Be handy around the house

Posted on 30 Jul 2010 at 14:43

Learn how to fix a bike, car or your cooking skills with our web guide to home skills

Your PC may not be much good with a hammer, but it’s a gateway to all the information you need to do household maintenance yourself.

For example, CompleteDIYGuide has links to more than 600 resources covering topics from wallpapering and tiling to home electrics and roofing. Obviously, there are jobs you shouldn’t attempt – stay away from the gas pipes and take care with anything involving electricity, for example – but being able to diagnose a fault can save you time and money.

You can be handy outside the home too, as there are also online tips for maintaining your vehicle. Cyclists should pull up for advice from the London Cycling Campaign on tasks such as replacing brake pads, maintaining tyres and adjusting gears.

Motorists should visit CarBibles, which provides a wealth of information about the intricate workings of your car’s brakes, suspension, transmission and so forth. Next time a mechanic tries to tell you your oil’s unbalanced, you’ll know he’s pulling a fast one.

Your PC can also help in the kitchen. Admittedly, cookery and computing may not sound a good fit, but there are thousands of recipe sites enabling even a kitchen dunce to produce dishes Gordon Ramsay wouldn’t swear at. First stop, once again, is the BBC, which has recipes from more than 40 cookery shows, past and present. Don’t worry if you’re not au fait with the Dickson Wrights and Worrall Thompsons of this world: you can find recipes by occasion, season or style. One particularly clever feature lets you search by ingredient, so you can easily find a tasty way to clear out the fridge.

Those seeking a more thorough education should stop by Chef2Chef, a complete chef’s guide to the basic theory and practice of food preparation. You’ll learn about different ways to cook, types of meat and fish, making soups and sauces, and even choosing the ideal wine. Then you can throw away your cookbooks altogether and develop your own culinary creations.