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iOS 18 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, News

How To: Use a Craftsman snowblower

If you live in a cold climate, a snowblower can really be a lifesaver during the winter months. But a snowblower is actually a pretty powerful piece of equipment, and using them incorrectly can be very dangerous. In this video tutorial, Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, shows you how to safely use a Craftsman snowblower.

How To: Get exact measurements with a tape measure

In this how-to video, Ron Hazelton, do-it-yourself expert, shows you how to get exact measurements with a tape measure, even when the tape measure "rolls" to an inside corner. Quick and accurate measurements will make any home improvement go faster, and turn out better. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to get exact measurements with a tape measurement.

How To: Remove and replace a chuck on a cordless drill

Most cordless drills are built very similar, so when it comes to repairs and maintenance… if you know one, you know them all. Especially when it comes to the drill chucks. When a drill chuck goes bad, there's no need to pay expensive repair costs… you just need to purchase the chuck and replace it yourself. See how simple and efficient it is to remove the chuck from your cordless power drill.

How To: Start a Briggs and Stratton Power Generator After 3 Years

My Briggs and Stratton power generator wasn't used for 3 years. Trying to start it again, lead to some problems. The video will show you the true story and the solution. The first problem was, that it lost some fuel - the fuel pipe was broken. In good hope I tried again to start it, but it stopped within seconds. A check of the spark plug to find a very dirty one. After cleaning the spark plug, the engine ran, but only for a few seconds. It lost a lot of fuel and stopped again. The fuel was c...

How To: Replace or sharpen riding lawnmower blades with Lowe's

Back again with another great instructional video, Mike Kraft, a Lowe's home improvement expert, demonstrates how to properly sharpen or replace the lawnmower blades on a riding lawnmower. Mike provides tips on inspecting your worn lawnmower blades to determine whether or not your blades need to be replaced, or merely sharpened. This video will give you an idea of the tools you will need to complete this project, as well as the steps involved in both removing and re-installing the lawnmower d...

How To: Use a tile nibblers on ceramic tiles

This video demonstrates how to make small cuts on ceramic tile by using Tile Nibblers. The video starts with a quick overview of the tile nibbler tool. It looks like a pair of pliers that have been sharpened. The presenter stresses that a tile nibbler should be just that; nibble away at the tile. If you try to cut out bigger chunks it will result in cracking. Once you get the cut close to how you want it, the presenter uses a tile file to remove the remaining tile and smooth the edges. This v...

How To: Repair a lawnmower

In this series of expert videos, you will learn more about lawnmower maintenance. Watch these videos to see how easy do-it-yourself lawnmower maintenance can be! You will learn how to clean your lawn mowing machine, and keep it free of dirt, rust, and grass clippings. Get tips on changing the oil and air filter on your lawnmower. Learn how to mix two-stroke fuel for your mower. Watch as our expert removes gas, foam filters, and dirty spark plugs from a lawnmower. When changing the blades of y...

How To: Fix a lawnmower

Are you having trouble balancing the cutting deck of your small engine lawnmower? Our expert will teach you how to do this and many other things including careful removal of the engine’s cutting blade. You will also see how to sharpen the blade and reinstall it safely and efficiently. Watch as our lawnmower maintenance expert removes and reinstalls a carburetor on a small engine lawnmower. Learn how cleaning the carburetor can improve the working mechanism of your lawnmower and see first hand...

How To: Use and maintain a chainsaw

In this how to video series, learn how to use a chainsaw and how to maintain a chainsaw from chainsaw expert George Finn. George will show you how to safely use a chainsaw, what type of safety gear to use, how to disconnect a chainsaw sparkplug, how to tighten the chain on a chainsaw, how to mix gas and oil for chainsaw fuel, how to add gas and bar & chain oil to a chainsaw, how to sharpen a chainsaw chain, how to replace the chain on a chainsaw, how to start a chainsaw, how to replace the ai...

How To: Turn a rake into a screed tool

This video is a tutorial on how to turn a rake into a screed tool. It begins by explaining that a screed tool is something used for spreading concrete. First, you will need a rake and a piece of wood that is called a 1 by 4. Put a steel rod over the rake blades and use a drill to secure it to the wood. Use wing nuts to tighten the bolts. By using a 1 by 4, you are creating a light-weight smoothing tool. It can be used to smooth out concrete, mulch, sand, or soil. If you make the screed tool t...

How To: Use the Stanley utility knife

In this tutorial, we learn how to use the Stanley utility knife. This is a razor straight edge knife that has a very sharp point on it. The little slices in the bottom will help it go back into place and will help you sharpen it when it becomes dull. You can break off the points as well when they become dull so you have a brand new sharp one. The tool in the back has a storage area for another blade. To take this out, you just slide out the old one and insert the new one in the same exact way!

How To: Use a plunge wood router

If you're looking to rout, or hollow, out a length of wood as part of a DIY project, you'll need a wood router. In this handy tutorial, Darren Baensch reviews the three basic principles while walking you through a cut. Watch this video and learn the basics of plunge routing. Use a plunge wood router.

How To: Pick a padlock and understand how it works

When picking a padlock, the only part you need to worry about is the part where the key goes into the lock. The locking mechanism has pins attached to springs. The key pins are on the bottom and the driver pins are on the top. The key turns when the pins of different heights are separated, flush and aligned. Stick a tension wrench into the keyway and put pressure on it. Take a pick to push the rest of the pins up until they are flush with the shear line. Stick the tension wrench into the bott...

How To: Perform gas-powered string trimmer (weed wacker) maintenance with Lowe's

A string trimmer is a handy tool, but you have to maintain it if you want it to work its best. Learn how to do maintenance on both a 2-cycle and 4-cycle gas-powered trimmer. Lowe's home improvement expert, Mike Kraft, gives helpful tips for string trimmer maintenance. Learn how to replace string, change the oil, clean the trimmer filter and more that will help keep your string trimmer working like new.

How To: Use a stud finder to locate your wall studs

In this tutorial, we learn how to use a stud finder to locate your wall studs. First, you will use your stud finder tool and place it against a wall. It will go off when it has found the edge of a stud. Place the finder against the wall then slowly move it until the red light on the top beeps. Move it around to make sure you know exactly where the stud would be located. The finder will go off wherever the edges of the studs are to help you pinpoint exactly where the stud is. You could get wro...

How To: Use a secret nail gun

The secret nail gun is used to nail timber floor boards to floor joists or on top of a sub floor construction. It shoots nails on a 45 degree angle through the tongue of the floor which is covered by the next board. No nail holes are required to be filled by the floor polisher. Watch this video tutorial for a demonstration on how to use a secret nail gun.

News: Build Your Own Civilization with the Global Village Construction Set

If it takes a village to raise a child, you can imagine what it takes to raise a village! In brief: a whole lot! Thanks to the folks behind the Open Source Ecology movement, however, starting your own self-sufficient community has never been easier! Taking free software as a model, the group is working on what they call the Global Village Construction Set—"a fully integrated [and freely reproducible] set of machines for creating a self-sufficient modern life from the resources of a small amou...