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H110Hawk posted:Then just call your local ASSA or Medeco dealer and tell them you want that. Make sure you get as many keys as you can stomach. https://securitysnobs.com/Interchangeable-Core-IC-Locks/ From back when I thought this was a good idea, lol
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Dec 18, 2023 00:03
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ryanrs posted:Does being out of patent mean I can actually order keys cut to code, or is it just theoretical? I'm worried the authorized locksmiths would still be bound by contract, and non-dealer locksmiths likely won't have the specialized key cutting machine for some old patented system. But even if buying all-new patented poo poo, 1 cylinder + 6 keys should be in the neighborhood of $200 or so, yeah? I am pretty sure it's about $200 just for the cylinder. Another $100 for your 6 keys. Plus setup of your medeco code and call out. I would assume $500 is a bare minimum.
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Dec 18, 2023 00:37
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QuarkJets posted:I hope this is the right thread for this question I restore old radios from around the same time. The biggest problem you'll run into is the cord. As long as the plastic is in good condition, you're good. If it's cracked, flaking off or some pet chewed on it in the past, then replace it. Learn how to tie an underwriter's knot. As for the hardware, as long as it doesn't have any scratches or dents, keep it that way. Some scratches can be buffed out. Turn dents towards the wall. Wood bases can be refinished.
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Dec 18, 2023 00:59
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devicenull posted:https://securitysnobs.com/Interchangeable-Core-IC-Locks/ Yeah! Abloy Protec2 KIK w/ 6 keys for $180. See, that's the kind of price point that makes this project feasible. With a brand new handleset and a small custom part, it might hit $500 total. I'm going to take the Weslock mechanism apart tomorrow to get some pics. But it is literally just a KIK cylinder with long tailpiece, I think held in place with a screw. It feels like cross-manufacturer cylinder compatibility is just a matter of machining or 3D printing a spacer or bracket or something. I'll also take it to a local locksmith to talk lock options. Hopefully they'll be amused by the idea.
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Dec 18, 2023 05:46
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So, basement issues! I recently moved into a place that has a covered concrete porch and underneath is an unfinished basement space. I was noticing some water on the floor in there after heavier rains. After some investigation I finally figured out that if there's heavy enough storm with enough wind, rain is getting blown onto the porch and apparently seeping down and dripping down into the basement through a hairline crack in concrete of the basement ceiling. During a heavy rain this weekend I found that water does indeed puddle a bit on that part of the porch even with the roof (it's open to two directions in that area). Is my best option here to seal the concrete on the porch? With what? It's got multiple layers of paint on it so I'm kind of dreading trying to strip all of that off if I need to get down to the bare concrete to seal it. My recollection is that sealed concrete gets slippery when water beads on the surface so I'm also concerned about having a porch that turns into a slip-n-slide in a windy rain.
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Dec 18, 2023 12:59
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Porfiriato posted:So, basement issues! I recently moved into a place that has a covered concrete porch and underneath is an unfinished basement space. I was noticing some water on the floor in there after heavier rains. You can get hydrophobic cement mixtures at the hardware store to patch that crack. They come in buckets of powder or in a tube you'd use in a caulk gun. If there's only a little water and only after heavy rain/wind, I wouldn't go nuts doing any real demo. How big and in what orientation is the crack? You can paint over it and/or texture the surface later.
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Dec 18, 2023 16:54
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QuarkJets posted:I hope this is the right thread for this question The lamp body looks like it is brass. You can polish it if you like but that’s just aesthetic, many people like the tarnished look better. I would definitely rewire any lamp that age. If the base is painted, then due to its age the paint may be leaded. It looks like it’s in good condition, but I would be conscious about causing any damage that could cause it to flake. It should be fine if you don’t store it outside or abuse it by like, beating on it with a hammer.
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Dec 18, 2023 17:20
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kreeningsons posted:The lamp body looks like it is brass. You can polish it if you like but that’s just aesthetic, many people like the tarnished look better. I would definitely rewire any lamp that age. It's not consistently tarnished, and the highlights aren't from handling. So if it is brass it's been force tarnished and sealed/coated. Polishing it would require stripping the coating first.
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Dec 18, 2023 17:24
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QuarkJets posted:I hope this is the right thread for this question The body & shade are fine. Just clean it. Personally, I re-wire any lamp I get ahold of. The plugs are usually beat to poo poo and the insulation gets crispy. I'm anal, so if it has a standard POS socket - that cheap & bendy crap - I replace it with a solid-brass unit, which can be obtained from this place: https://www.nostalgicbulbs.com/collections/uno-threaded-sockets/products/solid-brass-light-socket-with-uno-thread-html or Amazon. Yours has a switch on the base; if that's also iffy, they're available everywhere. If the lamp is in fact metal, considering turning it into a touch lamp by bypassing or replacing the switch with this LED-compatible module: https://www.amazon.com/sensor-dimmer-control-replacement-150Watt/dp/B07QF1B9GR PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 00:07 on Dec 19, 2023 |
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Dec 19, 2023 00:04
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Inzombiac posted:You can get hydrophobic cement mixtures at the hardware store to patch that crack. They come in buckets of powder or in a tube you'd use in a caulk gun. The crack where water is dripping is in the ceiling of the basement. It's maybe 3 feet long, roughly straight and just barely visible. I could patch it with hydrophobic cement on that end but it seems like it would be better to stop the leak at the source than the exit (if I can find the source)? Weirdly I can't find any visible cracks in the porch itself above the water leak, it seems sound. That said, there's a small strip of concrete at the very front edge of the porch where it meets the steps that looks like it's recent, maybe the same time as some other work the previous occupants did a few years ago. It looks like they repaired the concrete/masonry where the porch meets the front steps. It does have a small hairline crack running across it, but it's just a few inches long and 5-6 feet horizontally away from the leak. It didn't seem likely when I was looking at it, but as I type this now I'm wondering if it's the culprit somehow. I guess there's no harm in patching it and seeing if that fixes the problem.
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Dec 19, 2023 01:26
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PainterofCrap posted:
Thank you for linking this, I had no idea it was a thing. I have a metal lamp with an annoying switch on the cord I'd been wanted to improve.
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Dec 19, 2023 02:26
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Porfiriato posted:So, basement issues! I recently moved into a place that has a covered concrete porch and underneath is an unfinished basement space. I was noticing some water on the floor in there after heavier rains. If it really is a thin crack, I’d just use some kind of concrete urethane caulk, like Sika Flex. Dip a piece of wood in soapy-water and use that to tool the bead smooth. I’d venture a guess it’s not the only source of water intrusion, but it’s definitely a good starting point. Make sure your gutters are clear and draining well and that your downspouts are 6ft from house, etc
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Dec 19, 2023 11:48
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Porfiriato posted:
Take it from me, a guy who has been dealing with basement water for a while now, never assume you know where the water is coming from. The crack in my basement was extremely obvious, once exposed, but I assumed it couldn't have been there because above it was an 8ft slab of concrete with a deck on top of that and an awning on top of it all. The soil would soak but not have great drainage and came in through the very bottom of a 6ft vertical crack. poo poo is wild. You're lucky it's such a small issue right now but it'll only get worse if not addressed wholly. Can you dig up outside around where you think water is entering? Getting your peepers directly on the problem is the only way to start fixing it, I'm afraid. You can get expanding resin injecting kits that could work but they're made more for walls, not ceilings/floors. Amazon sells them for $150. You can do it from the inside while there is no flowing water, I'd just make sure you have someone on the outside to start screaming if it starts shooting out of an unwanted place.
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Dec 19, 2023 15:29
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The Top G posted:If it really is a thin crack, I’d just use some kind of concrete urethane caulk, like Sika Flex. Dip a piece of wood in soapy-water and use that to tool the bead smooth. Does patching a crack on the interior surface not come with weathering concerns? I guess if it’s very occasional the odds of water standing in that space are low.
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Dec 19, 2023 15:33
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If there's no staining, mineral deposits, efflorescence, etc around that crack in the concrete ceiling, then I kinda doubt that it's your source of water.
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Dec 19, 2023 16:08
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^^^^ right, if that was the source of the water I feel like you’d see a slow drip coming from the ceiling. I’d wait for a dry day and pour some water over it and see if it makes its way to the basementthe yeti posted:Does patching a crack on the interior surface not come with weathering concerns? I guess if it’s very occasional the odds of water standing in that space are low. I’m not sure what you mean by “weathering” but you definitely want to seal the exterior crack to keep the water out, patching the interior crack is really just for aesthetics. It’s not even clear whether this crack is the source of the moisture or not but if nothing else it’ll help prevent freeze-expansion-thaw-cycles from enlarging it
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Dec 19, 2023 16:50
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the yeti posted:Does patching a crack on the interior surface not come with weathering concerns? I guess if it’s very occasional the odds of water standing in that space are low. Yes, in a climate with freeze/thaw cycles on a slab that sounds like a typical midwest root cellar ceiling it's a great way to demonstrate how water filled cracks that freeze can jackhammer a slab apart in a few years.
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Dec 19, 2023 16:52
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Yeah every time someone's mentioned sealing the crack they've been referring to the crack on the floor of the patio not the corresponding crack on the interior. Don't let water freeze in your concrete. It can and will burst it apart. It will push your entire house off its foundation. The water isn't going anywhere.
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Dec 19, 2023 17:00
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Thanks for all the suggestions. The basement ceiling where the water drips is ~2-3 feet above ground level so I assume it has to be coming from somewhere above that on the porch and not from poor drainage in the surrounding yard. The last time it was raining and leaking I did look/feel along the walls for moisture or dampness and didn't find anything. The walls and ceiling in that room were painted at some point (hard to say when, but I'm guessing relatively recently) and there's no visible staining/mineral deposits for me to see how long it's been going on. I guess I'll try sealing the one small exterior crack I can see and the edges around that strip of concrete and see what happens the next time there's a storm.
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Dec 19, 2023 17:36
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I also had a dripping crack by my sliding door, looks like previous owners may have patched it a bit. The drops fall into the metal sliding track so it’s not a huge deal, but should probably stop it before all the trim detaches. Looks like the crack is caused by the hurricane shutters attaching to the wall. Interior leak is at the top of the door, there’s a crumbly plaster between the trim and the metal slider. What do you think I should use on the exterior stucco?  
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Dec 19, 2023 19:00
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There should be a piece of flashing under the stucco and over the door. That storm/screen door frame should be installed under it. Your alternative is to strip out the caulk & re-do it every couple of years if not annually (depending on where you are)
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Dec 20, 2023 00:32
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I didn't see a lighting thread, so I figured I'd ask here. My house is 70ish years old but a previous HO did a lot of renovations in the mid 2000s. One of these renovations was installing halogen light fixtures everywhere (typically R7 base 118mm long, but there are some shorter ones, too). I'm sure it seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, but I've had a few bulbs go out, and while they left me a huge box of replacement bulbs, I don't really want my living room lit up with 15 sconces with 150W bulbs in them. Several years ago I bought a bunch of cheap Amazon/Alibaba replacement LED bulbs from some no-name brand. They've lasted 2-3 years, but I have at least 3 that are annoying me by either flashing intermittently or not lighting up (in addition to being not really usable without a single halogen on the circuit. I have Lutron dimmers made for LEDs and when turned off with all LEDs in the circuit, they are on very low and they hum). I've decided I'm just going to spend money on a reputable brand to replace them all at this point. The problem I'm running in to is that the halogen bulbs have a very small diameter. The replacements I bought are LED strips like these from Amazon, which have a similar diameter to halogen bulbs. The more reputable brands have larger barrels, like this from Home Depot. The sticking point is that the majority of my fixtures have this glass piece to diffuse light beneath the sconce cover:  The diffuser has about 15/16 inch clear between the edges and the Feit light says it is 1.875 inches in diameter. I am not ready to replace all of these light fixtures with something different. Am I just out of luck using the diffuser with a reputable brand? Is there brand that sells a quality R7 bulb in the LED strip style?
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Dec 20, 2023 03:25
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Try it without the "diffuser" the glass diffuser/bulb cover on my fixtures was perfectly clear glass, so when I replaced it with one of those bigger LEDs I tossed it.
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Dec 20, 2023 04:25
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Xenix posted:I am not ready to replace all of these light fixtures with something different. Am I just out of luck using the diffuser with a reputable brand? Is there brand that sells a quality R7 bulb in the LED strip style? None of my regular suspects (trade places and 1000bulbs) list anything for those still. I've replaced those style fixture multiple times now for people because there just aren't any good alternatives for converting them. Meow Meow Meow posted:Try it without the "diffuser" the glass diffuser/bulb cover on my fixtures was perfectly clear glass, so when I replaced it with one of those bigger LEDs I tossed it. This may also extend the life of the LEDs. None of them that I've found are rated to be in an enclosure which means they are getting cooked.
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Dec 20, 2023 14:30
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Heat is also the enemy of LEDs, so by removing the diffuser and letting air circulate around the LED modules, it'll probably also extend the life of them.
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Dec 20, 2023 14:31
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My mother has a Christmas decoration that's a porcelain house which has a pair of lightbulbs that fit into the base and light it up. The lights don't work, even after replacing the bulbs, so presumably the cord is shot and should be replaced. I think they're E14 bulbs...does anyone know where a cord with two bulb fixtures could be purchased?
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Dec 20, 2023 23:12
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Here's some search terms to help: https://www.amazon.com/Accessory-Ca...rd&s=hi&sr=1-19 That exact link will probably work, but essentially you're looking for "clip in" "holiday light" blah blah and something like C7/E12.
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Dec 20, 2023 23:23
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Yeah that looks like an E12. That's the candelabra socket that bigger Christmas lights use.
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Dec 20, 2023 23:40
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Motronic posted:Here's some search terms to help: https://www.amazon.com/Accessory-Ca...rd&s=hi&sr=1-19 Yeah, that looks just about perfect, thank you!
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Dec 21, 2023 01:29
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Thanks for the responses about halogen fixtures with LEDs. I'll give the bigger style bulbs a try for the time being.
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Dec 21, 2023 06:27
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Yeah, that looks just about perfect, thank you! For future reference, the ceramic village industry's major player is Department 56 and their replacement prices are a bit higher than Amazon but not at all bad but mostly just knowing the name of the company might be useful if you want compatible things or need replacements for other bits. Also gently caress those skaters are cheap I gotta order new skaters for next year.
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Dec 21, 2023 06:33
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canyoneer posted:Belt drive garage door openers are fantastic because they are so quiet. Every chain or screw drive one I've used has screamed like a banshee for 95% of its life. The screw drive Liftmaster that came with the house in 2000 was pretty quite, but yeah, the belt-drive Genie is a cut above. The door makes more noise. Also the newer DC motor drive can do neat tricks like go fast but then slow down at the extremes of travel so it doesn't slam into the floor. IOwnCalculus posted:I'm split between doing this or just getting a proper BT or Ethernet controller that actually wires up to my opener. I have a Genie belt-drive and added the Chamberlain MyQ gateway to it - which acts like a wireless remote when interacting with the opener. Problem is that the Genie has decided it only listens to remotes to open - MyQ, Homelink, and Genie remotes all open it 99.9% of the time. The only one that will close it is the wall button, even though the IR beam at the base of the door checks out fine. Odd. Seems more like a logic board thing than the actual radio, then, since it works to open. Nice thing with the IOT Genie is that the app always works, if a bit more slowly (it has to do the 10 seconds of flashing and beeping warning thing, for some reason. Like how is that different from using the remotes?) We apparently get some interference every now and then that keeps the HomeLink in my wife's Outback from working. Of course, that might be because the HomeLink only does the older-style remote signals. Not sure. I have a MyQ as well, for Amazon Key. I really wish that the MyQ had an option for just outputting the doorbell button, so I didn't have to train the opener to it. I mean, mine's literally mounted next to the opener.
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Dec 21, 2023 18:50
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Are these filters re-useable if cleaned or if after the two months the HEPA filter quality is basically used up? 
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Dec 22, 2023 21:00
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So I subscribed to fiber internet a few months ago, and as part of that they installed a line from my house to the fiber box near the street. However, it looks like the part near the box has worked free from the ground: Is this something I should try and call up the ISP for? (https://fiberfirst.com/, which AFAICT is not a bigco, but a regional ISP.) Or maybe this is something I should just be able to fix with a small shovel, by just digging up a trench, laying the exposed part in the trench, and covering it up with the dirt? Is there anything more to it?
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Dec 23, 2023 02:40
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Call the ISP.
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Dec 23, 2023 02:46
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The track record of fiber layers isn’t great since they dig pretty shallow but that looks more like the ISP hooked the wire up and are waiting for the diggers to come?
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Dec 23, 2023 02:49
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I guarantee the ISP does not want you fixing their hosed-up installation yourself.
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Dec 23, 2023 02:49
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If they give you any grief about it just run over it with the lawnmower then report the outage.
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Dec 23, 2023 02:51
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Darchangel posted:Odd. Seems more like a logic board thing than the actual radio, then, since it works to open. Yeah, I can't make heads or tails of it, and then randomly it will start working again. If/when I just hook up something that HomeAssistant will control I'll probably never use the actual radio remotes again, and might even go to the effort of factory resetting the opener so it won't respond to any remote.
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Dec 23, 2023 02:52
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Raenir Salazar posted:Are these filters re-useable if cleaned or if after the two months the HEPA filter quality is basically used up? what is it? some vacuum cleaner filters can be washed, some can't. Is it a vacuum cleaner filter? Look up the part online and see what it says, basically
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Dec 23, 2023 02:56
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