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.

Don’t Get Saddle Sore – How to Install An Ice Maker Line The RIGHT Way

Phil May 19, 2019 2 Comments

Got a sporty new fridge, with a water dispenser or ice maker? Need to hook up a water supply line to feed that sporty new fridge? You’re probably eager to test out your fridge’s capacity for cranking out ice for celebratory frozen daiquiris, and you may be tempted to take the fastest, easiest way to get that beast hydrated. Do yourself a favor, though; for just a minor increase in effort and expense, you can install an ice maker line that will still be up and running when it’s time for your NEXT sporty new fridge. Read More

Makita XDT16 18V Brushless Impact Driver – A Smaller, Smarter Quick-Change Artist

Phil May 7, 2019 Leave a Comment

In our recent full review of the Makita XDT14T impact driver kit, Steve noted that the world isn’t really desperate for another new impact driver. He’s right – there are almost as many impact drivers on the market as there are Democratic presidential contenders, making it hard to get excited when a new one comes along. After giving the little teal driver a workout, though, he was impressed with its power and some of its innovative features. In their relentless quest to offer even more control, though, the teal-clad engineers at Makita packed in even more features, and tossed the Makita XDT16 18V brushless impact driver into the fray. We’ll take a look, and see if these new features can have an impact on how you work. Read More