Wooden drawer knobs have a way of working themselves loose inthe warm, dry atmosphere of some homes during the winter. You canpatch up such holes easily and inexpensively. Coat a wooden golf teewith wood glue and stuff it into the hole on the drawer front. Sincea tee is tapered, it'll fill almost any size hole. After the gluehas had time to set up, cut the golf tee off flush with the surface.With the original hole plugged up, it will be like starting againwith brand new wood.
DEAR AL: I have a couple of those wire mesh chairs that Ienjoyed outside last summer. Rather than let them spend the winterout-of-doors, I brought them in. To make them more comfortable, Iwove cloth strips in and out of the mesh holes across the back andseat. It's perfect for the sunroom, and with the chairs indoors,they might last even longer. W.E.
A SUPER HINT: Although it's tempting, don't cover your wood pilewith plastic to protect it from rain or snow. Moisture will causeproblems, but covering the pile too tightly will actually trap themoisture in the air. If you want to, cover the top and one side toblock some precipitation, but make sure there's enough ventilation tokeep the wood from remaining wet.
DEAR AL: I liked your idea of using ice cubes to help clean mykitchen sink garbage disposal. But I came up with an improvement. Inow make my ice cubes out of vinegar, by filling an ice tray withvinegar and letting it freeze. The ice still cleans but the vinegarcleans even better, plus it removes mineral deposits and evendeodorizes the disposal. G.B.
DEAR G.B.: A nifty idea, as long as you don't accidentally usethese cubes in a drink.
DEAR AL: We had a pipe in the basement that kept on rattling aswater went through it. The metal pipe clamp was too large so thepipe was not really anchored and could move within the clamp. We cuta strip from a discarded tire inner tube. With the clamp loosened,we wrapped the rubber piece around the pipe. When the clamp wastightened back down, the pipe could no longer move so we solved theproblem. Since this is a common problem, maybe our cure will helpothers. I.J.
SHOP TALK: The sliding glass patio door is a popular target forburglars. The most common deterrent to this problem is a broomhandle cut to fit in the track to jam the door closed. There is nowa better way. The Security Alarm Bar will fit snugly inside theframe to prevent opening. But if an intruder even tries to pull thedoor open, the bar becomes an alarm. The unit has a sensor that willsound at 90 decibels. Also, a light will start flashing. The noiseand lights should spook the intruder. The bar is adjustable to fitwindows also and is made from heavy-duty steel. Check for it at homecenters and hardware stores. It is made by Honeywell Inc., HoneywellPlaza, Minneapolis, Minn., 55408, or call them at (1-800) 468-1502.
Send your tips or questions to Al Carrell, The Super Handyman,in care of Chicago Sun-Times Features, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago, Ill.60611.
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