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Idle curiosity: would it be feasible to use something like a windshield repair kit to fix this? You'd need to have some airtight and fairly rigid backing for the other side of the glass, is the main tricky bit. Obviously only feasible for single-pane glass too.
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Oct 26, 2020 21:54
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A corner of a brick broke off of one of my planters: Is there, like, some kind of glue I could use to stick it back in there? Mortar is an obvious option but I feel like with the angles involved it'd not work very well (I gather it's very weak in tension), plus I'd need a fairly thick layer, which would make the patch rather inelegant. Also, I assume I need to clean the surfaces but I'm not sure how best to do that.
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Oct 27, 2020 01:49
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I think the shorter distance is measuring from the backsplash to the end of the stovetop, while the longer one is from the back wall to the front of the oven (including however wide the door is). But yeah, that diagram isn't very easy to read.
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Oct 30, 2020 04:11
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nwin posted:The 4” screw got me 90% there! Yeah, if the hole in the strike plate isn't aligned with the bolt then the easiest solution is to just dremel the hole bigger.
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Oct 30, 2020 21:30
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There's a lot of different kinds of nailguns, but you don't have to use a nailgun. You can drive finishing nails (which are what was used here) by hand, ideally with a tack hammer but a regular claw hammer used carefully can do it too. You'll also want a nail set to push the head of the nail below the surface of the trim, so you can then paint over it. Finishing nails can bend easily and are a little finicky to drive straight; I recommend practicing on some scrap wood before you approach your trim piece again. If you have a very narrow drillbit (narrower than the width of the nail), you can also drive a pilot hole in the trim.
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Nov 1, 2020 18:23
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Toebone posted:My house has a dining room built-in with a couple drawer holes and no drawers. Anyone have tips or a guide for cobbling together a couple replacements? A simple box drawer with a false front isn't too hard to make. You can cut the pieces out of plywood and glue+screw them together, then glue the false front on (make this part out of hardwood for preference). Make sure your drawer is smaller than the hole it needs to fit into, especially vertically. Though you may want to make the back of the drawer taller than the hole to make it harder to accidentally pull the entire drawer out. Disclaimer: I've made, like, six box drawers ever.
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Nov 3, 2020 15:45
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You get what you pay for with paint. Cheap paint sucks. I believe the same holds true for primer.
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Nov 9, 2020 20:29
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I'm worn out so I'm having trouble visualizing the exact setup you're going for, but what you should do to figure out board size and spacing is look up the building code for floor joists, particularly the max unsupported span allowed. The code will have a table saying things like "if you use a 2x8 joist, it can have a maximum unsupported span of 7'6"; if you use a 2x10, then it's 8'10", etc. etc. etc." (those numbers are made up). There may well be some kind of Simpson Strong-Tie product for properly supporting boards through drywall and into studs, but if so I don't know what it's called.
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Nov 16, 2020 05:25
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redreader posted:I want to buy like 20 plastic boxes that can stack inside each other when empty and on top of each other when full. Any recommendations, or should I just go on amazon and buy 20 of the cheapest box? You can buy cardboard moving boxes in bulk. They should be cheaper than plastic, with less environmental impact, and when you buy them they're super compact because they're collapsed.
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Nov 18, 2020 02:25
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armorer posted:Take it to your local big box store and find one that's the same thread? You can order single bolts online but you'll end up paying a bunch for shipping Yeah, or do what apparently lots of people in my area think is acceptable and just steal the one bolt you want, leaving a baggy with a hole in it and 3 pieces instead of 4.
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Nov 21, 2020 16:21
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NoSpoon posted:What about a 4x4 stick of timber. A dressed one should be close on 3.5” and after you sit a washer on it it shouldn’t go anywhere. That would be my suggestion as well. Ideally pressure-treated since it's in direct contact with concrete, though since this is a readily-accessible area, and you're not putting structural load on the wood, I don't think it's a big deal.
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Nov 25, 2020 16:19
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Contact the landlords and tell them what you told us -- there's some kind of respiratory hazard inside the unit, you know it's there specifically and not just a coincidence, and the unit is not safe for habitation. It needs to be tested and fixed ASAP. I'm not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, but this website I found claims that landlords are legally liable for remediating all major health and safety hazards, which black mold qualifies as. You should contact your local city's building and planning department and ask them about black mold...they're probably not the right resource but they will know who is, and that group can then tell you what your rights and responsibilities are. Meanwhile, I advise inviting your GF over or at least finding a hotel.
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Nov 29, 2020 16:32
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handle posted:At work we have a 4-compartment underbar sink and the drain pipes/slip joints get bumped frequently. (Picture: https://imgur.com/a/wqoVac1.) It feels like there's a better way to run drainage pipes so I've tried to read through plumbing code, find installation instructions or example installs for a "correct way," but can't find anything specific enough to give me confidence. I'd guess the horizontal run is as far down as it is because that's the level it's at at the wall and the plumber didn't want to put a pair of 90's at the end of the run. As for protecting the run...can you just put some drywall or plywood in front of the pipes? Ideally you'd build a cabinet around all that with doors so you can still access it when necessary.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:28
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Ahh, I misread the photo. Well, I'm not a plumber, but I don't see why you couldn't raise the run up to where you drew that line. As far as I can tell about the only difference it'd make is if something got jammed you'd have less water pressure to flush it out with.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:58
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Does anyone here know much about what drives the recommended slopes for wheelchair ramps? My dad's asked me to build a ramp in their back yard, in anticipation of when he won't be able to walk any more. I'm seeing a recommended slope no greater than 1:12, and we have a 13" vertical distance to cover. If I went straight out from the back yard door 13', then that'd drop him in the middle of the lawn, and if I stuck a 90 degree turn in then the construction gets a lot more complicated, plus of course the ramp takes up more space. It'd be a lot easier if I could go out only 8'; that gives enough room at the base of the ramp for maneuvering, but means that the slope is about 60% greater than recommended. Does that put it squarely into "absolutely not" territory, or is this the kind of thing where the recommended design is accessible to people with extremely minimal capabilities and most people can handle a greater slope?
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Dec 5, 2020 23:10
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Alright, thanks, that's useful info. I'll come up with a design that doesn't exceed 1:12. Fortunately there's plenty of space if I do include a landing and a 90; no need to put a zigzag into the thing. It's just going to be a substantially bigger construction, and I probably won't be able to knock it out in a day or two over Christmas break. Oh well. Re: walker, he's already using a cane and a walker indoors. He tends to eschew them outdoors which makes the rest of us nervous as hell.
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Dec 6, 2020 00:20
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angryrobots posted:If I can make a suggestion, the modular aluminum ramps work very well, are extremely nonslip, and can be installed quickly while remaining removable in the future, where a wooden ramp is basically a deck (unless built on skids, dunno if that's a thing though). At current covid-19 lumber prices, it may even be competitive in price. Yeah, that's a good thought, thanks. I spoke with my parents and they're OK with spending more on materials if it makes the job easier. Do you have any specific recommendations as far as brands or models?
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Dec 6, 2020 01:16
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angryrobots posted:No, sorry I'm not that much of an expert. Just my observation, and seeing many wooden ramps in poor condition. No worries, I appreciate the advice. The setup here is door -> porch -> ground. The porch is 7" below the door, and the ground is 6.5" below the porch. The porch is 40" deep. So what I'm thinking here is, build an elevated platform that's level with the door, and which extends out a few feet past the edge of the porch (however much the width of the ramp requires). I feel like having a sloped surface right up against the door is probably a bad idea, since it'd mean holding the wheelchair steady while opening the door. Then after that platform, a 90 degree turn to the right, and a straight ramp down to the ground 13+ feet away; there's plenty of room in that direction. I can build a platform out of wood no problem -- anchor some 2x4 or 4x4 PT posts to the concrete, run joists up to the door, surface with exterior-rated plywood or decking, paint or stain it. Or probably there's a prefab aluminum option too.
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Dec 6, 2020 05:29
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The good contractors don't need to sign up with a big box store to get work. They get all they can handle through word of mouth (and maybe Yelp, Angie's List, et al where you can see how their customers rated them).
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Dec 8, 2020 02:00
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The simplest design I can think of for this would be: * Backing board that goes up against the wall, which can be screwed into studs for security. Honestly I'd recommend screwing into the wall even if you don't live in earthquake country; it's cheap peace of mind. * Two sidewalls that will support the shelves, which are glued + screwed into the backing board (through the back of the backing board into the edges of the walls) * Shelf rests installed on the side walls. These can be simply short lengths of wood screwed into the side walls, or you can get a shelf jig and those little metal pins if you want a shelf you can adjust after installation. * Shelves rest on the self rests  No fancy joinery, the only tools you need are a circular saw and a drill. Can be made entirely out of plywood. Things are slightly complicated by the existence of that outlet behind where you want the shelves to go. I think my recommendation for that would be to have the backing board not go all the way up, and to cut a sizable notch out of the left sidewall, big enough to admit the plug plus some maneuvering room. That way you should be able to unplug the washer/dryer without removing the shelves, if necessary. A jigsaw can cut the notch; so could an unpowered coping saw so long as you take your time (they're not really ideal for cutting through 3/4" lumber, but they can do it).
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Dec 11, 2020 16:11
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If you want a wall of tools, IMO the way to go is to put up a sheet of plywood and then screw custom tool holders to it. You can usually make a tool holder pretty easily out of a scrap of wood and 5-10 minutes' work that will be nicer and more secure than those pegboard hooks.
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Dec 25, 2020 04:51
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Stalizard posted:I bought a house about two months ago. It's a newly remodeled one story ranch above a decently big crawlspace in the greater Atlanta metro area. You're gonna have to go into the crawlspace and look at the underfloor. The steps to fix it are going to depend on what you find down there. Post photos.
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Dec 28, 2020 15:51
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Michaels is just a craft store. There may well be some Aussie equivalent that's slightly closer.
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Jan 5, 2021 04:14
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stealie72 posted:Maybe I do it wrong, but as long as whatever I am hanging spans two studs and I can put two screws into a stud, I never put in drywall anchors for anything. So, even if I've got 15 inches at the end of a shelf hanging in space, I just leave it because I figure a screw into a stud is going to be so much more secure than anything in drywall. If you're wrong, then I don't want to be right.
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Jan 18, 2021 15:40
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Are they actually drafty or just poorly-insulated? "Drafty" implies that there's free exchange of air between the inside and outside of the apartment. If that's the case, then films and stuff that cover the glass can only have a very limited impact. Figure out where the draft is and patch that first.
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Jan 31, 2021 00:03
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melon cat posted:Another question while I'm at it: this attic crawlspace has some electrical cables running through it (!!!). Is there some sort of sheating/insulation that I can add onto it to protect it against leaks and moisture? I sincerely hope you don't mean there's bare metal wires in the attic. Assuming you meant romex, it's already sheathed and insulated, that's what the rubber/plastic coating (and the further coatings inside that coating) are for. You can buy flexible metal conduit to run wiring inside of, but you're supposed to put the conduit on the wire prior to installation. If I recall code correctly, doing this is only a requirement in places where the cable is readily accessible, and an attic doesn't count for that. You're probably fine.
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Feb 19, 2021 16:18
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I just went to take a shower, was clearing out the cold water in the pipes, when I heard a "thunk" sound and stopped getting hot water to my shower. The sink still gets hot water, the shower still gets cold water, but when I transition the shower from cold to hot water, the flow rate slows to a trickle. The upstairs bathroom sink also has hot water...upstairs shower seems to be totally nonfunctional (can't get any water at all), but it hasn't been used in years (it's a really cramped and crappy shower stall) so that might be unrelated. I really don't want to be without a shower. I'm guessing what I heard was a breakdown in a mixing valve or something? How hard is this likely to be to fix? EDIT: for that matter, I can't even see how to get the front off.  There's no openings in the perimeter of this that I can see. Do I have to slip a spatula in there and just pry it off? TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 17:34 on Feb 19, 2021 |
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Feb 19, 2021 17:25
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I got the crosspieces off (but not without stripping the antique-bronze surface coat off  ), but that doesn't seem to help me with the rest of the assembly: If I twist the whole thing, then it turns the water on, of course. Did you mean twisting something else? I'm leery of applying too much force opposite the direction it's supposed to move in. EDIT: I can rotate the kind of conical thing between the base and the tip, but if I do that, the water comes on TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 18:14 on Feb 19, 2021 |
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Feb 19, 2021 18:07
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DaveSauce posted:Somewhere on the handle assembly there's a hole. In that hole will be an hex head set screw. Loosen that and the whole handle should just slide off. Turns out the cap on the tip of the assembly slides off, and there was a Phillips head screw behind that. Removing that screw doesn't seem to have advanced my cause in any way I can tell. The whole thing is still very firmly attached to the wall.
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Feb 19, 2021 18:19
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I've pulled as hard as I can without going full Hulk mode, and that thing isn't budging. If I had to guess, probably 50-60 pounds of force? It doesn't feel loose at all. I did however manage to loosen that pyramid thing by rotating it. It's on threads, apparently:  Unfortunately, it's blocked by the knob at the tip of the fixture, so I can't pull it all the way off. And I can't see any way to remove the knob; turning it just turns the water on, and if I turn it the wrong way, it lets a small trickle of water out too. I've looked all over for holes that might lead to set screws, but haven't found anything. EDIT: here's a close-up of where that Phillips screw was.  I feel like it could have been used to secure the aforementioned knob on, but yeah, I can't pull/twist it off as far as I can tell. TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Feb 19, 2021 |
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Feb 19, 2021 18:36
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I did reattach the handle and give it some really solid pulling; it's stuck. I think I've found a set screw hole...and I have no loving clue how I'm gonna access it without destroying that cone part, because even with said cone part screwed down as tight to the base as I can manage, the hole is still half covered by the tip of the cone. And it's also full of scale and grime. EDIT: and there's no part of the tip of the cone bit that's recessed to allow access if I align things. TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 19:00 on Feb 19, 2021 |
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Feb 19, 2021 18:54
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I decided, gently caress it, I'm gonna replace this fixture one way or another, and just cut a notch into it with my dremel: Granted there's a lot of grime in there (and this is after trying to wipe it out with a cloth), but it looks ridged. If there's a set screw hidden in there, it's very well hidden. My guess is that this is a registration notch so that the two parts align properly. God, I hate design trends that make poo poo impossible to service. Any other suggestions before I just start cutting the cone out entirely with my dremel? The main reason I delay is that it's liable to go through a bunch of cutting disks.
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Feb 19, 2021 19:48
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tater_salad posted:there is 100% a way to get it off without dremeling the whole thing off.. there's a set screw in there somewhere to release the cover around it. Yeah, I get that, but I sure as gently caress can't find it. I have been all over this loving piece of poo poo fixture and scraped all the loving grime off that I can and if there's a set screw it's some bullshit .05mm thing. I had the loving brilliant idea of "maybe now that I've removed that phillips screw, I can just unscrew the front part) and now it's leaking water continually and I have to shut off water to the entire loving house. gently caress me. gently caress plumbing. EDIT: throwing in the towel on this and calling a contractor. It's too much stress, and I really don't want to be without a working shower all weekend. TooMuchAbstraction fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Feb 19, 2021 |
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Feb 19, 2021 20:01
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It's moot now, the plumber hulked it out of the wall. Fun fact that he told me: apparently the mixing valves aren't generic, so you need to find compatible packings / fixtures, or else you get to open up the wall to replace the entire valve. Which they can do! For $1200, and they don't do tile work so I'd need to find someone else to close up the hole. As it is I'm paying $600 for the plumber to run around looking for a replacement packing that's compatible. Thanks PO for using some old obscure poo poo. Jesus Christ I just want a shower. And for my dog to stop barking at the plumber and trying to destroy the door between them.
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Feb 19, 2021 23:58
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The plumber worked on this for around 3 hours, I'd say, and here's where things stand:
I appreciate all y'all's help, but with the benefit of hindsight there was no realistic way I was fixing this one myself. Gotta know when to fold them, I guess.
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Feb 20, 2021 01:56
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IOwnCalculus posted:There is absolutely a point where it makes more sense to solve the problem by throwing money at it, nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, it's the kitchen on the other side, with its own tile, and a stove in the way. My mythical dream home would definitely have access panels for any major plumbing though, to make this kind of thing easier. DELETE CASCADE posted:it doesn't look like the work is that complicated, just excavate area, remove existing wall, install the new one. on the quote, it lists $650 for mira drain, and $675-1350 for 3 men, 3-6 hours each. part of the reason we are freaking out is, they originally sent us the quote with just those numbers. we said gently caress yeah that's cheap, here's the check! aaaand they got back to us with "oops looks like we forgot to put the price of the new wall on here". that missing part? $9700. so the bulk of the cost is the wall itself. 9-18 hours of labor for $1350 sounds suspiciously cheap to me. I paid $12000 for a concrete slab that was very roughly three man-days of work and only IIRC a couple thousand of that was for the concrete itself. I would hazard that the initial quote was just for removing the old wall or something, and the new quote includes removal plus building the new wall. Or something like that anyway. I want to reiterate that you should make sure your contractor is pulling permits for this work. Do not gently caress around with retaining walls. They hold up a crapton of weight and you don't want that weight shifting unexpectedly.
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Feb 20, 2021 03:04
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Yep. You gotta get the mice out, and keep them out. If you only do the former, they'll return eventually, and if you only do the latter (i.e. seal the walls but don't evict the current tenants) then you've just doomed them to eventual death by starvation or eating something lethal. If you're feeling squeamish, you can use nonlethal traps, I suppose. But you absolutely need to keep the mice from getting in.
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Feb 28, 2021 03:17
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Fozzy The Bear posted:every time I use the screwdriver bits, I completely strip the screws. Is it because all the screws of cheap pieces of poo poo? Or am I the piece of poo poo who doesn't know what he is doing? Yes. Most screws are cheap poo poo that will cam out (slip and damage the screw head) if you don't know what you're doing. Common errors include not pre-drilling a pilot hole for the screw to fit into, not having the drill be perfectly lined up with the screw, not using the right size of bit to drive the screw, and not pressing hard enough on the screw as you drive it. Whenever you have the option though, I would highly recommend getting square (Robertson) or star (torx) head screws and corresponding bits instead. The head shape is vastly less prone to camout, and they're easily worth the price premium over Phillips screws.
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Mar 7, 2021 00:39
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By my understanding, as long as you base it on something with good drainage, it should be basically fine. Pavers would qualify so long as they don't sink into the ground over time. Something like pavers on top of gravel ought to work just fine. Putting the pen on just gravel ought to work, but you'd have to have gravel everywhere that the pen contacts the ground...and you'll want a few inches of gravel to get proper drainage. Pavers could be put just at the corners or other load-bearing points, leaving the rest of the pen suspended above the ground. The overbuilding approach here would be to get some of those prefabricated concrete pylons that you can slot 2x4s into. Arrange the pylons in a rectangle, connected them with PT 2x4s, and then put the pen on top of that. (and honestly, for all that it's overbuilding, it's also probably the easiest approach)
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Mar 18, 2021 21:01
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| # ¿ May 14, 2024 22:41 |
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When I was building my workshop, it got soaked by rain and fog a few times. Folks I asked about that said that it wasn't a big problem so long as the wood was able to dry out afterwards. I did keep my stockpiles covered (and lifted off the ground), mostly because if water gets into the middle of the pile then it might take a long time to dry out. You'll still likely see some of the boards you purchase end up warped, simply because they're newly-cut boards and haven't finished releasing tension. You can use the most-warped boards wherever you need a short piece, since the warping won't be as evident over short distances.
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Mar 20, 2021 19:09
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