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$f.*trql f*u ll-l l;r ir:Create your own magical "water from a stone" in a singleweekend. Our design requires almost no maintenance.

7 ugXy ef:yw;ill ffr.i*f;,:i+l',*,,Lessons from the pros. You'll save a lot of time and frustrationif you hang dr1'wall the right way from the start.

tnncrcfe, Sfi :"d*n ber:ctr-lMake this elegant and virtually indestructible garden benchfrom just three sacks of concrete and a handful of tile.

f,,,,1;;ke itfe -*,,:q!*y r"r/ith 3-way $wi.tch*sYou don't have to cross a dark room or climb dark stairways.Control the light from two places with a pair of three-wayswitches.

{l}.;: ggir- i.t.F! i"{,j {iy'i ;.:!r!}#t'Build this simple, sturdy garden structr"rre for half the costof a store-bought rnodel.

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vancH zooe 3

9 F{orne Car* & ReparrHow to stop a humming dimmer switch, renew single-panewindows and more.

26

80

83

87

21

A leaking water heater, a reluctant-flushing toilet and themystery of the corroding brass finish.

Mirrkslr*:p Tips-A simple, sturdy wolkbench; a chip-collecting router fence;a hardware storage solution; and more great tips.

Hi-T*eh SolutisnsWith a new' linked cordless phone system, you can havehandsets with the features you want, wherever you want.

Auto CareThree simple tire checks that keep you safer while driving.

Handy HintsoFellow readers tell you how to "ride" a sander in comfort, stick toyour roof and store stuff under your bed, on ladders and on doors.

New ProduetsWonderful springtime problem solvers: a better grass trimmer,weed puller, deck scrubber, hose caddy and more.

109 Wordiess Workshop*A deck railing planter made from a vinyl gutter.

7M fireat Gogfs-A car going nowhere, insulation in flames and constipated pipes.

Cover Photos: Arbor and fountain by Mike Krivit; garden bench by Bill Zuehlke

15 Ask T'he Famiiy Hamdyman

Questions about subscriptions ?

For new and gift subscriptions, a change of address orhelp with a subscription problem, write: The FamilyHandyman Subscriber Service Dept., Box 8174, Red Oak,lA 51591-1174, or call (800) 285-4961. Or send us ane-mail at FHI\4service@rd.com. Allow two issues foraddress changes.

Customer informationReader's Digest may share iniormalion about you wilhreputable companies so they can offer you productsand services of interest to you. If you don't want us loshare this information, please write to Reader! DigestMailing List, Attn.: Circ. Dept., Reader's Digest Road,Pleasantville, NY 10570. Please include a copy of youraddress label.

Back issues/article copiesSome past issues are still available for $4.00 each,Photocopies of articles are available for $3.00 each.Call (715) 246-4344trom 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central,lvlonday through Friday, for availability and ordering,or write to: Back lssues, The Family Handyman,PO. Box 83695, Stillwater, MN 55083-0695. Or sendus an e-mail at FHMservice@rd.com.

Comments and suggestionsWe welcome your ideas and opinions. Write to:The Editor, The Family Handyman,2915 Commers Dr., Suite 700,Eagan, MN 55121. Fax: (651) 994-2250.E-mail: fheditor@ readersdigest.comWeb site: www.familyhandyman.com

THE FAMTLY HANoYMAN vnncH zooo 5

by GaryWentz

Ttps, FtxEs & GEAffi FSm & TmSUSLffi*FmE# ffiStffiffi

Silence a hummingdimmer switchT for might think that a dimmer turns down the lights by turning

I down the power flow. But it actually works like a super-fast strobe,

-L switching the power on and off dozens of times per second. Thiselectrical pulsation causes the filaments in lightbulbs to vibrate and that creates thehumming sound you hear. Aneasy solution-which usuallyworks-is to try differentbrands of bulbs. Some

bulbs have beefier fila-ments, which vibrateless. You can even try"rough-use" bulbsmeant for garage-

door openers or troublelights. These bulbs have

heary filaments but are

pricey ($3 each). Ifbulb switcheroo doesn'tstop the hum, upgrade yourdimmer switch. Dimmers thatcost about $20 usually dampen the

electrical pulse better than models in the

$10 range. Swapping out a dimmerswitch is usually a simple matterof disconnecting andreconnecting threewires. |ust be sure

to work safely.

Turn off thepower to thecircuit-andmake sure it'soff using a non-contact voltage

detector.

High-quality dimmer switches are lesslikely to cause humming.

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN uaacn zooo 9

Synthetic soap simplifiesbathroom cleaningIn terms of chemistry, some soaps aren't really true soap. Any soap in a liq-uid or gel form and some bar soaps, such as Zest and Ivory, are syntheticsoap. These non-soap soaps are much less likely to form that dreaded layer

of tough scum on your sink or tub.

Twist the fins to silencea whistling grille

If you have a grille or register that hums orhowls, all you have to do is twist the finsand open them a little. A pliers alone willscratch and kink the delicate fins, so applyelectrical tape to a hinge that's about the

same length as the fins. Then grab each finbetween the hinge leaves and twistslightly.

lO vnnct 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN

Scrape away ceilingtexture for a neaterpaint job

A neat, straight paint line at the top ofa wall is tough to achieve next to a

bumpy ceiling. So before you paint,drag a narrow flat-head screwdriverlightly along the ceiling. You'll get a

clean paint line and no one will ever

notice that the bumps are missing.

3fl,#

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i

I

Renew single-panewindows

ri,''." ,%, n older single-pane windows, the

*i $glass is usually surrounded by'ili,. -"'ir putty called "glazing compound,"

which holds the glass in place and seals

out the weather. This putty often lasts

decades, but over the years itbecomes rock-hard,

cracks and even falls

off the window.Loose or missing

compound lets

wind and rainleak in around

the glass.

Replacing the putty around one pane ofglass will take 15 minutes to an hour,depending on the size of the pane and the

stubbornness of the old putty. Replace

broken glass while you're at it. This adds

only a few minutes and a few dollars to thejob. If you call a glass repair service to do

the job, it'll cost $50 to $100 (under"Glass" in the Yellow Pages).

It's possible to replace glass and puttywith the window in p1ace, but you'll save

time and get better results if you can

remove the window and clamp it down ona flat surface. Ifyou have broken glass, get

it out of the way before you remove the

old putty. Put on heary gloves and eye

protection, place a cloth over the brokenpane and tap it with a hammer. With theglass thoroughly broken up, pull theshards out of the frame by hand. Pull outthe old glazing points with a pliers. If theold glass is in good shape, leave it in place.

*1 Pry out loose chunks of glaz-$ ing compound with a puttyknife. Soften remaining areaswith a heat gun and scrape theputty away.

*3 Set new glass onto a bead of latexd* caulk. Press glazing points into thewood every 8 in. Let the excess caulkthat oozes out under the glass hardenand slice it off with a utility knife later.

The next step is to get rid of the oldputty. If the putty is badly cracked, youcan pry away large chunks quickly (ptroto1 ). Putty in good condition takes longer toremove. With a heat gun in one hand anda stiff putty knife in the other, heat theputty to soften it and gouge it out. Wearleather gloves to protect your hands fromburns. Keep the heat gun moving to avoidconcentrating heat in one spot. Otherwisethe heat will crack the glass. If your heatgun doesn't have a heat shield attachment,protect the glass with a scrap of sheet

metai. When the putty is removed, primeany bare wood inside the window frame.A shellac-based primer such as BIN is a

good choice because it dries in minutes.If you need new glass, measure the

opening, subtract l/8 in. from youl meas-

urements and have the new glass cl-lt tosize at a full-service hardware store. Take a

shard of the old glass with you to matchthe thickness. You'll pay from $5 to $30,depending on the size of the pane. Alsobuy a package of glazing points (92) tohold the glass in place while the new com-pound hardens. Glazing compound (95)

is available in oil-based and latex/acrylicversions. The latex products, whichusually come in a tube, have a longer lifeexpectancy and you don't have to waitdays before painting them as you do withoil-based putty. But they often begin todry before you can tool them smooth.

--":Yl1r'"

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, i*i'| 3

, Dip a putty knife in mineral spirits to',ri'lubricate it and smooth out the com-pound. Wet the knife again and run overthe compound as many times as it takesto create a smooth surface.

If neat, smooth results are important,choose an oil-based putty (such as

DAP 33).

For installation of new glass, the direc-

tions on glazing compound may tell you tolay a light bead of compound inside the

frame and then set the glass over it. Thatworks well with soft latex compound. Butif you're using stiffer oil-based compound,lay in a light bead of acrylic latex caulkinstead. Set the glass onto the caulk, thenwiggle and press down to firmly embed the

glass. Then apply new putty as shown inPhoto 3.

r I Drag the ridge of excess compound,,' away from the finished joint and

scrape it up. Be careful not to touch thesmoothed surface.

To complete the job, smooth out the

new glazing compound (Photos 4 and 5).

Oil-based putty is easier to work withwhen it's warm. To heat it, set the can in a

bowl of hot water for a few minutes.Remember that oil-based putty remains

soft for days, so be careful not to touch itafter smoothing. YoLill have to wait sever-

al days before you can prime and paint

oil-based putty; check the label. if

BRADPUSHER\-,

OUARTER-FOUNp

MOLDING

1/

Applying a smooth, perfect beadof glazing compound is fussy,time-consuming work. So whengood looks matter, consider woodmoldings rather than putty to holdglass in place (1/4-in. quarter-round works for most windowsl.Set the glass in place over a lightbead of latex caulk (see Photo 2).

There's no need for glazing points.To nail the moldings in place, youcan carefully drive in tiny bradswith a hammer or carefully shootin brads with a pneumatic bradnailer. But the safest method is touse a brad pusher. A brad pusher issimply a metal tube with a slidingpiston inside. Drop a brad in thetube, push hard on the handle, andthe piston pushes the brad neatlyinto wood-with little dangerof breaking the glass. Mosthardware stores and home centersdon't carry brad pushers, butyou can order one at www.rock-ler.com, (8001 233-9359 (item No.

46920. $1 1).

Cover the perimeter of the glass with a heavy layer of compound. Be sure tocompletely fill in the recess; don't leave any gaps or hollow spots.

Art Dlrect of . LISA PAHL KNECHT and BOB UNGARPhotoqraphy . BILL ZUEHLKE

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vancr zooo l3

by Brett Maftin

The Family Handyrnan1..:ii

i.r' l:i' ,;: r.!x.;.:1r fitt. :r :j,,,: .i..tti.J r

I replaced our 50-gallon water heater two years agoand each year since l've had to replace a leakingT & P valve. We have hard water. ls that shorlening

the life of my valve?Brian Akin, via e-mail

The T & P valve, n'hich stancls fbr temper-ature and pressure reliefvalve, is a safe-

ty tlevice thJt Ir()tecls itgilill\l c\ces-

sive tcr"nperatnle artd pressure levels in the

rvatel heirter'. Tl-re valve is located o11 or lrear

thc top of thc tank. Part of the valr,c extencls

into tl-re unit (see photo).I1'rvater- discharses (your "leak"), it usr,ral-

ly rleans the vrrlve is clef-ective (it opencd ancl

clicln't close) or the rvater l-reater is operatingtuncler toc'r high a temperatrlre or pressure.

lrirst, check thc rvatcr tc'nrperature arrd

nrllie. surc thc sctting is about 120 clegrees F

(or'"mediunr" if youl thelnrostrrt doesn't have

a degree reacling). If the valve continues to lcak,

reurove it ancl exanrine it fbr nrineral buildupancl siqns of corrosic'rn. Thc nrinelals in especial-

ly harcl rvatcr can clog it or attack the metal palts,resultinq in valve lailure. This is especially com-nron rvith water fi-our a lvell. And if ,vou have

n-rr.rnicipal rvater, check rvith your local r'vater

departnrent to find out if the watel supply has a

high concentration of n-rinelals. Ir-r eitl'rer case,

vou'll l'ravc to softcn your'$'ater'.

If the valve lool<s clean, cousicler-trvo othel possi-

ble causes: high water pressure irr thc nrr.rnicipal sys-

tenr or sonre sort of backflow preventcr arrottnd the

wiltcr meter or- nririrr shutoff. YoLr'll need a licensed

plur.nbel to diagnose and handle tl.rese probler.t-ts.

a nagging question or a mystery that you can photograph?

Please send it via e-mail to askhandyman@readers

digest.com or mail it to Ask The Family Handyman, 2915

Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121. lnclude your

name, address and phone number. Although our editorial

staff reads each one, we can't respond individually.

HEATER

+

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THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN unRcg :ooo 15

ffiipir:* f*r c*rnx:n*s*mai mir

What is the best material for:.-piping compressed air to dif-

ferent areas in my shop and garage:PVC or copper?

Rod Golding, Harrisburg, NC

' r,r Don't use PVC pipe. If it breaks

under pressure, the plastic willshatter ar.rd send pieces flying like shrap-nel. Use copper instead. It's available atmost hardware stores and home centers.

1/2'COPPERCOMPRESSED.AIR

LINE

li

n

Solder it using the same fittings as youwould for water supply lines. (See

"Soldering Copper Pipe: Start to Finish,"April '00, p. 83. To order a copy, see p. 5.)

If you don't want to solder, use galva-

nized or black steel pipe. Measure the piperuns and buy exact lengths; otherwise you'llhave to cut and thread the ends yourself.

Unlike gas and water lines, air compres-

sion lines don't require perfect joints, so

don't worry if they leak a tiny bit.

r4'-"ltt&s-,/i"'":'-

!l;

ffieIu*tc*f flf 'lsF :

: r,, For years my down-I : stairs toilet worked

fine.-Now it drains slowly.I've used a drain cleanermany times, but it hasn'thelped. The toilet on thesecond floor and all of thesinks continue to drain fine.l've noticed ads for toiletswith power flush designs.Do these systems work, andis there a power flushing kitthat will conveft my existingtoilet to a power flushdesign? l'd rather notreplace the toilet, since thefixture color has been dis-continued.

Gerald R. Doton,Pembroke, MA

' ';, You're referring to theI ',,, po*., flush design on

pressure-assisted toilets, whichuse regular water pressure tocompress air in a tank toincrease flushing power. Thebowls and trap on these toiletsare specially designed for these

mechanisms and can't be retro-fitted to another toilet.

Besides, your slow-drainingproblem sounds like a cloggingissue, so changing the flushwouldn't help. You probablyhave a hard object (like a kid'stoy) lodged in the trap of thetoilet or in the drain line.

Use a closet auger ($10 to $20

at a hardware store or homecenter), which is specificallydesigned for toilets, to remove

the clog. If that doesn't work,unbolt and remove the toiletfrom the flange and check thepassageways as far as you can tosee if anything is stuck in theopening or the drainpipe.

If the toilet still flushes pool-ly, call a drain cleaning service.

t

l6 unncs 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

N EXI Utl' 1"ror"p.orole mognesiumt20-mg, 40-mg Deloyed-Releose CopsulesBRIEF SUMI'IARY Belore prescribing NEXIUM, please se lull Prescribing lnl0rmati0n. INDTAIONS AND USAGE iIEXIUM N indmated

l0rthe shorl-lerm treatment (4 t0 I weeks) in lhe healin0 and sympt0matic res0lution 0l draonoslically c0nfrmed msive tr0phagilis; lhe mainte,

nance 0i sympt0m resolulion and healing 0l erosive es0phaqitis (conlrolled studhs d0 nol sxtend bey0nd 6 m0nths); and l0r the trmtment 0lheartbun and 0lhersymploms associaled with GERD; andl0r rhk reducti0n 0lNSAl0-ass0ciatsd gaslric ulcer COMRAINDICAnONS NEXIUM

is c0nkaindimtsd in pathntswith known hypemnsilivrlyt0 anycomp0nenl 0lthe lormulalion 0rt0 sub$ituled benzimidazoles. PRECATnONSSymplomalic lespons l0lherapy with ilEXlUl\,! d06 mt prmlude the presen0e 0l oaslric malignancy. Alrcph c 0aslril6 has been noled 0ccasnnally

in gastric corpus bi0psies lrom palienls treated lono-term wilh omepro0le, 0l which NEXIUM is an enanli0msr lnformotion for PotienhNEXIUM Delayed-Release Capsuhs sh0uld be swall0wed wholeand lakenatleastone h0urbelore meals. Ffi palients who have ditlicultyswallowif,gmpsuhs, one labhspoon 0l applesauce can be added lo an empty bowl and lhs NEXIUM l)elayed.Belease Capsuh can be opened, and the pellels

carelullyemptied 0nl0lheapplesuce. ne pellels sh0uld be mixsd wflllhe applesaum and then swall0wed immedialery. ne applesauce used should

not be hot and should bf soll en0ugh l0 be swallowed wilhoul chewing. The pelhts should not be chewed 0rcrushed. The pslht/appl€sauce mixluie

should not be st0red l0riulure l]se. Anhcids may be used whihhkino I'JEX|UM. Drug lnrercclioni Esorl]epratole is exlensively melab0lized in

the liverbyCYP2C19and CYP3A4. /rvltroand lrvM$udhs haveshownthatesomepraole is nollikelyl0inhibitCYPS 1A2,2A6,2C9,206,2E1 ild344. N0 clinically rehvanl interaclions wilh drugs metabol[ed bylhese CYP enzymtr would be sxpmhd. Drug intendi0n $udhs have sh0wn thatm0mepnzole does not hav€ any clinically signrlicanl inlenclions wilh phenyl0in, warlaifl, quinidine, clarilhr0mycin 0r am0xicil in. P0slmarketingr€ports 0fchan0es in prolhrombin measucs have b€en rcceived am0ng palienls 0r c0ncomilant wadarin and ss0mepre0le lherapy. lncreases in INR

and prclhrombinlime may lead l0 abnomd bleeding and even dealh. Palienls lreated wilh proton pump inhibil06 and wadain conc0milanlly may

need t0 be m0nilor€d l0r increases in IlllR and prolhrombin tim€. Es0mspra0le may polenlially inlerlffi with CYP2C19, lhe major esomepru0hmetab0lizing €nzyme. Coadminhtntion 0l es0mepraroh 30 mg md diaepam, a CYPzCl9 subslrale, [esulled in a 45% decrease in charance 0l

diaepam. lnileased plasma levels 0l diuepam were 0bseru€d 12 h0ure atlsr dosing and onwards. How€ver, al that time, the plasma levels 0l

dia€pam wers belowthe lhenpeulic interyal, and thus lhis inhracli0n is unlikelyt0 b€ 0l cliniml resvance. C0administrati0n 0l 0ral conlrrceplives,

dia€pam, ph€nyl0in,0rquinidine did n0l seem l0 changelhe pharmac0kinstic pr0lile 0lesomepraole. Sludi€s evaluating c0ncomrlafl admindnti0n

0t somepru0le and eilher naproxen (n0n-seleclive NSAIo) 0r r0lecoxib (C0X-2 sslmtive NSAID) did nol ldentify my clinically lehvant changm

in the phamac0kinetic proliles 0i €s0mepra0le 0r lhese NSA|Ds. Esomepruole inhibils qmtrh acid secruti0n. Therslore, esomeprude may

inl€dsre wilh lhe absorption 01 drugs where gaslilc pH h an imp0rtant deteminant ol bioilailab Iy (e0, kdoconaole, ilon salls and

digoxin).Corcin€ereris, Mulsgenesi5, lmpoiment ol ferlility The caflinogen[ potential 0l es0meprude was asms€d using

0mepnz0le sludies. ln two 24'm0nlh 0ral carcinogeniciry $udies in rats, omepra0h at daily doses 0f 1 .i, 3.4, 1 3.8, 41.0 ild 1 40.8 mg/tg/day (about

0.710 5itimsthe human d0se0l20 mg/dayexpressed 0n a body surlacearea basis) produced qastric ECLcell caminoids in adoseJelaled mann€r

in b0th male and lemale nls; the incidence 0l thh etlscl was markedly hi0her in lemah ds, whhh had higher bl00d levels 0l omepraoh. Gastric

carcinoids seldom 0ccur in lhe unlrealed nl. ln addilion, ECI cell hyperplasia was presefll in all lreated groups 0l bolh sexes. ln one 0fthse sludies,

lemale nlsw€relrealed wilh 13.8mq 0meprudeJtg/day{ab0ul5.6timesthe human dos 0n a b0dysudace area basis)10r1 year, lhen foll0wed l0ran addilional year wilhoul lhe drug. llo carcin0ids were seen in lhese rals. An increased incidence 0l lrcatmenl-related ICL cell hyperplasia was

obserued al lhe end 0f 1 year (94% lrealed vs 10% c0ntrols). By the s€c0nd year lhe ditlerence belwmn trsaled and conlrol rats was much smaller

(46% vs 26%) bulstill sh0wsd mor€ hypeelasia in lhe trealed gr0up. Gaslic aden0mrcinoma was seen in oro ral (2%). N0 simrlar tumor was seen

in male 0rlemale nlstreatsd for2y€ars. Forlhis slrain 0l nl n0 srmilartumorhas be€n noled hhtorimlly, bul aiinding involving onlyonetum0r is

ditlicull t0 inlerp[el. A 78-wesk mouss canin0oenicity sludy 0l om€praole did nol show increassd lunor occufiencs, but lhe $udy was nol

conclusive. Esomtpnz0le was neoative in the Ames mulalion lest, in the /h yiyo nl bone marow cell chromosome aberalion le$, and lhe i, yiy,

mouse micronucleus lesl. [somepn20le, how€ver, was p0silive in the in yilro human lymphocyle chron0s0me abeffation lesl. omeprude was

posilive in the in vilru human lymphocyle chrom0s0me aberralion te$, the in yryo mouse bone matrow cell chr0mosome abenation te$, and lhe

i, vMmouse micronuchus lesl. The p0lential efl€cts 0l esomspraoh 0n lerlilily and repr0duclive perlormance were assessed us n0 0mepraoeslrdies.omeprude at oral doss up l0 138 mg/kg/day in nls (ab0ul 56 times lhe human dose 0n a b0dy sudace area basis) was l0und t0 have flo

ellecl 0n rcpoductive ped0rmanm 0l parental animals. Pregaoncl lenllg|,nic Effecls. Pregnancy Caleg\ry BIenlolouy sludies have been

ped0rmed in ntsatoni d0ses upt0 280 mgitgiday(ab0utSTlimeslhe human d0se 0n a b0dy sudacearea bass) and in rabbitsal0ral doses up l0

86 mg/kgiday(about35timslhe human dose 0n a b0dysurlacear€a basis) and have rev€al€d n0 evidence 0fimpaired ferlility 0r harmt0lhe lelus

duet0 €s0meproole.Thsrsare, however, n0 adequale and well-c0nlnllsd studies in pregnanlwomen. Becase animal reproducli0n studhs are not

aiways prediclive 0l human resp0nse, thisdrug should be used durin0 pregnancy 0nly ifcleaily n€€d€d. Teralol0gysludi€s conducled wilh 0meprazole

in rats al 0ral doses upt0 138 mo,4q/day (aboul 56timeslhe humafl dos€ 0n a b0dy sudacearea basis) and in rabbils at d0ss upt0 69 mg,4(q/day

(ab0ut 56 timtr lhe human d0se 0n a b0dy sl]dace area basis) did not discl0se any evidence for a leralogenh polenllal 0f omepruole. ln rabbils,

0mepra0h in a d0se range 0f6.9 t0 69.1 mgikg/day (aboul 5.5 l0 56 tim€s the human dose 0n a body surface area basis) produftd dosFrelaled

increasss in embry0-lethdity, lelal res0rplions, and preonancy disrupli0ns. ln nls, doscJelaled embry0,{elal l0xicily and poslnalal devel0pmental

toricity were obseryed in 0llspring resulting lr0n parenls trgat€d wilh 0mepra0h at 1 3.8 t0 1 38.0 mo/kg/day (aboul 5.6 l0 56 timss lhe hu mafl doss0n a body surlace a[ea bash). There are n0 adequale and wellcontrolhd $udies in prugnant wom€n. Sporadh rep0rts have btrn lemived 01

conqenital abnormalilies 0ccurilno in inlanls bom lo womefl who have rumiv€d omepraolo duin0 pregnancy. NuEing MofiersThe exretion ol

momspra0h in milk has notbeen $udied. However,omepruoh concenlralions have be€n measfied in brua$ milk 0la w0man loll0wing onl admin-

htration 0l 20 mg. Becaus€ esomeprilole is likely t0 be excr€ted in human milk, bemuse 0l the polenla ior sri0us advem remti0ns in nuninginlants lrom esomepru0h, and because 0lthe polential 10r lum0rigenhity shown 10r 0mepril0k in rat caminooenicily $udhs, a dechion should be

made whetherl0 discontinue nunin0 0rl0 disc0ntinuethe druo, taking inl0 accountths importance ollhe druq l0 lhe molhr Pediotric U* Salety

and eitmtiv€n€ss in pedialric palienls have not been eslablished. Geriohic Uie 0lthe 101a1 numbtr 0l patients who nceived NEXIUM in clinical

triah, l45g were65l0 i4years 0l ageand 354 palienlswerc >i5years 0fage. N0 ov*all dittereaces in salelyand etlicacywrc obserued betwtrnthe eldillyand y0ungerindivid[als, and 0th€r r€p0rtsd clinical erperience has nol idenlilied ditlerences in responss betwtrn the eldillyand younqilpatients, but oreater sensilivily 0t some older individuals cann0t be ruhd oul. ADVEnSE REACnONS The Mhty 0i NEXIUM wm evalualed in ovil15,000 palients (aged 18-84yea6) in clinhal trials w0rldwide includinq over8,500 pationts in the Uniled Slales and ovr6,500 pal[nls in Eur0pe and

Canada.over 2,900 palientswentrealed in long-lerm studiesl0rup 10612 m0nlhs. ln general, NEXIUM waswelltoleraled in b0lh shon-and lonq-

lem clinical lials. The saf€ty in lhe trcatment 01 healino 0l erosive esophaoith was assessed in iour randomized comoanlive clinical triah, which

included 1,240 patients 0n NEXlUt4 20 m9,2,434 palienls 0n NEXIUM 40 mg, ild 3,008 patients 0n 0mepnz0le 20 m0 daily. Ihe m0stlr€quently

occuffig adve6e evenls (>10/o) in all three qroups was headaclre (5.5, 5.0, and 3.8, respectively) and diatrhea (n0 dillilence am0nq lhe three

gr0ups). l,lausea, tlatulence, abdominal pain, c0nstipati0n, and dry moulh 0ccurcd al similar rales am0n0 palients lakinq NEXIUM or omeprazoh.

Addilional adv€6e €vents thal were rep0ded as p0ssibly 0r pmbably relahd l0 NEXIUM wilh an incidence <1% are I sled b€low by body sysleml

80dl as t lyirlsiabdomen enlarged, dhruh reaclion, aslhenia, back pain, chesl pain, chesl pain subslemal, lacial edema, perlpheral edema, hol

llrshes, lati0ue, lever, llu-like disorder, gsnilalized edema, leg edema, malaise, pain, rig06; Cildnyrscdafllushing, hyperlension, lachycardia;

fud\uine: goilel Gash'int5linl:bowel iregularity, constipalion aggravaled, dyspepsia, dysphagia, dysplasia Gl, epiga$rc pain, eructati0n,

esophageal disordsr,lrsquentslools,gastroent€ritis, Gl hemorrhage, Gl sympt0ms not0thsruisespscilied, hiccup, melena, m0uth dh0rder pharynx

disordel reclal d$0rdsl serum oaslrin increased, t0ngue disorder, l0ngue edema, ulcsrative $omatith, v0miting; l,srlrol eanche, tinnitus;

,lrmrlololit: anemia, anemia hyp0chromic, crruical lymph0adenopathy, €pistais, leukocyt0ss, leukopsnia, thromb0cyl0penai lleprltr; bilirFbinemia, hepalic lrnclion abn0rmal, SG0T increased, SGPI tncteased, tlelal'lic/lfuIilimal: glyc0suria, hyperurhsmia, hyporalremia increased

cramps, Jibr0myalgia syndrome, hernia, p0lymyalgia rheumalimi l{effors Slslsn4ryrtialdri an0rexia, apathy, appelile increasd, coniusi0n,

depression agqravalsd, diziness, hypertonia, neru0usness, hyposslhsia, imp0lence, ins0mnia, mi0raine, mignine aggravaled paresthesia, sleep

disorder, somnohnce, trem0r, vertiqo, vrsual lield delectt Errmdurtiwr dysmenofihea, msn$rual disorder, vaginils 8rsri,rloryi asthma aogra'

vated, c0u0hing, dyspnea, larynx edema, pharyngitis, fiinilis, sinusdis; Sfir rrdrppsrdrgesjacne, anqi0sdema, dilmatith, prunlus. pruritus ani,

rash, rash e0'llremat0us, resh maculopapular, skin inJlammati0n, swealing increased, urlicana; Sp?rialSerses:0lills media, par0smia, lasle l0ss,

ta$e p8rue6i0n; Urogrrihf abmmd urine, albuminuria, cyslilh, dysuria, lunoal inlecti0n, hematuria, micluilion frequency, m0niliasis, genilal

m0niliash, p0lyudai yisrrf conjunctivitis, visi0n abnormal. Endoscopic findings that were rcporled as adveBe €v€nts includer du0denilis,

ss0phagitis, esopha0eal strictuo, €sophaoeal ulceration, es0pha0eal vaices, gaslic uhet gasldth, h€rnia, benign polyps 0r n0dules, Barrett's

m0phagus, and m[cosl discolorati0n. Two placeb0-c0nlr0lled sludies wile c0nducled in 710 patienls iff the lrealmenl 0l symplomalic gaslr0e

sophageal reflux disease. The most commofl adveBe svsnts lhal wile reporled as posibly 0r probably related l0 NEXIUM wile dnrfim (4.3%),

headache (3.8y0), and ildomiml Fin (3.894. Po$maiketin0 Reports-Ther€ have bmn sponlaneous rep0rts 0ladveGe evenlswith poslmarteling

us 0f esomeplilole. These rep0rts have included nre uses 0l anaphylactic reaclion af,d myalqia, severe demal0logic reacli0ns, mcludm0 l0xic

epidormal nmr0llais (TEll, some laial), St€vensJ0hns0n syndrome, and e0'lhema mullilorme, and pancrealith. Rarely, hepatith with 0r wilhouljaundice has btrn reporled.otheradveBeevents nolobseoed wilh NEXIUM, bul 0ccuringwith omepra0lecan beloufld inlheomepraz0lepackageintrrt, ADllEfiSE RtloTll)ilS smtion. OVERDOSAGE A sin0le oml d0se 0l somspraoh at 510 mq,fto (ab0ul 103 tims the human dos 0n a

b0dysudace area basis), was lethal t0 rats. The maj0rsions 0l acuteloxicilywere rudumd m0t0raclivily, changes in ruspiratoryirequency, trem0r,

atdia, and inlemittent clonic c0nvulsions. There have been s0me rup0rts 0l 0vsrd0sqe with es0meprilole. Eeporls have bsen recsived 01

ovildosao€ wilh omepra0le in humans. Doses nnged up t0 2,400 mg (120 timm the usual rccommended clinical dose). Manifeslali0ns were

variabl€, bul included conlusion, drowsiness, blutred visi0n, tachycardia, nausa, diaph0resis, llushing, headache. dry m0uth, and othil adveise

reactions similar t0 lhose strn in n0md clinhal experience (s€e 0meprude package nserl-Al)lltRst 8EACIl0ilS). N0 sp€cilic anlidole l0resomeprazole is known. Since esomeprude rs exlensively prctein boufld, it is nol expecled t0 be rem0ved by dialyss ln the event ol ovedosage.

tr€atm€nt sh0uld be symplomalic and supporlive. As wilh lhe management 01 any overd0se, th€ p0$ibility 0t mulliple drug inoestion should be

c0nsidered. For curenl inlomalion 0n lreatment ofany drug overd0s, a csrtiiied Reglonal Poison C0ntr0l Centsr sh0uld be c0ntacled. Telephons

numbers are lisled in th€ Physicians' Desk Eelerenm (PDR) 0r lmal lelsphone b00k. DOSAGE AND ADMINISnAnON Phase see full

Prescilbing lnlormali0ni0r recommeded adultdosagesand dosage adjustments l0rSprcial PoNlali0mf0r NEXluM.

NEX|UMand lhe c0l0rpurph asapplifdi0the capsulsan ruqisteredlrademarks 0lthe Aslrazenecagnup 0lc0mpanhs

0Astnzeneca 2005. All ilghls reserued.

Dislribuled byr A$nzmem LB Wilminglon, DE 19850

Producl ol France

31026-00 Rev 06/05 231200 AstraZenecas

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i , . We have two matching basins side by side in our, master bathroom. One has a dirty ring around the

perimeter of the brass drain. I clean it weekly, but a few l

r days later, it's back. Both sinks are used the sameamount.

Tod D. Labrie, North Andover, MA

, , Most likely the brass coating on the drain is corroding,I causing the ring you have in your sink. Abrasive cleaners

and some hair care products, especially hair coloring, can be

particularly corrosive. If a family member habitually rinses hairproducts in the one sink, that could explain why only that sinkhas the problem.

The best solution is to replace the pop-up and drain assem-

bly. The drains are available (or can be ordered) at home cen-ters and plumbing supply stores. If you want to stick with brass,

choose one of the newer types that have a nearly indestructiblebrass finish. These finishes are applied with an electric chargethat vaporizes the brass and affixes it permanently to the drain.Delta Faucet Co. (800-345-3358 or www.deltafaucet.com) is

one of many companies that offer this type of product.Or, replace the brass drain with a nickel chrome or brushed

stainless steel drain, which won't corrode and discolor yoursink. To keep your two basins matching, replace both drains.

, Also examine the porcelain surface around the drain. If it's

scratched or worn (dull), dirt will also cause a ring. Thenreplace the sink as well.

l8 vencu 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN

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I have an outdoor faucetthat makes a loud vibrat-

ing noise when I open or shut it.How can I fix it? I have anotheroutdoor faucet that works fine.

Larry Carrier, Lewiston, ME

Thc faucct washel is proba-bly rvom out. YcrLr can casily

rcplircc it without removing thecntire lirucet. First. turn off tl-re water

to the faucet. Then use a rvr-ench to

reurove the rettrining nut that'sattached to the sill cock (top photo).

Sliclc thc hanclle ancl stcnr lsscnr

bly or.rt of the sill cock. Renove the

screw ilt the er-rcl of the stcrr (bot-

tom photo) irncl rct.t.tove thc rvash-

er'. Buy ir nerv u'aslter tlritt nratchcs

the old onc at ilnv hardrvrre stot'e.

Then reirsscnrble the titucet. C)ccrr

sionall,v tlrc washcl is tlne but thcscrov holclinc it is loose . If so, put a

clrop ol Loctite Threadlocker ($,1 at

harclrvare stores) on tl-re threacls ancl

tighten it. Sonrc fir-rccts havc tr

spring loaclecl slecve near the n'ash-

e r. If you l-rave tl-ris type, r'eplace the

entire firuce{ t-.1

Ail Ll recr of . BOB UNGAR

P roLo!]rapry . BlLt ZUEHLKE

and RAMON MORENO

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vnncH zoos 19

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Extra ThickExtra Stick.

New Gorilla Tape sticks to thingsordinary tapes simply cant - metal,glass, brick, stucco, wood and more.

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Bondshundreds ofmaterials including ,'wood, stone, meal,ceramic and more!lncredibly strong and

I 00% waterproof!

by Bruce Wiebe

lnstant workbencho on, take an hour to build reader

fared Vergith's sturdy, simpleworkbench from a single sheet of

3/4-in. plywood. Then spend only a cou-ple of seconds tapping it together when-ever you need it. It can hold heary powertools, large project assemblies or even thatold outboard motor you're overhauling.Cutting list:ro Two 38-in. x 8-in. stretchers

x Two 27-112-in. x 23-in. legs

* One 48-in. x 30-in. topru Two 26-in. x314-in.x314-rn. side cleats

m Two l2-in. x314-in.x314-in. end cleats

Saw 4-in. x 314-in. notches in the legs

and stretchers, spacing them 3 in. in fromthe edge on the legs and 4 in. in from the

ends on the stretchers. Tap themtogether to create an inter-locked base. Lay the topupside down on the floor, thenposition the base so the top overhangs hall four sides equally. Screw cleats on ,l

the top so they will fit just inside the base.

Position them slightly away from the base '

to make assembly easy. Stand everythingright side up and put your instant work-bench to work!

ffiffiffi

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127-112" t23"1

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN unncg zooo 2l

It'll onlv trrlic;r scconcl to nrrb the pcrfict size nuts ()r l'irshers llonr t]t.ttl)iq cirn lorrtlcti n'itl-r 20 yerus'l'orth oi lcf-tover hirrcln'alc. Irour the crtr.qo

onto a rubbcl cill'nti.lt (52 at cliscount store.s), rirkc throrrglt thc pilc LrntiJ

t'ou llrtd thc riglit tvhatever, then usc tlrc ntat its it cltute to 1'r1r1;1-the htirpbacl< into thc can. This can-c1o tip rs coLrrtcsv ol-r'caclcr Aliclis Illistrunt.

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Chip-swallowi ng router fenceThis made-from-scraps router fence-along with your shop vacuum-collects wood chips while you work.

On a table saw, cut a straight piece of 2x4 to 2-ll4 in. wide for the fence's

height, being sure the vertical face and bottom edge of the fence form a

90-degree angle.

Saw a "mouse hole" in the center of the fence to fit over the router bit, thenscrew together a plylvood box with a hole in the top to fit your shop vacuumhose (1-1/4 in. or 2-ll4 in. diameter).

It's noisy to run a router and vacuum at the same time, so wear hearing pro-

tection! Many thanks to Blair Thompson for routing this great tip our way.

ffi

it'"4*ngur r"*r f-i ir{.j r-r} ix{.}!r f t"i*: *h*;rtr.,rNeed small containers for mixing and

dispensing stain, paint and epoxy?

Save and reuse Jell-O and CrystalLight plastic cups. Customize thelarger fell-O cups with ounce mark-ings for precise measurements whenyou're mixing two-part formulas. Just

borrow the kitchen measuring cup,

pour water-an ounce at a time-into the disposable cups and trace

each level with a fine-tip permanent

marker. Thanks to Ralph Molling forcooking up this tip.

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vnRcH zooo 23

i i:rii ii'.,-iri, :r.ir 1.i:..1 tl*tipS

Hijacked tackle boxWhen the fishing urge stops biting, put that old tack-le box to use as a portable hardware and tool tote.Load the nifty fold-out compartments with screws,nails, bolts, tape, electrical 66nng61s15-\iv'hat haveyou. Stash your pliers, screwdriver, wrenches, ham-mer, tape measure and other frequently used toolson the bottom level. When chores and repairs startnibbling at your conscience, you'll have the righttackle handy for the job. Thanks to Scott Bakos forthis alluring tip.

1l,r-rr. t**a^-a*,Art Direct on . LISA PAHL KNECHTPhotography e MIKE KRIVIT

lf you have a shop tip you'd like to share, send it totfhtips@readersdigest.com or Workshop Tips, The FamilyHandyman, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN55121. We now pay $200 for tips we print. 0riginalcontributions become our property upon acceptance andpayment. We're sorry, but tips cant be returned.

Great GarageThis contest is open to residents of the United States, its territories and pos-sessions who are 18 years of age or older. Employees oI The FamilyHandynan, The Reader's Digest Association, lnc., or affiliated or subsidiarycompanies, or members of their immediate families, are excluded fromentering.

No purchase is necessary to enter.

Entrants should send a photo and a description oftheir garage explainingwhy it should be named the winner in one of the lollowing live categories:Garage Hints and Tips, show us how you have made your garage a betterspace, inside or out Best Garage Shop, show us your dream workplace;Most Organized Garage, show us how you ended garage clutter; Mostlnteresting Use lor a Garage, anything unusual you have done to yourgarage; Coolest Garage, show us your comfortable, organized, creative,inspiring and iust plain cool garage. Send slides, prints or digital photos.Digital photos must be a minimum of 900 x 1,500 pixels, and should be senton a CD. lnclude a written description of your garage or garage tips and a

c over sheet that indic ates whic h c ateg ory yo u're enterin g, you r n a me, streetaddress, daytime phone number and e-mail address. Entries will be judgedbased on the broad appeal of the garage or garage idea {60%), originality ofapproach .20%1, and quality of photography and description (20%). One win-ner will be selected in each category, and from these five winners, we willselect one grand prize winner, one second prize winner and three third prizewinners. All judging will be accomplished by editors of The FamilyHandyman and the decisions are final.

All entries must be sent by mail. Please place the completed entry in anenvelope addressed to: "Great Garage Contest," The Family Handynan,2915Commers Dr., Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121. All entries must be postmarked byJune 1,2006, the closing date. 0nly one entry per contestant is allowed.

Contest entries will not be returned. All submitted materials become proper-Iy oI The Family Handyman and its parent and affiliated companies. Wereserve the right to use your entry in all print and electronic media, and toedit it for brevity and clarity.

2/l vqncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

Gontest RulesWinners will be selected on or about June 15, 2006, and notified by mail with-in one month of selection.

Prize information: The grand prize winner will receive the following Ryobitools and accessories, courtesy of Ryobi Power Tools: l8-v 0ne+ caulk gun,18-v 0ne+ chain saw, 18-v 0ne+ Corner Cat finish sander, l8-v 0ne+TorquelV drill/driver, 18-v 0ne+ hammer drill, 18-v 0ne+impact driver, 18-v 0ne+jig-saw, 18-v 0ne+laminate trimmer, 18-v 0ne+ laser circular saw, l8-v0ne+nailer/stapler, 18-v 0ne+ reciprocating saw, 18-v 0ne+ right angle drill,18-v 0ne+ speed saw, 18-v 0ne+ Tuff Sucker wevdry vac, l8-v 0ne+flash-light, (a) l8-v 0ne+ battery packs, (7) 18-v One+ lanyards, (2) l8-v 0ne+chargers, l8-v 0ne+ vehicle charger,'10 in. bandsaw, l0 in. portable tablesaw, 12 in. compound miter saw, universal miter saw stand, multiTASKit,0ne+ accessories kit,21s-pc. super drilling kit, pressure washer, cultivatorand 18 in. straight shaft string trimmer (total retail value = $2,633.10). Secondprize winner will receive the following, courtesy of E3 Spark Plugs: Ryobi l7in. curved shaftstringtrimmer, Ryobi blowervac, Ryobi gas pole saw, and (3)

E3 small engine spark plugs (total retail value = $454.) Three (3) third prizewinners will receive one case of Castrol GTX High Mileage motor oil, cour-tesy of Castrol USA (retail value = $18 each. Total retail value $54).

The prizes are non-transferable. Sponsor reserves the right to substituteprizes of equal or greater value if any of the stated prizes are not availableat time of award.

Winners will be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility within l4days of attempted notification. Noncompliance within this time period willresult in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. All feder-al, state and local laws and regulations apply. All taxes are the responsibili-ty oi the winner. Winner will be requested to give permission for the use ofhis or her name in promotional material.

The total number of contestants anticipated nationwide is 5,000.

Gonsumer lnformation: lf you wish to receive a winners list, write to: WinnersList, The Family Handyman,2915 Commers Dr., Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55l2l.

GordKmffiffiWhReplace your oldphones with a single,linked system thatcan do it allbyTravis Larson

A new generation of

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Base station

veryone loves the freedom of being able to roam around the housewhile gabbing on a cordless phone. And a new generation of"linked"cordless phones is even better. Now you can park extra handsets all

over the house even if there's not a phone jack in sight.Here's how it works. You buy a system that consists of a home "base" station

with one or more additional handsets. You plug the home base into a phonejack and an electrical outlet just as you would any conventional cordless

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26 vancn 2006 THE FAMtly HANDvMAN

Remote stationsphone. Then you plug in the extra handsets

wherever you want the convenience of an

additional phone. These handsets send and

receive calls via the base station. They don'trequire a phone jack, only an electrical out-let for charging. That means you can place a

handset just about anywhere-garages,basements, bathrooms or simply better walllocations in places that don't have conven-

ient phone jacks. (If you worry about miss-

ing those "check-in" calls from roamingteenagers, place a handset by your bedside.)

A single phone system also simplifies the

home phone network. No more confusionregarding the differences of unmatchedphones-which buttons to push for activat-ing calls or hanging up, which phones have

speed dial, etc. With the new system, each

phone works the same.

Features that are included with systems

vary widely. Decide on your priorities before

you go shopping.r Some base units will only support one

extra handset, others nine or more. Buy a

unit that'll handle as many extra handsets

as you think you'll eventually need(-ayb. one or two more!).If you're addicted to caller ID, make sure

the extra handsets feature it as well.Ifyou're hooked on one-touch phone dial-ing, make sure the handsets have it too.If your home has other wireless devices,

buy a system that operates on a differentwavelength to avoid interference (2.4

G-Hz-based phone systems are the ones

most commonly affected by wireless(WiFi) video game controllers and wire-less computer systems). Check specifica-

tion plates on any devices to find out theiroperating wavelengths.

If your family makes conference calls (you

and Junior visiting with Grandma), get a

kit that has the conference call feature.

A walkie-talkie feature makes the handsets

a whole-house intercom.

Linked systems are available everl'wherephones are sold. Prices start at $60 for a no-frills kit with one extra handset and go to

$200 and up for more elaborate models con-taining four or more handsets. ftArt Direction . DAVID SIMPSONPhotoqraphy . BILL ZUEHLKE

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byTravis Larson

f yodre looking 1c,r an eye-catchir.rg feature for yourpatio, deck or eveit fror-rt entry, this natural-lookir-rgartesian fountain ,,vill do the trick. We desigr.red tl.ris

fountain arouud a special stone, one with a I-in. holedrilled through it. Water fron.r the pun-rp gr.rrgles up

through the hole and overflows the stone. To reduce mainte-ntlnce, we elin-rinated the collectior.r pond. A gravel-filledreservoir below collects the overflow for recirculatiorr. Sinceno sunlight can reach the watel in the reservoir and supportalgae grorvth, the water stays pristine. You'll have algae grow-ir-rg near wet areas, but it o'rly contriLrutes to the r-ratural look.

L'r tl.ris article, we'll shor,r yor-r how to select and drill a boul-der that'll mimic a natural artesian well. We'll also show youl-row to constrllct a sirnple under'-gravel reservoir using 5-gal.pails. The decorative cl'roices-the top-6lr.r.ir.rt stones, foun-

':.;e.

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28 vnncH 2006 THE FAMTLy HANDvMAN

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tiiin stone and plar-rts-t'e leave to voLll- ou'n crcative ey'e and

inspiration.The rvhole builcling process is simpler than vott miqht

think, irnd ,vou don't ueeci irn), special skills or tools. But it'sr.rot a cornpletel,v no-srveat iob. \bu'll have tct dig ln 8 x lO-fi.

I.role about 2 fl. cleep and dr.rr.r.rp in gravel. That's the otrlv seu-

r"rinely heavy work. You can easilv have this proicct ulr, rr,ln-

r-rir-rg and finisl-red ir-r a dav once volive gathered tl'rc materials.

The four-rtair-r rve shou'cost about $1,000 incluciing thc purlp-r,

rock flll, pond liner and pac1, and all of the boulclels, inclucl-

ir-rg the or-re that's drilled. Ilut vcur por-rd doc-sn't have to be irs

large ancl elaborate als ours. )bu ciur clcsign a smaller versiot-t

that will cost as littlc as $200. All vou need is one \\,ater-spout

ing boulcler restit-ts ir-r a sn-rall arca of decolative stotte firt' it

beautiful conversrrtior-r piece fbr' 1,or,rr gardeu.

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THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vancH zooe 29

The planning stepsThe water basin is a two-tiered hole: a

shailow end where the boulders rest and a

deeper end that serves as the reservoir(Figure A). The 5-gallon pails (photos5 - 8) create a large reservoir volume, so

you don't have to add water often. Theyalso reduce the amount of coarse gravel

needed to fill the hole. (We ran this foun-tain most of the summer and found thatwe only needed to add water every weekor two, depending on the weather.) All ofthe pails but the one containing the pumpare positioned about 5 in. below the sur-face to leave room for potted, water-lovingplants. We elevated the pump pail so thelid lies just below the surface for easy

pump access. We drilled all of the pailswith holes sized to keep out the gravel(Photo 5) but let the water seep in.

If you build a smaller fountain withfewer 5-gallon pails, monitor the waterlevel more frequently. If the reservoir goes

dry, the pump may be ruined.

Bring waterfrom home andpour it overthe stone youchoose to testthe water flow.

Begin your search for fountain stone bycalling stone suppliers that either custom-drill stones or have a selection ofpredrilled stones ("Stone, Natural" in theYellow Pages). Prices will range between$50 for small stones and upwards of$2,000, plus delivery and placementcharges, for l-ton stones with naturalbasins.

Deciding on the fountain stone is thehard part. Bring several gallons of waterwith you and pour water over your stoneselections to see how it flows. Adjust thestone to alter the flow. Look for a stonethat has natural chutes or channels ifyou're seeking a "stream-like" flow, or one

Just about any stone is "drillable," with only a fewexceptions {petrified wood being one}. You'll need torent a rotary hammer drill ($40 for four hours) and a

1-in.-diametermasonry bit (rental

prices depend on

the length of thebit) long enough to

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drill through the stone you choose.Drilling your own stone may onlytake a few minutes, depending onthe hardness and thickness of thestone. ltt noisy, so wear hearing andeye protection. Dont force the drill;let the weight of the hammer drill dothe work. Pull the bit out of thestone every inch or so to clear thedust. lf you've picked out a roundedstone, stabilize it before drilling bydigging a little crater in the groundto rest it in. The f -in. bit may slideoff the rounded surface when you

start drilling. lf so, drill a 1|2-in.-deeppilot hole with a 1/2-in. bit.

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3O vnncg 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

that has a natural basin if you're after agurgling-up-from-the-ground look. Picka stone that's less than 15 in. thick at

the fountain hole location; that's

the limit for available drillshafts.

Our fountain stone cost $75, and we

paid $150 for the boulders that supportedand surrounded it. If you don't have a

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t,i/"1 t

$r. ,

,&,i

'-t\:

PUMP

source for drilled stones, buy a stone anddrill it yourself. It's easier than you think.(See "Drilling a Stone," p. 30.)

Figure A Fountain details

t*-::*--'\,,-:*,

5.GALLONPAILS

,//j-'-/'AH-#fA

:;rA

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vencH zooo 3l

<- 1/2. HOrES

,fi Unfold the""1i1' liner andcenter it over thehole. Push it intorecesses andpleat it wherevernecessary to fitagainst the sidesof the hole.

j].,. Drill fourr,.J columns of1/2-in. holesaround the mid-dle and near thebottom and topof each pail. Thensnap on the lidsand rest the pailsin the hole.

i..., Cut offthei. :'f rim from thepump pail and cutand fold down a1-1l2-in.-wide x2-in. flap at thetop for the waterline and electricalcable.

SLOT FOR WATERAND ELECTRICAL

\

Add the pailsand fill in the holeUse either a spade bit or a twist bit to drilll/2-in. drain holes in all the pails as weshow in Photo 5. To make accessing thepump easier, we suggest cutting off thelid-locking lip of the pump-containingpail (etoto 6). When you start backfillingaround the pails, they'll want to shift a bit,so keep a foot on the lids while you shov-el a few inches of rock around each base.

Be sure to keep the height of the pun.rp

pail about 2 in. below grade level (Photo7). Stop filling at this point. The pea grav-

elwill fill the final 2 in.

Lay in the top-dressingrock and arrange thefountain and filler stonesHook up the pump to the water line andrest it on the bottom of the pump pail(ehoto s). Position the larger base rocksat this point, and then pour the pea grav-el around them and top off the rest of thefeature (enoto s).

Arrange the fountain stone and otherstone supports or features in the shallowend of the hole. Use a flowing garden hose

near the hole in the fountain stone and

tinker with the stones until the flow pat-tern approximates the look you're after(Photo 1o). When you're satisfied, tipover the fountain stone to expose the hole,cut the water line to length and clamp onthe plastic fittings (Photo 1i). Test-fit thefitting end in the fountain hole; you mayhave to grind or chisel offthe plastic barbson the fitting to make it tight. Coat the fit-ting with silicone caulk and slip it into thehole. Let it set for an hour and then reset

the stone.

Now fill the reservoir by laying a garden

hose on the gravel and running waterthrough it until the pump pail is full. Rest

the pump at the bottom of the pail andthen plug it in for a test run. Readjust thestones as needed to get the ideal waterflow.

If you stack boulders and smaller stones

to form a more elaborate fountain, use

expanding "pond foam" between thestones to stabilize the pieces. Protect the

stones from overflowing foam by tucking

LINES

35 nnncH 2006 THE

aluminum foil in the areas you want tokeep free of foam (photo 12). Startwith small amounts of foam and try tokeep it out of sight by shoving the dis-pensing tube deep into the crevices.

After the foam sets (about two hours),tear away the foil and cut off anyexposed foam with a knife or saw.

If water "sticks" to the side of thestone as it runs off and your goal is amini waterfall, let the stone dry andthen apply a bead of silicone to thewater side of the stone. The siliconewill repel the water and help it "fall."

Finish the water feature by trimmingoff the overhanging liner and pad even

with the rim of the hole. The liner is

best cut with a utility knife and the padwith a scissors. Add whatever othertop-dressing or perimeter stones andplants you wish.

If you live in a cold climate, takeyour pump in for the winter and storeit in a pail of water to keep the seals

wet. Don't worry about draining thereservoir; freezingwon't hurt it a bit.

, F,+"qLflslr"l.q *.ir.:lr,:

A 300-gph (gallons per hour)water pump will give you thetype of flow you see in our open-ing photo. lf you'd like a smaller,gurgling flow, buy a 200-gphpump or install a restrictor valveat the pump to allow you adjustthe flow.

We selected a low-voltage

Pump (see Buyer's Guide, p. 40)

because it's safer and the wiringis easier to install. In fact, youonly need to bury the cable an

inch or two below grade. For astandard 12O-volt pump, how-ever, you'll have to apply for an

electrical permit, bury the wiremuch deeper and install a GFCI-protected outlet.

We'd love to receive photos ofand comments about your proj-ect. Send them to: travis_larson

@readersdigest.com. I promise a

resDonse.

-/f--------' L,ae</)

*# Backfitt

d around thereservoir pailswith 1-in. to 2-in.gravel, resting thepump pail on thegravel so its topbecomes evenwith grade. Keepthe gravel 2 in.below grade,

ffi Connect theW water line tothe pump androute it to thestone fountainlocation, avoidingareas whereheavy stones willrest.

ffi Pour in ande*# level the peagravel until it'seven with theedges. Then use asteel rake to evenout the surface.

38 ranncH 2006 THE

1'MALEADAPTER

Figure B Fountain fittings

'uf; o:i il Place and rough-:, i;r ty adjust the

fountain boulders usinga garden hose placednear the fountain holeto simulate the water'spath. Then flip over theboulder to access theunderside of the hole.

$ $ Cut the water linet # to length and

attach the fountain fit-tings. Goat the plasticelbow with siliconesealant and work thefittings into the hole onthe underside of thefountain stone.

'r]1 'i'.,i1 Test the waterii ;l.l* flow by filling the

basin and running thepump. Shim the stonesas necessary, then fillaround the stones withpond foam to lock theminto place.

HANDYMAN unncH zooo 39

Slideit int0

wall.>Ask forJohnsonHardware'sPocket DoorFrame.Gives home a mofe spaciousfeel without sacrificing privacy.HandicapAccessible. IifetimeGuarantee. Exclusive designeliminates "str.rck" doors, allowsdoor removal for painting afterwalls are in place. For an evensmoother glide, ball bearingwheels arc avarTal'ie.

1.800.837 .56(t4for a Free

Ideas Brocbure.

Engineered Excellence

www.iohnsonhardware.com

Scoop out the pea gravel and setin potted pond plants, then finish

the water feature with decorative top-dressing and perimeter edging stones.

4O vancH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

You'll find all the materials for this proj-ect, besides the fountain stone, at homecenters or large nurseries. Here's whatyou'll need:

1- to 2-in. smooth round stone for the

main filler stone. A large fountain likeours will require about 1,000 lbs.

A small roll of indoor/outdoor carpet-

ing or any other old carpeting you may

have on hand.

Pond liner padding and waterproofliner: Know your pond dimensionsand make sure to allow for the holecontours before you go shopping.Five 5-gallon pails with lids.

Pea gravel: Buy it in bulk or in bags forthe 2-in.-thick top rock layer (our fea-

ture required 25 bags).

Select corrugated pond tubing only.

Cheaper, thin-walled vinyl tubing willcollapse under the overlying stone. Buy

two tubing clamps, a l-in. elbow and al-in. male adapter to feed the water

wtvr'v vttuvt- ,/TLIBING

into the stone fountain hole. You'll findthe fittings in the lawn irrigation area

at thr: home center.

One tube of silicone caulk and one can

of pc'nd foam. Use silicone caulk toseal the elbow into the fountain stonehole.

Wayne Water Systems offers the 300-9ph low-volt-age pump shown in this story for g1'14.69 plusshipping. Call (800) 237-0987 and order part No.57924-WYNG.

Ad Direction . BOB UNGARPhotoqraphv . MIKE KRIVITlllustration . DON MANNES

ii

on Wall Scanner

Use the MultiScannero i700 fromZircon, with exclusive. next-generation

Auto-Corecting Technology (ACT)for unmatched, all-around performance.

It Works Where Others Don't.

dryxara}ling tips

Providihgpoorsupportat edges

raming at inside corners is often inadequate orlacking altogether, making it impossible to fas-

ten the edge of the drywall.The solution is to inspect the framing before you

start hanging drywall. Make sure there's at least 1 in. ofexposed framing at corners. If not, add another 2x4

alongside the existing framing (photo right).Especially check along the top of walls that run paralleito the ceiling framing. Normally biocking is nailed tothe top plate of the wall during the framing phase, butit's often missing. If you have to add blocking and don'thave room to swing a hammer, drive screws into the

blocking at an angle from below.

:.: , !.,.r. .:r.i!:1i::rr.:t:::.:i:i :

' 1' ,: , ' ,:' ,:::1 1 -';' ,l ;':

TOO LITTLEBACKING

44 MARCH 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDvMAN

Guessing atframing locations

f you fbrget to nrarrk the loca-

tior-r ol franring mernbers

befbre you cover then.r withdrpvall, you'll have a hard tirneplacing tl-re scl'ews accurately(photo left). Fol foolproof screw

placenrent, n-rake these r-narks and

use them as ir guide to draw a lightper-rcil lir-re across the sheet (photobelow). Then you'll be able to place

screws quickly and arccurately. Andyon wolr't have to waste time retrlov-ing sclews lltat rttiss tlrc flanrirrq.

Mark the location of ceiling joists

or.r the top plate of the wall framir"rg.

Then r-nark the center of each stud

or-r the floor. Make r-rote of unusual

framing so yodll know where toplace sclews after it's covered witl-r

dr1.wall. After the ceiling drywall is

htrng, nrark tlre stud locatiorrs t-tn

tlie ceiling r,r,ith a pencil befole you

start to l.rang drywall on the walls.

.7(

SCREWSMlss

NO FRAMINGMARKS .

.tlfl ,(

ng

JOIST CENTERMARK

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vnncg zoos 47

ling taperedalong

I I you hang a sheet of drl.wall with the tapered

I .i*. ulolrion outside corner, it will be hard toI i,-rrl,url th.".orn.. bead accurately. The corner ofthe bead will lie too low, making it difficult to coverwith joint compound. The solutior.r is to place cutedges along an outside corr.rer (photo right).

CUT EDGES;NO TAPER

.

Forciover

ven with careful measurir-rg, you'll often run into an outlethole that doesn't quite fit. The commor.r mistake is to screw

the dri'wall to tl.re framing before trimming the opening.Ther.r the drlnvall will break around the electrical box (photo above),requiring extra time to patch. The key to solve this problem is tocheck the fitbefore you press the drpvall tight to the wall.

After carefully measuring ar.rd cuttir.rg out the openings in your'sheet of dr'yr,vall, hold the dr1'wall ir.r place. If the fit is close, faster.r thesheet with a few screws along the top edge or rvell away from the ont-1et openings. Trim excess dr'1.wall awav alor.rg tight box edges with a

utility knife (top right) until the drywall slides easily over the outletboxes (bottom right). Then fir.rish fastenir.rg the dr1.wall.

48 nnncs 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDyMAN

Guttingfor atight fit

TOO T|GHT - ,--7

1/8-in.ps at edges

l'"i .

S:r#:,;:i:]

dL1ii

o l, t;"-'

here's r-ro reason to measure and cut drywall for an exact fit. It'llusually just cause tlouble. lar-r-rn-rir.rg ilr a piece that's too tight willclun.rble the edge or break olrt a cor ner (photo left). And remov-

ing a piece to shave tr too-tight edge is messy and time consuming. A loose

fit avoids this problen.r. Cut it to leave about a i/8-in. gap at edges. In fact,

when yotire hangir.rg the ceilir.rg, keep in rnind that 1i2 ir.r. along the

perimeter rvill be covered by dLywall or.r the walls. And the sarne is true ofinside wall corners. So you car.r safely cut these pieces 1/4 ir.r. less than the

actual measurernent ancl leave a gap in the corr-rer if necessary. Even a

piece whose edges arer.r't covered should be cut a little short. It's eirsier to

fill a 1/S-in. gap rvitl.r setting-type compound than to cut and repair a bro-

ker-r edge or corner.

1/8't:G4P,

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vlncs zoco 49

dr:nnralling tips

ng

; '*_--.- _----- .' -:'-,8'sHEET oF DRvwALL i

I

BUrrJorNT l.\l--=tl.j.

I

I

I'l'

I

t'

aping dry.wall is time consuming and tediousenough without adding extra joints, especial-ly those hard-to-tape butt joints (photo

left). So plan your job to use the longest and largestsheets possible. And don't scrimp on materials.Drywall is cheap.

If the walls you're planning to drywall are between8 ft. I in. and 9 ft. I in. tall, consider ordering special54-in.-wide sheets of drywall to avoid an extra hori-zontal joint. You'll find 54-in.-wide drywall at drlwallsuppliers, or you can special-order it from most homecenters and lumberyards. You'll also speed up yourjob by using l2-ft.-long sheets ofdrywall rather thanstandard 8-footers (photo below). However, hauling12-ft. sheets is difficult and getting them into thehouse can be challenging. For large jobs, have the dry-wall delivered. Many drywall suppliers will even stackthe drywall in the house for an extra fee.

8' SHEET OF DRYWALT

BUTT JOINT

<-----

].1

.L

IM

sheets possible

12' SHEET OF DRYWALL

12'SHEET OF DRYWALI

.:i,:*

5O rvnncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

,{/t

NorcH jAROUND iDOOR :

,/

./ ///

void lining up a sheet of drywall with the

edge of a door or window oper-ring (photo

above). Your home tends to sl.rift and settle

slightly, ar.rd that movement shows up at the corners

of windows ar.rd doors. A joint at tl-ris location, even ifit's well taped, is weaker than solid dry'wall. Chances

are it'll crack in the future.It's better to notch drywall around openings rather

than to make a joir.rt. For interior walls, simply contin-ue over tl-re oper-rir-rg with a hrll sheet and cut out the

opening after you fasten the sheet (photo right).Windows on exterior walls are a little trickier. Measure

and r.rotch the sheet before hanging it. Get help when

hanging notched sheets because the skinr.ry sectiot.t

above the opening is often fragile. It's OK to joinsheets over an opening (and ofter-r easier if you're

working alone) as long as the joint isn't in line witl.t

either side. L1

Art D rect of . MARCIA WRIGHT ROEPKE

Photography . BILL ZUEHLKE

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN ttaRcl :ooo 53

Make two simpleforms,

add three bags of concrete

-' ..'-lll:.':lx.-:Ti: ' :.;:: :'""-'

and you'll have a benchin two weekends!

by David Radtke

r-r the mood to create something timeless

and beautiful for your garder.r? Build this

fun three-piece concrete ber.rch a little at

a time over the course of a week or so.

You can give it a unique personal desigr.r and

then sit and enjoy it for a lifetime.

All you have to do is build simple plywood

forms, mix and pour your own concrete to fillthem, ar.rd then install the bench ir.r your

favorite garden spot. You can buiid the ply-

wood and hardboard forms over the weekend,

buy three 80-lb. bags ofdry concrete nrix, pour

the fonns after a few days and wait for the

magic. You can follow the plan exactly as

shown to learr-r the process and then experi-

ment with your own shapes and designs.

The concrete forms for this bench are notonly cheap but also reusable. You'll spend

about $40 for form material and hardware. Ifound I could make about five benches from a

single set of forms before they started to dete-

riorate. And with concrete at $4 per bag, this is

one inexpensive project.The bench details come from panels built

into the forms that appear as recesses once the

form is poured. You can leave the recesses

empty to create lines and shadow or fill themwith tile or stone to add color and texture.

Note, however, that you can raise the cost sub-

stantially if you buy fancy tile or stone. I spent

about $50 for the cut stone mortared into the

top recess, but you can achieve similar results

t

1(

i

$! .-':-

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vLncs zooe 55

'l Using a pencil and twine, scribeI the two concentric arcs onto a

sheet of 2 x 4-ft. plywood to formthe basic shape of the bench. Thetwo arcs should be 14 in. apart.

2 S.r"* 3/4-in. plywood ends (B) to thellorm base with 1-5/8-in. deck screws.Then cut strips of 1/4-in. standard hardboard,predrill pilot holes and screw them to thesides of the form base (A) and to the formends (B). Use 1-1l2-in. truss screws.

Q Cut a piece ol 114-in. hardboard andV 5sygvl, it to the seat form with a pairof 314-in. screws. Then scribe the panelwith a compass to mark an equal revealon each side. Remove the panel, cut it tothe line, then glue and screw it to theseat form base (A).

using bulk flat river stones, which are

available from landscape suppliers for a

fraction of the cost. You can also use

ceramic tile, even broken tile, to create a

unique personal design.You can complete the project with ordi-

nary carpentry tools, including a circularsaw and a jigsaw. But a table saw would be

helpful to cut the thin l-in.-wide strips ofhardboard for the details in the form.Also, a wheelbarrow is handy for mixingthe concrete, but if you don't have one,you can buy a tough plastic bin at a homecenter.

Get the right stuffOur local home center sells 2 x 4-ft. panels

ofplywood and hardboard next to the full-size sheet goods (plyuood and paneling).These small, easy-to-handle sheets are allyou need for this project. Make sure to get

standard hardboard, not tempered, for thisproject. Tempered hardboard has a veryhard, slick surface that won't make the tight

56 vnncs 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

bends you'll need for the curved pieces onthe two leg forms.

Not all concrete mixes are the same. For

this project, use only Quikrete or Sakrete

5,000-lb. concrete. If you can't find it atyour home center or hardware store, call(800) 282-5828 for a dealer near you.

Ordinarytwine works gieat

for marking the curyesFind a large, wide-open space like a garage

floor or a flat driveway to mark the curveonto the base of the seat form. Thpe to yourfloor a large washer (photo r ) with a lengthof twine tied to it. Draw a center line on the2 x 4-ft. piece of 3/4-in. plywood as shown.Align the plywood so the taut twine fallsright over the center line. Be sure the faredge of the plywood is 12 ft.6 in. from thewasher. Tie the pencil to the twine at thisdistance and scribe a curve along the wholelength of plywood, keeping the twine taut.Next, scribe another arc 14 in. shorter thanthis onto the ply'wood. Now look at thedimensions on Figure A, p. 58, and markthe outer sides of the plywood. Cut out theshape with your jigsaw and sand any irreg-ularities along the curve with your beltsander.

Shopping ListDESCRIPTION

3/4" plywood (2'x 4')

1/4" standard hardboard (2' x 4 )

1-5/8" deck screws

3/4" drywall screws

84" No.4 rebar

80-lb. bags of 5,000-lb.concrete mix

Polyurethane varnish

Silicone spray

2" paint brush

Wood glue

1-112" truss screws

1/2" wire nails

PL Landscape Block Adhesive

OTY

2

2

2 lbs.

1 tb.

1

3

1 qt.

1 can

1

1 pt.

'1 pkg.

1 pkg.

1 tube

fi:,ii*. sC #r-Bi* ?,.rrty** fi't

A- ^to 1-in.-wide strips of hard- f Soat< the leg form sides (Hl and the strips A ri, the 1-in.-wide hardboard strips toT board and glue and nail them to r/ lft overnight. The next day. assemble a [J the insade of the leg form to male

the middle of the form sides to form pair of leg forms. Clamp the center of the the recesses in the leg fionts and backs.the edge recesses in the bench top. hardboard side and gently squeeze it to the Let the curved side pieces dry for a cou-Use water-resistant glue. curved base of the leg form. Then screw it ple of hours to get better glue adhesion

into place with truss screws. before installing the straps. Tack them inplace with 1/2-in. nails. Let the form andstrips dry overnight, then disassemble.

1.T/2'PAN HEADTBUSS SCREWS

I;\&\u\ffi r+"ffi\B1 \

&.1{'

3-314"

Figure A Seat details

Next, measure each end of the form base

and cut the end pieces (B) from the othersheet of plywood. Predrill and screw these

to the base (Photo 2). Next cut the 3-314-

in.-wide sides from 1/4-in. hardboard,predrill them every 4 in. and screw them tothe form base with pan hed truss screws(see detail).

58 rvancn 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

--...-t7

Scribe the inner 1/4-in. panel (enoto s)to the curve of the seat, then glue and screw

it to the base of the form (this will form a

recess in the top ofthe bench once you pourthe concrete). Ifyou plan to make a deeperrecess, use 3/8-in. plywood instead. Thismay work out better if you plan to use

thicker tile or stone for your inlay. Be aware,

however, that any panel thicker than 3/8in. will make it tougher to remove the formfrom the concrete.

To finish the seat form, rip strips froml/4-in. hardboard and then glue and nailthem to the form sides with 112-in. wirenails, which are available at any hardwarestore (Photo 4).

ff.]**-'-u,\ r-s/8'DE.K

'1{. scREws

] erustr on two coats of polyure-t thane varnish or shellac to pro-

tect the insides of all the forms. lt'sbest to take apart the form to getthe entire surface.

Soak the hardboardfor the lee formsin water o'vernightCut the pieces of l/4-in. hardboard forthe sides to the dimensions in the Cut-ting List. The lengths for the sides (H)

are about I in. longer than needed, so it'llbe easier to fasten them to the curvedbase bottom and the sides. You can trimthem after assembly. Soaking makes

them flexible enough to conform to the

l3-in.-radius arc in the leg form.Before you assemble the form, cut the

base (F) and ends (G) to the dimensions

in Figure B. Predrill and screw the sides

to the base using 1-5l8-in. deck screws.

Patient lnlormation

LEVITRA@ lrun-vee-rran;(vardenafil HCI) Tablets

08918646tP, R.2 7105

Read the Palient lnformation aboul LEVITRA belore you srart laking itand again each lrme y0J get a relill. There may be new inlormatron. Y0umay also lind it helpful t0 share this information with y0ur partner. Thisleaflet does not take the place 0f talkinq wilh your doctor. You and y0urd0ct0r should talk about LEVITRA when you starttaking it and at regularcheckups. ll you d0 not understand lhe intormation. or have quesl ons,lalk with your doctor 0r pharmacist.

WHAT IMPOBIANT INFORMAIIOI'I SHOUTO YOU KI,IOW ABOUII.EVITRA?LEVITRA can cause your il00d prcsure l0 droD suddenly lo an unsalelevel il il is laken with cedain 0ther medicines. With a sudden drop inblood pressure, you could getdiz],faint, or havea heartaitack 0rstroke.

Do not lake LB'ITF.A ifyou:. lale any medicines called "nilnles.". use recrealional drugs called "p0[pe6" like amyl nitrale and butyl

nitrate.

(See "Who Should Not Take LEVITRA?")

Tell all your heallhcare provideF lhat you ta[e LEVITRA. ll you need

emerqencv medical care f0r a heart pr0blem, il will be inportanl for youlhealthcare oroviderto know when y0u last took LEVITRA.

WHAT IS LEVIIRA?

LEVITRA is a prescription medicine taken by mouth torthe treatment 0ferectile dystunction (ED) in men.

ED is a condjtion where the penis doBS not harden and expand when aman is sexuallv excited. 0r when he cann0t keeo an ereclion. A man whohas lrouble qeitinq 0r keepinq an erection shorild see his doctor 10r help

it the condition bothem him. LEVITRA may help a man with ED get and

keep an erection when he is sexually excited.

LBIITRA does not:. cure E0. increase a man's sBXUal desire. protecta man 0r his partnerlrom sexually lmnsmdted diseases, tncludtng

HlV. Speak to your doct0r about ways to guard against sexuallytransmitted diseases.

. serye as a male lorm of birth control

LEV|TRArsonryt0rmenwithED LEVITRA'snotl0rwonen0rchildren.LEVITRA musl be used only under a doclois care.

HOW DOES TEVITRA WOBK?

When a man is sexually stimulaled. his body's normal physical response

is to rncrease bl00d tloil to h6 penrs This rdsults in an erdction. LEVITRA

helps ,ncrease blood llow to the penis and may help men with ED get and

keep an erectlon satistaclory torsexual activrty. 0nce a man has completed

sexual aclivity, blood llowto his penisdecreases. and hrs ereciion goes away.

WHO CAN TAKE LBIITRA?

Talk t0 your doctor to decide il LEVITRA is right for you.

LEVITBA has been shown to be eflective in men ovel the age of 18 yearswho have erectile dysfunctl0n, including men with diabetes or who have

undergone prostatectomy.

WHO SHOUTD N(}T IAKE TEVITRA?

Do not lake LEVITBA il you:. lale any medicines called "nit]ales (See What imporlant irformalion

snould you kn0w aboul LEVITRA? J. Nitrates are commonly used t0tr€at anqina. Angina is a symptom of heart disease and can cause pain

in your chest, jaw, or down your arm.

Medicines called nitrates includ€ nitroglycerin that is f0und in tablets,

sprays.ointments, pastes. or palches. Nilrates can also be found trothei medicines such as isos0rbi0e drnrlrate or rsos0rbide monontrateS0me recreational drugs called "poppers" also contain nitrat8s, such as

amyl nikate and butyl nrtrare. Do nol use LEVITBA riyou are using these

drugs. Ask your doctor 0r pharmac$l if you are not sJre if any 0f y0urmedicines are nilrales.

. you have been l0ld by your h€allhcare pr0vider l0 nol have serualactivitv because 0l heallh pr0ilems. Serual activity can put an

exlra strain 0n your hearl. especially il your heart is already weakfrom a heart attack 0r heart disease.

. are alleruic l0 LEVITRA 0r any 0l ils ingredienls. Tl'e active rngredrenl

'n LEVITRA iscalledvardenalil Seetheendof lhis leafletl0ra completelist of inoredients.

WHAI SHOULD YOU DISCUSS WTH YOUB DOCTOR BEFORETAKIT'IG

LEVITRA?Belon lal(ng LEVITRA, tell y0urdoctoraioutall your medical protl€ms,includinq il you:. have iaailproblems such as angrna. heart failure. irregula' hearlbeats. ol

have had a heart attack Ask your doctor il it is sate tor you l0 have sexual

activity.. have low blood pressure 0r have high blood pressure that is not

conkolled. have had a shole. 0r any lamily members have a rare hearl c0ndilion knowfl as pr0-

l0ngati0n 0l lhe 0T interual (long 0T syndr0me). have liver problems. have lidney problems and require dialysis. have retinitis pigmenlosa, a rare qenetic {runs in families) eye disease. have ever had severe vision loss, 0r il you hav€ an eye condilion

called n0n-aderilic anleri0r ischemic 0ptiI neur0palhy (NAl0N). iave stoma[h ulcem. have a bleeding problem. have a deformed lenis shape 0r Peyronie's disease. have had an erection lhal lasted more lhan 4 houF. have blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma,

or leukemia

CAN OIHER MEDICAIIONS AFFECI TEVITRA?

Tell your d0cl0r about al' lhe medicines you take rncluding prescription

and non-prescription medicrnes. vitamins. and herbal supplernents.LEVJTRA ;nd otlier medicines may ailecl each 0ther. Aways check wilhyour d0ct0r belore srartrng 0r stopping any medicines. Especiallylell your

doctor if Vou take any of the lollowino.. medicines called nitrates (See "What imporlant inlormation should you

know about LEVITRA?"). medic nes carled alpha-b ockers. These include Hytrino (teraosin HCI),

Flomax@ lramsulosrn HCll. Cardurao (doxaosin mesylale). l\4inrpresse(prdosrn HCI) or llroxalralo (alfuT0sin HCli. Alpha-blockers are

aometimes prescribed 10r prostale problens 0r high blood pressure. lns0me Dat€nls the use 0l P0E5 in'ibitor druos. rrclLdin0 LEVITRA. wilha.pha-bl0cke6 en l0wer bl00d pressure s€nilicantly lead,ng to tairting.You should conracl lhe prescibinq physrcian 'l alpha-blockers 0rother drugs lhat lower blood pressure are prescrioed oy an0therhealthcare orovider.

. medicines that treat abn0rmal heartbBat. These include quinidine,procainamide, amiodarone and sotalol.

. ritonavir (Noruip) or indinavir sulfate (Crixivan@)

. ketoconeole or itraconeole (such as Nizoral@ or Sporanox@)

. eMhromycin

. other medicines 0r lrealments f0r ED

HOW SHOIJLD YOU TAKE LEVITRA?

Take LEVITRA exacty as your doctor prescribes. LEVITRA comes inditferent doses (2.5 mq, 5 mq, 10 mg, and 20 mg). For most men, therecommended starting dose is 10 mg.lake LEVITRA no m0rethan 0ncea day, D0ses sh0uld betaken at least24 hours apart. Some men can onlytake a low dose of LEVITRA because 0l mediml conditions 0r medicinestheytake. Yourdoctor will prescribe the dose that is right lor you.. lf you are older than 65 or have liver problems, your doctor may start

you on a lower dose oi LEVITRA.. lf you have prostate problems 0r high bl00d pressure, l0r which you

take medicines called alpha-blockers, y0ur doctor may start y0u on a

lower dose ol LEVITRA.. ll you are taking certain other medicines your doctor may prescribe a

lower starting dose and limityou t0 one dose of LEVITRA in a 72-h0ur(3 days) period.

Take 1 I FVITBA tablet about t hour (60 minutes) before sexual activity.Some form 0l sexual stimulatron rs needed tor an erectron to happen withLEVITRA. LEVITRA may be taken with 0r wiihout meals.

Do not chanoe your dose 0f LEVITRA without talking to your doctolY0urdoctor may loweryourdose 0r raise yourdose, dependinq on h0wyour body reacts to LEVITRA.

lf y0u take t00 much LEVITRA, call your doctor or emergency ro0mright away.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECIS OF TEIIITRA?

The most common side ellects with LEVITRA are headach€, flushing,slutfy or runny nose. indigeslron, upset stomach. 0r diziness. These

side effects usually g0 away after a lew hours Call your doctor if you get

a side efiect that bothers you 0r one thal will not g0 away.

LEVITRA may uncommonly cause:. an ereclion lhat w0['t go away (prialism). lf you get an Brection that

lasts morethan 4 hours, get medical help rioht away. Priapism must betreated as s00n as possible or lasting damage can happen r0your penis

including lhe inability to have erections.. c0l0r vision changes, such as seeing a blue tinge t0 0bjects 0r having

ditficulty telling the ditlerence bet\ileen the colors blue and green.

ln rare inslances, nen taking PDE5 inhrbrl0rs (oral ereclrle dyslunctionnedicines, including LEVITRA) rep0rled a sudden decrease 0r loss otvision in one or both eyes. lt is not possible to determine whether thes8events arB related directly t0 these medicines, t0 otherfactors such as highblood pressurB0rdiabetes, 0rt0acombination 0lthese. If you experiencesudden decrease 0r loss 0f vision, stop taking PDEs inhibitors, includinoLEVITRA, and call a doctor right away.

These are not all the side efiects ol LEVITRA. For more inlormation. askyour doctor or pharmacist.

HOW SHOUTD TEVITRA BE STORED?. Store LEVITRA at r00m tempenture between 59' and 86" F 0 5' to 30' C).

. Keep LEVITRA and all medicines out 0l lhe r8ach 0l chi ldren.

GENERAL INFOBMATION ABOUT TEVITRA.

Medicines are s0metimes pr€scribed f0r conditions other than thosedescribed in patient inlormati0n leallets.00 not use LEV|TMfora conditionfor which it was not prescribed. D0 not give LEVITRA to 0ther people,

even if they have the same sympt0ms thatyou have. lt may harm them.

This leaflet summarizes the most important information about LEVITRA.lf you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider.You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about LEVITRAthat is written l0r health professionals.

For more information you can also visit www.LEVlTRA.com, or call1.866.LEVITRA,

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS OF LEVITRA?

Active lngredient vardenaf il hydrochloride

lnaclive lngredients: microcrystalline cellul0se, crospovidone, coll0idalsilicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol,titanium dioxide, yellow ferric oxide, and red ferric oxide.

Noryir (ritonavir) is atrademark 0f Abbott Laboratories

Crixivan (indinavir s!lfate) is a kademark 0l lvl€rck & Co., lnc.

Nizoral (ketoconaole) is a kademark 0t Johnson & Johnson

Sporanox (itraconeole) is a trademark 0f Johnson & J0hnsonHytrin (tereosin HCI) is a trademark 0i Abbott LaboratoriesFlomil (tamsulosin HCI) is a trademark 0l Yamanouchi PharmaceuticalCo., Ltd.

Cardura (doxeosin mesylate) is a trademark ol ffizer lnc.

[/]inipress (praosin HCI) is a tmdemark ol ffizer lnc.

Uroxatral (alfuzosin HCI) is a trademark ol Sanofisynthelabo

Manulacl!rcd by:

Bayer HealthCareBayer Pharmacell ca s Corporarion400 Moqan LaneWest Haven. CT 06516

@cru"osmithKline

08918646tP, R.2 710502005 Bayer Pharmaceuticals C0rp0ration

GlaxoSmithKlineBesearch Triangle ParkNC 27709

Distibured and Markeled by:

t^Ql) Schering-Plough

Schering corporalionKen wodh, NJ 07033

LEVITRA is a regislered lrademark of Bayer Aktiengesellschatt and is

used under license by GlilosmithKline and Schering Corp0ration.

Ii ftly

vancs zooe 59 12771Printed in tl.S.A.

Multi-Sander

ONESANDER

DOESITALL!

IncLurct

8 'Lii:!:":i::::fr::,"t!:::"Anacxutnts . Built-in work lghl - increases

visibility in dark corners

. Dust canister for keepng aclean work environment

. Soft grip handle for comfoftand better control

Q Spruy the entire inner surfacelJ of all the forms with a siliconespray lubricant. When the lubri-cant beads up, brush it into aneven layer with a paintbrush.

Q Vfi* the special concrete mix tor.f the consistency of oatmeal. ltshould clump and settle a bit as youdump it into the form.

t5-314"

I

<_ 1 1 -j lB" _____________>_

:'j,rg-,.*. - ..:t'.*.TT*i, ';.Pffi*lii'tr

<- 1 0-3/o ____________>

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13'LRADIUSCURVE

33-DEGREEANGLED

<- ENDS

Figure B Leg details

You'll r.rotice the angle cut on each end of Gis about 33 degrees. You can cut this by set-

tir.rg your circular saw at a 33-degree beveland then using a square as a guide againstthe foot of the saw to end-cut it square.

6O vnncs 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDvMAN

Don't fuss about the 33-degree ar.rgle. Ifit's off by a couple of degrees either way,

it'll still work out.Now grab the wet hardboard out of

the soaking tar.rk (a laundry tub works

iit.:.?:i'qry

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l03;iTrJTJ:'iHfl:"#:''"'horses at each end to settle theconcrete. Then hold a vibratingsander firmly along the entireperimeter of the forms and vibrateuntil you get air bubbles to appear(about two minutes).

great) and set it onto the form (ehotos). Gently squeeze the clamp onto theform until it bends into position. Thenpredrill and screw it every l-ll2 in. alor.rg

the curve. Work one screw at a time fromthe center out to keep the bottoms flush.Once you've fastened the long edge,

screw the sides to the end pieces (G).Check the end pieces with a framir.rgsquare to make sure they're square tothe base (F). Complete the other side

and then the second leg form using thesame method. Let the hardboard air-dryfor about three hours before gluing andnailing the hardboard strips (K), as

shown in Photo 6.

Remove the thin l-in. hardboardstrips (K) from the soaking tank. Cutthem to length so they fit snugly intothe corners against the ends (G). Next,glue the bottom and r.rail them into place

as shown in Photo 6. Use the 1-in. spac-

ers as shown to get them positior.redproperly. Let the strips and glue dry forseveral hours before the next step.

i,i'!: ! ,ii i:

'l'l PounU the rebar into the concreteI I as soon as you're finished vibrat-

ing it. Push it about 1-112 in. below thesurface. You'll notice this fast-settingconcrete getting stiff already.

l) aoat an even surface to the topsI L oI the forms. Add a little concrete

if necessary. Now wet the concrete leftin the wheelbarrow and add the otherbag, mix and pour the leg forms. Let itharden for two days.

12 t"t the seat onto a pair ofIU blocks, unscrew the sides and

remove the forms piece by piece.The top is tricky to get off. To loosenit, gently pry it up, working yourway around the form. Pull the topfree and clean the forms for yournext bench.

on each side for about 30 seconds each.The vibration from the sander will bring allthe trapped air bubbles to the top. Now,grab your rebal'lengths and insert therninto the form as shown ir.r Photo 11. Tapthe r ebar into the mix about I - 1/2 in. deepwith a stiff-blade scraper. When both rebarpieces are submerged, sr.nooth the top againeven with the top edge of the forms (photo12) and let the mix harder.r.

You'll have a bit of concrete left in yourwheelbarrow. Dump the next bag right inwith it, add water and mix it again. Fill theleg forms to the top in the same way, vibratethem with your sander and level the tops.Let the concrete set for two days before youcontinue.

Remove the formsThe concrete seat top inside the forrn isheary. Carefully lift the seat form and place

it on your wolkbench upside down withsome scraps of wood ber-reath it to elevateit above the worktop. Renrove all the screws

Ij

Seal the forms beforepouring concreteWhen the forms are completely dry, labeleach piece and disassemble them. To helpyour forms release better later, ease thesharp inside edges with 100-grit sand-paper. Lay the pieces out on a workbenchand brush two coats of waterborne Mix the concrete

Set your for ms onto sawhorses as shown inPhoto 9. This special concrete sets up a bitfaster than normal, so cancel all appoint-ments and avoid distractions. Mix two bags

of concrete to a firm but fluid consistency.Shovel the concrete ir.rto the large seat formto about two-thirds full, then grab one endof tl.re form and lift it a few inches and dropit onto the sawhorse. Do this several timeson each end to settle the concrete arrd workit into the form. Now fiIl the form and thenuse a float to level the top. Next load yourvibrating sander or random orbital sanderwith 10O-grit sandpaper ar.rd place it firmly

poll.urethane on the inside of all the forms. tO a Stiff COnSiStenCyLet them dry for two hours.

Now you'll need to apply a lubricant tohelp release the forms from the hardenedconcrete. You can use silicone spray) veg-

etable oil or paste wax. We used siliconespray with good results. When you spray thesilicone, it'll have a tendency to bead up onthe polyurethane. To break the surlace ten-sion of the liquid, brush it after sprayingur.rtil it srnooths out into a uniform coat. Let

the surface dry to the touch and then screwthe forms together. Next cut two lengthsof rebar to 42 in. and prebend then.r to fol-low the curve of the form. Set them aside.

64 vnncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

Potient lnformolionVEslcore -VEs.ih-corel{solifenocin slccinot'e)

Y,rJH6pc,Rmd lhe Pdienl lnlomolion lhot oms wfth Vtslmre betore wu rtofltoking it ond mch ime you qet a refill. There mov h new infdmoion.This leqllei dos nol toke the oloe of tolkim wirii vour dmor or ofierhmlthrcre Drolessionol oboui wur onditioin or nbdment Onfu rcurdooor or hmhhmre prcf*sitinol rcn dercmine il rremeni iryithVEslcore is dghl forwu.

Whot lsVtslcor€^?VEslcore b o prscription medicine usd in odulF to feot ihe followinaqmptoms due lo o mndirion olled mroctiw blodder;

. HwirE l] qo lo ttE bohm tm ofrcn obo mlled,.urinoru {rfluow.'

. Hoving o,slrong ned to 90 m fie bottmom dghl mV, olsb colfed"uroenw.'

. .._l-eolingbrrening oeidenn olso rclled "udnory insntinene."VEslcore hos not ben sludied in children.

Whol is overoclive blodder?Owrcc{iw blodder omts when wu mnnol ontrol wur blodderonfoctions When hge musde onirooions hoomn lm ofien or mnnotbe conholled, you mn get lmptoms of owrctdve bloddet which oreurinoryhequency, udnory urgency, ond urinory inontinene (leokoge),

Who shorld NOTtoke VEslcore'?Do nol toke VEslcore if vou:

. ore not oble lo emptyyour blodder{olso colled "uilnory relention"l,

. how deloyed or dow emptying ol your stomoch {olso cblled "gosrricretenlion"l,

.hove on..eye problem colled "uncontrolled ncrrow.ongleqloucomo",

. ore ollergic loVfslcore oronvol i$ inqredients. See the end otthisleoflet for o complete lisi of inqredienls.

Whol should I tell mv dNlor belorc stqrtino Vtstcore ?Before slortina VESlcoie tell vour doctor or heolthcore Drole(sionnlobout oll of your medicol conaiions includina if vou:

. how ony smnoch o intstinol prcblems or oiobllru with ontimfim

. hm lrouble emptying yourblodderorvou hm o wk urine smrn' hove cn eye problem colled norrow:ongle gloucomo,. hove liverirniblems,. hove kidnev problems,. ore- pregnont or trying to become pregnonl (h is not known if

VESlcore con horm vour unborn hobirl.. ore breo#eedina ([ is not known ilVdsimre Dosses into br{st milk

ond il it mn hom pur hbv You shdld dftidd whether to hmrfeedorloke VEslcore, but not both.).

Betore slodinq on VEslcore, tell vour doctorobout oll he medicinesyou toke including prescription 6nd nonorerdDlion medicines,viiomins, ond herbol suoDlemenr. While rolind VESlrcre. tell vourdocrororheolthccre prblessionol obour oll chdnqes in fi! medicineslou ore loking including prercription ond nonprei-criDlion medicinetvilomins ond he$ol supplemen$. VEslcore ond olhir medicinesmoy oflecl mch oftel

How should I loke VEslcore'?Toke VEslcore exocilv os Drescribed. Your doclor will orescribe rhedose thot is ilght forvbu. Ydur dodor mov prescribe the lowesr dose ilyou hove cenoin mediccl condilions such 6s liver or kidnev oroblem'

. You should toke one VEslcore loblet once o dou '

.You should takeVtSlcore wirh liquid ond swollow lhe lobler whole.

. You con toke VE5lcore wilh orwilhout food,

. lf you miss o dose of VEslcore, beqin lokinc Vtslcore oooin thenexl dov Do not loke 2 doses ofvEilcore in-the some do-u

' lf you toke too mudr VESlmre or owrdsq sll Vour locol lbisonConhol Cenler oremergency room right owoy.

Whot ore the possible slde ellects with VEslcore'?The mosl common side effecB wittl VEslcore ore:

. blurred vision. Use coulion while drivino or doino donoerousoclivilies unlil you know how Vtslcore otfe'c$ you. -

'dry mouih.' conslipolion. Coll Vour doctor if Vou qet severe stomoch oreo

(abdominou poin oi become constiDored lor 3 or more dovs,. heolprosholion. Heot proslrolion (due lo decreosed sweotinq) con

occuwhen drugs such osVEslmre ore used in o hol envircniient

Tell your doctor il you hove ony side eflects ihot borher you or rhotdo nol qo owov.These ore not oll lhe side effecls with VEslcare. Formore inlormotion.osk yourdoctor, heohhcore professionol or phormocist

How should I slore VEslcore'?. lGepvEslore ond oll oltH medicuim oi of itE rmd of dildm.. Slore VEslcore or rcom lemperoture, 50" lo 86"t (1f m 30" Cl.

Keeo lhe bot't'le closed.. S,ofely dispce of VtSlmrc thol is out ol doie or rhor yo! no longer ned.

Cenerol lnlormolion oboul VEslcore'lvledicines orc sometimes prescribed for condilions thot orc nolmenlioned in potient informotion leoflers. Do not use VEslcore loro condilion for which h wos nol Drcscilbed. Do nol oive Vtslcorelo other people, even it lhey hove lhe same symprom; you hove. ltmov horm lhem.

This leoller summorizes the most imDorlonl informotion oboutVt5lcare. lf Vou would like more infomiotion, rolk whh vour docrorYou con osk your doctoror phormocist lor informolion obod VEslcorethot is wriren for heolth professionols. You con olso coll (800)403-6565 roll free, or visit wiw.VESlCARE.com,

Whoi ore lhe ingredlenls in VESlcor€'?Active ingredienl: solilenocin succinolelnocfive ingredienr: loctose monohvdrote, com $orch. hvDromellose2910, mognesium steorote, tolc,'polverhvlene olvcol- 8000 ondtilonium dioxide wilh yellow teilic oxidd {5 irg VESt-cire rcbler) or redleric oxide (10 m9 VE$mre toblet)

Monutocturcd bv:Astellos Phomoiehnoloqis, lnc, Nomon, Oklohomo 73072Morketed bv:Ashllos Phomo, lm, Der'lield, lllinois 60015n/lo*eted ond Dishibuled bv:GloxosmithKline, Rsmrctr iriongle rhr{, Norrh Corcllno 27709

)hastelras @e 2005 Aslellos Phomo, lm. ondThe ClorosmilhKline Grcup of Componie.VPI-001 Novemher2004

Vt500498MK-04/05u0

6laxoSmithKline

ffi ,#;h H*{g #tF* $pr'ts:t c::.{.a

llll Position the legs onto a solid patio orI-T slab. Turn them in slightly to a pigeon-

toed look and set the top onto the legs.Adjust the legs so the seat overhangs thelegs about 6 in. on each side. Glue the legsto the top with landscape block adhesive.

{ [ ease any sharp edges withI r/ an abrasive block, which is

sold at tile stores and concretesuppliers. Work slowly and use alight touch.

that hold the form pieces together.Remove the long hardboard sides firstand then gently pry the ends away fromthe concrete.

The top piece of the seat form is themost challenging. Tap the stiff-bladescraper in between the top of the formand the concrete. Wiggle the blade backand forth, moving from corner to cornerto coax the form free. Once the form is

removed, use a concrete-sanding block toease the edges (Photo 15).

To remove the forms on the leg pieces,

start with the 3/4-in. plywood ends, thenmove to the flexible hardboard sides andgently pry, being careful not to force theform from the concrete. You may need toslide a screwdriver into the grooves ofthe recesses to pry out the strips.

Finishing touchesYou can now add tile or stone to yourbench or leave it as is. To set up yourbench, set the legs onto a level, stablebase. The legs should be arranged about6 in. in from the edge of the seat top andpigeon-toed slightly to follow the curve.Use landscape block adhesive to fastenthe legs to the patio stones. Then apply it

66 vlncg 2006 THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN

Cutting ListKEY PCS. SIZE & DESCRIPTION

A 1 314" x24" x 48" plywood seatform base (scribe to size)

B 2 314" x3-3/4" x 14" plywood seat(ends of the form)

C1 1 'll4 x 3-3/4" x 45" hardboardseat (side of the form)

C2 1 114" x 3-3/4" x 48" hardboardseat (side of the form)

D 1 1/4" x 10" x 42" hardboard inset(trim to size)

E1 2 114' x'1" x 46-112" hardboardstrips (trim to size)

E2 2 1/4 x 1" x 14" hardboard strips(trim to size)

F 2 314" x 10-3/4" x 14" plywoodleg (base of the form)

G 4 314" x5-3/4" x 11-718" plywoodleg (ends of the form)

H 4 1/4" x5-3/4" x 17" hardboardleg (sides of the form)

J 2 1/4" x 3" x 7" hardboard inset

K 8 114" x 1" x 1 6" hardboard strips(trim to size)

to the tops of the legs to fasten the seat(Photo 1a). Let it set up for a day beforeyou use your bench. tArt Direction. BOB UNGARPhotograPhy. BILL ZUEHLKEProject Design. DAVID RADTKE

Make lifeeasrcrwith

by Br..tt lvlar'i r'

The simple technique for addinga second switch to that kitchenor stairway light

'b.

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s&' t*.-

K".$

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' 't'ri':t''::li @-sw

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rHr rnu*tv!i\*ttoyM;q*. Miq,Rcl-t :ooo 67.ii"

LIGHT

make life easier with 3-way switches

Flglr* & Ivirir:;:i i:iri-;iil fr;tti';ijTo add a second switch, find the easiest way to run anew cable from the existing switch to the best secondswitch position.

inspector can checkI your work.

I tf your wall framingis open (an unfinished

I basement or garage,

' for example), you can

, easily run the newcable and complete

r this job in or.rly twoI hours. However, if the

cable has to runthrough closed walls,

allow several nlorehours. ln addition to

standard tools, you

, rnay need a "fish tape"

i ($15) to pull wire inclosed walls. Also, if

I you don't have a volt-I age detector, buy one

i ($10) so you can checkfor live wires and avoidhazardous shocks. You

I can find them at a

' hor-r-ra center or hard-ware store.

Plan the wire pathTo start, decide where you want the sec-

ond switch. You'll run cable from theexisting switch to this new switch loca-tion, so look for the most accessible pathbetween the two (flgure n).

If possible,

start at oneswitch loca-tion, run thecable straightup throughthe stud cavi-ty in the wallto the attic,then come back down through the wallto the second switch. Or feed the cabledown into the basement or crawl space,then come back up. If neither optionworks for your situation, you may haveto run cable horizontally through thewalls or through the ceiling. This takesextra effort because you have to cut into,and later repair, finished surfaces. Avoidexterior walls, where you'll run intoobstacles such as windows, doors andinsulation.

If you can't find ar.r unobstructed pathfor the cable, move the new switch location.

Once you decide on a path, measure theamount ofcable you need, then add l0 ft.so you'll have plenty to work with. It's bet-ter to waste a couple of feet than to comeup short!

You'll also need a wire stripper (95),l4-3 or l2-3 cable (match existing wiregauge; $12 for 25 ft.), two three-wayswitches ($5 each) and two remodelingboxes (93 each).

CAUTIONTurn off power at the

main circuit breaker panelbefore unhooking theexisting switch, then

check the wires with avoltage detector to verify

that the power is off.

ired of having to walk up a flightof stairs or across the room toturn on a light? The solution is to

add a second switch in a convenient loca-tion. No more extra trips across the roomor furnbling up a dark stairway.

Controlling a light fiom two switches is a

bit more complicated than first meets theeye, especially if you re dealing with finishedwalls. The key ingredier.rt is a special rlpe ofswitch called a "three-way" switch. You'llneed two of them, one to replace the existingswitch and another for the new switch loca-

tion. With these, you ll have the convenience

of turning a light on and off liom t\,vo spots.

In this article, we'll show you how to run anew electrical cable and connect the twoswitches. We'll also tell you how to resolve

the most common complication-replacingan undersized electrical box so your work is

safe and conforms to the electrical code.

While this project isn't difficult, it doesrequire basic electrical skills: running cablecorrectly and making solid wiring connec-tions. If you don't have wiring experience orifyou get in over your head, don't hesitate tocall in a licensed electrician. Apply for an

electrical permit at your local inspectionsdepartment before starting so an electrical

68 rr,tancH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyTvIAN

'l Remou" the cover plate to the exist-I ing switch (the power is off). Then

unscrew and remove the switch. Cut theelectrical box loose and remove it.

J Cut a hole for the second switchL box. Drill holes as needed in theframing and fish a new cable throughthe wall back to the old switch position.

Pre;-r t["r* *witch k:*nti*nsShut off power to t1-re existing switch,

unscrew it flom the electrical box and pullthe switch or.rt of the box. Avoid touchingthe screw terminals ur-rtil you cor-rfinn that

the power is offwith your voltage detector.

If the detector lights up, ther.r the power is

still on. Find the circuit breaker (or'ftise)

that shuts it off.

Unhook the wires to the switch (Photo

1). In r.r.rost cases, the existir.rg electrical box

will be too sr.r.rall to contain the additior.ral

wires ar-rd connectors needed for tl-re three-

way switch (see "Sizir.rg the Box," p. 71, to

find oi.rt). You'll have to replace the old box

with a "rernodeling box" anyway so you can

pull in the new cable (enoto 3). A rer.r.rod-

eling box has clamps that secure tl.re cable

to the box. You can moLlnt it solidly in dry-wall without cutting open the wall.

Label and ur-rhook any wire connectionsthat are ir.rside the existir.rg box (wires thatweren't connected to the switch). Then

Llnscrew the grounding screw and cable

clamps (if any) in the box. Slip a hacksaw

blade between the old box and the wall

stud ar.rd cut the nails. (You may have topry the box away from the stud slightly to

create space for the blade.) Saw with short

strokes to avoid dan-ragir.rg the dr1'r,va1l on

the other side ol the wall.

Yofll probably have to enlarge the wallopening slightly for the new box. Simply

use the new box as a pattern,

trace around it on the wall, ar-rd

er.rlarge it ivith a drpvall saw.

Dor.r't cut the hole too large;

you want a tight fit.Next, fine-tune the position

for the second switcl.r. Use a

stud finder to find potential

obstacles, such as framir.rg. Ifpossible, keep the second switch the same

height off the floor as the first switch.

Trace an outlir-re of tl.re box on the wall,

tl.ren cut the oper.ring with a dr1'r,vall saw.

Dor-r't r-nount the new boxes ur-rtil you runthe new cable.

ffiur: tri.-S triiill*betw**sr th* switch*sWe won't go into the details of runningthe cirble, because each situation is differ-er.rt. But if the walls are open, your job iseasy. Drill a 314-in. hole into the center ofeach stud between the box locations and

run l4-3 cable fror-r-r one box oper-ring to

the other. If yor"ire goir.rg up througl.r ar.r

attic or down tl-rrougl-r an open basement,

drill through the center of tl.re wall plates

(top ar.rd bottorn framing mernbers). (See

pp. 74-75 of tl-re Dec./lan. '06 issue fordetails. To order a copy, see p. 5.)

If you car-r't go up or down, you may have

to run the cable horizor.rtally thror-rgh fin-

isl-red walls. Ilso, cut a3-ll4-in. by 5-ir.r. slot

Three-way switches are alwaysinstalled in pairs to control a

light from two locations. Theswitches have three hot screwterminals-one "common" andtwo "travelers"-and a

grounding terminal. The posi-tion of the screws varies bymanufacturer, but the commonterminal is always a differentcolor than the other two hotterminals.

Unlike other switches, youwont see "On" and "Off" mark-ings on the toggle, since eitherswitch can control the light.

You'll find 14-3 cable at anyhome center or hardwarestore. lf the circuit breaker is20 amps rather than 15 or theexisting wire is 12 gauge, usesize 12-3 cable.

14-3 CABLE

)/i..t \

d $'"..' ;*; t i'l- r"

TRAVELERTERMINAL

COMMONTERMINAt

e)\

:(o*orto,*ot -1" dF \scREW ( -

{} lnsert the cables into a remodeling f Ct"-p the first eiectrical box to thef) box from the backside at each box t wall. Connect a three-way switch,location. Pull the cables from the frontas you push the boxes back into the wall.

the ground wires and all other wires fol-lowing Figure B.

*\

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN tunncH zooo 69

smffikffi }if* ensf*r rnritle S-wray mwitrfu*m

WIRE TOPOWER 14-3 CABLE

GROUNDWIRES

TRAVELERWIRES

COMMONTERMINAL

:l :l :r'r' .j

The key to wiring two three-way switches is to run the two wires that were originally connectedto the old switch (Photo 1) to the "common" terminals. The "travelers" can go to either terminal.

SECONDswtTcH

BOX

TRAVELERWIRES

GROUNDWIRE COMMON

TERMINAL

into the drywall at each stud, notch the studs,fish the cable though the wall, leavir.rg at least

I 8 in. of cable projecting fiom each opening,ther.r tuck it into the stud notches. Cover thenotch and cable with special r.rail gr.rards andpatch the drywall holes.

Strip 12 in. of sheathing off the ends ofthe new cable. L.rsert the cable into tl.re

electrical boxes fi'om the backside (photo3). It's easier to push cable through theback than to pull it from the front. Thefirst switch location has an existing l4-2cable lunnir.rg to the light. Wrap the cable

with electrical tape where the sl-reatl.ring

ends to help it slide into the box.Pull the cables from the front as you

slide the box into the wall openir.rg. Pullthe cable at an angle that n-rir.rimizes

pressure or.r the plastic cable clamp ir.r thebox. Otherwise, the sheathing could snag

or the clamp could break. The cablesheathing should extend l/4 in. into thebox (the clamps should push against thesheathing and not the wire; see Photo 6)and make sure the wires extend at least3 in. past the outside edge of the box

3.WAYSWITCH

when the box flanges are snug againstthe wall.

Tighten the screws at the top and bot-tom of the box to clamp it into place.

Wlrs tir* switchesStrip 3/4 in. of insulation from the er.rd ofeach wire, then connect the wires follow-ing Figure B and Photo s. The black elec-trical tape on the white wire indicates thatit's a hot lather than a neutral. For secureconnections, hook the ends with a needle-nose pliers before placing them under thescrew terminals (Pnoto a). Make sure thewire ends face clockwise around the screwfor better clamping strength.

Clip the plaster ears off the switches so

they'll fit tight on the remodeling box(Photo 6). Gently fold any excess wireinto the boxes, then screw the switchesinto place. Be careful not to apply so muchpressure that you loosen the box.

Instali the cover plates, then turn on thepower. Ideally, both toggles should be inthe up or down position when the light isoff. If necessary, remove the secondswitch, rotate it 180 degrees in the box,then reattach it so the two toggle positionsare coordinated.

Hxtr* wir*s in the LlnxYou might find two l4-2 cables in theexisting electrical box ir.rstead of the onewe show in Photo 1. There may also be

other cables present. Don't worry.Regardless of what you find in the existir.rg

f Wrap the second white wire withJ black tape to show that it acts as ahot wire. Fold the wires back into thebox and screw the switch into place.

7O vnncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

ft Ct"-p the second electrical box to[J the wall and wire a three-wayswitch, following Figure B. Snap off theplaster ears and install the switch.

Sizing the boxThe National Electrical Coderequires electrical boxes to havesufficient volume to hold all thewires, switches, clamps andother components that youintend to put inside them. Youhave to calculate the minimumsize required for each box.

The basic rules are:

s Add 1 for each hot or neutralm Add 'l for all ground wires

combined* Add 1 for all internal cable

clamps combineda Add 2 for each switch, or

receptacleu Multiply by 2 cu. in. for

size 14 wire or 2.25 cu. in.for size 12 wire

For example, our first switchlocation (Photo 4) has:

Hot wires: 5

Ground wires: 1

Clamps: 0

Switch: 2

Total: 8

8 x 2 cu. in. (size 14 wire) = 16

cu. in.

Remodeling boxes have thevolume or the number of wiresthat it can contain stampedonto the inside back of the box.To determine the volume ofa metal box, measure andmultiply the inside height bythe width and the depth.

box, the wiring for the three-wayswitches will not change.

You only need to focus on the two

wires connected to the existir.rg switch.

Keep the other connections the same,

even if you have to disconnect themwhen you change to a larger box.

The two wires you unhook frorn the

old switch and the three wires you'lladd from the new 14-3 cable are the

only wires you need to work with. !|

Art Direction . BECKY PFLUGER and

EVANGELINE EKBERG

Photography . MIKE KRIVIT

lllustration . MARIO FERRO

Consu tants . AL HILDENBRAND and

JOHN WITLIAMSON, MASTER ELECTRICIANS

uancs zooe 71

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his simple, elegant arbor is tall and

wide enough to span a path in yourbackyard or make an attractive

garden entry. It's strong and durable too.

We used 4x4s for the corner posts and 2-bylumber for all crosspieces and the overhead

structure. And we built the entire project

out of cedar, for its natural rot resistance.

For the gardener, we added plenty of lat-

tice, so it can support climbing vines and

other plants.

In this article, we'll walk you through the

simple techniques for building this arbor,

including one tricky part, cutting pock-

ets in the posts for the crosspieces. For

a touch of style, we made the cross-

pieces look as if they extend rightthrough the posts, as if we had cut fancy

mortise-and-tenon joints. However, the

pockets only extend 3/4 in. deep and the

"stubs" on the outside are only 3 in. long.You can cut these pockets quite easily with a

special Forstner bit and sharp chisel

(Photos 3 and 4). In fact, you can complete

all the joint work as well as rnost of the

assembly in your shop or garage. Then it'llonly take you about half a day to assemble

the project in your yard. All together, give

yourself a full weekend to build it.Other than a little experience with basic

carpentry tools, you don't need any special

skills to build this arbor. A table saw comes

in handy for ripping the 2x3s from 2x6

lumber. Otherwise, a circular saw will do. h.r

addition, a pneumatic finish nailer willspeed up lattice assembly, and a drill guide

that turns your hand drill into a simple drillpress ($30; see photos, p. 74) will speed up

pocket cutting. We recornmend that you

buy a 1-1/2-in. Forstner bit ($19) to cut

splinter-free holes for the crosspiece pock-

ets and a ll4-in. drill bit that's 12 in. lor.rg to

bore completely through the posts and lin-tels (Photo 11 ).

The cedar and othel materials for thisproject cost about $200. You could cut thatcost to about $100 if you use pressure-

treated wood, which would look iust flne ifpainted or stained.

35-1 12"

Shopping ListITEM

4x4 x 10' cedar

2x6 x 8' cedar

1x2 x 8'cedar

1x4 x 8' pine (temporary braces)

2x2 x I' cedar

Wolfcraft Model No. 4525Drill Guide/multi-angled ($30) 1

1-112" Forstner drill bit {$19)

114" x 12" drill bit ($8.50) 1

3/8" and l" spade bits 1 ea.

3/8" x 6" carriage bolts({lat washers, nuts) 8

3" deck screws

No. 10 galvanized casing nails

Tube of construction adhesive 1

Cutting ListSIZE & DESCRIPTION

3-112" x3-112" x 9'cedar posts

1-112" x 2-1/2" x 30" cedarcrosspieces

1-112" x5-112" x73-112" cedar lintels

3/4" x 'l-112" x 59-1/4" cedarvertical lattice

314" x 1-112" x 25-1/2" cedarhorizontal lattice

1-112" x 1-1/2" x 42-112" ceda(top lattice

1-112" x 2-'l/2" x 3" crosspiece stubs

Buyer's GuideWolfcraft Model No. 4525 Drill Guide/multi-angled: (630) 458-4000.www.wolfcraft.com

FigureArbor

A

h

:

J.ii

1l

a

tt

\0

CROSSPIECE

''4}-i:"i'.*

lr r. , .--,/r-.-:Jt.' .a'?u.-{q. \.

ii'rN'+*:";..". '-ii?;:'l

OTY,

4

5

12

2

7

PCS.

4

6

4

10

16

14

12

.l-l-ll*-l-rl--lJl--!r-LlLl ll

Trunmffitl:lHl]rrrynTml i I

ffilJl, nonriorvrar-nrrro I ll I

I' venlrcal urrrce. I fJ I

i.ir@JJ'- -::--1- < i-----/- \*zi

t

rHE FAMTLY HANDYMAN unncr zooe 73

I

/

!.

{ Rip Z*Os in half for the crosspieces. Then trim off theI rounded edges to reach the 2-1|2-in.width dimension.

Cut them to length.

Q C9n1er a 1-112-in. Forstner bit and drill overlapping holes / Square and clean out each pocket with a hammer andl, 314 in. deep at each crosspiece location. The drill guide t sharp wood chisel until a ciosspiece fits snugly.keeps the drill perpendicular.

S I-F*tt* siritd rhe side pmneis *n # fler aren

*[1 *f****$W#fi',1'ffijr",,":':#f;i llf I Ai lumber (Photo r ). Then rip the cross- a flat hole bottom. If you use other types

St \ tL piece 2x6s in halfand trim offthe factory of bits, test them on a scrap of cedar to

# ] gi side to bring the width down to 2-ll2 in. make sure they cut accurately and clean-$jl+, B,, :i DR'LL This eliminates the rounded edge and ly. The drill guide we're using helps

?T;J t HERE :: curDE leaves all four corners crisp and square. steady the drill and has a stop to ensure a

\ ;,, :: ^ Next, mark the crosspiece locations consistent depth. If you don't have a stop,

\ - .gi ;: ^-

(Photo 2). Be sure to mark a center line at drill gradually and measure often until# * #,/ ii.;H[di*#; ffiJ#r# ;:]":'J'H":'I"iliffi il+*#$m;ffirr*l ff,;t*5,il:

tt'

74 vnncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

r-1l4" NATLS

2" STOPBLOCK

f Stip the crosspieces into the pockets between two 4x4J posts and fasten them with 3-in. deck screws driventhrough the outside pockets.

4 Squut" the frame, then attach the vertical 1x2 lattice tot\f the outside of the crosspieces with a pair of finish nails.Use a 2x4 with a 2-in. stop block to space them evenly.

1Q Cut the four 2xG lintels to length, then cut the 45-degree\l decorative angles on both ends of each lintel. Start thecutl-112 in. from one edge.

(Photo +). Trim it slightly on the srnallside, test it with a crosspiece, then shave itlarger as needed.

Now, lay the posts on a flat surface andinsert the crosspieces. You'll probablyhave to stand the assemblvon edge and knockthem together untilthe inside measure-ment from post topost is 28- l/2 in. Checkthe assembly for squareand screw it together(Ptroto s).

Space them 3-ll2 in. apart using two 2x4scrap pieces as spacers. And since thelx2s will overhang the top and bottomcrosspieces by 2 in., screw a 2-in. piece of2x4 onto the bottom of one of the spac-

ers to quicklyalign them (photo z). Keep

n mind that the vertical lattice goes

toward the outside of thepanel and the horizontallattice toward the inside.

, The nailed joint between'/ the two lattice members' is the weakest; strengthen

it with a dab of construc-tion adhesive (Ptroto z).

arbor-the 2x6 lintels as well as the top2x2hntel cross lattice (ptroto a).

Sr*t tf:e il#il*f$;nr:** *rJcJ th* t*rF]Lay out the arbor dimensions (35-ll2 x5l-112 rn.) on the site and dig 8-in.-diam-eter round holes 2 ft. deep. With a helper,carry the panels out and drop them ir.r theholes. To level and plumb them:1. Clamp a leg support to each post at

ground level so you can lift or lower a

post to level the panel. Set the bottomcrosspiece about l2 in. from the grour.rd(enoto s).

2. Screw lx4 braces to the posts to keep

them perfectly plumb (vertical).

STOP--.-1\- ,/'BLocK S$^, 1.

\Assemble the lattice ir.r two

stages-first the vertical lx2sthe horizontal lx2s (photos

The final task in the shop is toprecut the pieces for the top of the

and ther.r

e and z).

J nip the frame assemblies over and glue and nail thef horizontal 1x2 lattice to the inside of the vertical 1x2s.

76 vnnct 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

O OiS holes 2 ft. deep and erect one side panel. Level therJ panel with leg supports and clamps and plumb it withangle braces.

{ fl erect the second panel, levet it and ptumb it byI lf connecting it to the first panel with 1x2 horizontal

braces. Measure diagonally to check for square.

{ { Uart the lintel positions and clamp them to the posts.I I Drill 3/8-in. holes and bolt the lintels to the posts. (See

text for details.) Push the crosspiece stubs into their pocketsand toenail them with 2-112-in. galvanized nails.

3. Attach four lx2 horizontal braces to the top and bottom ofboth panels to hold the second panel plumb and evenlyspaced from the first panel (photo 1o). Level across from onepanel to the other to make sure they're at the same height.

4. Measure diagonals and shift the panels until they're equal(enoto ro).

Fix the post positions by filling the holes with soil. Tamp the soilfirmly as you fill.

Drilling the lintels and posts to make the bolt heads less visi-ble can be tricky. Follow these steps:

ro Position and clamp the 2x6 lintels to the posts (enoto rr ).n Locate and drill 1-in. holes l/2 in. deep for the carr.iage bolt

head.

s Drill through the center of the l-in. hole and on through the2x6 lintels and the 4x4 with a 12-in.-long l/4-in. bit.

s Drill a ll2-in.-deep recess in from the other end with a l-in.bit for the washer and nut.

78 uaRcH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

llJ Cutthe top lattice 2x2s to length and attach them toI C- ttre top of the 2x6 lintels with 10d galvanized nails.

Use a 2x4 spacer to evenly position each 2x2.

* Drill in from both sides with a 3/8-in. spade bit.Now tap the 3/8-in. bolts into place and tighten the washers andnuts with a socket wrench.

Next, cut the crosspiece stubs, add construction adhesive andinsert them into the outer pockets in the 4x4s. After nailingthem, bevel their edges slightly wirh a router and 45-degreechamfer bit.

Finish by nailing on the top lattice (photo 12) and applyingan oil-based stain for a more attractive appearance and greaterlongevity.

Editor. DUANE JOHNSONArt Directiof . BECKY PFLUGERPhotography. N4IKE KRIVITlllustration . DON MANNESProject Design . MARCELLO VALDEZ and KURT LAWTON

!

l\ /f ostdriversdon'tgivetheirtiresasecondthoughtuntil at any auto parts store. We found that the $lo-and-up dial and

I \/ I they make strange noises or worse yet, go flat and digital gauges performed better in the long run than the less-L Y lleave them stranded. In this article, we'll show you expensive pencil-style gauges. Tires typically lose pressure slowlyhow to check your tires' air Pressure, we'll explain tire rotation, (usually about I psi per month). If you neglect them, they can getand we'll show you the telltale signs of tire wear and what to do dangerously low, build up excessive heat, wear unevenly and dete-about it. You'll drive more safely, improve your gas mileage and riorate faster-all of which spell bad handling and reduceclextend the life of your tires. mileage.

DtctrAL To get an accurate reading, check the tire pressure when theMaintain tire preSSure cAUGESJ\ tires are "cold." obviously"cold" can mean complere-

check your tire pressure regularly and f,I J' ly different things in a northern Minnesota win-

cAUGES\ tires are "cold." Obviously "cold" can mean complete-}tItil..'",::.Ti"ff'.*il''-Tj'iil::'J,,^,-ffi.No-te:Fortheproperinflationpressureabove). Pressure is measured in cnuce df;;$

-.

l: k?- ^ for your vehicle tires, look for an infla-

tion chart on the driver's-side doorpoundspersquareinch(psi)witha *dffi;z V' .- ;i;ffiyourmanuar.Frontandtire pressure gauge. You can buy one q

8O vancH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

rear pressures may differ.

ter and an Arizona summer. For tire pressure, how-

ever, it simply means the air temperature inside the

tires is the same as the air temperature outside the

tires. The temperature usually takes about three

hours to equalize after your tires are hot from driv-ing. For the proper inflation pressure, Iook in your

owner's manual or look for a sticker on the driver's-

side door post. Note: Extremely low temperatures(below 0 degrees F) may cause the inflation valve to

stick, and all the air will leak from the tire. So if it'sreally cold, drive the car a few miles to warm the

tires first. The reading may be a bit higher, but at

least you won't be stranded.

Rotate regularlyMany auto owners I've talked with know they

should rotate their tires but don't do it. When you

rotate tires from one wheel to the next, you distrib-ute the wear more evenly over all four tires, giving

them a longer life. This service is usually provided

free by the tire dealer or you can get it as part of amaintenance contract for just a few dollars. Or take

a half hour and do it yourself. Manufacturers differ

on the rotation pattern and the process can diflerdepending on whether you have a rear-wheel-,

fiont-wheel- or four-wheel-drive auto, so checkyourowner's manual. Most vehicles should have their

tires rotated every 4,000 to 8,000 miles, or about

every other oil change.

Watch for uneven wearCheck the condition of your tire treads every

month or so and watch for the telltale signs ofuneven wear (see Figure B). frArt Direction . DAVID SIMPSONPhotoqraphy . BILL ZUEHLKE

f-i"{. ir Lj {j .. .

lf your tires show wear on the cen-ter of the tread only, you have over-inflated tires. Check the tread depthand replace the tires if necessary orfill them to the proper pressure.

WEAR ONCENTER -\ i

REAR- AND4-WHEEL-

ORIVEVEHICLES

FRONT.WHEEL.DRIVE

VEHICLES

iif i.:rrir"'l.r:i i l ri

lf your tires show wear on the outeredges of the tread, you're probably driv-ing on underinflated tires. Check thetread wear and replace the tires if neces-sary or fill them to the proper pressure.

WEAR ONOUTER EDGES

lf your tires are worn on either theinside or outside of the tread, you'llneed to have your vehicle's align-ment checked.

Fig+*r* A $uEg**tcqj tir* rotetion

nI

nREARWHEELS

Note: lf your vehicle has directional wheels or tires,rotate them front to back on the same side of thevehicle. Gheck with your dealer or tire manufacturer ifyou're unsure.

nI

nI

n

THE FAMTLv HANDvMAN rranncl zooo 8l

@

Hanging shoe bags are

great for closets, but they

can also cut lhe clutter inyour garage, workshop orlaundry room. A shoe bag

like this one costs about

$12 at discount stores.

Lori Steiner

FROM OUB BEADERS

WE PAY $1OO FOR TIPS

lf you have a hint you'd like

to share, send it to handy

hints@ readersdigest.com orHandy Hints',The Family

Handyman, 2915 Commers

Drive. Suite 700. Eagan, MN

55121. Original contributionsbecome our property upon

acceptance and payment.

We're sorry, but tips can't be

retu rned.

Editor . GARY WENTZArt Direction. LISA PAHL KNECHTPhotography . BILL ZUEHLKE and

RAMON MORENO

ij

\usr,$

.u;

"! l'

; J es*;*vJ ii:

If vibrating tools leave you with achingjoints, try on a pair of cycling gloves. The

gel-filled palms are designed to absorb

vibration. A pair costs about $15 at dis-

count stores.Gary Stefaniak

F:-ti:=,:i;t"*+,

\I

*itT,1".

Ifyou're getting rid ofyourold dishwasher, hang on tothe lower dish rack. Slip itunder a bed for convenientroll-out storage.

J. Hubscher

#)

There's no need to load upyour tool belt when you'reworking from a ladder. Anytype of hook, pouch or pocketmade for a tool belt works just as

well when mounted on a

ladder.

Marie Picha

An old foam cushion from a sofa or chair not onlysaves your knees but also grips asphalt shinglesand keeps you from sliding down a steep pitch. Itwon't prevent falls, though, so it's no substitute forsafety equipment like a harness and roof jacks.

GlennWilk

qq

8C uancH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

dirffiH$i,"++'t:'ffi.

m**#'by George Vondriska

adn-rit that I'n-r hard on strir.rg trimrners, which means I'rn constantly replacing the string.

The Mach4 Trinrming system uses tough, flexible blades instead of string, so I was excit-

ed to give it a try. Well, the Mach4 did an excellent job of standing up to tough weeds and

wasn't perturbed by an occasional (OK, fiequent) run-in with a fer.rce post. Plain old grass

was a walk in the park.

You'll l.rave to remove the existing head frorn your trimmer to make the swap. The Mach4

($22) cornes witl.r a variety of bolts and hardware, so it'll fit 99 percer.rt of the gas-powered

trimmers on the market. But before you buy, check with the manufactttrer to make sure it'llwork on your r.nodel. Replacement is sirlple, in fact easier than winding string onto a spool.

A 10-pack of blades goes for $5.

The Mach4 and replacen.rer.rt blades are available directly from the manufacturer.

Aero-Flex Technologies, (888) 88O-2376. www.aero'flex-com

lndestructibleLine Trimmer

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN unRcs zooe 87

Find youn r*ots{and yank them *ilt}Sick of crawling around the yard yankir.rgor-rt weeds? Well, folget the crarvling par-t,

add sorne leverage to the yanking part,and you've got tl.re Fiskirrs UprootWeeder ($33). It r.nakes pullir.rg weedsfr-rn (aln.rost).

Tl-re Uproot Weeder cor-rld also becalled tl.re Upright Weeder, since there'sr.ro ber.rding or stooping involved. fustplunge the prongs into the ground so

they surround tl-re weed, and as yor.r prybackward tl.re pror.rgs grab the weed,alor-rg witl-r the root, trnd out contes theoffendir.rg little devil. Then slide tl.re han-dle down the shalt ar.rd the weed popsfree of the prongs nnd ir-rto your weedbucket. Dirt simple.

The Uproot Weeder is avtrilable athome centers or througl.r the Web site.

Fiskars, (aOO) 5OO-4449. www.fiskars.com

$mart Mowerfor Small larruns!The NEUTON'Gordless Electric Mower uses no gason oil, so it's quiet, clean, and stants instantly -everytimel lt is lightweight, so it's easy for :anyone to use. So economical it costs just ' . j1O0 to mow youn lawn and neyerneeds a tune-up. lt's the onlylawn mowen that will also TRIM

t 127 Meigs Road,

ily:'-:]i""-'"Tff#T""lilo"*"'J$[:r_l!El::Qg_B_:lg_t:qg!_gcoupon to the r"ight, visit us at: ;

YES! ntease rush my FREE Catalog and Vdeo all about

www. n e u to n m o we rs. c 0 m i :::

jT:il:,1:l,l;?:;,1il*:XiF,','jl[#:ffi :J "on call us Toll-Fr.ee to receive a i ru"."FREE Catalog and Video wirh i "comprete details! i Address FH

-tg lt* =-* '"

nGlUEGtn ;rpeuroN power Equipmentp, o.pt s:ozax

t,+l

88 nlancs 2oo6 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

&E[ TilTE PI'WEffi OF A FilVE IilHIT EffiEWYr' Clear tons of lawn debris with sitting-down easey' 40o/o more capacity- up to 415 gallonsy' New Easy-Flow'" unloading/ Hitches to nearly any riding mowery' Powerful engine-driven vacuum mulcher gives you

10 times the lifting power of mowers 5lone-r' Folds up f lat in minutes for easy storage

AFFORDABLE FOR HOMEOWNERS

Families Hove Soved Up To 50o/o 0n Heqting (ostsAnd never hove lo buy fuel - wood, oil, gos, kerosene - evir ogoin!

Hlclr>Sil is a unique roomJry-ruxm heeting sl'stenr thrt r.ur Your Benelilr with Hydro-Sil:

save you hundreds of dollars in lrorre heating cgsts lry r.epl;rcipg t Slosh heoting ost with Energy Stor tech,

olcl encl inefTicienthearing. Ircunr.eplace.,rrupplen].ni \.,,iu. ': ll9llT:l-llllnfy. 1'losetviceconlrotls

elccric hcar. gas c,r oitrirrn,,ce ancl.icxxtsto,e,. , : l*ljllilXiXlffi,ij#i,l,r,rrnHydro-Sil represents ecoflomy in heating: insicle the hc;rrcr . U.-i'liri;l'""'*

"""'-""case is :t seltlecl copper nrbe fillecl ri'ith a h:rmrless silicone fluicl. . Preosembled - reodv lo useIt's perrnanenL You'll never run ouL Hvclru>Sil Ener!), St:rr . No furnocel duds, or rhimneys

thc-ttlostlttcor.rtrolsavaliablel'atthydroelementthatisoir{r, lrsi6{r'Podoble(ll0V) orpg1msnen1122gy1

strlrlrlictl t DltDptlipllTl,,,u,,rilrr , ,l l;, )\\ r,r , )r'r iI) ' '- ' Whole house heoting or single room

as-neeclecl l'rasis. \X/hen H1,clr>Sil is rurnccl ()n. tltesrliconc licpricl is cltrickly hcutecl. uncl n.ith its heutrctc-ntion quulities. contiltues [o heat aftcr the Hvclrtelentcnt shuts of}. Hycln>Sil s nxrrnJtl-nrour''Energ1, Star" cligitel cor.rtml tecltnologr. gleatlvincreases energl' savings ar-rcl confon.

220VOLTDFDMANFNT

Approx. fueo DiscountD.i.^ Quontilv

8' 20OO watis 250-300 s.f. $2896' 1500 watts 180-250 s.f. $2595' 1250 watts 130-180 s.f. $2394' 1000 watts 1 00-1 30 s.f. s21 S

3' 750 watts 75-100 s.f- $1 892' 5OO raratts 50-75 s.f. s1 69

Thermostats Call for options exact healer needed

I l0 votT PoRTABltSllhermoslst lncluded)

DiscounlPrice Quontity

5' Hvdro-Max 750-1500 watts s2194' Convector - Dual watt $1 793' 750 watts - Silicone $1 79

$15.00 shipping per heater $ _Total Amount $

Order bdoy or conbct us for more inb.Cltcck. tu'lastcrclrrcl . \'isr

:frl'il' r -800-622 -92t6rMoil ilii:.1;,il;iiil;

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City St _ Zip

l\4astercard or Visa Account lnformation:Acct #Expiration Date

Scrub-a-dub a deckIf you regularly power-wash yourdriveway, deck or any other lar.ge sur-face (or would like to), the Deck'NDrive surface cleaner (No. PWl09t;about $50) from Campbell Hausfeld issure to save you time. It has a l2-in.-wide head that contains a rotor thatspir-rs under water pressure. TheDeck'N Drive makes clear.ring a deck as

easy as lr-ropping a floor'.

The Deck'N Drive fits most electricar-rd gas pressure lvashers, br"rt you'llrteed a unit that ploduces a minimumof 2,500 psi at 2.2 gallorrs per rninurefor it to operate. The handle length car.r

be adjusted, deper.rdir.rg on how closeyou want to get to the action. You can

even skip the long handles and justgrab the har.rdles on the head, which is

easiest for vertical work (fer.rces, walls).Pressule can be regulated on the r.rnit,

givir.rg you the control you need toavoid marring a surface.

Gampbell Hausfeld, @66, 247 -6932.www.chpower,com

9O vnncn 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

i' j..ini.j i ],:"l\.nri+r"#{'i *ir*ir r :;;;::i;

Here's a chain saw that starts or-r the firstpull, every timel That's because you're the

er.rgine that drives the Ur.rbelievable Saw

($23). This is a handy tool for getting intotight spots, or if you jr"rst don't want to fire

up a chain saw.

Tl.re Unbelievable Saw cuts usir.rg a flex-ible 21-in. cl.rain with a handle on each

end. Just wrap the chain around the wood

to be cut (also works great on PVC pipe)

and pull with or.re l.rand while ploviding a

little resistance witl.r the otl.rer. Once you

get the rhythn.r, it's well, ur.rbelievable howwell it cuts. Guess that's how it got its

ltame.

The Ur-rbelievable Saw is available

directly fron.r the r.nanufacturer.

Supreme Products, (A771 3aA-9474.www.unbelievable-saw.com

THE FAMILY HANDYMAN venct zooo 91

rHE WONLYS EEST AIE FITTER

nt drevc n nrtt[igry t{'fitu^gn

$K(rix-{ nirfttt(rt'

- (nrtludlce - ltsr tbutnn !'oui'imnfr- '-;;ilftq'Y

$tuwn{o

"$art $ev0d *t,$$-fi [n rs$[ns$tl]n[}tvsruni

t*ters hY lusulllng fr

KA[{ *ffi; il usu$hr his trushui l.r', i,i,,i ",,' .';r.,i|,,,t

Eeiack $falksr 'i ;' :':r -"r"

'-ffi1ffffirffifiosnkr$his ,.:

fy>PP

Don't trusl your valuables to just any metalbuilding manufacturer.For more than a quarter of a century Heritage has been pro-

viding affordable, superior quality metal structures to do-it-yourselfers, contractors, ranchers and farmers nationwide.

lf you'd like to receive a free quote, talk to a satisfied

Heritage customer or just want more information, call us

today. Our project specialists are eager to help in any way

they can

0r log on to our website for a complete line of metal buildings

Your toys deserve the best.

FIERITAGEBUILDING SYSTEMS*

Establl:hed 1979

Building reliability, service and trust

1.900.643.5555

www. heritagebuildings. comA division ol NCI Building Systems listed on the NYSE as NCS

No-sweat log splitterThe clich6 is that firewood warms you more than once-oncewhen you cut it, once when you split it and once when you bur.nit. Frankly, I don't want to get real warm when I'm splitting it. TheCraftsman Tow Behind Manr.ral Log Splitter ($230) provides a

simple and fairly effortless way to spiit firewood.It uses a hydraulic jack to push the log into the wedge. One harr-

dle position provides a rapid advance of the jack to get started.The other provides a slower speed, for the actual splitting. Thesplitter needs to be mour.rted to a trailer hitch to keep it stablewhile you're working the handles.

This isn't fol those who heat with wood exclusively; it,s simplytoo slow. But if you're an occasional fireplace user, and can't, ordon't want to, swing a splitting maul, you'll find the Log Splittereasy to use. And unlike its gas-powered cousins, it's very quiet.

Available from Sears.

Sears, (8OO) 349-4358. www.sears.com

92 unncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

s?*e6r ptr#dexffitrs#

G*ing to seeC, in a gn*c* wayHere's a great way to get a row of seeds down in a hurry. It's the Seed stick planter (g69),available from Johnny's Selected seeds. Just load the hopper with your seeds, and walkalong with the seed Stick. As you push down on the stick, you're pushing a seed from thehopper into the ground.

It comes with three interchangeable sizes of seed-sifting bars to handle different sizes ofseeds. You can also control the insertion depth to get the best pianting depth for the seed.No more bending or crawling through the garden on your hands and knees.Johnny's Selected Seeds, (a77) 564-6697. www.johnnyseeds.com

Unfinished To FinishedIn Half The Time

Now wood finishing is twice as

fast, twice as easy with MinwaxoPolyshadesa. That's because Polyshadesa

combines stain and polyurethane inone. Stain to add rich color and enhancewood's natural grain, and pollrrrethane for

longJasting protection and a warmhster. Polyshades comes in a variety of

-."' colors, and can be used over rawwood or even previously finished wood,without having to strip away the old finish.Polyshades. Abeautiful finish in a lor less time.

ffi

Srnw & PoryunETHANE IN ONp

Makes And Keeps Wood Beautiful@

minwax.com02006 Minwax Company. All righ6 reserved.

94 vnncg 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

i:ii:i,,1i l,:.:,*,J iri:i:iii r':{j

The hose at my house spends n.rost ofits time stretched across the yard,because it's too much trouble torewind. Thanks to Hydro-L-rdustries,

the garden hose snake is now returnedto the reel as soon as its work is dor-re.

That's because watel pressure, instead

of my arm, is providing the power todo the rewind.

The ReelSmart reel gets connected

to your spigot just like any otl.rer hose

reel. All it takes to rewind the hose is

one finger or.r the rewind lever withthe water still flowing. Dischargewater from the rewinder exits the unitnearby.

ReelSmart products are available ina variety of sizes and styles. They'recapable of rewir.rding 50 ft. to 150 ft. ofhose. Prices range from $40 to $80.

Find them at home centers, discour-rt

stores and online.

Hydro-lndustries,www.hydro-industries.com

What $ize? llow Many? Hour Much?

Set lt Rism lhe fir$ Time!

il="e+ " SE

Easily determine Pints, ouartsand Gallons of Paint required foran Area or find the Area of cover-aoe per Gallon.

Wallpaper.."Simple keystrokes calculateWallpaper coverage by Area

or per ro l.

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Design, install, apply and finish your jobs

with precision and confidence. Easily plan like

the Pros. ProjectCalc P/usworks in Yards,

Feet-lnch-Fractions and Meters, includingArea and Volume. Dedicated function keysconvefi dimensions to the amount of

fhe Tools Pros Select ond Rely On!

Powerful tools tor construction pr0f€ssionals! Built-in functions save

lime and assure greater accuracy with construction-math. Perlect torplans. bids and estimales. Convert dimensions; solve Square-ups, Rafter,

Roof and Framing measurements. Stair layouls, Circles and much more.

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For the nearest dealer callToll-Free 1 -800-854-8075

Tiles/Blocks...0uickly find the number of stan-dard or custom Tiles, includingthe Grout, to cover any Area.

Fences/0ecks...Euilt-in function solves for thenumber ot boards and railsneeded, plus spacing for 0ecksand Fences.

material needed for 100's of home improve-ment projects - Painting, Wallcovering, Tile,

Decks, Fences, Carpet, Gravel, Concrete, RoofBundles, Blocks, Bricks and much more!I nstantly calculate costs.

Save time, naterial and noney!

Visit us on the web at:

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Find it in the tool department.

Csskrrlion-A4o* €olcuhtss

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vancr zooo 95

LEAF and LAWN VACUUM:mower into a poweful yard clean-up machine!

o VACUUMS leaves, grass clippings, pinecones, pine needles, nuts, and twigs from yourlawn using an incredible 85 mph suction force!

. SHREDS most everything it vacuums.Reduces the volume of leaves by 90"2.

o DUMPS OR BAGS collected material.

. CHIPS fallen tree branches andto 2" thick with builtin chipper.

. THREE SIZES, from 5.5 to 7

245 to 3l 5 gallon capacityl

Try it for 6 Months Risk-Free!lfyou are notl0olo satisfied, we'll take it back andgive you a complete refund ofyour purchase price,inducing shipping!

To Learn More or to

I YE5! Please rush me a FREE Video and Catalog withI full details of the DR! LEAF and LAWN VACUUM.

iDRo POWER EQUIPMENT, Dept. 53023X

1 127 Meigs Road, Vergennes, VT 05491

t www.DRleafiiac.com

Order CaIITOLL-FREE

til-888-394-OO33prunings up I including your 6 month free trial offer, low. factory-

I direct prices, and seasonal savings now in effect.

The hest selection, qaaliu, and prices!Since 1931,'l'he Lon Shop has cnjovccl r repurrtion fbr oursrandins clesien ancl frbrication olspirrrl stain.

1bda1', -wc

utilize conrputer-aided tcclinologr throuqhour our prociuction prccess succcsshrllv nrixingstate-oflthe-:rrt manufacturinq wifi Old $florlcl qualitr: C)librinq thc larqest selecrion, hiehesr clualiry endlowest prices in spird srairs-we nuke srut thirt lou qcr clie rieht spirrrl ro meer l,our nrc.ls. a,lail"lrlc in anyheisht ancl BOCA/UBC code models. Ancl our spirirls art still made u,idr pric{c in rhe U.S.A.

Call lor the FBEE color Catalog & Price List:

l'800'523'7427 rc* ror Ext. FH0t visit ou Web Site at www.ThelronShoo.com/Fil

lnsta I I ati o n V i d e o le aluri n g"The Furnilure Guys"

MainPlant&Sh|wmhm Dept. FH. P0. Box547 400 Reed Rd. Broomall, pA19008Showoons/Warchouw:0rtario. CA. Saras0ta, FL. Holslon, TX. Chica00. lL. Staml0rd. CT

The Leoding Monufocturer of Spirol Stoir Kits@

Want to get rid ol bloadleafweeds tl.re easy way? TryFertilorne's Weed Free Zone weed

killer (about $13 for an 8-oz. bot-tle), which will treat r-rp to 8,000

sq. ft. of lawn when Llsed in a

lrose-errd sprayer. Or, rnix rrp a

batch ir.r a plrmp-up sprayer tospot-treat smalleI irrf'estations.Weed Free Zone contains a dif-ferer.rt chernical agent thar.r theone found ir-r most otherbroadleaf weed killers. Thatmakes it more effective on hard-to-kill weeds like clover andcreeping Charlie.

Call aror-rnd to find a gardencenter that carries Fertilon-reproducts or go to the Web site tofind a retailer near you. f_l

Fertilome, www.v-p-g.com

Art D rectiof . EVANGELINE EKBERGand MARCIA WRIGHT ROEPKE

Plrotoqraphy . N,4lKE KRIVIT

it!

I

It:.

96 vnncs 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDvMAN

Deck Railing Planterby Roy Doty

i:,r,1. illrriili.:: .1,' l| ,'i.rfjl : r,'::r+, ll!rljtirtiri, i?I1, ir-:i lri!r i,.i+,r.

S,1,$**-{$ S*;*lp .$'* .{}{'r for any ideas published, so send in those sketches and notes!

Submit your idea to wordless@readersdigest.com or Wordless. The Family Handyman, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121

Only ideas we purchase can be acknowledged. Original contributions become our property upon acceptance and payment.

THE FAMTLY HANDYMAN vancs zooo lO3

@

InsulationconflagrationWhile paneling his basement, my neighbor drove anail into a copper water pipe. No big deal. He justturned off the water, cut the pipe and slipped on a

repair coupling. But while soldering, he set the insu-lation's paper facing on fire. As the small fire grew, he

ran for the garden hose and his wife calied 911. Onlyafter dragging the hose into the basement did he

remember that the water supply was off. Luckily,there was a fire extinguisher handy and he finishedoff the flames just as a fire truck arrived.

- George Impellizeri

Ramped-up romanceMy college girlfriend and I were on the skids. So when her new car wasready for its first oil change, I saw my chance to show that I was both a

gentleman and a handyman. I brought my car ramps over to her placeand ir.rched up the

ramps carefully.But not carefullyenough. Clunk!The wheels

rolled right offthe ends of theramps and the carwas stuck there likea beached whale.

Needless to say,

this did not rekin-dle our romance.

- KennethPower

Got your ovvn do-it-yourself mistake? jfWe pay $lOOfor each one we print.Writeto greatgoofs@readersdigest.comor Great Goofu,The Family Handyman, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700,Eagan, MN 55121. Originat contributions become our propefty uponacceptance and payment.

Editor. LUCIE AMUNDSEN Art Directi0n. LISA PAHL KNECHT lllustratron. STEVE BJ0RKMAN

lO4 nanncH 2006 THE FAMtLy HANDyMAN

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...'4

':W,

Constipated pipesWe had a chronically slow drainthat resisted all the commondrain cleaners. One day my wifecame across an old container ofMetamucil and had a brainstorm:If it cleans out people's "pipes," itshould clear out plumbing, too.She dumped the whole containerdown the drain. The Metamucilabsorbed water and expandedinto a solid l0-ft.-long clog.

We tried liquid drain openers,

a drain snake and even a big drill-powered snake, but none of themcould penetrate the monster clog.Finally, I duct-taped a spoon to apole and scooped the gelatinous

mass out through the cleanoutopening, spoonful by spoonful. Itwas like getting cranberry sauce

out of a 1O-ft.-long can.

- Richard Ferrari

l/7

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