METCALF: The modern handyman

Bob Vila makes being a handyman look easy. He strolls through his projects aiding his staff, hammering here, drilling there, all the while advising his viewer at home on what he is doing. One day he’s installing crown molding, the next day he’s tarring a roof and wiping the sweat beads from his bushy forehead before they manage to meet his even bushier beard. Now it would be great to be proficient at all the cool stuff Bob Vila can do, but today’s handyman doesn’t need to be an all-around tool whiz.

Instead the basic handyman should know two things: basic construction and basic plumbing. This will save a man a lot of money throughout his life. Know how a wall is held up, how to use a drill, a hammer, a ruler and know how to unclog a drain. However, today’s handyman should also understand electronic installation. If you can do all these things you have the right to call yourself a modern handyman.

A generation ago there were only a few electronic devices in the house: There was probably a television, a radio and some appliances. Most of the things in the home were made out of steel or wood. In other words, they were either unbreakable (steel) or fixable (wood). As a result our grandfathers tended to be proficient with all sorts of different woodworking tools. For example, my grandfather had tool boxes in his car, his room, the kitchen, the shed and the garage. He also had tools that stayed in the shop. He was so busy fixing things all the time that he didn’t want to have to leave the room to get his tools. However, today’s things aren’t so fixable.

In fact, so much of our stuff is manufactured inexpensively that its long-term use is questionable. Once “put-it-together” yourself furniture is built, it’s only a matter of time until it falls apart. This kind of stuff tends to be made out of particle board (which is really just pressed saw dust held together with glue). Particle board is a handyman’s nemesis. It falls apart when cut, screws become loose over time and there’s no grain making it aesthetically unpleasing. Then there’s all the stuff that’s made out of plastic. Plastic is wonderfully versatile and cheap, but if it breaks, the only option is to get another one.

In today’s world, being able to fix or build complicated things just isn’t that necessary. Sure a bookshelf and a picnic table are cool to build, but they’re also inexpensive to buy. A good handyman weighs the value of any project against the time it’s going to take to make. If your time is more valuable than the thing you’re making, go buy it. But, electronics you can’t build unless you’re an engineer. As a result, an inexperienced person can spend a lot of money on a television and then pay even more to have it installed.

The modern handyman knows how to install a wide variety of electronic devices. He knows how to set up and fix a wireless network, he knows how to hook up his cable box. He should know how to save his contacts on his computer so he doesn’t need to make a Facebook group to get all his numbers back. He can set up a printer, and if he’s really good he’ll set it up on the wireless network so you can print from anywhere in his house. He can hook up his Xbox or Playstation 3 with Netflix, he uses HD cables and knows the ins and outs of an amplifier. Don’t try taking electronics apart, though; you might accidentally void the warranty.

These things are not very complicated and should be learned by any aspiring handyman. So get out there, ask your Dad for some tools, and start fixing stuff. The best way to learn handyman skills is trial and error so patch that wall, tighten those bolts and plug in those wires and maybe one day you can yourself a modern handyman.