C.L. Rease

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Stories By C.L. Rease

  • How To Remove A Galvanized Pipe Fitting

    Galvanized piping is mostly found in older homes and, in time, corrodes, making it difficult to break a connection between a threaded pipe and a fitting. To remove a corroded galvanized fitting, you'll need the help of a few tools and a good penetrating oil.

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  • How To Change The Spark Plug On A Kohler Engine

    Changing a Kohler 25 HP engine spark plug is an importance maintenance task. When an engine runs, the spark plug experiences wear and tear. After so much use, the spark plug can start to malfunction. Without a functioning spark plug, combustion does not occur and the engine won't work.

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  • How To Size A Hole For A Bolt

    Incorrectly sized bolt holes weaken a bolted connection and can lead to a dangerous situation when the bolts are holding heavy weight. Pass-through and tapped are the two types of bolt holes. Each has different clearance specifications that determine the strength of the connection.

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  • How To Straighten Bent Metal Rods

    Restoring bent metal rods to their original form requires little effort when the correct tools are used. Unlike hollow metal tubing, a solid metal rod transfers heat evenly throughout its body. This allows you to relive the stress surrounding the bent area of the rod by applying heat on and around the bent area.

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  • How To Read A Yard Stick

    A yardstick measures one yard -- 36 inches. Marks located along the sides of a yardstick represent fractions of an inch. Each fractional measurement has a specific line length. The length of the marked lines varies depending on the size of the fraction.

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  • How To Dissolve Borax

    Borax, or sodium metaborate, mixed with water creates a stable solution with a variety of uses. Cleaning agents, weed killers and slime all start with a borax solution. Dissolving borax in water takes some patience, as it does not readily mix with water at cool temperatures.

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  • How Do I Adjust Pex Crimpers?

    Connecting cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, to metal fittings and plumbing fixtures requires a crimped sleeve. The crimped sleeve slides over the PEX pipe. A PEX crimp tool crimps the band to seal the connection. A PEX crimp tool comes set from the factory to provide the proper crimp.

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  • How To Waterproof Masonite

    Masonite composite hardboard has a natural moisture resistance. When you install Masonite, the area of the hardboard penetrated by a fastener can absorb moisture. Moisture causes the area around the penetration to expand. This expansion causes the fibers around the penetration to loosen, weakening the Masonite.

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  • How To Use A Triangle Scale Ruler

    The blue prints used in the construction industry are "draw to scale." This allows an architect to convey the dimensions needed to build the structure to the contractors performing the work. To retrieve the measurements from the blueprint, you need to use a specialty ruler referred to as a "scale or architects rule."

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  • How To Bend Stainless Steel Sheets

    Chromium and nickel give stainless steel its stain resistance and attribute to the hardness of the metal. This added hardness increases the amount of force needed to place a bend on a stainless steel sheet.

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  • How To Cut Stove Pipe

    When you purchase stovepipe, you receive a bundle of rolled sheet metal cut to a specific length. While you are installing the stovepipe, it is inevitable that you will need to cut pieces of stovepipe to a shorter length.

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  • How To Cut Aluminum Gutters

    Aluminum gutters direct rainwater flowing off the roof of your house to the ground or wastewater drain. The installation of the aluminum gutter is important to ensure that the water flows correctly. An important part of the aluminum gutter is cutting the pieces of gutter to length.

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  • How To Cut Aluminum Flashing

    Aluminum flashing protects the fascia board of your home from the elements. The aluminum flashing is thin and lends itself to a variety of cutting methods. If you do not have a manual powered jump shear, you can use tin snips or a utility knife to cut the aluminum flashing.

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  • How To Use A Nylon Lock Nut

    Nylon lock nuts differ from a standard hex nut in that they have a nylon insert secured within the nut. The nylon insert is located in a tapered section located at the back of the nut. When you install the nylon lock nut onto a bolt or threaded stud, the nylon insert wraps around the threads and locks the nut in place.

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  • How To Attach Shelves To Metal Wall Studs

    Metal studs are an environmentally friendly building material due to their ability to be recycled. The thin-gauge metal studs, however, pose problems for homeowners who are used to hanging shelves and decorations from wood studs.

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  • How To Use Step Drill Bits

    Step drill bits are used to drill metal up to 1/4 of an inch thick. Step drill bits are designed to enlarge a hole as the bit drills through the sheet metal. Each step on the bit is larger in diameter than the step before. Smaller step drill bits are self-starting and no pilot bit is required to start the hole.

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  • How To Install A Window In A Metal Door

    Metal exterior storm doors are uninviting and do not allow natural light to enter your home. Installing a window in the exterior metal storm door will create a welcoming front entry to your home. Metal doors are comprised of two steel panels with insulation sandwiched in the middle.

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  • How To Remove Rust From Stainless Steel Appliances

    The chromium content of stainless steel gives it a natural resistance to corrosion, including rust. When non-corrosion resistant material sits on the surface of stainless steel, rust can form on the surface of the metal. Although the rust will not eat through the metal, it does cause stains.

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