Tom Scalisi

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Name: Tom Scalisi

Title: Contributing Writer

Tom Scalisi is a freelance writer, author, and blogger with a passion for building. Whether it’s a DIY project or an entire website, Tom loves creating something from the ground up, stepping back, and admiring a job well done.

Expertise and Experience

Tom’s first experience working with tools was when he was around 8 or 9 years old, when he learned how to take old bikes apart, swap the parts, and create mismatched bikes that were barely rideable. As he got a little older, he fell in love with working on cars and building things, so he decided to go into the trades as soon as he could. He worked in the fire alarm industry, then in building maintenance and carpentry, and then ran his own contracting business for several years. He was also a police officer for a busy city agency where he served on the department’s emergency services unit as a negotiator.

Tom has been stockpiling tools of all sorts for as long as he can remember. He has a passion for hand tools and power tools alike, always needing to know more about them, how to use them, and how to get the most out of them. While he loves building and fixing, he also gets quite a thrill from using that knowledge of tools and techniques to craft a how-to or buyer’s guide that helps DIYers get things done.

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MAY 31, 2022 | TUESDAY
Plunge Router vs. Fixed-Base Router: What's the Difference?

DIYers and woodworkers (usually) love their tools. But, when two tools—like a plunge router and fixed-base router—appear to serve the same purpose, it can be a struggle to choose the righ...

MAY 31, 2022 | TUESDAY
The Best Basement Lighting of 2023

Shining some light on below-grade spaces can do a lot for your home. Proper lighting increases the usability of your basement, allowing you to expand this storage area while reducing the ...

MAY 31, 2022 | TUESDAY
The Best Invisible Dog Fences of 2023

Installing a traditional fence may help to keep a pup in the yard, but the thought of them circumventing the fence and wandering around the neighborhood may call for more diligent measure...

MAY 27, 2022 | FRIDAY
10 Signs a Tree in Your Yard Needs to Be Removed

There comes a time in every tree’s life cycle where its beauty and splendor runs out and it becomes a liability rather than a beloved landscape feature. Most homeowners, DIYers, and caret...

MAY 26, 2022 | THURSDAY
10 Ways to Reduce Construction Costs for Your Kitchen Renovation

Remodeling a kitchen is one of the most surefire ways to improve both the value of a home and its inhabitants’ quality of life. Although a kitchen renovation offers a relatively healthy r...

MAY 26, 2022 | THURSDAY
The Best Fence Companies of 2023

Installing a fence is hard work. And while it might seem like simply digging holes and pouring concrete, there is actually quite a bit of precision and technique required to make the job ...

MAY 25, 2022 | WEDNESDAY
The Best Borescopes of 2023

Even for DIYers with excellent eyesight, there are certain barriers through which they’ll never see. Whether it’s an engine block, a pipe, a wall cavity, or even a crack between two surfa...

MAY 18, 2022 | WEDNESDAY
The Best Construction Work Pants of 2023

Anyone who works with their hands knows that their clothes can take a beating. Construction, DIY projects, and trade work are all physically demanding, and typical casual pants usually pa...

MAY 18, 2022 | WEDNESDAY
The Best Construction Knee Pads of 2023

Construction can be brutal on the body. Beyond the heavy lifting and repetitive motions involved, time spent kneeling on plywood, concrete, or even soil can cause pain, discomfort, and sw...

MAY 17, 2022 | TUESDAY
The Best Electric Hand Planers of 2023

Despite painstakingly perfect measurements and perfect cuts, there are times when wood just doesn’t cooperate. Whether it’s a door in an old home that sticks as it closes, a joist that is...