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TOOL TALK: CRAFTSMAN NEXTEC AUTO HAMMER

May 19, 2010 By JJ

I NEED THIS…I may not have any projects that require hammering right now, but I keep seeing the commercials on tv and I salivate. It’s a sickness, yes, but if it’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Do any of you fabulous DIY Divas have a Craftsman Auto Hammer or something similar? If so, I need to know your thoughts ASAP before I run to the Depot and buy one…and some wood…and some nails.

On another note, if you’re an RSS or email subscriber, can you do me a favor and leave a quick comment? I just want to make sure that everything has transferred over properly since I switched over to the new blog!!!

Lastly, Tool Talk Tuesday was too much pressure…now Tool Talk will happen sporadically…when I have time or something special to write!

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Tool Talk Tuesday: The Power Drum Auger

April 6, 2010 By JJ
It’s Tool Talk Tuesday once again and today I’m really excited to introduce you to another condo dweller…Lisa, from Condo Blues! She’s a girl after my own heart, and has been creating a castle out of her condo with one project after another. She’s handy, green, and loves a good bargain…a triple threat in my book! Please give her a warm welcome as she talks to us about the power drum auger!!!

Hi, my name’s Lisa, I blog at Condo Blues and I have slow drains.

“Hi Lisa!” you say.

I learned how to clear a drain using a plunger, the environmentally friendly baking soda and vinegar method, and I admit to a few desperate attempts involving a not so environmentally friendly liquid drain cleaner.

All of those methods worked to some degree, but more often than not, the clog would eventually come back like the monster in a horror movie sequel.

During an unrelated trip to the hardware store my husband popped over to the plumbing aisle and came back with a powder drum auger. I got so excited I hugged him and told him he didn’t have to buy me flowers if he bought me that DIY plumber’s snake.

Idiot, I know. I love it when he buys me flowers. I just happen to love this power tool just a little bit more.

Why? Because this little beauty is snakes through drains and cuts through clogs much easier than a traditional cable auger that uses a hand crank. It’s also the only thing that can cut through a “Gee honey I have no idea what’s making the kitchen sink back up for three days certainly not the old coconut you said I shouldn’t throw down the garbage disposal” situation (in theory.)

The power drum auger fits on a standard power drill.

It’s easy to use, just feed the cable down the drain, and squeeze the trigger on the drill. I recommend wearing protective gloves because the cable will twist and turn while it’s working its way down your pipes. Simply reverse the drill and whatever gunk is clogging your pipes will be attached to auger head.

YUCK! And this was only a tiny clog. You should have seen the giant piece of gunk it cut thought and pulled from the shower drain. I’d show you that photo but it’s not for the faint of heart.

While I’m not thrilled at touching the Son of the Blob that it pulls from my formerly slow and perpetually clogging drains (even with work gloves on ), I do like is that the power drum auger permanently removes clogs from my pipes without the use of harmful chemicals. Once I’ve cleared a drain with the drum auger that bad boy stays clear.

As long I don’t buy coconut flakes.

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Lisa Nelsen-Woods is a writer. Other days she is a foodie, DIYer, decorator, crafter, dog mom, and green gal. Lisa shares green living and money saving tips with a dash of humor on the side in her blog Condo Blues. She has a one eyed rescue dog named Blitzkrieg. He likes carrots.

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Tool Talk Tuesday: the Dremel

March 23, 2010 By JJ

For me, the best part of attending BlissDom was meeting so many wonderful women! Though I arrived late, I ran into longtime internet friends, but also got to meet new ones! Jess, from Frugal with a Flourish was new to me, but it didn’t take me long to see what a sweet and talented girl she is…so I HAD to have her visit me in the blogosphere (and she’s welcome to come and visit CA anytime, too, hint hint). I LOVE this post on her new Dremel tool and I hope you do, too! ENJOY!

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First, I am super excited to my posting here at JJ’s place. Today I would like to introduce you to a new friend of mine – the Dremel! Now, I decided that I wanted one last year and asked for it for Christmas. I haven’t really had a chance to play with it until recently since we now have our garage. This post is all about what I have learned about the Dremel.

First, there are tons of projects you can do with a Dremel! It’s kinda like the iPhone of tools. You want to do something – there is an accessory for that!

Here is an idea of some of the projects you can do with a Dremel
    – Engrave a candle
    – Fix a chair spindle
    – Cut Wire Closet Shelving to size
    – Restore Painted Metal
    – Clean a Grill
    – Sharpen Lawnmower Blades
    – Distressing Jeans (Ha!  Bet you weren’t expecting that one!)
There are more ideas for DIY and Home Décor projects on Dremel’s site here.

However, with that many options it can be a little overwhelming to figure out what you want to do and how you want to do it! I have a couple tips if you are new to a Dremel tool as I was.

First, get some “play materials” and go to town. I got some MDF and a pine board and went to town. You really need to practice the amount of pressure and speeds with the different bits.  I won’t show you those “practice” pieces, but I will say that you have to get used to the kick back on drill bits and routing pieces!

Next, spend some time on their site learning about the different bits accessories and figure out what you need to do the kind of “work” you want to do with your Dremel. For example – I want to do some light wood working projects with mine so I need to pick up the plunge router attachment. The Hubby wants to use it for some metal work projects on his car – so he has been checking out the polishing and cutting tools. And if you aren’t sure what you need at all – simply use their Accessory Fast Finder to put in your tool type and what you want to do with what kind of material.

Finally, just jump in and try something. For example – I had this frame that I got for $5 at Hobby Lobby (love the clearance sales). I had a project planned for it – hop over to my place to see. But it was a little dinged up.

No worries – I simply pulled out the Dremel and popped on a sanding drum. Sure I could have done it by hand, but this bad boy let me target specific spots and got it done lickety split!  A nice coat of black glossy paint and this baby is ready for her spot in my next project!

I hope this has been a helpful introduction to the Dremel tool and that you are inspired instead of overwhelmed by the options! I think it is a great handy addition to any DIY’er toolbox.

(Please note that this is just my opinion on the Dremel and the things you can do with it. I am utilizing a lot of the links on Dremel’s site because they are good representations of the projects and types of tools and accessories you need. However, no one is paying me for this!)

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Thanks Jess, for visiting today and for sharing your fun experiences with the Dremel. And thanks for making me want to run out and get one IMMEDIATELY. Ha!!!

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