MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

A MULTISIZED WRENCH

Every mechanic or home handyman knows that—more often than not—the nut or bolt you have to remove will require the—and only the—wrench which the youngsters lost the day before.

But don't despair. For here's a versatile tool that will fit and remove a whole range of stubborn fasteners. And it can be fabricated from little more than a piece of square steel bar.

Just shape the "wrench" as shown, and weld the joint at [A]. Then, either fit an old handle to it or wrap the butt with tape to protect your hands.

Of course, the dimensions of the sides—and the angle of the bend at [B]—will be determined by the size range of obstinate hardware that you most often encounter.

GET A SCREW LOOSE

Every once in a while we all encounter a screw—either rusted in place or just plumb stuck—that a team of dray horses couldn't loosen. Working at it in frustration with a regular tool will like as not strip out the fastener's head slot . . . and set the whole operation back two squares.

A homemade screwdriver that provides enough leverage to (sometimes) free those stubborn fasteners, however, can be fashioned from 5/16-inch steel rod.

Form the two handles alike, as illustrated, and either weld or forge a screwdriver head onto one tip. Then flatten both handles slightly at their centers, drill 'em, and use a small screw, bolt, or rivet to hold them together. Normally you'll keep the extra handle folded up alongside the other one. But when a screw decides to get contrary . . . just pull down the lever handle and have at it!

A TWO-WAY GATE

Ordinary hinges can—with a little modification—be used to hang a gate that will open in either direction.

First, bend the "post side" of the pivots (as shown in the illustration) and attach 'em so that the hinge pins will be on a line roughly between the centers of the two gateposts. Then, screw the "joiners" to the door in the usual manner. And, finally, bevel off any surfaces that might interfere with the movement of your "two-way closure".

MAKE PAPER "WINDOWS"

A translucent material—which looks like parchment and is every bit as durable—can be made from ordinary cotton- or linen-based white paper.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print