HandyWorks
Your vote will help decide who wins this month. Next time, enter a project of your own.
By: Jenny Stanley
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Vote online for one of these projects for the Critics’ Choice Award. Voting for this issue will end June 30, 2008. The winner will be announced in the September/October 2008 issue.
To have you project considered for future issues, send:
1. A photo of your project
2. A detailed description of your project
Address to:
HandyWorks c/o Jenny Stanley
HANDY
P.O. Box 3410
Minnetonka, MN
55343-2110 or e-mail to: HandyWorks@HandymanClub.com
We regret we cannot acknowledge or return submissions.
| Click on photos to enlarge |
 | | Pergola With Personality
Club member Jeff Bringham of Fort Worth, Texas, built this stunning pergola in his backyard — and saved a bundle by doing the work himself. “I had my local home center give me an estimate on the materials and installation. I saved about $9,000 compared with their quote,” he says. He built the 14 x 32-ft. rough-cedar ensemble on 24-in.-deep concrete footings and included a lattice-style panel for privacy in the dining area. Jeff’s DIY efforts brought great rewards: The pergola cost less than a professionally built structure, and the character and attention to quality that he added are priceless.
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 | | Case in Point
While creating this curvy case to house his bass guitar, Club member Frank Muise of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, gained a new appreciation for wood bending. It took several attempts before Frank was able to successfully soak, bend, clamp and dry the curved wood slats and strips of molding for the sides of the case. He cut out the top and bottom pieces using a jigsaw and then assembled the project using wood glue and brad nails. To ensure his guitar has a safe, secure home, Frank added foam rubber and a felt lining to the inside and finished off the outside with hinges, a handle and latches. | | | |
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 | | Backyard Oasis
This pond, created by member Kenneth Denn of Kennewick, Washington, started out as a humble home for goldfish. But after a resident heron turned it into a fishing hole, Kenneth decided to make a few changes — and buy some more fish. He drained the water and dug out a larger area. The new pond has three levels: two 10-in.-deep plant shelves, a 24-in.-deep middle section and a 36-in.-deep bog. He built a three-tier waterfall and added a safe haven for the fish using flagstones and concrete blocks. Though the fishery is now closed (sorry, heron), a new summer sitting spot is open.
| | |  Step-by-Step Photos of Kenneth's Pond Project |
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 | | Playful Planthouse
40-Fanatical Colorado To accommodate his green-thumbed wife, on-the-go grandkids and energetic pets, Club member Richard Dolan of Sun City, California, created a greenhouse that doubles as an outdoor playroom. It has two lift-out doors, four drop-down windows, a sprinkler and a heating-and-cooling system powered by a photocell and an electric timer. “My wife grows tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and broccoli throughout most of the year, but come summer, the plants move out and the grandkids and pets move in,” he says. The unit is even portable, as Richard currently rents his home. “I can just unplug it and carry it away,” he says. | | | |
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VOTING HAS ENDED
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