Home Construction Improvement

Table Saw Lawsuit Is Rediculous

Todd — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:30:01 +0000

$1.5M Table Saw Lawsuit in Massachusetts

Recently a man was awarded $1.5M by a jury in Malden, Massachusetts for an injury caused by a table saw. The lawsuit was filed against the manufacturer of a Ryobi tablesaw, One World Technologies, Inc. Carlos Osorio claimed that his injuries could have been prevented if the manufacturer had used a flesh detection technology on the saw.

Flesh detection technology is still a fairly new option available by some manufacturers including SawStop. The technology allows a saw to sense the presence of flesh and stop the turning blade in a fraction of a second. However, this incredible new technology comes at a price and it’s currently only available from a few manufacturers.

Frivolous Lawsuit Threatens Tool Industry

I typically try to avoid politics on this site but this story has me very upset and concerned. I’m shocked and saddened to think that a polished team of attorney’s was able to convince a jury that the manufacturer had a responsibility to only sell saws with this new technology. I’m worried that the litigious society that we live in will continue to get worse and allow individuals to pass blame for their own negligence.

What’s really shocking to me is that a person would use a table saw, injure themselves and then blame the tool maker. Last time I checked table saws were one of the most dangerous tools and they deserve the utmost respect by the operator. I’ve been using table saws for over 20 years and each time I turn one on I consciously remind myself of the dangers.

I only can hope that this lawsuit is appealed and overturned. I hope that Mr. Osorio will one day realize that this was not the fault of the manufacturer. I also hope that one day our legal system will find a way to stop these ridiculous lawsuits.

If you see someone using a table saw or other power tool recklessly then take the time to educate them and warn them of the dangers. I really hope I’m not the only person to find this latest frivolous lawsuit and discouraging and ridiculous. I’d love to hear some of your thoughts in the comments below.

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How To Edge Flower Gardens

Todd — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:08 +0000

Edging Flower Gardens

Edging flower gardens is an easy DIY project once you understand how to do it properly. Edging is a method of creating a clean line between your lawn and a flower garden or other landscape feature. The simplest and cleanest looking edging is just a method of “cutting” back the edge of the lawn.

There are other more decorative methods that involve structure such as landscaping stones, pavers, wood and even that cheap looking black plastic. However, none of that is really necessary if you edge your lawn properly with a half mood edger.

Benefits of Edging

Besides the obvious aesthetic reasons for edging your flower gardens there are some performance benefits. Without a proper garden edge, your flower garden is susceptible to invading grass stolons which allows the grass to take root and spread outward. Proper edging also helps keep your mulch in the garden where it belongs instead of spread all over your lawn.

How To Edge A Garden

Edging the flower garden is very easy with a half moon edger. A half mood edger looks like a shovel except it has a “half moon” shaped plate on the end used to cut a nice straight line in the grass sod. It has a lip on top of the blade where you place your foot to apply downward pressure on the blade to cut the sod.

Before you start edging it’s a good idea to have a plan for the shape of the flower garden. You can either mark it out with some marking paint or lay out a garden hose in the pattern you’d like. Then you just walk around and cut the sod in a nice clean line.

Once you’ve cut the sod around the perimeter of the flower garden you’ll need to remove the sod that’s left behind on the garden side of the cut. You should remove at least 3-inches of sod so there is a minimum of 3 inches of soil showing.

The key to a successful edge is making sure that once the mulch is applied to the garden that the edge is still exposed down below the grass roots. This keeps the grass stolons from spreading into the flower garden.

So there you have it. Cutting nice clean edges into your flower gardens isn’t difficult at all. The key is keeping that edge free from mulch and soil so the grass and weeds cannot spread back into the garden. Maintenance is easy too, just use a weed trimmer to clean up the edge all season long.

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Stanley Tools Giveaway

Todd — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:24:53 +0000

I wanted to share a tool giveaway with all of you. If you head on over to Concord Carpenter Comments you can enter for a chance to win a bag full of Stanley Tools. You can learn more about this cool giveaway by reading the Stanley Tools Giveaway article.

Besides the great giveaway Rob’s website is full of some really great articles on carpentry along with his experiences as a police officer. Stop by his site and check it out!

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Closet Factory Free Installation Offer

Todd — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:48:02 +0000

Free Installation Offer – Closet Factory

As many of you know we recently hire Closet Factory to install some cabinetry in our kids playroom. We hired the Boston Closet Factory to design and install all of the cabinets, window seats and the desk in the new room. The folks from the Boston Closet Factory were delighted to see our favorable review and asked us to extend an offer to the readers of Home Construction & Improvement.

Free Installation and $200 Off Accessories

The Closet Factory location in Wilmington, MA is offering FREE installation and $200 off any accessories with the purchase of any storage system* if you schedule an appointment before March 31, 2010. To take advantage of this limited-time offer call the Wilmington, MA location today to set up a FREE in-home design consultation and mention that you saw the offer on www.homeconstructionimprovement.com. Call (800) 617-2567 today to schedule an appointment!

*Minimum purchase of $1,000. May not be combined with other offers. Offer good at the Closet Factory location in Wilmington, MA only for customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The Boston Closet Factory has a 3,000 sq. ft. showroom with all kinds of great ideas and products. What makes these guys so special are the unique designs that incorporate lots of building materials to create a very custom look. Our room included some solid mahogany tops that really accent the design.

If you’re in the market for some closet or storage systems then we HIGHLY recommend the Closet Factory. I know you won’t be disappointed and this offer is a great value.

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2010 JDR Industry Blogger Awards

Todd — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:00:48 +0000

I must say I was quite surprised to get an email recently saying that Home Construction & Improvement had been nominated as Best Construction Business Blogger in the 2010 JDR Industry Blogger Awards! Voting is now open. Please vote for us here http://www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com/blog/ today!

I’m very honored that this site has been nominated based on the standards that JDR has used. Jackson Design & Remodeling is trying to promote professionalism in the construction and remodeling industry. There are three categories for this years award including; Remodeling, Interior Design and Construction Business.

Voting begins on March 5th and continues until April 15th. Please visit their site and vote for us so we can have a chance to win $500!

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Framing Walls – Reference Guides

Todd — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:33:58 +0000

Framing Walls

Before I begin please note that my dad (standing on top of that step ladder) is breaking a major ladder safety rule! This photo was taken when my father and I started framing our new home.

Lately we’ve had quite a few emails and questions about framing walls and more specifically if we could recommend some decent reference books. Learning to frame walls isn’t very difficult if you spend some time reading and learning the basics of house framing. There are several books that I’ve read and used over the years including the following three framing resources:

Graphic Guide To Frame Construction

One of the most popular and recommended framing references is the Graphic Guide To Frame Construction. This framing reference book has been around for more than 20 years yet it’s up to date with all the latest framing materials and techniques. One of the best features of this book are the great visual diagrams and sketches that make it very easy to understand. If you only buy one framing book then this is certainly at the top of the list.

Ultimate Guide To House Framing

The Ultimate Guide To House Framing, 3rd Edition is a great resource for homeowners that have no experience with framing. This beginners guide to framing covers everything from design to construction as well as new green building techniques and materials. The book go over load paths and how to properly frame a house from the foundation up to the roof. This is a must have for anyone that’s new to framing.

Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder’s Guide

Probably one of the most important parts of framing a house is being able to properly measure and layout the building. Measuring, Marking and Layout: A Builder’s Guide is a great resource and teaching tool for learning this important phase of house framing. Every carpenter will tell you to measure twice and cut once which points to the importance of this topic. Complicated concepts are simplified and explained so that they are easy to understand.

Do you have a favorite framing book? If so leave a comment and share it with us!

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