How to make your own sawhorse

Every cowboy has a trusty sidekick in his horse, and every DIY'er should have one too -- in a sawhorse. That being said, let's explore some of the options you can add to the average sawhorse to make it a true-blue friend.

If you are going to make your own sawhorse, think about using hinges at the top so that it can fold flat when not in use. Add a chain or hook across the legs to keep them steady as you work.

Add a simple shelf near the bottom of the base between the legs to keep supplies handy when you are working. Keeping up with tools will be much easier this way, and it can be a simple, temporary add-on.

Drill some miscellaneous holes and hooks along the sides or the legs to hold assorted tools or even a bucket for tools. A few here and there won't weaken it, but it will help you keep up with your tools and other supplies.

Attach a section of rain gutter with end caps, and you have a dandy bin for all sorts of small tools, fasteners and parts.

Glue a wooden yardstick to the side of the top rail for quick and handy measuring.

Some holes along the top can be used to secure material in place while you are working. Insert dowels into the holes and use wedges strategically placed between the dowel and material to hold it firmly in place.

Tack a nail apron or tool belt to the side to hold more items that will be ready to use when you need them.

Attach a cup holder -- the kind normally used in your car -- to the side of the sawhorse. It can hold a beverage at the ready for those necessary breaks. Put one on each side, and your horse has saddle bags.

Add a carpet scrap or rubber floor mat to the top when working with delicate material to protect it from scratches. It's easy to do, and you probably can remove it if you won't want it there all the time.

Heck, partner, you probably can come up with some more ideas if you put your mind to it. These are just a few of our favorites.

Pegboard everywhere

We love pegboard for organizing a shop or garage. You can hang so many tools and other items on just one sheet of the stuff, and it frees up a lot of shelf and drawer space. But if you want to take it a step further and free up even more space, add smaller pieces to the sides of your workbench or in other places. You can use space that would otherwise be totally wasted.

Nail aprons

A lot of lumber dealers and home centers will have nail aprons available for little or no cost. Most are very simple and have a couple of pouches and strings to tie around your waist. Well, you can use these to organize your shop too. Just cut the strings off and tack or staple the pouches to your shop wall, workbench or even a storage closet door. Then you can fill them with hardware and/or tools. Put up several of them, and you can keep even more stuff easily accessible yet stored neatly away.

Super hints

• To keep the squirrels and rats out of your attic, make a paste of petroleum jelly and chili powder. Spread it like caulk around joints and other areas where they might try to chew their way inside.

• A long deck screw is a super way to seal a tube of caulk. After using what you need of the caulk, drive the screw into the tip. When you want to use it again, simply turn the screw out. This opens up a wide channel for fresh caulk to come through, and you're back in business quickly.

• Thrift stores have lots of old office and computer accessories. Well, those old holders that one would set papers on to read while typing are also great for the shop. Some sit on a table, while others can be clamped to the side of your workbench. These are super in the workshop to hold instructions so you can keep working without fear of ruining the papers or manuals in the process.

Q. I am wondering if I can get more light out of my ceiling fan. Right now, the fixture says to use only 40-watt bulbs. Is there any way to make it brighter than it is now? Can I use 75- or 100-watt bulbs in place of the 40s? If not, do you have any other suggestions?

R.C.

A. You shouldn't use higher-wattage bulbs. It might be possible to switch out the lighting fixture, though. Check a lighting or hardware store that sells that brand and see what alternatives it has. Make sure the bulbs are clean so that all the light comes out.

Q. I had a large, white spot on my patio that I assumed was efflorescence. Now I see that it is coming back again. This is the third time I will be cleaning the surface with muriatic acid. Am I doing something wrong? Is there another way to deal with this problem?

J.W.

A. You obviously have a recurring moisture problem under the patio. Check the drainage in the area to make sure that rainwater isn't running under the area. Is there any other source that could be leaking nearby? You might have to hire a professional leak detector to find out where the moisture is coming from.

Q. We have removed the old outdoor carpeting that was on our back steps. Well, now we have some dark, gritty stains on the concrete. How do we get this stuff off?

L.H.

A. It sounds like the dark stains you refer to are probably some remaining adhesive. Try using a paint-and-varnish remover to get it loosened up, and then scrape it off with a putty knife.

Reader tips

• My wife likes to have lots of plants on our deck. I have tried to discourage her from putting them on the railings, but she really likes to and even has some special rectangular planters that she insists on putting there. Of course, they fall off a lot, and it's a big mess to clean up. I am working on a solution. I drilled a few holes in the railing and inserted short sections of dowel rods into them; one dowel rod per pot. When you set the pot over the dowel rod, it sticks up a couple of inches through the drainage hole of the pot, so the pot won't fall over. So far, so good. And there's enough space around the hole so that the pots can still drain a little bit.

N.R.

• I've been readying my lawn mower for another season, and after all of the cleaning, I added a couple of things to it that I thought might come in handy. I attached an empty plastic jug that tennis balls came in to the handle of the mower. I plan to put garbage or small tools in it as I need to instead of trying to shove things in my pockets and forgetting about them later. I also added some leftover foam pipe insulation to the handles, because the old, rubber grips were wearing off.

P.W.

• I had a leak in my shower, and it was inside the wall -- the tiled wall. My husband wanted to rip the tile off and fix it, and I was really against that because I knew we could not afford to re-tile the shower, especially after the plumbing repairs. We ended up calling a plumber, and he went in through the closet that was behind the shower wall and fixed the problem without tearing out my wall! We hadn't even thought about that.

N.A.

• I was using my clamps to help secure the joint I had put together on a small bookshelf I made. The "teeth" of the clamps made a mark, as I suspected they would. I pulled them back off and placed some felt furniture glides over the teeth before putting them back in place. The felt pads have a sticky backing that holds them in place until I can get the clamps set, and they didn't make anymore marks on the wooden project I had spent so much time making.

C.R.

• My daughters painted their playroom. It was a real mess, but they had a lot of fun and they spend more time playing in the room and enjoying it since they did the "artwork" themselves. To keep the mess to a minimum, I glued some "coasters" to the bottom of the paint cans. I used hot glue to attach the lids from a couple of butter tubs directly to the bottom of the cans to catch the drips. It really did help with some of the mess.

J.A.

Shop talk

• Sunset Books are full of super-helpful information for us DIYer's, and its line of books now includes "Walks, Walls and Patio Floors." If you are getting ready to design and install a walkway or patio and need helpful advice as to the type, installation and maintenance of the different materials, take a look at this book. It will tell you everything you need to know. You can purchase it at home centers, bookstores and online. Visit its Web site at www.sunset.com and click on "Sunset Books."

• Ridgid's Faucet and Sink Installer is a fantastic multipurpose plumbing tool. It's a super tool that acts as a basin wrench to reach into tight spots under a sink, can hold a strainer basket while tightening the nut, has an open side for placing over existing supply lines and lots more. The super-strong plastic material won't scratch chrome and has aluminum inserts for tackling the tough jobs. Notched ends engage 2, 3, 4 and 6 tab basin nuts, and 7/8-inch and 1-inch metal or plastic hex nuts. It's a must-have for plumbing repairs around the house. You can purchase Ridgid tools at many hardware stores and plumbing-supply houses. For additional information you can see it online at www.ridgid.com.

© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.