October/ November 1994

Articles		Page
SIZING UP HOUSEWRAPS by Bruce Greenlaw Installed correctly beneath exterior siding, these tough plastic fabrics can help cut energy bills and provide a hedge against the weather		42
- Choosing housewraps		46
A CRAFTSMAN-STYLE WRITING ALCOVE by Alan Jencks This home office has traditional detailing and thoughtful spaces for modern tools		48
POWER-PLANER SURVEY by Jim Chestnut Right out of the box, only three of the review tools made a straight cut, but with a little tuning up most all of them will work fine		52
- Large planers for big timbers by Robert Thurrell		55
LAYING UP STONE VENEER by Steven Snyder A masonry facade is an economical way to give wood-frame walls the look of solid stone		58
AN EXEMPLARY FOLDING WORKBENCH by Jefferson Kolle Ingenuity, some scrap wood and $60 of hardware are all it took		63
THREE BUILDINGS, ONE HOUSE by Jeffrey Prentiss Separating the parts of a home into different buildings connects the owners to their environment		66
ALIGNING EAVES ON IRREGULAR ROOFS by Scott McBride Making soffits and fascias line up when intersecting roof pitches aren't the same		70
CABINETS FROM COMPONENTS by Sven Hanson and Joel Wheeler With careful layout and efficient assembly, you can piece together affordable cabinets from mix-and-match doors, drawers and boxes		74
CANTILEVERED STAIRWAY by Bob Harlan Steel brackets support cantilevered treads around a cylinder		80
PROTECTING YOUR EYES by Scott Gibson For $10 or less, comfortable eye wear will guard against common job-site hazards		82
- Remembering an eye injury by Larry Haun		84
BUILDING INTO THE HILL by Edward C. Rubin Traditional on one end, contemporary on the other, this house follows the slope		86
Departments		Page
LETTERS Roof-shingle controversy, Gas lines, Concrete countertops		4
Q & A Weatherproofing cantilevered joists, Quieting overhead doors		16
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES Plugging finish-nail holes, Triangle-square holder		32
FINISHING TOUCHES Stairs and stair details		92
TOOLS AND MATERIALS High-tension hacksaw, Parts for old windows		104
CROSS SECTION Insulation from blue jeans, More to own homes		124
REVIEWS Reader's Digest Book of Skills & Tools, Sharpening		140
GREAT MOMENTS Using his hat		150

Sizing Up Housewraps; A Craftsman-Style Writing Alcove; Power-Planer Survey; Laying Up Stone Veneer; An Exemplary Folding Workbench; Three Buildings, One House; Aligning Eaves On Irregular Roofs; Cabinets From Components; Cantilevered Stairway; Protecting Your Eyes; Building into the Hill