I needed to pour a concrete pad for a brick mailbox I was building. My neighbor, a retired mason, offered to help, and his first instruction was to skip the concrete mixer rental. He had an easier way, using two people, a 6 x 6-ft. heavy-duty tarp with rope handles at each corner, and a water bucket. Here’s how it works. Pour a bag of concrete mix in the center of the tarp, make a crater in the center and then add the recommended amount of water. Each person grabs two tarp corners like they’re going to fold the tarp. Lift one corner at a time going in one direction, like you’re doing “the wave” at a football game, and continue for a minute or two until the bag is mixed. Pour the concrete right from the tarp into the form and start a new bag. My project, requiring eight bags of concrete mix, was mixed and poured in less than an hour, including washing the tools and tarp. —Travis Dunford
Small bags of fancy coffee have heavy-duty ties to keep them airtight. The ties are handy for securing small coils of electrical cable and rope. They’re usually fastened to the bag with just a dab of glue, making them pretty easy to pull off. — Joe Gemmill
Make changing the oil in your lawnmower, snowthrower and outdoor machines less messy with this handy hint: Cut off a piece of an empty cereal box and fold it into a trough. Then tip the machine and use the trough to guide the oil into the waste pan. The glossy coating on the cereal box keeps the oil from soaking through.
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