|
ZentraediElite posted:He didn't put in a new box, I live in a building with terrible wiring and he pulled it out to replace the connection at the plate. Unfortunately after he screwed everything back in it just popped right back out. Is it basically a small hole in the wall where the cable comes out of to attach to the faceplate? If so, go get some small drywall anchors for where the screws go into the wall. If the cover screws onto a box, try sticking a piece of toothpick into the hole so the screw has something to grab.
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2009 00:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 21:15 |
|
|
Or just use bigger screws, I just did that to fix a 65$ craigslist drum set.
|
|
#
?
Feb 20, 2009 01:02
|
|
|
I plan to remove the woodstove from my house. My woodstove vents to the ceiling. What things should I take into consideration when removing it?
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2009 03:00
|
|
|
I have an invisible fence for my dogs. One of my dogs is retarded, and bolts into my neighbors yard all the time, always in the same area. The zone is turned all the way up, and the collar is also turned all the way up. I want to expand the correction zone, and I'm wondering if my plan will work  The red is the current fence, yellow is the wire I want to ad in the problem area, and black line is a fence between the houses. Can I simply tap into the red wire, and expand the zone like in the mspaint, or will that mess up the signal and weaken the whole boundary?
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2009 18:58
|
|
|
IOwnCalculus posted:Bad advice - as far as I know it's code to have smoke detectors on their own circuit with nothing else. Sure would suck to have no smoke detectors because your hair dryer popped a breaker. Putting your smoke detectors on a dedicated circuit is a bad idea. Most, if not all, hard-wired detectors that have a battery back-up won't beep when the power goes out, they just revert to the battery until power is restored or the battery dies. Some do have an LED that goes out when the AC power is interrupted, but unless you're looking for it you probably won't notice it's gone. They will only start beeping once the battery gets low. Wire them with a *lighting* circuit that you use frequently (bedroom, hallway, kitchen, etc.), and you won't have to worry about a blow dryer tripping the breaker, and will notice right away if the circuit does trip. The power requirements of each detector are minuscule, and won't affect the lights on the circuit. I have also heard of some people wiring them with a furnace circuit or some other low use breaker, which is passable; it wouldn't take too long to notice your house getting cold or hot, but it's still not as immediate as a lighting circuit.
|
|
#
?
Feb 22, 2009 03:00
|
|
|
Is installing artificial grass on a balcony or deck a realistic DIY project for someone of low-to-average ability or is it something a contractor should be contacted for? How similar is it to installing regular carpet?
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2009 02:52
|
|
|
DOCTOR ZIMBARDO posted:Is installing artificial grass on a balcony or deck a realistic DIY project for someone of low-to-average ability or is it something a contractor should be contacted for? How similar is it to installing regular carpet? It's as complicated as "cut and glue." Spread your turf onto your area, cut to width/length/angles. Roll it up. Spread adhesive with a notched trowel. Unroll the turf. Stomp it flat. Let the adhesive cure. You don't have to use a carpet spreader to stretch the carpet to the tack strip or anything like that.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2009 03:49
|
|
|
Could someone point me to a quick step by step guide on painting the exterior of your house? I especially need to know what type of preparation needs to be done before actually painting.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 03:38
|
|
|
I have four floor lamps that i want to turn on/off with one switch, they`re each on different outlets in the corners of a room. Is there any easy way of doing this short of running extension cords from one outlet?
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 15:50
|
|
|
What is the easiest way to get a broken light bulb out of a socket? I tried using pliers but I am not getting a good torque on it and just bending the metal.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 18:32
|
|
|
Yellow Jesus posted:I have four floor lamps that i want to turn on/off with one switch, they`re each on different outlets in the corners of a room. Is there any easy way of doing this short of running extension cords from one outlet? You could use an automation system like this. http://www.x10.com/automation/automation_modules.html
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 18:33
|
|
|
Yellow Jesus posted:I have four floor lamps that i want to turn on/off with one switch, they`re each on different outlets in the corners of a room. Is there any easy way of doing this short of running extension cords from one outlet? http://www.amazon.com/DSI-EZ-Outlet-Remote-Outlets/dp/B000G80V28/ref=tag_tdp_sv_edpp_i JEEVES420 posted:What is the easiest way to get a broken light bulb out of a socket? I tried using pliers but I am not getting a good torque on it and just bending the metal. Cut a potato in half and jam it on there. Make sure the power is off. e: Or maybe you don't cut it, just stick it in there. ease fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Feb 24, 2009 |
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 18:35
|
|
|
ease posted:Cut a potato in half and jam it on there. Make sure the power is off. Just so you know the last guy that tried that, on the recommendation of this thread, blew out the wiring in his whole house.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 20:41
|
|
EVERYTHING I SAY ABOUT JAPAN OR LIVING IN JAPAN IS COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'LL 
ABOUT IT.
|
There are some cigarette burns in the linoleum tile floor in my kitchen. Is there any way to get these out?
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 22:47
|
|
|
kapalama posted:Just so you know the last guy that tried that, on the recommendation of this thread, blew out the wiring in his whole house. Really? Thats pretty rad. Obviously he had some shoddy wiring tho. You shouldn't be able to blow out all your wiring just by causing a short.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2009 23:21
|
|
|
I think a bar of soap works too, and doesn't conduct electricity. Although turning off the breaker for that fixture should eliminate any potential problems using a potato.
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2009 00:32
|
|
|
kapalama posted:Just so you know the last guy that tried that, on the recommendation of this thread, blew out the wiring in his whole house. I'm sorry, if I ever have to "jam" something into a lamp, I usually unplug it. If I can't unplug it, I turn it off. What is with people and electricity? As soon as the lightbulb burns out, they think the power is off and safe to play with. Electricity can kill you, people. Use some common sense.
|
|
#
?
Feb 25, 2009 19:31
|
|
|
So I'm renting a very old house, but my biggist issue is with the bathtub. God only knows what the previous tenants did to this poor house, because the bathtub is terrifying. It's covered with rust stains and the caulk connecting the tub to the wall is black, though I'm pretty sure it was originally white. Is it possible to take off the caulk and replace it with new/not disgusting caulk? And how the hell can I clean this bathtub? I've done everything short of detonating an atomic bomb on it, but I haven't gotten any results. Steel wire brush, comet, lime away, rust away, and hours of scrubbing don't seem to make a dent. Any advice?
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 02:16
|
|
|
Effexxor posted:bathtub covered with rust stains and the caulk is black... atomic bomb Recaulking is very possible and quite easy. Just pick up some caulk that is specifically for bathrooms. I think a silicone would be appropriate. You can get a good line with a plastic tool that they'll sell next to the caulk that costs a couple bucks. Otherwise, you can do pretty well by just running a finger lightly over it when done. Oh, and cut the old stuff out with a utility knife close to parallel with the wall, and again parallel with the tub. You should be able to pull and scrape it out pretty easily after that. Double check that water hasn't been getting behind it, because water behind and under the tub can be a big problem. As for getting the rust out...I wish I knew. The house I bought a couple months ago has some ugly rust in two places.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 03:15
|
|
|
Local Yokel posted:Double check that water hasn't been getting behind it, because water behind and under the tub can be a big problem. What if water is getting behind it? Because by how crappy that caulk looks know, I really wouldn't doubt that water's been getting back there. (How the people who had this house before and didn't even do basic loving maintenance on it is beyond me. You're living there. I don't care if you're renting it or not, take care of the damned place.) Oh, and another question. Somehow the dumbass tenants from before managed to break 5 water pipes in one night in the basement and I'm guessing that it screwed up the pipes above for a while, because there's some been some definite leakage in the kitchen's ceiling. The paint's all flaky and there's even a point where the plaster came of and you can see cement behind it. So of course I'd love to get onto a step ladder and scrape the paint off, except for one tiny fact. As old as my house is, there's a very good chance that it's lead paint. Any tips on ways I can take care of this, not break my bank account, and not die?
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 03:29
|
|
|
Effexxor posted:What if water is getting behind it? Because by how crappy that caulk looks know, I really wouldn't doubt that water's been getting back there. (How the people who had this house before and didn't even do basic loving maintenance on it is beyond me. You're living there. I don't care if you're renting it or not, take care of the damned place.) Wear a face mask, don't eat any, dispose of all scrapings carefully. Lead won't make your brain explode if you touch it, just like asbestos won't give you cancer if you look at it. Take reasonable precautions and work tidy and you'll be fine. Note - don't eat asbestos either.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 10:44
|
|
|
How do I glue two pieces of 2mm thick 10"x10" glass together at perfect right angles? (I am constructing a glass cube)
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 15:39
|
|
|
Use UV setting glass glue, and a carpenters or metalworkers angle square. It's not meant to be a perfect cube, right? because you need to account for thickness since you don't have beveled edges.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 17:31
|
|
|
Vaporware posted:Use UV setting glass glue, and a carpenters or metalworkers angle square. It's not meant to be a perfect cube, right? because you need to account for thickness since you don't have beveled edges.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 20:51
|
|
|
IzzyFnStradlin posted:Thanks for the advice. But is there another kind of glue that wouldn't require me to buy a UV lamp? That sounds expensive. What are you trying to do? Not to de-rail the DIY spirit but Hobby Lobby sells fairly inexpensive display cubes.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 21:08
|
|
|
IzzyFnStradlin posted:Thanks for the advice. But is there another kind of glue that wouldn't require me to buy a UV lamp? That sounds expensive. The only non-messy/obscuring adhesive is UV setting, sorry. I worked at a glass place for a few weeks, it's fairly easy to use but requires a bit of forethought. I was glueing metal bosses to glass tables on my first day and glass-glass is easier. You don't need a UV lamp if you can clamp the item in place & leave it outside - a few days of good sunshine (  ) will start the set.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 23:13
|
|
|
There's no need for a lamp if you're going to be getting at least 8 hours of direct sun. It's not as consistent as a UV lamp, but as long as you test the joint it'll hold. It's sufficient for non-engineered applications.
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2009 23:44
|
|
|
Not Memorable posted:What are you trying to do? Not to de-rail the DIY spirit but Hobby Lobby sells fairly inexpensive display cubes. Regardless of the amount of balls I decide to use, however, there still is the problem of finding a pre-made box that will EXACTLY fit some number of balls perfectly, with no gaps. (And thanks for the additional advice re: UV glue!)
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2009 00:21
|
|
|
Effexxor posted:What if water is getting behind it? Because by how crappy that caulk looks know, I really wouldn't doubt that water's been getting back there. (How the people who had this house before and didn't even do basic loving maintenance on it is beyond me. You're living there. I don't care if you're renting it or not, take care of the damned place.) I was about to ask why you hadn't bothered to get the house inspected before you bought, then I noticed that you were a renter. I say just make the tub look pretty and don't worry about mold and rot under there. You'll be leaving in a year or two and the landlord can deal with it. It sounds like a lovely thing to do, but it's really his responsibility to keep an eye on things like that. As for the peeling paint, you don't have to worry much about lead based paint as long as you wear a dust mask at clean up well after your scraping. I don't think I'd be too gung ho about tackling projects in a rental though. To each his own.
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2009 01:15
|
|
|
I would like to be able to weld sheetmetal like panelwork on a car, exhausts etc. For this I'd need a MIG, right? Gas wouldn't really cut it for my applications. And I sure as hell know my arc welder can't weld thin metal. I don't have a fat wallet, so budget is a major concern. It is something I will have to save up for slowly. I know I want one that can use gas. I don't want a flux core only unit. My questions are: What sort of minimum duty cycle do I need so I don't make a mess with lots of blowthroughs, heat distortion etc.? What else do I have to watch out for? I seem to recall a portion of MIGs out there having a permanently active electrode, ie the trigger only controls feed, not power. How common is this? I'd probably be looking at an eBay unit, maybe even preloved. So I'm really just looking for something for home use which I can use on my project vehicle and other things, and has a lowish probability of killing me. Please help steer me in the right direction. Sorry if there are dropped letters. I just switched to a keyboard that has been in the shed for a while and it's keys are still a bit stiff.
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2009 03:35
|
|
|
I'd like to have a bike stand for storage and to make maintenance much easier (it helps to have the bike off the ground). I'm trying to limit the cost and size since it's going on my tiny deck. The size rules out the kind for sale at bike stores, so I'd like to rig something up on my own. My idea is to get two 2x2 boards and clamping them to my deck's rail and using those. Something like this with c clamps instead of bricks. My only question is if c clamps that could support that weight would be inexpensive enough. How much force would the clamps need to be able to support? My hazy recollection of physics, torque, and levers combined with some very fudged numbers leads me to believe they'd need to be able to handle 700~800 lbs of force each. I'm assuming a 60 lb bike (huge huge overestimate) hanging 2 feet off the board (probably a slight overestimate) and one inch going past the fulcrum (no idea if that's a good estimate or relevant), and then I'm assuming I can divide that by 2 since I'll have two clamps. Am I thinking about this right? Should I head to Home Depot tomorrow or does anyone suggest something different?
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2009 06:03
|
|
|
creationist believer posted:Am I thinking about this right? Should I head to Home Depot tomorrow or does anyone suggest something different? Hit up garage sales tomorrow and get a whole bunch of clamps for $6. Then you can do whatever you want. I think getting a few 1x2s or 2x4s and nailing them together so you can put 6 clamps or so per side on the railing would work out best. It's best not to engineer something like this; just put it together and when it fails, add more clamps.
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2009 06:40
|
|
|
Quick plumbing question: Every time someone uses the hot water in the entire dorm to take a shower the pipes groan and rattle. What causes this? I'm just curious.
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2009 07:46
|
|
|
And another plumbing question: someone poured hot fat down the drain in the kitchen sink and it seems to have set in the pipes, totally blocking them. We have a sink and vegetable rinser full of lovely smelling water (I found out when I tried to drain the cold water that had been left in there) I tried a plunger, but because there are two plug holes and some holes in the draining bit, it doesn't create a seal and I just push water and filth up the other hole. It's been this way overnight now so I don't think water pressure is going to push it through now. Can anyone suggest how to clear it out?
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2009 11:32
|
|
|
BizarroAzrael posted:And another plumbing question: someone poured hot fat down the drain in the kitchen sink and it seems to have set in the pipes, totally blocking them. We have a sink and vegetable rinser full of lovely smelling water (I found out when I tried to drain the cold water that had been left in there) Boiling hot water. If the old water doesn't drain, siphon it into a bucket first. If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to snake the pipe, or take it apart. Does your system have a grease trap anywhere to handle that grease?
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2009 18:42
|
|
|
ease posted:Does your system have a grease trap anywhere to handle that grease? Failing that, use an empty can for any grease that can congeal. Used vegetable oil should probably be disposed of that way too rather than pouring it down the sink.
|
|
#
?
Mar 3, 2009 18:51
|
|
|
ease posted:Boiling hot water. If the old water doesn't drain, siphon it into a bucket first. If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to snake the pipe, or take it apart. I'm going to say no, though I'm a layman about such things. I used some Domestos "15 minute pipe unblocker" which must have taken much more than 15 minutes, but I found the water level had gone right down on getting home, so I guess it must have reset after that stuff broke through. Emptied the kettle into the sink 4 times, and it seems the hot water is going into the pipe and back up into the vegetable rinser. Maybe if I do it a few more times it will get moving.
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2009 01:11
|
|
|
I'm trying to install a dimmer switch into a box with two switches (just replacing the one switch). The dimmer switch came with a wire nut for each connection, and I'm supposed to hook up the two black leads and the ground. On the old switch, one black wire is just bare on the end and will work fine in the nut, but the other wire is just a loop with some insulation cut off (it was hooked up to the brass screw on the switch): What's the best way to hook this up? I was thinking of just cutting it right in the center, stripping off a little more insulation, and putting all three wires (the one from the switch plus what is now two wires) into the nut, but I don't think they'll all fit. I was thinking of just hooking up another short piece of wire to the loop and then running that into the nut with the wire from the switch, but then the question is hooking it onto the loop the proper way. I'm guessing just wrapping it around the loop and covering it in electrical tape does not meet code, although it would obviously work. Also, the previous switch did not have the ground wire hooked up, so am I cool to skip it on this installation? I do see a bare copper wire in the back of the box, but it doesn't seem to be hooked up to anything... *edit* the bare copper wire comes in with all the other wires, I just meant that once it's in the switch it didn't seem to be connected to anything.
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2009 02:17
|
|
|
devnull420 posted:What's the best way to hook this up? I was thinking of just cutting it right in the center, stripping off a little more insulation, and putting all three wires (the one from the switch plus what is now two wires) into the nut, but I don't think they'll all fit. This. Cut the loop. Connect a wire to the 2 ends you just made with a wire nut. Get a bigger wire nut if you have to (probably a red one). If your dimmer has a ground wire, it probably needs it to operate. Connect it and the bare wire together with a bare piece of wire and screw that into the back of the box. It's hard to tell, though; if the box is plastic, just connect the uninsulated wire to the ground wire on the dimmer. I hate it when people loop wires. It's so very very lazy.
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2009 05:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 21:15 |
|
|
General_Failure posted:I would like to be able to weld sheetmetal like panelwork on a car, exhausts etc. i recommend a miller or hobart or lincoln electric. miller being top of the line. please dont buy a harbor freight mig welder. i recommend a http://millerwelds.com/products/mig/millermatic_140_autoset/ it keeps the electrode cold and has an autoset feature for both steel thickness and wire (electrode) thickness. its not 809 dollars. you can find it for much less, and it kind of takes the guess work out of the light (steel thickness) welding that you are doing. hell you can even use flux cored wire and eliminate the shielding gas all together. pm me if you need more help. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 4, 2009 08:07
|
|
