Favorite DIY Stuff 2014

It's back! The AZ DIY Guy's favorite stuff! It's been a little over a year since I last shared my new list of sweet loot that the average DIY'er can actually afford. This is all stuff I personally own and use that you might not think of.

This is stuff that might not be in every tool kit yet, so there are some good ideas for holiday gift giving (or gift card spending!). I've attached Amazon.com (affiliate) links for convenience, but you can find most of these things at other online or brick and mortar retailers.

So, once again, in no particular order, I present to you,...

The Stuff!

“A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.”

— George Carlin

DEWALT Right Angle Adapter Attachment

I actually won this sweet, impact-rated driver attachment via a fan-photo contest on DeWalt's Facebook page a while back. It sat, poised for action, in my tool cabinet until it was called to the forefront of the battle. It was a perfect storm; I just couldn't reach screws with normal tools. Horror! Heck, I couldn't even see what I was doing.

I snuck it in some tight spots to do some light framing and plumbing support while repairing a plumbing leak and replacing the shower valve.

rfect reach!

It snapped into my impact driver using the standard 1/4" accessory chuck. I've also used it a few times in a standard drill chuck. For about $25, I think this is a great little widget.

Amazon.com link:

DEWALT Right Angle Adapter Attachment

Original Blog Post:

Giving Support - Securing Plumbing using Cool Tools

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream

I'm the weekend-warrior type DIY guy. I work in an office for a living. I generally don't wear my Red Wing boots, Carhartt nail-apron, and a 25' tape measure clipped to my belt when I sit at my desk. Unfortunately, a DIY'er must attempt to present at least some semblance of civilization when working with normal people. It's bad enough when a co-worker notices paint splatter on my glasses midday on a Monday, or I brush against a fresh, nail-scraped scab and my shoulder starts to bleed through my dress shirt.

At the very least,

I can take care of my hands.

I use O'Keeffe's to repair and keep my hands in good order. I don't have to sit across the conference room table from normal, non-DIYing folk, trying to hide my battle-scarred hands, cracked and dried from a weekend's with drywall compound, paint thinner, WD-40 and sawdust. When I shake someone's hand, I don't scrape them with callouses from a long weekend wielding the hammer or shovel. They think I'm somewhat normal,... except for the occasional Sponge Bob Square Pants Band Aid.

Amazon.com link:

O'Keeffe's Working Hands Cream

Flame Thrower! (Inferno Propane Torch)

Yeah, it's not really a flame thrower (technically, it does throw flame though...). I'd picked one of these up this summer to clear out an entire, overgrown backyard full of weeds without using chemicals.

I'm telling you, killing weeds shouldn't be this fun, but it sure is when you introduce an Armageddon of blasting flame on them. I even did a video. I can only imagine how fun it must be to melt snow with one of these torches

FLAME THROWERS!

A cautionary tale, dear readers:

After I wrote the blog post about the joys of incinerating a forest of pesky weeds, I loaned my beloved torch it to a friend at work. In flaming the weeds around the front of his house, he let the flames linger a bit too close to his beautiful hedge. No, he didn't set them (or his house) on fire, but he did kill 100% of his hedge plants and have to rip them all out. Once the heat breaks down the cells in a plant's stem, (snap, crackle, POP!) it's game over for the plant. His wife is really not pleased with me for loaning him the tool. Morale of the story: Don't loan your torch to married friends.

Amazon.com link:

Lincoln Electric - Inferno Propane Torch

Original Blog post:

Weed Killing - Taking a flame thrower to this place!

3M Professional Multi-Purpose Respirator

After years of wearing those cheap, throw-away dust masks, I finally graduated to a serious one. I particularly like this one because it has a valve that lets your exhaled breath directly out quickly. I don't have to suck in my own, hot breath and my glasses / eye protection don't fog up from weird venting around the top. It fits comfortably.

I've worn it when woodworking, attic-crawling, and spray-painting. Do I care it has those sassy pink filter cartridges? Nope. As long as they keep my lungs a sassy pink inside too, I'm happy.