MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE is such an old carpenter’s motto that it now sounds trivial, but it’s the most sound piece of DIY advice I’ve ever been given. Far too often…

SWISS ARMY PENKNIVES are very cute and make great birthday presents for 13-year-olds, but they’re much too clumsy to use as serious tools. Far better are multi-tools of the Leatherman/Gerber style,…

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OCCASIONS in the past when I’ve wanted to do a simple job, such as drilling a hole, sawing a piece of wood, or using a glue gun...

WHENEVER I NEED a new tool of a kind that I haven’t tried before – a table saw, a pair of pliers, a hack saw – I always start with the cheapest one available. After...