Give new life to your old garden tools

I'm not against buying new garden tools, but sometimes you just want to fix the ones you have rather than do so. This past birthday, Mom gave me Dad's old garden fork. I wouldn't trade it for a dozen new tools!

Whatever the reason, you can fix most tools with some simple tools and basic skills, so give it a shot. It's kind of fun.

The most common problem is a broken handle. You can buy a new one at the home center or hardware store and replace the old one. I, personally, prefer a wooden or fiberglass handle, and they aren't too expensive. Use a chisel or screwdriver to remove the old rivet or screw holding the damaged handle in place. You also can drill or grind out an old rivet.

If you need to sand it or shave the handle down a little to make it fit better, do so. If you heat wood a little bit, maybe with a hair dryer, you will dry it out and, when it's fit into place, it will tighten up.

When you insert the new handle, do so with the grain of the wood facing the front and back of the blade (the rings should be on the side). Tap the blade on the ground to drive the handle all the way into place. Drill a new hole into the wood and use a wood screw to attach it to the blade.

Some tools use a metal wedge to keep the handle on tight, so make sure you keep that wedge and use it to tighten the handle into place.

Sharpening the blade is another thing you can do to give your garden tools more life. A shovel can cut through even heavy clay like butter once it's sharp. A metal file or rotary tool is all you need to take care of this chore. Keep the blade clean and oiled when not in use and it will stay sharp. If you take care of your garden tools, they will take care of you when you need them. Can you dig it?

Ladder carrying

I have a couple of ladders so I can take care of the repairs and chores around the house. I have added a handle to each one to make them easier to carry. I just installed a simple, inexpensive screen-door handle to the center point of each one. The "center point" is the center balance point or the spot where it is pretty evenly balanced, so carrying it will be easier to do. This allows you to carry it with one hand, leaving your other hand free to carry your tools.

Recycle wooden spools

I do a lot of home repairs, but I also enjoy crafts of all kinds, including sewing. I have come up with a few ideas for recycling the wooden spools that some threads come on. I like to use them to hang things in the house and garage. If you run a screw through the center and install a couple of these, side by side about an inch apart, on your wall, you can store a broom, mop or shovel on them. Keep those tools in a good spot where they will be easy to get to when you need them.

Super hints

• I use dry shampoo on my pets during the winter. I just pour a box of cornstarch into a shallow baking dish and warm it up just a little. Then mix it with a quarter cup of baking soda and rub it into their hair, down to the skin and leave it on for a few minutes. Then brush or comb it out. Cleaner and less smelly, without getting the chills!

• My wonderful husband gives me flowers often, and I love it! I end up with a lot of those plain, clear vases, though. I try to recycle them and create new things from them. I've glued beads, rocks, shells and even moss and flowers on them to upgrade them from plain to perky.

• Dusting your electronics is important in keeping them running longer and more efficiently. Be careful, though, as they are delicate. Use the canned air to blow the dust out of tight spots and use a microfiber cloth and vacuum to finish it off.

Q. We had a standard, rubber-backed bathmat in our guest bath. I took it up to clean the floor and discovered the backing is stuck to the floor. How can I get it off without damaging the tiles?

A. Try scraping it off with a plastic putty knife. You also can try using a plastic mesh kitchen scrubber.

Q. We have a standard attached garage. There is no insulation in the walls, but I didn't think it was required. But I have found out there isn't insulation in the wall between the garage and the house. Is this normal, or should we add it? The walls are drywall but not taped or painted. How would we add it?

A. Yes, the wall should be insulated between the garage and the house. If the drywall is screwed on, the easiest way to insulate would be to remove the drywall, install batts and then replace the drywall. The alternative is to drill holes in the drywall between every wall stud and blow in loose-fill insulation, but you are going to have unprotected areas in most cases with this method. You also won't get a vapor barrier like you would with the batt insulation.

Q. I noticed we are having a moisture problem in our attic. It's worse in the summer but there during the winter time, too. What can we do to get rid of it and keep it from coming back?

A. Check your existing ventilation. Are your vent fans working like they should? If not, lubricate them. Check your soffit vents to make sure they are still allowing air into your attic. Clear insulation off them if they are blocked and add baffles if you need to keep them open. If you need to add vents, do so. You can add simple passive vents very easily. You could replace a passive vent with a powered vent. Just make sure you don't overdo it. In most cases, if you are switching from passives to a powered vent, you will need to reduce the number of vents.

Reader tips

• I was gluing two large sheets of plywood together for a project for my son's troop. I figured that squeezing it out of the tube would take forever, so I poured it onto the wood and used a paint roller to spread it around. This worked out well and, after putting the two sheets together and setting heavy weights on it overnight, it is done.

• I painted a dresser to use in our guest room when I updated the linens. It looked OK, but very plain and I wanted to jazz it up a little bit. I had used some wallpaper from a border in the room and some more coordinating wallpaper from the bathroom, so I took some of the leftovers and papered the drawer fronts to match. I used regular glue instead of wallpaper paste because I wanted it to stick forever. I trimmed the edges and then added new hardware. It looks great now and is the focal point of the room.

• I priced out chalk paint when I decided to paint my daughter's furniture. I shopped around to see if I could find a bargain and found a recipe for making your own. It's 2 cups of eggshell or flat paint, ⅓ cup plaster of Paris and 2 tablespoons of water. You just mix this up really well and paint on the first coat. I primed the pieces first and sanded between the three coats of paint that I applied. It's really smooth. I decided to rub it down with a paste wax to protect it and give it a little shine. It looks great and was within my strict budget.

• I was trying to glue a shelf back together. I couldn't turn it over onto its side, so I had to squeeze the glue into the side of the joint. I figured out that, if I could get it close to the joint, I could blow it in. This worked fairly well and I was able to get enough glue into the joint, clamp it and successfully make the repair. I just thought I'd share my super idea!

• The file cabinet that I bought for our home office had a rolling stand that came with it. I didn't need it for the home office, so decided to see what else I could do with this stand. I got a scrap of wood and attached it to the top of the stand to make it into a rolling platform. I put a pull rope on it and now use it to cart heavy stuff around in the workshop. I can put all sorts of materials on it, including bags of fertilizer and soil.

Shoptalk

• Dry-erase boards have several advantages over bulletin boards or chalkboards. Krylon now has a Dry Erase Clear Spray Paint to instantly make any surface into a dry-erase board. You can use dry-erase markers to write, erase and rewrite just about anywhere. And, since it's clear, you can put it over a wide variety of surfaces of any color. It's fast and easy, too. To find out more, visit any hardware store or home center that sells Krylon, or visit www.krylon.com and see it for yourself.

• My workshop is in my garage, so keeping it comfortable to work in is important to me. The Cool Breeze Garage Fan by Tjemlund Products can make a real difference during the hot summer months. It easily mounts between ceiling joists to pull the hot air up into your attic and out your ridge or gable vents. It's super-efficient at 1,200 cubic feet per minute and safe with an automatic fire damper. You can add a digital timer, wireless wall switch, remote control or even a humidistat. To find out more about this product and all of the other great fans available, go to www.tjemlund.com.

• Write to Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit online at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2015, Cowles Syndicate Inc.