SEAL JARS PROPERLY WITH TAPE

If you store shop compounds like paint and stain in glass jars, you know how important it is to seal the jars properly.

Paint can really deteriorate and be a problem if not sealed good and tight. One sure way to get a super seal and still be able to open the jar later is to run a length of Teflon tape around the threads of the jar before putting the lid in place.

This is the very thin, white tape that is used to help seal threaded plumbing joints. It's very inexpensive to buy, and it works on nearly all types of threaded jars, cans and other containers.

THE ANSWER IS . . .

Question: Why do they call it a 2-by-4 when it isn't 4 inches wide or 2 inches thick?

Answer: The designation 2-by-4, 1-by-4, 4-by-4 etc. is the "nominal size," which is the original rough-cut size. The actual size is what's left after the lumber has been dressed and dried. When you buy a 2-by-4 8 feet long, it won't be 2 inches thick or 4 inches wide, but it’ll be 8 feet long.

Q: I found a butcher-block table at a garage sale. How do I get rid of the old knife marks and stains?

A: First, sand the surface. This will remove the cuts and maybe even the stains. If the stains persist, pour liquid laundry bleach over them and cover with a layer of paper towels. This should remove stains and disinfect. Next, give the surface a coat of oil. There is butcher-block oil you can buy, or you can use mineral oil or cooking oil. Pour the oil on. Give it time to soak in. Then wipe away the excess and buff it. This should give your butcher block protection for quite some time. When it doesn't look new anymore, treat it again.

Q: Do you have a magic formula to help keep the Christmas tree from drying out so fast?

A: To a gallon of warm water, add 4 tablespoons of horticultural iron powder, available where you buy gardening supplies. Pour in 2 cups of crystal-clear corn syrup, like Karo. Next add 4 teaspoons of liquid laundry bleach. Mix well. This mix goes into the receptacle in the tree stand. As this liquid evaporates, add warm water.

AL AND KELLY’S TIPS

Light a candle and hold it up next to seams around doors and windows. A flicker of the flame will show you any air leaks that need to be caulked or weather-stripped to keep the cold weather out.

Add a coat rack to your shop and get more storage space at the same time. Use the coat hooks to hold larger tools. Add more nails and hooks to hold up lots more stuff. If you accidentally gouge your vinyl flooring, you can fill the hole with melted wax. Use a candle that matches it — or even a child's crayon if the floor is hard to match. Melted into the hole and smoothed over on top, the wax will be h ard to see and will protect the flooring.

READERS’ TIPSWe are in our first home and are on a tight budget. We chose to install plain vinyl shades throughout the house, but my wife has made them incredible looking. She used stencils on them. Some are just borders, but a couple of them are murals, and they really look great. Our inexpensive, plain shades are now one-of-a-kind custom shades.

My wife has made a couple of mosaic tables and things for the yard, and I helped her mix the grout. I used an acrylic additive instead of water with the grout. This makes the grout waterproof so these things will last outside in all types of weather. After all of the work she did to make these pieces, I would hate to have them fall apart after a year. Reseal them once a year. We have three kids, and they are a handful. To keep them amused one weekend, we made clay from sawdust and wood glue that really turned out to be a fun project. I’ve mixed this before to use as putty on wood projects, and it worked quite well. We made a batch, and they made some cute objects. We let the projects dry, and they are hard and solid now. The kids painted them, and they are so tough, they will last a long time, even outdoors.

My toilet had been flushing slower and slower over the years, until it barely worked. I know that we have a real problem with mineral deposits in our area, and vinegar has always worked really well to dissolve them. I flushed the toilet and poured a gallon of vinegar into the tank before it filled back up with water. Then I let it sit overnight. The vinegar worked on the mineral deposits and removed them. I flushed the vinegar into the bowl to clean out the tiny ports under the rim. Then I used a toothpick to ream these holes out. The toilet is working fine now.

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