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I don't have any sort of power tools and I feel its high time to rectify that. Can anyone recommend me a good drill (corded is fine, and probably preferred) for $50 or less, if that's possible?
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Jul 1, 2008 23:54
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b0bx13 posted:I don't have any sort of power tools and I feel its high time to rectify that. Can anyone recommend me a good drill (corded is fine, and probably preferred) for $50 or less, if that's possible? I'd start with a cordless. I find them much more handy. Get whatever your location home improvement center carries because then you can get batteries and chargers if you need. If you really want a corded one just go to a swap meet/thrift store/garage sale and pay ten bucks for whatever they have. Corded drills seem to last forever. For both keyless chucks, (and for the cordless, a clutch) are a bonus. Buy new drill bits though. And if you are really doing a lot of holes, get a bit sharpener. Look into deck screws that have the special square drive phillips head, or (if you are really lucky and your hardware shop carries them) the torx headed wood screws. When you are driving 3.5 inch screws the last thing you want is for the bit to slip and destroy the screwhead halfway through.
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Jul 2, 2008 02:12
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EVERYTHING I SAY ABOUT JAPAN OR LIVING IN JAPAN IS COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'LL 
ABOUT IT.
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I like using my 18V DeWalt cordless tools, but I'm also a gearhead and put them through a lot of different tasks. If you're doing traditional household stuff then you're pretty much good for anything. Look for higher voltages if you're going cordless; according to their website Home Depot sells a 12V cordless Ryobi drill for $50. In my experience Black and Decker also make very good consumer grade tools. Target has a $100 Black and Decker "Home Project Kit" which includes an 18V drill and a bunch of hand tools.
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Jul 2, 2008 03:22
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Blowupologist posted:I like using my 18V DeWalt cordless tools, but I'm also a gearhead and put them through a lot of different tasks. If you're doing traditional household stuff then you're pretty much good for anything. Look for higher voltages if you're going cordless; according to their website Home Depot sells a 12V cordless Ryobi drill for $50. In my experience Black and Decker also make very good consumer grade tools. Target has a $100 Black and Decker "Home Project Kit" which includes an 18V drill and a bunch of hand tools. I would stay away from the 12V ryobi; I had one and the brand-new battery lasts about 45 minutes when doing light drilling. I got an 18V Contractor's Milwaukee and haven't looked back. That Black and Decker kit, depending on which one you get, is really good. The one with the drill and saw and tiny tool X (light, handheld screwdriver) is a really good deal for home/condo owners. The kit my friend picked up even had a box of drillbits and box of misc screws and nuts and washers and whatnot. It was great.
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Jul 2, 2008 03:45
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I'm not against a cordless, I just figure that I don't mind using an extension cord for as often as I'd use it, and I'm probably going to get a corded one much cheaper. The one I'm looking at locally is a Black & Decker 6 amp that goes up to 1500 RPM. Is that good enough?
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Jul 2, 2008 20:17
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b0bx13 posted:I'm not against a cordless, I just figure that I don't mind using an extension cord for as often as I'd use it, and I'm probably going to get a corded one much cheaper. The one I'm looking at locally is a Black & Decker 6 amp that goes up to 1500 RPM. Is that good enough? B&D makes great consumer-grade power tools, so if you're okay with cords then I would suggest you go for it. Check out reviews on Amazon.com or other retailer websites if you have a specific model you're happy with.
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Jul 2, 2008 20:25
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b0bx13 posted:I'm not against a cordless, I just figure that I don't mind using an extension cord for as often as I'd use it, and I'm probably going to get a corded one much cheaper. The one I'm looking at locally is a Black & Decker 6 amp that goes up to 1500 RPM. Is that good enough? Nothing wrong with corded tools, they have a ton more torque, and they last forever (Which is why you can get them used so cheap). But once you have used a good cordless drill, you will wonder how you made it without it so long.
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Jul 3, 2008 15:53
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In my apartment the Air Conditions fuse seems to be constantly flipping off. Is it perhaps being over worked? Second time in a week I've had to turn the fuse off and turn it back in, which then it works great. I set my room temperature to 23~ and the AC doesn't run all day so I don't think it's being overworked. Is there something I could do to prevent this?
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Jul 3, 2008 22:33
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bosko posted:In my apartment the Air Conditions fuse seems to be constantly flipping off. Is it perhaps being over worked? How long does it run before the breaker trips? If this is something new, you really should get an HVAC/electrician out there to look at the thing. It's probably loose/corroded connections.
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Jul 4, 2008 04:56
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A breaker that trips with any regularity is a sign of a problem, especially an A/C breaker since absolutely nothing is supposed to be on that circuit except for the A/C. Get your apartment's maintenance crew on it, that's why you pay rent and not a mortgage 
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Jul 4, 2008 19:55
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Richard Noggin posted:In the bathroom I'm remodeling, the existing toilet flange is 1/4" below the height of the tile. I bought a 1/4" closet flange spacer (http://www.oatey.com/Plumber/Shared/ProductGroupDetail/107/Closet+Flange+Spacer.html). I can't for the life of me find any info on whether or not I should run a bead of silicone around the inner lip of the flange (between the wall of the existing flange and the lip of the spacer). Does anyone know? Well, the spacer didn't work out. The metal ring on the flange had long since rotted out, and I thought I could use just the spacer to put things together, as I didn't have a way to remove the existing flange assembly (the floor was already finished, a replacement ring wouldn't fit, and I had no plans to cut into the ceiling below!). The spacer doesn't have the slots to hold the bolts in, just a couple cutouts to be able to let the bolts pass. When I tried to tighten the bolts, they just walked out the cutouts. Today, I made a trip to Lowe's and was able to find this:  It's normally used for cast iron, but can be used for PVC. I took my Dremel and with a cutoff wheel, carefully cut the old flange's "bell" from the inside, leaving me with a 4" pipe with a collar (the lower portion of the flange) attached. I say carefully, but I'll be damned if little bits of molten PVC would come flying off the cutting wheel and land on my arm. Folks, this hurts. This gave me enough room to insert the replacement flange in and screw it to the floor using ceramic coated decking screws. As an added bonus, it sit exactly flush with the tile, not protruding 1/8" as with the spacer.
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Jul 4, 2008 21:37
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bosko posted:In my apartment the Air Conditions fuse seems to be constantly flipping off. Is it perhaps being over worked? Your air conditioner can work 24/7 without a problem. It's your wiring that is getting overworked. Most mid-sized window unit ACs will just barely operate on a normal 15A breaker without tripping the fuse. What you need to do is make sure there are NO OTHER APPLIANCES on the same circuit as the air conditioner. You may have more than one outlet on that circuit. Turn off the breaker for the AC, and check the nearby outlets for power. Do not plug anything into the outlets that are off when the AC breaker is off. A small fan or lamp might be OK, but absolutely no microwaves, fridges, or electric heaters.
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Jul 8, 2008 04:54
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N/m.
Tinfoil Tornado fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jul 11, 2008 |
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Jul 11, 2008 00:17
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ANyone have any ideas on how to keep a screen door from 'bouncing' and just shut slowly?
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Jul 11, 2008 04:22
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Just install a door closer. You can adjust them to what speed you want the door to close, usually just with a screw at the end. One of these jobbies: 
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Jul 11, 2008 12:11
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Haikeeba! posted:Just install a door closer. You can adjust them to what speed you want the door to close, usually just with a screw at the end. One of these jobbies: That was on the door and thinking that was the problem I replaced it, but it wants to mostly slam shut, then bounce out and then slowly close. I just want it to stop nipping at the heels of anyone walking in, and squishing our cats.
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Jul 11, 2008 20:13
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Yeah, it needs adjusting. At the end of it, there should be either one screw, or two screws marked S and L depending on the model of closer. If it's just one screw, turn it clockwise a few turns until the door slows down to a good speed. If it's the two screws, turn them both. S is sweep and L is latch. Sweep is the first swing of the door closing, and L is the final bit that pulls it shut. Again, turn them clockwise to adjust them. If your closer doesn`t have any adjustment screws, ditch it and buy a new one. They are only about ten dollars.
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Jul 11, 2008 23:44
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After fruitless searching of Google and building sites, maybe I can find help. I'm setting up a home gym on the cheap and basically want to build a bench press out of materials I can get at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. My father has all the needed tools, all I need now are some practical plans. It wouldn't need to be anything fancy, a simple wooden board to lay on with the basic setup all bench presses use. It may be easy to just buy the bench part pre-made (who sells such a thing?)and use something basic for the barbell to lay upon, maybe a setup using 4x4s?
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Jul 14, 2008 07:00
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simplethird posted:After fruitless searching of Google and building sites, maybe I can find help. I would not think about building weightlifting equipment out of anything but steel for safety reasons, especially bench press, which can pretty easily kill you. Any old Sports Place sells benches and racks. This is a good thing to look for used because cheap.
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Jul 14, 2008 07:21
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kapalama posted:I would not think about building weightlifting equipment out of anything but steel for safety reasons, especially bench press, which can pretty easily kill you. While I at first thought the same, upon further thought it seems to me wood is used to support very heavy loads when used in the right way. Whether there's a way (and I feel there must) to fabricate some kind of structure that will hold up a single bar at two points with weights up to 200-250lbs or not is why I come to here, that people with more knowledge on the physical capabilities of wood and clever manipulation of force can weigh in.
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Jul 14, 2008 07:29
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Last night something went wacky with my Gas Water Heater and I'm rather clueless with these types of things and I need help. Water is leaking near a valve that's at the end of a pipe that comes from the top and down the side of the tank(I have no idea what this is called, sorry). When you turn the valve off there's no hot water, but when I turn it back on there's hot water but it spits water until I turn it off again.
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Jul 14, 2008 10:00
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Does anyone know if there is an off-delay timer that can be used in a domestic setting? I will be using it for an exhaust fan and I am looking for something that will run for 10-20 mins when switched off. I have found a couple of light & exhaust off-delay timers (like this) however I am looking for something that is more exhaust/ single appliance only. I have fired off a few emails to some local manufacturers but I thought I would ask here to see if anyone knew of anything out there. I have a 230v single phase supply here though if there are devices for other supply voltages it might be able to lead me on the right path. Edit: I have also found this which is also similar to what I am after, however I want to use a standard switch as the activator, not a sensor. I'd also prefer not to butcher anything (i.e. disecting this device to make a switch the activator). Mordialloc fucked around with this message at 13:46 on Jul 14, 2008 |
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Jul 14, 2008 13:39
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simplethird posted:While I at first thought the same, upon further thought it seems to me wood is used to support very heavy loads when used in the right way. Whether there's a way (and I feel there must) to fabricate some kind of structure that will hold up a single bar at two points with weights up to 200-250lbs or not is why I come to here, that people with more knowledge on the physical capabilities of wood and clever manipulation of force can weigh in. This is one of the many times when I feel that making something yourself is going to be more of a hassle than just buying a commercial one. Check out craigslist for someone who wants to get rid of their stuff. If you're hell bent on making this thing, fabricate it out of steel. Wood has a grain structure which makes it strong in one direction, and weak in another. Given that this particular application can kill you if there's a material failure, I'd avoid wood.
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Jul 14, 2008 14:00
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Question: I moved into an apartment with W/D hookups because I have the appliances, but I didn't think to check the wall outlet. My dryer has a 4-prong, 30A-125/250 V plug and the outlet is a 3-prong, 30A-125/250 outlet. Oops. Is it possible/safe to downgrade the plug on the dryer? My leasing office was pretty unhelpful when I asked about upgrading the outlet.
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Jul 14, 2008 17:45
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Outcast Spy posted:Question: I moved into an apartment with W/D hookups because I have the appliances, but I didn't think to check the wall outlet. My dryer has a 4-prong, 30A-125/250 V plug and the outlet is a 3-prong, 30A-125/250 outlet. Oops. Is it possible/safe to downgrade the plug on the dryer? My leasing office was pretty unhelpful when I asked about upgrading the outlet. They probably don't want to go to the expense of running a new cable that has a grounded conductor in it. The good news is that the cord is easy and safe to change yourself. Just make sure that you bond the neutral and ground connections in your dryer together. There should be a little copper strap for doing this inside it and not connected already- probably attached to the ground screw.
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Jul 15, 2008 04:49
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FYAD KNIGHT posted:Does anyone know if there is an off-delay timer that can be used in a domestic setting? I will be using it for an exhaust fan and I am looking for something that will run for 10-20 mins when switched off. I did a demolition of a dormitory that had one of these in each bathroom. I used to have a box of them, but they disappeared in the move. They were Tyco Electrics Time Delay Relays. There's a whole great big product selector at http://catalog.tycoelectronics.com. I think they're about fifty bucks per and require a relay socket base as well. They were pretty easy to mount and use.
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Jul 15, 2008 05:14
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Inudeku posted:Last night something went wacky with my Gas Water Heater and I'm rather clueless with these types of things and I need help. That is your T&P valve. It sounds like its dripping once in awhile. The reason its dripping is it has sediments in the tank which got into the valve and now it wont seat right. Easiest way to fix this is replace the T&P. All you have to do is 1: turn off water to inlet side of water heater 2: turn off gas to water heater 3: open up t&P valve to drain water out of the tank. (note there should be a floor drain the valve is goign to so it should be fine to do so. If not hook up a hose to the bottom and then drain it that way.) 4 unscrew pipe that goes into the t&P (note u may have to cut it out , but i'd have to see a picture) 5 unscrew T&P valve (rememper counter clock wise to remove it. 6 buy new T&P valve at home depot and teflon tape and pipe dope 7 install new T&P, fill water heater back up, and then turn on gas again. And you're good to go (note light the water heater once gas is back on.
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Jul 15, 2008 17:44
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Richard Noggin posted:As an added bonus, it sit exactly flush with the tile, not protruding 1/8" as with the spacer. Its usually ok to have a toilet flange a half inch above finished floor. When i know tile is going to be in a bathroom i usualy do 1/2 or up to 3/4 depending on the tile. But if a flange is to low, i'll just double wax it.
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Jul 15, 2008 17:47
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Rd Rash 1000cc posted:instructions Thanks. Do you think I could do this on my own with relative ease or should I get professional help? It doesn't sound too complicated but I really suck at repairs.
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Jul 15, 2008 20:39
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Electrical question: According to code, if underground rated power cable is not readily available, can standard cable be run in a buried conduit? Looking to get 100a of 240v out to my garage, 80ft behind my house. I am also considering just getting the power utility to just give me another drop at the garage, since it's right underneath the local transformer. On that note, is there an easy way to tell if it's a standard single-phase transformer or a 3-phase?
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Jul 15, 2008 23:51
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Inudeku posted:Thanks. Do you think I could do this on my own with relative ease or should I get professional help? It doesn't sound too complicated but I really suck at repairs. Talking to a co worker there actually could be some other options. You could live in a housing development that has not big enough water supply. So they upped the pressure to everyones house to get better presure on the new houses. So you may need a pressure reducing valve. Or it could be the first thing i suggested. If you suck at repairs then i'd pay a professional to do it. How old is the water heater by the way?
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Jul 16, 2008 04:47
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Has anyone ever used Split Ring pliers? I had a pair but I have no idea where (or even what kind of store, or what country) I bought them in. And when I moved back from Japan they were part of what I left behind. Any ideas? Split rings are like keychains. They seems to be used mostly in Jewelry/beading and Fishing stuff but no one in the stores nearby know what I am talking about. Bonus Tool Porn Action: (I love watching tool use videos) http://www.firemountaingems.com/beading_howtos/beading_projects.asp?docid=58FH kapalama fucked around with this message at 07:24 on Jul 16, 2008 |
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Jul 16, 2008 07:19
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Fire Storm posted:Electrical question: According to code, if underground rated power cable is not readily available, can standard cable be run in a buried conduit? Standard cable should be the same as underground cable in terms of composition, diameter and insulation. It is the installation conditions that determine its rating (i.e. cable run underground can handle a different ammount of current than the same cable run through a house, primarily this is due to the temperature difference). Make sure that any cable that you bury underground is burried at the right depth and using the right conduit for mechanical protection. If you get another drop to your garage, be aware that you will likely face another meter as well as account keeping costs for that meter (some companies require an account per meter and may make you pay for the meter itself as well as for the installation of that meter). Easiest way to tell if it is single or 3-phase tranny is to count how many of the supply cables are running into it. If there are 3 supply cable running into the tranny it is likely 3-phase, if there are only 2 then it is likely single phase. Electricity are more likely to use 3-phase transformers as this makes it easier (and cheaper in the long run) to split the loads evenly through street/neighbourhood.
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Jul 16, 2008 12:13
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kapalama posted:Has anyone ever used Split Ring pliers? I had a pair but I have no idea where (or even what kind of store, or what country) I bought them in. And when I moved back from Japan they were part of what I left behind. What kind of stores have you tried? How soon do you need them? Can you order a pair on the internet?
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Jul 16, 2008 12:21
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FYAD KNIGHT posted:What kind of stores have you tried? How soon do you need them? Can you order a pair on the internet? As is usually the case, once you give up hope of finding them, they magically appear. I found a fishing store near me that has them.
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Jul 16, 2008 13:28
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I want to redecorate my room by having a bunk bed, but using the bottom half as a sofa. Like this : http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50019950 then I'll just insert a sofa down there. Problem is, the frame is pretty pricy...why can't I just buy a cheaper frame : http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20050292 and remove the bottom? Why is this one cheaper than the other one? Can't I just not install the bottom half and insert a couch in there?
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Jul 17, 2008 10:53
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My in window Air COnditioner's filter does not really make a tight seal. What is the recommended way to clean the radiator behind it? I brushed it with a soft brush but it seems like some king of cleaner might help get the last bit of fuzz off.
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Jul 17, 2008 14:42
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FYAD KNIGHT posted:
Give me all the details, I'll look it up in the 16th edition (you are in the UK right?)
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Jul 17, 2008 19:03
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cakefool posted:
The 16th edition posted:522-06-03 I don't have the site guide to hand, but armoured cable suitable for the current (I'll get to that) buried 400mm deep with warning tape laid over it before covering is generally considered sufficient. If cost is an issue, (see below) conduit can be cheaper and is sufficient by these rules. 80 feet so 25-odd metres right? I'm getting stupid numbers for 100 amps over 25 metres underground. Will you require 100 amps or are you guessing? I figure 50mm conductor, which, armoured, is going to cost you dearly. If you're not in the UK, I typed that out for nothing. 
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Jul 19, 2008 15:08
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Anyone ever use a Fein Multimaster? I saw a late night ad for it. Man, I sure could have used one a couple of times in my life. If you have used one what gauge of steel plate can it cut? Is it really stiff enough to properly right angle metal pipe?
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Jul 19, 2008 18:04
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