This is a hard, full month of winter, but it’s also a month with light at the end of the tunnel. The days are getting longer, and spring is coming soon. In the meantime, give your sweetie a Valentine’s Day present by catching up on some deferred cleaning and maintenance.... Click For More
January 26, 2007
Wood-Boring Drill Bits: Lab Test with Video
To find out how two new drill bits, both designed with self-feeding features that essentially pull the bit through the hole as it spins, stack up against a standard, old-fashioned spade bit, we decided to abuse a pallet that's been taking up space in our lab.... Click For More
January 2, 2007
Monthly Home To-Do List: January's Winter Fixes
Baby, it’s cold outside. Sure, this month offers plenty of reasons to stay close by the fire with a good book (preferably a home improvement title) but you can get a lot done if you put your mind to it…and put your long johns on.... Click For More
November 22, 2006
Bye Bye, Birdie: PM’s Favorite Turkey Knives
Last month, we tackled pumpkins, but now it’s time for a different kind of carve-off. With just a few hours left until the Thanksgiving big feast, Popular Mechanics’ editors—and an expert from upstairs—give their tried-and-true turkey cooking and carving recommendations.... Click For More
November 10, 2006
Switch Your Light Bulb and Save $30 on the Power Bill
You can save a couple bucks – and the environment – by taking part in a campaign pushing every American household to exchange just one energy-hogging incandescent bulb for an eco-friendly compact fluorescent.... Click For More
November 7, 2006
Mouse Trap? The Maraudings of an Insulation-Chewing Rodent
Monday morning, at about 4:30, I had a look behind the door and found that the insulation had been chewed off a copper heating pipe. The life of a mouse must be a dull one. I could see how late-night boredom would just drive you to chew on something. Fifteen minutes later, I had a mouse trap set with peanut butter.... Click For More
The Most Extreme Pumpkin Carve-Off Ever: The Full Story
At Popular Mechanics, the only thing we love more than making a huge mess is making a huge competition out of making a huge mess – a good, old fashioned one, where only the strong survive. And Halloween provided the perfect stage: The first annual PM Pumpkin Carve-Off.... Click For More
Friday the 13th Special: Debunking the Myths of Bad Luck
We’re taking a closer look at those innocent everyday household happenings that shoulder the guilt for a world of bad luck. Cats, mirrors and ladders rejoice: We're setting your supernatural record straight.... Click For More
October 10, 2006
Home Checklist: Winter Prep
October has 31 days, and it’s a busy month with all that leaf-raking and trick-or-treating going on. Inside, tips on Halloween safety, fire prevention, heating system maintenance, creaky doors and—of course—raking those leaves.... Click For More
October 9, 2006
What Lies Beneath: Discovering Leftovers at Home
When you buy a house, it’s amazing what you find left behind by previous owners.... Click For More
Get hands-on with the newest innovations from PM's tech team: 24 videos, live blogging from Instapundit Glenn Reynolds, podcasting and a cheaper iPhone.
PM goes to Hollywood to explain the revolution in digital cinema. Plus, the top 10 F/X scenes ever, podcasts with industry insiders, video of hot new flicks and more.
Like most of us, Jay Leno has been looking hard at his footprint on the planet. In a long-term project with PM, he's upgrading with environmentally friendly equipment. WITH VIDEO!
Culled from a half-century of Popular Mechanics issues (make that the first half of last century), The Boy Mechanic represents an age when imagination could conquer far more than the checkbook — when solving a problem was more satisfying than paying to have it go away.