Author Topic: What you Buy or DIY show off thread (Read 1636260 times)

wing · « **Reply #2900 on:** August 19, 2014, 07:35:11 pm »

Yeah and you would think in a job where you stare at a computer all day, they would offer better eyecare.

They offer us an upgrade package. For $300 more a year we can buy another $150 cover... WUT? LOL

KD · « **Reply #2901 on:** August 20, 2014, 12:56:18 pm »

Made this custom shroud for cleaning my dryer duct today. The yogurt container was a nice snug fit over the 4" opening. Took the nut off the end of the air chuck, drilled a hole in the bottom of the container the size of the shaft, then poked the shaft through and threaded the nut back on tight. Sealed it up with some tuck tape and it worked great!

ArticSteve · « **Reply #2902 on:** August 20, 2014, 01:05:29 pm »

Very clever, but what's happening in that pic. Why is the vent where it is and where does it run to? Why is the AC outlet essentially a floor level? Must be a weird and whacky reason.

dr_spock · « **Reply #2903 on:** August 20, 2014, 02:32:50 pm »

Looks like a main floor laundry room setup.

Ex-airbalancer · « **Reply #2904 on:** August 20, 2014, 02:37:48 pm »

Quote from: ArticSteve on August 20, 2014, 01:05:29 pm

Very clever, but what's happening in that pic. Why is the vent where it is and where does it run to? Why is the AC outlet essentially a floor level? Must be a weird and whacky reason.

That was probably how far the wired reached lol

KD · « **Reply #2905 on:** August 20, 2014, 05:00:31 pm »

^^ It's a main floor laundry room and it's only 5 x 7'. The vent position is a real PITA in the extreme considering there is a baseboard heater in front of the dryer blocking a direct path to slide it out. Getting it out is no big deal but to get it back in I have to disconnect the washer and slide it ahead with the door closed while alternately shuffling the washer and dryer around in order to get them in a position to open the door again in order to let my wife in and give me room to lay on the floor. I then get my wife to slide it gently forward while simultaneously tilting it slightly backward while I lie on the floor in order to guide it in place. My wife hates it when I have to do work in there because it always means lot of swearing because it's such a miserable

place to work. Not sure why anything is the way it is, but I just gotta deal with the cards I've been dealt...

ArticSteve · « **Reply #2906 on:** August 20, 2014, 08:32:37 pm »

You're not quite alone. I built my place so I am the author of my own misfortune. To get the stackable washer off the master walkin, in it's own room with a door, I had to install a 28 inch door because the room was only 4ft 10 inches finished in depth. I could have had the door opening outwards, but that would be rank.

The only issue is when one of the machines craps out I've got to remove the door frame which requires lots of trim work. Only have had to do it once when the old school Kenmore front loader washer bit the dust after 10 years. Replaced with a Samsung Direct Drive (VRT). What a machine. Never thought I'd say that about a clothes washer.

Your pics explain much. That dryer vent is located on an inside wall I assume. So the installer had to drive it down to the next floor thru the plate.

bridgecity · « **Reply #2907 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:02:44 pm »

Replaced our deck railing. Original railing was only 2.5 years old and was made from cedar by my FIL. However, what I didn't realize is how fast cedar moulds and it moulds even faster when fed by an oil based stain (which we did). Rather than sand/clean and restain every few years, we decided to tear down and go with powder coated aluminum. Kind of a shame to waste all that cedar, but the decision was made. It took a couple days for me to install the new rail and was fairly straight forward.

The deck has yet to be stained but will be complete before summers end.

Snowman · « **Reply #2908 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:12:40 pm »

Quote from: bridgecity on August 22, 2014, 04:02:44 pm

Replaced our deck railing. Original railing was only 2.5 years old and was made from cedar by my FIL. However, what I didn't realize is how fast cedar moulds and it moulds even faster when fed by an oil based stain (which we did). Rather than sand/clean and restain every few years, we decided to tear down and go with powder coated aluminum. Kind of a shame to waste all that cedar, but the decision was made. It took a couple days for me to install the new rail and was fairly straight forward.

The deck has yet to be stained but will be complete before summers end.

Looks great! major improvement.

KD · « **Reply #2909 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:16:40 pm »

^^ Yeah that was a big improvement. Much better view of the yard and house now without those over-sized rail posts. Nice job!

Fobroader · « **Reply #2910 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:17:34 pm »

Quote from: bridgecity on August 22, 2014, 04:02:44 pm

Replaced our deck railing. Original railing was only 2.5 years old and was made from cedar by my FIL. However, what I didn't realize is how fast cedar moulds and it moulds even faster when fed by an oil based stain (which we did). Rather than sand/clean and restain every few years, we decided to tear down and go with powder coated aluminum. Kind of a shame to waste all that cedar, but the decision was made. It took a couple days for me to install the new rail and was fairly straight forward.

The deck has yet to be stained but will be complete before summers end.

Wow, that looks much better. I like the aluminum rails, looks great and "0" maintenance.

Firm · « **Reply #2911 on:** August 22, 2014, 04:26:38 pm »

Yeah, that looks much better, I really like the contrasting color of the metal railings against the wood.

Solstice2006 · « **Reply #2912 on:** August 22, 2014, 08:42:45 pm »

Nice. More open look. Maybe it's the lighting, but the house looks like it has a different color in the 2nd picture.

Julie · « **Reply #2913 on:** August 22, 2014, 08:51:38 pm »

Quote from: Snowman on August 22, 2014, 04:12:40 pm

Quote from: bridgecity on August 22, 2014, 04:02:44 pm
Replaced our deck railing. Original railing was only 2.5 years old and was made from cedar by my FIL. However, what I didn't realize is how fast cedar moulds and it moulds even faster when fed by an oil based stain (which we did). Rather than sand/clean and restain every few years, we decided to tear down and go with powder coated aluminum. Kind of a shame to waste all that cedar, but the decision was made. It took a couple days for me to install the new rail and was fairly straight forward.

The deck has yet to be stained but will be complete before summers end.

Agreed. Suits the deck so well. Well done!

Looks great! major improvement.

rrocket · « **Reply #2914 on:** August 22, 2014, 09:56:10 pm »

Quote from: wing on August 19, 2014, 04:13:17 pm

Quote from: airbalancer on August 19, 2014, 03:37:13 pm
Our coverage is crap, $200 very 2 years for glass

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Better than mine. $150 every 2 years. Doesn't even cover contacts or 1/4 of a pair of glasses these days.

My plan covers eye glass purchases from the US. You should do the same.

Try:

Lookmatic.com
Classicspecs.com
Warbyparker.com
Mezzmer.com

bridgecity · « **Reply #2915 on:** August 23, 2014, 03:21:51 am »

Thanks all for the compliments! It helps make the effort and money spent worth it. We're happy with the outcome.

aquadorhj · « **Reply #2916 on:** August 23, 2014, 01:18:22 pm »

Goodyear eagle GTs high performance all season are 50%off right now if you are looking for tires.

Clearing out the old stock it seems as they are now discontinued

I have half a mind to pick up a set as a backup in case sh1t happens.

Dexer · « **Reply #2917 on:** August 25, 2014, 07:52:03 pm »

Musicianswebstore was having a crazy good sale on these high end Suzuki harmonicas with rosewood combs. 50% off so I bought 2 for the price of one.

Some quick test recordings...

With the A flat:

https://soundcloud.com/dex-robinson/killing-me-softly

With the E flat:

https://soundcloud.com/dex-robinson/suicide-is-painless-1

Here's a rougher bonus track with the E flat. This is FOLLOW THAT DREAM from the Elvis movie. The song requires note "bending"; a technique to force notes from the harmonica that aren't otherwise available. It's not too refined but it's ok.

https://soundcloud.com/dex-robinson/follow-that-dream-b

rrocket · « **Reply #2918 on:** August 25, 2014, 07:53:46 pm »

For those of us who don't play harmonica...can you detect any better sound on a high end harmonica?

Or is it just better build quality?

Dexer · « **Reply #2919 on:** August 25, 2014, 08:19:35 pm »

Quote from: rrocket on August 25, 2014, 07:53:46 pm

For those of us who don't play harmonica...can you detect any better sound on a high end harmonica?

Or is it just better build quality?

The sound is better...or, perhaps I should say, the "playability" is better.

A good example is that E flat harmonica. E flat is quite a high key (in harmonicaland). Normally, at the 9 and 10 holes (B flat, A flat, E flat and C) you have to stuggle to get a good tone. Notes in these holes tend to be squeaky and have unpredictable response...which is to say that you often have to blow a lot of air and then they will suddenly jump from dead silent to overly loud. With a high quality harmonica, these notes will have an even, predictable response in that they will produce a good, quiet tone with a miniumum of air and they will slowly become louder without changing pitch as you increase air pressure.

High end harmonicas are analogous to high end cars. With a harmonica, 90% of playing takes place in the middle holes (3 through 7) and any decent quality harmonica will handle that just fine. It's when you start getting to those limits outside of the normal playing range that you start to see the benefits of a more expensive, high performance instrument.