I briefly thought about titling this post “How a broken spray nozzle turned into a $100+ repair,” but went for something a little less verbose instead.  Hence, “installing a new faucet” - the latest how-to series on Fix It Up.

It all started when I was doing dishes one evening. I was reaching for the spray nozzle when the handle popped off.  So my wife and I made the executive decision to scrap the faucet and just install a new one.  We had our reasons, but the main one was that it felt really cheap - it was constructed with some fake chrome plasticky substance (probably a “space-age” polymer or something - I don’t know).

At any rate, we scoped out a few deals on Pricegrabber and eventually settled on a Peerless faucet.

The posts in this series will deal with the following:

1. Removal of the old faucet
2. Preparing the surface area for the installation
3. Installing the faucet
4. Securing the water lines
5. Finishing touches

Enjoy!

When we arrived at the job site (outdoors, 20 degree St. Louis weather, 15 - 20 mph wind gusts, minimal electricity), we found our trailer.  I was initially informed that the trailer dimensions were 16′ x 8′, but was pleased to see that we were actually working with a 20′ x 8′ platform.  I had to slightly alter my building plans, but that wasn’t a big deal.

In order to meet parade (and OHSA) guidelines, we wanted to make our railing 48″ tall.  I had a friend use my tape measure to mark our 8-ft. 2×4’s at the 48-in. mark so I could start cutting once I figured out how to run electricity to my Craftsman compound miter saw (more on that in a future post).

Once we had the boards cut to spec, we wanted to place braces two feet apart in order to secure the railing.  We opted to use metal braces because we could set up our railing support system very quickly and easily without having to cut additional boards with the compound miter saw.  After all, in 20 degree weather with a brutal, sheering wind, time really was of the essence!

With our braces in place, we inserted our 48″ supports and fastened them to the float decking.  Once we had all 20 supports installed, we were able to start work on fastening the railing.  We took our 3″ drywall screws and drove them through the railing, making sure to countersink them as deep as possible to avoid injury (while still making it easy to pull them up when it came time to strike the float).  The end result looked like this:

That concluded day 1 of the float construction.  Day two to follow…

Buying lumber is an awful lot of fun. Forget all the stuff you’ve heard about just going to Home Depot, Menards or Lowes (or other mega-chains) because “it’s convenient.”  If you want high quality, you gotta go to a lumber yard.  You’re not only supporting a small business in your area, but you’re also establishing a relationship with a local merchant.  And in the current state of the economy, both are very important.

You can find the lumber yard near you by doing a quick Google search.  As you can see, using St. Louis, MO as an example, there are a TON of places to buy in the metro area.  I’m using one close to the job site for easy transport, and, if I like the yard and the quality of the lumber, I’ll go back for framing materials for a basement project I’m undertaking later this spring (keep checking Fix It Up for that series of posts).

The other advantage of buying locally is often times, you’ll get free pieces of scrap lumber.  When we picked up our boards, we were given about 80 ft. of scrap 2×4s that were still quite usable — try getting that at a mega-mart home improvement warehouse!

With lumber in tow, we went to the job site and set-up our tools.  The first order of business was cutting lumber to spec with my Craftsman Compound Miter Saw (see video).

Pictures of the float (in progress) to appear in our next post.

It’s that time of year again… when people gather for good times, beads and Mardi Gras parades.  This year I’ve been put in charge of constructing a float for the Young Leaders of St. Louis (apparently I’ve managed to fool them into thinking I’m much handier than they are - and a leader to boot).  I’m not really sure what to expect tomorrow when I show up on the job site to physically construct this thing, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough, eh?

The specs for this job are simple - construct railing so people don’t fall off when the float is moving.  From what I understand, the float will be pulled by a semi truck and must have a Johnny-on-the-Spot (or other such portable toilet) and room for a sound system.  Other than that, I’m free to create.

When doing some preliminary sketches of the float, I’ve decided to use a sturdy bracing system for the base of the railing.  I’ll need 45 degree angles, so I’m going to let the compound miter saw do most of the work.  While I’m talking about tools, here is what I’m planning on bringing tomorrow:

• Compound Miter Saw
• Circular Saw
• Drill/Driver kit (x2)
• Wood Glue
• Hammers
• Nails
• Drywall Screws

That should be enough to get me started.  I’ll have my video camera and digital camera with me so I can demonstrate cuts and construction techniques.  Hopefully I won’t be there for a long time, so I can get the videos uploaded to YouTube in a reasonable time frame.  I’d like to start doing more video tutorials/guides, so we’ll use Mardi Gras as a testing ground to see how well it works.

Popular Mechanics has a very comprehensive list out with 100 skills that every man should know.  It’s been making the rounds on a lot of blogs, so I wanted to post a link for my readers (all three of you) to check out.

The list got me thinking - we need a DIY-specific list for all genders.  What skills are important?  We have a category for Essential Equipment, why not one for DIY Skills that utilize those tools?

Leave me some comments on what DIY skills you think every homeowner should know and I’ll write up some guides, tips and tricks.  Look for an ongoing series the remainder of this year and well into 2009!

With all the other cool stuff picked out for the cleaning your gutters the quick and easy way series, I begrudgingly come to the last item on the list: the waste bucket.

Now, I know what you’re thinking - why - oh why? - am I reading a review of a bucket tote?  I know it sounds stupid (especially on a blog that has two reviews of Stanley FatMax Xtreme FuBar pry/demo bars).  Trust me, I know.  But all kidding aside, the 47 pocket Bucket Tote is worth every bit of the price.

My wife likes it because it can hold just about all of her garden tools.  I like it because it can hold a lot of gutter cleaning tools.  And when I’m out landscaping, it’s got tons of places for me to put rock-breaking chisels, hammers, trowels, et cetera.  In fact, the Bucket Tote has 47 total pockets (30 exterior, 17 interior, hammer holster, tape chain) — so you can fill it with whatever you fancy.

I’m not sure what else to say… after all, it’s a bucket accessory.  Well, here’s something — I’ve found that it fits Home Depot contractor buckets really well with the tote.

Much like cleaning your gutters, hauling around a bucket tote can be a little bit, uh, emasculating.  But just like cleaning your gutters, an ounce of prevention (in this case, hauling all of your tools up the ladder with you) can save a lot of time in the long run.  Just think about how dry your basement will be when you don’t have water spilling out on your foundation!

In our last post in the how to clean gutters the quick and easy way series, we discussed a really durable fiberglass 6 Ft. ladder.  While that was perfect for smaller homes, where should you turn for a one and a half story home or more?  Well, if you’re like me, you turn right to the Werner D1516-2 16-Foot 300-Pound Duty Rating Aluminum Flat D-Rung Extension Ladder.

Sure, that sounds like a handful, but the ladder is actually quite easy to set up and use.  It’s a 16 foot ladder with a 300 pound capacity, which is more than enough for most home improvement jobs.  It has a 13 inch base with sip-resistant traction rungs for added durability and safety.  How can you not like those features?

For my money, it doesn’t get any better than the the Werner 16 foot, 300 pound extension ladder.  Not just limited to cleaning gutters, this ladder is perfect for quick, easy access to the roofline.  With Werner’s rugged spring loaded locking system, you can be assured that the ladder will be as locked in as you are.

In our last posts in the how to clean gutters the quick and easy way series, we managed to sissify the FixItUp blog with reviews of a garden hose and spray nozzle.  No more.  Now we’re into manly stuff… like ladders.

Shhhh!  Don’t tell anyone, but when we moved into our house, the contractors who were fixing things up left a nice fiberglass A-frame ladder behind.  Sure, I could have told them, but why?  I was using an old, heavy wooden ladder that my dad gave me.

We found the Husky 6 Ft. Fiberglass Ladder in a nook in the basement.  A nook that would require more than a quick once-over to locate; ergo, a free ladder. Score!

It only took one painting job before I was ready to throw that wooden monstrosity away.  Since then, I’ve never looked back.  Not only is the Husky 6 Ft. Fiberglass Ladder great for general housekeeping tasks, like painting ceilings, cleaning fan blades, cleaning ductwork, et cetera, but it’s non-conductive fiberglass side rails are perfect for working around electricity.  With slip resistant feet and steps, your rest is assured that you won’t end up sliding all over the place.

In the context of cleaning gutters, this ladder is fine for a one-story home.  For a one and a half story home or larger, you’ll need to call in the D-Rung extension ladder.

In our last post, we found a really decent hose for our gutter cleaning project.  As lame as this sounds (and really, how can it be any more lame than a review of a freakin’ garden hose?), having the right nozzle on your garden hose can really speed along most projects.

So here we are: reduced to reviewing a spray nozzle for a garden hose.  Quite possibly the best example of “too much internets.”  But I digress…

Much like the garden hose, you want something that will be durable, multi-functional and easy to use.  The Toro 8 Pattern Front Trigger Garden Hose Spray Nozzle fits the bill.  Weighing in at under $20, the Toro spray nozzle is slightly more expensive than you’d expect to pay for something like this, but trust me, it’s well worth it.  With its durable aluminum body, it will most certainly outlast the $10 and under plastic, cheaper spray nozzles.

The 8 patterns (full spray, shower, angled, jet, cone, soaker, mist and flat) are all you’ll need for most garden applications.  For the gutter cleaning, we’ll stick to the full spray for maximum water pressure.

So, there you have it — two totally insignificant non-tools that you’ll need to clean your gutters.  Please allow me to redeem myself with two awesome ladder reviews — you know, something a bit more, uh, “manly.”

First up in the equipment list for cleaning our gutters the quick and easy way is finding our garden hose.

Now, you may be asking yourself: why in the world are we reviewing hoses on the Fix It Up blog?  And let me assure you - that’s a valid, legitimate question.  I’m writing the review of the Flexon 5/8-inch by 100-foot reinforced garden hose because not all hoses are created equal.

Before I was a homeowner and long after I moved out of my college apartment, I learned the hard way that you get what you pay for.  The only feeling more frustrating than not having enough hose to go from your water source to what you want to deliver water to is a hose that constantly kinks.  I lost track of how many times I’d have to get down off a ladder to unkink my old, wore-out hoses before I decided that enough was enough.

Hence the purchase of the Flexon 5/8″, 100-foot hose.  You want features?  How about a knitted-nylon-reinforced vinyl cover?  That’s more than what I can say about the hoses that once occupied my garage.  How about the solid brass flow couplings?  This hose works great, even in cold weather.

For the gutter cleaning project, this is just the hose for the job.

Next, we’ll examine the ends to the means: the hose nozzle.