That 1970s DIY book about fixing windows that nearly got me walled up in my own basement

I found this old book at a library sale in Cleveland for 50 cents, all about home repairs. Tried following its instructions to replace a rotted window frame in my basement, but the measurements were off by like 4 inches. Ended up cutting the frame too small and had to stuff scrap wood and foam in the gap to keep it from leaking. After 3 tries and a lot of swearing, I gave up and just patched it with plywood for the winter. Has anyone else had a vintage how-to book lead you totally wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayes.elliot16d ago

Did you try looking up a modern version of the same fix on YouTube? I had a similar issue with an old wiring guide that was super outdated, and finding a step by step video saved me a ton of headache. Sometimes the basics are solid, but the measurements and materials have just changed too much.

paul_lane8016d ago

Wait, are you serious that the old guide had totally different measurements? lol that's wild. I would've been livid if I followed something that was legit from a different era of materials and dimensions, especially if I was dealing with something like wiring where a few millimeters off could cause a short. But yeah, YouTube has bailed me out a few times too, though I always double check the comments to see if anyone pointed out mistakes in the video before I start cutting anything. Still, it's crazy how fast even "basic" DIY stuff has changed in just the last decade or so.