By A Manly Guest Contributor
This is a guest post by Ethan Hagan from One Project Closer. Check out some of his other manly contributions like How to Install a Toilet. Being able to wire an outlet is a great skill to have in your repertoire, and, once mastered, you’ll be able to replace old or damaged outlets in a matter of minutes. To help you know what to expect, I’ve created a tabletop guide with pictures illustrating how to properly wire an outlet. This tabletop demonstration illustrates how to wire a typical electrical receptacle. This means I’m making some assumptions, and if you find wiring in your home that looks different, that doesn’t mean it was done wrong. In fact, there are many possible variations including a different amp circuit, amp receptacle, wire gauge, number of wires, and more. With that said, what I’ve presented below is a very common scenario, and it’s a great place to start. 
Code and Permits Obviously a tabletop demonstration doesn’t require pulling permits. However, local code often requires a permit for new or extended circuits, and sometimes only licensed master electricians can pull permits. In some counties homeowners can take a standard test and obtain permits for almost all work within their own home. Check out your county or state government’s licensing and permits website to learn specifics for your area. Most jurisdictions follow some variation of the National Electric Code (NEC), and you can get limited free access to the NEC via the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) website. Tools & Materials 
Most electrical projects can be completed with a few hand tools. For this demonstration, I grabbed: - Screwdriver
- Lineman’s pliers
- Utility knife
- Needle-nose pliers
- Wire strippers (many wire strippers have loop makers, eliminating the need for the needle-nose pliers)
- Voltage tester (not shown in image)
- 15 amp receptacle
- 14/2 wire
- Electrical box
- Wire nut
You can find all the necessary tools and materials at your local DIY center. A 15 amp outlet like the one shown here only costs about $0.60, and you can purchase 100′ of 14/2 Romex for $35.00! If you’re planning a big project, purchase the “contractor packs,” and keep your eye out for a Home Depot coupon for even better prices. Step 1: Turn Off the Breaker  If the outlet you’re working with is already connected to the breaker panel, turn off the appropriate breaker, and double-check that it is off with a voltage tester or even a lamp (that you know works). After turning off the appropriate breaker and double-checking with a voltmeter, remove the faceplate. You’ll see screws at the top and bottom of the outlet, and after removing those, the receptacle can be pulled out of the box. If the wires have enough excess length, they can simply be cut and re-stripped. If there isn’t much wire to work with, they need to be disconnected by either backing out the screw terminal or pressing the release slot to disengage the stab-back connection.  New work electrical boxes will be nailed to a stud, and remodel electrical boxes (like the one pictured below) will be affixed to the drywall. The box will have at least one cable (bundle of wires) entering through the backside. This demonstration shows 2-wire, which means each cable contains one black and one white wire, plus a ground wire. 
Step 2: Pigtail Ground Wires 
If you’re replacing an existing outlet, odds are good that you can skip this step because you can reuse the existing splice. However, if any of the wires are nicked or damaged, they should be cut back and redone. Since this box has two ground wires and the outlet has only one ground terminal, we need to splice the ground wires along with a pigtail. Don’t make the mistake of just lining up the wires and twisting on a wire nut! That splice is sure to fail. Here’s the right way to do it:  Bend one of the ground wires back on itself.  Trim the other ground wire to the same length.  Use lineman’s pliers to tightly twist the wires together.  Next, cut off the ends.  Lastly, twist a wire nut over the splice. Make sure the wire nut is sized appropriately using this simple guide. Step 3: Strip and Connect the Neutral Wires  Most receptacles have a strip gage on the back for easy reference. A strip gage defines how much bare wire should be exposed after stripping away the insulation. It’s just enough to loop around a terminal screw or make a solid connection with stab-back connection.  Line up the white (neutral) wires and cut them to an equal length. Next, strip back the insulation with wire strippers.  Using pliers or a loop-maker on the wire strippers, twist the exposed wire into a half-circle.  Slip the neutral wires around the silver screws in a clockwise rotation (the same direction the screws turn), and tighten down the screws. Step 4: Connect the Ground Wire  Loop the ground pigtail wire around the green ground screw and tighten the screw down. Step 5: Repeat for the Hot Wires  Repeat the same process of cutting, stripping, and attaching the hot wires to the gold screws. Step 6: Secure the Receptacle to the Box  Carefully maneuver all the wires into the box and attach the receptacle with the two screws. Step 7: Install Faceplate  Lastly, install the faceplate.  At this point you can flip the breaker back on and test the outlet. ______________________________ Ethan Hagan owns and operates a home improvement website called One Project Closer. On One Project Closer you’ll learn how to tackle projects with expert knowledge from professional contractors. Check out OPC for home improvement how-tos (called Pro-Follows), and follow them on Facebook. 
  
By Brett
Welcome back to another episode of the Art of Manliness podcast! 
  
By Jeremy Anderberg
Welcome to Day #9 of the AoM sandwich project. Last month we asked readers for their best sandwich recommendations. Out of 483 submissions, we picked 20 to highlight here on the site each weekday during the month of April. At the end, we'll publish all the entries into an epic man-sandwich cookbook. Enjoy. Today's Sandwich: The Broiled Masters Sandwich by Victor
I have to start out by saying that I actually named this sandwich. Victor didn’t submit a name for it, but I couldn’t help thinking while I was eating it that this would be a great sandwich to consume down at the Masters Tournament in Georgia. The most fabled golf tournament in America starts today, and I know this isn’t the official pimento cheese served at Augusta National, but it’s just as fitting. I picked this as more of a classic sandwich choice in that it’s bread, deli meat, cheese, and veggies. It has a few upgrades that made it stand out to me as I was selecting which sandwiches to try, which I’ll detail below. Ingredients 
- Croissant (I actually bought a giant one from Starbucks – my local grocer only had small ones)
- Smoked turkey (I couldn’t find smoked, so I just went with some high-quality stuff from the deli)
- Bleu cheese
- Red onion
- Arugula
Step 1: Slice Onion  Start out by slicing the red onion. Step 2: Prepare Croissant and Begin Layering  Start out with a hearty dose of turkey. Step 3: Add Onion and Cheese  Victor insisted that the onion go between the meat and cheese.  The crumbliness of the bleu cheese made it a little tough to get on the sandwich, but it worked out just fine as you can see. Step 4: Broil  Place open-faced under broiler for 3-5 minutes. Be sure to watch close, as it will finish up in a hurry once it gets to the end. I put the top of the croissant in as well to get it nice and toasty. Step 5: Top with Arugula  I used baby arugula, as it fits onto a sandwich a little better than regular. Final Product
Taster’s Notes  I feel so classy. This is a fine sandwich indeed. Every piece was perfect. The croissant was an excellent bread choice, the turkey was a nice light meat (versus a heavy, greasy…something), the red onion had excellent crunch, the bleu cheese was delightful, and the arugula gave it just a little bit of kick. Truly fantastic selection of ingredients, Victor. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. As I mentioned above, it felt a little classier than some of the other sandwiches we’ve featured thus far. You could even impress your in-laws with this one. Pair it with an Arnold Palmer like I did, and you’re set for a good weekend of watching golf on the big screen! 
  
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