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When we first discovered a few of the tiles on the front outdoor steps were loose, but only one was broken, we thought we'd only have to cut one new tile.
Because of this we did not want to invest in a wet saw that we would probably never use again. We set out to find an alternative way to cut tile.
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text by Steph Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter! Over the past three years, I have had many issues with the IKEA smart blind. And a month ago, it finally just stopped working. In the video above, I talk about what happened and where I am today.
Below I share some issues I had I had with the smart blind. I found through internet research, ways to fix them.
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The single reason we purchased this DIY trailer from Harbor Freight was it's ability to fold for compact storage.
Finally, in this last video Steph shares how to fold and store it. It's not just simply folding it in half and standing it upright, there's a few steps to perform before you can do that.
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This is part five of the six part series on building and using the Harbor Freight Utility Trailer. You can see the entire playlist on YouTube.
In this video, Steph takes you step by step through the trailer "before you use" safety checklist as well as how to hitch up the trailer to the tow vehicle.
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We are continuing the series about assembly of a Harbor Freight DIY Utility Trailer. With the framing and wiring completed, it's time to add the plywood decking.
The addition of the plywood decking signaled that the work on the trailer was almost complete. But, there were still a few more things to do and ultimately we decided we needed a couple of tweaks to some of the previous work. Along the way, we discovered and purchased a couple of really useful tools!
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When Steph was assembling the Harbor Freight Haul-Master utility trailer she was doing great UNTIL, the lighting would not work! Even with all the troubleshooting she tried, still, NOTHING.
She almost called it quits, but decided to confer with her friend, Stephen, who has the same trailer, to see if he could offer some advice. Well....you'll see what happens. Take a look at how Steph wired this trailer. She's never done anything like this before, but reading and watching YouTube videos on the process gave her the confidence to try. I must say, I was very IMPRESSED with all the tools, techniques, and supplies she used. Even if wiring a trailer is NOT in your future, these techniques and supplies can be used in other wiring projects. I would say, that you should just watch the video as my written "tutorial" is not going to be nearly as comprehensive and detailed as what Steph has put into the video. I'll try my best, though!
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So, you're going to either get a DIY kit or buy a trailer. That's all there is to it, right?
Wrong! There's a whole lot of stuff that you have to "know before you tow." In this video, we break down everything we learned about what you need before you ever hitch up your new utility trailer and go.
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Steph built a trailer!
When I bought a new car three years ago, we had a hitch installed with the idea that at some point we'd buy a utility trailer to tow. That way, we could easily bring home sheets of plywood and lumber. Steph happened to see a folding utility trailer in her friend's garage and was instantly interested. A folding trailer would solve the storage problem associated with trailers. She did the research and off to Harbor Freight we went to buy the trailer and accessories. I would suggest watching the video of the build as this tutorial will only touch on the highlights.
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Steph's backyard is small and is totally shaded by large oak trees thus no grass grows back there. The ground is covered with pea gravel in lieu of grass which creates a problem when you try to rake leaves.
Steph researched a solution and decided this Ryobi battery powered leaf vacuum/mulcher would be a good choice to deal with the leaf cleanup problem in the backyard.
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When doing projects that require caulk or construction adhesive, we rarely use up an entire tube. We've tried various means of storage in the hope that we can use the tube for another project. Our efforts to keep the product from drying out have failed time and time again, which led Steph to search out a better option.
Read on or watch the video to see what we tried and what we ultimately discovered really worked to keep the contents of the tube from drying out!
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Here's another edition of "Top 5 DIY Tools!" This time they are from The Home Depot. Take a look at some of the tools we consider to be essential. Let us know your favorites in the comments.
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While once again using a plastic scraper we got from Amazon in yet another project, we got to thinking we needed to share our other favorite Amazon "must have" tools. We put together a list of five tools we find ourselves using time after time on projects--that are all under $20! There's a bonus tool that comes in at $27 that we've had since Sears was in the business of selling tools!
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With the increased use of fabric and medical masks, the need for ear savers has grown. Ear savers are most often worn by health professionals to ease the discomfort of wearing a mask for a long time. As the general population adopts the use of masks for every day use, we all could benefit from these simple little devices.
In the workshop, we we've been wearing masks for years. We tend to take them off as soon as possible because they can be uncomfortable so we wanted a couple of these for ourselves and to giveaway. In April 2020, Cricut added three sizes of ear protectors to Cricut Design Space. They are free, but they did not offer up a tutorial on how to actually use the pattern. Steph found a way to use the file, and we found an inexpensive, readily available resource from which to make them.
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So we did it.
We finally bought a Cricut Maker! Let me back up for those of you who don't know what the world of Cricut is all about. Cricut (the Explore Air 2 and Maker models) is a computer controlled cutting machine that replaces a wide variety of cutting tools. It allows the user to create shapes and words in a variety of adhesive vinyl and more. For example, if you were ever a school volunteer, you probably used an Ellison machine to cut letters for bulletin boards. A Cricut can do that and more. If you've seen personalized mugs and bags as well as t-shirts, they were probably created with a Cricut. Well, we were undecided until we realized the Maker model could cut wood! That seemed to be right in Mother Daughter Projects wheelhouse so we went for it.
We are always on the lookout for interesting tools and homeowner helps to share with our audience. During a quick (is there ever such a thing?) trip to Target, we spotted a new offering from the company that makes Zuru Bunch O Balloons water balloons. We've used those on many occasions with the grands. They are so much fun!
Well, we were intrigued with the new Bunch O Balloons Self-Sealing Party Balloons. We saw a starter pack that includes a pump, and a refill pack that comes with an adapter to use with an air compressor. As you know, we have lots of tools and we just happen to have an air compressor--light bulb moment. We decided to buy both so we could share how to use an air compressor to fill the balloons. But, first...we needed an occasion to celebrate! More on that later...
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
A wet dry vac is a "must-have" addition to your garage. We've tried several as part of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign. Each has it's own unique characteristics. In this post we are trying out the Ridgid 14 gal wet dry vac. What makes this one unique is the auto detail kit that is included!
We knew this was going to be the perfect tool for tackling Steph's very messy--furry and sandy--car! This vac took care of about seven months of ground in doggy dirt!
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
Who out there has ever used a soldering gun or iron? As a 4-H member back in the early seventies, I made my area of focus electricity projects rather than the traditional clothing projects like most of the girls. I was a rebelled in my youth! Well, sort of one.
In my electricity projects, I had many occasions to use a soldering iron. I only had a few hand tools back then and that was one of them. They all fit easily into a VERY small tool box! I was probably more excited to get this new Ryobi solder station than maybe most folks! I love how Ryobi has brought it into the 21st century with battery powered portability. I also like the built in safety features--the holder and the indicator lights to help mitigate accidental burning. We used the solder station to make a repair on a backyard light. You'll need to watch near the video to see what I thought of doing this project!
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
You know how people use the word Kleenex when they mean tissues? That's sort of the same identity situation Dremel has. When people refer to using a Dremel, they mean they are using a rotary tool. Just like Kleenex, Dremel has become what people call a rotary tool.
As part of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign, we are sharing a couple of Dremels, uhh, I mean a couple of rotary tools and accessories!
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
Name the scariest tool you can think of--did you think "chainsaw?"
If you did, you're not alone. We thought the same thing! There is a BIG intimidation factor when it comes to chainsaws. As part of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign, we were sent the new Milwaukee M18 16 in. 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Brushless Cordless Chainsaw to use and review. The chainsaw has the same power and performance as a 40 cc gas chainsaw and is compatible with the M18 system. So if you already have Milwaukee M18 batteries, you can use the same ones with this chainsaw!
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
As part our sponsorship with The Home Depot Prospective campaign, we receive quarterly shipments of tools to try. Our preference is to use the tool in a project rather than just do a review. It's really a lot of fun for us to brainstorm how we are going to use the tools. Usually, it's pretty simple, but sometimes we get a tool that stumps us!
The Milwaukee 100' Chalk Reel is one of those tools. A chalk line makes a nice crisp line between two points. It's used most often by carpenters, roofers and flooring installations. When we built our garage wall last year, we definitely could have used a chalk line. But, since no construction projects are in our near future, we came up with a simple way to show the tool in action.
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
An on-going theme in our #garagemakeover is the use of Husky products. We have many of their tools and love their "lifetime" guarantee. In the makeover we needed some things to help manage our storage needs as well as work needs. Husky came to the rescue with three garage "must-have" products.
Take a look at three of our favorite products in our new garage work space.
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
Here in Florida, hurricane season runs from June to November-- peaking in late August through September. Since the start of the peak season is just around the corner, it’s time to inventory and add to our hurricane prep kit.
The 2017 hurricane season was a wake-up call to get prepared. We realized that we have been woefully underprepared for storms—not just hurricanes, but other natural and manmade disasters.
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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
One of our favorite things about being part of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign (#THDProSpective) is receiving tools that we would never have thought to check out!
When we saw the Ryobi Brushless Drywall Screw Gun on our tool list, we were excited to try it out-- especially since we were about to build a wall! But, if you checked out our wall build, you noticed we decided to not drywall it! We still wanted to try out this tool, so we used a little drywall demo wall we made for a live presentation we did a year ago. |