In This Issue

  • May/
    June     1996 Issue No. 6

  • Taking Measure of The Savannah Project

    Features
    An American Craftsman
    Charlie Lovely, a master builder of staircases, charges up to $75,000 for his spiral and serpentine wonders and never has to go looking for customers. Yet the work can be so stressfull that he does some of it in the middle of the night while listening to Italian opera.
    By Jack McClintock
    Secrets of a Perfect Pathway
    For a brick walkway that will look as good in 50 years as on the day it was built, you have to understand that its not what's on top that really counts.
    By Stephen L. Petranek
    Small Spirits Soar in a Treehouse
    Treehouses are for kids-and for nostalgic adults who are only too eager to relive their childhoods while helping youngsters construct a reasonably dangerous fort in the sky.
    Fences
    Unfriendly but hypnotic, decorative yet defensive, fences are inescapable markers on the landscape and keys to the psyches of men.
    By Stephen Harrigan
    Adding Life to a Garden
    Water, water everywhere, even in your backyard, where a lily pond will add light, wildlife and that magical sound we never tire of.
    By Ken Druse
    A Roof of Steel
    Metal roofing is like a helmet for your house-the toughest, longest-lasting canopy going. It also helps reduce cooling costs in the summer.
    By Wendy Talarico
    Bad Bugs
    Is it flying ant or a termite? A carpenter bee or a bumblebee? And now that we've banned chlordane, what can you do to get rid of it? A pullout poster makes you an instant expert at identifying the bad guys, and our critical look at high-tech tricks (Would you believe microwaves?) helps you pick the best treatment plan.
    By Jeanne Huber
    Around the house
    Tools

    Let 'Er Rip

    It looks like the tool from hell and sounds even worse, but a chain saw used with care and skill makes short work of long projects.
    By Mark Feirer
    Tools

    Big Squeeze

    When you have to get a grip, you'd better have a clamp; plenty of clamps would be even better. Metal or wood, store-bought or home-built, they pull it all together.
    By Wendy Talarico
    Materials

    The First Man-made Wood

    Peeled off a log like a sheet of paper toweling, plywood ends up light, strong and cheap. Although it doesn't get the respect of real wood, it was combat-tested in World War II.
    By Thomas Baker
    Fittings

    Hands-off Watering

    When you can't afford a 24-hour gardener, a robot will do nicely.
    By William G. Scheller
    Equipment

    Boots Made For Working

    They're body armor, designed to keep you on your feet in a hostile environment.
    By Wendy Talarico
    Real Estate

    No Tell, No Sell

    A term that came out of Watergate, disclosure has moved into real estate, where it's shifting the balance of power from seller to buyer.
    By William Marsano