c/diy-builders

Walked through a new build in Portland and noticed something weird

I visited a buddy's new house in southeast Portland last week. The whole place has smart switches and fancy fixtures but the kitchen island has zero outlets. Builder said they saved $400 by skipping them. Has anyone else seen this kind of cut corner in new builds?

TIL that my local lumberyard sells shorts and culls for 50% off...

I was at Builders Supply in Tulsa last weekend picking up some 2x4s for a shed frame. I overheard a guy ask the yard manager about "shorts and culls" and he pointed to a big bin. Turns out they sell leftover cuts and slightly warped boards for half the regular price. I grabbed a stack of 4-foot 2x6s for like $1.50 each. I've been throwing away scraps from my cuts for years and never knew this was a thing. Has anyone else found hidden deals at their local yard?

Swapped my old jigsaw for a track saw on a closet build and wow

I used to cut all my cabinet panels with a regular jigsaw and a straight edge clamp. It worked okay but I always had to sand the edges after to flatten them out. Last month I needed to build out a closet system for a friend in Portland and I finally grabbed a track saw from the hardware store. The difference is wild, no more wobbly cuts or burned edges. I got through all 12 sheets of plywood in one afternoon with zero sanding. The dust collection is way better too, my garage didn't look like a snowstorm. Has anyone else made the jump from basic tools to something more specialized and felt like it was totally worth it?

Was dead set against using pocket screws until I tried them on that cabinet face frame

I always thought pocket screws were cheating and just used regular joinery for everything. But after fighting with loose tenons on a 6 door kitchen project in my garage last month, I borrowed my buddy's jig and gave it a shot. That face frame came together in 20 minutes flat, no gaps, and it's been solid ever since. Anyone else cave on a tool or method they swore they'd never use?

That old trick with a string line for leveling footings still works

I was pouring a small shed slab in my backyard last weekend and my laser level crapped out on me. Remembered my grandpa always used a string line and a 4 foot level, so I rigged one up with some mason line and stakes. Took me maybe 10 minutes to get it set across the 12 foot span and everything came out dead nuts level. Has anyone else gone back to old school methods after a tool failed on them?

Appreciation post: my neighbor's offhand comment about my shed saved me 3 hours

I was framing out a lean-to on the side of my garage last Saturday. Had it all measured and cut, ready to nail up the rafters. My neighbor Bob walks over, looks at my layout, and says "you know your birdsmouth cuts are gonna sit about an inch high with that pitch, right?" I had my angle finder set for a 4/12 but somehow messed up the transfer. Redid two rafters in 15 minutes instead of tearing apart the whole thing later. Anyone else got a save from a passerby that caught something obvious you missed?

My grandfather's old handsaw still works better than anything I can buy new

I pulled his 50 year old Disston saw out of the barn last month and it cut through a 2x4 like butter, while my modern $40 saw from the big box store binds up after a dozen cuts. What brands from back then actually hold up that long, or is it just the way they sharpened them?

Old guy at the hardware store showed me a trick for fixing stripped screw holes

He said grab a couple toothpicks and some wood glue, jam em in the hole, snap em off, and screw right back in. Saved me from redrilling a cabinet hinge I messed up last Tuesday. Anyone else got a weird fix that actually works better than the proper way?

Stumbled on a stat about old house wiring that made me nervous

Was reading this blog from a guy in Philly who rewires old Victorians for a living. He said something like 60% of houses built before 1960 still have original knob and tube somewhere in the walls. I'm doing a floor job right now in a 1920s place and it got me thinking about all the hidden stuff behind plaster I never even check. Anyone else run into sketchy wiring while doing non-electric work?

I tried a new technique on a deck build last week and it saved me a whole day of work

I'm building a deck in my backyard in Austin, and three years ago I would have done all the joist hangers by hand with nails and a hammer. Last week I used a palm nailer for the first time and got the whole thing done in 4 hours instead of 8. Has anyone else tried those battery-powered nailers for framing work?

My garage workbench sagged for 2 years until I tried this plywood trick

I built my workbench out of 2x4s and 3/4 plywood, but after about a year the top started bowing in the middle under my tool chest. A buddy told me to flip the plywood over and screw a 1x2 cross-brace underneath every 16 inches, which cost me maybe $8 total. Has anyone else found a cheap fix that changed how their bench held up over time?

Just hit 200 completed projects on my workbench log

I started keeping a simple notebook of every piece I built back in 2019, just scribbling down dates and dimensions, and last week I passed 200. What surprised me was how many of those early projects were basically practice that I'd never sell now - anyone else realize how much stuff you make just to learn?

Finally swapped my corded circular saw for a battery one after a job in Phoenix with no power

I was always team corded because I thought batteries would die halfway through a cut, but after that 90 degree day hauling an extension cord through three rooms I gave in and now I can't believe I waited so long, has anyone else made the switch and regretted it?

Was dead set against impact drivers for cabinet work, changed my mind after one job in Tulsa

I always thought impact drivers were too aggressive for fine work like hanging doors or building shelves. Stuck with my regular drill for years. Then a buddy handed me his Milwaukee M12 surge on a job last month. Set the torque low and zipped in 4 dozen pocket screws without a single strip or split. Now I get why people swear by them. The difference in control was night and day. Anyone else have a tool they hated at first then grew to like?

Spent 6 Hours on a Simple Shelf Because I Didn't Check the Studs First

I was putting up a heavy shelf in my garage for storing tools and figured it'd take maybe 30 minutes tops. Ended up drilling into two spots that just crumbled behind the drywall because the stud finder kept beeping wrong. Turns out the previous owner had patched the wall with some weird backing that messed with the sensor. After fighting with it for hours I finally just cut a small hole to see what was actually back there. That one check saved me but also cost me half a Saturday. Anyone else ever trust a stud finder and end up regretting it?

Tried using old pallet wood for a raised garden bed... ended up with splinters everywhere and the whole thing fell apart after 2 rains. Now I just buy cedar from the lumber yard.

Tried face nailing stair stringers on a basement project and now I've got 3 crooked steps

Had a buddy tell me to just toe nail the stringers into the ledger board instead of using hangers. Said it was fine for a low traffic basement. Well after 3 months the middle stringer shifted and now steps 4 through 6 are all off by about half an inch. Planning to rip it all out this weekend and do it right with brackets. Anyone else learned this lesson the hard way and have tips for getting the level perfect when you've got a wonky basement floor?

Blew through $1200 on a CNC router that burned up in 45 minutes

Picked up a cheap 6040 CNC router off Amazon last Saturday, thought I was saving money. Plugged it in, ran a test carve on some pine, and the spindle controller started smoking after 45 minutes. Smelled like burnt electronics and the whole shop filled with this nasty plastic smoke. Has anyone else had one of these budget Chinese routers fail right out of the box, or did I just get a lemon?

Finally bought a proper miter saw stand for $250 and it cut my trim time in half

Caught a bit of a podcast about building a shed foundation on clay soil

The host said something like 'you fight the dirt, you lose every time' and it made me stop sanding. I've been trying to force a level base for a small project in my yard, which is basically solid clay after a rain. What's the actual move for a simple 8x10 shed pad when the ground just won't behave?

Question about building a shed base with gravel vs concrete

I had to pick between a gravel pad or a concrete slab for my 8x10 shed in the backyard. My neighbor said gravel was fine, but I poured a 4 inch slab myself over a weekend. It cost about $300 for the mix and took two full days of work. The slab is rock solid now and I don't worry about it shifting. Has anyone else gone with concrete and regretted the extra effort?

Had to choose between a full basement dig-out or just underpinning for my 1905 house foundation repair.

Went with the underpinning for $28k last fall and now I've got a 2-inch crack in the new parlor wall, so what's the real fix here, a full redo or can it be patched?

Had to pick between a 2x4 and a 2x6 for a shed header and went with the bigger one

I was framing the door for my backyard shed (the one in Spokane) and the plans said a 2x4 header was okay for the 4-foot opening. But I kept thinking about all the snow we get, you know? So I spent the extra $12 and used a 2x6 instead. It felt like overkill at the time, but after last week's heavy wet snow, I'm really glad I did. Anyone else ever go against the plans for a bit more peace of mind?

Shoutout to the guy at the lumberyard who told me about the real cost of a DIY deck

I was pricing out cedar for a 12x16 deck in my backyard and the guy at the counter said the average DIYer spends about 40% more than they budget because they forget to factor in fasteners, concrete, and permit fees. I found the exact same stat later in a book from the library called 'The Homeowner's Guide to Outdoor Projects'. Does anyone have a good checklist for hidden costs on a big build?

I finally figured out why my custom cabinet doors kept warping

Spent three whole days trying to hang these maple doors I built for a kitchen project. They looked great in the shop, but every time I put them up, they'd bow out at the corners after a day. I was using 3/4 inch plywood for the panel, thinking it was stable enough. Turns out, my shop is way less humid than the house, and I didn't leave any room for the wood to move in the frame. Had to remake all eight doors with a smaller panel and a bigger gap. Has anyone else had this happen with solid wood frames?