Archive: Personal home projects and talented granddaughters
RichC | November 4, 2025
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The family is vacationing, I’m reading and saving a project idea
RichC | August 10, 2025
Today’s post is part photo archive, a project idea and a little on “what I’m reading this summer” — but I do miss the World War II history books of previous years. KDAE were off to Colorado on a family vacation this past week and were enjoying there time hiking and outdoors. They were with […]
How much should non-business people be spending for AI?
RichC | August 9, 2025
Since someone commented to me online, knowing that I’ve been tinkering with AI chatbots, “How much should everyday non-business users be paying for artificial intelligence?” I thought to myself and then decided to test the new ChatGPT4o … better known as ChatGPT5 … what “it” thought we should be paying (BTW, ChatGPT5 “really likes designing […]
Staying cool, finishing up the lawn bench and weekend chores
RichC | July 29, 2025
This past weekend was the last weekend of July 2025 (yikes!) and I tried to stay cool by jumping in and out of the pool during the 90+ degree summer heatwave that has been for the most part enjoyed for a few weeks now. I do prefer the heat of summer to the cold of […]
Advice: Buy the higher-quality tools the first time you need them
RichC | July 13, 2025
Here’s some advice you’ve probably heard before: “Purchase the best quality tools that you can afford” … and I’ll add, “when young.” I’ve found myself in this situation many times before. Likely the advice is simple, but in practice, stretching the dollar factors into our calculations. A couple weeks ago I went to my workshop […]
More Oostra Oak and storing Ridgid Grease Gun
RichC | June 8, 2025
It does seem like a while ago now, but I’ve been slow and steady in bringing back some of the “Oostra Oak” that plan on using for future woodworking projects. So, while up in Whitehouse, Ohio last weekend for our granddaughter’s dance recital, I hauled back a bit more lumber. Well, during the evening I […]
Archive: A couple more woodworking snippets from WoodSmith
RichC | May 25, 2025
As with previous archived tidbits, I’m saving two more from WoodSmith magazine this month that I might want to try. The one above is using painter’s tape to cut more precise hand-cut dovetails. If I try again, this might help? The tip below the break is for pocket dowels and screws, a technique that I […]
Archive: Saving a Woodworking Tool Stool project idea and tips
RichC | May 20, 2025
I’m saving a few woodworking tips to my blog’s archive is becoming a convenient habit, although I’m not sure finding it again will be all that easy to find when I need them? Above was a “Full Coverage vs. a Wash” tidbit and might be something to try someday … along with a simple socket […]
Replaced a Craftsman Drill battery with 6Ah lithium-ion battery
RichC | February 25, 2025
Back to a favorite topic of mine: Tools. Unfortunately the replacing of cordless tool batteries is not … I repeat … NOT a favorite topic. I’m not sure how many years that I’ve been complaining about the relatively short life of pre-Lithium batteries for cordless tools but now it is about the “still short life” of […]
Woodworking: Improved my table saw sled for my own safety
RichC | November 9, 2024
The “yellow tape” applied to the table saw sled has bothered me since adding it in 2019 (above left). I’ve never had a problem remembering to keep my hands away from pushing the sled with my hand in the wrong place, but realized not having a guard was foolish (added above right). So a little […]
Once again, added a coat of Zip Guard to the garage workbench
RichC | September 14, 2024
It really hasn’t been that long ago that I’ve recoated the garage workbench with Zip Guard. Since 2020 (4 years), there has been enough scraping and dripping of liquid on the work surface to make me think, “a little more protection won’t hurt.” Besides, the last of my Zip Guard in the jar was looking […]
Posting way too many woodworking magazine snippets lately
RichC | September 8, 2024
If you’ve been checking in daily, you’re likely tired of seeing woodworking ideas, tidbits and magazine clipping? I’ll try to promise that this is the last of them in my “to archive on the blog” folder for a little while. First, the Rockler sled is something I sort of already have … but still worth […]
Not all Cordless Drivers and Impact Wrenches are the same
RichC | September 1, 2024
As a weekend mechanic (or far less to be truthful), I’ve used air powered impact tools and a couple different cheaper branded impact wrenches for years. The Chicago Tool impact wrench from decades ago never had the power to make it even worth pulling out and so it was replaced with a Harbor Freight more-torque […]
Ridgid cordless tool batteries are getting larger — now 12Ah
RichC | August 18, 2024
Ridgid cordless tools have been my “go to” home power tool choice for some time now. If I were a contractor or tradesman, perhaps I’d pick a different brand, but for me having the Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA), mentioned previously, is the primary reason (although it is not perfect). Also, having them sold at the […]
Added a new Ridgid Backpack sprayer to my yard tool arsenal
RichC | August 15, 2024
I’ve done my own foundation barrier and yard insect and weed spraying by using the 1 and 2 gallon pump up and pull behind yard sprayers for my entire life. Really they have worked fine and with a little cleaning have been an easy way to control bugs and weeds … but tools are tools […]
New “no wire” Wybot S2 rechargeable pool cleaning robot
RichC | July 14, 2024
Our now 20 year old “corded” iRobot Verro pool vacuum has been outstanding and I’m hard pressed to give up on it by buying expensive bags and replacing more parts. Improvements have been made over the years to pool robots and I decided 2024 was the summer to replace it with one of the cordless […]
Filler: Router Table storage was a weekend workshop update
RichC | July 9, 2024
Usually workshop tinkering is saved for rainy days and shorter days, but I decided that there were too many jigs and router table components just laying around. When I had fewer items, I could stick them under the table, but now I’m accumulating a few too many jigs, hold-downs and push stick type items that […]
Archiving helpful photos for a sewing leather/heavy material
RichC | June 16, 2024
Really I’m just saving a couple of helpful photos to use when it comes to sewing heavy material or perhaps leather with the Sailrite WorkerB upgrade. It might help when remembering how to adjust the Ultrafeed sewing machine … although I do know this, but sew so infrequently that it is easy to forget. Knot […]
Excellent shop tip for better plug welds on automotive panels
RichC | June 12, 2024
Great from Eastwood‘s “Mark’s Garage” in using a 4-fluke end mill in a cordless drill to remove “weld through” primer’s and coatings when making plug welds. Also appreciated the budget minded 3/16″ drill bit advice from a follower: “You don’t need to buy an end mill. Grind a drill bit flat on the end and […]
Treasures found prepping old workbench for my granddaughters
RichC | June 6, 2024
My Grandpa Bluhm made this workbench and gave it to me for Christmas back in 1966. His influence early-on likely influenced my interest in tinkering and woodworking (car restoration and rebuilding was probably mostly influenced by DadC). This past weekend I cleaned it up a bit and added a homemade light strip with a roll of […]
Tidbit: Keeping the bristles on a paint brush gunk free
RichC | June 5, 2024
While reading paper or digital versions of magazines, I’m prone to clipping tips that I might find useful. Here’s one on soaking “just the bristles” of a varnish or polyurethane paint brush in solvent without the tips of the brush getting gunked up on the bottom. I have several wood handled brushes that I tried […]
Another Ridgid battery tool: A small chainsaw for trimming
RichC | June 2, 2024
This chainsaw has been on my tool wishlist for a while and when I mentioned to Brenda that it was $50 off over Memorial Day, she told me, you should get it. This small 12 inch Ridgid Chainsaw is not the “do everything” tool or even as robust as the bigger twin battery Makita, BUT […]
Woodworking project: Finished my Table Saw Jointer Jig
RichC | April 17, 2024
If you aren’t into woodworking, a Table Saw Jointer Jig will mean nothing … but Katelyn and Drew have a pile of lumber from their lot in the garage, and some of it needs a new home.😉 So I need to start hauling some of it back and prepping it for woodworking projects (I […]
Taylor impressed me with his handyman skills earlier this week
RichC | December 30, 2023
All fathers who semi-attempt to pass down a few “handyman” skills are proud of their sons (and daughters – mine is amazing!) when they tackle projects by themselves. Taylor continues to amaze me at his fortitude when taking on homeownership projects, although he’s never been hesitant to jump into things with both feet. 😊 It […]
An everyday carry pocket knife gets a lot of wear and tear #TBT
RichC | November 9, 2023
Not all that long ago, I blogged on the need to start looking for a replacement pocket knife for my all-time-favorite EDC Swiss pocket knife. I could never quite cough up the money since the “blades” on my Mini Champ were still good and it spends most of its time in my pocket anyway. BUT […]
A new battery, Taylor’s office and homemade socket organizer
RichC | September 19, 2023
My son Taylor’s sealed car battery bloated and split open last week and left him stranded at work. He didn’t have any tools with him (is he really my son?) 😉 so I headed his way after work to replace his old-ish battery with a new one (2019 VW AllTrack). The first two auto part […]
Woodworking thoughts: Saving a couple router table ideas
RichC | August 20, 2023
One of the frustrations in setting up tools of any kind is to get the settings precisely adjusted quickly and accurately on the first or at least close to the first try. For years I’ve struggled with my old questionable router table (35 years old) and dislike a few of the set up items. I […]
Archive: Bought a new Ridgid 18V Cordless string trimmer
RichC | August 13, 2023
It is late in the summer grass cutting season to be buying a new piece of lawn equipment, but keeping my favorite weedwacker going has finally gotten the best of me. If it were a normal lawn season and turning dry by August, this might not be a problem … but the regular rains this […]
Looking at a minor workshop dust collection update
RichC | July 29, 2023
A couple of years ago when contemplating upgrading the dust collection equipment in my workshop … the urge passed. The old ShopSmith DC3300 was again cleaned and re-bagged … and still today the dusty basement shop continues to annoy me. Fast forward: Last week Rockler put their Dust Right FlexiPort Power Tool Hose Kit on […]
Paslode battery conversion works and more fence repairs
RichC | July 25, 2023
Last weekend I toyed with the idea of converting one of my NiCad Paslode batteries over to Lithium-Ion. I picked up the charging module circuit board with DC voltage boosting and “thought” this might be a simple solution. Oh not so quick … 4+ hours later … it was not so easy to stuff two […]
Weekend leftovers: Paslode battery project and fence repairing
RichC | July 18, 2023
Nothing earth shattering from the working around the house projects, but archiving a couple photos from staining a section of last years repaired fence … to more repairing of fences as well as using TiteBond 3 glue as before (this could be a forever project — our fences are deteriorating A LOT). I was going […]
How long should we keep family heirlooms?
RichC | July 13, 2023
My friend Jeff and I (same age) have been struggling with how to let things go that were either ours … and that we no longer need … or part of our family’s history? He has tons of books that he’s been donating to the local library, a storage unit with some of his mom’s […]
Summer storms have been blasting through with a lot of wind
RichC | July 11, 2023
We’ve had several short-lived summer storms blasting through this year. Often I wrap up my sun sail in the back of the pool house garage (use it for a little shade), but didn’t last week. Unfortunately some VERY high winds hit and stretched out my homemade bungee (steel cable inside rope) and bent the hooks […]
Rain forced me to inside to tinker on the side table project
RichC | July 9, 2023
Yesterday morning was rushed, as I attempted to get a few things done in the backyard. I mowed the front yard on Friday night and was hoping to get the back done on Saturday — nope, the rain and thunderstorms arrived before lunch. BUT … I was able to at least use my new Worx […]
Tech Friday: Ridgid 9Ah lithium battery claim for failing latch
RichC | July 7, 2023
One of the TWO reasons that I’ve opted for the Ridgid brand of cordless power tools is their LSA … which I’ve used once before on a couple of early batteries. Besides the minor hassle in registering and filing a claim, it seems to be the right way to go considering the problems with tools […]
Woodworking: Made the push sled for the router table
RichC | July 2, 2023
While contemplating a previous idea for a router guide (photo) … and waiting for paint to dry (it was raining on Saturday), I made a push sled for my router table. I’m not sure the hold down will really do much, but added it with a couple spare parts from my drill press table. Edit: […]
Workshop tips and project ideas, with no particular need
RichC | July 1, 2023
Before I archive clipped workshop tips and ideas to a computer folder (saved in a place I will never look again => #humor), ideas that I’ve snipped from a variety of library borrowed woodworking magazines, I’m going to save them to my blog. If I were sharing and posting correctly, I would footnote or at […]
New Electric Edger and Ember Mug coaster warranty
RichC | May 31, 2023
One would think after twenty some years of pool ownership, I would have invested in a cement sidewalk (pool decking) edger. Nope … it was not something familiar to me since we have never lived on a city lot or had sidewalks. Now after 40 years of homeownership, I’ve finally broken down and spent $79.20 […]
Archive: Homemade band sander idea for the workshop
RichC | March 22, 2023
Adding the Ridgid 175-watt Power Inverter to my want list
RichC | February 21, 2023
Here’s a small tool that most likely I don’t need, but find myself wanting. It is a small portable 110-120VAC power inverter by Ridgid sold at Home Depot that delivers 175 watts for as long as you have batteries to power it (I have a few that I keep charged). It might me handy to […]
Workshop Wednesday: Circle cutting with a router
RichC | January 25, 2023
Over weekend of snowy Bengal – Bills playoff football, I was able to get down to the workshop and continue working on a joint granddaughters’ birthdays present. The project required larger holes than I have a hole saw for and cutting it with a jigsaw would have left an imperfect hole. So … I used […]
Tool tidbit: Additional leverage when turning a screwdriver
RichC | December 28, 2022
Here’s a tool tip that isn’t widely known: If you need a little more screwdriver leverage … or your hands are slippery … check to see if a hex socket or wrench will fit on the handle of your screwdriver to give you a little additional torque (a 1” socket works for my standard Craftsman […]
Archiving photos from our Trick or Treating family in 2022
RichC | November 1, 2022
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Why are these paint brushes are my favorites?
RichC | August 3, 2022
It is likely that I’ve used and cleaned over 100 paint brushes in my lifetime … besides the throw-away bristle and foam versions. That said, I find myself gravitating to a couple favorites that I hang over the basement utility sink. These are of the softer full-bodied brushes that hold paint well, brush smooth and […]
Video tips on how to do a better job caulking
RichC | July 31, 2022
As someone who is not fond of both painting and caulking, whenever there are professional tips that make those jobs easier, I listen (a better “dripless” caulking guns link too).
Video: Comparing a few different wall anchors for screws
RichC | July 23, 2022
Here’s a very short video highlighting several different kinds of popular wall anchors or mollies and how easy they are to use compared to each other. I saw it on social media and found it an interesting tidbit for woodworking or for those of us spending time in a workshop.
Just a couple woodshop table saw splitter and pushstick ideas
RichC | March 29, 2022
I’ve been thinking a little bit more about workshop safety (although always do) and after posting about zero clearance throatplates the other day, I started contemplating adding a splitter to my table saw or to the insert when reading the Instructables.com article. Since my Delta Table Saw is pre-riving knife (below left), I either need to […]
Tidbits: A workshop hook and a Canton, Ohio based idiom
RichC | March 22, 2022
“A place for everything and everything in its place,” is probably not the most fitting idiom for my cluttered workshop, since the debatable originate has to do with “neatness” according to an Ohio Repository (Canton, Ohio) article by Charles A. Goodrich in 1827. Although with a little sleuthing, it has also been credited to Benjamin […]
A zero-clearance Table Saw throatplate and featherboard clamp
RichC | March 13, 2022
When it comes to workshops, tools, jigs and helpers, we all have our go-to favorites and my 35 year old featherboard is no exception. For years now, I’ve told myself that I was going to make a new one since this was just a quick temporary one (like the miter saw hold down below), but […]
Archive: Slow progress on a customized child’s rocking chair
RichC | February 19, 2022
I used the word “customized” because besides getting the “rocker” for this chair from a set of plans … for safety sake … I’ve been tweaking the children’s rocking chair from collected ideas … and trial and error. Besides wanting to use dimensional lumber and running it through the planner for the frames, I’ve pulled […]
Wintertime workshop tinkering: Screw plugs and a coping sled
RichC | February 1, 2022
For a soon to tackle project in the woodworking workshop, I tinkered with my older plug cutter in order to hide the heads of a few drywall screws. For a test, I used contrasting wood just to see how much gap there was going to be – it looks as if it will work. To […]
Workshop Wednesday: Frame-making and a crown molding jig
RichC | January 19, 2022
For the lack of a better subject line, this will be called a Workshop Wednesday post … even though I’m rarely in the workshop on Wednesdays (it was last weekend). Anyway, I was busy making a jig to help cut the “cheap” (and I mean “cheaply made”) crown molding that I purchased from Wayfair for […]
Goofy New Year’s resolution? Improve my hand cut dovetails
RichC | January 1, 2022
Happy New Year. Let’s hope 2022 will finally be the year that we can return to normal life after 2 years of struggling with COVID19 and the precautions and restrictions. One of my woodworking skill improvements for 2022 (maybe I’ll make it a New Year’s resolution?) is to improve my competence, speed and accuracy in […]
Simple TableSaw or Bandsaw miter jig idea for #Woodworking
RichC | December 28, 2021
As usual, I was late in coming across a simple workshop miter guide for my table saw, although more recently something I needed for my small bandsaw. While working on a Christmas project for my granddaughter, I needed to cut a bunch of small pieces where I didn’t lose so much wood to the table […]
Finally added the notch to the table saw outfeed table
RichC | December 22, 2021
It has taken me a long time to cut into the outfeed table that I added to my Delta table saw in 2019, but I’ve finally added “the notch.” The spacing between the often used Shopsmith band saw and my lumber rack has always been tight … so tight that I’ve found myself angling it […]
Small storage containers in my workshop hold memories
RichC | December 12, 2021
After years of collecting a variety of tools and “tool” parts (bits, blades, etc), I’ve noticed that the mish-mash of storage containers have become even more interesting as the actual items being stored and saved (click photos for larger). Here are a few photos with a variety of storage items in a Where’s Waldo (or […]
A couple days of photos leftover from the weekend: Part 1
RichC | December 8, 2021
Since part one of a couple of blog photo posts will be pubic and not include family, I’ll archive it first. I finished (hopefully) the NINE trailer loads of leaves I mulched and raked in the front yard this year. Oh for the pre-Global Warming and now Climate Change days of burning leaves rather than […]
The Ridgid cordless tool LSA left me a little disappointed
RichC | November 6, 2021
The Ridgid brand of cordless tools have been my choice for the home workshop for a few years now and until this past week I have had a positive experience. Earlier this year Ridgid even replaced a couple failing batteries under the LSA (Lifetime Service Agreement) … BUT now this brand of choice is a […]
The WorkerB Power Pack for the Sailrite LSZ-1 sewing machine
RichC | October 31, 2021
A new upgraded motor is now offered by Sailrite for their line of portable sewing machines (called the WorkerB Power Pack). The lack of slow speed control has been one of the only issues that we have had sewing with the LSZ1. A few years ago I upgraded the Balance Wheel when working on the […]
Production oriented 1950s old-school drywall skills #video
RichC | October 27, 2021
When it comes to tradesmen building houses, it is hard to beat an old-school drywall installer. Check out this vintage YouTube video:
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.