Make This: DIY Stainless Steel Drinking Straws

I've been trying to up my host game lately, especially in the drinks department. Solid glassware, proper bar tools, and better presentation go a long way towards concocting a quality experience. That's why I was excited to come up with a great gift project for those that want to ditch the cheap plastic in their classy mixed drinks. These simple straws are hefty enough to really stand out as a stocking stuffer, or on their own as a solid holiday gift.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4521-make-this-diy-stainless-steel-drinking-straws

7 Winter-Themed Movies Every Man Should See

We'll never be the ones to hate on the holiday standards, but sometimes, we need a fa-la-la and sentiment-free movie night this time of year. So, check out this list of classic, masculine films set in the frozen winter months that will really remind you how frightful the weather outside can be.… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3334-7-winter-themed-movies-every-man-should-see

How to: The Simple, Easy Trick to Instantly Improve Your Hot Toddy

I have gone on record, in this publication and elsewhere, about why the hot toddy is the perfect cocktail to be sipping in December. It's warm. It's spiced. And at least according to folk wisdom, it's good for your health, and can help to heal a nasty wintertime sore throat. But, to be honest, until last Tuesday evening, I didn't actually like a hot toddy. 

They were fine, but not delicious, and not really an improvement over a simple glass of neat whiskey. (You could make a hot toddy with rum, brandy, or tequila, but why would you?)  

Hot toddys (toddies?) always disappointed: never quite hot enough to truly enjoy, and somewhat ... harsh. There was something I never liked about adding acidic lemon juice to a healthy glug of bourbon, then heating the whole thing up. It seemed to bring out all the rough, grain-y flavors, and hide the tastier warm and spicy barrel-aged notes that make whiskey, well, whiskey.  … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4517-how-to-the-simple-easy-trick-to-instantly-improve-your-hot-toddy

How to: Add Additional Lighting to Your Workshop

Have you ever tried to do any woodworking, leather working, metal working or anything else in your shop if it’s dimly lit?­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­  It’s hard to see cut lines, find your tools and it can be really… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/how-to-add-additional-lighting-to-your-workshop

Fact: The Upside-Down Method will Produce the Juiciest Turkey You've Ever Tasted

Every season, somebody will inevitably mutter that ugly, and untrue, cliche. "No one actually likes turkey. It just tradition" or "Thanksgiving's only about the side dishes." Honestly, I feel bad for them. For it is only poor souls who have never had a properly cooked turkey who reject it's importance at the centerpiece of the holiday. Because with a properly cooked turkey not only comes slices to fork during the big meal, but better tasting stuffing, the all-important gravy, and options for leftovers that will keep your mouth and stomach happy all four-day weekend long.

You just need a little technique. Here's how to roast a turkey to shut down the naysayers.

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/the-upside-down-turkey-with-turkey-stock-gravy

How to Make an Heirloom Carving Board

It happens every year. I'll spend a couple days reading old November issues of my favorite cooking magazines and pouring over the food blogs to come up with our Thanksgiving menu. I'll make a plan, shop way ahead of time, and spread my prep work out over the three days prior. Come Thursday, there will be an established timeline, and it will be executed to a T. And when the sides are ready, the turkey will be out of the oven and well rested to keep the juices in. I'll go to carve it, and inevitably, I'll say to myself:

Crap. I forgot that I do not have a work surface on which to properly take this thing apart.

I have cutting boards. Nice, thick, end-grain hard maple butcher blocks that I made myself. But they were designed for chopping vegetables, which are relatively dry, and not carving a turkey, which, if you cook it right, is very, very moist. And, those juices will flow, and saturate any number of kitchen towels, and make a huge mess, covering my hands in poultry drippings to the point that I can no longer safely grip the knife and everything is a slippery, sliding mess.

It happens every year. I say to myself, "I really ought to make a proper carving board." And this year, I decided it was finally time.

So, here's how to do build one yourself. Once you have the materials, it's only 90 minutes of work, and will last for many, many holiday seasons to come. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/how-to-make-an-heirloom-carving-board

How to Install and Mount a Vise without Drilling Holes in Your Workbench

My first "workbench" was a simple table-style surface. 2x4 legs, 1/2" plywood top, held together with black drywall screws. I built it in my first apartment when I was twenty-two, with my first (and only) power tools: a circular saw and a drill. 

In the back left corner, I mounted a shiny, new, bright blue Irwin swiveling bench vise. It was awesome to have it there when I needed it - holding metal stock and angle iron for cutting, helping me bend rod and pipe, even keeping dowels and small wood parts in place while working on them. Unfortunately, these activities constituted a very small amount of the projects I was doing, and mostly, the vise just got in the way during the other 97% percent of tasks.

So, for the past few years, that vise has just been in a storage crate, and I get it out and try to hold it in place when I need it. Which, in case you can't guess, does not work. Ever. So, I wanted to come up with a solution that would allow me to install a machinist's style swiveling benchtop vise, without having to permanently install it, or drill holes in my benchtop and have to thread and tighten nuts and bolts every time I use it.    … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4581-how-to-install-and-mount-a-vise-without-drilling-holes-in-your-workbench

This Year, You Should Be Making My Mom's German Thanksgiving Stuffing

 

Premise #1: stuffing is the greatest thing on the Thanksgiving table.
Premise #2: My mom's German stuffing is a tradition, and amazing. 
Premise #3: It's also incredibly easy to make and super versatile.

Conclusion: You should make Mom's German stuffing.

It's the holiday season here on the show and today we make German Thanksgiving stuffing, a family holiday recipe with Mom. She makes it the best and she's gonna make sure we do it right. This is one of my favorite traditions, and is one of the simplest holiday recipes. You'll be blown away by how tasty it is. Mom and I are happy to share it with you.

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/my-mom-s-german-thanksgiving-stuffing

8 Legitimately Good Thanksgiving Movies to Watch While You Digest

Halloween has its horror and December its infinite loop of sparkle-strung classics. Good or bad, they're the established traditions of their seasons.

But, if you will, allow me to make the case as November as perhaps the prime month for festive film watching. We can't all relate to being chased by ax murderers nor having the carolers sing as we find our soulmate under the mistletoe just as the snow starts to fall outside. But everyone knows the experience of returning home to break bread and spill gravy with family, or, perhaps, what it's like to strike out on your own for the first holiday not spent at your grandparents. The Thanksgiving table (and four days of being stuck in the same place) is the perfect setting for drama, comedy, and everything in between. Plus, all those sweaters. Here are our faves that get it right. 

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4713-8-legitimately-good-thanksgiving-movies-to-watch-while-you-digest

Your New Favorite Fall Cocktail: How to Make a Harvest Mule

A traditional Moscow Mule is a classic, reliable in every way and a good way to unwind. But with it's fresh lime juice and other trappings, it's perhaps most enjoyed outside on a summer evening.

In fall, it's a good idea to change things up by adding a few variations to the traditional recipe, creating a twist best enjoyed this time of year: the Harvest Mule.  It's supremely tasty, and is best enjoyed next to a roaring fire during the chilly fall weather.  Based in whiskey and mixed with cinnamon and cider, the Harvest Mule is easy, and worthwhile, to make. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/how-to-make-a-harvest-mule

Shop Skills: How to Clean Your Saw Blades

Maintaining your shop tools starts with keeping those blades sharp and well lubricated. Here's a quick overview on how to tune up your cutting edges.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3680-shop-skills-how-to-clean-your-saw-blades

7 DIY Tools and Products I Can't Recommend Highly Enough

I get this question a lot, and it's my privilege to answer and help folks out. Whether its someone looking for a gift for a creative friend or family member, or a somebody just beginning their DIY journey, people simply want to know "what should I get?"

And so, here are my picks from some of my most recent conversations. They're all over the spectrum, but all are solid, go-to options that I can't imagine working without. I think you'll enjoy them too. 

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/x

DIY Coffee Whiskey. Let's Do This.

How did this not occur to me sooner? Take one of my favorite beverages, mix it with my other favorite beverage, add in some extra flavor and bit of time, and, well, the results speak for themselves.

Of course, there are coffee-flavored liqueurs out there. Kahlua is the most famous; it's based on rum, and tastes nice and sweet. But I like whiskey better than rum, and I want the complexity of a coffee liqueur, but not the inherent sweetness. By making your own, you can control quality of coffee, the amount of sugar, and the whole experience and overall flavor profile is totally a step up.  And, it takes, like, five minutes. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/three-words-diy-coffee-whiskey-let-s-do-this

How to Get the Most Out of Your Kitchen Knives

A kitchen knife is an unusual tool, in that the point of contact between the tool and the medium upon which it works is actually extremely delicate. Imagine if a wrench were as delicate as an X-acto blade that had to be replaced regularly, or if bar clamps would routinely stop holding things in place because they became all wonky with use. Most non-cutting tools are blunt, hearty and reliable. But blades have to be cared for, stored carefully, and sharpened (somewhat) regularly. 

But if there is an abused and neglected blade in your home that is used frequently but cared for rarely (okay, maybe not YOUR home, Mr./Ms. Attention-to-Detail––but the average home), it is the knives in your kitchen. Unless you are a professional ice sculptor or sword swallower, it is likely that the knives in your kitchen are the ones that get the most daily use. And if you are anything like me, it is way too easy to just grab one, use it, and put it back without special care for these knives. Despite my best intentions, it is easy for me to leave a dirty one on a cutting board, haphazardly toss one into the sink, clean in the dishwasher and store them in less-than-ideal ways (i.e., cluttered together in a drawer. I know. I'm an animal.) … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4756-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-kitchen-knives

The 7 Local Haunts Every Man Needs in His Life

I’ve technically lived in five cities so far if we include my college town (Minneapolis, New Haven, London, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles). And I’ve come to realize that as a creature of habit I eventually start frequenting a couple different venues that all have similar things in common. I think every man should have a couple of these. Let me explain…      … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4580-the-7-local-haunts-every-man-needs-in-his-life

Weekend Project: Make a DIY Mid-Century Inspired Desk and Wall Unit

So... I like this project. I really like it, and I'll tell you why. First, it's made entirely from off-the-shelf parts from the home center. Then, because the parts are readily available, the only tool you need to make the entire thing is a cordless drill, which is awesome. And lastly, the attention… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4587-weekend-project-make-a-diy-mid-century-inspired-desk-and-wall-unit

Yes, There is a Magic Powder You Can Sprinkle on All Your Food to Make it Taste Better

Cooking delicious food is the definition of craft: start with curiosity, add in a little practice, mix in the right materials and ingredients, and eventually, you'll nail some basic techniques to make your weeknight meals something worth doing all those dishes. 

But, there are also such things as shortcuts. Maybe not towards making a meal taste acceptable in the first place, but rather, little tips and tricks that take your food from good to holy-cow-that's-great; small works of wonder that make a meal more than just nutrition, and leaves you feeling excited and satisfied.

This is one of those things.   … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/yes-there-is-a-magic-powder-you-can-sprinkle-on-all-your-food-to-make-it-taste-better