The Best Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs: PM Lab Test
The compact fluorescent light bulb revolution nearly occurred back in the early 1990s. When CFLs first hit the market in force, consumers bought them in large numbers - but they hated them. The bulbs were too big for many fixtures, expensive (up ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Home Invaders
WE LIKE NATURE on certain terms - as in, the less of it inside the house, the better. So perhaps you can understand what compelled C.W. Roseburr to smoke a family of raccoons out of his house in Kansas City, Mo., last May. Seems Roseburr had a ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Cutting Class: The Ultimate Saw Test
A typical corded circular saw with a 24-tooth, 71/4-in. blade spins at about 5800 rpm. Don't rush for your calculator - we've already run the numbers: Those teeth are doing about 125 mph when they hit the wood, making as many as 139,200 bites per ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Reader Project: Sidecar
My house is built on a concrete slab, and I thought this made it impervious to termite damage. Now I've found pinholes in the drywall surfaces of the dining room. I suspect that termites are inside the house. What do I do? You need to have a pest ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Related Story: LivingHomes Green Interior Design
Assembled in a single day in April 2006, LivingHomes' prefab house in Santa Monica, Calif., is a residence anyone would be proud to own. It's gorgeous, sturdy and easy on the environment - so easy, in fact, that it earned the highest rating from ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Deck Search: We Want To See What You've Built
Ever since pressure-treated lumber hit the market, backyard decks have become a favorite project for anyone with a hammer, circular saw and a few spare weekends. Now it's time for Popular Mechanics to take stock of the State of the Deck across ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Mercury: Reality Check
Compact fluorescent bulbs are made of glass tubes filled with gas and a small amount of mercury. CFLs produce light when the mercury molecules are excited by electricity running between two electrodes in the base of the bulb. The mercury emits ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Roughen the hammer's striking face
Chisel-shaped nail points tend to split the wood. To avoid the problem, You can set a common nail's head below the surface without smashing the surrounding wood with your hammer-just use another nail. Don't use it like a nailset, though. Instead, ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Next Skill: Protect Your Computer >>>
Steam hissing from a ruptured radiator hose? Here's a relatively easy, temporary fix with duct tape. Wait for the engine to cool off. Open the hood and locate the source of the steam-i.e., the rupture Wrap 2 to 3 in. of duct tape around the hose ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Explore The Gifts >>>
Too often, kids' stockings are stuffed with gifts that do little to spark creativity, and lots to annoy those around them. It needn't be so. A great toy can educate, entertain, and even get you--the gift-giving adult--involved in the action. We ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Top 10 Coolest Backyard Inventions of 2008: DIY Rally
What It Is: A go-kart that can lap a suburban block in seconds (and effectively drown out the neighbor's dogs) A jet engine might seem like an excessive source of power for a go-kart. And it is. "It's scary-better put, terrifying," says Bryan .. [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Bosch Rotary Hammer
This SDS rotary hammer is basically a hammer drill on steroids. Unlike hammer drills homeowners may be familiar with (i.e. regular drills adapted to bore in masonry), this tool is a masonry drill that's adapted to bore in wood by virtue of a ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
