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The Handyman Blog

The Mysterious Machine

11/29/2016

 
I'm always fascinated by the old machines and implements which I see on some of the farms around Asheville and Weaverville.

Here's one I noticed recently in a neighbor's yard. Can you guess what it is?
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I'll give you a few hints:
  1. It's not exactly a farm implement. Its purpose is more civic-minded.
  2. It's horse-drawn.
  3. Its modern equivalent would generally be surrounded by men in orange vests.

Have you guessed it yet? Scroll down for the answer.
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It's a horse-drawn road grader.

On the subject of tools, I've got all the tools to do that project you've been waiting to do. (Unless you want a road graded, then you're on your own.)
Yes, please help me with my project

The Proper Care and Feeding of a Woodstove

11/22/2016

 
Ah, the delights of winter. Warm sweaters, hot soup and a cozy fireplace or woodstove.
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With the onset of cold weather, lots of people are lighting the first fire of the season. I've heated my homes with wood for over a decade now, so I thought I'd share a few tips I've picked up over the years for safe, comfortable home fires.

Is It Installed Correctly and in Good Condition?

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Before starting a fire, remove your dog's teddy bear chew toy from the stove top.
Especially in old houses, it's important to check the installation and condition. Even in new homes, it's a good idea to check your contractor's work.

Priorities for correct installation:
  1. Have as few bends in the chimney as possible.
  2. Use a metal stove pipe, or line your masonry chimney with metal. (Old masonry can crack and cause a fire hazard.)
  3. Make sure the woodstove is surrounded by non-flammable material and is set away from the wall.
  4. Make sure the pipe doesn't come near wood where it passes through the wall or ceiling. (That's the purpose of the black "thimble" box at the top of my stove pipe.)
  5. Try to make it easy to access the inside of the pipe for annual cleaning.

Regular Cleaning Prevents Chimney Fires

Over the course of a winter's burning, a flammable material called creosote will build up in your chimney. Eventually the creosote can cause chimney fires. To prevent chimney fires:
  1. Make sure the inside of the chimney or pipe is scrubbed out from top to bottom every year using a stiff wire chimney brush.
  2. Check for birds' nests in the fall before burning.
  3. Make sure to burn a good hot fire every once in awhile; don't just have smoldering fires. (They create more creosote.)
  4. Use the right wood.
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Santa Claus prefers clean chimneys.

The Right Wood Burns Better

If you only burn your stove occasionally, you can pick up a tiny bundle of firewood at the grocery store. It's expensive, but it's an easy luxury.

However, if you're going to burn regularly, get a stash of well-dried hardwood such as oak or locust. You can also mix a few softwood logs in there, like pine. The soft woods are nice when you're starting a fire because they burn easily and heat the room up quickly.

However, the hard woods are better for long-term, regular use because they create less creosote. Hardwoods also burn longer, so you don't have to keep adding logs all the time.
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A good stack of dry wood is like money in the bank.
In a perfect world, you'll get your firewood a few months before winter sets in, so the wood has time to dry and is easy to light. For the best results, cover it from rain and snow.

Prevent Hot Rolling Logs of Flaming Death

Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but when you're burning a fire, it helps to keep in mind that hot logs or sparks can come out of the front of the stove.
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Pay attention to what's in front of your stove. If you have hardwood floors, get a fire resistant hearth rug to protect the floor. An ordinary rug like this one should be moved away from the stove before you light the fire.

If you like to leave the stove door open, you may also want to get a fire screen to keep sparks from popping out.

Get the Right Accessories

There are several accessories that every stove or fireplace owner should have. Some of these just add luxury, but some of them are necessary for safety.
  1. A kettle. Woodstoves can really dry out the air in a room. If you have a metal stove top, a kettle of some kind is nice to humidify the air.
  2. A metal ash bucket and shovel. Eventually your stove will fill up with ash and you'll need to remove them. However, even old ashes can still hide hot coals, so you need to shovel your ashes into a metal bucket until you're sure they're safe.
  3. A place to stack your wood. I keep mine on this painted chair, which allows me to sweep up the wood chips that inevitably collect underneath.
  4. A fire poker, tongs and a brush. You'll need to be able to manipulate hot logs without touching them. You'll also need to sweep up ashes.
  5. A supply of kindling. You can just collect small dry sticks from your neighborhood.
  6. Newspaper and matches.
  7. Optional, but highly recommended: An easy chair, a foot stool. a reading lamp, a radio, a pile of books, and a drowsy cat or dog (your choice).
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I prefer the dog, but the cat will pose for pictures.
Now that you've got your woodstove in order, what other winter projects would you like to get done? I'll be glad to help with your "to do" list.
Yes, please help me with my to-do list!

Art for Your Home: A Sculptural Chair

11/15/2016

 
Yes, handymen make art too! Take a look:
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It's been a busy week, but all of my pictures were pretty boring. (Wanna see some photos of a moldy shower surround? I didn't think so.)

So instead I thought I"d show off this project from my archives. It's a chair I made from branches of pinon pine.

Look a little more closely at the joinery on this chair.
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See how one branch flows into another as if it grew that way? That took hours to do. I cut a tenon on the end of the branch, then hand-carved the wood above the tenon to make an exact fit to the adjoining piece.

Here it is from the sides. The tractor seat is just set in place, so it could be replaced by a hand-woven seat.

I tried to use the curved legs to evoke the stance of an animal.
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You can buy this for $1975, with free delivery within our service area, which is a great deal considering the time that went into it. It would be a marvelous sculptural addition to any artistic home. If you'd like to buy it, please email me using the contact form linked in the button below.
Buy Now

Before and After: Curb Appeal

11/9/2016

 
These pictures remind me of those children's games in newspapers, where they tell you to spot the differences.
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Nope, this porch wasn't brightened up in Photoshop. Let's zoom in closer so you can see what a dramatic change a little paint makes. Here's the "before."
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It had been a really long time since this porch railing was touched up, and it was starting to look weather-beaten.

Here's how it looks now:
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What a difference! It looks like new wood, but it's just a careful coat of oil-based primer followed by a fresh coat of semi-gloss paint. Here's another angle showing the stair railing before and after:
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Before it looked like it would give you splinters, but now it's something you're glad to grab onto as you climb the porch stairs.

If your porch needs a little paint, give me a call. I'll be glad to freshen it up for you.
Yes, I Want Curb Appeal!

Installing Linoleum Floor Tiles

11/1/2016

 
I'm currently sprucing up a charming little house in Montford that just needs a little TLC to make it move-in ready. One of the things I fixed recently was the old linoleum floor. At the homeowner's request, I used a nice grey "stone" peel-and-stick tile, As you'll see, it's a great compromise between cost and appearance.

Let's start with a few grisly "before" shots.
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This linoleum has a lot of heavy surface wear, and it can't be salvaged. Luckily, however, it's still in one piece and glued down well, so I can go over it with new peel-and-stick tile without removing the existing flooring. This will save the homeowner some money.

By the way, there's a trick to placing the tiles correctly: I always lay them out in a "hopscotch" pattern before I lay down the first tile. This helps me install the tiles with the fewest cuts necessary, and it also gives me a chance to center them on the doors if possible.
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I like these new "stone" printed products. You almost can't tell them apart from the real thing, but they cost less, and you don't have to hire a tile specialist to cut and grout them.

The floor turned out beautifully. Take a look at some "before and after" photos.
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Before: The cabinets look good, but the floor....?
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After: A nice bright kitchen that's easy to clean.
If you have an investment or rental property that needs just a few small touches to make it beautiful again, please give me a call. I'll be glad to help.
Yes, I'm ready to get my projects done!

    About

    Arthur Teel, Asheville & Weaverville Handyman
    Welcome to my blog! This is a chronicle of the adventures of Arthur Teel, a handyman working in Asheville and Weaverville, NC. Need someone to fix your home?
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  • Home
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    • Closets and Storage
    • Doors, Locks and Knobs >
      • Door Repair
      • Door Replacement
      • Knobs and Locks
    • For Interior Designers >
      • Hanging Pictures & Mirrors
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      • Decks and Deck Repair
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