DIY Life

Yesterday, I put $20 worth of gas into my car. I can remember the day when that would have filled it up, but instead it gave me just over 5.5 gallons. Gas prices are definitely at a high point, and it's predicted they could rise further by summer.

Though you can save money at the pump by reducing the number of miles you drive, sometimes it's impossible to cut back enough to make a difference. You can, however, save a few bucks by following these few tricks from Yahoo Finance.

• Consider checking a website like GasPriceWatch.com, which is fed by tipsters but also has a Certified Pricing Program. (Driving all over town looking for low prices, however, will burn any pennies you save. Look for a station near where you'll be anyway on your daily travels.)
• Fill up at low peak times when prices are likely to be their lowest -- before sunrise, late at night, and -- in some states -- mid-week.
• Fill up when you hit 1/4 tank. Make sure the price on the sign matches the one on the pump and that it's set to zero when you begin fueling.
• Investigate ways to improve your gas mileage.
• Take good care of your car. Check your tire pressure regularly and unload seasonal items such as snow tires.
• Though many financial experts don't recommend using credit cards, according to Yahoo Finance, using a credit card with cash rewards can help you earn rebates when you buy gas.
  

It may not take all of the sting out of today's rapidly rising gas prices, but by planning ahead, you may be able to save a few dollars off your monthly gas bill.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Master Lock is voluntarily recalling about 27,000 Lock and Leash locks, due to the fact that the red surface paint on the locks contains an excessive amount of lead, violating the lead paint standard. No injuries have been reported.

Manufactured by Fullyear-Brother Enterprise Co, Ltd. and sold by hardware stores and internet retailers from March 2007 through January 2008 for about $8, this recall involves only red Lock and Leash locks with model number 1551D. Please check the CPSC press release for more information about the recalled locks.

Consumers should stop using the recalled red lock immediately and return it to Master Lock Company Return Goods, c/o All in One Warehouse, 2050 North Smokey Lane, Suite B, Nogales, AZ 85621 for a full refund. For more information, contact Master Lock at (800) 464-2088 or visit the firm's website at www.masterlock.com.

Everybody's on the go today. Nobody sits still to do anything; things have really changed in the past decade. From the moment the alarm clock goes off, life is just one big multitasking episode. And any time you step out your front door and turn the key, any number of things could conspire to prevent you from returning that night.

No, I'm not talking kidnapping (although that might not be beyond doubt). I am talking massive traffic jams, delayed or canceled flights, a rush deadline. But those necessities that you inevitably need are at home – in the medicine cabinet, in the closet, or on the bedside table. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Make your briefcase or backpack your home away from home for all those unexpected situations. Kevin Connolly has done the homework for you and lists the eleven essential things to pack for your daily adventure in Businessland. He covers medical must-haves, tech requirements (cell phone charger), emergency food, and more.

Check out the above link for the whole scoop. It's not only Boy Scouts that are "always prepared." It can be your motto too!

Have you ever had an electrical problem with your appliances, car, boat, or motorcycle and thought, "Hey, I'm handy; I do mechanical work on my ride all the time. I can handle this." So you grab your book of wiring diagrams and unfold the page.

And then it sinks in. It's a totally foreign language and looks suspiciously like the spaghetti you had for dinner last night. Wiring diagrams can be tricky to trace through when troubleshooting an electrical circuit.

Don't despair; it takes a process and a bit of knowledge about electrical symbols. This Temperature Control Division site will guide you through the process of tracking down the problem. It makes the "overwhelm factor" a bit more manageable and gets you started on the road to electrical recovery.

Luckily, there's a quick and easy way to fix your tire without having to go to a tire repair shop. Most good auto parts stores will carry a small kit (here's an example of one brand) for tire repair, which includes a rasp, a needle, and several thick, sticky black threads. The tools have either a T-handle or a screwdriver-type handle (T-handles are best, in my opinion).

Get the kit, and get ready to fix your tire. First, block the other tires for safety. This should be done every time you raise your car, to prevent accidental slippage.

Read on for detailed instructions on how to fix your tire.

The U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission, in cooperation with All-Power America, has announced a voluntary recall of about 64,000 Strike Force portable air compressors.

The motor on the compressor can overheat and ignite the protective cover, posing a fire hazard. The cover might not prevent internal components of the compressor from being touched, posing an electrical shock hazard. Although no injuries have been reported, the firm has received four reports of fires.

The recalled twin air tank compressors were manufactured in China and exclusively sold nationwide at Advance Auto Parts stores, and online at www.partsamerica.com, from October 2006 through December 2007, for about $90. The model and serial numbers for the recalled compressor are located on the compressor's housing.

Stop using the air compressor and return it to any Advance Auto Parts store for a full refund. For more information on the recall, contact All-Power America toll free at (888) 896-6881 or visit www.allpoweramerica.com, or www.advanceautoparts.com.

Most of us have a can of WD-40 sitting around the house. Got a squeak? Give it a spray. Tight bolt? Squirt, squirt. But it might surprise you to see how many other uses it has (one of my favorites is the removal of adhesive goo).

I once worked for a very small company whose owner was, um, a bit peculiar. Shortly after moving into the new office, we were having a little house-warming party in the conference room. There was a huge white board on one wall.

During a particularly inspirational moment, the owner went over and wrote her name on the white board in five foot tall letters. The problem? She used a permanent marker. The solution? WD-40, a rag, and elbow grease.

But the uses of WD-40 don't stop there...

• Keep snow from messing up your satellite dish: spray the dish and the snow will slide off.
• Got a snow plow? Spray a coating on the blade and the snow won't pack up on it.
• Make it easier to remove light bulbs: spray the threads lightly before you install the bulb.
• Roofing tar on your hands from fixing a leak? WD-40 will get the tar off!
• Use WD-40 to remove grease and road crud from your car's fenders.
• Bug splats on your car's grill and fenders? WD-40 works better than expensive sprays.
• It kills weeds too!

Let's visit the topic of vehicular fuel economy. It's not realistic to believe that the cost of a gallon of gas is going to markedly decrease, given the politics and economics of the world's available supply of petroleum. This feature won't cover alternative fuels, hybrids, water or compressed air cars; we'll hit common sense stuff you can do to stretch your mileage. Admittedly, some of the items are not in the "gee whiz" category, but every little bit helps, right?

Francesca Clark, in her excellent post, covered a number of tips; I'd like to explore a couple of those in depth and add several more that are (perhaps) off-beat or not generally considered when thinking about saving fuel in your daily drive.

But first, the gallery!

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with The Wenzel Co., has issued a voluntary recall of about 3,900 car charging units. The batteries in the unit can overheat and cause the unit to burst, posing an injury hazard to consumers. Although no injuries or property damage has been reported, The Wenzel Company has received one report of the batteries in the car charging unit overheating and bursting.

The car charging units, included with all LL Bean Raised Insta-Beds, were manufactured in China and sold at L.L. Bean Stores nationwide and catalog from June 2007 through August 2007 for about $150. Please check the CPSC press release to see the model number and the recalled car charging unit.

Consumers should stop using the unit immediately and contact L.L. Bean anytime at (800) 555-9717 for instructions on how to receive a free replacement car charging unit, or contact them at www.llbean.com.

Not all teens are caught up with video games and prowling the malls, one innovative sixteen year-old boy has taken his 1988 Mazda pickup truck and given it a new life as an electric car. Wow! Andrew Angelloti saved up a wad of $6,000 from his part time gig as a life guard and spent it on the required parts for his eco-conscious vehicle.

The process of converting the older car involved using 20 flooded lead acid batteries to create 120 volts, which he then coupled to a 60 HP 9" electric motor. The results are pretty impressive, Andrew can reach speeds of up to 55 MPH and can travel up to 40 miles at a time from one charge. Angelloti is so smitten with his first creation that he has decided to give his handy work another go and is currently overhauling a 1992 Toyota Tercel that will out perform his current creation.

What a refreshing bit of news. Not only is this young man using his time and talents in a productive manner but he is doing good things for the planet. A great example of some serious DIY initiative and teens everywhere!

While I silently smirk when people refer to their car with endearing names, there is something to be said for giving your car the love it needs to love you back. A well maintained car will serve you faithfully for years. We all know the basics: Keep up on your oil changes and make the necessary repairs as they come up. If you really want to extend the life of your ride you'll want to take extra care, considering all the details and tending to some seemingly obscure tips.

These 75 ways to keep your car in top-notch condition will minimize your headaches and significantly extend your vehicle's life. The Reader's Digest article covers everything from the break in period, to sun protection and tire tread safety. I found this to be the most clear and comprehensive collection of tips. One of the easiest ones to implement and probably the most effective tool for easily detecting a problem is #8: Keep an auto log. More details about this tip after the break.

So you pulled out all the stops, put on your cape, and played Super Mom/ Dad for Christmas by getting the little one(s) a new bicycle with dual overhead thingys, quad turbo whatsits, and a unified theory of squidgybo. Congratulations on making their little dreams come true! Now that the bow is off and they have figured out that maybe deep winter isn't always the best time to go riding, where do you store the dang thing until the spring thaw where it won't get stolen, snowed/ rained on, or treated like a fire hydrant by every K-9 in a 10 block radius?

If you aren't lucky enough to have an out building or storage shed, and you garage is already full of either stuff or cars, what are you going to do? Do the kids park it where ever they can find room in the garage and hope it doesn't get run over or hit by one of the cars? Do you wind up like a contestant in the hammer throw and lob it on top of the junk pile and hope to not start an avalanche? Do you cover it up with a tarp outside hoping spiders and condensation don't reduce it to a small pile of rust before it gets ridden again?

Oh, happy day! Winter has arrived! Now is the time for sledding and snow skiing and making snow men. Along with cold, frozen noses and fingers, we must give precedence to all the frozen locks that hungrily eat our keys. Seriously, try inserting that worn out key into a lock and see what happens, but don't say I didn't warn ya!

The next time you are unlucky enough to break off a key, don't panic. Doityourself.com tells us how to remove a broken key from a lock. With a little bit of patience and the right tools, you can remove the broken key with little fuss. It pays to carry a needle nose pliers, some WD-40 or cooking spray, and a small saw blade in your purse, carry-all or briefcase, just is case a key break could happen.

The article is explicit in detail, telling you how to remove the broken key and how to check your key to make sure it is in tiptop shape so you never have to experience the agony of a broken key. I don't know about you, but I am going to lubricate all my locks and check my keys right now. I can't imagine anything worse than trying to get a broken key out of a lock when it is only 10 degrees outside!

Heather brought us a great blog post on how she, her children and her brother use Pam cooking spray. As I was reading her post, I started thinking that there has to be more excellent uses besides cooking with the spray and the ingenious uses her loved ones have.

Gomestic writer Darlene McFarlane has 13 remarkable uses for cooking spray. Who knew cooking spray could keep debris from sticking to your car wheels or car grill, not to mention keeping your locks and mailbox free from sticking and freezing? Cooking spray is also great for keeping candle wax from sticking to the candle holders, cleans dirt and soap scum from your shower, quiets squeaky hinges, lubricates a bicycle chain, makes snow slide off the shovel easier if you spray your shovel first, and keeps wet grass from sticking to your lawnmower blades.

Please be careful with some of these suggestions. You will want to clean up the cooking spray very thoroughly before you take your next shower, so that you don't fall down and break your noggin. Also, be careful when using cooking spray on a putty knife. Using too much of a good thing, such as cooking spray, isn't always a good thing, if ya know what I mean. In other words, you could end up hurting yourself!

PVC pipe. It's affordable, easy to work with, durable. Not, it's not very pretty, but let me say again: it's affordable! PVC is sort of a wonder-plastic and can be used creatively in many a DIY project. (That is, if you're willing to overlook the fact that it's highly toxic and, therefore, not exactly a green choice.) Like this one, for example: build a bike rack using PVC pipe. I found this one on Instructables, offered up for public consumption by user "imarunner2."

This is a nice 'n' easy little project. If you have a halfway decent saw, you can make this. You will need a length of three-quarter-inch PVC pipe and a bunch of connecting joints -- six t-joints and six elbow joints. All the pieces are glued together using PVC cement. One Instructables reader tried it out and found himself out-of-pocket by a mere $5. Peanuts!

Interested in bigger, more elaborate models? Take a look at some of the pics people have uploaded to Flickr. You've got your king-size garage versions, and then you've got your mondo versions, too. That last one must've been a fun weekend project. Not.

Liking the DIY-with-PVC concept? Check out Gary's post on a DIY vehicle shelter made from PVC pipes.