How to: Make a Great Tasting Bloody Mary

In my house, football season coincides with Bloody Mary season. Really, you say? Fair enough: the two are not necessarily synonymous with each other, but I’ve always felt that Bloody Marys are better enjoyed in the fall or winter months.  Similar… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/how-to-make-a-great-tasting-bloody-mary

Fixing Up a Vintage Workmate Portable Workbench

I am grateful to have a dedicated workshop in our basement. It's a great place to both work on projects, and store tools and materials. And while I think shop time is super important, there are, of course, a few things even more precious to me. Like my family.

So, I'm interested in learning more about some smaller wood projects that I can do in the evenings during family time. Projects like carving, whittling, and other non-furniture projects that I can do while we watch a movie or reading time in the common areas.

So, I hit up Craigslist, and found this older model Workmate for a mere $10. And, with just an afternoon of work, I turned it into a portable space to start making some chips... no saw dust means the mess can easily be swept up. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/workmate-makeover

5 Things You Should Take with You on Every Single Bike Ride

Says Ernest Hemingway, "it is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” 

We couldn't agree more. Nowhere looks more like itself than the way it looks on two wheels. And no matter your pursuit, there's a bike for it. Whether you're looking to spin for miles through country lanes on a road bike, run errands on a stout commuter bike built for comfort on city streets, or zip down tree-lined single track on a mountain bike, at the end of all the fun and adventure, you're going to have to get back to where you started. Safely, efficiently, and, hopefully, comfortably.… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4213-5-things-you-should-take-with-you-on-every-single-bike-ride

Stop Marring Your Wood: How to Make Leather Holdfast Pads for Woodworking

I'm a huge fan of having a few rows of dog holes in my workbench top. And, more than anything else, I use them to secure a holdfast - an ancient and genius piece of design that secures your work to the work surface with a simple tap from a hammer or mallet. When your ready to release it, just hit the back and it's free. Seriously - it's ten times fast than clamping, and you can fasten your work anywhere across the bench top. Brilliant.

To speed up the process even more, I wanted to come up with a permanent way to protect the wood from the force of the steel being banged into it. You can use a hardwood scrap between the holdfast and the workpiece, but I figured there's reason to spend twenty minutes once and protect my work forever. No digging around for scraps required. 

… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/4655-stop-marring-your-wood-how-to-make-leather-holdfast-pads-for-woodworking

That Dragon, Debt: How to Give Yourself a Break as You Conquer the Beast

I am a defeated knight––noble in my essence (or so I feel), but waylaid and shrunken down while fighting a beast that no man could possibly face undaunted. The beast spits fire, inundates me with dust from its mighty, flapping wings, and seems to… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/that-dragon-debt

Wool and the Art of Sweater Maintenance: 5 Tips to Care for and Make Your Sweaters Last

The cooler months bring boots, jackets, and best of all: sweaters. Worn well, they echo the classic men of yesterday. Investing in one or two quality pieces made from 100% wool is preferable than several from acrylics or blended fabric, as… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/2270-wool-and-the-art-of-sweater-maintenance-5-tips-to-care-for-and-make-your-sweaters-last

8 Seriously Tasty Reasons to Bust Out Your Slow Cooker This Week

I did not grow up in a "crock pot" family. We had one, an old avocado green job my parents got from their wedding registry. And, though I'm sure it got used, it wasn't something that characterized the food in our house. My wife's parents, on the other hand, were both doctors working day shifts, and according to her, nearly every thing her mom cooked came from the slow cooker. And, says my wife, protein + a mix of canned foods = dinners, all which tasted basically the same... like "crock pot food."… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com

source http://www.manmadediy.com/3390-8-seriously-tasty-reasons-to-bust-out-your-slow-cooker-this-week