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McFool posted:Anyone have any bright ideas for temperature proofing a polyethylene bucket? It semi-frequently stores ~500F temperature pieces of metal from the oven and they carve gnarly gashes through the sides. You can't enamel a plastic bucket, but you could get a metal bucket? Line it with a layer of your expanded mesh, it should last for ages.
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Oct 25, 2010 20:35
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McFool posted:Anyone have any bright ideas for temperature proofing a polyethylene bucket? It semi-frequently stores ~500F temperature pieces of metal from the oven and they carve gnarly gashes through the sides. A silicone baking mat (silpat) will handle 500 degF without melting, but you'd have to cut it up to line the bucket. That'd be around $15-25 for a large (12"x16") one, which may be more expensive than you want. I once made an ersatz heatproof pad in the lab by dumping a lot of silicone sealant (the stuff used for waterproof caulking) and spreading it out to a ~1 cm thickness pad before it cured. That handled something heated to ~250 degC without a problem, though I only needed a small pad and I could see it being a pain in the arse to coat the inside of a bucket with the stuff. Cheap, though.
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Oct 25, 2010 21:35
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This is the best place here I can think of to ask. for a Halloween costume, I was thinking about going as Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe. Is there a way to get that dulled rubber look on something like under armor? And I know it's a long shot, but is there a novice way of crafting the fake muscles that his suit has?
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Oct 26, 2010 06:38
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What's the easiest way to go about painting this wall? Specifically the ceiling edge I would typically do with an angled brush. The catch? From here:   Brush taped to a pole? I don't see any way to plant a ladder. The pictures may not fully convey the height. It's a 15ft ceiling, 24ft from the base of the stairs. eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 16:13 on Oct 26, 2010 |
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Oct 26, 2010 16:09
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Perhaps rent scaffolding or something like the Werner Multi-Ladder setup? I've had the pleasure of using the Werner rigs (2 telescoping ladders with the optional aluminum plank) and they are infinitely useful.
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Oct 26, 2010 16:19
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Arriviste posted:Perhaps rent scaffolding or something like the Werner Multi-Ladder setup? I've had the pleasure of using the Werner rigs (2 telescoping ladders with the optional aluminum plank) and they are infinitely useful. Hah, I got so hung up on this at 2am, and I laid in bed all night thinking of dangerous ways to prop up or level the 20ft rigid A-frame, or straight extension ladders I barrowed. I completely forgot the A's with independently adjustable legs existed. Renting is another great idea.
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Oct 26, 2010 16:33
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Please post a picture of your precarious eventual setup, so I can copy it before I die an honourable death.
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Oct 27, 2010 12:10
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We're renting a house that has walls painted in this kind of two-tone finish style: Example As we've lived here we've hung things on the walls, creating holes that need to be spackled/repainted. What's the best way to do the painting with this kind of finish? Should I just chip off one of the colors and use that and hope for the best?
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Oct 28, 2010 00:06
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Insulation question: I just added about a foot of blown-in cellulose insulation on top of existing R30 blown-in insulation in some of my attic areas. This should take it to R49+, so hopefully I'll see a difference. I did it to make the two bedrooms that are in that part of the house warmer in the winter / cooler in the summer. When I was blowing in the insulation, I found a hidden corner where it looked like the outside sheathing was the end of the house, however, as I was crawling around the rafters, I saw that there was actually about 15 square feet of space BEHIND that sheathing that had never been insulated AT ALL. All there was the exposed drywall of the ceiling below! My question is -- how much of a problem was this actually causing? The uninsulated area was directly above the forced-air register in the floor of one of the bedrooms, so I'm assuming I was losing a lot of heat into the attic. Is 15 square feet of uninsulated attic enough that I'll notice a difference now that it's R49-ish?
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Oct 28, 2010 20:14
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I just moved into a new basement apartment, and the bathroom sink has a problem with drainage. Water drains very very slowly, meaning that I usually have a sink full of slowly draining still water, usually with whatever I'm washing down; I don't need to tell you what a pain in the rear end it is to keep the sink clean. The thing is, I don't think it's a blocked drain. The sink will occasionally burp up an air bubble, and then things drain quickly for a bit. I'm guessing there's nowhere for the air to go. Is this an easy thing to fix?
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Oct 29, 2010 03:13
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Vergeh posted:I don't think it's a blocked drain. It's a blocked drain. Try some Drain-O first.
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Oct 29, 2010 03:41
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eddiewalker posted:It's a blocked drain. Try some Drain-O first. Try a ZipIt drain unclogger first. Its a 2' long piece of barbed plastic that worked wonders on my drains. Any big box store has them for a couple dollars.
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Oct 29, 2010 03:52
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Vergeh posted:I just moved into a new basement apartment, and the bathroom sink has a problem with drainage. Water drains very very slowly, meaning that I usually have a sink full of slowly draining still water, usually with whatever I'm washing down; I don't need to tell you what a pain in the rear end it is to keep the sink clean. I've got this same problem and I snaked my entire line out into the main stack.. pulled enough hair to build a housepet out of , but it still doesn't drain well at all.
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Oct 29, 2010 20:19
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Vergeh posted:I just moved into a new basement apartment, and the bathroom sink has a problem with drainage. Water drains very very slowly, meaning that I usually have a sink full of slowly draining still water, usually with whatever I'm washing down; I don't need to tell you what a pain in the rear end it is to keep the sink clean. Check out InspectAPedia for some troubleshooting tips on noisy drains. *Handyman plumbing and handyman wiring are actual checklist categories in the home inspection software we use. We see some dangerous, idiotic poo poo out there.
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Oct 29, 2010 20:52
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It's getting cold up here in the Northeast, and I live in a condo with an in-wall air conditioner. It lets in a hell of a draft, and was trying to find the best way possible to cover it without it looking like hell. I found this on Amazon, along with this from Home Depot. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this stuff, and what you guys would reccomend.
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Oct 29, 2010 23:33
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kombatMedik posted:It's getting cold up here in the Northeast, and I live in a condo with an in-wall air conditioner. It lets in a hell of a draft, and was trying to find the best way possible to cover it without it looking like hell. I found this on Amazon, along with this from Home Depot. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with this stuff, and what you guys would reccomend. I've used one of these and it helps a lot. I also got some of that plastic window sheeting and taped it around the inside part of the A/C as well so I had two layers of draft protection.
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Nov 2, 2010 16:50
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I have this type of wide hammock stand sitting in my garage: ..and would like to convert it to a tall/narrow hammock chair like this (though U-shaped instead of C-frame) :  Basically going from a wide \__/ shape to a narrow U. The pipes are ca. 1-3/4" diameter steel and simply slide into the 45 degree elbows. If I had two matching 45 degree elbow pieces then this would be an easy task, but alas my local hardware stores do not carry anything in a matching size. The closest I could find was galvanized steel pipe at 2" which is too wide and 1 1/2" which is too small. Any ideas ?
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Nov 3, 2010 02:08
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Anyone have any engineering experience with lightening holes in aluminum or plywood? I can't find any reports on it, and I don't want to have to do the simulations myself. This first project is for a telescope my dad and I are building.
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Nov 3, 2010 05:58
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I'm not much of a do-it-yourselfer (my grand accomplishment was replacing a bathtub faucet a few months ago) but I've got a heat-leak problem I could use some advise on, as it's bad already and only going to get worse come January. I live in a duplex unit with high ceilings on the top floor, so there's often what feels like a 10 degree difference between the floors. My problem is with a room on the bottom floor, at the opposite end of where the heating unit is. There's a vent right above this window:  Click here for the full 648x486 image. but in front of it is always freezing cold. I've closed the vents elsewhere around the house to increase flow here which helps a little. A big problem is that the window doesn't quite shut closed. It's only a millimeter or two off, but the center latch doesn't quite reach the lock point, and even if it did I don't know that it would make an overwhelming difference. Since it's a unit I can't really replace the whole window. What else can I do to make this room warmer? I like to open the window in the summer so I don't want to seal it, and stacking things in front of it is a bit ridiculous. I'm not familiar with it, but I want to say there might be some sort of insulating film to place over windows like this? Any other ideas would be appreciated.
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Nov 3, 2010 18:17
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Elijya posted:If applied correctly, the film doesn't affect your view. Take it down once open-window seasons return—it's cheap and easily replaced the next winter. Arriviste fucked around with this message at 19:32 on Nov 3, 2010 |
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Nov 3, 2010 19:28
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Vergeh posted:I just moved into a new basement apartment, and the bathroom sink has a problem with drainage. Water drains very very slowly, meaning that I usually have a sink full of slowly draining still water, usually with whatever I'm washing down; I don't need to tell you what a pain in the rear end it is to keep the sink clean.
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Nov 3, 2010 20:00
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Does anyone know if anyone in SA-Mart sells wall art/ wall decals? I've been looking online but I want something delightfully irreverant, something weird...but not necessarily spooky, not Halloweeny. Hence asking here...perhaps there will be some or someone will know of some elsewhere that might fit the bill. 
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Nov 4, 2010 00:03
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Xoobee posted:Does anyone know if anyone in SA-Mart sells wall art/ wall decals? I've been looking online but I want something delightfully irreverant, something weird...but not necessarily spooky, not Halloweeny. Elijya fucked around with this message at 00:55 on Nov 4, 2010 |
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Nov 4, 2010 00:46
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During the winter, my kitchen is the absolute coldest room in the house. My house is over 80 years old and is heated by hot water radiators. Each room in the house has an actual radiator however the kitchen just has two baseboard radiators, maybe stretching 15-20 feet total. The kitchen is fairly large, has a linoleum tile floor, and many windows, all of which have heavy blinds over them. None of the floors on the bottom floor are insulated (we have a basement), nor are any of the walls in the house. we only have insulation on the top floor in the attic. My question is, what would be the most cost effective way of keeping the kitchen bearable during the winter?
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Nov 4, 2010 01:19
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Mr Pepper posted:My question is, what would be the most cost effective way of keeping the kitchen bearable during the winter? Cost effective in the short term would be sealing up any drafts and more heat. Probably also that plastic stuff over the windows mentioned a few posts up. Cost effective in the long term would be sealing up any drafts, replace windows and insulate the walls/floor.
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Nov 4, 2010 03:00
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Here's an off beat question: I live a little ways out in the boonies here, and I really enjoy the peace and quiet. However this is somewhat ruined by the large transformer on the power line outside my house, which buzzes constantly. I imagine if it's making that much noise it isn't being completely efficient, and a quick stroll through the neighborhood revealed that my neighbors do not have this problem. My question is would PG&E care to actually come and fix this, or will they just laugh at me when I ask them about it? I could just climb up there with some wrenches and a screwdriver to tighten it up, but something tells me this is not the best idea....
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Nov 4, 2010 16:49
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NoSoup4U posted:Here's an off beat question: You're not going to accomplish anything other than killing yourself by climbing a pole. It's not a matter of anything being loose. Hold your ear against a "wall wart" power supply. They make the same noise.
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Nov 4, 2010 17:29
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A transformer Q&A on another forum describes what sounds like your problem.W.A. (Bill) Stevens posted:When dirty insulators get a little moisture on them they begin to leak some current via a fast cascade of micro-arcs across the insulator. This would not affect the line voltage or your house voltage. In some cases the "buzz" can become continuous, driving nearby residents crazy until the utility gets enough complaints and comes along to spray wash the insulators.
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Nov 4, 2010 17:39
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Naw, that's something different- that's literally arcing over the insulators. Transformer buzzing is simply the resin hardening over time, which allows the transformer coils to vibrate like speakers. It's annoying, but harmless.
grover fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Nov 5, 2010 |
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Nov 5, 2010 00:36
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Does anyone know how to remove glue from one of those glue traps for mice from denim? I was at a buddy's and knelt down in his basement to grab something and did not see the glue trap on the floor.  When I peeled it off, some stayed on my jeans. I'd say gently caress it if it was any other pair of jeans I own, but these are brand new and today was the first time I wore the drat things. Has anyone encountered this before and found a solution? TL:DR- How do I get the sticky crap from a mouse glue board off my brand new jeans? 
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Nov 5, 2010 04:36
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Naphtha (lighter fluid) usually does the job for removing tricky adhesives. And as an aside, tell your friend to replace the glue traps with good 'ol spring traps. Not only are they more humane than starving them to death, but mice that get caught in glue traps often tend to chew their own limbs off and leave little bloody trails across the floor until they die from blood loss in some corner and stink up the whole place. corgski fucked around with this message at 06:22 on Nov 5, 2010 |
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Nov 5, 2010 05:52
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thelightguy posted:Napththa (lighter fluid) usually does the job for removing tricky adhesives. Thank you muchly! The glue traps are not for mice, actually. They are for Camel Crickets! Our area has become infested in recent years and they are a real nuisance. They are harmless really, but have poor vision and tend to jump towards any movement they see. They are cannibalistic, so they eat the corpses of their own kind. Placing glue traps with one dead cricket in the middle attracts the others, and they get stuck and die and more are attracted until the glue strip is full and you throw it away and replace it. This is the best non-poison method to control the population. I had hundreds in my basement before I started using these traps, and now after 2-3 years I only catch a dozen or so a week. Pic below is the camel cricket. 
iForge fucked around with this message at 06:19 on Nov 5, 2010 |
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Nov 5, 2010 06:17
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iForge posted:Thank you muchly! The glue traps are not for mice, actually. They are for Camel Crickets! Our area has become infested in recent years and they are a real nuisance. They are harmless really, but have poor vision and tend to jump towards any movement they see. They are cannibalistic, so they eat the corpses of their own kind. Placing glue traps with one dead cricket in the middle attracts the others, and they get stuck and die and more are attracted until the glue strip is full and you throw it away and replace it. This is the best non-poison method to control the population. I had hundreds in my basement before I started using these traps, and now after 2-3 years I only catch a dozen or so a week. Pic below is the camel cricket. They respond to boric acid roach powder, by the way. It's not labelled for crickets, but I sprinkled some along the base of all my outside doors, and I haven't had any of those bastards since. Fun fact: on the tv crew for an MLB team, we have to use the same stuff to keep normal crickets from nesting and chirping where we hide microphones around the field. edit: you said non-poison, shrug. eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 06:36 on Nov 5, 2010 |
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Nov 5, 2010 06:30
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NoSoup4U posted:I could just climb up there with some wrenches and a screwdriver to tighten it up, but something tells me this is not the best idea....
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Nov 5, 2010 12:38
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grover posted:Also, even if it was something you could fix by tightening a nut (it's not), this is a REALLY REALLY bad idea. While we're talking about bad ideas, I think that being far out in the sticks is reason for a transformer to get "accidentally" shot during "hunting season," requiring replacement. Make sure it's about sunup on a Tuesday or Wednesday, so the crews are rested but don't have the end-of-week blues, and you won't be out of power when it starts to get cold and dark.
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Nov 5, 2010 12:56
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:While we're talking about bad ideas, I think that being far out in the sticks is reason for a transformer to get "accidentally" shot during "hunting season," requiring replacement. Make sure it's about sunup on a Tuesday or Wednesday, so the crews are rested but don't have the end-of-week blues, and you won't be out of power when it starts to get cold and dark.
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Nov 6, 2010 02:49
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So I've got a party to go to in three hours, and it just hit me - My only pair of jeans has a large crotchhole. I've never sewed or whatever the kids are calling it before, I just need to stitch a hole up to at least survive tonight. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I can make photos available if it would help anyone to help me. Speedy replies would make my life pretty magical right now
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Nov 6, 2010 08:08
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Dick Danger posted:So I've got a party to go to in three hours, and it just hit me - My only pair of jeans has a large crotchhole. I've never sewed or whatever the kids are calling it before, I just need to stitch a hole up to at least survive tonight. Have you done a basic google search? There have to be thousands of quick sewing guides online. Do you have a sewing kit? If not, any pharmacy will have one. Is the hole big or is it a tear? If it's a tear just follow a basic sewing guide, if it's a hole you'll need a patch and that will get a little more complicated. This is really your only pair of pants? No trousers or shorts, nothing? If you've never sewed before, you're probably going to do a really bad job, so if you like these jeans, try wearing something else and taking them to be fixed professionally. But basic sewing directions are pretty simple: get a needle and thread (preferably a thread color that matches the material) and put the line through the eye of the needle. Depending on the length of the tear I'd make a rough estimate you want about 12 inches of thread to work with, and you want it doubled up so get about 2 feet, with the needle in the center. Tie the two loose ends of the thread together so you have a knot as a stopper (preferably a double knot). Then just stitch the tear, back and forth like you've seen a million times. As I said, if you've never sewed before you're going to do a terrible job, but you said you're in a rush, so just wing it. You can take them to a professional later who will undo whatever you did and then do a professional fix. When you get to the end of the tear, tie the line again trying to get the knot (double or triple) as close to the material as you can. Then just snip the slack on the other end of both knots. This is about as good as you're going to do. e: yeah, if you don't really care that's probably the better option V Elijya fucked around with this message at 09:18 on Nov 6, 2010 |
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Nov 6, 2010 09:02
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Worse comes to worse, could he just turn the pants inside out, hold the tear closed with a few overlapping pieces of duct tape, then flip them back out and wear them normally? It would likely hold for a night and no one might notice if it were done well enough. (Also, he could keep a foot or so of duct tape wrapped around itself in a pocket in case he'd need to do a quick alteration during the night.)
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Nov 6, 2010 09:15
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I'm trying to build a root cellar. Ideally you want to have a place in a basement that stays very cool and damp, and you are able to store things like cabbages, rutabagas, carrots, beets for several months. The ideal temperature is between 35 and 45, but you don't want things to freeze. What I want to do is to set up a pipe coming in from outdoors with a miniature fan on the end. I want it to turn on when the temperature inside rises above 45 degrees. However I want there to be a thermostat that measures the temperature outside which overrides the system and only allows the fan to turn on when the temperature is below 45 outside. Otherwise on a warm day it will suck in warm air from outside and warm up even more. What I am having trouble doing is finding thermostats to do this. Any ideas where to look, or terms I should be looking for?
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Nov 7, 2010 18:42
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