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1500 questions
21
votes
7 answers

Disassembling IKEA furniture—how can I deal with broken dowels?

IKEA furniture often has wooden dowels that are used to hold pieces together. The problem is that these wooden dowels break easily when you're trying to disassemble IKEA furniture: In the first picture I could just use pliers to pull the broken…
neubert
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21
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4 answers

What does that mean if my LED light bulb starts blinking when I turned it on?

I have an LED light bulb: Philips 60W incandescent equivalent I've owned it for about a year and have been very happy with it. This morning when I turned it on, it started blinking. Not flickering, but a very deliberate one second on, one second…
Stephen Ostermiller
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21
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3 answers

Male plug installed in wall

Have a male plug installed into drywall about a foot above the baseboard level. Above that, at tv installation level, is a normal female outlet with a tv cable line. What would the male plug be used for?
Lani
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21
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2 answers

Where do measurements start on a ruler/tape measure

I feel really dumb asking this question, but I need help reading the lines on my tape measure. I need to make precise measurements, but given the thickness of the inch lines, I'm not sure how. I've added lines in the following picture. I assume 1…
Ben A.
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21
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7 answers

How can I remove a dead animal stuck inside an underground stormwater drain pipe?

An animal, probably a fat rat, has got stuck in an underground 100mm (4 inch) stormwater drain pipe and blocked it somewhere in our front yard, possibly under the driveway. The drain has started to stink and rainwater to pool in the backyard. The…
Reza
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21
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4 answers

Is this stair rise to code?

Edited: I added a photo of the whole stairs, to see if it looks like it can be fixed or if you all think he needs to start over. We are currently having our front porch steps and railing rebuilt. The top step rests right under the porch, resulting…
Catport
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21
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9 answers

What is the reason for electric heaters saying to never use an extension cord?

Virtually all electric heaters that I've seen say to never use them with an extension cord and this advice seems to be echoed by fire safety organizations and such. However, I'm curious about exactly what the danger is. I'm aware of why you…
reirab
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21
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6 answers

What is the best order for interior painting (walls, trim, windows, etc.)?

I'm repainting a room. I'm removing wallpaper from the walls, and stripping paint from trim around doors, windows and baseboards. There's no crown moulding. I might repaint the ceiling, not sure yet. What is a good order for stripping and repainting…
Reed Hedges
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21
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7 answers

"Continuous dehumidifier" randomly fills bucket and stops. Why?

Several "continuous" dehumidifiers all had the same problem. There is a bucket to collect water, and also an outlet for a hose where the water can flow out so water does not collect in the bucket. With a hose connected, from time to time, the…
jay613
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21
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1 answer

What type of tool has rings of teeth that spin freely on a shaft?

All "gears" spin independently of each other. Stumped my pops, hasn't happened in my lifetime. Thanks!
Pete
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21
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9 answers

Is it safe to install 3-prong GFCI with only a hot and neutral?

I live in an older home that doesn't have any ground wiring. Is it safe to just install 3-prong GFCI outlets and use devices and appliances that expect a ground wire connection when I just have the GFCI outlet and no actual connection to…
Dan
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21
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7 answers

What are some cost-effective tips for reducing external sound from entering a room?

I have a small office room that shares a wall with our living room. When we have guests over, their voices travel fairly well; they sound somewhat muffled but are still audible. As I work from home occasionally, I'd like to reduce any/all noise as…
Mike B
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21
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3 answers

Recommend attachment for a drill/driver for drywall screws

I know there exist special 'screw guns' which are used to install drywall sheets and ensure that the sheets won't be crushed when driving screws. Do there exist special attachments which are installed in drill/drivers that basically guarantee that…
Mark
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21
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7 answers

How to unscrew screws that are barely accessible?

I need to remove the face of a fake drawer that is screwed from behind. Unfortunately, a kitchen sink is preventing me from using a screwdriver. There is approximatively 4cm of space. The screw head is a PZ2. Is there a tool can could help me remove…
alecail
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21
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4 answers

What is this tool called and what is it used for?

Can anyone tell me what these are used for? I have a full set that was handed down. There is NO edge on these at all for cutting and they are too light of a gauge to be snips.
Mark
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