DIY - Auto and Home weekend warriors

Knight78 said:
We moved last year on July 1. Since then I've:
  • Put up shelving in the garage on all three walls. (3 car garage) Also put up a workbench there.
  • Painted and refinished the basement family room.
  • Sold a Franklin stove and repaired the hole in the wall (and foundation) from the chimney pipe.
  • Installed pull-out shelves in our kitchen pantry and kitchen island.
  • Replaced a small 8x8 wood deck with a 20x14 composite deck.
  • Landscaped around the deck to match existing river rock and brick edging.
  • Built a credenza to put a 50" DLP TV on.
  • Landscaped around about six trees in the yard (mulch and edging).
  • Rewired outlets in the garage (half of them didn't work before).
I've also done repair work (engine and fresh water system) on our RV, fixed the A/C on my truck and my daughter's CRV, and a bunch of other simple repairs on all of our vehicles.

I've hired out that I would have done myself in the past (don't want to work that hard at 62):
  • Skinning turf and building a dry rock stream bed (making it easier to mow around)
  • Removed two dead trees in the yard.
  • Poured an extension to our driveway to part our RV on our property.
Still got a number of things to do yet, but the list is getting smaller. (How do I have time to post here?!?!?!)
Click to expand...

Half didn't work. Finally got to the GFCI receptacle, Huh! Changed half of them before realizing the GFCI just needed reset? LOL!
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Half didn't work. Finally got to the GFCI receptacle, Huh! Changed half of them before realizing the GFCI just needed reset? LOL!
Click to expand...
Pro tip for you guys who don’t wire a lot, you only need one GFCI per circuit as long as it’s on the line side of the rest of the outlets.

My buddy and his wife just moved into a house where the previous owners had 3 GFCIs in each bathroom and 4 in the kitchen. Each room on a single circuit. Huge waste of money and does nothing for protection.
 
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Fryowa said:
Pro tip for you guys who don’t wire a lot, you only need one GFCI per circuit as long as it’s on the line side of the rest of the outlets.

My buddy and his wife just moved into a house where the previous owners had 3 GFCIs in each bathroom and 4 in the kitchen. Each room on a single circuit. Huge waste of money and does nothing for protection.
Click to expand...


OMG. Hilarious. You serious.
 
Fryowa said:
Pro tip for you guys who don’t wire a lot, you only need one GFCI per circuit as long as it’s on the line side of the rest of the outlets.

My buddy and his wife just moved into a house where the previous owners had 3 GFCIs in each bathroom and 4 in the kitchen. Each room on a single circuit. Huge waste of money and does nothing for protection.
Click to expand...


Here in NC there should be one within X feet of a water source. Did not know that about the 1 per circut. I installed a couple.

One needed to be installed in the hall bathroom and master bath. I think I did an unnecessary install in my kitchen.

Here in NC people who are new here always call for help until they realize that a dishwasher must have a on/off switch on the wall in this State.
 
NCHawker said:
Here in NC there should be one within X feet of a water source. Did not know that about the 1 per circut.
Click to expand...
Yep. A GFCI protects anything plugged into it (from ground faults), which includes any outlets downstream that are wired in series parallel with it.

People ask a lot why they’re needed when you have your circuit breaker at the panel...

GFCIs only protect against ground faults (such contact while standing in water, etc). A lot of homes and wiring systems aren’t grounded well (or at all), and so a ground fault a lot of times isn’t enough to trip a breaker. A GFCI doesn’t need to be grounded at all to work so they’re great around wet environments.

Extra GFCIs don’t hurt anything, but you could take one out of the circuit (the farthest one down stream) and use it somewhere else if you ever need it instead of buying another one.

My buddy’s house was an over the top thing because they used ~$35, 20A Levitons in the bathrooms and kitchen, so they had easily $250 of useless GFCIs where they could have spent $7 instead. I told him if he ever moves again to take the extras with and he’ll never need to buy another as long as he lives.
 
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Fryowa said:
Yep. A GFCI protects anything plugged into it (from ground faults), which includes any outlets downstream that are wired in parallel with it.

People ask a lot why they’re needed when you have your circuit breaker at the panel...

GFCIs only protect against ground faults (such contact while standing in water, etc). A lot of homes and wiring systems aren’t grounded well (or at all), and so a ground fault a lot of times isn’t enough to trip a breaker. A GFCI doesn’t need to be grounded at all to work so they’re great around wet environments.

Extra GFCIs don’t hurt anything, but you could take one out of the circuit (the farthest one down stream) and use it somewhere else if you ever need it instead of buying another one.

My buddy’s house was an over the top thing because they used ~$35, 20A Levitons in the bathrooms and kitchen, so they had easily $250 of useless GFCIs where they could have spent $7 instead. I told him if he ever moves again to take the extras with and he’ll never need to buy another as long as he lives.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you.

We just bought a new house last summer, and repainted the whole main floor which also required replacing the all the old ivory colored electrical devices with white. We figured we might as well install the nice, decorative devices with tamper-resistant outlets while were at it to bring it up to code. I spent almost $300 for everything I needed. The difference between a 3-way and a 4-way decorative switch is $9.
 
MikeyLikesIowa said:
Fixed it for you.

We just bought a new house last summer, and repainted the whole main floor which also required replacing the all the old ivory colored electrical devices with white. We figured we might as well install the nice, decorative devices with tamper-resistant outlets while were at it to bring it up to code. I spent almost $300 for everything I needed. The difference between a 3-way and a 4-way decorative switch is $9.
Click to expand...
Goddammit, sorry. My fingers went faster than my brain, which doesn’t take much. Changed it.

Did you use push in connectors? I absolutely love those things and I haven’t used a wire nut on solid wire in probably 10 years. Making up 30 pigtails at a time is actually tolerable now.

For stranded stuff like ceiling fans and can lights I still use wire nuts because I refuse to pay the big money for the trap door connectors.
 
Fryowa said:
Goddammit, sorry. My fingers went faster than my brain, which doesn’t take much. Changed it.

Did you use push in connectors? I absolutely love those things and I haven’t used a wire nut on solid wire in probably 10 years. Making up 30 pigtails at a time is actually tolerable now.

For stranded stuff like ceiling fans and can lights I still use wire nuts because I refuse to pay the big money for the trap door connectors.
Click to expand...

I used the screw terminals to start with, but ended up using the backstab terminals on most of them. I was surprised to see that all the old devices were installed using the push terminals. Most electrical contractors insist on only using the screw terminals.

Even the device manufacturers generally don't recommend using them again after initial installation. The wires were sometimes hard to remove from the old devices because you need a perfectly sized slotted screwdriver to insert into the slot to release the wire. The wires have been in there for almost 20 years (house was built in 1999).

I don't ever use those trapdoor connectors either. I agree that they are too expensive for what they are. Wire nuts work just fine, and actually provide a better connection when installed properly IMO. I've never been too fond of things that rely on any sort of spring to maintain the connection.
 
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Resurrecting this thread as my final offseason OT discussion.

My latest obsession is these restoration Youtube videos. There are several channels.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGEtjevANE0Nqain3EqNSg/videos


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWKqh_3cb6cDiz2ICWc-5Sw

Wanted to ask some of you guys about tools. I'm looking to buy a corded Angle Grinder - not a big one - thoughts and recommendation. I need to buy a vice, I'm thinking I should go out of town to some antique store or auction. thoughts there would be appreciated.

The thing about these videos is they have ALL THE PERFECT TOOLS, I don't. No sandblaster, No powder coat oven, No welder.
 
I bought a large air compressor and air tools to tackle a 49 Chevy pick up. Bought them 7 years ago only used the air compressor to fill up my kids bike tires and blow leaves out of my garage, tools are still waiting to be used.
 
Im really good at breaking stuff and f-ing things up when I try to fix it. Sometimes I succeed most times I make it worse. Mostly I dont have the patience and hurry. Sometimes I just do stupid stuff. An example was the time I tried super gluing part of a light to the ceiling that had come lose. It is on a vaulted ceiling so I was on the 10 foot ladder doing it. I ended up super gluing my thumb to the light fixture. I was on top of the ladder stuck to the fixture. Yep, I pay people to do most stuff. I can handle writing a check, I rarely mess that up.
 
I always used to be real good about starting something or tearing apart something and then never finishing. I say "used to" because now I don't do much at all, unless it is pretty much necessary.
 
NCHawker said:
Wanted to ask some of you guys about tools. I'm looking to buy a corded Angle Grinder - not a big one - thoughts and recommendation. I need to buy a vice, I'm thinking I should go out of town to some antique store or auction. thoughts there would be appreciated.

The thing about these videos is they have ALL THE PERFECT TOOLS, I don't. No sandblaster, No powder coat oven, No welder.
Click to expand...
For corded angle grinders DeWalt or Makita have always been outstanding for me, but I do have a $20 el cheapo Harbor Freight that absolutely refuses to die no matter what I do to it.

To be totally honest though I’d go cordless nowadays. The DeWalt Flex-volt stuff is pretty amazing and when you buy the angle grinder kit you get two batteries. One of my batteries will completely charge before the other one dies, so to me there’s no reason to go corded in 4 1/2” size.

For a vise, find a used Wilton at an auction or on Craigslist. It will outlast your grandkids’ grandkids. They aren’t super cheap, but I’d spend $100 on a used Wilton before $100 on a cheap, new Chinese-made vise at a hardware store.

Welder...FC-90 flux core. It’s made under
Lincoln’s Century brand and it’s fucking amazing for the price. Every time I use it I can’t believe it’s $200. I made my living welding for several years, if you want details on a good home gamer welding setup PM me.
 
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Knight78 said:
We moved last year on July 1. Since then I've:
  • Put up shelving in the garage on all three walls. (3 car garage) Also put up a workbench there.
  • Painted and refinished the basement family room.
  • Sold a Franklin stove and repaired the hole in the wall (and foundation) from the chimney pipe.
  • Installed pull-out shelves in our kitchen pantry and kitchen island.
  • Replaced a small 8x8 wood deck with a 20x14 composite deck.
  • Landscaped around the deck to match existing river rock and brick edging.
  • Built a credenza to put a 50" DLP TV on.
  • Landscaped around about six trees in the yard (mulch and edging).
  • Rewired outlets in the garage (half of them didn't work before).
I've also done repair work (engine and fresh water system) on our RV, fixed the A/C on my truck and my daughter's CRV, and a bunch of other simple repairs on all of our vehicles.

I've hired out that I would have done myself in the past (don't want to work that hard at 62):
  • Skinning turf and building a dry rock stream bed (making it easier to mow around)
  • Removed two dead trees in the yard.
  • Poured an extension to our driveway to part our RV on our property.
Still got a number of things to do yet, but the list is getting smaller. (How do I have time to post here?!?!?!)
Click to expand...



Slooow down Forrest!
 
Fryowa said:
For corded angle grinders DeWalt or Makita have always been outstanding for me, but I do have a $20 el cheapo Harbor Freight that absolutely refuses to die no matter what I do to it.

To be totally honest though I’d go cordless nowadays. The DeWalt Flex-volt stuff is pretty amazing and when you buy the angle grinder kit you get two batteries. One of my batteries will completely charge before the other one dies, so to me there’s no reason to go corded in 4 1/2” size.

For a vice, find a used Wilton at an auction or on Craigslist. It will outlast your grandkids’ grandkids. They aren’t super cheap, but I’d spend $100 on a used Wilton before $100 on a cheap, new Chinese-made vice at a hardware store.

Welder...FC-90 flux core. It’s made under
Lincoln’s Century brand and it’s fucking amazing for the price. Every time I use it I can’t believe it’s $200. I made my living welding for several years, if you want details on a good home gamer welding setup PM me.
Click to expand...

I used to weld for a school bus factory in college and taught ag welding. Girls if they got over being scared were the best welders.
Thought my eyes were forever damaged from flashes at the factory.
 
NCHawker said:
Resurrecting this thread as my final offseason OT discussion.

My latest obsession is these restoration Youtube videos. There are several channels.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGEtjevANE0Nqain3EqNSg/videos


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWKqh_3cb6cDiz2ICWc-5Sw

Wanted to ask some of you guys about tools. I'm looking to buy a corded Angle Grinder - not a big one - thoughts and recommendation. I need to buy a vice, I'm thinking I should go out of town to some antique store or auction. thoughts there would be appreciated.

The thing about these videos is they have ALL THE PERFECT TOOLS, I don't. No sandblaster, No powder coat oven, No welder.
Click to expand...

My 25 plus yo makita is still humming quite well.

Im looking gor a cheap but good table saw or radial arm saw so I can put in a wood kitchen floor using planks. Need the cuts to be good to prevent spacing. Done much of the house with planks and concrete nails but this needs to be more accurate.

Those looking for tools you might be surprised what turns up on fb marketplace. Its destroyed yard sale mania.
 
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