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Deadite posted:I have these outdoor floodlights that I use during Halloween but I need a better way to mount them. They have a bracket with holes that I usually screw to a wooden stake, but that only allows me to adjust the light side-to-side and I’d rather be able to adjust it up and down. Right now if I want to shine it on something tall I have to drive the stake in at an angle which puts it too low to the ground. Can you loosen the bolts holding that bracket on? those things are usually meant to pivot there in the up-down direction.
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Oct 3, 2023 07:15
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I have a small wooden privacy gate and a wooden railing on some metal that I want to refinish. Based on the fading (as opposed to peeling/chipping), I assume an oil solid stain was used previously. It also is a fairly dark stain, and wed be looking to go lighter. To that end I plan on using a solid stain. The store by me has oil, 100% acrylic, and an acrylic/alkyd mix. As I understand it, the choice comes down to oil fading faster but more evenly, while the acrylic will last long but fail worse as it feels. Am I missing any other considerations? Plan is otherwise to sand, clean, and stain.
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Oct 3, 2023 15:22
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X-Posted from the plumbing thread:DrBouvenstein posted:My toilet recently developed a problem where it runs all the time, but NOT from the end of the fill tube or through a bad flapper valve. From the top of the float mechanism.
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Oct 3, 2023 16:32
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yippee cahier posted:Can you loosen the bolts holding that bracket on? those things are usually meant to pivot there in the up-down direction. I can, my issue was just that if I wanted to mount that bracket to a stake it will be vertical because of the way it is attached to the light. So usually I can only move it side to side. I’d like to mount if horizontally so I can move it up and down. I guess I can just cut a piece from a different stake and screw it perpendicularly to the stake I’m using like a tiny cross and mount the light to that. I just didn’t know if there was a better way to accomplish my goal.
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Oct 3, 2023 16:38
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DrBouvenstein posted:X-Posted from the plumbing thread: That looks like a bog standard Fluidmaster fill valve in there now, that's what I like to use and they're like $10. I'd just replace with another one of those if it were me. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fluidmaster-Universal-Fit-Adjustable-Toilet-Fill-Valve/3133231
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Oct 3, 2023 16:40
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Final Blog Entry posted:That looks like a bog standard Fluidmaster fill valve in there now, that's what I like to use and they're like $10. I'd just replace with another one of those if it were me. Cool, thanks, little cheaper than the first one I saw.
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Oct 3, 2023 18:26
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If I’m sanding my deck to stain it before winter, will I do any harm with my 5” random orbit sander? I just did a board with 60 grit to see how long it would take and it was only like 10 minutes, probably too small to justify a floor sander rental. I think the deck would only take a few hours to sand that way.
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Oct 3, 2023 19:53
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Come back in one hour and tell us how far u got. If ur mood is fine, keep trucking. If it's less than half done it's gonna take even more time when you're tired and having to swap discs.
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Oct 3, 2023 20:02
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I do have 40 of those boards to sand, so probably six or seven hours with an orbital sander in one of our hands.
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Oct 3, 2023 20:07
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My hands are numb for you I don't like doing 6 hours of poo poo Wasabi the J fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Oct 3, 2023 |
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Oct 3, 2023 20:12
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Yeah, I sanded a small (like 8'x8') deck once with just a random orbit sander and I regretted it. Seriously, go to HD or Lowe's and rent a drum sander or large stand-up belt sander. If you are 100% committed to only using the hand sander, see if you can jury-rig it into a standing sander. Duct tape an old broomstick to it and, like...stack some weight on the top? IDK, but man, you REALLY don't want to do 7-8 hours of sanding with a random orbit sander by hand.
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Oct 3, 2023 20:24
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An insanely kind goon gifted me a book press that they built for an SA Secret Santa one year but lately it's developed a problem that is way out of my depth to fix. Here's the press: Basically, the screws holding the cast iron piece to the body of the press couldn't handle the repeated pressure and stripped themselves out of the plywood, leaving smooth holes where the screws turn freely and don't bite into anything:  Anyone have any idea on how to go about fixing it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Oct 3, 2023 22:18
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The two cheapest/easiest fixes would be: 1/ see if you can replace them with slightly larger screws that can grip in the expanded hole and 2/ stuff the hole with wood glue and toothpicks to bulk out the gap, screw it down, wait for everything to try. Neither of these will fix this long term, if regular wear caused it you can expect it to be back again after a while but they're straightforward. Maybe someone will have a more durable fix!
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Oct 3, 2023 23:56
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I'd probably drill straight through and do nut and bolt with a washer or plate there, spread that pressure out
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Oct 4, 2023 00:26
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Whoa you guys were right. That sander is no joke after like 45 minutes. I’ll rent the floor sander tomorrow
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Oct 4, 2023 00:57
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Chip McFuck posted:An insanely kind goon gifted me a book press that they built for an SA Secret Santa one year but lately it's developed a problem that is way out of my depth to fix. Here's the press: I'd go with something like this - https://www.ezlok.com/for-wood ... there's a bunch of vendors with similar products. But I'd agree, if you're able to drill straight through an do a plate, that's probably a better option.
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Oct 4, 2023 02:15
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:For some reason, my front entry roof overhang does not have flashing all the way down to the edge which appears to be allowing water to intrude on the side and causing the two boards in the second picture to rot. At some point it looks like someone used caulking (why) but obviously that didn't do anything and probably made it worse. What can I do about this? Neither board seems too bad yet but both are soft where they meet. Ok so I now know I need to put some kick out flashing here to get the water going into the gutter. What I can't figure out is what to put it behind and if I'm going to be able to get the new flashing behind the old piece to step it. The siding is wood and I assume it overlaps which seems like that would make removing any a pain in the rear end to redo it properly. It also seems like putting a piece of wood over the current flashing and current siding so the new flashing has someplace to go is going to look weird. Just butting up a new piece against the bottom of the siding would make it possible for water to get behind it since they won't be overlapping? Any thoughts on what I should be considering? The videos on youtube I've watched have been helpful about the flashing but its all vinyl siding or full siding replacement.
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Oct 4, 2023 02:26
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DrBouvenstein posted:Yeah, I sanded a small (like 8'x8') deck once with just a random orbit sander and I regretted it. Headphones, knee pads, respirator, audiobook/podcast — it’s not so bad as a one-off thing.
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Oct 4, 2023 14:59
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You'll spend as much money on sanding disc refills as you would on the sander rental, so might as well just rent the thing. In my experience, while ingenuity can be rewarding, it's almost always not just a good idea, but also ultimately cheaper to just rent the tool you need.
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Oct 4, 2023 16:30
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If you have an angle grinder something like this is another option https://www.homedepot.com/p/Diamabrush-4-5-in-50-Grit-Wood-Deck-Tool-9304501240-50/206926302
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Oct 4, 2023 16:46
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mutata posted:You'll spend as much money on sanding disc refills as you would on the sander rental, so might as well just rent the thing. In my experience, while ingenuity can be rewarding, it's almost always not just a good idea, but also ultimately cheaper to just rent the tool you need. Sanding discs are $0.60 apiece while the home center in my area rents out the floor sander for $60/day You’ll save time and effort with a floor sander but it’s definitely cheaper to do a smallish area with an orbital sander you already own
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Oct 4, 2023 17:11
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The Top G posted:Sanding discs are $0.60 apiece while the home center in my area rents out the floor sander for $60/day Still worth it. Sorry, I'm just not comin' with you on this one, lol.
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Oct 4, 2023 18:04
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Seems like I’m going to have to go over the spots the big guy is missing anyway. Should I be worried about mixing the tool marks of this drum sander with a random orbit? Should I use my belt sander with similar grit? Tear apart the railings so I can get to them with the drum sander? gently caress there are so many kinds of sanders
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Oct 4, 2023 18:56
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Motronic posted:Straight and level doesn't matter for finishes/trim. The appearance of level/straight/even does. Very often, actual level/straight/even looks worse than actual, especially in older homes where none of the things you actually need to be level/straight/true are (i.e. framing, walls, floors, ceilings). Oh, I see you've met my house. You just kind of have to decide what looks best lined up with what. Opopanax posted:I'd probably drill straight through and do nut and bolt with a washer or plate there, spread that pressure out Agree.
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Oct 4, 2023 22:14
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:Ok so I now know I need to put some kick out flashing here to get the water going into the gutter. What I can't figure out is what to put it behind and if I'm going to be able to get the new flashing behind the old piece to step it. There are ways for an experienced carpenter to insert flashing in certain situations with minimal disruption to existing surfaces. In your case you aren't experienced, it's a difficult location, and there are probably some water intrusion issues to fix at the same time. The moss on your roof also hints that some materials in the area may be end of life - so attempts to patch a quick repair may be doomed by end of life materials that just don't cooperate. Definitely give it a shot, but know when you're beyond your comfort level. You are missing at least one piece of step flashing (the type of flashing already installed higher on the wall in your image) before you are close enough to the gutter to use the kick-out. Step flashing is used in locations such as yours (sloped roof meeting a sidewall) because you want any water that gets below a shingle to get 'caught' by the next piece of flashing down the slope. If one piece of flashing fails, the next one picks up the slack. (some codes allow continuous flashing these days, but I wouldn't recommend it anywhere wet enough for moss to grow). Here is a guide to flashing this type of location. If it seems daunting, bring in a carpenter. https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/roofing/kickout-flashing-how-to-flash-troublesome-roof-to-wall-intersections There is one thing in the above guide I find confusing, so I'll point it out in case it confuses you as well. The photos show some house wrap applied in photo 5 and 6 under some copper and all this disappears by the time you get to photo 8. Guertin mentions that he is wrapping that material onto the 'subfascia' but then doesn't mention that between photo 6 and photo 8 he installed the 'fascia' board over that copper and house wrap. There are different ways to do this waterproofing/flashing, so if the carpenter you hire has a different method just have them explain it to you. What is most important is the kick-out flashing, step flashing, and a continuous membrane under both (especially in the corner under the kick-out where there is a lot going on and a lot of water flowing from the roof to the gutter).
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Oct 5, 2023 01:09
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The Top G posted:Headphones, knee pads, respirator, audiobook/podcast — it’s not so bad as a one-off thing. Say that again when your hands and wrists have been vibrated into gelatin by the handheld unit. It's not just a matter of speed or cost, but also ergonomics and therefore health.
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Oct 5, 2023 02:55
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mutata posted:Still worth it. Sorry, I'm just not comin' with you on this one, lol. Haha I’d agree. TooMuchAbstraction posted:Say that again when your hands and wrists have been vibrated into gelatin by the handheld unit. It's not just a matter of speed or cost, but also ergonomics and therefore health. Your hand isn’t gonna fall off from one day of sanding Obviously a person who does this regularly should get a dedicated tool but it’s fine to “make do” for a one-off thing if you have to.
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Oct 5, 2023 13:19
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Tezer posted:There are ways for an experienced carpenter to insert flashing in certain situations with minimal disruption to existing surfaces. In your case you aren't experienced, it's a difficult location, and there are probably some water intrusion issues to fix at the same time. The moss on your roof also hints that some materials in the area may be end of life - so attempts to patch a quick repair may be doomed by end of life materials that just don't cooperate. Definitely give it a shot, but know when you're beyond your comfort level. It does seem like I'm a bit out of my depth and I honestly don't want to gently caress around with messing up my roof or letting water in. I have a handyman I've used before for other minor stuff that used to be a roofer coming over Saturday to take a look. Any suggestions on what the correct or even incorrect remedies would be? I don't want shortcuts or good enough.
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Oct 6, 2023 00:36
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The Top G posted:Your hand isn’t gonna fall off from one day of sanding it will if your definition of work is computers lol
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Oct 6, 2023 00:40
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I'm having trouble removing a suspected dog odor from my house. I bought two chairs at an estate sale and didn't realize until I got them home that they have a VERY strong dog smell. Not urine, just like...dog smell. Before I even took them inside I vacuumed them off and then they spent two days in one room in my house. The smell was overwhelming, so I took the cushions off and put them in the trunk of my car until I figure out what to do with them (probably trash them). The frames of the chairs are powdercoated metal and don't have any detectable odor so I moved them to another room while I order replacement covers. Two full days after removing the chair cushions, the first room still has the dog smell and it's not getting better, despite me purging the air out the window with a box fan while running a HEPA filter for 48 hours, dusting and then vacuuming. The room is carpeted which may make a difference. Tonight I'm going to coat the carpet with baking soda and see if that works. I've bought some rank vintage junk before but this is by far the worst smelling thing I've ever owned. Any other suggestions?
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Oct 6, 2023 02:14
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kreeningsons posted:I'm having trouble removing a suspected dog odor from my house. Ozone. You can get an ozone generator from amazon and run it in the room for a few hours. Note you do not want to breathe it in, and will want a way to ventilate the room after it runs without spreading it to the rest of the house. When I did it to the room my parents dog lives in, I ran it for awhile, then held my breath and quickly installed a window fan and ran back out. Definitely fixed the odor (at least until the dog was let back in)
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Oct 6, 2023 02:44
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e: was not helpful
Dr. Lunchables fucked around with this message at 11:59 on Oct 6, 2023 |
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Oct 6, 2023 03:09
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:It does seem like I'm a bit out of my depth and I honestly don't want to gently caress around with messing up my roof or letting water in. I have a handyman I've used before for other minor stuff that used to be a roofer coming over Saturday to take a look. Any suggestions on what the correct or even incorrect remedies would be? I don't want shortcuts or good enough. There's a wide range of capabilities found under the title 'handyman'. The best ones are super detail oriented, very smart, and just want to work on their own on their schedule. The worst ones own a hammer and a screwdriver and aren't qualified to do other jobs so end up as handymen. So it really comes down to how much you trust this person and how they've performed in the past. The tutorial I linked to is a very comprehensive way to repair the issue. If the person you bring in recommends a method with less impact, it could work just as well. Here are key things to keep in mind: 1. Understand how water is going to flow down the roof and into the gutter along the 'seam' where the wall and roof meet. Even trace it with your finger. Water can touch roofing, siding, flashing, and membranes without problems. If it might touch something else, ask your contractor to clarify. 2. Caulking is a last resort for managing water on a non-vertical surface. Vertical surfaces (like seams between cement board siding) can be caulked because gravity doesn't push water sideways, so even if the caulk fails there won't be much water that gets behind the siding. You don't want to caulk a horizontal or angled surface (to the greatest extent possible) because a failure means water is motivated by gravity to enter places it shouldn't be. So if the solution you are offered involves caulking seams, be careful and understand why that is being done. That said, caulk and things that look like caulk can be used as an adhesive - you are only concerned about when it's used to stop water flow. 3. If the area is leaking there may be damaged materials under the roof and siding. I recommend opening up the area to discover this, and keep opening it up until you hit material that isn't damaged. Then replace the damaged material. If you can't afford this, just be aware that you may be eliminating further water damage but leaving some hidden existing damage. It's a judgement call. Fixing the leak is the most important thing if you're budget constrained.
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Oct 6, 2023 18:48
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Tezer posted:There's a wide range of capabilities found under the title 'handyman'. The best ones are super detail oriented, very smart, and just want to work on their own on their schedule. The worst ones own a hammer and a screwdriver and aren't qualified to do other jobs so end up as handymen. So it really comes down to how much you trust this person and how they've performed in the past. Thank you! I think I have a good understanding of what to look for with the flashing and shingles and whatnot. Lots of videos make the fundamentals pretty clear. My biggest concern is probably going to be the siding so I need to look for videos specifically about that rather than roofing related so I have a better understanding of what repairing/replacing a section of wood siding involves.
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Oct 6, 2023 19:32
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Last winter, we had exceptionally heavy rainstorms, and the roof of my sun room / three-seasons room leaked badly. I temporarily "fixed" it with a tarp, and today I finally fixed it properly...I hope. My assumption is that water was being driven in horizontally underneath a gutter at the transition between the main roof and the roof of the sun room. Certainly, that's what I rigged the tarp to catch. So, I got some roof patch, and went up there with a trowel and a drywall tape knife:  One layer of patch, a roll of reinforcing cloth (basically a plastic mesh), then another layer of patch. Doesn't look pretty, but it doesn't have to. This job had been giving me anxiety for months. I've had the tools ready to go since February, but never pulled the trigger because I was worried about doing it wrong. Yesterday I realized that even a bad job would be a hell of a lot better than no job, and that helped break down the mental resistance. And in the end, it only took like 45 minutes to clean the site, perform the fix, and put all the tools back away.
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Oct 6, 2023 23:52
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I'm definitely overthinking this. Need to replace the garage door rollers. What kind do I get?
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Oct 8, 2023 22:03
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I replaced some of mine with urethane.
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Oct 9, 2023 00:10
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Old house with hardwood directly on joists over a basement. Assume replacing the floor entirely isn’t an option for cost reasons. Between the conditioned air in the ground floor going straight into the basement, and the sheer amount of dust that falls through the cracks, I’m considering putting up insulation between the joists. I don’t really want a bunch of rockwool overhead for dust reasons so I was thinking EPS foam. Humidity in the basement is managed and anyway this will hardly be a tight seal so I don’t think it’ll cause moisture issues but I wouldn’t mind a sanity check before I buy materials.
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Oct 9, 2023 15:20
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the yeti posted:Old house with hardwood directly on joists over a basement. Assume replacing the floor entirely isn’t an option for cost reasons.
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Oct 9, 2023 18:19
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Something like that foil faced bubble wrap might be cheaper/easier if the goal is primarily air and dust sealing, not actual R-value. Or just heavy tar paper or something, which is semi-vapor permeable and shouldn't cause any problems. That's called double bubble. That or maybe fan fold 1/4" rigid foam would be decent inexpensive choices. The double bubble might be more of a challenge to keep up there. The rigid foam can be cut for a good interference fit.
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Oct 9, 2023 18:22
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