This Is What I've Been Up to Lately.

IMG_6611.JPG

Out of service.

IMG_6625.JPG

Morebetter.

IMG_6627.JPG

Quality Control approved. "Paint it," she said. The top two risers consist of two boards each. I found a piece of lumber out back that was the correct width and thickness ... and it was split. Perfect! 🤓 I would've ripped it but I don't have a tablesaw.

IMG_6630.JPG

Good enough for now/until the building has been leveled.
 
You mean literally leveled, or figuratively?
As in, "Here comes the bull-dozier!"
I'm guessing it's the Former.

Also, if you need a tablesaw, you probably already know that DeWALT makes the best one out there. If you want to save some money, Skil makes a fantastic lower-priced one that is an amazing value for what you get.
 
You mean literally leveled, or figuratively?
As in, "Here comes the bull-dozier!"
I'm guessing it's the Former.
The current plan/thinking is to level it with a laser, not a bulldozer. It's not a project I want to take on. So, we'll see what the future brings.

Also, if you need a tablesaw, you probably already know that DeWALT makes the best one out there. If you want to save some money, Skil makes a fantastic lower-priced one that is an amazing value for what you get.
I didn't know that. Thank you. I think a corded unit would meet all my needs.

What do you suggest, @Monocrom?
 
Won't lie, I'm trying to get far away from corded everything as far as power-tools go. But if that's what you really want. DeWALT does make corded tablesaws. I'd try to track down a used but not abused example off of eBay or Craig's List. Hope this helped.
 
Won't lie, I'm trying to get far away from corded everything as far as power-tools go.
Me too. I've adopted the Cut The Cord mindset, and enjoy the freedom provided by POB tools. Power On Board. In March of this year, I purchased a corded orbital sander. It's lighter and was less expensive than its POB cousin. Additionally, (same as with a table saw) I knew I wouldn't be utilizing it anywhere power wasn't available.

So yeah, I'm leaning heavily toward a corded DeWALT.
 
Me too. I've adopted the Cut The Cord mindset, and enjoy the freedom provided by POB tools. Power On Board. In March of this year, I purchased a corded orbital sander. It's lighter and was less expensive than its POB cousin. Additionally, (same as with a table saw) I knew I wouldn't be utilizing it anywhere power wasn't available.

So yeah, I'm leaning heavily toward a corded DeWALT.
I hear you. Years ago, I bought a corded DeWALT compact router (DWP611) for a specific job. Still have it. Currently my only corded power-tool. There are only a tiny handful of power-tools that don't have a powerful enough cordless replacement out there, yet. Router, definitely one of them. Yeah, I'm keeping mine.

As for tablesaws.... I mean, if you can get the job done without one, you're better off without one. If it's only going to see occasional use, ask yourself if a circular saw can't get the job done. Whatever that specific job might be. For some Saw Stop is a must have thing, regardless of price.
 
While painting the gutters and downspouts I started wondering where all the water was going.
IMG_6624.JPG

So I started digging the rock away from the top of the PVC pipe.

That endeavor got old fast, so I started eyeballin the exposed pipe, then digging where it L@@Ked to be headed.
IMG_6622.JPG

No luck. There were more trenches, but no pictures. So you get the idea ... but not the picture. 🤓

:stupid: so I decided to use the pressure washer to blast open the end of the pipe exposing where it terminated. Figured I'd just put the nozzle on the end of the hose. A smart man would've checked to see if that was possible BEFORE he dragged the pressure washer and hoses across the property. It's not. They're different sizes. The designers knew men would bypass the handle and trigger to make an "adult" Water Wiggle.

1727191547867.png


Nevertheless, it was still a good idea, just not a sound one using a pressure washer. I found a NIB jet nozzle in the shed, attached it to a garden hose, forced the hose into the pipe, and waited for the wet spot to appear.

:clap: HUZZAH! :clap:

A few minutes later, up from the ground came bubblin crude. Wait. What? Crude? .... Nope. It was just water. The family won't be loading up the truck and moving to Beverly.

When the water had finally drained I located the pipe, dug a 25" x 25" circular hole then down 2.5' to the hardpan, replaced all the drain rock Dad used 25 years ago, and then lined the hole with a heavy-duty plastic pot saved from a tree purchase.

Gathered a few tools and built a cover.
IMG_6639.JPG


Stained it. Yes, both sides and edges.
IMG_6641.JPG


It should handle all the rain from the roof. That is until we receive the once in every five years warm-weather December flood.

IMG_5224.JPG
 
Last edited:
That's my luck. Ironically, I somehow ended up with a small collection of umbrellas without even trying. Seriously, no clue how that happened. All my other collections have been intentional.
 
About 10 years ago I hung a houseplant from the ceiling in my den. I noticed it was pulling the sheet rock away from the ceiling ever so slightly so I took it down. Innocent enough, right?

A few years later the roof began to leak. We had that replaced but the water caused the sheet rock to sag a little bit more. So over a few years two panels of sheet rock began to pull away from the rafters.

Today I could see the sag changing. It began to look like that soon those panels were going to fall. So today I did a temporary stabilization.

IMG_9130.jpeg

The big T stopped it from sagging any father but it's still not all the way against the rafters. That will require another method. A T like that but about a foot shorter. Then jack up the T until it has the sheet rock against the rafters.

That's the easy part. Next involves building a walkway of sorts across the rafters in order to install wooden anchor point between the rafters to fasten sheet rock screws to along the seem of the panels.

IMG_9131.jpeg

That little plant hanger to the right was in the center of a window when it should have been right or left and fastened to a rafter. It sure did cause a hassle some 10 years later.

The den is an add on room the 70 something year old homeowner before me built by himself. He had a low budget so there were some short cuts but overall he did a good job considering he was also taking care of a sick wife all while one leg was busted in Vietnam. I was told he had help building cinder block foundation and the rafters but the rest he did solo.

Anyway that's what I'll be up to this fall and winter.
 
Oh boy :( the toughest part of that repair is doing a decent spackling job over that popcorn paint. But once you jack the ceiling up up should be able to just screw the sheets into the existing rafters.
 
Top