PM's Guide to the Ultimate DIY Thanksgiving: 30-Minute Apfelwein

Here at PM, straightforward holiday cooking is uncreative and, frankly, a bit boring—it's a project that needs a DIYer's touch. Here is a recipe and directions for one of the simplest alcoholic brews on the planet: the 30-minute hard-cider variant, apfelwein. Click For More.

• PLUS: Home Brewed IPA (In 3 Hours)

PM's Guide to the Ultimate DIY Thanksgiving: Deep-Fried Turkey

For a moist (but not greasy!) bird, PM automotive editor Mike Allen recommends frying your Thanksgiving turkey from now on. Here's how to make the best turkey around without starting a neighborhood fire. Click For More.

• PLUS: PM's Ultimate Thanksgiving Gadget Guide

7 Small Drills Bore It Out: Tool Comparison Test

How much cordless drill do you need? Probably not as much as you think. We gathered seven drills with nearly identical features. Then we drilled holes with a 5/8-inch spade bit and drove 2-inch drywall screws until the batteries gave out. Here’s our report. Click For More.

• PLUS: PM Tests Larger, 18-Volt Cordless Drills

Five of the Craziest Chinese Drywall Stories We've Heard

Almost a year after news began breaking about bizarre happenings related to Chinese drywall, numerous questions remain unanswered. Despite the lack of definitive answers, the investigation so far certainly hasn't come up short on strange anecdotes. Click For More.

• PLUS: 6 Chinese Drywall Safety Report Surprises

Locking Pliers Comparison: Abusive Lab Test

The iconic Vise-Grip locking pliers quite literally aren’t what they used to be—in 2008, the manufacturer shuttered their Nebraska plant and moved production to China. How do the new Vise-Grips hold up to the no-longer-sold classic? Click For More.

• PLUS: Socket Wrench Design Wars

How to Install a Plastic Laminate Backsplash

Installing plastic laminate countertops is different from making it into a backsplash. Here's how to cut, place and glue laminate or linoleum for the perfect kitchen backsplash. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Fix a Floppy Laminate Backsplash

5 (Fake) Future Products From the Stanley Black & Decker Merger

Hand-tool maker Stanley acquired Black & Decker, the power tool manufacturer, in a $4.5-billion merger announced Monday. Here are several possible (although not necessarily probable) new products that we hope to see in stores soon. Click For More.

• PLUS: Stanley's FatMax Fubar II Demo Tool

The Trail Boss's Guide to Leaf-Cleaning at Home

Trail maintainers working for the national forest service know all about outdoor cleanup—including how, and when, to remove leaves. PM has come up with essential tips and tools for homeowners to tackle a chore that's tedious and often unnecessary. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter

Pro Tips For Installing Crown Molding

Crown molding is not easy to install, but the right trim can transform a room. Here are illustrated step-by-step guidelines that prove that a skillful layout and smart shortcuts can change any apprentice carpenter into a ceiling molding master. Click For More.

• PLUS: 4 Future Classic Tools on Sale Now

Socket Wrench Design Wars

The hand-tool market is so competitive that any good idea is bound to breed copycats. Take the new Craftsman Dog Bone and Black & Decker ReadyWrench socket wrenches. Both tools feature essentially the same design—so how did the dueling doppelgängers make their simultaneous ... Click For More.

• PLUS: 50 Tools Everyone Should Own (With Tips!)

Halloween Vandalism: How to Prevent It—And How to Clean It Up

Most trick-or-treaters are pleasant and creatively dressed children. But there are always some who take "tricks" several steps further—there's toilet paper, and then there's outright vandalism. Here are some tips for keeping your property trick-free this year. Click For More.

• PLUS: Build Your Own Surveillance Pumpkin

Two High-Tech Halloween Surveillance Pumpkin Mods (Step-by-Step Plans!)

PM's senior technology editor Glenn Derene is defending his property on mischief night by catching the ne'er-do-wells before they strike—with two high-tech video-capturing pumpkin mods. Click For More.

• PLUS: DIY Projects to Make the Ultimate Haunted House

How to Build a Stone Garden Bench

Inspired by a 1938 stone fireplace project, PM decided to build an old-fashioned stone bench. We picked the stones, shaped them, mixed and trimmed the mortar and laid the foundation—the results are a simple and elegant outdoor bench. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Build a Natural Stone Patio

What to Expect From the Cash for Appliance Program

After the perceived success of the Cash for Clunkers program, the Department of Energy pledged that a similar rebate program would soon roll out for inefficient appliances. More than three months after that announcement, details still remain hazy. Here are three questions ... Click For More.

• PLUS: 19 Easy Ways to Slash Your Utility Bill

Do Dryer Balls Work? As Seen on TV Lab Test

The makers of Dryer Balls claim their product will soften your clothes and make them dry faster, without the use of chemicals. We ran a few loads of laundry through the dryer with and without Dryer Balls to find out if they really work, or if they're full of hot air. Click For More.

• PLUS: Hot to Funnel Gray Water to Your Garden

New Drill Bit for F-35 Planes has Bonded Home-Grown Diamonds

The F-35 Lightning II airplane is made from composite fiber, which means that when to comes to working on it, regular tools just won't do. Here's one of the tools that AMAMCO Tool created to work with some of the world's most advanced airplanes. Click For More.

• PLUS: Inside the MythBusters' Workshop

The Key to the Battery-Powered House: Q&A With Ceramatec

Researchers have been looking for a small, safe and compact in-home battery capable of storing excess power for use during the renewable energy doldrums: Nighttime and calm winds. Ceramatec might finally have the solution. Click For More.

• BREAKTHROUGH '09: Sodium-Sulfur Home Battery

14 Projects to Make the Ultimate DIY Haunted House

It's Halloween, the time of the year when it is acceptable—and even expected—to scare the living tar out of children in the neighborhood. PM compiled 14 projects from Instructables that will make your haunted home the envy of all others on the block. Click For More.

• VIDEO: Pumpkin Throwdown at Annual Punkin Chunkin

10 Scarecrows for the 21st-Century Farmer

Since ancient times, man has struggled to protect his crops from avian intruders. While a pumpkin-headed scarecrow may be an agricultural anachronism, it’s also a proven security system. In the spirit of Halloween, PM examined some upgrades on the old classic. Click For More.

• PLUS: 10 Incredibly Cool DIY Projects

Winners Announced in Solar Decathlon Competition

The Solar Decathlon competition, run by the Department of Energy (and sponsored in part by Popular Mechanics), pits 20 college teams against one another in a solar-paneled showdown of architecture and engineering. Here are the 20 teams competing. Click For More.

• SOLAR DECATHALON: Complete Event Coverage

Ohio State's Solar Decathlon Entry Is Entirely Home-Grown

Ohio State's Solar House 1 is net-zero in terms of energy—it produces as much power as it consumes. The facade is made of reclaimed wood from a barn in Southern Ohio. Louver window shades help residents control the interior climate. Click For More.

• PLUS: Cornell's Silo House Goes Against the Grain

University of Illinois Builds a Salvaged Solar Home: Solar Decathlon

The Gable Home doesn't just echo historic icons of the team's home state—it's actually constructed of them. For example, wood from the wall of an old grain elevator has become the decking. But there are lots of new materials in the home, too, like bamboo. Click For More.

• BREAKTHROUGH '09: Andalay AC Solar PV Panel

UW's Meltwater House is Inspired by Glaciers: Solar Decathlon

At Meltwater, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's 2009 Solar Decathlon house, undulating glacial shapes imitate the state's landscape. Click For More.

• PLUS: Virginia Tech's Lumenhaus Sports Sliding Panels

Which Kind of Fuel is Best for Lawn String Trimmers? PM Lab Test

Two new weed whackers recently ditched the traditional gas/oil fuel mixture. One switched to propane, the other to lithium-ion batteries. The new tools seem capable, but how do their cutting-edge designs compare to the veteran petroleum blend? Click For More.

• BREAKTHROUGH '09: Lehr's Propane Trimmer

Virginia Tech's Lumenhaus Sports Sliding Panels: Solar Decathlon

Popular Mechanics visited Virginia Tech's Solar Decathlon entry, the Lumenhaus, on the National Mall in Washington. The team was putting the finishing touches on the house, in anticipation of the event, which opened to the public yesterday morning. Click For More.

• PLUS: Students Build the Solar Homes of the Future

How to Install a Wood Pellet Stove

Pellet stoves are an easy-to-use, but sophisticated alternative to the traditional wood stove. Here’s what to look for and how to install a wood pellet stove in your home. Click For More.

• PLUS: The Backyard Furnace Feud

5 Blender Show-Down: Abusive Lab Test (With Video!)

PM’s last blender test had a clear winner, but it still wasn’t the blender of our dreams. This time around, we went in search of the top blender on the market, no matter what the price. Shouldn’t a blender be able to handle a whole fruit apple, orange or banana? Read on for ... Click For More.

• PLUS: PM Tests the Best Survival Rations

Students Build the Solar Homes of the Future

For the Solar Decathlon, 20 teams of college students strive to build the most technologically savvy sun-powered house. For two weeks in October their homes go head to head in a contest to consume the least energy. Click For More.

• PLUS: The Key to the Battery-Powered House

PM Takes the First Test Ride on a Jet-Powered Carousel (Video!)

Brooklyn-based arts collective The Madagascar Institute had tested its home-built jet-powered merry-go-round—but never with people on it. So PM's Seth Porges volunteered his life and limb. Here is his maiden voyage. Click For More.

• PLUS: 7 Works of DIY Insanity at Gadgetoff '09

How and When to Use Polyurethane in Woodworking

Developed as a substitute for rubber during World War II. Today, when a woodworker says “poly,” the polyurethane under discussion is a tough, moisture-resistant film finish available in various levels of gloss. Click For More.

• PLUS: Enamel Paint for Doors and Windows

Making Level Stringers for Stairs: PM Tool Tips

We don’t think about what holds stairs up when we walk down them. You might guess it was the walls below the stairs, but actually stairs are self-supporting structures that are held up by their stringers, the long pieces to which each tread is fastened. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Build Stairs in 3 Easy Steps

8 Tools and Gadgets to Prepare Your Home For Any Disaster

Every year, millions of Americans cope with the threat of hurricanes, wildfires, quakes and tornadoes—and blackouts can strike anywhere. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing your home and family. Click For More.

• PLUS: 6 Stylish Bomb Shelters On Sale Now!

3 Projects for a Cheap and Easy DIY Wedding

PM's Joe Pappalardo and his fiancee didn't want a wedding that would break the bank. Here, Joe gives tips and three step-by-step projects for frugal couples to help save money for things that guests will really appreciate—like an open bar. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Make a Five-Cent Wedding Band

The World's 18 Strangest Buildings—And Why We Love Them

While the demand for high-end design projects may be scaled back in favor of minimal and frugal architecture, unusual design still holds a place for museums and other prominent locations, primarily because it is so effective at turning heads. Click For More.

• PLUS: The World's Next 10 Hot Skyscrapers

The Key to the Battery-Powered House

Scientists have created a small-scale prototype battery that could store enough energy to power a house for most of the day. Is this small disk the key to cost-effective solar-powered homes? Click For More.

• PLUS: Is the Cost-Effective Solar Panel Here?

Easy Storage Solutions and Choosing the Best Adhesive for the Job

If pack-rat tendencies have left you with the need for good storage, here’s how to make the most of your space. And because many home improvement projects require some glue, here are six adhesive options and the best ways to use them. Click For More.

• PLUS: Quick Fixes, Upgrades and Instant Organizers

Does the Wearable Towel Work? As Seen on TV Lab Test

The Wearable Towel fills some unnamed, unknown need for a hydrophilic textile that "keeps you totally covered, and gives you the freedom to use your hands." We measured its absorbency and fit after numerous dips in a creek. Click For More.

• PLUS: Top 5 Billy Mays As Seen On TV Products

How to Turn Bike Parts Into an Awesome Table

Brooklyn's 3rd Ward teaches a course where students learn the basic concepts for creating useful objects out of recycled materials. Here's a step-by-step project that takes some seriously worthless parts and turns them into a truly awesome table. Click For More.

• PLUS: How to Make Crappy Stuff Awesome

5 Ways to Work with Copper Pipe: PM Tool Tips

Although the words “pipe” and “tubing” are often used interchangeably, they are not synonymous. Unlike pipe, tubing is thin-walled and may be rigid or flexible.Here are tips on cutting, reaming, cleaning, fluxing and soldering copper tubing. Click For More.

• TOOL TIPS: How to Work with Roof Shingles

8 Quick Fixes For Your Worn Out Table and Chairs

Home furniture experiences a great deal of everyday wear and tear. With all the use, tabletop stains, wobbly chairs and scratched floors are almost inevitable. Here are cheap, quick fixes for some common furniture problems. Click For More.

• PLUS: Choosing the Best Countertop Material

Oscillating Hand Tool Lab Test: Can These Four Stand Up to Traditional Power Tools?

Oscillating tools are making some big news these days, as a number of toolmakers have recently released their own versions of the multifaceted tool. Are oscillating tools worth it? These three tests shed some light on the answer. Click For More.

• PLUS: 50 Tools Everyone Should Own

How to Repair a Damaged Trellis

A lot can go wrong with an old trellis, from wood rot to rusted steel fasteners. Here¹s how to salvage a damaged one without having to call in the services of a carpenter or mason. Click For More.

• PLUS: PM's Guide to Pumping a Septic Tank

How Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters Work: PM Tool Tips

A GFCI, or ground fault circuit interrupter, is designed to protect you by sensing electricity leaking to ground. They should be equal, and if they’re not, it cuts power. Here's how it works. Click For More.

• TOOL TIPS: When to Use a Halogen Bulb

16 DIY Projects That Make Summer More Fun

Lazy days are an essential part of summer rest and relaxation, but if you're like us, you want something more to show for your weekends than a tan. Here are 20 innovative and seriously fun projects to take on during a slow day in the sun. Click For More.

• PLUS: Summer Skills to Master Before Labor Day