Project center

Excessive dampness in a home can cause damage to walls, floors, carpets and even plumbing. It is especially prevalent in basements, basement apartments and storage areas. A dehumidifier takes excessive moisture out of the air by blowing humid air over cold evaporator...

Window air conditioners cool, circulate, filter and dehumidify air in the house. They range in size from small units with a cooling capacity of 5,000 BTUs (enough to cool a small room) to as high as 32,000 BTUs (sufficient to cool a small house with adequate airflow)....

An electronic air cleaner cuts household cleaning chores by substantially reducing dust buildup. It can provide personal relief from pollen, dust and other airborne irritants. According to some manufacturers, air cleaners can prevent circulation of up to 95 percent of...

Top quality wrenches are forged from fine-grade tool steel, machined to close tolerances, hardened and tempered for long service life. Types include open-end, box- end, combination box/open end, adjustable, socket and locking grip styles. Because most imported...

Steel sawhorse bracket kits convert five pieces of square-cut lumber into a sturdy sawhorse; the assembly is secured with nails or wing-nuts. Those that require wing-nuts allow disassembly with no damage to the wood. The other type provides flanged nail holes for easy...

TOOLBOXES Steel toolboxes are most popular. Their prices vary according to gauge of steel used, number of trays and whether the box is reinforced in the corners. Some precision tool users use hardwood chests because the wood absorbs rust-producing condensation....

Quality screwdrivers are judged by the kind of metal in the blade, finish and amount of grinding on the tip. Material used in the handle and bar attachment to the handle are other quality indicators. If blade metal is poor quality, it will chip and crumble under...

STANDARD HANDSAWS Handsaws have 14" to 26" blades. Fineness of cut depends on the number of cutting teeth per inch and tooth shape. A coarse crosscut saw with seven or eight teeth per inch is best for fast, rough work or for use on green wood. A fine-tooth crosscut...

Top quality pliers are forged from fine-grain tool steel, machined to close tolerances with hand-honed cutting edges properly hardened. They are polished, adjusted and inspected. Pliers fall into two broad categories-solid joint and slip joint, either of which may...

Planes are used for trimming, beveling, fitting and shaping wood, and smoothing rough spots left by sawing and drilling. Quality is determined by the steel used in the cutter, cap iron, sole and body of the plane. The cap iron should be of hard steel so adjustment...