Sharp tools make yard chores a lot faster and easier. This article shows how to sharpen your tools at home. You'll get the edge you need for pruning, clipping and shearing tools. Sharp tools make yard chores a lot faster and easier. By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine You might also like: Sharpening Knives, Scissors and Tools Ingredients for a good cutting edge Pruning shears, hedge shears and grass clippers function in a similar manner. The two sharp surfaces of the blades come in contact at the base and cut all the way to the tips. They literally shear the grass and twigs from the stem of the plant with a scissors action. These two opposing surfaces are finely ground at the factory to the precise angle that makes them the most efficient. When you resharpen these blades along the original bevel, you can get them so sharp that they'll easily cut tissue paper. The key is to sharpen exactly along this factory-cut bevel. I've seen many tools, now worthless, that were sharpened improperly because the person attempted to construct a “better cutting edge” or used the wrong tool to sharpen them.

Unless you're a pro, you shouldn't use a power grinding tool for sharpening. Buy a new mill file, 10 in. long for the best control. It works really well on hedge and pruning shears and even on grass clippers. If you find files confusing, read the package. It will tell you if the file's OK for use on garden tools. And if you don't want to use the same file on the grass clippers, read on—we'll show you how to sharpen them with an ordinary scissors sharpener. Sharpen your hedge shears with a file Hedge shears are perhaps the most abused garden tools. Because of their huge blades, it's tempting to use them as pruning shears. They're designed for cutting green wood only, no thicker than 3/8 in. Cutting thick branches or dried wood can stress the pivot nut and even bend the blades slightly. Sharpening pruning shears demands a steady hand This tool is by far the fussiest garden tool to sharpen. The principle is the same as for hedge shears, but filing along the curved blade (Photo 4) asks a great deal of your fine motor skills.

The other half of the pruning shears (Photo 5) has a thick, blunt blade that the sharp curved blade cuts against. This heavier blunt blade is one reason this tool is able to cut branches more than 1 in. thick. The blunt blade needs a crisp 90-degree edge. Think of the edge on a freshly cut piece of granite. Both the top and the side surfaces are flat, and where they meet you'll find a crisp, sharp edge.business for sale kawana Sharpen your grass clippers with a scissors sharpenerbusiness for sale slacks creek Because this tool is so close to the ground while clipping, it takes a lot of abuse. business for sale moe vicSoil can get between the blades and grind away at them each time you squeeze the handle. wills handyman service colorado springs

The moisture in the grass also can corrode them quickly. As you would with all trimming tools, wipe your grass clippers clean after each use and keep all the moving parts lightly oiled.If you're concerned about the structural integrity of sagging, cracked or twisted joists in your house, first call in a structural engineer to inspect the floor and recommend strengthening measures that'll take out the sags and bring the framing up to code (search online or for “Engineers, Structural” in the yellow pages). business for sale moonta bayThe inspection ($300 to $500) will tell if you have structural problems, such as undersized joists, that will require professional repairs. handyman services south bend inHowever, you can usually remedy sagging problems yourself by “sistering” new joists alongside the existing ones (this also works for stiffening bouncy floors).

First remove electrical cables, pipes and other obstructions. If this is difficult (it often is!), consult your local building inspector about notching the new joists. Notches will compromise the strength of the new joists, but some notches are acceptable, depending on their location. Then set new joists (same height as existing ones) alongside the old. Tack a beam under the sagging joists. Nailing two 2x4s together will work to span about three joists, unless the sag is under a weight-bearing wall. Set a hydraulic jack and post under the beam, and jack up the joists about 1/8 in. a day until they're level. Jacking them up too fast may cause cracks in the walls and floors overhead. If a crack or sag is isolated to one area, the sister joist should extend at least 3 ft. on both sides of the problem area. But it's usually best to run the sister joist over the entire span. When the sagging joists are level, apply a generous bead of construction adhesive to the existing joist.

Then attach the sister joist using three 16d common nails driven every 16 in. Driving 16d common nails in old, hard wood is difficult. Predrill and drive 3/8-in. x 3-in. lag screws if you're having trouble nailing.An elderly handyman accused of repeatedly sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl whose parents had hired him to work on their Sydney home has been ordered to remain behind bars.Cotten Sjaharil Saibi, 73, of Randwick, appeared in the dock at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse with a child.Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis refused Saibi’s application for bail despite an offer by the Randwick man’s family to put up $40,000 in surety and keep him under effective house arrest.The court heard that when questioned over the alleged assaults, Saibi said: “I lost control.”His lawyer, Paul McGirr, told the court Saibi had no criminal record and that although he may plead guilty to some of the charges, he has consistently denied allegations he had sexual intercourse with his alleged victim.