith shops—on my great uncle's farm in southern Ohio, at a permanent exhibit on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, at the dead end of a street on the outskirts of my college town in West Virginia—and each time I've quieted with reverence, among the tongs and hammers and slack tubs, as if walking in the glow of stained glass windows.

Short of actually hanging around the shop, smelling the hot metal and hearing the clank of a hammer on an anvil, I get my forge fix by following metalsmiths on Instagram. Here are thirty of ManMade's favorite accounts that we totally recommend. 

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4868-30-metalworking-accounts-you-should-follow-on-instagram

How to: Make Killer Ribs in Three Easy Steps

Making great tasting ribs is certainly a little more involved than grilling a great tasting steak or burger, but that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult.  The concern for most people is that this is a task better left to professional pitmasters or your local paper-towel-on-the-table BBQ joint. So many of us are just afraid of messing it up. 

But here's the good news: you won't. As long as you understand that ribs are a working muscle and become their best selves with the use of low and slow heat. You can do this with any grill. Literally - any. grill. You don't need a dedicated smoker, and you can even finish the project in your oven if you'd like. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/killer-ribs-in-three-easy-steps