Episode #64 - Mower Blades, Brakes and DIY Mistakes

Do you need to bend sheet metal? A "Brake" is the right tool foor the job. Click image to see full size.

In this show we address a couple of listener questions about mower blades and metal brakes and then talk about another expensive DIY mistake.

First up is a question from David:

Do you guys have or know of any plans for a DIY metal brake? I need to cover the sills of my home windows, and would like to have a brake to bend the aluminum nicely myself.

Thanks, David

David, we are not familiar with any decent DIY brake plans. A brake is a specialized tool for bending metal. There is certainly no better tool for covering your sills with metal flashing. We recommend that you try and borrow one or rent this tool. A brake requires some practice but once you get the hang of it you can make some nice capping for your window sills and trim.

We also got this question from Vishal:

What tools do you need to loosen/tighten a lawn mower’s blade?

Short answer - a wrench. Is that really the question though? The Handyguys discuss how to keep the blade from spinning when you remove the bolt and how to apply a little more leverage if the bolt is stuck. Also why do we remove a mower blade anyway? Blades require sharpening, balancing and outright replacement from time to time.

We covered sharpening blades and other basic tuneup tips in Episode 14, give it a listen.

Expensive DIY Mistakes

The Handyguys discuss another expensive DIY mistake

Whats the mistake? Paying twice. Why would you pay twice? If you underestimate your abilities, do a job poorly, and need to pay a pro to come in and do it correctly. Perhaps the mistake is really not knowing your abilities. The handyguys discuss how to avoid this costly mistake.

For this and more, give a listen to the podcast.