64
votes
How can I fix this gap between bookcases I made?
Swap their positions.
Place the bookcases so that they lean into each other instead of away from each other. This will eliminate the gap between the tops.
Bookcase contents are usually quite heavy....
- 14.1k
39
votes
Accepted
Why are carpenters' pencils flat?
According to wikipedia, it's so they don't roll away::
A carpenter pencil (carpentry pencil, carpenter's pencil) is a pencil
that has a body with a rectangular or elliptical cross-section to
...
- 4,815
38
votes
Accepted
How can I fix this gap between bookcases I made?
Thanks everyone; I figured it out and came back here to update my post and noticed that Michael Karas said the same thing I realized (although it was a comment, so I couldn't mark it as the correct ...
- 753
35
votes
How can I fix this gap between bookcases I made?
You don't have to buy or get a framing square : just measure the diagonals... That will tell you if either or both units are out of square.
If they are both ok, then look to the floor - small change ...
- 26.1k
31
votes
Gluing two halves of a door together
Slightly contrarian take: start over.
(I know, you've done a bunch of work, etc. They call it the sunk-cost fallacy for a reason. Strong butt joints in the rail are possible but hard and would involve ...
- 19.2k
30
votes
Basic power tool set for Home repair and simple projects
Shopping sprees are counterproductive
There isn't a Great Depression coming up, and this isn't an expedition to Mars.
Buy what you need... when you need it.
As far as circular saws, I can't ...
29
votes
Accepted
How can I bend plywood around a stair riser?
Just about any type of plywood can be bent by cutting slots on the hidden side that leave both clearance for the bend and enough uncut wood on the front to support it. I once made some speaker ...
- 23k
28
votes
Accepted
Do I need this special strike plate on my laundry room to garage entry? It's creating problems with a new lock
That little plunger is called a dead latch. It requires precise and correct alignment between the door latch and the strike plate with no excuses.
The purpose of a dead latch is that if it is held in, ...
25
votes
How can I sharpen oscillating tool blades?
As Leah Bolden from See Jane Drill shows, this is easily done using a tri square file. She shows her technique in this video.
Basically, you use a triangular file to file new teeth. This even works ...
- 878
23
votes
Cutting wood with angle grinder at low RPM
The golden rule in Woodworking is, know where your fingers are before you start to cut, so you don't have to start looking for them afterwards.
That goes double when using the wrong tool. Put the ...
- 1,426
22
votes
How do you find helpers for larger DIY projects?
Many community colleges offer construction trade courses. Have a chat with the instructor, he can often offer enthusiastic young students who are ready and willing to provide some sweat as an on-the-...
- 34.5k
19
votes
How to make a long straight cut in a board at an angle?
Sawhorses with a board on top to form a makeshift table, then your green board on top, and a straight aluminum ruler (up to 3m, in most hardware stores) fastened with clamps to the green board ...
- 321
18
votes
Accepted
How to widen rough opening for installation of pre-hung interior door?
I'd just replace your trimmer studs with half-thickness boards. Easy, clean, effective. Keeps things centered. Since these aren't load-bearing there's no structural concern at all. Use a nail puller ...
- 126k
18
votes
Should I be disappointed about this quality of craftsmanship in new front door?
It really does look like a hack job. The piece on top of the frame is sort of crown molding and replacement should have been specified in the contract. The contractor should have at least caulked the ...
- 76.9k
17
votes
How can I bend plywood around a stair riser?
There are plywood products made for radius situations.
Bendy plywood and Wacky Wood are a few names it goes by. Options are available from several manufacturers like Radius-bending Plywood or Flexi ...
- 4,245
17
votes
Accepted
How can you repair split wood that cannot be moved?
Option 1
You don't have to repair the holes. Use longer screws that go all the way into the framing and hold the blinds' brackets solidly. For blinds that will be yanked and handled constantly that'...
- 32.1k
17
votes
What's a quick release fastening for joining two planes of wood along an edge?
Instead of disassembling the toy theatre, I would attach the sides with (piano)hinges. That way you can fold them in to create a flat package for storage.
16
votes
Accepted
Can insulation foam expand around window framing and cause warping?
I have personally seen it bow "trimmer" studs in a framed window opening. It could easily warp, bow, or move a window frame itself. Breakage would likely be caused by users messing with/forcing the ...
- 34.5k
16
votes
How do you find helpers for larger DIY projects?
If you're in the US, and you want to work within the bounds of the law, contact a 'construction temp agency'. They'll have insurance and workers comp. They might seem expensive on an hourly basis, but ...
- 19.2k
16
votes
Should I be disappointed about this quality of craftsmanship in new front door?
The thing that is not mentioned in your question is who did you hire to do this work. A licensed contractor with an established business or more of a handy-person? If you have hired a contractor then ...
- 4,523
16
votes
Cutting wood with angle grinder at low RPM
Youtube poster "Stumpty Nubs" had a serious accident using an angle grinder with a saw blade. The blade grabbed and the spinning grinder was instantly yanked from his grip and rotated into ...
- 20.8k
15
votes
Accepted
Tools/techniques to remove a long section from a wooden board
If you feel safe doing so, start a plunge cut with the circular saw into the long section and cut out most of the length. Then finish off with a hand saw.
If you don't feel safe plunging with the ...
- 10.9k
15
votes
DIY New Window or Call a Pro?
This looks like DIYer job to begin with. The first glaring problem is no jack studs holding up the header or sill plate for the window. The sill plate for the window looks piecemeal as do the ...
- 76.9k
14
votes
Why are carpenters' pencils flat?
Not rolling is only one aspect.
Line thickness
The shape of the pencil also allows the lead to be rectangular. Which allows you to easily draw lines of various thicknesses, simply by rotating the ...
- 131k
14
votes
How can I sharpen oscillating tool blades?
Generally, those are disposable items.
Could you sharpen it? I'm sure you could, but your results would probably be less than satisfactory. Getting enough of the teeth sharp enough to notice a ...
- 40.7k
13
votes
How can I bend plywood around a stair riser?
Take some 1/4 inch plywood, and, with a circular saw, cut vertical slices in the back side ~3/16 inch deep, every half or quarter inch or so in the area where the bend is. This may give you enough ...
- 6,406
12
votes
3" perfect wooden round hole in cabinet
Use a 3" hole saw or closest metric size on a drill. 3 inch hole saw
Use whatever tools you use to make a round hole in a door for a lock.
EDIT
What is on the other side of the cabinet where you ...
- 20.8k
12
votes
Accepted
What's a quick release fastening for joining two planes of wood along an edge?
Bed rail fasteners would be easy to assemble/disassemble and durable.
Photo from Amazon.
Not a recommendation: amazon linky
- 19.2k
11
votes
Basic power tool set for Home repair and simple projects
Cordless Drill/Impact Driver Set
I agree with @manassehkatz that cordless drills are powerful enough for most tasks, and way more versatile. For anything that my regular cordless drill can't handle, ...
- 6,352
11
votes
DIY New Window or Call a Pro?
Windows and doors typically have a king stud & jack stud (trimmer) on each side. The king stud is full height, from the bottom plate to the top plate. The jack stud goes from the bottom plate to ...
- 1,790
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible