Build An Elegant Fireplace Mantel

By Robert Robillard

How To Build a Fireplace Mantel We recently were asked to assist in the refacing of a 17th Century Colonial fireplace. The project entailed covering the brick facing with soapstone and then adding a simple, but elegant fireplace mantel. Fireplace Facing Material Fireplace facing material, immediately surrounding a fireplace, must be non-combustible. Materials such as…

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French Cleat Mounting System

By Robert Robillard

How To Make And Use A French Cleat The French Cleat mounting system has been around longer than anyone can remember. Many think the name French Cleat originated from the 1800’s French shipbuilders who used the cleats to hang items on the ship walls to free up limited space on the ship’s floors or decks.…

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Problem With Garage Door

By Robert Robillard

Dealing With The Most Common Garage Door Issues Your garage door is perhaps one of the most heavily-used doors in your home. You probably use it more frequently than your front door, especially if you always drive to work. Then again, even if your garage door doesn’t see much action, it is still bound to…

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Nicholson Hand Files

By Robert Robillard

Nicholson 9 Piece Hand File Set with Ergonomic Handles, American Pattern By Ralph Mroz Everyone uses files, this article is about Nicholson Hand Files.  Plumbers, carpenters, electricians, HVAC technicians, fabricators, mechanics, machinists, auto body technicians.  Woodworkers and cabinet and furniture makers use them too, only they’re called rasps. Everyday files come in a mind-boggling variety of types,…

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Soapstone Fireplace Surround

By Robert Robillard

How To Install A Soapstone Fireplace Surround A Soapstone fireplace surround is placed directly over an existing fireplace be it brick, stone, tile or framing studs. The article below will show you what you need in order to install a soapstone surround on a brick façade fireplace. Choosing Soapstone Soapstone is a metamorphic rock made…

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Carhartt Workwear

By Robert Robillard

Carhartt for Men and Women By Ralph Mroz  Carhartt Dominates I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that 90% of the trades people in my area wear Carhartt Workwear pants.  Also most of the landscapers and laborers, and anyone else who makes their living with their hands.  Even the doctor that attended to me in…

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Best Method to Stiffen A Half Wall

By Robert Robillard

Eliminating Half-Wall Wobble! We typically see half walls at stair openings, replacing railings and balusters, as well as in bathrooms. In remodeling we use half walls with glass, a lot more in showers, to allow in more light. Whether you call it a half wall, knee wall or Pony wall the issue is the same.  They…

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Two Innovative Metabo-HPT Circular Saws

By Robert Robillard

Metabo-HPT Circular Saws By Ralph Mroz The Metabo HPT18V Brushless 6-1/2″ Deep Cut Circular Saw (C18DBAL) and 36V Multi-Volt Brushless 7-1/4” Circular Saw (C3607DA) both represent significant advances in cordless saws, for different reasons.  We look at both here.  But for context let’s first straighten out the confusion around the Metabo HPT name and then…

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