How to Open a Locked Interior Door When You’ve Lost the Key
If you have a lot of interior doorknobs with key locks on them, sooner or later you’re bound to lose the key or lock them inside the room. Here’s what to do to get back in.
When one of my interior doors got locked with the keys inside recently, I learned all I ever wanted to know about lock-picking and doorknob assembly. Locksmiths are expensive, so let me share everything I tried and show you how I eventually got the door open.
If the doorknob in question is a simple push-button affair, most of the time all you need to do is jab a paperclip in the hole and push on the locking mechanism. If the doorknob just has a slit on the outside handle, a butter knife should do the trick.
Keyed locks are a bit trickier to open but it can be done. The easiest approach is to grab a paperclip and tension wrench. If you don’t have a tension wrench handy, a very small hex key (roughly the same diameter as the paperclip) will do in a pinch. Take a hammer and flatten the end of the paperclip as flat as you can get it, then grab your makeshift lock-picking tools and head to the door. eHow explains what to do next:
Insert the flattened end of the paperclip above the tension wrench. Push it in until you meet resistance. This is the first pin of the lock. Push up on the pin with the paperclip to try and move it out of the way. When it works, the tension wrench will turn a little further. Hold the wrench in this position, still applying pressure so the pin doesn’t drop back down.
Take the paperclip out and push it back in again. When you meet the resistance of the next pin, push up on it as well until it moves and the tension wrench turns. Repeat this procedure with the rest of the pins until the lock opens.
Some lever-type doorknobs respond nicely to the credit card treatment and let you pretend you’re a secret agent while you get the door open. wikiHow says just slide the card into the crack in the door, right where the lock is.
Tilt the card so the side that’s closest to you is almost or is touching the doorknob. Push it until you feel it slide in more. Bend the card the opposite way, forcing the lock to go back. Quickly open the door. It is a good idea to lean against the door while doing this, which will help it to pop open.
If you want to go all MacGyver on the locked door, grab a vacuum cleaner, dental floss, and a piece of paper. Use the step-by-step guide over at Instructables to show that locked door who’s boss.
Sometimes, no matter what you do, the lock just won’t budge. In that event, it’s time to just remove the entire assembly. Slide a butter knife under the collar where the doorknob meets the door and pop the collar loose so you can get at the screws holding the doorknob together. Once the screws are removed, the doorknob will come apart and you’ll be able to easily slide back the mechanism holding the door closed.
If all else fails, there’s nothing a hammer wont fix. First, give the doorknob itself several good poundings until it’s good and dented. This does absolutely nothing to help unlock the door but it’s a great way to get back at the lock that’s giving you so much trouble.
Next, insert the claw end of the hammer underneath the top of the doorknob’s collar. Put a stiff piece of cardboard where the hammer meets the door to protect the paint. Cover the knob with a thick towel in case metal parts go flying, then yank the hammer down hard. Do this a couple of times until the screws holding the doorknob together snap.
When you go to the hardware store to buy a new locking doorknob, be sure to have some spare keys made while you’re there.
Build a Walking Work Station in 20 Minutes for $20
If you want to get off your duff and onto your treadmill but think you can’t spare time away from work, now you’ve got no excuses. Consultant Jenny Evans demonstrates how to build a treadmill work station quickly and on the cheap.
You should be able to pick up the supplies to make this slick treadmill table for about 20 bucks at your local home improvement store. All it takes is a plank of wood and two brackets (Evans used Tornado E-Z Ancors) to secure it to the arms of your treadmill.
Attach the braces to the wood, then secure it to the arms of your treadmill, and you’re done. Now you’ll have plenty of space to keep a laptop, books, your day planner, and a beverage with you while you walk along your endless road. Check out the video to see how dead-simple the project really is.
You could spend a few extra minutes staining or painting the untreated wood, but it’s not strictly necessary. You’re aiming for functionality here, not beauty. Once you’ve rigged your setup, Evans says it’s surprisingly easy to work while you walk. If you plan on jogging or running, typing is right out of the question, but you can always use the time to catch up on the last episode of Lost.
Would having your laptop at your fingertips while you work out motivate you to use your treadmill more often or do you like getting away from it all and leaving the internet behind for a while? If so—and this one doesn’t tickle your fancy—we’ve featured other treadputer and bikeputer setups in the past.
Make a Portable Projector Screen for Less Than Ten Bucks
If you regularly tear the wrinkled sheets off your bed to use them as a makeshift projector screen, it’s time to upgrade. Make this portable screen on the cheap that stashes away in a closet til the next time you need it.
The DIY portable projector screen project over at Instructables can be whipped together in about an hour, and costs next to nothing to assemble. All you need is a white sheet, some eyelets, a few screw-in hooks, and about 12 feet of PVC pipe.
There’s only five steps involved in making the screen:
1. Decide what size you want. Mine is 5 feet wide by 6 feet tall.
2. Cut and sew the top and sides. Leave a couple inches extra on each side so you can fold it over and sew a seam.
3. Insert eyelets. One on each side of the top.
4. Sew in PVC pipe. This is to make it hang flat and straight, and to make it easy to roll up and store. Just fold the bottom over the PVC, crease the sheet, take out the pipe and sew all the way across. Then slide the pipe in and sew the sides shut.
5. Put the hooks in your ceiling. I put some in my living room, my bedroom, and another bedroom. They’re hardly noticeable so I just leave them up there all the time.
Using a bedsheet for this project is a super-inexpensive way to get the job done, and you can get them everywhere from Target to Goodwill. If you’re looking for a sturdier material, though, try using Tyvek in place of the sheet
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could cut the length of PVC pipe in half before sewing it into the sheet—then you can fold it in half before storing it. One of Instructable’s commenters also suggests adding a second piece of PVC pipe to the top edge for added stability, and to make sure the screen hangs straight.
How would you tweak this project to make it easier, or to make the screen even more user-friendly? Brainstorm in the comments.
Caveat Emptor Helps You Avoid Recalled Products
Firefox only: The next time you’re doing a little online shopping, consider downloading the Firefox add-on Caveat Emptor first. It quickly lets you know if the product you’re looking at has been recalled or is on a safety watch list.
Caveat Emptor—Latin for “let the buyer beware”—reads the metadata on the product web page you’re viewing and checks it against a list of products that have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Once installed, you can access it by right-clicking your mouse button. You’ll get the option to check the CPSC monitored products or access a list of RSS feeds for all kinds of recalled products from toys to sporting gear.
Right now, the Caveat Emptor add-on is a pretty bare-bones affair. According to its developer, though, future plans include improved search and a more user-friendly API.
Do you check recall information before you buy a product? What resources do you use to check the safety of the things you buy? Share your best resources in the comments.
White House App Keeps You Posted on Presidential Happenings, Streams Events Live
iPhone/iPod touch: only: Staying up to date with what’s happening at the White House just got a whole lot easier thanks to a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch (coming soon to other devices).
The official White House application is packed with news releases from the press room, photos of what the President is up to, and archived videos of everything from public service announcements to the Weekly Address, but the coolest thing about this app is the live video streaming that lets users watch press briefings, Presidential addresses, and other media events in real-time. A dedicated section of the app displays a schedule of upcoming broadcasts and taps right into the live videos you’d normally have to visit the White House web site to see.
One thing to note: there are lots of apps in the App Store with “White House” in the name, so be sure to grab the free app called “The White House” to get the official version.
Don’t have an iPhone or iPod touch? Sit tight, there’s a version of this app on the way that will work with any internet-enabled mobile device, including BlackBerry and Android.
Turn Old VHS Cases into Retro Spiral-Bound Notebooks
You spent good money on that huge library of VHS tapes, but now DVDs are where it’s at. If you decide to get rid of the tapes, hang on to their boxes and repurpose them to make these wicked spiral notebooks.
Instructables has a great step-by-step tutorial on how to create the coolest spiral-bound notepads around. If you have basic supplies like a hole punch, ruler, and pliers, than pretty much all you’ll need to spring for is a few pre-made spiral-bound notebooks from the office supply store (unless you happen to have a binding machine stashed somewhere).
Grab the store-bought notebook, pry open the crimped ends, and carefully unwind the spiral that’s holding the pages together. Use the notebook cover you just freed as a template for cutting your VHS box to the correct size.
Take the old cover or back of the notebook (hereafter “template”) and lay it on the box cover or back on the non-printed side. Line up the edges of the template and the box piece so that the hole edges are flush. Tape the two together temporarily if necessary. Now use the pencil to mark all of the holes you will make. Make a mark around the entire circumference of the circle, not just a single dot. When done remove the template.
The Instructables post will tell you everything you need to know about reassembling the notebook and more. The next time you have a couple hours to spare, grab the covers from your favorite VHS movies, put a few of these bad boys together for your next class or work seminar, and let your fan flag fly.
Romaco Timeout Puts the Brakes on Your Computer Overuse
Windows only: Ever wish you could set an automatic time limit on how long you (or someone else) can use your computer to play games or browse the internet? Romaco Timeout lets you do exactly that.
This free app takes parental controls on your Windows operating system to the next level. Rather than keep users from visiting specific web sites or locking down certain apps, it allows you to decide how long users can stay on the computer either per session or by cumulative daily time. Once the time limit is reached, the user can be either logged off or the entire computer can be shut down.
Romaco Timeout also controls how much time a user can spend online before the app locks down the browser, and also gives the option of turning everything back on again after a certain amount of time has elapsed. If you want to set the app to start up automatically every time a certain user logs on, you can do that, too.
The app requires a global password so an admin can change or adjust the settings. Romaco Timeout is an obvious choice for parents who want to control the time their children spend on computers, but we can think of a couple of other uses for it, too. For instance, if you need a little help resisting the siren call of the internet or tend to procrastinate in the face of a big project, have a friend set up Romaco Timeout so you can only get online for a certain amount of time or at certain intervals throughout the day—though our own Invisibility Cloak is pretty good at that.
How else would you use this cool timeout app? Brainstorm ideas in the comments.
Real Estate Search for iPhone Helps You Find Your Dream Home by Location
iPhone/iPod touch only: The next time you’re driving around a nice neighborhood and wonder if there are any homes for sale in your price range, whip out your iPhone and check with Realtor.com to find out.
This nifty app for the iPhone and iPod touch taps directly into the listings at Realtor.com to give you all kinds of information on nearby homes for sale. You can search by town, state, zip code, price, or the amenities you’re looking for. You can even search by Multiple Listing Service (MLS) number assigned to a specific property if you happen to know it.
The app also checks your location and lets you know about any open houses going on in the area so you can scope houses from the inside out. If you want to know everything going on in the housing market in your area, save your searches and Realtor.com will email you every time there’s an open house or new listing. Be advised, the app updates every 15 minutes, so you may get a lot of alerts if you’re searching a major metropolitan area.
Each listing contains tons of information about the home for sale, including the asking price, property details, agent information, and pictures if there are any. You can view the property on a map, email it to someone else, and even contact the listing agent, all without leaving the app.
If you’re in the market for a new home, or just want to daydream about what’s out there, then this app is a good start. It’s a handy way to carry around a comprehensive overview of the housing market right in your pocket or purse.
VUE Turns Your Mind-Mapped Ideas Into Presentations
Windows/Mac/Linux: Sometimes the easiest way to make sense of a big project is to get its details out of your brain so you can visualize it. Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) helps you map your ideas, then make presentations out of them.
Mind-mapping tools are great for corralling snippets of information and brainstorming details into one place so you can see how they fit together in the big picture. If this is your first foray into the world of mind-mapping apps, you’ll find VUE easy to set up and use. (Our previous guide to mind mapping is a great resource to help you wrap your head around mind maps.)
You’ll need to register at the app’s web site for a free account before you can download the Windows, Mac, or Linux version of VUE at no cost. Once installed, you get get started right away setting up nodes containing ideas or concepts, then linking them with arrows to form relationships between them. You can also include clickable URLs, images, files, and more. Want to include videos and documents? Just drag them over and drop them on your map.
Unlike many other mind-mapping tools, VUE can go a step beyond the mind map, turning your brainstorms into slide presentations so you can share them with others. They’re laid out so viewers can walk through the information contained in your map in a way that helps them understand how the concepts are laid out. VUE has tons of features that are likely to appeal to novice and expert mind-mappers alike. Check out this demo video to get a better idea of what VUE can do for you.
VUE is a free download for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Foobar2000 1.0 Released with Nicer Layout, Support for Windows Media, and More
Windows only: Freeware audio player foobar2000 has a big new 1.0 release under its belt, sporting a bunch of new features and improvements. If you’re looking for a lightweight media player that’s highly customizable, then foobar2000 deserves a look.
(Click the image above for a closer look.)
Foobar2000 has always gotten high marks from us, making our list of the top apps we’re most thankful for as well as garnering reader approval in our Hive Five best desktop media players. We like it because it’s fast, portable, and has loads of plug-ins and customizations that let us do everything from show album art to connect an iPod.
The new version of foobar2000 has a new context menu structure that’s a tiny bit less customizable but makes up for it by featuring a more intuitive layout from the get-go. Foobar2000 also has built-in support for Windows Media and RTSP streaming, and better compatibilityf with multimedia keyboards.
Out of the box, foobar2000 isn’t necessarily much to look at, but as our readers previously demonstrated, it’s easy to dress it up. For even more customization options, be sure to take a look at how to roll your own killer audio player with foobar2000.
Do you currently use foobar2000? Share a screenshot of your configuration with your fellow readers at #myfoobar2000.
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