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Hazed_blue posted:2) I'm looking to hang my giant TV in the living room, but the entire room is covered in vertical wood paneling. The house exterior is on the other side. The stud finder is having trouble finding anything conclusive, and I'm running out of ideas. I've looked up and down the panels and can't find any nails, I can't hear any difference when tapping along the wall, and I've even tried placing a piece of cardboard over the panels and scanning that. No avail. Any tips of how I can accurately find the studs without wrecking the wall? Use a magnet; it'll be attracted to nails that are, presumably, attached to studs. I use a rare-earth magnet as a stud finder because I can just slide it across the wall and it'll stick to the wall when it finds a nail. You can also get magnets that are mounted on swivels, but they're really fiddly to use.
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Oct 12, 2015 02:55
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Hazed_blue posted:See yeah, this is similar to what I was thinking. The previous owner never had any water infiltration on this wall, and I can't spot anything that would indicate it. The wall does have a metal border at the top that I may be able to peel up slightly and check the contents behind. Until I have better evidence, I don't think I'm going to drill. Get up and brush the leaves off the leaf guard Is there moulding? You can pull that off then drill finder holes. Also check electrical boxes on that wall. The box should be nailed to a stud.
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Oct 12, 2015 03:11
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I have a small walk in attic with insulation between studs on the wall that forms one of the bedroom walls. The insulation sometimes gets caught on me as I move around in the attic (since it is so small) and pulled away from between the studs. Is there any problem with me stapling thick plastic sheeting to the studs over the insulation so that the insulation will be contained?
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Oct 12, 2015 03:21
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XmasGiftFromWife posted:Get up and brush the leaves off the leaf guard And the magnet trick worked! Started with a small nail head I found near the electrical outlet and then pulled it across the same height and found other spots where the magnet was attracted, almost 16" apart. I imagine they would nail these into the paneling at Kore or less the middle of the stud, right?
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Oct 12, 2015 04:57
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kid sinister posted:That not entirely true. You use the included drill bit to drill into the blocks, then the screws will grab (hopefully) in the hole. If the hole is too big for the screw threads to grab, try sticking a few toothpicks in the hole first. Just curious, what makes this work to where the bits of toothpick are not the only thing holding the screw in place?
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Oct 12, 2015 05:27
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The screw threads bite into the toothpicks and shove them outward into the edge of the hole, where the friction between the toothpick and wood is enough to hold it all in place.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:32
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Enourmo posted:The screw threads bite into the toothpicks and shove them outward into the edge of the hole, where the friction between the toothpick and wood is enough to hold it all in place. Is that noticeably weaker than drilling the correct size hole to start with? Also, I thought this was being suggested for a hole I concrete/masonry.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:57
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Jose Cuervo posted:I have a small walk in attic with insulation between studs on the wall that forms one of the bedroom walls. The insulation sometimes gets caught on me as I move around in the attic (since it is so small) and pulled away from between the studs. Is there any problem with me stapling thick plastic sheeting to the studs over the insulation so that the insulation will be contained? That could lead to moisture issues. Try chicken wire.
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Oct 12, 2015 05:58
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Crotch Fruit posted:Is that noticeably weaker than drilling the correct size hole to start with? Also, I thought this was being suggested for a hole I concrete/masonry. Whoops you're right, didn't notice the context. Wood/concrete friction is still pretty high though. And yeah going with the proper size hole and an appropriate fastener is always the best way to go.
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Oct 12, 2015 06:33
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OSU_Matthew posted:Even if there's a block wall behind it, it should still be framed by studs, otherwise you'll run into moisture issues. I would try tapping around to find a stud, or better yet use a stud finder. Should've mentioned I'm in the uk, where it's apparently fairly standard to dry-line exterior walls with thick dabs of adhesive rather than framing - there's about half an inch between the drywall and concrete. Didn't think about concrete anchors though, pretty certain I've got some around. There's also specialist dry-lining anchors though the local hardware store doesn't stock them, might look for those online. Thanks!
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Oct 12, 2015 07:01
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Crotch Fruit posted:Just curious, what makes this work to where the bits of toothpick are not the only thing holding the screw in place? Toothpicks are crazy voodoo black magic for fixing stripped out screw holes, especially for stuff like cabinet doors. The outward pressure they create is just as strong as the original anchor.
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Oct 12, 2015 14:26
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Hazed_blue posted:And the magnet trick worked! Started with a small nail head I found near the electrical outlet and then pulled it across the same height and found other spots where the magnet was attracted, almost 16" apart. I imagine they would nail these into the paneling at more or less the middle of the stud, right? One would hope. I try to put my nails/screws in at the same horizontal position as the nails the magnet finds, and rarely have problems with missing the stud. Of course you don't want to put your new connector directly where the nail is; shift it up or down a bit.
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Oct 12, 2015 14:41
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How stupid/suicidal is it to add a ground to one outlet in your house? My house is ancient and, despite having three prong plugs in most places, does not have ground anywhere. I have a piece of equipment that must detect a ground before it can start (and it pulls like 12A 110VAC). Would it be crazy to try wire a ground in to an existing outlet? I know it's not up to code, just wondering if it's safe. The wiring is plastic insulated, not anything like knob and tube. Radbot fucked around with this message at 15:13 on Oct 12, 2015 |
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Oct 12, 2015 15:10
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Radbot posted:How stupid/suicidal is it to add a ground to one outlet in your house? Adding just a ground wire actually is an approved method to upgrade to 3 prong outlets. You say "plastic insulated"... Actual plastic being used for the outer sheath began around the time ground wires were included inside. Plastic/rubber for the individual wires inside was earlier though. Immediately prior to plastic outer sheaths, they used woven fibers that sometimes still had a ground wire. You could use that if it's there, but you would have to correct it on every box further up that branch. There are a few other methods for legally adding 3 prongers without running new cable. I wrote a 3 prong upgrade post linked in the OP of the stickied electrical thread here in DIY. I'm on mobile, otherwise I'd post a link. Regardless of how you ground it, you would have to wire up an unbroken grounding path from that box with your new 3 pronger all the way to the grounding busbar in your breaker box. Crotch Fruit posted:Is that noticeably weaker than drilling the correct size hole to start with? Also, I thought this was being suggested for a hole I concrete/masonry. Then you're not using enough toothpicks.  Wood shouldn't have a problem with grabbing into the masonry. The problem would come with moisture eventually rotting out those tiny bits of wood. I suppose you could jam in plastic drywall anchors instead. They should grab just as well an not rot out. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 17:09 on Oct 12, 2015 |
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Oct 12, 2015 17:01
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kid sinister posted:There are a few other methods for legally adding 3 prongers without running new cable. I wrote a 3 prong upgrade post linked in the OP of the stickied electrical thread here in DIY. I'm on mobile, otherwise I'd post a link. Problem is that I don't just need three prongs and an outlet that won't kill me (I've read ungrounded GFCIs can be perfectly safe when wired and labeled correctly), my equipment literally needs ground or else it won't start. There's no way to do that without running a cable across my house back to the breaker panel, is there? I know you can defeat a ground check, but I'm very reluctant to do so.
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Oct 12, 2015 18:16
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I need a wee bit of plumbing advice, and the plumbing thread didn't respond, so I thought I'd try my luck here. I am the proud renter of this magnificent tub faucet:  Unfortunately, the diverter valve in the spigot has worn out, and now showers suck and we're sending un-enjoyed hot water down the drain. There is no screw head on the spigot, so I assume it's the type you twist off, but googling diverter valves shows no examples like the model I have. I'm scared I'll break it trying to twist it off. Question 1: What would you do? Question 2: Is there a way to just repair the diverter mechanism? I've tried to get it out of the spigot to inspect the washer, but I can't see any way to remove it.  Thank you, handy-friends! [/quote]
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Oct 12, 2015 18:34
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DavidAlltheTime posted:I need a wee bit of plumbing advice, and the plumbing thread didn't respond, so I thought I'd try my luck here. Personally, I'd bug your landlord to fix it
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Oct 12, 2015 18:47
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OSU_Matthew posted:Personally, I'd bug your landlord to fix it She's currently hunting for a replacement, but the size the fixture needs to be is really hard to find. It's going to take her forever to do anything about it.
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Oct 12, 2015 18:51
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Radbot posted:There's no way to do that without running a cable across my house back to the breaker panel, is there? Not safely and to code. But sure, there are ways.
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Oct 12, 2015 19:37
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Turns out that I may not actually have a gutter problem after all. Went up there to take a look, and it looks like the "sweating" rainwater was actually being caused by the nature of the gutter guard, not a clog. The guard has a lip that rolls slightly outward at the edge facing away from the house, probably to keep debris from falling back towards the guard. If rain hits this lip though, it descends down and then starts to gather underneath the gutter, making it look like the gutter is sweating during a rain. Makes more sense now, since I noticed that the clinging raindrops were evenly spaced along the entire bottom run of the gutter, and not simply pooling in one place.
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Oct 12, 2015 21:29
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Radbot posted:Problem is that I don't just need three prongs and an outlet that won't kill me (I've read ungrounded GFCIs can be perfectly safe when wired and labeled correctly), my equipment literally needs ground or else it won't start. There's no way to do that without running a cable across my house back to the breaker panel, is there? Legally, no. The only thing I could think of is if the main ground for the panel runs over by your outlet. It would be safe to get a split bolt and attach your new ground wire to the main ground. DavidAlltheTime posted:I need a wee bit of plumbing advice, and the plumbing thread didn't respond, so I thought I'd try my luck here. Replace the whole thing. They're called "clawfoot tub faucets", even if your tub is built in. Those just happen to be the tub types they're most often used in. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 22:07 on Oct 12, 2015 |
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Oct 12, 2015 22:04
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kid sinister posted:Replace the whole thing. They're called "clawfoot tub faucets", even if your tub is built in. Those just happen to be the tub types they're most often used in. Wow, you found it! That's great. But I've seen spigots for 15 bucks, so that's a pretty big difference from 70. I'm also somewhat attached to it having just changed all the washers and cleaning the handle cartridges. Awesome to have this link if it comes down to it, though. Thanks!
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Oct 13, 2015 00:22
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What are the huge rear end zip ties used for securing flex duct called? Got to fix a connection under the house but I can't understand what the guy in the random youtube vid is calling them for the life of me.
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Oct 13, 2015 01:20
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Parts Kit posted:What are the huge rear end zip ties used for securing flex duct called? Got to fix a connection under the house but I can't understand what the guy in the random youtube vid is calling them for the life of me. They're just zip ties or cable ties. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-36-in-Heavy-Duty-Cable-Ties-10-Pack-296220T/202905434
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Oct 13, 2015 01:39
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DavidAlltheTime posted:Wow, you found it! That's great. But I've seen spigots for 15 bucks, so that's a pretty big difference from 70. I'm also somewhat attached to it having just changed all the washers and cleaning the handle cartridges. No problem. For the record, you'd be surprised just how back you can still get parts. You might have to spend more than it would cost to replace in some situations, but if you got the money, those old appliances and fixtures can still keep going.
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Oct 13, 2015 06:38
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Motronic posted:They're just zip ties or cable ties. Unrelated -- I have to recaulk a bunch of windows since the ancient caulk has shrunk and split along the entire perimeter of basically all of them. Did one yesterday and it was a gigantic pain to get the old caulk to come out at all. Is there any reason I shouldn't or couldn't get a big enough hole started and then use a flexible flush cut saw to yank out the rest of the seam? http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Flush-Cut-Pull-Saw-DWHT20541/203040590
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Oct 13, 2015 12:41
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Well I got that stupid flex duct back on and have a/c in my room again. Crawl spaces are bullshit. gently caress them. (did discover a "[name] wuz here" rubbed into some dust on the main duct, which was pretty funny)
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Oct 13, 2015 16:24
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I have a new metal shop with studs spaced a very distant 5ft. Id like to mount shelves but struggling to find a suitable way that will support a good amount of weight. Thoughts?
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Oct 14, 2015 02:32
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Quick question, what do you call these ridges that are on this bend (what allows it to be a bend instead of a straight pipe, I think, this might not be the case, atleast not with the pictured pipe), and what is the tool that makes them called?
His Divine Shadow fucked around with this message at 12:21 on Oct 14, 2015 |
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Oct 14, 2015 12:19
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dwoloz posted:I have a new metal shop with studs spaced a very distant 5ft. Id like to mount shelves but struggling to find a suitable way that will support a good amount of weight. Thoughts? Why not use freestanding shelving? 
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Oct 14, 2015 13:14
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^^ Yeah, I'd be surprised if those studs are designed to hold anything more than the weight of the building
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Oct 14, 2015 14:19
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Motronic posted:Not safely and to code. But sure, there are ways. I don't care about code, but I do care about burning my house down. Darn, looks like this is a problem only an electrician can fix.
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Oct 14, 2015 16:03
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Thirding get free standing shelves.Radbot posted:I don't care about code, but I do care about burning my house down. Uhh, that is exactly what the code is designed to prevent.
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Oct 14, 2015 16:20
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kid sinister posted:Uhh, that is exactly what the code is designed to prevent. Right, but there are about a billion code violations in my house, so I was just looking for something that is "safe, but not technically up to code". Doesn't seem like that's gonna be possible, so thanks everybody. On another note - where should I start with a double patio door where one side simply will not open? It's sticking along the top, and I'm scared to force it due to the pane of glass in the door. Maybe I could try hammering a wooden, wedge-shaped shim into the top to dislodge it by forcing the door downwards? Maybe some kind of lube?
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Oct 14, 2015 19:21
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Driving a wedge in will just jam it harder. Pull the hinge pins, remove the door, shave the offending edge down a little, re-install the door.
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Oct 14, 2015 19:27
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Bad Munki posted:Driving a wedge in will just jam it harder. Pull the hinge pins, remove the door, shave the offending edge down a little, re-install the door. Good idea, I'll do this. Thanks.
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Oct 14, 2015 19:46
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His Divine Shadow posted:Quick question, what do you call these ridges that are on this bend (what allows it to be a bend instead of a straight pipe, I think, this might not be the case, atleast not with the pictured pipe), and what is the tool that makes them called? Bends like that are made by cutting straight pipe into segments, then joining them back together. I believe the joins are usually crimped, but can be brazed or welded (look up pie-cut tubing or miter bends). I don't think there's any real tool per se to make them, more a series of purpose-built factory machines (when it's not done by hand). You'd be better off getting a smooth mandrel-style pipe bender unless you need really large diameter stuff like in the pic, in which case pre-made is the way to go.
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Oct 14, 2015 19:56
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Radbot posted:I don't care about code, but I do care about burning my house down. Darn, looks like this is a problem only an electrician can fix. Depending on how many twists and turns, and how direct of a shot it is to your breaker and your comfort level doing this kinda work, you could always pick up a spool of 14-2 Romex, securely attach it to the end of the old wire, and then go down to your basement/breaker, and pull the old wire out/new stuff straight on through and connect it up at the panel. Of course, you might also need a new panel if it's original and doesn't having a ground bus bar, and you'll need to find the first receptacle on the circuit to attach the new stuff to and pull from, and then replace the receptacle itself, and you'll have to remove any cable staples along the way... This job could easily snowball real quick, but on the surface it's all definitely doable and pretty straightforward. Have you thought about just stealing your neighbors electricity? I'm sure they have an exterior plug you could snake an extension cord into 
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Oct 14, 2015 20:37
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dwoloz posted:I have a new metal shop with studs spaced a very distant 5ft. Id like to mount shelves but struggling to find a suitable way that will support a good amount of weight. Thoughts? kid sinister posted:Thirding get free standing shelves. I really want to get gondola shelving (i.e., the shelving in grocery stores) for my shed. Holds a decent amount of weight, doesn't have the boxiness of freestanding solutions. Unfortunately for your shop it has to be bolted to the wall to hold a lot of weight on a one-sided application, and it' only comes in 2', 3', and 4' widths. On the other hand, "a lot of weight" in this application is a packed-full 60' run of canned veg or bottled water, it should be fine for shop storage as long as you're not using it to store a whole lot of steel stock. On the other other hand, you have a metal shop with metal studs. Weld in some stringers to mount your preferred shelving solution to. (I rearrange grocery stores for a living. I've seen one fall over. It was glorious. I've also been party to all-hands-on-deck holding up the glass aisle -- salad dressing, pickles, pasta sauce, etc. -- while two guys frantically threw shelves on the empty side and piled on cases of bottled water.) Edit: If you want to hold some real weight, Madix is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla of the industry, they also do pallet racks and such. Probably pretty expensive to buy new if they'll even sell to a guy off the street, but keep an eye out for stores going out of business and selling the fixtures. Chillbro Baggins fucked around with this message at 03:08 on Oct 15, 2015 |
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Oct 15, 2015 03:04
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Bad Angus! Bad!
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dwoloz posted:I have a new metal shop with studs spaced a very distant 5ft. Id like to mount shelves but struggling to find a suitable way that will support a good amount of weight. Thoughts?
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Oct 15, 2015 04:48
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