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Eliminate Musty Indoor Odors
Dear Pat: I live in an old house, which seems to always have a moldy odor. Various sections are built over a dirt crawl space, slab and basement. Where is this odor coming from and how do I eliminate it? — Sheri J.
Dear Sheri: A moldy odor is …Read more.
Install Wood Wainscoting
Dear Pat: Much of the drywall has been nicked by my kids over the years. I would like to add wainscoting in the dining room instead of replacing the drywall. How can I do this myself to save a few bucks? — Wendy M.
Dear Wendy: Wood wainscoting …Read more.
Install a New Toilet
Dear Pat: I think it is time for a new toilet. I want a stylish attractive one, but it must also flush well and be quiet. Once I pick one, is it a project I can do by myself, or do I need a plumber? — Kat L.
Dear Kat: You should be able to …Read more.
Stop Smoking Fireplace Problem
Dear Pat: Whenever we use our great room fireplace, some smoke comes out into the room. I am going to add one to the master bedroom. How can I keep the new fireplace from being smoky like the old one? — Patty M.
Dear Patty: You definitely are …Read more.
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Make Proper Wood JointsDear Pat: I think I have gotten pretty good at fixing and making things around my house. I want to build unique kitchen cabinets. What are the best types of wood joints for this and other projects? — Joann V. Dear Joann: You can save a considerable amount of money by making your own kitchen cabinets. This also allows you to individualize them so yours will be truly unique. Keep in mind, even though a kitchen cabinet seems like a simple object, building one properly can be quite a detailed project. Kitchen cabinets, particularly the upper ones, have to be built strong enough to support the weight of dishes while being supported from only the back. This makes the type, quality and strength of the joints between pieces even more important than on many other projects. The typical inexperienced do-it-yourselfer generally uses a simple butt joint because it is easy to make. Butt joints are the least strong of all joint designs. This is particularly true when they are assembled with just nails or screws and the pieces were not cut properly to start with. A stronger butt joint should be assembled with dowel rods and adhesives. Always start with high-quality wood when building any cabinet. Better-quality wood not only looks better when it is completed, but it is stronger and more uniform. A lesser-quality piece of wood may have flaws, cracks and knots, which interfere with the construction of a strong joint. Building most cabinets requires several different types of joints for the best results. Review the project plans to determine which types of joint you have to create. Most projects require miter joints on the exposed surfaces for a professional appearance. This joint hides the end grains on the two pieces. This produces a relatively weak joint, so it is generally used for face and trim pieces, which do not have to carry much weight. A 90-degree miter angle is produced by sawing two pieces at 45 degrees each. An inexpensive miter box and saw should be adequate. If some corners will be different than 90 degrees, it would be wise to use a power miter saw, which allows cuts on any angle. Whatever final angle you desire, make each miter cut at half that angle. A good strong joint for inexperienced woodworkers is a lap joint. One piece rests in a notch in the mating piece. When joining two pieces of wood of the same thickness, use a half-lap joint. Each piece is notched halfway through so the finished joint thickness is the original thickness. When using pieces of wood of different thicknesses, notch one the full thickness of the thinner piece. A dovetail lap joint is used where the joint is in tension. The notch cut in one piece has a taper on it. The mating piece is notched with a reverse taper so they interlock. Rabbet joints are the best choice for the floors and shelving in the cabinets. A recess (rabbet), sized the width of the mating piece, is cut into the larger piece. The depth of the rabbet should be half the thickness of the piece. Send your questions to Here's How, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com. To find out more about Pat Logan and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM 
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