Terrick down Under
Well-known member
Ahhh, you gotta love concrete and steel!
Good work on the repairs, as usual!
Good work on the repairs, as usual!
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium
- Thread starter Bob Heine
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Still here and watching you Bob. I can't let Andy be the spokesman for the group.(Although he's probably the one I'd for if we needed one)
Another fine repair made by the one armed bandit.
Mark, Dan and Terrick, once I removed the damaged double 2"x12" header I decided to open up the wall below the window. I figure I need to buy a whole 4'x8' sheet of drywall and I'll feel better knowing it's clear of the little buggers.
I then had the termite company treat the whole area and they used a hose to soak the whole area. A couple of days later there was another small collection of termites on the window sill so I had them return and foam between all the studs.
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Terrick, if I was a few decades younger I would begin digging the footings for a half-buried home similar to yours. Several homes on our street have basements, which is unheard of in South Florida. If our place collapses in a hurricane, we'll probably get a couple of shipping containers bolted to the slab.
[FONT="]I bought the shortest 2"x12" Home Depot carries and had them cut two 40" long pieces from the 12-foot stick. Also bought a 2'x4' piece of pressure treated 1/2" plywood, a roll of R-13 fiberglass insulation and a box of 50 2.5" blue Kreg screws. The three pieces of lumber and small piece of plywood easily fit in the PT Cruiser but I was a bit worried about the weight of the pressure treated lumber as I was loading it. I suspect it is fresh out of the vessel that treats the wood. As I was leaving to go to Home Depot that sweet voice asked if I could pick up a couple of bags of pine bark chips. The ten bags of chips kept the rest of the stuff from moving around in the car.
I decided not to rush into slapping the new wet wood into place but wasn't sure just how wet the wood was. Years ago I remembered reading about moisture meters and how they were pretty expensive. Just as a check, I googled moisture meter and sure enough you can spend $300, $600 or more on a really good one. I just want one that will tell me the stain on the ceiling is water and the wood I'm working with is soaking wet. General sells a moisture meter for around $40 so I am now the proud owner of one of these:
[/FONT][FONT="]It told me I had some wet wood (duh) so I gave it a week in the garage with the A/C on each day. It dropped from 17% down to 8% so I gave it a few more days. The good news/bad news is the wood was drying out and warping at an alarming rate. It was flat when I brought it home but looked like this by the time it was dried out.
[/FONT] I decided to drill the first 2"x12" for pocket screws along the top and sides. I am not feeling real safe doing the ends but came away with only one bruised finger.
I decided not to rush into slapping the new wet wood into place but wasn't sure just how wet the wood was. Years ago I remembered reading about moisture meters and how they were pretty expensive. Just as a check, I googled moisture meter and sure enough you can spend $300, $600 or more on a really good one. I just want one that will tell me the stain on the ceiling is water and the wood I'm working with is soaking wet. General sells a moisture meter for around $40 so I am now the proud owner of one of these:
[/FONT][FONT="]It told me I had some wet wood (duh) so I gave it a week in the garage with the A/C on each day. It dropped from 17% down to 8% so I gave it a few more days. The good news/bad news is the wood was drying out and warping at an alarming rate. It was flat when I brought it home but looked like this by the time it was dried out.
[/FONT] I decided to drill the first 2"x12" for pocket screws along the top and sides. I am not feeling real safe doing the ends but came away with only one bruised finger.
I don't know if this is the best way to install a warped board but it seemed to work.
I put the board in place and raised it as high as it would go in the opening. I then forced the top of the board up against the outside sheathing. I then tightened the five screws along the top surface. The board is where it belongs along the top but it is quite a ways from being tight at the bottom.
I think I can pull the bottom of the board into place from outside, where the hurricane shutter track is mounted. I originally fastened them with 2" lag bolts but I am going to try a 3" long lag instead.
I am hoping that four of those lag bolts will pull the bottom in. I had to start the bolts and then hang the track (it is adjusted for a pretty tight fit on the shutter panels.
I was pleasantly surprised when I finished tightening all four lag bolts. The bottom was real close to position so I installed the three pocket screws on each side.
I spent a bit too much time outside and was soaking wet. I went inside and fitted the insulation under the window. Sweat and fiberglass are not a great combination so I quit for the day and cleaned up the area.
In my youth this was a one day repair. I'm now hoping to have this done in less than a month.
I put the board in place and raised it as high as it would go in the opening. I then forced the top of the board up against the outside sheathing. I then tightened the five screws along the top surface. The board is where it belongs along the top but it is quite a ways from being tight at the bottom.
I think I can pull the bottom of the board into place from outside, where the hurricane shutter track is mounted. I originally fastened them with 2" lag bolts but I am going to try a 3" long lag instead.
I am hoping that four of those lag bolts will pull the bottom in. I had to start the bolts and then hang the track (it is adjusted for a pretty tight fit on the shutter panels.
I was pleasantly surprised when I finished tightening all four lag bolts. The bottom was real close to position so I installed the three pocket screws on each side.
I spent a bit too much time outside and was soaking wet. I went inside and fitted the insulation under the window. Sweat and fiberglass are not a great combination so I quit for the day and cleaned up the area.
In my youth this was a one day repair. I'm now hoping to have this done in less than a month.
slimpickins
Well-known member
+1 for the nice repair on the termite damage. The new treated wood header ought to keep the buggers at bay. Can you paint the rest of that wall cavity with some wood preservative to protect the untreated wood?
We don't have termites up here where it gets -40 but the ants still get in where they're not supposed to. I had to cut part of my concrete front step out of a previous home I owned. They had started eating out the end of one of the floor joists. Definitely not a fun project.
I also have to do some work on my driveway again this year. The ants are working overtime excavating the base under the asphalt.
Kitchen remodel sounds good too!
Cheers!
We don't have termites up here where it gets -40 but the ants still get in where they're not supposed to. I had to cut part of my concrete front step out of a previous home I owned. They had started eating out the end of one of the floor joists. Definitely not a fun project.
I also have to do some work on my driveway again this year. The ants are working overtime excavating the base under the asphalt.
Kitchen remodel sounds good too!
Cheers!
1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
Bob, well done
ajohno
Well-known member
Looking good Bob. I'm sure you will beat these termites.
Terrick down Under
Well-known member
Very nicely done, simple and straight forward approach. You must have seen how to do that on youtube.....LOL. Goes to show that old moto still works, "slow and steady does it right"
BBChevro
Well-known member
Apart from the fact that termites think that anything larger than a toothpick is fine dining, it's often quite a challenge to find a straight board.
Good thinking Bob - the longer screws did the trick.
I know that a lot of folks on GJ are big fans of wood, and I can definitely see the beauty of a piece of fine furniture, etc. - but give me steel to work with any day.
Good thinking Bob - the longer screws did the trick.
I know that a lot of folks on GJ are big fans of wood, and I can definitely see the beauty of a piece of fine furniture, etc. - but give me steel to work with any day.
Terrick down Under
Well-known member
Yeah, and if you accidently cut the steel short, just weld it back and cut the right size!
BBChevro
Well-known member
Hey Terrick, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has done that.
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
Great work, Bob.
You're doing a Cadillac repair...
Having the hurricane shutters outside was fortunate, but thinking to use those screws for pulling the 2x back was smart. Was your wife overseeing that?
It may at last be time for me to buy a moisture meter. I had a broken one for years a guy loaned me to fix, he finally took it back.
If you were a true professional you would have nailed the header together first and slapped it into place with no concern for the excess moisture. Of course it wouldn't have warped and it would not have been well attached like yours is. Good job!
P.S. You keep costing me money. I've never had a pocket screw jig either, just make do with home made ones, but I'm really feeling the need to be like Bob!
You're doing a Cadillac repair...
Having the hurricane shutters outside was fortunate, but thinking to use those screws for pulling the 2x back was smart. Was your wife overseeing that?
It may at last be time for me to buy a moisture meter. I had a broken one for years a guy loaned me to fix
, he finally took it back.If you were a true professional you would have nailed the header together first and slapped it into place with no concern for the excess moisture. Of course it wouldn't have warped and it would not have been well attached like yours is. Good job!
P.S. You keep costing me money. I've never had a pocket screw jig either, just make do with home made ones, but I'm really feeling the need to be like Bob!
rmalkow2
Well-known member
The repair is looking good and I agree that these days slow and steady gets the job done. I know the feeling of jobs taking 3 times longer than they used to when I was young. Trying to retrain myself to appreciate making steady progress rather than being down because I didn't finish something as fast as I used to.
Won't be too long and you'll have that wall sealed up and looking like nothing happened.
Won't be too long and you'll have that wall sealed up and looking like nothing happened.
shortykorte
Well-known member
Stop screwing around! Lol.
The pocket screws are a lot better idea than trying to toe nail them. Looking good. You should carve y'alls initials inside a heart with the year before covering it up.
Andy you do need the Kreg pocket screw tool. Makes a great joint.
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The pocket screws are a lot better idea than trying to toe nail them. Looking good. You should carve y'alls initials inside a heart with the year before covering it up.
Andy you do need the Kreg pocket screw tool. Makes a great joint.
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bolensboneyard
Well-known member
Bob repair looks good and I bet you could carry that moisture tester and tell the bad guys it was a stun gun and get away with it. Or maybe just test your skin to see if you are working up a nervous sweat and need to get out of Dodge. 
He Slim, thanks for stopping by and thanks for the compliments. I did have the termite guy hose the exposed wood with termaticide.+1 for the nice repair on the termite damage. The new treated wood header ought to keep the buggers at bay. Can you paint the rest of that wall cavity with some wood preservative to protect the untreated wood?
We don't have termites up here where it gets -40 but the ants still get in where they're not supposed to. I had to cut part of my concrete front step out of a previous home I owned. They had started eating out the end of one of the floor joists. Definitely not a fun project.
I also have to do some work on my driveway again this year. The ants are working overtime excavating the base under the asphalt.
Kitchen remodel sounds good too!
Cheers!
We had those nasty carpenter ants up north as well. Most of our ants in Florida are tiny. The worst is the fire ant, which has a painful bite -- they are capable of killing baby sea turtles. The ghost ants and crazy ants are less deadly but are an annoyance, undermining our driveways as well. I feel pretty good about the kitchen remodel. A lot cheaper than I expected.
Thank you Steve!Bob, well done
Aaron, I appreciate the visit and I'm hoping to at least win this battle.
Mark, unfortunately I grew up using wood to build stuff. I didn't get a welder until I was in my 60s.
Very true Terrick, but folks with the skills I lack can fix a short piece of wood...
Mark, my motto is "measure five times and keep cutting 'til it fits."Hey Terrick, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has done that.
Stewart, this is actually the first time I've used the Kreg tool. I used the Harbor Freight version first. I did think about putting some marks on the beam. If someone ever has to take this down, they need to know the pocket screws are S02 square head, the screws attaching the plywood spacer are T-25 torx head, the screws holding the two beams together are #2 phillips and the bolts on the outside are 1/2" hex. I hope I have room for all that information.
Bobby, I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. I like that idea! I don't even need a permit to open carry a moisture meter. The pins are sharp enough to inflict a decent amount of pain but nothing fatal. I'm gonna tell my wife that's a Taser and I won't be real surprised if it wakes me up the night after I forget an important anniversary (honey, of course I remember you wore those shoes on our third date -- it just slipped my mind).Bob repair looks good and I bet you could carry that moisture tester and tell the bad guys it was a stun gun and get away with it. Or maybe just test your skin to see if you are working up a nervous sweat and need to get out of Dodge.
Terrick down Under
Well-known member
BH, if you have a wood joint like that there is no way you should ever cover it up. That is a piece of art.
I finished the header repair last week. I had to cut the piece of plywood to fit so I pulled out the table saw. It's not fancy but it fits under the bench in the shop (next to the radial arm saw).
I set it up so I had room for the 4-foot cut. I used the blade guard but the fence wouldn't fit. A piece of wood and a couple of C-clamps and I was good to go.
I attached the plywood with a couple of 1-1/4" coated screws. They're just to hold the plywood in place. I was a tiny bit annoyed by the space between the trimmer stud and the header so I cut a shim off a pressure treated scrap.
Used some 3" construction screws to pull the bottom and center of the two 2"x12" pieces together and it flattened them out pretty well.
Pocket screwed the second 2"x12" just like the first. Re-installed the hurricane straps and cleaned up the mess.
All I have to do is get a sheet of drywall to finish the inside. I also discovered the back yard lighting wasn't turning on. Thinking it was the timer, I switched it on manually and still no light. I grabbed my outlet tester and it's the outside outlet. No problem, I have a commercial grade outlet in stock.
Then it started raining. I don't want to do electrical in the rain and I don't want to be handling drywall in the rain so I have to wait for it to stop raining. It started raining Saturday and hasn't stopped. Our pool is at defcon-1 but I'm not going to drain it right away. The ants living under the pool patio will drown when the water reaches the top of the tile. I'll drop it 4 inches tomorrow morning so the skimmer can clear the floating carnage.
I set it up so I had room for the 4-foot cut. I used the blade guard but the fence wouldn't fit. A piece of wood and a couple of C-clamps and I was good to go.
I attached the plywood with a couple of 1-1/4" coated screws. They're just to hold the plywood in place. I was a tiny bit annoyed by the space between the trimmer stud and the header so I cut a shim off a pressure treated scrap.
Used some 3" construction screws to pull the bottom and center of the two 2"x12" pieces together and it flattened them out pretty well.
Pocket screwed the second 2"x12" just like the first. Re-installed the hurricane straps and cleaned up the mess.
All I have to do is get a sheet of drywall to finish the inside. I also discovered the back yard lighting wasn't turning on. Thinking it was the timer, I switched it on manually and still no light. I grabbed my outlet tester and it's the outside outlet. No problem, I have a commercial grade outlet in stock.
Then it started raining. I don't want to do electrical in the rain and I don't want to be handling drywall in the rain so I have to wait for it to stop raining. It started raining Saturday and hasn't stopped. Our pool is at defcon-1 but I'm not going to drain it right away. The ants living under the pool patio will drown when the water reaches the top of the tile. I'll drop it 4 inches tomorrow morning so the skimmer can clear the floating carnage.
Craptain
Well-known member
Terrick, that joint is fairly common over here. Not only in construction but it is also the same joint (made to a higher standard) for the keel of wooden ships.
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shortykorte
Well-known member
Shop? I don't recall a tour of the shop.
Repair is looking good. Hurricane strap? We don't need no stinkin' hurricane straps.
I guess all of Florida got a bath today.
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Repair is looking good. Hurricane strap? We don't need no stinkin' hurricane straps.
I guess all of Florida got a bath today.
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sawduststeve
Well-known member
Morning Bob,
Good woodworking mate, if the timbers ever need changing at least you can now just unscrew them.
Hurricane straps? don't need them here, tbh, they look pretty small compared to the size of a hurricane.
I can't agree with BBChevro, wood all day over steel, it pays my bills. and that scarf joint is a thing of beauty.
Regards
Steve.
Good woodworking mate, if the timbers ever need changing at least you can now just unscrew them.
Hurricane straps? don't need them here, tbh, they look pretty small compared to the size of a hurricane.I can't agree with BBChevro, wood all day over steel, it pays my bills.
and that scarf joint is a thing of beauty.Regards
Steve.
dlcwent
Member Emeritus
"Then it started raining. I don't want to do electrical in the rain and I don't want to be handling drywall in the rain so I have to wait for it to stop raining. It started raining Saturday and hasn't stopped. Our pool is at defcon-1 but I'm not going to drain it right away. The ants living under the pool patio will drown when the water reaches the top of the tile. I'll drop it 4 inches tomorrow morning so the skimmer can clear the floating carnage."
Absolutely brilliant way for pest control.
Absolutely brilliant way for pest control.
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
Morning Bob,
Good woodworking mate, if the timbers ever need changing at least you can now just unscrew them.
I can't agree with BBChevro, wood all day over steel, it pays my bills.
Regards
Steve.
Isn't it amazing what a little bit of steel can do to maintain the integrity of a building in high winds. I'm sure those are placed regularly around the perimeter of the building.
shortykorte
Well-known member
Andy, we have more hurricane straps and clips than a **********. I'm beginning to wonder if they are to the point of being self defeating with all the nails penetrating the wood. We've never had a Hurricane Andrews in Tallahassee but we do have 100 yr old houses with no hurricane straps that have survived.
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sawduststeve
Well-known member
I do hope so, I did think that there would be more than two tying the roof down .
All we ever get to see here, on the news, is the devastation left behind, of rows of houses skittled along a corridor of devastation. God willing ,may you never have them put to the test.
Regards
Steve.
Terrick, I completely agree.
Andrew, my Viking heritage helps me appreciate the joinery but I didn’t inherit any of the skills. My joinery looks like a failed Cub Scout project.
Stewart, I guess I have to post a tour of the shop. It’s going to be “Andy’s Other Brother Cleaning His Shop.” It’s going to take me some time to prepare my excuses.
I need to pick up some hurricane duct tape now that we’re in the season. I’ve already chosen the tree I’m going to tape myself to.
Yeah, humidity is still high today (= it’s still raining).
Hi Steve! The house was built in 1988 and that untreated header beam made it this far. If it and I last another 29 years, I’ll be 101 and probably won’t remember how to use a screwdriver.Morning Bob,
Good woodworking mate, if the timbers ever need changing at least you can now just unscrew them.
I can't agree with BBChevro, wood all day over steel, it pays my bills.
Regards
Steve.
I made my living writing about other people's work so I have an appreciation for skills, working with wood, metal, fiberglass, paint or plaster.
Dan, my preferred method of pest control is drowning [see Bob Jr. story]. The termite nest was too far above the high water mark so I had to improvise."Then it started raining. I don't want to do electrical in the rain and I don't want to be handling drywall in the rain so I have to wait for it to stop raining. It started raining Saturday and hasn't stopped. Our pool is at defcon-1 but I'm not going to drain it right away. The ants living under the pool patio will drown when the water reaches the top of the tile. I'll drop it 4 inches tomorrow morning so the skimmer can clear the floating carnage."
Absolutely brilliant way for pest control.
Andy, you’re right about the regular placement but it isn’t the belt and suspender solution the new building code calls for. Now each truss is supposed to be attached with a U-strap over the truss and down to the stud wall. Mine is just rafter clips but at least they have 6 nails attaching each one.
Stewart, you are so right. A few years after Hurricane Andrew our friends added a second story to their Ft. Lauderdale waterfront home. Before they covered the framing I had a tour. Asked my friend if he planned to use his cell phone up there because there was more metal than wood at the junctions of everything.
In a neighborhood in the path of Andrew's eye, all but one house (of almost 100) lost their roof, including most of the trusses. The owner of the house that kept its roof didn't spend big bucks on storm shutters. He cut plywood into tight fitting panels for all the windows and doors. Four slide bolts with matching holes in the stucco held each window panel, with the doors getting six slide bolts each. The wind couldn't get behind his panels so his house wasn't pressurized like the others. The "professional" solutions aren't always the best.
Steve, most of the time trailer (caravan) parks suffer the most damage. In addition, the most serious damage is the path of or close to the eye of the hurricane. Andrew's eye was like a huge tornado, destroying 63,000 homes as it passed through South Florida. It made another 40,000 homes uninhabitable. I've been through quite a few hurricanes with modest damage and have been able to do all but the roof repairs myself. My hurricane damage insurance deductible is $13,995 so it's expected but it's surprising how quickly repairs can exceed that amount.I do hope so, I did think that there would be more than two tying the roof down .
All we ever get to see here, on the news, is the devastation left behind, of rows of houses skittled along a corridor of devastation. God willing ,may you never have them put to the test.
Regards
Steve.
sawduststeve
Well-known member
Thanks Bob,
Wow, £14K deductible eye watering.Our house excess, as it is called here, £350, parts of our place date back to 1788ish, more likely 1817ish 
I wiki'd your area and it's beautiful, I liked the name of the T-Rex centre, do you know it.
Regards
Steve.
Wow, £14K deductible
eye watering.Our house excess, as it is called here, £350, parts of our place date back to 1788ish, more likely 1817ish I wiki'd your area and it's beautiful, I liked the name of the T-Rex centre, do you know it.
Regards
Steve.
JCQuick
Well-known member
Bob that repair looks great I have 2 arms and a little younger and I would have been seeking someone to do that for me.
As for the rain we haven't seen much of the sun in 5 days now. There are a lot of low lakes around me and being on a well I welcome it
As for the rain we haven't seen much of the sun in 5 days now. There are a lot of low lakes around me and being on a well I welcome it
Steve, I sorta asked for that deductible. Any time you file a claim, it changes your "risk" rating and results in higher rates -- for years. I carry $1,000 deductible on my cars because I'd rather pay for a small dent once. When Hurricane Wilma tore up our screened enclosure I requested a repair estimate. The entire enclosure had to be torn down and replaced with a code-compliant one for about $30,000. As a grand-fathered repair and doing the work myself, materials (new door, aluminum flashing, square and rectangular aluminum tubing for the 22-foot frame) cost $320. I re-screened the walls and had a crew replace the vaulted ceiling panels for another $900.Thanks Bob,
Wow, £14K deductible
I wiki'd your area and it's beautiful, I liked the name of the T-Rex centre, do you know it.
Regards
Steve.
I don't always do it myself. When my wife and I decided to upgrade the patio to travertine marble, I hired it out. I'm not a quick learner but I do learn.
As to the T-Rex Centre, it's the former IBM complex in Boca Raton and I worked there from 1975 to 1995. Marcel Breuer and Robert Gatje were the architects who designed IBM's LaGaude, France and Boca Raton facilities. To comply with French rules about daylight reaching offices, both buildings have narrow floorplans in X-like shapes to get as many windows as possible. I think the windows in the Florida complex are extra strong to deal with our weather.
JC, you are a smart man. I don't think amputation affects your mind but the blows to my head may have damaged my sense of priorities.
I don't mind rain, I just wish we could get it a little more spread out. I'm never thrilled to spray treated water on St. Augustine grass so rain a couple of times a week is fine.
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sawduststeve
Well-known member
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the in-depth reply, you're a good man.
I thought you would know the T-Rex Centre, I've read ALOT of your thread.
Thats a great repair to the pool screen,lucky that's all you lost?, lovely tiles also.Travertine is very popular here, kitchens/bathrooms etc .
Steve.
Thanks for the in-depth reply, you're a good man.
I thought you would know the T-Rex Centre, I've read ALOT of your thread.
Thats a great repair to the pool screen,lucky that's all you lost?, lovely tiles also.Travertine is very popular here, kitchens/bathrooms etc .
Steve.
Terrick down Under
Well-known member
Gee, around the pool came up a treat. It would be hard to not just sit and ponder in the sun.
Coolabah
Well-known member
Yeh, Bob doesn't know it yet but I've already packed my speedos and plan to drop in with a case of (of course... Aussie, the real thing... ) beers to do just that...
Yep... really looks like a great space to catch some z's even WITH a hurricane blowing !!
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Vladimir, thank you so much. I visit your amazing little garage every time your thread shows up on my subscribed list.Bob is very nice to look at your work. I like what you're doing. This is great!
Steve, you are very welcome and kind. Over the 20 years I worked for IBM in Boca Raton, I only spent about 3 of those years on the main site. The Information Development (technical writers, editors and illustrators) organization was easy to move because we didn't need to be close to the mainframes or factory floor. Worked in a warehouse, converted supermarket and a bunch of rented office buildings. My best office was a big second floor all glass corner overlooking a golf course in the building where the PC was born -- sadly the work keeps you from enjoying the view (but it sure impressed my visitors).Hi Bob,
Thanks for the in-depth reply, you're a good man.
I thought you would know the T-Rex Centre, I've read ALOT of your thread.
Thats a great repair to the pool screen,lucky that's all you lost?, lovely tiles also.Travertine is very popular here, kitchens/bathrooms etc .
Steve.
Terrick, we don't spend nearly enough time out on the patio or in the pool. The white upholstery on the furniture is covered to keep it clean, in the event someone who needs to be impressed should stop by. Were I to pull the covers off and spill coffee, it likely would cost me another body part.
Greg, you will be welcomed with open arms and uncovered furniture. My speedos are far too confining so I hope it won't be a problem if I don't wear mine.Yeh, Bob doesn't know it yet but I've already packed my speedos and plan to drop in with a case of (of course... Aussie, the real thing... ) beers to do just that...
Yep... really looks like a great space to catch some z's even WITH a hurricane blowing !!
I really enjoyed drinking beer and wine in Australia. Most Saturdays we would stop at the craft brewery near the car park for Sydney's Chinatown and each time I would try a different brew. After Dim Sum we would go to the Sydney Fish Market to collect fresh prawns and seafood for Sunday dinner. I miss those days and not long after we moved back to the US I gave up internal alcohol (I still use denatured for cleaning).
Because it kept raining day after day for the past week, I got a little stir crazy. I decided to do two quick charger jobs that have been annoying me.
Several years ago I replaced a single junction box in the garage with a double. In the second space I installed a timer and controlled one of the duplex outlets with it. It allowed me to run the chargers plugged into that outlet for as long as 4 hours and then it would shut off. When it stopped working I bought a replacement with a somewhat better selection of times.
Along with the new timer, I ordered some short (1-foot) extension cords. The short cord allows me to plug 3 bricks to one outlet without having a giant fist-coil of wire ******* next to it. It isn't elegant but it is a quick fix.
The second rainy-day project was also a charging-related project. I charge the phone and tablet in the garage and started out with USB bricks and long cables. The cables frequently got caught up by a project and almost fell off the bench to an early and expensive demise. I sort of solved the problem by installing a duplex outlet with USB ports built in. That got rid of the bricks so I bought a few short USB to micro cables. Now I look like an idiot trying to attach the short cable to the phone. I also had to stack the phone and tablet on a box so they weren't hanging from the wall.
Between rainstorms I went down to the shed and tried to clean up the mess. I came across an oak veneer plywood scrap that had some black overspray on one side. As it hovered over the trash can, I realized it was the right size for a phone/tablet charger rack. Only one side had overspray...
A dear friend and enabler bequeathed a box of hardwood off-cuts to me a few years (decades?) ago and I realized some of it was perfect for this project. I cut up into pieces for the three sides and a block for the shorter phone slot. A silly thin strip became the cage stiles to hold the devices in. Everything was screwed together with screws from the used hardware bins plus a few brads from the staple gun.
I would have left it well enough alone but because of Lyndon, Bret and a host of others on the GJ, I had to coat the project with some Tung Oil.
It has to come down again so I can do the drywall repair, along with the laundry room and a half-dozen other spots around the house.
Several years ago I replaced a single junction box in the garage with a double. In the second space I installed a timer and controlled one of the duplex outlets with it. It allowed me to run the chargers plugged into that outlet for as long as 4 hours and then it would shut off. When it stopped working I bought a replacement with a somewhat better selection of times.
Along with the new timer, I ordered some short (1-foot) extension cords. The short cord allows me to plug 3 bricks to one outlet without having a giant fist-coil of wire ******* next to it. It isn't elegant but it is a quick fix.
The second rainy-day project was also a charging-related project. I charge the phone and tablet in the garage and started out with USB bricks and long cables. The cables frequently got caught up by a project and almost fell off the bench to an early and expensive demise. I sort of solved the problem by installing a duplex outlet with USB ports built in. That got rid of the bricks so I bought a few short USB to micro cables. Now I look like an idiot trying to attach the short cable to the phone. I also had to stack the phone and tablet on a box so they weren't hanging from the wall.
Between rainstorms I went down to the shed and tried to clean up the mess. I came across an oak veneer plywood scrap that had some black overspray on one side. As it hovered over the trash can, I realized it was the right size for a phone/tablet charger rack. Only one side had overspray...
A dear friend and enabler bequeathed a box of hardwood off-cuts to me a few years (decades?) ago and I realized some of it was perfect for this project. I cut up into pieces for the three sides and a block for the shorter phone slot. A silly thin strip became the cage stiles to hold the devices in. Everything was screwed together with screws from the used hardware bins plus a few brads from the staple gun.
I would have left it well enough alone but because of Lyndon, Bret and a host of others on the GJ, I had to coat the project with some Tung Oil.
It has to come down again so I can do the drywall repair, along with the laundry room and a half-dozen other spots around the house.
1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
Bob, you have done well.
Neat and tidy...
Neat and tidy...
It stopped raining for a few hours two days ago so I tackled the dead outlet on the outside of the house. The lighting transformer for the back yard and part of the front yard is plugged into it. It is conveniently hidden behind a hedge.
After a little pruning I was able to get behind the hedge and remove the old outlet. It appears to be the last outlet on the circuit because it contains only one set of wires (power, neutral and ground). Sadly, the outlet is connected using the push clips rather than the screws.
I'm a bit worried because there isn't any sign of a catastrophic failure. Yes, there's some rust but the copper came out clean and nothing fell apart. Oh well, put the new, commercial grade (read much more expensive) outlet in the box, using the screw terminals (it doesn't even have the push connectors). The really really cheap plastic box has metal clips embedded in the mounting holes and the one on the bottom has disintegrated. I don't want to bust up the stucco to get the box out so I just substituted a sheet metal screw that fits the plastic lower mounting hole.
I bought new weather covers for my exterior outlets but their new mounting method leaves a lot to be desired. I decided to just apply caulk to the old gasket (both sides) and use the old cover. It isn't pretty but with a hedge covering it, it doesn't need to be pretty.
I go back in the garage, turn the power back on and check for exterior flood lights. No light. Plug my outlet tester into the outlet and there's still no power. The catastrophic failure is somewhere further up the circuit. Now I need to figure out what outlet that is. I started by checking other outside outlets and sure enough, one of the outlets on the patio is also dead and it's near the corner where mist can reach it. It also has no attachment to the bottom of the box.
To be continued...
After a little pruning I was able to get behind the hedge and remove the old outlet. It appears to be the last outlet on the circuit because it contains only one set of wires (power, neutral and ground). Sadly, the outlet is connected using the push clips rather than the screws.
I'm a bit worried because there isn't any sign of a catastrophic failure. Yes, there's some rust but the copper came out clean and nothing fell apart. Oh well, put the new, commercial grade (read much more expensive) outlet in the box, using the screw terminals (it doesn't even have the push connectors). The really really cheap plastic box has metal clips embedded in the mounting holes and the one on the bottom has disintegrated. I don't want to bust up the stucco to get the box out so I just substituted a sheet metal screw that fits the plastic lower mounting hole.
I bought new weather covers for my exterior outlets but their new mounting method leaves a lot to be desired. I decided to just apply caulk to the old gasket (both sides) and use the old cover. It isn't pretty but with a hedge covering it, it doesn't need to be pretty.
I go back in the garage, turn the power back on and check for exterior flood lights. No light. Plug my outlet tester into the outlet and there's still no power. The catastrophic failure is somewhere further up the circuit. Now I need to figure out what outlet that is. I started by checking other outside outlets and sure enough, one of the outlets on the patio is also dead and it's near the corner where mist can reach it. It also has no attachment to the bottom of the box.
To be continued...
Coolabah
Well-known member
STREWTH !! No small wonder you don't have a problem with Alligators in your pool , my best guess is they have heard rumours about the Local Anaconda
... and I thank you for your kind thoughts
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