My wife and I have never lived in a house we didn’t improve in some way. From decorating to renovating and everything in between. We also sometimes make or restore furniture. And I’m a computer nerd so I like to set up the home network, automate lights, repair electronics, and so on. Then there’s the RV which always seems to need some kind of add-on or fix. Some tasks require licensed professionals but many do not. I’ll talk here, mostly, about those that do not.

Let’s take, for example, the problem of supporting a double-bowl stainless steel kitchen sink attached to the underside of a granite countertop. The initial professional installation involved some clamps that were mounted into slots cut into the underside of the granite. The clamps failed and the sink dropped within weeks of installation. This was probably due to the large in-sink disposal unit mounted under one side of the sink. Very heavy. Vibrates a lot. It was part of the initial, professional, installation but clearly wasn’t properly accounted for.

The professional recommendation to fix this was to use pine 2x3s to build a frame under the sink that could support the weight. That it would. But the result would be that the cabinet under the sink would be largely unusable for any kind of storage.

My solution was to install 1×3 boards horizontally under the front and back lips of the sink, supported at the ends by small boards attached to the cabinet sides. This solution took no space away from the cabinet and was invisible unless you crawled in and looked up. Fifteen years later, the sink has not budged.

That kind of fix is sooooo satisfying!

Projects

As time permits, I’ll add some projects that we’ve done. Right now, I’m too busy working on some project or another.

• Dining Room Cabinet - This project is to build a cabinet for a corner of the dining room. The size is constrained by the wall openings and the desire to put the silverware case on the top at a reasonable height. The style is … Continue reading →
• RV Table Top - We have a Leisure Travel Van (LTV) Unity RV. Love it. But there is always something you can do to personalize, customize, or upgrade an RV. In this case, it is the dining area table top Note: This post is … Continue reading →
• Panel Clamps - A few years ago, I bought a set of hardware for panel clamps. They have been indispensable in several of my projects. So I thought I would write up some notes on how they work and how I have used … Continue reading →
• Renovating a Plane - Last time I visited my brother, he handed me an old plane that he wasn’t using and that was gathering rust. Disused, but a good plane. Here’s one view of the plane. It’s a Stanley plane, made in the USA. … Continue reading →