Archives: Tools & Products

Dremel Lithium Ion Cordless Rotary Tool

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools

The Dremel Lithium Ion Cordless Rotary Tool is one of those tools that you’ll wonder how you managed home improvement projects without. Dremel tools have been around for quite some time and they are a proven home improvement and DIY must have tool. I compare a Dremel tool to owning a reciprocating saw. The Dremel…

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Buy A Snow Blower Before Winter Storms Hit

By Todd Fratzel on Landscaping, Maintanence, Power Tools

Winter is almost here in New England and that means snow! If you lived here last year then you probably are still have nightmares about the quantity of snow we received. Buying a snow blower is one of the best ways to keep your driveway cleared this winter without breaking your back. It never fails,…

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Dewalt Reciprocating Saw Review

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools, Product Reviews

The Dewalt DW304PK Heavy-Duty 10 Amp Reciprocating Saw is one of my favorite demolition tools. If you’re going to do any serious home improvements or house construction then you’re going to need to buy a reciprocating saw. Most people call a reciprocating saw a “sawzall” but Sawzall is a model name for the reciprocating saw…

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Tools For Coping Moldings

By Todd Fratzel on Finish Carpentry, Power Tools, Product Reviews

The best way to get a professional looking inside miter corner for moldings is to cope one piece to fit into the other. Whether you’re installing crown molding or baseboard the coped inside corner creates a very professional look. Using a coping saw is the most basic and proven way to cope moldings. You can…

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DeWalt Plate Joiner Review

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools, Product Reviews

Plate Joiner Review The DeWalt Plate (Biscuit) Joiner is one of the specialty power tools that I own and highly recommend. Plate (biscuit) joiners are used to create really strong joints between two boards. You can use the joiner to splice together multiple boards in the same fashion you’d dowel them together. Some of the…

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Replacing Plastic Toilet Seat Hinge Bolts

By Todd Fratzel on Plumbing, Product Reviews

Yesterday I wrote about the Defective Plastic SoftClose Toilet Seat Bolts on our Toto toilet. Below you can see a photo of the plastic bolts after I removed them from the toilet. The head of the bolts totally deteriorated and fell apart causing the toilet seat to become loose. I was wondering all day today…

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Defective Plastic SoftClose Toilet Seat Bolts

By Todd Fratzel on Plumbing, Product Reviews

That’s not a dirty toilet in the photo! Those bits and pieces are from the plastic toilet seat bolts that have disintegrated! This is an expensive Toto toilet that I happen to like very well. However, I’m less than thrilled with this defect that has occurred less than two years since we bought it. Toto…

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ZIP System Wall and Roof Sheathing

By Todd Fratzel on Framing, Product Reviews, Siding & Trim

People who read my blog on a regular basis know that I’m a huge fan of AdvanTech sheathing products. Huber Engineered Woods manufactures AdvanTech and their newest product the ZIP System. I just saw a demonstration on this product and I was so impressed that we’ll be trying it on a new house very soon.…

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