Phil

About Phil

Phil’s path to the pinnacle of success as HomeFixated’s Senior Writer was long and twisted. At various stages of his life, he worked as a framing carpenter, attended motorcycle mechanics school, served as an Army MP, did a hot and itchy stint installing insulation in Phoenix, owned and operated a small contracting firm doing residential renovations, and worked as an employee of a major airline (Motto: We’re not happy ‘til YOU’RE not happy). He is currently semi-retired, but continues to take on little projects, such as the total renovation of an old farmhouse. Yes, he is a slow learner. Future projects include a teardown restoration of his 1965 BMW motorcycle, and designing and building a kick-ass playhouse for his grandsons. Phil loves spending time outdoors, hanging out with family and friends, cool tools, and a cold IPA when beer o'clock rolls around.

Ridgid Octane SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer Review – Big Holes, No Sweat

Phil June 25, 2020 1 Comment

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. Got some ‘crete to beat? One of the items on my upcoming to-do list is to install posts and railings on a set of old concrete porch steps. The posts and railings will be wood, and will have to be attached with wedge anchors sunk into the concrete. Drilling holes – especially big holes – into concrete is not a job for a little wussy drill. For that task, a rotary hammer is generally the weapon of choice. We recently received an Orange drill that definitely does NOT fall into the wussy category; join us as we ventilate some concrete with the Ridgid Octane SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer. Read More

DeWalt DCW200 Sander Makes Finish Sanding A Mobile Sport

Phil June 14, 2020 Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. I’ve spent a lot of time lately fabricating and installing trim. After snagging lots of unfinished 1X oak, I cut it to size, sanded it, stained it, sealed it and installed it. Getting a nice, smooth surface makes a huge difference in how the finished project will look, so I’m extra particular during the sanding portion of the festivities. Since cleanup is NOT part of the process that I particularly enjoy, I like to do my sanding outdoors whenever possible. Free-range sanding is much easier when you don’t have to mess with a power cord, so when the new 20V MAX DeWalt DCW200 sander showed up at the Home Fixated HQ, I was very interested in taking it for a spin. Read More