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Understanding triple-chips, ATBs, hollow-grinding, blade tensioning, and other aspects of saw-blade art and science.
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How to use the laws of mechanical advantage to help you move heavy loads safely.
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A report on the new pneumatics: why they’re gaining in popularity in every job from interior trim to roofing.
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A guide to common health hazards on the job and how to cope with them.
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If you want your table saw to work well, set it up correctly for the job, says this British woodworker of 30 years. Start with the right auxiliary fence.
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A sampling of the new tools dreamed up to make life a little easier on the job site.
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The elderly and disabled don’t want their houses to look like institutions—and they don’t have to if the designer pays attention to some basic principles.
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In cold climates, a badly installed bathroom fan can be worse than none at all. Here’s how to do it right.
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The new Euro-style cabinets demand more accurate layout and installation. This step-by-step guide shows you how.
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Space-saving tips and the return of the pantry.
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Sorting through the host of new additives, waterproofings, and substrates developed for thin-bed tile work.
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Why do sewer gases back up into a home? How do you vent an island sink? What’s the difference between a vent stack and a stack vent? And much more.
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A tile contractor’s views on why every tile installation needs a membrane to protect against water arid building movement.
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These low-cost measures will make radon removal easy if needed later.
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Fire codes, fire cuts, fire walls, fire stops, draft stops, and almost everything else you ought to know about building safe houses.
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Tips and techniques for effective residential lighting, by two leading architects.
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Sandblasting can be just the thing to save fire-damaged buildings. Here’s when you should and shouldn’t use the technique, and how to do it right.
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Repair and level wood or concrete floors with pourable floor toppings. Here, we compare gypsum- and cement-based formulas.
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A survey of the options, costs, and construction details to look for in pre-built stairs.
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How to negotiate the growing obstacles to improving the neighborhood.
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A wood-heating authority evaluates several systems for bringing old, unlined chimneys up to current standards of safety and performance.
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A master electrician advises you on how to do your work without accidentally damaging his.
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Remedies for the age-old problems of peeling, blistering, and bleeding-through of paint.
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One of America’s most experienced home-inspectors provides a checklist of problems to look for when you estimate your next remodeling project.
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A Canadian preservationist uses steel, epoxy, and a chainsaw to save wooden beams that are worth saving.
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A tortured tale of fine craftsmanship and bad business planning—with plenty of 20/20 hindsight.
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The performance of many energy-efficient houses falls short of expectations. An in-depth field study of 144 houses shows why.
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Answers to the most frequent question on warm-air heating by one of the developers of forced warm-air heating.
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An installer/consultant situated in southern Vermont, Gottlieb describes the typical home photovoltaic system, and the most efficient ways to use the electricity it produces.
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Spray cellulose and spray urethane can give you top energy performance without a lot of headaches. Two insulation contractors describe how.
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Refinements on the airtight-drywall approach (ADA) make getting a tight shell easier on your framing crew and subs.
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A veteran heating-system designer offers some pointers based on his experience in the field.
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Prefab metal units stack up better than you might think against traditional masonry fireplaces. Menia, a mason and chimney sweep for 19 years, examines their pros and cons.
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How to decide whether computers are the best thing for your company since Sheetrock—or the business equivalent of “breaking your leg.”
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Back-of-the-envelope arithmetic vs. high-tech calculations to six decimal places. Which does the builder really need?
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Interview with Ward Smyth. Lessons learned while building a successful, computerized contracting business—starting out in 1979 with a $50,000 electronic white elephant…
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Drawing by computer is easy and efficient with the right program features. Five systems are reviewed ranging in cost from $80 to $800.
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How to select an economical, flexible system that will meet your needs and grow with your company.
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Shopping tips for the most critical computer purchase you’ll make. Plus, in-depth reviews of 10 moderately priced construction software packages: Estimators, Schedulers, Accounting
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A look at materials and methods of brick-veneer construction.