To continue our series on measuring, marking, and layout skills, we wanted to tackle calculating square footage. Learning how to calculate square footage is a necessary skill. It’s imperative when buying sod for your yard, ordering gravel for your driveway, or picking up paint for your walls. For example, when buying carpeting, you have to […]
Full-size table saw accuracy in a pint-size portable package When I first saw the track that comes with the Ryobi PTS01 brushless track saw, I thought “why did they do that?” The track is only 27.5-inches long. However, you get two of them, and they attach together to become one 55-inch track. I thought I […]
It is no exaggeration to say that Tapcons and other concrete screws have changed the world. The first art gallery I worked in had brick walls and it was my job to hang the exhibits every month or two. It was such a huge pain drilling holes and installing anchors. I would have killed for […]
I have a deep dark confession to make: I love anchoring things to concrete. It’s a weird addiction. I started doing it in college. There are so many types of concrete anchors to choose from, but I completely skipped small plastic anchors and went straight for the heavy stuff. 1/2-inch or larger lead shields bolting […]
Lighting has been a big part of what I do professionally for over thirty years. I am a professional photographer and videographer for the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, FL. Nineteen of those years were spent as the exhibits manager. An exhibits manager is the person that oversees the installations of the art exhibits […]
So you have a piece of metal and it needs a few holes in it. No big deal you think. You grab your drill and a bit. Five minutes later when you have barely made a dent in the metal, you decide it is time to go to the hardware store for a new drill […]
Thirty years ago marked the first time I learned how to drill through concrete or masonry. I had to run microphone cables at my Dad’s church during college. The job required drilling a 1/2-inch hole through 12-inches of solid cast concrete. At the time, I only had my new Black & Decker 1/2-inch drill—a drill […]
If you work on a construction site long enough, chances are you are going to have to learn how to work safely around cranes. Cranes set rafters. They install HVAC units on roofs. Cranes even assemble steel beams. In our case, however, we use cranes to install very heavy sculptures. Consequently, crane safety and using […]
The heart of most woodworking shops is a table saw. Even when you have the choice of using a Festool track saw, panel saw, or any of the various types of miter saws, the table saw still reigns king for most woodworkers. Of all the tools, the best table saws provide tons of versatility. With […]
A rock solid tool with a price that wont break the bank Could you benefit from a battery-powered narrow crown stapler? We got our hands on the Ryobi 18V cordless narrow crown stapler (P361) to see if it might make for a good investment. At first glance, it looks like an affordable solution for DIYers […]
Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
