Top DIY Tools

Cut dust, save time

"The best addition to my woodworking shop over the past 10 years was a basic, low-cost dust collection system,” said Gary Wentz, senior editor. “My goal was cleaner air, but I soon found that a dust collector has an even greater benefit: It's a time-saving tool. It drastically cuts cleanup time—I don't have to sweep off every surface and tool. I used to do the dustiest work, like sanding or cutting MDF, outdoors. Now I do these jobs in the shop—no need to drag tools and cords outside."

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Bookcase and Shelf Tips

Save time with store-bought cabinets
Building and hanging cabinet doors is a fussy, time-consuming job. To avoid the hassle, buy standard kitchen cabinets and build around them. The inexpensive cabinets we chose for this bookcase cost about $150 more than building doors and boxes from scratch. Considering the huge time savings, that's a bargain. The main disadvantage of store-bought cabinets is that almost all are prefinished. So you'll have to find a matching stain and clear coating to finish the parts you've built from scratch.

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Speed Cleaning Tips

Use a doormat
Eighty-five percent of the dirt that comes into the home is from shoes! So nag your family members to take them off. Place shoes on doormats to contain the dirt. A 20 x 30-in. mat costs about $20 at discount stores.

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