December 2000/ January 2001

Issue # 136

$7.99

Table of Contents

Articles		Page
SETTING PREHUNG DOORS by Gary M. Katz With hollow-core doors, you can skip the shims and hang the jambs from the casing without sacrificing quality		62
- Shimming solid-core doors		66
SOIL: THE OTHER HALF OF THE FOUNDATION by Robert M. Felton Understanding the stuff the house sits on may prevent cost overruns, callbacks and neighborhood gossip		68
- When should you call in a soils engineer?		71
SUPPORTING A CANTILEVERED BAY by Mike Guertin Before you build that eye-catching bay onto the side of a house, you have to get the floor framing right		74
RENOVATING WITH DETAILS by Jeremiah Eck A Boston architect and his wife make major improvements to their 1910 house with minor changes to the footprint		78
SURVEY OF PORTABLE THICKNESS PLANERS by Michael Standish These tools bring cabinet-shop precision to any job site		84
INSTALLING GRAB BARS by Paul Althoff These safety devices aren't there for looks--they must be well anchored to help prevent bathroom injuries		90
MAKING THE AMERICAN DREAM AFFORDABLE by Dan Phillips A Texas builder tackles affordable housing with recycled materials, job-site waste and minimum-wage crews		94
FLASHING A CHIMNEY by John Carroll Installing the flashing along with the bricks makes for a more secure and much better-looking job		100
BUILDING SQUARE COLUMNS WITH ENTASIS by Scott Wynn Math and a template give classical curves to plywood box columns		106
A PRETTY, STEEP SITE by Stephen Bobbitt Balancing the needs of the owners with the demands of the site		108
TEN COMMON WIRING PROBLEMS by Rex Cauldwell A master electrician details some frequently found mistakes that could cost you your house or your life		114

Departments		Page
LETTERS		6
Q & A Joints in a built-up beam, Sawdust as insulation		22
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES Hose reel, Sink clips as clamping devices. Cold-weather caulking32		30
DRAWING BOARD What to expect from light fixtures		40
CROSS SECTION Saw brake, Construction dictionary, Web watch		52
FINISHING TOUCHES Too big for a jewel box, almost too small for a house		120
TOOLS AND MATERIALS Job-site socks, Caulk tips, Lock strike		124
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE Joint compound		132
REVIEWS Bungalow Kitchens, Green Urbanism		138
GREAT MOMENTS On the level		158

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