[Edited on March 25, 2015 at 6:57 PM. Reason : .]

3/25/2015 6:55:14 PM

21

3/26/2015 9:07:59 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mat/4950549805.html

Marble island top for sale

3/26/2015 5:04:22 PM

I work from home and my office is the only room in the house that gets hot, so I made a <40w solution




The freezer is keeping stuff frozen every night, so I figure the energy to refreeze the water is pretty minimal

4/9/2015 2:38:08 PM

what did you use for a pump?

4/9/2015 10:48:13 PM

that's what I was going to ask ^

I was going to guess some sort of aquarium circulation pump but the tubing looked fairly large for thta.

4/10/2015 12:25:27 PM

it's an aquarium pump called a power head pump. it was the smallest they had but still does 160GPH. it uses 12V at 0.5 and is silent. the hose is big so the copper would fit inside without any termination

4/10/2015 2:35:54 PM

I have what used to be an awesome Teak table that my wife's aunt and uncle brought from south africa-- so it has some sentimental value. It's African teak, so it's natural color is darker than the usual honey/tan color. At some point, it got damaged and it can't really be fixed properly since we can't match the wood.

Also, it doesn't fit on our deck anyway, this thing is 72" x 72" and seats 8. So my plan is to cut it down into a smaller table, by removing enough of the long pieces, and then cutting the perpendicular supports underneath, and the end pieces. See photos below.

i'm a novice woodworker at best, and haven't really worked with teak. Any advice or other ways of accomplishing this are welcome.

top of the table


damaged section


underneath



[Edited on April 17, 2015 at 12:08 PM. Reason : .]

4/17/2015 12:02:35 PM

don't fuck with TKE

4/17/2015 12:39:59 PM

If it were me, I'd just fill in the gap with some colored epoxy. I use trans-tint to dye the epoxy. Literally just need a drop or two.

I would give the whole table a good sanding, stain existing wood, fill with dyed epoxy to match stain.

Keep in mind that the wood will darken over time, whereas the epoxy will not. So I'd stick with a fairly dark stain for the table and epoxy so it'll be less obvious when the wood darkens.

4/20/2015 1:18:54 PM

Built an outdoor loveseat that turned out quite well, I think. Bought the cushions last year on clearance at Lowe's then tailored the design around those dimensions. Less than $100, all-in.

4/21/2015 1:42:40 PM

I really like that. Do you have the plans you used?

4/21/2015 1:51:23 PM

That's some solid shit. I, took, wouldn't mind taking a look at those plans.

4/21/2015 1:54:59 PM

Have to have a custom width patio door built! any ideas who does this locally?

4/21/2015 2:20:33 PM

Thanks for the compliments, y'all. I used some Ana White plans as a reference, but couldn't use any of the dimensions because my cushions were a very different size. It was really more of inspiration than plans, but usefully to say the least.

I used 2x4 for the legs and arms instead of 2x2's, I wanted to be able to rest a beer and a phone on the arms (plus finding decent treated 2x2's is difficult). I also used 5/4 decking boards instead of dimensional 1-by to save money. It made it quite heavy, but it's pretty stout and should last quite awhile.

As always, Kreg jig ftw.

http://ana-white.com/2011/06/simple-white-outdoor-sofa

4/21/2015 5:48:34 PM

which kreg are you using/recommend?

4/24/2015 8:32:37 AM

K4 or K5. I used to have a K4 master system but sold it to upgrade to the K5. The K5 is not that different from the K4. You can find good deals on Amazon or the big box stores.

https://www.kregtool.com/store/c13/kreg-jigsreg/

I end up using it whenever possible, makes all kinds of joining and repairs so easy.

4/27/2015 9:32:17 AM

if anyone's looking to build a sandbox, i found a pretty good plan online for one that incorporates a cover which folds up in to two benches. I'm in the process of building mine for my girl's 2nd birthday this weekend and will post pics later

http://ana-white.com/2011/10/plans/sand-box-built-seats

edit: haha just saw that post up there with ana-white plans - what a coincidence

[Edited on July 22, 2015 at 9:57 PM. Reason : .]

7/22/2015 9:54:15 PM

So our master bathroom in this house was about as drab as you could imagine. Builder beige tile shower and garden tub surround. Previous owners didn't paint the builder off-white walls but they did install a horrible greenery/floral wallpaper border across the middle of it. We want to totally gut this bathroom, change the layout, ditch the tub, and replace everything from floor to ceiling. Unfortunately, with 2 kids and a third en route, the budget does not allow for such an endeavor. But we had to do something.

So we took down the border, painted the walls, installed all new hardware and light fixture. I ripped out the builder-basic sliding frosted doors on the shower. A vast improvement, but those tiles were an awful color and the floor tiles were inconsistently discolored... just terrible.

The Wifey found this Rustoleum tub and tile refinishing kit, it's a 2-part epoxy acrylic paint that is supposed to be tough as nails and it dries to a texture similar to porcelain. Gave it a shot and we couldn't be happier with the results, at least thus far. Reviews are generally pretty good regarding longevity. This turned out to be a fantastic stop-gap for us to really refresh this bathroom without having to spend much money at all.

No "before" pics because I don't think about that kind of thing typically, but here are some shots of the tile paint, before I re-installed shower hardware.

8/7/2015 1:46:46 PM

finally remembered to upload the pics of the sandbox. i tweaked the plan to make a bigger bench on one side so mommy and I could be more comfortable sitting down in it with them.





my kid loves it. just gotta mix in some cinnamon to keep the ants out

[Edited on August 13, 2015 at 12:51 PM. Reason : holy shit those were big]

8/13/2015 12:41:07 PM

Alright, finally got to work on the table from my previous post

After spending some time with the wood, I decided that there's no way this is teak. I was told it was teak by my wife's uncle, who gave us the table they brought over from south africa. The color wasn't right for teak though it otherwise has a lot of teak-like properties, but I assumed that maybe african teak was darker. But once i started cutting it, it was way too red. The best guess I have is that it's Iroko. Either way, it's gorgeous wood.

Progress pics (TWW rotated some of these arbitrarily for some reason):


got it flipped and sitting on saw horses. I took off all of the frame and leg supports. The corner leg supports were all broken, so i'll use some of the extra wood to make new ones.



I cut the two end pieces a couple of inches away from flush to get the rest of the table out of the way and will cut it flush to the edge later.



legs, prior to pressure washing, sanding, and oiling.



gluing and clamping the shortened piece.


The legs were previously attached with shaft bolts through the legs into cross dowel nuts. All of the shaft bolts were bent and the cross dowel nuts had broken. It was a fucking pain in the ass to extract the pieces of the cross dowel nuts. I couldn't replace the original hardware as it's some non-standard (in the US anyway) metric sized shit, so I made some wood filler with sawdust and some wood glue and filled up the holes and inserted 5" brass wood screws to attach it. Cut some new corner braces from the removed wood and now the legs are no longer wobbly.



Now all I have left to do is make the top look pretty again. Here's the difference just after pressure washing part of it. Once it dries, i just have to give it a light sanding and slather on some linseed oil.



[Edited on September 2, 2015 at 11:31 AM. Reason : random rotation?]

9/2/2015 11:28:04 AM

You might know this, but make sure you lay your oiled rags flat to dry...not bunched up. Preferably draped over something metal.

Oily rags have been known to catch fire when drying...especially linseed oil.

9/2/2015 12:16:54 PM

yeah, i usually toss them when done, and place them in a ziplog bag of water first for that reason

9/2/2015 1:13:43 PM

So I'm hoping to build a bathroom mirror and shelf unit... essentially, there would be a mirror in the middle of this piece and sets of vertical shelves/cubbies on either side. I will likely extend this far up enough the wall above the bathroom counter to cover the current light fixture location, so I'll be working in a new lighting fixture mounted at the top center.

Anyone know of any free software that is easy to use that could help me visualization/design? I've used sketchup a little, but never had much luck with an original model. I normally "build" a few 2D frames in AutoCAD and import those to assemble and convert to 3D.

I was thinking of using beadboard as the backer and 1"x lumber for the framing/shelving, and crown at the top. I know I've got more questions, but I think I need to get a few sketches first. Though two questions I have now are:

1) Type of lumber? I'm hoping to have a nice, seamless look, and not something that looks like a lot of shelving boards were screwed together. Maybe this is more of a finishing question? I don't know.

2) Type/color of paint? I certainly want something in the white family, but I'm not sure what shade to go with that doesn't look medical white but isn't yellowish.

For both questions, good examples would be any fashionable/modern shelving/cabinet unit you can find in stores.

It's hard to see, but this kind of style/look (and what I want to do is the inverse of this, sort of...:


This kind of thing, but in white, the mirror would be recessed towards the back and above the mirror, but still within the unit would be a wall light:

10/7/2015 9:04:31 PM

4 out of 6 downspout drainage have been constructed. Now trying to figure out the best way to get around my front walkway to connect the last two. Doubt I get finished before the hurricane since I had hoped to finish this weekend.

10/4/2016 11:22:17 AM

any reason you didn't just go with 4" corrugated instead of the pvc?

10/4/2016 6:15:06 PM

In the back of the house, since I didn't want to mess going around the septic system, I wanted to make sure that water was not leaking close to the foundation. In the front of the house, I wanted something that would be more durable and less likely to crush/clog. Overall, I just wanted something that would require the least amount of long term maintenance. It was about $100 more to use PVC instead of the corrugated pipe, and that was worth it to me.

[Edited on October 4, 2016 at 11:43 PM. Reason : ]

10/4/2016 11:42:26 PM

4" CPP sucks.

10/5/2016 2:26:07 PM

it has its uses

10/5/2016 8:37:36 PM

It does. Like small diameter tree trunk protection from string trimmers.

10/6/2016 1:21:42 PM

Want to add recessed lighting in kitchen? pretty simple? or should I contact a electrician.

10/27/2016 9:40:20 AM

If there is already a light for pulling wiring, and the joists are favorably oriented, it is pretty simple.

10/27/2016 12:12:03 PM

Yep. removing a 2 existing lights. total of 6 going in. going to daisy chain 4 together on one switch. 2 on other existing switch.

I dont think i should run into any issues. I also have access to my attic if needed.


Is there and sort of pattern I should have these in or is just where i want them as long as it looks good?

10/27/2016 1:06:40 PM

I generally see them recessed ear work stations. It really is wherever you would like them.

11/6/2016 8:23:15 PM

Installed kitchen cabinets this weekend, to extend what the builder installed.
It took a little longer than I though, but was fairly simple and straight forward.
Still need to add the knobs, order the granite, and then put up the backslash we picked








[Edited on November 6, 2016 at 8:56 PM. Reason : .]

11/6/2016 8:38:19 PM

^RayCharles.jpg

^^^I have 10 in my kitchen, 2 rows of 5 and drop lights over the island / sink. seems to provide even lighting. not sure what room you're talking about though. that would be the determining factor. you want your useful space to be lit.

[Edited on November 7, 2016 at 4:20 PM. Reason : ]

11/7/2016 4:18:56 PM

Maybe this time?

11/7/2016 6:57:10 PM

maybe its just me being used to mine, but the cabnits not going to the ceiling bugs me. then again, I guess you have higher ceilings than I do. that said, it looks GREAT!!!! you've done some amazing work on your house.

11/11/2016 2:19:23 PM

Thanks. It is frustrating working on a new house, but I do it for a lot less than having had the builder complete it during construction, and I don't have to finance it. Plus I get exactly what I want.
They are 9' ceilings and 42" upper cabinets.
It is funny going back a few pages (or more) and seeing where I laid flooring in the previous house.

11/11/2016 6:56:27 PM

small project from leftover oak flooring: homemade Gladiator Cabinet top. Still need to sand and finish, but I'm happy with how it came out.



[Edited on December 20, 2016 at 4:54 PM. Reason : a]

12/20/2016 4:53:30 PM

i built this roller for the RC track about a year ago. i don't think i ever posted it. the drum itself used to be an industrial conveyor belt idler. it is full of sand. the rack on top allows you to add weight with cinder blocks or sand bags or whatever.

12/20/2016 5:50:13 PM

^nice; you want to build me one?

12/21/2016 7:52:30 AM

i will if you find the drum

it would have to cost several times what a cheap landscape roller would, though. a regular roller wouldn't really work for us because we have to pull it over jumps, so the tongue has to be goosenecked up to keep it from scraping the tops of the jumps. also, it has a knifeblade sort of scraper on the backside because the sticky clay will just pile up on the drum and make it jam up against the frame.

12/21/2016 5:48:42 PM

So, I am getting ready to redo my basement laundry room which is "finished" (wood paneling and a single bare lightbulb on the wall), but need some advice. Currently, it backs up to an unfinished space where the furnace, water heater, and a utility sink are located. The current setup has holes punched through the wood paneling and the power cords, water supply lines, drain, and vent for the washer and dryer passed through and hooked up in the unfinished space. I know codes are different everywhere, but this seems shady to me. I was thinking about doing something like this: http://tinyurl.com/j5e2kfs, which is something similar to what I used for passing AV cables when setting up my tv.

I just dont want to get blown up when I go to sell the house at some point, but I think relocating the outlets and water lines is possibly unnecessary work when the entrance to the unfinished space is directly beside the machines. Thanks.

12/31/2016 3:32:05 PM

Go for it. Idk if it would actually be up to code, but it's not dangerous. Worst case is you have to spend the money to move the connections if you do go to sell.

12/31/2016 7:28:32 PM

if you can get to the unfinished side easily, moving outlets and extending water lines isn't very hard to do yourself even if you haven't done it before, youtube will walk you through it. materials won't cost much at all

1/3/2017 10:41:09 AM

Thought I could easily DIY and convert this rocker switch into a dimmer switch, but having problems. Past dimmer conversions I've done have been straightforward. This one is giving me a challenge and I can't figure it out. Hoping TWW electricians can help!

I have a single pole switch that controls 2 lights, 4 black wires going into two screws. I tested and only one is the hot voltage line.

I want to replace with a Lutron dimmer DVCL-153P, but whatever combination I tried, it will not work.

I've tried the two black wires from lower screw to the black wire in dimmer, and other two black wires to red wire in dimmer - Nope!
I've tried the hot black wire to the black wire in dimmer, with other 3 black wires to red wire - Nope!

Either I am doing something wrong or my dimmer is busted.

Before:


After:


[Edited on January 5, 2017 at 2:13 PM. Reason : k]

1/5/2017 2:11:02 PM

are the bulbs in the fixtures capable of being dimmed? some CFLs and LEDs are not dimmable.

1/5/2017 7:25:42 PM

Yes, bulbs are dimmable. My issue is the dimmer switch does nothing, light does not turn on nor off. I'm guessing I didn't connect the wires correctly.

1/5/2017 7:38:44 PM

try it with only one of the circuits connected on the load side

sometimes you can successfully troubleshoot systems you don't know anything about by just removing parts of the sytem and seeing if the problem goes away.

but it looks like it's wired up fine to me.

[Edited on January 5, 2017 at 8:18 PM. Reason : afsd]

[Edited on January 5, 2017 at 8:19 PM. Reason : i'm sure you checked the breaker]

i realized that statement sounds condescending and makes it sound like i don't think you know anything about what you're doing. that was not my intention. i'm the one who doesn't know anything about it.

[Edited on January 5, 2017 at 8:32 PM. Reason : but i think your triac is bad]

1/5/2017 8:11:27 PM