I’ve always been reasonably handy, but when it came to real hands-dirty, open-things-up-and-rearrange-the-parts hacking skills, I was a complete novice. So I got into the DO-IT-YOURSELF world the same way any experienced DIYer would start to work on a project. I did some research, some reading, talked to seasoned tinkerers, and then dove right in. The key to DIY is knowing what you can achieve. As long as safety issues are never compromised and building codes are adhered to, pushing your own perceived limitations a little further than you would have thought possible will provide a great deal of satisfaction. By challenging yourself, you build up new levels of skill, aptitude, and, ultimately, confidence. We believe that the secret to your success in any project is taking the time to plan, to budget, and to hone your abilities. Compromise is often required, and finding the correct balance between these competing elements often comes down to experience. We have tried in this section of best guru info to pass along and cram as much of our own experience as possible into the following pages to give you a head start and to add to your own knowledge and skills.