Reviews by RudiXeno

RudiXeno says "PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler: Easier on your hand" about PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler

RudiXeno — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:08:17 GMT

One of the most useful tools for any homeowner to have is a heavy duty stapler. Chances are you can find one in your garage or basement. For many years, Arrow Brand has led the market in this type of tool. Big and chrome plated, I have a couple hanging on the wall.

My only complaint about the Arrow model is that it's awfully tough on your hands after a couple hours of use. Following an accident a few years ago in which I hurt my hand I knew I needed an alternative.

On a trip to The Home Depot I found what I was looking for in the PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty Stapler. It featured an updated design that promised to be less fatiguing. The trigger mechanism was forward-action rather than the usual rear-action mechanism utilized in the standard Arrow design.

This design is considerably easier on your hands since you have the weight of your body to help firing a staple. If you look at the product photo, this advantage is immediately obvious.

PowerShot Forward Action Heavy-Duty...

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RudiXeno says "Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers: Protects your walls and siding" about Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers

RudiXeno — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:38:01 GMT

Most homeowners that do any of their own work around the house probably own an extension ladder. When you need to get up high they are indispensible.

But, while it's hard imagining doing without an extension ladder, they all seem to suffer from one common drawback. They can damage your walls or siding.

When using an extension ladder, its base is generally placed a few feet from the wall and the ladder is allowed to lean against the wall. that of course means that as you climb the wall, all the weight is beared by the base, and the top of the ladder resting on the wall. Although most ladders have plastic end pieces, they are usually a hard plastic and not very protective. One very practical solution to this problem is the use of removable bumpers that fit over the top ends of your extension ladder. For years I've used Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers.

Husky Extension Ladder Bumpers

These bumpers are simply thick, durable plastic covers that slip over the top end edges of your...

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RudiXeno says "Zep Pro 1 Reusable Spray Bottle: So many uses around the house" about Zep Pro 1 Reusable Spray Bottle

RudiXeno — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:46:24 GMT

I'm not certain where I read this, but in one survey or another I remember hearing that the average homeowner has 3 empty spray bottles under his or her sink. It makes sense to me. You know, those empty spray bottles of Windex, Glass Plus, etc.

Most of us know that these bottles can be rinsed out and used for general purposes. We've been doing it for years and I bet many of you have been too.

What could be better than a free spray bottle to use when you need something to mist your indoor plants, moisten your clothes when ironing. Let's face it, they come in handy.

So why would you go out and spend almost $5 for a reusable Spray Bottle like the Zep Pro 1?

Zep Pro 1 Reusable Spray Bottle

Certainly you can use the Zep Pro 1 Reusable Spray Bottlefor the uses mentioned above. But, the chief virtue of the Zep Pro 1 Reusable Spray Bottle is its resistance to the effects of caustic and acidic ingredients.

Where harsh ingredients such as bleach or oxalic acid would quickly render you...

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RudiXeno says "Zep Driveway, Cleaner Concentrate; Effective on oil stains" about Zep Driveway, Concrete & Masonry Cleaner Concentrate

RudiXeno — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:50:12 GMT

Down here in South Florida, where the sunshine is relentless, most of our driveways are made of poured concrete instead of the much more common ashphalt used in northern locations.

In a climate such as ours concrete offers advantages. Regardless of the temperature it doesn't soften and it doesn't require annual sealing. for the most part it is maintenance-free.

If it has a drawback at all it is that it shows stains prominently. Chief among these stains are oil drips from the bottom of your car. Look at virtually any S. Florida driveway and you immediately notice this dark stain.

In our particular case we also have a problem with leaves dropped by our Black Olive Trees. The Black Olive is one of S. Florida's prettiest trees (not saying much), but they do have the ability to stain concrete driveways and walkways badly.

At least twice a year I can count on receiving a notice from our Home Owners' Association that our driveway and walkways look pitiful and that if we don't clean them...

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RudiXeno says "Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane:Maximum protection for wood" about Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane

RudiXeno — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:27:36 GMT

Living here in South Florida, I know how harshly the elements can treat wood. The rain soaks it while the unrelenting sun bleaches and warps it. Unprotected, natural wood surfaces degenerate quickly in this sub-tropical climate. To keep them looking new and fresh requires that they be treated with a urethane/polyurethane finish.

My Product of Choice

After experimenting with a number of different finishes I've settled down with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane. Available in either cans or sprays, Helmsman Spar Urethane can be counted on to keep your natural wood looking, well....natural.

Maybe up in New England the look of weathered wood is desirable, but here in Florida, new is supposed to look like new. And, Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane will accomplish that.

This Urethane finish, most often used for maritime purposes comes in a variety of sheens, from high gloss to satin.

Most recently I used the Satin finish on a number of natural maple serving tables we bought for our screened...

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RudiXeno says "Ryobi 3/8ths inch Corded Drill: Enough for most homeowners" about Ryobi Variable Peed 3/8ths inch Drill

RudiXeno — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:49:54 GMT

Unless you do none of your own work at home, one of the most valuable tools you can own is a power drill.

A trip to either The Home Depot or Lowe's might convince you that unless you have the latest, greatest lithium powered portable drill you are seriously challenged. I say no.

Now if you're among those of us who seem always to have a next project on the board you probably can benefit from the latest cordless drill. But for the overwhelming majority of homeowners and apartment dwellers, your needs can be more easily addressed with a simple, inexpensive corded drill.

Ryobi 3/8ths inch Corded Drill

The Ryobi 3/8ths inch Corded Drillis a basic yet totally serviceable alternative to the cordless drill for most homeowners. For most projects around the home, other than drill bits, you might need an extension cord. It has a key-less chuck so you won't even have to search for a missing chuck key.

Ask Yourself

How often are you really going to need to use this tool. If not on a frequent...

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RudiXeno says "Black & Decker CHV1400 14.4-Volt Cyclonic DustBuster: Finally!" about Black & Decker CHV1400 14.4-Volt Cyclonic DustBuster

RudiXeno — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:15:24 GMT

I've long had a love/hate relationship with Black & Decker DustBusters. I loved their portability, but always found them underpowered and nasty to to clean.

So, when we were looking to replace our ancient and failing DustBuster DB200, I was inclined to look at several different brands. For one reason or another, portable vacuums by Euro-Pro, Bissell and Dirt Devil didn't appeal to me.

Then I spotted the Black & Decker CHV1400 14.4-Volt Cyclonic DustBuster. It had a substantial look to it. I was impressed immediately to learn that it was powered by a 14.4V battery.

More Power, More Run-Time

By the time we were replacing our older unit, its run-time was no more than 5 - 6 minutes. This new DustBuster claimed that fully charged it would provide 15 minutes of continuous run-time. That seemed more than adequate to me for routine use around the house.

But what really got my attention was its relative suction power. Measured in air watts, the new model was rated at 25, while our...

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RudiXeno says "Dremel Cordless Multi Tool: More uses than you can think of" about Dremel Cordless Multi Tool 7700

RudiXeno — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:25:43 GMT

For as long as I can remember I've had an infatuation with Dremel Rotary Tools. What's hard to understand? I'm a male, the Dremel spins fast and it grinds, sands, cuts, drills and polishes. Case closed.

Background

I remember watching my uncle using his Dremel. I was always impresed with what he could do with this versatile tool.

At the time I was really into AMT 3-in-1 automobile models. I would always opt to customize my new model. So, I would take out the included putty and customize away. It wasn't long before I realized that with the Dremel Rotary Tool I could really refine my designs. Before you knew it I was winning local modeling competitions. So, my dad, the least handy person I know (barring my brother) got me my own. To this day I still own it.

Time Marches On

These days, the tools de jour are cordless. So, when I saw the Cordless 7.2V Dremel Multi Tool, I just knew I had to have it. Never mind that I still had two perfectly good corded Dremels in my...

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RudiXeno says "Luminarc Working Glass: The Glass for a Man's Hand" about Luminarc Working Glass 16 pc. Set

RudiXeno — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:45:06 GMT

Whenever I'm at home (as I am now), there is always to be sure a tall beverage sitting beside me. Usually it's either Iced Tea or ice water. It's always there, always.

Over the years I have become very particular about the glasses I use. I like a substantial piece of glass that holds a generous amount of beverage and feels good in my grasp. Plastic cups just don't cut it for me.

Several years ago I came across Luminarc Working Glasses. These glasses available most often in 14oz and 21oz sizes fit the bill nicely. They were originally designed for storing jelly and preserves and can still be purchased with snap on lids.

Luminarc Working Glasses are quite substantial. The 14 oz glass weighs over 10 ozs, while the 21 oz glass weighs just under a pound. They have a great feeling in your hand. the glasses tend to feel indestructible, but of course they do shatter rather nicely if dropped on a tiled floor

The thick walls of these glasses make them ideal for iced drinks since...

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RudiXeno says "Metamucil Fiber-Sure: An easy way to increase your fiber" about Metamucil Fiber-Sure Supplements

RudiXeno — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:57:33 GMT

Adults require between 25 - 30 grams of fiber per day in their diet. While that doesn't sound like much, most Americans eat diets with insufficient amounts of fiber.

So What to Do?

The simple answer is to change the way we eat to include foods that are higher fiber. A good example might be to replace that mound of mashed potatoes with a mound of mashed cauliflower. Work for you? I didn't think so. See, part of the problem is, most of us eat what we eat because it's what we like to eat. If changing our eating habits was an easy thing we wouldn't see the amount of obesity we do in the US. Eating habits die hard.

But if there was a supplement available to us that would for the most part be odorless and tasteless and could just be added to the foods we eat and drink to give us more than 50% of our daily fiber requirement most of us could easily hit the magic number.

Metamucil Fiber-Sure

Well Proctor & Gamble has developed just that thing, Metamucil Fiber-Sure, a flavor-free,...

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RudiXeno says "Metamucil Fiber Laxative/Supplement: Berry Burst! It works." about Metamucil Metamucil Fiber Laxative/Supplement: Berry Burst!

RudiXeno — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:51:07 GMT

It probably makes sense for me to say that I don't often take laxatives. During normal periods I'm about as regular as rain. Constipation is not something that I've had to deal with often.

I'm sure part of it is genetic and part of it has to do with eating habits. My family eats a very high fiber diet and fiber is important for keeping your digestive system in shape and moving.

But of course there have been times when I've done some foolish eating, such as wolfing down a half pound of macadamia nuts that caused my digestive system to grind to a painful halt. That's when you need a really fast acting laxative. And, if that's what you need, this isn't it. This is more a maintenance type of laxative. Something to include in your daily diet to keep you regular.

It doesn't have the immediate effects of citrate of magnesia, glycerin suppositories, a tall glass of prune juice or a stiff dose of castor oil.

I've been using this Metamucil product for the past week. I've been taking...

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RudiXeno says "SCOE 10X Odor Eliminator: What Pet Odors?" about BioFog SCOE 10X

RudiXeno — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:56:54 GMT

A few years back we decided to lay an area rug we had stored away. We brought it into the house, unrolled it and were greeted by the odor of old pet accidents. We let a few days pass and while the odor faded a bit (or we became acclimated to it), it was clearly a no go.

Then I remembered an infomercial I had seen for a concentrated odor eliminator, SCOE 10X. During the infomercial, a small amount of ammonia was poured into a woman's palm. Sniffing it, she recoiled. A moment later some SCOE 10X was sprayed on her palm and the odor was gone she claimed.

Since the rug was an extremely expensive piece of floor covering I thought it was worth a shot. We sent away for some.

SCOE 10X

A starter kit of SCOE 10X includes a 3.2 oz. container of the concentrate and a 32 oz. sprayer. I mixed it with enough purified water to fill the spray bottle.

Armed with a black light I located all the "stained" areas and proceeded to saturate those areas with the solution. The solution is fragrance-free...

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RudiXeno says "Wall Pops!: Puts some zing into solid painted walls" about Brewster Wallcoverings Wall Pops!

RudiXeno — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:18:07 GMT

If you've been reading me lately you know I've been removing wallpaper and replacing it with clean smooth painted walls.

The funny thing about projects like this is that the joy of getting rid of all that wallpaper is quickly replaced with a feeling that something's missing.

When you replace paper with paint you do indeed lose texture and a certain eye appeal. Unless you were particularly adventurous, a painted wall is just that, a painted wall! Sure it may be a bold or otherwise interesting color, but a painted wall it remains.

Wall Pops!

An interesting and relatively inexpensive way to jazz things up a bit is to employ Wall Pops! What are they?

Wall Pops! are removable vinyl appliques that come in a variety of shapes and patterns. They offer stripes that can be used as trims and a variety of geometric shapes that are designed and sized so that they can be used in combination to complement one another.

The key aspect is the fact that they can be applied, removed and repositioned. ...

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RudiXeno says "Formula 409: Our go-to product for general cleaning and more" about Clorox Formula 409 Daily Kitchen Cleaner

RudiXeno — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:58:54 GMT

For as long as I can remember we've always kept a spray bottle or three of Formula 409 under our kitchen sink.

After a particularly messy meal preparation there are few non-abrasive cleaners that can cut through grease and food splatter on our granite counter tops with as much ease and leave them smelling as fresh as Formula 409.

Around the house, this all-purpose cleaner is ideal for cleaning the inside of our fridge, cleaning bathroom fixtures and shower stalls. On jobs such as these it is about as easy as Windex or Glass Plus to use. Simply spray and wipe clean with a paper towel.

For weekly cleaning of our gas grill outdoors I typically spray and work it onto the grates with a green plastic scrubby before wiping it down with paper towel.

A New Use

Recently I was removing wallpaper from our kitchen. I scored the wall with a scoring tool and was intending to spray a wallpaper and paste remover on the wall to soften the paste. By mistake I picked up a generic spray bottle that...

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RudiXeno says "ZUD Heavy Duty Cleanser: The Big Gun!" about Zud Scrubbing Powder

RudiXeno — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:36:47 GMT

There are so many cleaning products on the market these days, but the old "scouring powder" remains.

Is there a household without a can of Comet or Ajax under the kitchen sink? These powdered cleansers come in handy when you have what I refer to as a nasty job. But sometimes a job is too nasty for your run of the mill powdered cleansers.

That's when you pull out the big gun. You pull out the ZUD!

ZUD Heavy Duty Cleanser

You'll usually find this inthe same aisle as the other powdered cleansers. Similar product indeed, but it has strength an order of magnitude higher than the others. This is raw cleaning power.

Unlike most other powdered cleansers, ZUD derives its power from the combination of Oxalic Acid, pumice and ground quartz. The Oxalic Acid comes in handy when you're trying to remove rusted stains, while the pumice and ground quartz give you incredible abrasion ability.

If you have cookware that has years of burnt on grease on the bottoms of the pots & pans, ZUD is what...

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RudiXeno says "Hyde Caulking Tools: For the perfect bead" about Hyde Caulking Tool & Caulk Removal Tool - Value Pack

RudiXeno — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:06:50 GMT

Often the difference between a high quality paint job and an amatuerish DIY effort can be found in the little things, like the quality of the caulking.

You can paint the walls and the trim, but it's that little space where the two meet that often gets neglected. For a really professional looking finish your eye should not be able to tell where one starts and one finishes. This is where caulking comes in. It fills those gaps between wall and trim. Most often you'll want to use a paintable latex caulk that comes in a tube and meant to be applied with a caulking gun.

You'll run a rounded bead between the wall and the trim in order to fill the void. Some beginning DIYers stop there. And, if you were a very careful caulker it wouldn't necessarily look half bad. But the truth is, even a very experienced DIYer probably couldn't do the job right without a caulking tool.

Look at the product photo. You can see that a caulking tool is little more than a rigid piece of plastic that...

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RudiXeno says "Arnold Select Sandwich Thins: Great for taste and your waist!" about Arnold Select sandwich thins

RudiXeno — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:56:58 GMT

America has a love affair with sandwiches. It makes no difference what you choose to put between two pieces of bread, it is a love affair I tell you.

The Problem

Bread is fattening. Whether you are counting calories or carbs, they both mount up quickly when we indulge in our love affair.

Although I have found both low-carb and low calorie breads they always leave something to be desired. Both tend to be soft and fluffy and lack what I'll refer to as "chew". There's usually very little substance to chew on. They also seem to lack any distinctive taste.

Arnold Select Sandwich Thins

Apparently, Arnold Bakeries saw an opportunity here and I for one am glad they did. They developed Arnold Select Sandwich Thins. Available in at least Multi-Grain and Whole Wheat (I haven't yet seen other varieties), Sandwich Thins are pre-sliced pita-like rolls of about 4 1/2" in diameter.

Each Sandwich Thin contains 100 calories, or about half that for regular bread slices. As far as Carbs go,...

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RudiXeno says "Cuisinart DLC-5 Food Processor: Back to Cuisinart Goodness" about Cuisinart DLC-5 Food Processor

RudiXeno — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:26:40 GMT

Following the demise of my vintage, circa 1980 Cuisinart 11-cup food processor a few years ago I balked at spending the $249 or so that it was going to cost to replace it.

After going the cheap route selecting two Black & Decker food processors that lasted from 1 - 2 years I've come back to Cuisinart and I didn't have to spend $249 to do it.

Cuisinart DLC-5 Food Processor

The DLC-5 bears a striking resemblance to my original 11 cup Cuisinart but at about 2/3rds the size. It comes with the usual chopping blade and a pair of disks for slicing and shredding. Unlike my original Cuisinart that had two controls on its face, the DLC-5 has one control switch for "continuous on", off and pulse. Except when I'm using it to slice and shred, I almost exclusively use the pulse feature. The very sharp blades of the chopping blade does a very good job of turning over ingredients with each pulse.

The slicing and shredding blades differ from my older model in that they are permanently attached...

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RudiXeno says "Handy Paint Pail: Great for touch-up work." about Bercom Handy Paint Pail

RudiXeno — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:10:55 GMT

Bercom's Handy Paint Pail is one of those things that when you see it you slap your forehead with your palm and say "why didn't I think of that?"

We've all been there. We finished our paint job and we're feeling mighty good about ourselves when we notice there's some touch-up needed. And, just in case we didn't notice our better half will be there to point it out to us.

For the last few years I would just get out the ladder, pour a little paint into one of those blue Maxwell House Coffee containers with the plastic handle and choose a brush for the job. No problem.

But usually somewhere along the line I'd get distracted and next thing you know my brush will have fallen into the container. This is where it gets messy.

Bercom's Handy Paint Pail

This pail anticipates this problem. The Handy Paint Pail isn't too much different than my Maxwell House pail. It does have a more comfortable handle that lets you slide your hand in with your palm on the pail. I like that. It has a...

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RudiXeno says "PureVia: The Artificial Sweetener D'Jour" about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

RudiXeno — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:26:00 GMT

I recently received a box of PureVia, a Stevia-based natural sweetener in exchange for my unbiased review of the product. Nothing new for me, I've participated in this way with a number of manufacturers.

Now as many of you may know, there's this whole thing regarding natural vs. artificial sweeteners going on. I say let's hold off on any discussion of this issue until we've covered "Does it taste any good?" Make sense to you? Good.

Stevia and me

A few years ago one of my lunatic fringe green friends came over the house with a baggy of dried ground Stevia leaves and pronounced cane sugar dead. So we put up some organic coffee, added some organic milk and stirred in some Stevia leaves. Well there's a thing about ground Stevia leaves. They don't really stir in. They kind of just float around on top. Aesthetically, it doesn't work for me. Taste-wise, I found it left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth and an unpleasant sensation in my mouth. I was diplomatic and above all...

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