Want home improvement and tool reviews, news, how-to’s and construction tips, all in one masterfully written comedic masterpiece? If so, you’ve come to the right place. HomeFixated.com nails what’s useful and entertaining. We’re not afraid to talk about getting hammered, or even screwing. Frankly, it’s our job. Power tools are particularly revered here, for virtually every task (including simple jobs best done by hand). We’re also not above bribing you to read our site frequently with free tool giveaways. Tune in, pick up a few tips, find some great resources and hopefully have a laugh or two! Oh, and if you’re interested in Writing for HomeFixated, reviewing great new tools and joining the cast of characters showcased below, please let us know.
Who We Are:
Marc Lyman
Nickname: Tool Fool
Official Position: Executive Editor & Diabolical Mastermind Plotting HomeFixated Global Supremacy
Fixations: Efficacy, power tools, the obscure but useful, real estate, organization, homes, historic integrity, geeky home automation, cold brew coffee and indirect sunshine.
Favorite Tool: It’s like asking a father who his favorite child is. They’re all my babies. In fact, I sometimes get confused and try to rock my power tools to sleep at night. That’s normal, right?
Worst DIY Job: The time I was rewiring in the crawl space and found animal prints that were suspiciously skunk-like. There was actually a chupacabra living under the house.
Moment of Glory: Custom designing redwood balcony balusters to be cut with a CNC machine (don’t tell the woodworkers)!
Fix-It Mantra: DIY what you enjoy, pay a pro for the rest. And: measure twice, cut until it’s too short.
Phil Brind’Amour
Nickname: USED to be Flip (attributed to my parents many years ago; all I can figure is they wanted to shorten my full name, Philip, to one syllable, to expedite whatever punishment was forthcoming…)
Official Position: Senior Contributing Writer
Fixations: Doing it right (I tend to overbuild, and to be too much of a perfectionist at times, according to some spouses I know…); staying hydrated with a tasty craft beer, AFTER the tools are put away, naturally; hangin’ with my family every chance I get.
Favorite Tool: Still searching. Among the favorites I own: Craftsman reciprocating saw, still kickin’ butt after 26 years; Estwing 20-oz framing hammer (35 years); Bosch 5312 sliding compound mitre saw (recent); Hitachi DS18DL drill (2 years); Bosch MX25E multitool (recent). And so many more…
Worst DIY Job: A complete, foundation to roof renovation of a 100-plus year old house. Original estimate was to finish in one year, upgrade where required, and spend roughly $40,000. Final tally: four years, total gut job, new wiring, plumbing, furnace, windows, roof, siding, etc., total expenses north of $100,000. Still made a profit, and learned a LOT (best lessons: hone estimating skills, avoid large projects). Responsible for loss of nickname.
Moment of Glory: Signing the sales contract on the aforementioned house.
Fix-it Mantra: “While we’re at it…” (the most expensive four words in the DIY universe). Use sparingly, as extensive damage to your finances can and will result.
Michael Springer
Nickname: Whether I like it or not, in tool journalist circles I’m usually just referred to as “Springer”.
Official Position: Special Op’s Reporter
Fixations: Accuracy and relevance, getting it just right; I call my process “sharpshooting”. Some questions only have one correct answer (or at least a best answer) despite a prevailing warm and fuzzy “everybody gets a trophy” mentality. I try to remember that in my project designs and in my tool testing.
Favorite Tool: Chain saws, preferably battery powered, but I love my big gas hogs too.
Worst DIY Job: A stubborn, after-hours drain clearing job at a fraternity house in Boulder that still haunts my olfactory system – best to skip any details. I also once watched my brand-new, state-of- the-art, European-made, battery-powered, brushless motor chain saw plunge into an irrigation ditch after being wrenched from my grip by a falling branch. With the bubbles marking its location quickly subsiding and me up in the tree, it was up to my intrepid gal to wade into the brisk November water to fish it out for me. After some emergency drying all was well (with the saw that is, my girlfriend still holds it against me).
Moment of Glory: The congruity of craft and necessity that creates a small but satisfying triumph when using well-designed things. Bonus points if it’s something I designed and built with my own two hands.
Fix it Mantra: Craftsmanship above all. It’s the one aspect that can be appreciated by all for ages unlike speed or a bargain price.
Steve French
Nickname: Wood ‘n’ Stuff
Official Position: Contributing Woodworking Writer (and Downward Dog)
Fixations: Making cool and unique items out of wood.
Favorite Tool: Bamboo back scratcher.
Worst DIY Job: You trying to dig up dirt on me? Who sent you? Was it Antonio? YOU TELL THAT *$&%’* HE BETTER BACK THE &@$^ OFF! [Twerks angrily!]
Moment of Glory: When I figured out that burners on a gas grill start out on high, finally explaining why my chicken came out so damn dry the first three times!
Fix it Mantra: “Dude, this shop seriously needs a urinal!”
Steve Warren
Nickname: TBD
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Redacted
Favorite Tool: I love my Makita 18v impact drill. I have been at this long enough to have worked with the hand crank drills from the Flintstones and the cinderblock batteries of the 90’s. My Makita impact has saved as many broken knuckles as it has broken bits.
Worst DIY Job: Stay Tuned
Moment of Glory: To be revealved.
Fix it Mantra: TBA
Ben Niemann
Nickname: Ben; Benny; Benny Bear; Benny and the Jets; Benny Man; Benny Boy; Benny Boo Boo Boo Boo Boo (thanks to Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days for that last one)
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Woodworking; Digital Fabrication (CNC and Lasers); Family Time; D&D; Coffee!; Craft Beer; Smooth Bourbon/Scotch (donations welcomed); Watching Football (Go Dawgs!); the Smell of Fresh Cut Walnut
Favorite Tool: Currently my Shapeoko Pro XXL CNC
Worst DIY Job: I built a Murphy Bed once that, while not a bad job itself, was the project I still hate the most to this day. I speak the name Murphy Bed with contempt and vitriol on my tongue.
Moment of Glory: Surveying a clean workshop (this is a moment of glory about which I can only fantasize… my workshop is NEVER clean)
Fix-it mantra: We can do this… and if we can’t, we’ll figure it out!
Monique Langer
Nickname: Handy Moni
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Anything DIY/home related; the math involved in building plans, including agonizing for weeks about a 1/8” reveal; words; food; family; semicolons.
Favorite Tool: Any tool I don’t have yet! But I would have to say my current fave is my most recent pickup – a cordless brad nailer. I don’t know how I ever lived without Brad, and I don’t want to remember that cold, dark time. And, of course, my miter saw.
Worst DIY Job: Probably the fact that I have a major case of DIY ADD. I will use scrap wood from my current project to start the next project in the middle of the first project, which was probably a second or third project to begin with. So needless to say there are about a half-dozen projects “in progress” in my garage right now that make sense only in my head.
Moment of Glory: When my cuts are accurately measured, and the miters/edges come together all smooth and perfect – ahhhhhhh!
Fix-it mantra: “I can make that.” I have to credit that one to my dad, who indeed made us many things over the years. Nowadays, it’s my go-to phrase when things around the house need fixing or replacing. So far it’s proven to be time-consuming but true. Also: “Nailed it,” for obvious reasons.
Lauren Purcell
Nickname: Shorty
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Herbs and spices (the legal kind, of course), tropical plants, carnivorous plants, trying to get raspberries to grow in South Georgia (it’s fruitless so far), spoiling a greedy dachshund and an angelic sheltie, Coca-cola, photography, acting, and traveling.
Favorite Tool: Duct Tape. Pruning shears, plant supports, garden twine and the internet all come in a close second.
Worst DIY Job: Trying to figure out which seedlings are which after I discover a previously unsuspected flaw in my labeling system, attempting to keep birds out of my fruit planters, giving away plants only to discover they were weeds, and anything involving aphids or leaf-miners.
Moment of Glory: Seeing the pitcher plants and key lime tree in the garden flower after 5 years, and, the sweet victory of eating a bacon and tomato sandwich when the tomato started off as a seed in the dirt.
Fix it Mantra: “It’s not dead yet!” (Quote courtesy of Monty Python)
Stephen Brind’Amour
Nickname: Steve, the only one suitable for publication in a family friendly website.
Official Position: Contributing Writer.
Fixations: Bicycles, riding bicycles, camping, kayaking, hunting, gardening, really almost anything that can be done outside. Except running, no running. Ever.
Favorite Tool: My first ever purchase of a power tool as a young man some 40 years ago was a Milwaukee Sawzall. I did some serious demo with that thing, and still do to this day. However, as I begin to mature a little, I find that I need to put things back together. Nothing beats the neat little Dewalt impact driver for that, I find an application for it in almost every project I undertake.
Worst DIY Job: Any job related to my brother Phil’s various “projects”. From Hellhouse to Hellplex to Hell Farm, he has a penchant for choosing challenging properties.
Moment of Glory: Completing a sub 15 pound build of a road bike from components sourced from a wide range of suppliers. In retrospect I probably could have bought a complete one for less, but I refuse to admit it to myself, or my spouse.
Fix it Mantra: With my brain rapidly becoming pigeon pudding it’s become : “Where did I put the damn…”
Anne Marie Cannon
Nickname: AMC
Official Position: News Czar
Fixations: Creating beautiful and functional items out of found materials and objects. Breathing new life into vintage and antique furniture.
Favorite Tool: Sander
Worst DIY Job: Turned a vintage suitcase into a table using long thin spindles. When all was said and done the table looked great, but was too wobbly to be functional.
Moment of Glory: Figuring out the solution to the above fail (shorter, thicker legs) and it becoming a popular item in my repurpose merchandise boutique.
Fix-it mantra: “What would Benjamin Franklin do with this?”
Peter Brind’Amour
Nickname: That depends on who’s calling me. Pretty much anything but “Pete” will work.
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Food (or should I just say “eating”), bicycles, books, music, growing food, Colorado, hiking, backpacking, The Grand Canyon. Oh yes, and bicycles.
Favorite Tool: My Salsa “Bucksaw” (that’s a bike, in case you were wondering).
Worst DIY Job: Anything involving plumbing. Water wants to get out, and it always does.
Moment of Glory: Actually putting all the tools away after the job is done.
Fix-it mantra: “I’ll get that next week, dear.”
Bob Shields
Nickname: Bob, exotic as it is, just Bob
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: Home Improvements that allow me to solve problems creatively, re-purpose materials, save money and learn.
Favorite Tool: The Sawzall. I have used a Sawzall to cut pipes on plumbing jobs, to chop the top on a Model A hot rod, in demo for remodeling, and cutting roots of trees when prepping for a retaining wall. I used one to ‘modify’ a wall to move a bed into a friend’s new home. I think it would probably do a great job at carving the Thanksgiving turkey. . .I will let you know how that goes.
Worst DIY Job: When my wife and I woke up in the middle of the night in late January, below zero temperatures outside and our furnace had given up the ghost. For some reason, she felt this was unacceptable circumstances for our 8 month old son. My family of two went to stay in one of those fancy houses with heat. A friend, my brother and I (The Three HVAC Stooges) proceed to install a new furnace, fabricate a custom plenum, and re-rout the gas line in a basement where we could literally see our own breath. Nothing like multiple layers of stress to make a stressful situation considerably more stressful.
Moment of Glory: Doing my best Hogan’s Heroes impersonation as I tunneled in a “crawl space” to tap a first floor powder room into the main sewer line. I dug and filled a paint roller pan with dirt, passed it in and out to a friend with a rope we tied to it. He then poured the dirt into a 5 gallon bucket so I could run it out of the basement to the wheelbarrow. Slow going, claustrophobic, dirt, spider webs, me and my sawzall cutting into the cast iron waste stack. . .but we added a half bath to the first floor. A most satisfying inaugural flush.
Fix-it mantra: If it was easy, everyone would do it. And my runner up mantra: Right after this commercial break. . .we will still have hours and hours of work ahead of us.
Jake Glerup
Nickname: Woodguy Jake
Official Position: Contributing Writer
Fixations: All things clever and cool, fishing, guitars, cars, history, and making things at Glerup Woodwork & Design.
Favorite Tool: I have many. For layout I always use my Kreg jig Multi-mark tool, and my FastCap Lefty/Righty tape measure. When it is time for sawdust I love my trusty Delta Unisaw.
Worst DIY Job: Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar, well, he eats you.
Moment of Glory: When the patches in my beard finally started to fill in. Everyone knows that beard girth and woodworking knowledge go hand in hand.
Fix-it mantra: “If you can’t duck it……F#*$ it!!!!”