How To (How I Did) Archives | Page 23 of 51

8 Feb 2017

Tips For Non-Carpenters on How to Build Your Own

I am not a carpenter by profession. However, I have a strong desire for the carpentry work. I have a passion for the woodwork.

You cannot deny the fact that carpentry is a significant job and almost all the home needs it for some or other reason. Actually, it beautifies your home interior and brings comfort to your premises.

This guest post will show some tips for non-carpenters that can help you build your own stuff.

It’s all about the bare necessity of life. Can you imagine a living room without a chair to sit, or a kitchen without a cabinet, a garage without a wardrobe or a dining room without a table? Of course, buying furniture is a costly affair.

In my opinion, it is a really a better idea to build your own furniture. While building your home furniture you can give it a customized design as per your choice and requirement. It will save money and satisfy your woodworking passion as well.

So all you need is to learn some tips and tricks for building furniture. For me, building furniture is all about pleasure and joy. However, you need some necessary tools for the work.

Steps For a Woodworking Novice:

There is some manual and machine woodworking tool which can ease your work. Using the tools you will get a great perfection. This article will educate you regarding the easy steps to be followed to get a better-finished wood product of your preference.

Step One: Begin with a simple project

If you are new to the woodworking niche then it is better to start with an easy job. Let’s take a task of making a simple coffee table. Begin the work. Make it simple. Do not go for a rounded, grooved or notched design. Here you should learn the basics of the carpentry skills. At first, you need to learn about cutting straight wood with correct measurements and joining two pieces of wood. Trying your hand out with small woodwork project is better as they are simple and inexpensive.

Step Two: Get on the same page with your partner

Think, imagine and analyze the things. If at all you have a partner with you just discuss and try to be on the same page. It has been seen that two mind is better than one. So frame a good idea about the type and design of the furniture before starting the task. You can design it with your own preference. Some people are keen about the functionality while others appreciate good looks.

Step Three: Plan your own furniture

Planning is very important before starting any project. It gives you a clear step by step guide to finish your task. So here you can Google a little to identify a good design for your coffee table. with the help of a photo editor, you can take out the hard copy of the blueprint. This outline design can be used for correct dimensions and other measurements. Thus you can get a clear idea to fit the pieces together.

Step Four: Make an estimate

Estimate the quantity of wood and the other supplies you require for the project. Identify the wood type you need for making the table. Now you can run to a store to know the actual prices of the making materials. Make a budget for your project. Here you can know whether building a table at home will save your money. If you find everything good and it is a cost effective project for you then you can go ahead with your plan.

Step Five: Google for books and guides

As you are a newbie to the field you might not be aware of the best cutting method. So investigate a little in the area. You will get lots of online help regarding the cutting and measuring strategies. Further, you need to know about how the woodwork joints. Reading a user manual can help you out for sure.

Step Six: Measure twice before you cut

Be careful, do not hasty. Measure the wood and check it once more before you cut it finally. If you cut a piece with the wrong measurement the whole wood will go waste. Always prefer to buy good and advanced tools available in the market. The machine tools you need at this stage are like a miter saw, circular saw, sanding machine, and the electric drill. Click here to enhance your woodworking skill through choosing the best tool for you.

At the final stage do not rush. Complete your finished product with utmost patience. Be ready to accept little faults as you are not a professional woodworker. Though not the perfect one but you made your first table. Be happy with your creation.

27 Jan 2017

How to Build a Paracord Carabineer Spool

This Paracord Carabineer Spool project that is very useful for outdoors-men of all types. It is just an way of carrying cordage in a way that is easily accessible.

If you can get a section of PVC pipe around a carabiner (more on this latter) and zigzag spool 550 or tethering cord around it, you can use the carabiner to attach to the outside of your pack when not needed, and either spool from your pack, or detach it and use from the spool. Heck, you could even hold the free end, and use the carabiner spool as a weight to throw over a tree for things like hanging bear bags.

The oval and D shaped carabiners will have the most room for carrying more Paracord. The diameter of the carabiner tubing should be slightly smaller than the interior spool diameter to reduce wobble and to give you more room for spooled cord.

Cut a 3” section of ½” PVC pipe to use as a spool. Since this won’t fit directly on the carabiner, you need to cut a slit down the center of the pipe. (you can either separate the two halves, or only cut through one side and pry it open and force it around )

If you cut the PVC into two parts you will need to use duct tape to secure them back together.

No matter which way you use, ensure the pipe then spins freely around the carabiner.

Next wrapped as much paracord on the spool as you can, (probably about 40 feet worth), and still be able to open the carabiner gate just enough to slip it over nylon webbing/PALS/MOLLE attachment point on your bag, backpack, strap, or vest.

New 750 Cord

FYI, the paracord listed above is a new paracord product. I plan on doing a full review, but it is not regular 550 cord, this is 750 cord – meaning it it’s breaking strength is 750 pounds, and like the original cord it has the smaller inner strands that you can scavenge to make things like fishing cord – its mil-spec 550 cord – but better….

I hope this is useful to you, and I look forward to hear how you use this project.

17 Jan 2017

How to Attach Beams to the Corners of Shipping Containers

As I have talked about earlier I have a thief problem at the land. In this post I am Attaching Beams to Shipping Container Corners so I can add a palisade style gate between the two boxes so I can fence the area between them in.

Since I have 2 40 foot boxes, and they are siting parallel to each other and 20 feet apart, if I add gates to secure the area between them I will greatly increase my secure space.

Their are also other reasons you may want to add beams to the corners of your containers, one good one would be to add a roof. (which is also in the plan.

Now the way I did this is not the best way, I had bought a long slab of cold rolled steel that I was going to cut and make a long rectangular washer to securely attach the beams, but for much less I found large washers that when installed grabbed the edge of the holes in the corners of the boxes by about 1/8 in on each side.

This is not enough for long term, but since the boxes are only sited temporarily, and I plan on connecting the beams together over the top of the box, I feel this will work.

The Process

I set flat bricks next to each box corner, and measured the distances for the holes in the timbers.

Using a 1/2 drill bit I drilled through each timber – once at the bottom and another at the top.

By driving the bolts through the holes so that the threads went inside the corners of the boxes, I ensures I would not have bolt ends interfering with the travel of the gate.

The hard part was the bottom connections. The hole was too small for my hand and it was very difficult to ensure get the washers on the bolts, and then ensure they grabbed the sides of the corner box as I tightened them. After several hours of cursing my wife tried it and her small hand actually fit inside. She was able to set a pole in 10 minutes versus the hour it took me.

The top connections were simple because they were open and I could fit my hand down from the top.

I like this method because I do not want to modify the boxes in any way until they are sitting in the permanent location and I cover them with sandbags and cement. (not a bunker!).

Now you can see how I go about attaching beams to shipping container corners.

How to Build a Wall Inside a Shipping Container

17 Jan 2017

How to Build a Wall Inside a Shipping | Framing a Shipping Container

16 Jan 2017

How to Make a Camera Mount Hat

I have been having trouble with my videos. Because I normally shoot the videos my self as I am in the videos sometimes what I think I am

showing is not what gets captured.

This causes all manner of problems.

I recently bought a new tripod and it came with a cell phone mount and being unable to use more than one camera mount on the tripod at a time I wanted to figure out a way to use it.

Since a 1/4 20 bolt has the same threads as a camera mounting screw I figured I could hang the cell phone mount somewhere.

In looking for a good place I realized my head would be perfect. Since my head is always pointing where my eyes are looking at a diy camera mount hat would be perfect

Making the Camera Mount Hat was easy.

First I took a punch and made a hole in the brim of the hat. If you don’t have a punch a hot soldering iron would work.
Next use a washer and run the camera mounting screw through the hole.
Finally screw the camera to the screw and have a good time taking video.

This project could not be any easier. Of course my wife could not stop laughing at how funny she said the contraption looked.

However, looking is a small price to pay for making videos you find useful.

As said in Jerry Maguire “I’m not in it for the money, its all about you babe”.

Seriously, I do have a horrible lack of camera skills, and bad equipment had plagued me.

Every time I save enough for better equipment I look at the reviews and promptly buy the wrong thing.

I hope that this helps me better capture the DIY projects I am working on.

Unfortunately, in a video I am working on now, I used this device when working on putting foam in the ceiling of the conex box and got sick watching it because I kept looking from place to place.

Its not noticeable wearing the hat, but watching the video I was like “Dave, can you ever stay still”.

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