I built a custom Tansu-style TV stand for my Pioneer Kuro plasma and PMC LB1 center channel speaker.  The speaker is so large I had almost no choice but to make a custom stand.  I also used this as an opportunity to teach myself some woodworking skills. This is not a real Tansu, and I'... read more →

After years of sweeping and dusting and dozens of disposable air filter masks, I’m finally taking dust control seriously in my garage workshop. Dust control starts at the tool with a vacuum system, but it ends in the air.  No matter how well I gathered chips and dust while working on a piece... read more →

There are many tales of garden gnomes who have mysteriously traveled the world.  But there are far fewer tales of gnomes that have traveled from a galaxy far, far away. ... read more →

I have a DIY video security system at the house. It uses a Linux box with two video capture cards connected to two security cameras. The Linux box runs an app called motion that will capture images and videos when motion is detected in a video frame. It works extremely well, except that I need to le... read more →

I love my old Delta Compound Miter saw. I have a fairly basic model, but it does what it is designed to do: make straight cuts at measured angles. But with basic saws you do miss out on some cool features of more expensive models. Like laser guides, for instance. I usually make a pretty accurate ... read more →

This week, the large brown lumbering vehicle made its customary journey to my homestead. Upon arrival, the humanoid occupant emerged, also clad in brown (yet with the odd insignia "U.P.S." emblazoned on his cloak). After the usual paperwork negotiations and a shout of "Utini!",... read more →

With a house on the northern slope of a hill, I need to pressure wash my siding and decks annually. Of course, I haven't actually done this in five years, so I have plenty of pressure washing to do. Rather than rent a washer for several days, I decided to buy one. It only took a little researc... read more →

Plumbing is an easy job, done in the most awkward location. I spent a rare day off on a lovely Sunday morning crawling under the house and in the attic repairing a cracked waste pipe. Why didn't I just call a plumber to do this for me? Because, for the second time, I had to repair a job botche... read more →

My current cordless drill is an old 9v Craftsman that I inherited. It works fine, but doesn't have the strength or battery life for anything beyond light duty housework. Plus, it has an old ¼ inch chuck with ratchet and key, which is small and clumsy compared to modern chucks. I want a ne... read more →

If you have an outdoor security camera, like a Lorex, the Lorex VQ2120 Night Vision module is a must-have add-on. It has a whopping 68 infrared LEDs that enable a night vision range of nearly 35 feet. The Night Vision includes a Y-adapter to share the power supply with a Lorex Camera such as the L... read more →

If you are considering a video security system, don't bother buying a special security video tape recorder. Instead, install Linux on an old PC, and set up a great piece of software called Motion. I installed Motion on an old K6-233 running Linux Mandrake 10.1, and configured it to capture fram... read more →

Avoid buying cheap-o security cameras, such as ones from Swann, Q-See, etc. at all costs. If you are lucky enough to find printed specs on the package, you'll notice that they have high noise levels, high lux levels, and low resolutions, all of which translates to a garbage picture and endless ... read more →

Applying a polyurethane top coat to a wood finish in a cold winter garage turns out to be a bad idea. In my case, each '2 hour fast-dry' coat took over 10 hours to dry in 45'F weather. And worse, the stuff won't flow smoothly or disolve itself properly, leaving lot's of little p... read more →