DIY Life

According to Consumer Reports, two-thirds of burglaries involve forced entries. And lots of 'em are opportunistic in nature. In other words, the criminal sees no one is home and goes around back looking for unlocked doors and windows, maybe testing their sturdiness with a kick or two.

Are your existing door locks of the cheap "builders brass" variety that could easily be forced? Don't want to spend big bucks on expensive, better-quality replacements? Here's a quick fix that will improve your home's security – for only around $10! Introducing: the box strike!

Deadlocks are usually installed in conjunction with a strike plate. That's the piece of metal screwed onto the door jamb, opposite the lock itself. When the lock is engaged, the deadlock slides through the strike plate, resting in a cavity cut into the wooden door jamb.

I can imagine that cracking a safe under pressure would be somewhat frustrating. If you are unsuccessful, though, it is probably not a good idea to leave an angry note.

News of the Weird reports that not only did the amateur thieves express their displeasure at being unable to cut into the safe ("[expletive] you and your safe"), but that they were caught speeding away from the scene, license plate in full view of the on-the-ball security officer.

Now, I'm not saying it is easy, but I wonder if this father and son team did their research before they tried to break into the safe at the Iowa golf club they attempted to rob. A simple Google search will get you videos on how to crack a safe and a complete guide on how safe-cracking works.

Perhaps these would-be robbers should have started small, and read Francesca's post on how to crack a combination lock in twelve seconds. They might have gotten away with at least a cool bike or something....

What happens in the movies can't always be accomplished in real life. For instance, jumping out of a window in a movie looks easy, but if you try it for yourself, you might not walk away like that cute actor did.

If you have seen someone (whether in reality or not) open a door with a credit card, then you may want to keep that particular ability in the front of your memory, as it really can help you to get in your house if you have misplaced your key.

Keep in mind that you really have to work hard to make the credit card open the lock, so you may want to use an old beat up credit card or gift card that is no longer valid.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Louisville Ladder Inc. have announced a voluntary recall of about 25,000 Louisville/Davidson and Michigan brand fiberglass extension ladders. The extension or "fly" section of the ladders can fail to lock, posing a fall hazard to consumers. No incidents or injuries have been reported.

Manufactured in Mexico, the recalled ladders were sold at home centers and industrial supply stores nationwide from September 2007 through December 2007 for between $130 and $760. This recall only involves models that were manufactured from September 2007 through October 2007. Please see the CPSC press release for complete details and model numbers involved in the recall.

Stop using the ladder immediately and contact Louisville Ladder at (800) 660-4356 for instructions on inspecting the ladder or information on how to get a free repair kit. You may also visit the firm's website at www.louisvilleladder.com.

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!

This little trick doesn't require any tools, not even a pen and paper. In 4 easy steps you can figure out your lost combination. You'll never have to cut off an old lock because you've forgotten the combination, just use this trick and you'll uncover those three secret numbers in about 12 seconds.

1. Push up on the clamp. Hold it in place. Spin right until you hear a click.
2. Move two numbers to the right. That's your first number.
3. Continue holding the clamp up. Spin left until it stops. That's your second number.
4. Spin right. It will be very choppy, but keep the clamp up. It will open on the third number.

Remember, this is for recovering your own lost combinations, not for putting a head in a jar in your friends locker this Halloween!

While your new fall wardrobe may never see an old wire hanger, you probably still have some hiding in the back of your closet. Most of my clothes are hung (when they are hung!) on wooden or plastic hangers. The back of my closet, and admittedly, the floor, still overflow with old wire ones. It's time to put them to use.

1. Shoe hanger
   Bend up each end of the hanger and it will nicely hold a pair of shoes. This is particularly useful for some of your nicer shoes that you don't want scuffed around on that hall closet floor. You'll need to allot them some closet space but it will keep them clean and organized.
   
2. Go fishing
   I'm not suggesting you use an old wire hanger as a fish hook! You can use it to make a net. Bend the hanger into a circle and stretch old pantyhose around it. The children can take this to look for little fish in a stream, or sift out seashells at the beach.
   
3. Unlock car doors
   While this is most successful on TV, it will still work on some older model cars. Stretch the hanger as long and straight as you can with a hook on the end. Reach down between the window and door until you feel the latch. Pull it up and you'll unlock the door.
   
   If you've locked the keys in the car with the window slightly open you can use the hanger to fish them off the seat and bring them through the window.
   
4. Unclog drains
   Wire hangers are great for unclogging drains, both toilet and sink. You can go fishing around in the drain and try to remove the obstruction.
   
5. Radio and TV antenna
   I'm sure many college students are tinkering with their old TV, trying to get reception where it doesn't seem possible. Wire clothes hangers are great, and unlike regular antennas they can be manipulated in just the right way to optimize reception. Adding tinfoil will go a long way here too.
   
6. Mobile
   This could be a really fun project for an older sibling to make for the new baby. Use the hanger as your base and attach string and decorations. Colorful ribbons, or bells and seashells would work well. You might also like to hang pictures of family and friends from the mobile. I know you don't need me to say it, but I just can't help myself: Make sure you secure everything really well so baby doesn't choke.
   
7. Bubble wand
   This is another fun one for children. With your help the hanger can be bent into any shape and used as a bubble wand. Pour bubble soap into an old ice cream lid or other large shallow dish, dip the wand in and have fun.
   
8. Hang your clothes
   While it sounds like wire hangers are a thing of the past, there really isn't any harm in using them on most of your clothes. It may distort the shape of a delicate sweater, but if you're like me, there are far more T-shirts than pretty sweaters in the closet, and wire hangers will do just fine for those.

Those are just a few of the uses for wire hangers. I spared you the slingshot and modern art, but I have to leave something for the comments. Let me know what uses you've found for the old hangers kicking around your house.