DIY Life http://www.diylife.com DIY Life http://www.diylife.com/media/feed_logo.gif DIY Life http://www.diylife.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Easy herb drying rackhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/easy-herb-drying-rack/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/easy-herb-drying-rack/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/easy-herb-drying-rack/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

wooden homemade herb drying rack
I love mint; it's one of the easiest weedy garden plants to grow. It doesn't need care and spreads like crazy. My only problem is that I'm just too lazy to cut and hang little bundles to dry for tea all the time. So I built this clamp/rack for quick hanging of the mint plants and herbs -- no more bundle tying.

My inspiration came from my uncle's tobacco farm where the leaves are hung on racks with spikes piercing the leaves. I'm sure this has probably been done before by gardeners around the world, but I thought I should share my version. Using two 1x2 furring strips, a hinge, screw hooks, and some carriage bolts with wing nuts, this can be assembled pretty quickly. A drill and some pliers are the only tools needed.

More after the break, hit the link below.

Gallery: Mint Drying Rack

The Goods!Tools and Parts for the Drying RackFinished RackLay Out the HarvestClamp it Jethro

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]]>drying herbsdrying-rackdryingherbsfeaturedgardengardenerherb-dryerherb-dryingherbsmintmint-tearackBilly RobbTue, 10 Jun 2008 18:00:00 ESTA night light for Dadhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/a-night-light-for-dad/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/a-night-light-for-dad/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/10/a-night-light-for-dad/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

bathroom night lightAs a man, getting up and going to the bathroom in the dark is much better than turning on blazing lights to do the same thing. Of course, there is the problem of missing the bowl. That's where this little built night light for the toilet by Robbtoberfest (me) at Instructables comes in handy.

Lift the seat and it shines a dim red light into the bowl, just enough for aiming, but not so bright that it ruins night vision. Drop the seat and it automatically turns off. A good gift for Father's day -- or any "man day" occasion.

You'll find the instructions after the break!

Continue reading A night light for Dad

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]]>dadfathers-dayfathersdaygiftgiftsinstructableslightnightnight-lighttoilet-lightBilly RobbTue, 10 Jun 2008 14:00:00 ESTDo a wheelie with the picnic tablehttp://www.diylife.com/2008/06/03/do-a-wheelie-with-the-picnic-table/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/03/do-a-wheelie-with-the-picnic-table/http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/03/do-a-wheelie-with-the-picnic-table/#commentsFiled under: , ,

picnic table with wheels
This is a simple project that only takes 15 minutes; it took me longer to take and post the pictures. If you have a wooden picnic table and an abandoned lawnmower laying behind the garage, you have the ingredients of a rolling table. Adding a set of lawnmower wheels to the legs of the table makes it easy to move it around the yard, while not dragging the legs and tearing up the lawn.

Tools: A wrench and drill.
Parts: Two 3-inch lag screws with washers and two small lawnmower wheels.

First, prop up the legs on something and place the wheel so it hangs 1/2 inch below the leg. You'll also want to have the wheel sticking out 1/2 inch on the outside of the leg (see pictures in the gallery). Mark your hole location and pre-drill the hole for the lag screw; do this on both table legs. Attach the wheels with the lag screws, but don't overtighten. That's it!

Now you can pick up one side of the table and roll it around like a wheelbarrow. This only works on lawns, not hard surfaces. The wheels can't support people weight on patios and other hard surfaces, but on the lawn they'll sink in a little so the weight rests on the legs. You could double the wheels for extra strength; then you would need long bolts instead of lag screws.

Gallery: picnic table wheels

Tools and PartsPrep Table LegClose-upWheels on Both LegsReady for Action

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]]>easyfeaturedlawn-mowermovingoutdooroutsidepicnic-tablerolling-picnic-tabletabletable-wheelswheelbarrowwheelsBilly RobbTue, 03 Jun 2008 15:00:00 ESTMaking dandelion coffeehttp://www.diylife.com/2008/05/27/making-dandelion-coffee/http://www.diylife.com/2008/05/27/making-dandelion-coffee/http://www.diylife.com/2008/05/27/making-dandelion-coffee/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cup of coffee, by Billy Robb
Dandelions can be eaten in many ways, from leafy greens to fried flowers to drinking wine; I almost imagine them as lettuce gone wild. Making coffee from dandelions isn't new, but trying this unusual drink is an interesting way to spend a few hours -- and, if you haven't sprayed them with herbicide in the past, an organic way to get rid of those dandelions in the yard.

Tools and supplies include: a weed popper, knife, cookie sheet, oven, coffee grinder, and of course a coffee machine. Follow along in the gallery to get a better idea. Instructions are after the break!

Gallery: Dandelion Coffee

Harvest That WeedSnip Off the RootsWash WellBake-EmRoasted and Ready

Continue reading Making dandelion coffee

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]]>beveragesbrewbrewingcoffeecookingdandeliondandelionsfoodhealthhealth-claimsorganicroastroastedroastingweedweedsBilly RobbTue, 27 May 2008 08:00:00 ESTFix locked iPod hold button with tin foilhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/04/14/fix-locked-ipod-hold-button-with-tin-foil/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/14/fix-locked-ipod-hold-button-with-tin-foil/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/14/fix-locked-ipod-hold-button-with-tin-foil/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

My sister sent me her iPod telling me it's locked up: the hold button switch stopped working. It was stiff and felt like a piece of grit was in the switch. With the hold switch broken, all the other buttons stopped working as well, even while the screen indicated that the device was on.

I first tried the farmer method of fixing things, by adding a micro-drop of mineral oil to the switch....wrong, that didn't do anything. I tinkered a little more, and found out the actual switch on the circuit board was busted.

Hit the continue for more on this.

Gallery: iPod Fixing

Hold SwitchPry Open CaseRemove ScrewsPull Back Circuit BoardConnect Points

Continue reading Fix locked iPod hold button with tin foil

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]]>brokenbroken-iPodelectronicsfoilhold-switchiPodBilly RobbMon, 14 Apr 2008 11:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens: build an outhouse coop with a beer can roofhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-build-an-outhouse-coop-with-a-beer-can-roof/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-build-an-outhouse-coop-with-a-beer-can-roof/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-build-an-outhouse-coop-with-a-beer-can-roof/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Making whimsical little buildings with functionality has always been fun for me; this little coop is one of my favorites so far. This chicken house uses weathered 2x6 lumber as the main material, but other lumber types like 1x6 can be used with some design modification.

It'll house about three to five bantam breed chickens (the miniature ones), although it can be scaled up for larger birds. A run or pen should be part of the finished coop, for bird security and space. My design inspiration came from a web picture of a lighted country outhouse at Raystown Primatives.com.

All salvaged materials were used, except for the door hinges and porcelain knob, which came from the hardware and hobby store. Weathered wood like this can be hard to come by, but construction companies and highway departments sometimes have old lumber from concrete forms that they throw away at the end of a project. Just ask around; wood from a demolished old porch works well too. You can even add age to newer wood by leaving it outside in contact with the dirt for several weeks, or by applying a rustic finishing technique to the wood.

For construction details, hit next below.

next page

Gallery: Outhouse Coop

BaseFirst Wall2nd WallCross BracesStarting the Roof

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopfeaturedouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens - part 2http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-2/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-2/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

build the floor of the chicken coop

Step one: build the floor

Once you have a scrap lumber source, start with a base platform made from treated 2x4s. Screw or nail them together into a 20"x18" rectangle, and add a floor of plywood or MDF board. (Note: the coop is deeper than it is wide; the front of the building is 18" wide.)

attach the side walls of the chicken coop

Step two: attach side walls

Next, start adding the side walls by attaching 2x6s to the base with 3" screws. One wall is 36" high, and the window wall is 40" high.

Attach a support board, as shown in the pictures, to keep the boards together at the top of the walls; keep these boards 1/2" from the top for adding a shelf later. On the taller wall, leave a space for the window and the chicken door.

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens - part 3http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-3/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-3/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

build the chicken coop roof

Step three: build the roof

Attach 2x2s between the walls for support as shown above.

With screws, just attach 18" long to 24" long 2x6s at a 90 degree angle; make several of these sections, and stack them to the width of the building. Add 1x4 support boards across the underside to hold the roof sections together. Now, another supporting 2x2 is added on the inside corner.

Next, mock fit the roof on the two walls to figure out a good place to mount it. I recommend a longer roof overhang on the window side. Then make a "roof lid" for the storage area: add two hinges on the side with the least overhang. If the roof edge looks too new, rip some old wood with a circular saw and attach it to the edges.

building the back wall of the chicken coop

Step four: build back wall

Cut 2x6 boards to make the back of the coop wall. Screw them into the base and into the support 2x2. You will need a bevel to copy the angles from the roof onto the boards; a bevel can be easily made with a screw and two pieces of scrap wood.

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens - part 4http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-4/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-4/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-4/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

front wall and door of the chicken coop

Step five: front wall and door

Make the front wall like the back one, and attach door braces to the outside to form a "Z." The peak of the front door is 35". Use a jigsaw or circular saw to cut out the door shape, then add another brace at the top of the door.

Don't forget to cut out the classic moon or star shape for the vent hole. Add the hinges and door knob; I used a nail and scrap wood as a pivot latch to hold the door shut.

window and doors for the chicken coop

Step six: install window and chicken door

Use a staple gun and some thin trim wood to attach fake window pane framing. You can have a look through the gallery to see a close-up. I used an old storm window, and mounted it to the inside of the coop by drilling holes through the aluminum frame and screwing it to the wood.

For the chicken door, cut pieces of 2x6 to make a hole 4.5"x7.5" (for bantam breeds). I didn't make an actual closing door here because my birds come and go as they please into the pen and yard.

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens - part 6http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-6/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-6/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-6/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A few tips on chicken care from my own experience:

Chickens will live in an old dog house and dog pen. There is no need for a big investment of hundreds of dollars for a coop and supplies. As long as they have a protected dark area for nesting and roosting, they'll be fine. You may need to add a small perch to the dog house for roosting; the perch can be fancy or just a log.

Chickens don't need a rooster to lay eggs; just think of the hundreds of thousands packed into little wire cages in the egg factories.

Laying eggs is a light-sensitive operation; if you don't add artificial light to the coop in the winter when the days are short, they will stop laying for about two months. If you add a light to lengthen their day, add it in the morning. This keeps the chickens from injuring themselves in the dark if the light suddenly goes out in the evening.

Eggs will last up to three weeks at room temperature. With a small backyard flock of five or six birds, there's no rush to raid the nest several times a day (like some books state). But leaving the eggs too long in the nest can create egg-eater chickens; this is a habit that is hard to break, if you can break it at all.

Train your chickens to come to a call for treats; this helps immensely when trying to round them up into the pen. You've heard of the expression "herding cats"; well, it's the same for chickens. They go into the pen normally in the evening, but not any other time of day, when you need to put them away (like when they're digging up seedlings in your garden).

I use cheap bird seeds as a treat, along with a consistent call: "Chick-chick-chick." By the third or fourth time, they come running to that call.

I recommend further online reading, like this awesome forum/message board on chicken care called Backyard Chickens Message Board. Other good reading on coops and care can be found at The City Chicken, BackyardChickens.com, and FeatherSite - The Poultry Page.

Enjoy your chickies!

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTBackyard chickens - part 5http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-5/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-5/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/09/backyard-chickens-part-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

beer can roof on chicken coop

Step seven: aluminum can shingles

Add some 1x4 boards or plywood under the roof to make a shelf area for storing treats and things; again, look at the gallery to get a close-up.

Now, just add shingles of some kind and it's almost done. Corrugated metal roofing looks best with this style of building, but any roofing material should work. I used experimental pressed beer can shingles for this project.

Step eight: add the perch

Finish up by adding a 2x2 perch inside the coop. A nest box is optional: the coop is so small that the chickens will pick a dark corner in which to lay eggs. Make sure all screw and nail points are cut off if they stick through the wood anywhere. Attach a pen or fenced area to protect the little birdies from predators like cats and foxes.

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]]>backyard-chickensbackyard-coopbantamchickenchicken-coopchickenscoopouthouseouthouse-cooppoultryBilly RobbWed, 09 Apr 2008 16:00:00 ESTCandle aquariums, aquarium candleshttp://www.diylife.com/2008/04/01/candle-aquariums-aquarium-candles/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/01/candle-aquariums-aquarium-candles/http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/01/candle-aquariums-aquarium-candles/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Candle Aquarium Main Pic

Make a little aquarium with lamp oil, an old glass jar, and a few toy fish. It might take some shopping for a few supplies, like a diamond drill bit and glass tube wicks. For a basic oil candle, there isn't much to do but drill a hole in the lid, and add a wick.

Materials and tools:

  • Glass jar with lid
  • Glass tube wick holder + wick
  • Clear paraffin lamp Oil
  • Clear resin/epoxy
  • Toy fish and shells
  • Drill
  • Special tools: Glass and tile drill bit or diamond bit

For the instructions, please join me after the break.

Gallery: Candle Aquarium

The Finished CandleDrilling GlassInsert Glass Tube WickClear PlasticClose Up




Continue reading Candle aquariums, aquarium candles

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]]>AquariumcandlefeaturedLamp-OilOil-Candletropical-fishBilly RobbTue, 01 Apr 2008 18:00:00 ESTHot garden sprinklershttp://www.diylife.com/2008/03/20/hot-garden-sprinklers/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/20/hot-garden-sprinklers/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/20/hot-garden-sprinklers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If your lifestyle is anything like my family's, you might have an overdose of candle holders and other decorative stuff filling up the closets and other storage spaces in your house. We started to take it outside in the form of sprinklers for the garden and they look a lot better than the black sprinkler stakes you can buy.

We used candle holders, lamp bases, and little garden statues to make this work; but anything you can drill a hold into and run an irrigation hose through should work. Note that wood and metals will probably age and rust, but that's part of the charm.

To build these, drill a hole into the decor just smaller than the irrigation hose so it fits snuggly into place. Run the small hose into the main irrigation feeder line. In my case I used a soaker hose. Add your sprinkler head and start watering.

These are great for making mini bird baths and butterfly watering stations. Just add some aquarium gravel or pea gravel to the basin for butterflies so they don't drown.

Gallery: Hot Sprinklers

Candle HolderSprinkler BathLamp SprinklerCandle 2Classico Fountain

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]]>birdbird-feederbirdscandlecandle-holderfeaturedgarden-sprinklershoseirrigationmini-sprinklersBilly RobbThu, 20 Mar 2008 12:00:00 ESTFake aquarium plantshttp://www.diylife.com/2008/03/06/fake-aquarium-plants/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/06/fake-aquarium-plants/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/06/fake-aquarium-plants/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I like to have a real-looking pond environment in the fish tank, with a few plants. The problem: goldfish eat plants, and plastic plants cost like $5 each or more. So I picked up some palm sized flat rocks around the garden, along with some leafy fake plants at the hobby store, and made my own, spending less than $5 total.

The main concern for the fish tank when making these is water contamination from the rocks, or from the dyes in the fake plants. The fix: wash and boil the rocks, and use only the true plastic parts of the fake plants; many have wire, green paper tape, and other accessories that wouldn't do well for the fish.

You'll need a drill, masonry bit, and scissors for this project. For my tank, I used grassy type foliage; it gives a good waving effect next to the water filter.

You can read more about this simple process after the jump!

Continue reading Fake aquarium plants

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]]>Aquarium-plantsFish-tankwater-plantsBilly RobbThu, 06 Mar 2008 17:00:00 ESTFive easy playground structures for under $100 totalhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/03/03/five-easy-playground-structures-for-under-100-total/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/03/five-easy-playground-structures-for-under-100-total/http://www.diylife.com/2008/03/03/five-easy-playground-structures-for-under-100-total/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Playground equipment is expensive! I have some easy to build backyard equipment designs made from a few 4x4 posts; the whole setup can be made for less than $100 and built in an afternoon. These designs are for use with preschool/kindergarten age kids and are stand-alone or complementary to a swing set combo.

To build the whole set you will need eight to ten 4x4 posts. This design includes a lava pit, monkey bar, balance beam, sand box, and a teeter-totter/seesaw; I've built only some of these in reality, the rest in virtual Google Sketchup. I uploaded the design to Google's Sketch 3D Warehouse database under the name "Playground Equipment, diylife.com" You can download the model in the program and rotate it in 3D with displayed dimensions, and even edit my design. If you don't want to do that, just check out the photo gallery.

Gallery: Playground 4x4s

The Whole PieMud PitLava PitAnother ViewBalance Beam

Continue reading Five easy playground structures for under $100 total

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]]>balance beamBalanceBeamconstructionfeaturedkidslava pitLavaPitmonkey barMonkeyBarplayplaygroundpreschoolpreschoolersandboxteeter-totterBilly RobbMon, 03 Mar 2008 10:30:00 ESTPlastic molding and shaping can be done at homehttp://www.diylife.com/2008/02/20/plastic-molding-and-shaping-can-be-done-at-home/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/20/plastic-molding-and-shaping-can-be-done-at-home/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/20/plastic-molding-and-shaping-can-be-done-at-home/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Using plastic for repairing, prototyping, etc. has always been a mystery to me until recently. I found a few good sites that show some techniques in plastic welding, bending, and vacuum forming. These may sound like high-tech methods that need special tools, but a soldering iron, oven and vacuum cleaner are as high-tech as the tools get.

Plastic welding is my favorite because of the simplicity and cool DIY possibilities. Using a soldering iron and oven paper, trash bags or other sheet plastic can be melted together to make things like kites, sails, or even solar hot air balloons. Aleksi at Instructables gives a four steps on this trick.

Continue reading Plastic molding and shaping can be done at home

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]]>acrylicplasticplexiglassvacuum formingvacuum-formingweldingBilly RobbWed, 20 Feb 2008 10:00:00 ESTAltoids tin crashed race car incense burnerhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/02/11/altoids-tin-crashed-race-car-incense-burner/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/11/altoids-tin-crashed-race-car-incense-burner/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/11/altoids-tin-crashed-race-car-incense-burner/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The title is a mouthful, but this is a quick 15-minute project with great results. For this project I was thinking smoking crashed airplane, race car, meteor strike on a house, space shuttle launch platform, etc. There are so many ways to do this.

Materials:
  • 1 Altoids tin, mini or regular
  • Flat black spray paint
  • A metal toy race car
  • 2 screws
  • Cone incense
Tools:
  • Hammer
  • Screw driver
  • Drill
  • Gloss Black Marker

Paint the tin black like the asphalt at the racetrack, add some crack repair lines with a glossy black marker. Drill air intake holes in the back of the tin and one large hole in the lid.

Continue reading Altoids tin crashed race car incense burner

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]]>car crashcar-crashincenseIncense burnerincense-burnerrace carrace-carRaceCarBilly RobbMon, 11 Feb 2008 18:00:00 ESTSod roof playhousehttp://www.diylife.com/2008/02/05/sod-roof-playhouse/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/05/sod-roof-playhouse/http://www.diylife.com/2008/02/05/sod-roof-playhouse/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

This is a little sod-roofed playhouse I built with my wife a couple years ago. I lost track of lumber and hardware used for this, so you'll just have to follow along in the gallery to get an idea on how to build it.

I wanted a hobbit house feel for my little "hobbits." Originally I planned for a port hole in the roof with a ladder and railing on top, but I haven't gotten that far with it. On the roof strawberries and other kid-friendly edibles were the plants I planned, but for now I just have annual rye grass and some old potted plants.

The trick for growing plants on a roof is to have soil as thick as possible but as light as possible. Do not use regular dirt or potting soil they're way too heavy, potting mix and compost should be the only roof soil. Succulent plants like hen and chicks or some kind of creeping sedum work well if you don't want to water or add a lot of potting mix.

Gallery: Sod Roof Playhouse

FrameInterlocking FrameAnother Frame ViewCornersAnother Corner

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]]>featuredplay-houseplayhouseroofsodSod-roofBilly RobbTue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:00 ESTBuild your own candle carousel with a cookie tinhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/01/15/build-your-own-candle-carousel-with-a-cookie-tin/http://www.diylife.com/2008/01/15/build-your-own-candle-carousel-with-a-cookie-tin/http://www.diylife.com/2008/01/15/build-your-own-candle-carousel-with-a-cookie-tin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You should have eaten all those Christmas cookies by now, save the round cookie tin for this candle carousel. These things are always fun but cost a leg if you buy them from the German Christmas stores. Candles heat the air which rises and spins the propeller and attached ornaments.

This project uses:
  • A round cookie tin
  • Two coat hangers
  • A cork
  • A piece of scrap wood
  • Two screws
  • Four tea candles
  • Spray paint and Christmas ornaments to jazz it up.

Tools used:

  • Needle nosed pliers
  • Drill and small bit
  • File or Grinder
  • Tin Snips
  • Screw Driver

Gallery: Candle Carousel

Complete Candle CarouselCookie TinBlade TemplateTwelve Blades MarkedWood Insert

Continue reading Build your own candle carousel with a cookie tin

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]]>candlecandle-carouselcarouselchristmaschristmas pyramidchristmas-pyramidengineheatheat engineheat-enginepyramidBilly RobbTue, 15 Jan 2008 08:00:00 ESTMini air tankhttp://www.diylife.com/2008/01/14/mini-air-tank/http://www.diylife.com/2008/01/14/mini-air-tank/http://www.diylife.com/2008/01/14/mini-air-tank/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This is a useful little tool I made for another project. I use it to air up the wheelbarrow tire, bicycle tires and occasionally tease the dog with short bursts of air. I cleaned out my keyboard with it too. The best thing about it is its light weight; I've always hated lugging around the heavy big air bubbles that stores sell. I put in 100 psi because that is all my compressor will do; that is probably all anyone should put in it.

Supplies:
  • 14 oz empty propane tank- Free
  • Female air connector- $2
  • Tire rubber valve stem $.75
Tools:
  • ¼" NPT thread tap- $4
  • 7/16 Drill bit
  • Teflon tape
  • Round file
  • Drill
  • Machine oil

Gallery: Mini Air Tank

Finished TankDrilling ValveTapping the BottleHole for Tire ValveInsert Plumbing


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]]>airair-bubblecompressorminimini propane air tankmini-tankpressurepropanetanktiretiresBilly RobbMon, 14 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST