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Troubleshooting PLS 2 Palm Laser Level

My construction company loves PLS laser levels. We own three of them: one PLS 2 and two PLS 5’s. The PLS 2 was purchased used around 2010, and a label under the controls shows the date code as “2/07” so I assume that is when it was made. Toward the end of 2012, the level […]

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How To Hide That Hard-To-Remove Wallpaper

How To Hide That Hard-To-Remove Wallpaper

When you look online, you will find a TON of articles and videos about how to get rid of wallpaper. This video was published before and shows how to remove it. Some people recommend chemicals, others use vinegar or hot water, and some love using a steamer. What is noteworthy is that for every success […]

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Amsterdam Architects Build Full-sized Home With 3D Printer

Amsterdam Architects Build Full-sized Canal House With 3D Printer

Leave it to those Amsterdammers! Famous for their red light district, Old Dutch Masters, and gorgeous canal houses, one is now being built with a 3D printer. A few weeks ago, Annemarie Coevert of the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad reported how DUS architects designed the world’s first building being constructed with a 3D printer. Visitors […]

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Sperry Instruments GFI6302 GFCI Outlet Tester Review

Last year, I reviewed two electrical outlet testers: F-Circle’s CircTest 3579-4 for regular, grounded receptacles; and the Commercial Electric MS6860H, which can also be used to test GFCI circuits. The main complaints I voiced were that both were labeled on one side only, making it cumbersome to test receptacles that were installed upside down, and […]

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Hitachi C10FCE2 Compound Miter Saw – One Small Design Flaw, Easy To Fix

Around 2004, I bought the best-ever Hitachi 10 inch sliding compound miter saw, model CF10FSB, made in Japan. That saw was one of the awesome-est (!) tools I owned, and so it was with great chagrin when I discovered it stolen from a job site several months ago. Thankfully the thief did not bother taking […]

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Remodeled Bathroom

Smart Bathroom Remodel Starts In A Few Weeks!

In a couple of weeks, we will start a second floor bathroom remodel in a 1930’s Spanish-style home. We plan to cover this project from A to Z with video and stills, and will share tips and tricks of the trade. Here is a brief description of what will be happening. (more…)

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View of San Francisco Bay as seen from 2nd story deck in Sausalito, California

How To Build A Second Story Deck With Tube Steel Posts

You would want one, too, if you lived in Sausalito with a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay. A stroke of luck for my company, several other builders were not willing to deal with steel deck supports. True, steel is far less forgiving than wood, yet that made this an interesting challenge. And who […]

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Popular Pneumatic Framing Nailers By Bostich, Hitachi And Senco

Popular Pneumatic Framing Nailers By Bostich, Hitachi And Senco

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Wallpaper Removal Tools And Tips

Wallpaper Removal Tools And Tips Video

The walls of my friend Melinda‘s house have several layers of wallpaper. They ain’t pretty, and about a week ago she told me of her plans to get serious. She rented a wallpaper steamer, picked up some supplies, and a day later wallpaper was falling to the floor. Look around on the web a bit, and you […]

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Truck Rental Damage Waiver

A few months ago I posted a note about renting vs owning a truck. While reading on NYTimes.com today about vehicle rentals and the high cost of insurance, I was jolted into writing a reminder. Unless your own insurance provides coverage, you become liable not only for any damage to the vehicle, but also for […]

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Electrical Receptacle Tester & Code Updates

Here’s a handy-dandy electrical outlet testing gizmo that shows in an instant whether or not an electrical outlet is wired correctly and functioning properly. The model in this photo includes a small red button that tests the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt function (GFCI, for short) of corresponding receptacles. The device pictured, Commercial Electric MS6860H, costs […]

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Installing The Nest Thermostat

Installing The Nest Thermostat

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Work Truck — Own Or Rent?

New construction and remodeling around the San Francisco Bay Area requires a lot of driving. Checking on job sites; meetings with clients and architects; picking up some missing bolts; the list goes on. Thankfully, I don’t stop off for gas as much as I might, as I do not own a truck. (more…)

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