Nail It

Two handy tips I picked up in an old, out-of-print book of "household helps": To drive nails in plaster without cracking the plaster, put the nail in hot water for a few minutes and it can then be driven in securely without damage to the wall. To loosen screws and nails which have become rusted into wood, hold a red hot iron to the head of the screw for a short time and use the screwdriver while the screw is still hot.