What’s new: turn tub into shower

Standard bathtubs can be a hazard for older people and others with limited mobility. A Virginia company has developed a system for turning a tub into a walk-in shower that’s more affordable than remodeling the bathroom.

The TubCut system involves cutting an 18- to 36-inch-wide passage in the wall of a fiberglass, steel or cast-iron tub and finishing the opening so it appears to have been factory-installed. The work takes about four hours and typically costs around $800 to $900, according to Buckeye Custom Closets and Remodeling in Akron, Ohio.

Because the passageway doesn’t have a door, the tub can no longer be used for bathing, only showering. However, the cutout can be saved for reinstallation and the tub restored later.

The system is manufactured by Access Designs Inc. of Charlottesville, Va. Information is at www.tubcut.com or 877-882-2887.

The Shelf: Antiques Explained

Could that bowl from Grandma’s china cabinet have a value other than sentimental? Is the Tiffany vase you spotted on eBay a deal or a dud?

Antiques expert Judith Miller can help you figure it out.

Miller’s “Antiques Investigator” is sort of a beginner’s guide to evaluating antiques. While it won’t turn you into an appraiser, it will teach you some of the basic skills for judging items and tell you what to look for and what to watch out for.

The book covers common categories — furniture, ceramics, glass, metal ware and collectibles. For each, Miller provides an overview, compares similar objects and clues readers in to defining characteristics of the most important makers in the field.

“Antiques Investigator” is published by DK Publishing and sells for $25 in hardcover.

♦ ♦ ♦ Grape Growth Puzzles

Q: We are growing red grapes for the first time. They were doing great — nice and full clusters. They have developed an extra small growth looking like broccoli. Do you know what this might be?

— Janie Young (No city provided)

A: Maurus Brown, a small-fruit crops specialist with the Ohio State University Extension’s South Centers at Piketon, said if the growth looks a little like a broccoli head, it might be a flower cluster preceding a second set of fruit. However, he hesitated to offer a diagnosis without seeing a photo. You can send him one at brown.989osu.edu.

Meanwhile, the extension’s Web site has a lot of grape-growing information specific to Ohio. You can find it at www.ohioline.osu.edu.