Construction materials Maintenance. Enter the Maktec/Makita Make a kitchen gadget competition. Protect and maintain outdoor wood

Transcription

1 October 2013 Vol 20 No 10 R31.00 (incl VAT) HOW TO BUILD A PIZZA OVEN Modern ideas Construction materials Maintenance MAKE A METAL GARDEN BENCH RSA R31.00 inc l. VAT Other countries R27.19 xc l. tax xc l. postage & packaging e e Protect and maintain outdoor wood Enter the Maktec/Makita Make a kitchen gadget competition

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3 EDITOR S NOTE It s a half century! It is just over four years since I took over as editor of The Home Handyman magazine and this issue is my 50th. When I realised that, I thought back over the time I have spent on this magazine and it feels like yesterday that I got my first issue out. So much has happened in the four years and the more I think about it, the more all the pieces of the puzzle come together. I often point out to readers that I am only a magazine editor, not a DIY expert. You are welcome to ask me about your DIY dilemmas, but nine out of 10 times, I simply relay the information between the home DIY er and the expert. However, this has not prevented me from trying my own hand at a few things. I ve dismantled my garage door (while trying to fix it), which ended up with cables and springs rapidly turning into missiles and a full size door on the floor (in parts). On another occasion I set my own garage on fire. And not the oops, this could have been ugly kind of fire, but a full on I almost burnt down the house fire. Then there was the time I broke a tap off, with the water mains still open (which I didn t know where to find in the first place). My neighbours dubbed my home little Venice. Four years later, I look back and it doesn t really seem so bad. In the end, I got the job done and got off fairly lightly. However, one thing that I often see is people who didn t get off so lightly and lost fingers while woodworking. I have visited many woodworking associations and woodworking shows and I always seem to meet experienced woodworkers with one or more fingers missing. But the most satisfying part about my job is seeing the things normal people are capable of. I have seen men build complete houses, women renovate homes, children master the lathe and so much more, which I don t have space to mention on this page. I hope you will enjoy this issue and look forward to learning more from you in the many issues to come. The Home Handyman is published by Home Handyman Publishing cc ck2000/036356/23 PO Box , Benmore Cypress Avenue, Bryanston Ext. 3, RSA editorial@homehandyman.co.za Tel: Fax: Publisher: Allan Swart Associate publisher: Michelle Funke Editor: Johann Stadler Assistant editor: Roelof Strydom Sub-editors: Lynne Yates, Loren Shirley-Carr Feature writers: Clifford Roberts, Gina Hartoog, Lynne Yates, Loren Shirley-Carr Editorial consultants: Sharl Bennie, Denis Lock, Bruwer Leykauf Photography: Loren Shirley-Carr Layout & design: Rosemary Johnston-Fitch HOW TO CONTACT US: Editorial enquiries: Tel: / 5796 / 5924 Fax: editorial@homehandyman.co.za Advertising representatives: Shelagh Page Tel: / Cell: shelagh@homehandyman.co.za Debbie Heard Tel: / Cell: debbie@homehandyman.co.za HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: By sarah@homehandyman.co.za By hotline phone: By fax: Online: Subscriptions manager: Sarah Moodley Subscription enquiries: Tel: / 5796 / sarah@homehandyman.co.za Subscription rates: SA: R (incl VAT) for 12 issues Reproduction: AstraGraphics Printing: CTP Web, cnr Electron Avenue and Industry Road, Isando Distribution: Republican News Agency The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its agents. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors. Every care has been taken to ensure that all the information and projects presented in this publication are accurate, reliable and safe. It should be noted, however, that the ideas for designs and product use are presented as suggestions only. The editor strongly advises that the reader check local by-laws and consult a qualified professional before undertaking any project and cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage, injury or death resulting from any information contained here. The Home Handyman, All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission from the publisher. Johann Stadler, Editor Roelof Strydom, Assistant Editor THE HOME HANDYMAN OCTOBER

4 CONTENTS FEATURES 12 Garden havens Gazebos and pergolas make perfect relaxation spots in the garden during summer 18 Just like new (part 2) How to protect exterior wooden objects from the elements 22 Painting know-how Painting projects can be a daunting task, but with the right tips, you should be off to a good start Line of defence An electric fence will help protect you and your family as well as your hard-earned valuables from intruders 30 Build a pizza oven Pizzas taste so much better when cooked in a wood-burning pizza oven. Find out how to build your own Metalworking André Gous transforms an old bed headboard into a garden bench 40 Toolbox A look at innovative tools that make life easier for DIY ers 18 Competitions & giveaways WIN a Bosch PSR 18Li2 Toolbox... 7 WIN an Alpen Combiset 16-piece Drill Set WIN a Makita HP330DWE Cordless Li-ion Drill Driver How to halt rising damp Discover how to fix this common problem 46 Custom tile designs Innovative ways to create your own tile designs 48 Add some spin (part 3) How to finish off your woodworking project 52 Working with wood Make your own wooden candle holders 2 OCTOBER 2013 THE HOME HANDYMAN

5 12 REGULARS 4 Off the shelf All the latest products for the DIY er 52 6 Voice your views Your chance to air an opinion 8 DIY matters News, views and reviews from around the globe 10 Ask our experts Your DIY queries answered by our panel of experts Bright ideas Readers share their DIY ideas and projects 56 Woodworker s corner An opportunity for readers to showcase their work 62 Subscriptions Save by subscribing to The Home Handyman and win great prizes 64 Tailpiece A visit to the gym turns into a disaster for Reuben 22 THE HOME HANDYMAN OCTOBER

6 OFF THE SHELF Your guide to the latest products in the world of do-it-yourself Smooth sanding The Woodster Random Orbital Sander RS125JV delivers 430W of power through a 125mm diameter Velcro base. It features a soft grip, adjustable handle, has variable speed and is supplied with one piece of sandpaper. Featherboard flexibility Magswitch Featherboards have all the benefits of traditional featherboards with one major advantage - complete flexibility in use. The featherboards can be used on table saws, band saws, planers and jointers; all you need is a steel surface. Simply align the featherboard with the material to be cut. Use one hand to apply pressure and the other to switch the magnets on. These featherboards are perfect for in-feed and outfeed applications. New multifunction tool For adjustment work such as sawing, sanding or cutting, Bosch has introduced a convenient and versatile multifunction tool the PMF 190 E. It is the ideal tool for detailed work, such as replacing an old carpet or getting rid of the rust on your balcony railings. The 1.2kg tool is ergonomically designed in a compact and easy-to-handle manner. Its input power of 190W makes it more powerful than its predecessors. It has a speed pre-selection, which enables the speed of the oscillation to be adjusted so that it suits the workpiece material perfectly. Available at retail outlets for a recommended price of R Visit: Tel: Visit: Tel: Bosch PMF 190 E Power 190W Oscillation rpm Oscillation angle 2.8 Weight 1.2kg SDS No Constant electronic No Specifications Model: Power: Pad size: Voltage: No-load speed: RS125JV 430W 125mm diameter Velcro 230V-50Hz rpm Long lasting bit Visit: Tel: The Eureka Stubby bit is ideal for drilling numerous holes in thin sheet metal such as IBR and corrugated iron. The titanium coating keeps the bit sharper and harder. The bit s life is approximately five times that of the HSS black bit. Use it at slow rotation speed to prevent overheating. It is ideal for hard materials, thin sheet metal, mild steels, carbon steels and alloy steels. It can also be used for hard woods. Visit: Tel: OCTOBER 2013 THE HOME HANDYMAN

7 Hanging tough The Bosch PLL 360 is the go-to gadget for when you need to hang pictures and other objects perfectly straight on a wall. The PLL 360 gives a clearly visible and levelled 360 line for the accurate (about 0.4mm/m) alignment of wall objects in an entire room. This means no more measuring to get objects in a straight line. Its laser can project horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines and the self-levelling function ensures quick and error-free working. The laser is positioned with the universal holder and it can fit onto a tripod as well. Visit: Tel: Good all-rounder Den Braven All Round Sealant is a paintable, solvent-based, plasticelastic sealant that is resistant to fungus. As the name implies, it is a versatile sealant based on synthetic rubbers with good adhesion properties. It can be used on damp, non-porous surfaces for sealing joints, repairing small cracks and for bonding. The sealant is available in clear and white cartridges of 280ml and unopened has a shelf life of one year if kept at temperatures between 5 C and 25 C. Visit: Tel: Insulate for good Pratliperl, when mixed with cement, produces an eco-friendly, thermally insulating and fireproof plaster. Just 20mm thick of Pratliperl plaster can achieve the same thermal insulation as a double-clay brick wall. This energy-saving green product offers exceptional thermal insulation, allowing you to achieve SANS 204 compliance. Pratliperl is ultralightweight, durable and strong when compared to other lightweight concretes. Use it to: Thermally insulate and fireproof wall plasters and screeds. On ultra-lightweight concrete, bricks and boards. For underfloor insulation, roof decks and pizza oven liners. Visit: Tel: Woodworker s dream The Makita RT0700CX2 Compact Trimmer/Router Kit is a great tool to add to your woodworking arsenal. It is powered by a 710W motor that delivers rpm, but is lightweight and compact. It has variable speed control, three bases and accessories that allow you to match the tool to your application. The collet size is 6.35mm. It has a trimmer base for smooth and fast cutting, a plunge base with a plunge capacity of 0-35mm and a tilt base. It is supplied in a square-shaped tool bag that enables you to store everything you will need in one place. Visit: Tel: THE HOME HANDYMAN OCTOBER

8 VOICE YOUR VIEWS Do you have any thoughts or comments on issues of DIY? The wonders of raw linseed oil I have been subscribing to The Home Handyman magazine for many years and I enjoy reading every issue. What has always been of tremendous interest to me is the articles and ideas sent in by the readers. That is why I thought the paint boffins and readers might find the attached photo interesting. This jetty is situated on the Nahoon River in East London, which is a tidal saltwater river that floods every few years. This jetty was built in 1994 out of treated pine. When deciding what to apply as a protection layer, all and sundry had a lot to say, but an old codger advised me to just use raw linseed oil. I did this and since then give it a new coat on a yearly basis. No sanding or brushing is required before applying the new coat of linseed oil. You would be amazed to know that not one of the pieces of timber has rotted and I find it amazing that it has lasted so long. When the raw linseed oil is applied it remains sticky for a couple of days and then dries up a slightly darker shade each time. The original hinges were made out of mild galvanised steel, but these only lasted about eight years and had to be replaced, which we did with stainless steel hinges. I don t think that there can be a harsher test for any type of timber than the open elements and saltwater being sprayed over the timber every time the wind blows. Ian Johnston, Nahoon Shocking problem solved Some time ago I enquired about the possible reason for getting an electric shock when I touch the taps in my bathroom. The problem was finally identified and resolved. It seems that the electrocution was happening as a result of steam generated by the shower. This happened because the points connecting the geyser s element and the thermostat to the electricity were exposed and the amount of steam generated, as a result of the weather outside, was too dense. The electricity travelled using the steam and attached itself to any metal that was exposed, causing the electric shock. An electrician closed and sealed all the exposed electrical wires and the problem was resolved. Just to be extra safe, we had earth straps fitted to all the pipes in the bathroom. Now we no longer get shocked when we touch the taps. Thank you very much for your suggestions and help Ntsele Wonga Msikinya, via WIN! A Bosch PSR 18Li2 Toolbox Share your opinion Send us your views, ideas and opinions addressed to The Home Handyman: editorial@homehandyman.co.za Fax: By mail: PO Box , Benmore 2010 Letters may be edited for length and clarity 6 OCTOBER 2013 THE HOME HANDYMAN

9 Wonderful ideas o I am a teacher at a technical high school in North West and regularly use The Home Handyman magazine for ideas. My duties include teaching the learners about the mechanical working of a motor engine, fitting and turning as well as teaching them how to weld. It s the latter where I make use of the magazine a lot. Over the years we have always provided the learners with ideas from which WINNING LETTER A school learner works on his metalworking project they then need to construct a metal object, which counts towards their marks, but over time I have run out of ideas. That s when I found your magazine at our local Pick n Pay and started paging through it. The one article that instantly grabbed my attention was the Metalworking article. The very first issue I bought was February 2012 and it featured the Hanging around article where you showed how to make a wall-mounted key holder, which also had space to display some photographs. For the past two years I have used this project s plan as a starting point for my learners projects. I give them the freedom to be creative and come up with their own design. I only have two prerequisites; the design they come up with must have a place to hang keys and it must be able to display photographs. How big or small they make their projects depends entirely on them. I must say these learners have come up with some designs that look very different to the original. Another instance where I Winning letter found your magazine quite handy was with the article on Personal This month s winning Protective Equipment or PPE. I could not have asked for an easier letter comes from Flip who explanation of what PPE entails. wins a Dremel Fortiflex Although I don t use it as official learning material, it certainly can t do any harm to give it to the learners as an extra read. This is a fantastic magazine, keep up the good work. Flip, via Subscribe and get a FREE gift! Subscribe or renew your subscription to The Home Handyman magazine by 28 October 2013 and receive a Pattex Sealant Profiler Kit SUBSCRIBE FOR ONLY R286! Subscribe online at co.za or go to page 62 for information on how to subscribe. Pattex Sealant Profiler Kits are the perfect helper when refreshing the silicone in your bathroom. The kit consists of four different profilers which each have four different edges. This gives you a total of 16 different edges that you can apply to create a neat finish. They are quick and easy to use, washable and reusable. Available at leading retailers. : Contact or visit 7

10 DIY MATTERS News, views and reviews from around the globe Cobra guarantees after sales on taps and mixers The only thing worse than a broken tap is not being able to find the replacement parts you need to fix it and that is why Cobra has a dedicated after sales service to ensure its customers always have peace of mind should something go wrong with one of its taps or mixers. For the past 60 years, Cobra has manufactured a steadily increasing range of SABS-approved taps, mixers and plumbing accessories right here in South Africa and because of this, a key component of its standard sales basket of goods is replacement parts. This means spares from the largest part right down to the tiny indices indicating hot and cold are always readily available. Plus they re guaranteed for 10 years. This provides architects, designers, plumbers, specifiers and homeowners with peace of mind as well as greater flexibility on future tap refurbishments as there s no need to replace the entire unit, just the part in question. Cobra has a dedicated after sales service number ( ), which enables customers to speak directly to a service consultant for advice on replacing parts or to book a service call. Service directory with a difference National online directory service, Assist 247, which has helped many South Africans find qualified tradespeople like plumbers and electricians, has launched a new website called Services4Africa.co.za. The sister website to Assist 247 was developed specifically with improved smartphone technology and Internet coverage in mind. We believed we needed to design a more modern website that would provide the same amount of useful information as Assist 247 while simplifying the search process, says Paul Meyer, CEO of Assist 247. Paul Meyer, CEO of Assist 247 According to Rob Lambert, the website s developer, Services4Africa was created with mobile users in mind. He says, The new site is extremely fast and built to download quickly with easy search categories that make finding the service provider you need that much more convenient. Services4Africa provides all the information Assist 247 provides, which includes the details of hundreds of certified service providers, but everything is now arranged in a way that makes searching much simpler. The emphasis is on speed and accuracy, meaning that a user can find a qualified mechanic, in a specific area, with references in a matter of seconds. The fact that we only allow accredited service providers to advertise on Services4Africa is good news for both the public and the providers, as visitors know that any business they find listed on our website will know their trade. It s proven to be very effective with around visits per month, says Meyer. Paul explains that the Assist 247 website will remain online and that the Services4Africa website is being launched as a concept that will eventually be expanded to include similar sites internationally as well. Soon South Africans travelling abroad will have the contact details for registered paramedics, mechanics, plumbers and more at their fingertips regardless of where in the world they may be. 8 OCTOBER 2013 THE HOME HANDYMAN