THE SUPER HANDYMAN Use 2-by-4 to carry flimsy molding

When you have to carry several pieces of long, flimsy trim ormolding, you better be careful. After all, some of this stuff cancost a pretty penny. If you are going to bundle it up together, addsomething like a scrap of two-by-four or a piece of long pipe. Thisadded heft will keep the bundle straight. Use several ties ratherthan just one. A great, inexpensive tie can be made from a scrap ofhouse wire. This wire is strong, and, when left inside the plasticinsulation, will not dent or damage the wood.

Readers' Super Hints

*My wife and I have been putting in our own fence. The work ishard, but we are getting it done, slowly but surely. One thing I havedone to make it a little easier is to put a mark around the handlesof the post-hole-digger at just the right depth. That way, when it isin the hole, I can easily see when the hole is deep enough.

*I love to do woodworking projects. I get better with each one.When I've got a crack to fill, I mix up my own filler. I just usesome fine sawdust made from the wood I'm using and mix it with somewood glue to fill the crack. The sawdust matches the wood exactly,and the cracks practically disappear.

*I've been making some repairs to my roof and have been working upthere quite a bit lately. I've taken to bringing my backpack full oftools and hardware rather than using a tool belt. I find that I cancarry more stuff in the backpack, and it's much easier to carry on myback than the toolbelt at my waist -- tools kept falling out when Iwas working.

A SUPER HINT: If you've got that wallpaper a little too tight andthe seams are showing now that it's up and dry, mix up a matchingpaint and just smooth it into the cracks. It will show much less inmost cases.

Q. We have a tiled backsplash that was painted. In some places,the paint is peeling off. Can I just go ahead and strip off all ofthe paint?

A. Sometimes when tiles are painted, they must be sanded or acid-etched first because the tiles underneath are no longer smooth. Seeif you can tell if that is the case, and find where it is peeling. Incase epoxy paint was used, get a paint-and-varnish remover that ismade for epoxy. It should remove the paint without harming the glazeon the tiles. You might have to apply a clear finish to protect thetiles when you're done, but it will be less likely to peel and shouldlook better.

SHOPTALK: Black & Decker's Electric Power Washer is a very handytool to have around the home. Because it's electric, there's no hard-to-start pull rope. No gasoline or spark plugs to replace, either.The powerful motor gives you 1,700 PSI to clean off even the moststubborn dirt and grime. It's great for driveways, fences, siding andeven cars. It comes with a couple of different nozzles and a 25-foothose. It has a lot of other great features that you will see when youtake a look at it. It's available at many hardware stores and homecenters, or you can see it online at www.blackanddecker.com.

Got a question or a handy tip? Send it to the Super Handyman incare of this newspaper, or visit our Web site atwww.thesuperhandyman.com. Those of general interest will be used infuture columns.