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1500 questions
16
votes
5 answers
Why are all towel bars 24 inch? With studs being 16 inches apart - how do people mount them?
I want to install a towel bar in my bathrooms - and I went to Home Depot to get one - but all of their towel bars were 24 inch...
This to me is weird.
Do all people just mount their towel bars to a drywall using drywall anchors? That just seems so…
Dannyboy
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16
votes
3 answers
What is a multiwire branch circuit?
What is a multiwire branch circuit? (also known as "multiwire circuit", "multiwire branch circuit", "split phase shared neutral", "two circuits fed from one 12-3 or 14-3 NM-B cable", "shared neutral circuit", etc)
This question comes up from time…
Johnny
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16
votes
4 answers
When should I replace a circular saw blade?
Is there a rule of thumb for how often a circular saw blade should be replaced? Is visually inspecting the blade condition enough?
Doresoom
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16
votes
3 answers
How much damage can a grow-op do to a house in 3 months?
There is a home for sale about 10% lower than market value in the area in which we're shopping for a home. When we visited, the real estate agent disclosed that renters had used the basement as a marijuana grow-op for 3 months before it was…
Nat_Rea
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16
votes
3 answers
What is electrical code for number of wires in a breaker?
US, Georgia
I am adding some new ciruits to add some additional outlets. The closest place is to run a wire to the main panel box.
My question is, can I connect more than one wire to a breaker and still meet code or do I need to get a new breaker.…
Mark Schultheiss
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16
votes
3 answers
What are the pros and cons of medium-density fibreboard (MDF)?
I heard mixed opinions about making cupboards and beds from MDF. Some said it doesn't matter, MDF is as durable as whole tree or sandwich boards. Some said that MDF is weak, and will not last for years if you move the MDF-beds often.
I'll be glad to…
Elazar Leibovich
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16
votes
5 answers
Should I attach the fence post(s) where my fence meets my house? How do I do it?
I'm going to be building a 6 foot tall cedar privacy fence in the spring (with pressure-treated posts) and need to determine what to do with the two posts that meet the side of my house.
In order to ensure that my 15 lb dog can't get through any…
Hop the Mad Alchemist
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16
votes
12 answers
How can I protect my fingers while using a band saw?
I intend on using a band saw to cut out large meeples (the wooden pieces from the board game Carcassonne) from a 2x4 board. I'm worried about cutting my fingers.
What tool can I use to help keep my fingers out of harm's way? I've noticed push…
Ashley Grenon
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16
votes
1 answer
What tool is a solid metal cube with dimples or half spheres on every side?
My neighbor found this metal tool in a box from his father’s workshop.
It's a cube with all sorts and sizes of circles and half spheres on every edge.
What is it?
Zev Eisenberg
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16
votes
8 answers
How effective are outdoor foam faucet covers to prevent freezing?
Everyone seems to suggest using those styrofoam faucet covers to help prevent the pipes associated with the fixture from freezing.
They're cheap so I have them anyway (plus I'm not in a hard freeze area), but I'm skeptical about how much…
Michael Burr
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16
votes
1 answer
How does Schlage SecureKey Re-keying mechanism work?
Here is their consumer info. And here is an amateur teardown, although I can't tell from the pictures how the thing actually works. Does any one have any better powers explanation?
But beyond just being curious about the internal workings, the real…
Chris Noe
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16
votes
2 answers
What are the pros and cons of installing a roof heating cable?
Had some roof work done last year after mother nature abused my house by way of an errant tree branch. I had always suspected my roof had poor ventilation, most notably when I wound up with a 200 lb chunk of ice going from roof to ground (about 20…
user45
16
votes
2 answers
How can I drill to an exact depth with a hand drill?
I'm drilling holes in 4"x4"s in order to put magnets in them. The magnets are 1/8" deep and I'd like to install them to be flush with the surface of the wood. All I have is a Ryobi cordless drill and my bit set.
How can I drill only to a certain…
Naftuli Kay
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16
votes
3 answers
Would providing shade for my air conditioner's condensor improve its efficiency?
Our house has two A/C systems; one for the bedroom level, one for the remainder of the house. The compressor/consdensor units are outside the south side of the house, and in direct sun all day, now that a nearby tree has been removed.
Would shading…
TomG
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16
votes
7 answers
How do I repair a curtain rod anchor that was ripped out of the wall?
My children managed to pull on the curtains hard enough to yank the bracket which attached the curtain rod to the wall out. What is the best way to repair this?
Here's what it looks like:
Shane
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