We've long been a fan of tool libraries but unfortunately they are lacking in many cities and most of the tool libraries we've seen are in dire need of updating. Neighborgoods is taking the idea of sharing tools to the next level by combining the idea with a social network. Their tagline "Need a ladder? Borrow it from your neighbor. Have a bike collecting dust in your closet? Rent it out for some extra cash!"

Sounds simple enough. We did an initial search and within 10 miles we found a ladder, cordless drill, wet/dry vac, orbital sander and hand-held jigsaw. These tools aren't typical for most people to have in their toolbox but are indispensable when you need them.

They have launched in beta in Los Angeles, so if you can't find what you need using our DIY City Guide for Los Angeles, then maybe you should sign up with Neighborgoods. Who knows, maybe the tool you've been looking for is right next door.

[via Inhabitat]

Re-Nest turned us onto this amazing DIY table built from scraps of wood gathered from an industrial area of decaying buildings. With the help of some friends a little know-how this table is now ready to serve Thanksgiving dinner for 10.

Only tools needed are: a table saw, a circular saw, a power drill/impact driver, hand plane, mallet, some drill bits, and a belt sander.

More on the project from Instructables.

Today is Veteran's Day and regardless of your political leanings we are all Americans and should take a moment today to reflect on the sacrifices our fellow Americans have made and continue to make for our freedoms and those of our brothers and sisters around the world.

If you choose to read on the following is an excerpt from President Obama's speech at Fort Hood which underlines the gravity of the war we are in and the faith we have in our troops to meet this challenge.

The demand for fixer-uppers in NYC has never been that high but as inventory has grown and the competitive prices for move-in ready apartments continues to swell, more city dwellers are considering renovating old dwellings.

If the buyer is in a comfortable living situation and doesn't mind waiting to renovate or moving in at a later date then they are in the ideal situation to take on a fixer-upper. Often times these buyers want an apartment done their way and even if they bought a place that was finished they'd invest money in tearing out a countertop and putting in what they like so they figure why not do it once the right way.

I love my finish nailer. Well, I don't really love it, but I like it, I enjoy it, I find it useful for creating the world's most perfect crown molding corner (a future blog post, for sure).

But do I bring out the pancake compressor and finish nailer to drive a single finish nail into my son's train table? Do I go through 5-10 minutes of set-up when just grabbing a finish hammer and a nail set would do the job in 2 minutes? Of course I don't. And neither would you. Why? Because even though I find my finish nailer very handy for certain jobs, it is not meant to be used every time a finish nail is encountered.

The same can be said for a professional designer, or a myriad of professionals for that matter. They are very useful and necessary, but not in every situation.

So how do you decide if you need a design professional? It really comes down to your skill and the risk level you are willing to take. The following scenarios usually require a design professional, which is a general term I use to encompass architects and engineers. Upon reading this post you will have a better idea of when you should, and possibly should not, use a the services of a design professional.

Scenario 1: Structure Will be Affected

Any time your work will affect a load-bearing wall, column, or floor, you will likely need to consult an architect or engineer. It's simply not worth the risk to save money on this element of the project. Perhaps if your affect to the structure is minimal, you can have a designer address just that issue and you can take the rest on separately.

Expect to spend a minimum of $450 for a designer to analyze your project and draw details for the building department.