Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Bob Heine]

My yard is small enough that I can manage to do most of the yardwork in about 90 minutes. It really depends on how long I let the yard go between mows. Your yard always appears pretty meticulous so you're doing well between crew visits.

I thought the big box hardware stores had free delivery for orders over a certain amount. Check to see if you can save the PT some wear and tear.

I believe RoundUp needs to be applied to leaves to be effective. I haven't researched the mechanisms it uses to kill the plant, but you might try using some other homemade mixture until you can get your hands on the Tordon RTU. I have a bottle in my cart so it doesn't appear to be restricted in the Garden State. The RoundUp wasbeffecive for me in trying to eliminate a bunch of vines that were also trying to suffocate my flowering bushes and roses.

Supplyhouse.com has some great pricing for plumbing parts for your future projects. They easily saved me 20% on all parts across the board.

It is unfortunate, but plants that generate tons of seeds like my Tree of Heaven are not conducive to a easy landscape. Your blooms are marvelously eyecatching.

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Eugene, my yard isn't all that huge (a little over a third of an acre) and 90 minutes on a riding mower would cut it no problem. The hard work is the edging because there is about 1,000 feet of walks, drives and gardens. Like many homeowners in South Florida we have St. Augustine grass for our lawns. That's Buffalo Grass to my Down Under friends. It sends out really tough runners so your sidewalk becomes a lawn pretty quick if you don't use a powered edger. The grass also covers the sprinkler heads so you need a good line trimmer to keep those working. Everything in South Florida grows fast so some weeks ther's 200-feet of hedges to trip. The next job is raking the cuttings (or a second pass over the lawn with the mower). Finish with a leaf blower to clear the bales of clippings and leaves off the patios, walks and drives. When it's in the 90s in the shade and who knows how hot in the sun, that's most of a day's work.

I had a pallet of squares delivered a few years ago and it was $80. It's a 10-mile round trip so 30 miles at 15-miles per gallon means about $7 in gas to collect 72 more concrete squares.

You're right about Roundup and I've tried it on the leaves of those seedlings with no results. I bought a quart of Southern Ag Brush Killer (Contains 8.8% Triclopyr) and will give that a try.

I have used https://www.supplyhouse.com/ for copper fittings several times. They carry a huge selection of fittings, including some I can't find locally. I was making up some air lines and didn't want a hard 90-degree elbow. Supply House had these Long Turn Elbows that were just what I was looking for.

For my PVC pipe fittings, I found PVC Fittings Online (https://www.pvcfittingsonline.com/) had a better selection and better prices. That PVC Union cost $8.75 at the Supply House, $7.42 at PVC Fittings Online and $6.16 at Home Depot. Those 1-1/4" Schedule 80 Close ******* were $1.53 at Supply House and $0.88 from PVC Fittings Online.

The downside of Home Depot is the dirt-bags who shoplift there. I bought two Unions just in case, One had FPT (Female Pipe Thread) inlet and outlet and the other had glue socket inlet and outlet. I neglected to take them apart or inspect them closely at the store. One had a cracked tightening ring and one was missing the o-ring so they were useless. I neglected to notice if both failed parts were on the same fitting but I ended up with the FPT with good tightening ring and o-ring and Home Depot now has a completely useless glue socket union (that will probably go back on the shelf).

The up-side of our relatively seasonless weather is the endless blooming of something. Our orchids like to bloom in the "Winter" months and our bromeliads bloom whenever they feel like it. Several trees go into bloom in the "Spring" months and all kinds of stuff blooms when it feels like it.

 

[Bob Heine]

Looks like I better multi-quote for a bit.

Bob up here in Vermont the farmers use spring loaded clothespins when they have a leaky ****** or two !!!!!!!!!!!! {dairy farmers for the city folk} you gotta love yankee ingenuity!bobbycoke

BobbyCoke, I have heard that patrons of some of the trendier clubs down here use the same technique. For sure those will stop the leaks but there's a lot of nasty noises included at no charge.

Bob looks good and INTREGING.

Bobby, you shouldn't be looking at that stuff. If you're going look, I'll have to get a screed and level for the rest of the pavers.

That lawn service is pretty cheap Bob!

Pete

Pete, we have a lot of cheap (illegal?) labor in South Florida. Haitians came here after their earthquake and are willing to work hard for anything more than minimum wage. Same goes for Latinos from poor countries. I had a crew working with hot tar on my roof in 130-degree heat and in my poorer days I might have considered it. My roofing career and life would have ended pretty early on the first day on the job. I know I can get my lawn done for less money but it makes my heart ache to see an elderly Haitian driving a wreck of a pickup pushing a broken down lawnmower in the yard across the street.

Seconded, My guy charges £80 just for the hedges, he does have an OBE though
for services to green keeping.

Great work all round Bob, you shouldn't be lifting the paving slabs yourself though, I'm sure a family member can help. Hernia ops aren't much fun.

Take care.
Steve

Hello Steve! I prefer to pay a fair price but the day my lawn guy pulls up in a Ford Raptor pickup, I'll be shopping for an old Haitian guy.

Ah, I already had the hernia repaired (did NOT enjoy crawling to the John the next day). Still much better than my Appendix -- infection four days later with 106*F fever. Swapping rolls of gauze in the open wound for weeks was bad but explaining the wet spot was my leaking wound at the office was worse. Tiny flight attendants lifting my carry-on into the overheads was the worst. Yeah, maybe I did go back to work too soon but staying home and not being able to lift anything heavier than a coffee cup was making me persona non grata at home.

To reduce my risk, I only lift 24 squares onto the cart at Home Depot, lift the 24 squares into the Cruiser, lift the 24 squares from the Cruiser to the garden wagon and then set the 24 squares in the dirt. None of the lifting involves bending over --just a little shallow knee bending. AND I wear a glove to protect the delicate skin on my hand.

 

[njhoudini]

The only PVC I have is for drains and sump pump plumbing. I don't envy your St. Augustine grass (I thought it was weird the first time I saw a yard full of crabgrass in Jacksonville). Sure seems ironic that the irrigation is constantly trying to help the very vegetation that can bring its own demise. At least you aren't shoveling snow... I also get upset with shoplifters and lazy people who don't put things back in the right bin, but sometimes I think the employees aren't helping keep the inventory in order either.

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[bj383ss]

Bob everytime I check in on your thread. I either laugh through my nose, find a website I can spend money at, or learn something I didn't know. Thank you for the entertainment!

Eugene don't get me started on putting people's stuff back .I have been getting paid to do that for 20 years now.

Bret

 

[Bob Heine]

The only PVC I have is for drains and sump pump plumbing. I don't envy your St. Augustine grass (I thought it was weird the first time I saw a yard full of crabgrass in Jacksonville). Sure seems ironic that the irrigation is constantly trying to help the very vegetation that can bring its own demise. At least you aren't shoveling snow... I also get upset with shoplifters and lazy people who don't put things back in the right bin, but sometimes I think the employees aren't helping keep the inventory in order either.

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Eugene, I grew up caring for a 100% Marion Kentucky Bluegrass lawn. It was my father's dream to have a near-putting-green lawn and that particular variety was recommended. The seeds were really tiny so it was outrageously expensive by the pound and it was agonizingly slow germination. Dad had tons of black topsoil delivered and I got to move a lot of it after removing all the rocks from the Long Island sand our yard came with. When Liane and I bought our first house, the yard was a Dandelion field. Used a screwdriver to remove every last plant. Lime and fertilizer got the grass started and the next spring I had a green rectangle in the sea of yellow on our street. Moving to Florida was like moving to another planet. No basement, no stand-up attic space and single-pane windows. I asked the real estate agent why they let the crabgrass take over the yards and he explained the wonderfulness of St. Augustine lawns. He failed to mention that everything grows at alarming speed in Flori8da. If you leave an untreated (not kiln-dried) piece of lumber on the ground, it will start growing into a tree again (unless the termites find it first).

I worked in the Washington DC area in the mid- to late-nineties and spent a week in a motel during the blizzard of '96. It reminded me why I didn't want to live up north again. I realize "up north" when referring to the DC area is cute and I know I sound like my Grandfather, talking about the blizzard of '96 (he was referring to the 19th Century one). I just know, from taking the ice cream out of the freezer, that cold weather and my old bones don't get along any more.

Bob everytime I check in on your thread. I either laugh through my nose, find a website I can spend money at, or learn something I didn't know. Thank you for the entertainment!

Eugene don't get me started on putting people's stuff back .I have been getting paid to do that for 20 years now.

Bret

Bret, I'm glad you get something from my thread. I know I get tons of great things from yours. I didn't notice the misplaced and damaged goods on the shelves years ago but now I'm spoiled buying stuff on-line. It's rare that I receive a bad or wrong item and when it happens, it really messes with me. I ordered some 2.5-inch stainless band clamps from Summit Racing a few years back and when a 2.25-inch one showed up, I thought it was my mistake and re-ordered it. When the second order arrived with another 2.25-inch clamp, I called Summit -- they refunded my money and told me to keep the clamps -- and they admitted they couldn't get the right size clamps (the ones I wanted had 'windows' so you could tack butted exhaust pipe together). They did have the clamps in 3-inch size so I just started over.

 

[Bob Heine]

I was thinking about putting up Christmas lights after Thanksgiving. We go to our kids' houses for the holidays events so it seemed like a waste of time. A few nights later I noticed a glow from the house next door. My new neighbor was putting up lights. Not just a string or two, he was doing the Griswold Christmas thing. It was so pretty I took my camera out and noticed the tree on our side of their yard was no longer lit up. He was outside so I asked what happened. He put the lights on two different circuits but that wasn't enough. He was going to plug into the Master Bathroom to access another circuit. Went out the next night to take a picture but the lights are so bright they overpower my camera. I finally went out at dusk and took this picture (the manger is bigger than the cave in Bethlehem).

The back yard is lit up just like the front but I didn't want to invade their privacy.

Didn't have time to go to Home Depot for more concrete squares but I did manage to use the outdoor work area. The old walkway was 4-feet wide and it's already expanded to six. When complete it will be 10-feet wide and 20-feet long. As is, it was great to be able to set up the 12-inch miter saw and cut a couple of 1"x12" boards to make that drawer for the saw cabinet.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob I do like the idea of an outdoor work area I use my carport to do exactly the same..

 

[njhoudini]

Bret, I do try to move at least two items to the appropriate container or location. It's unfortunate they don't give me an employee's discount.

Bob, my wife told me my driveway needs to be bigger so we can park our cars off the street and not move one to get another out. Once I can save up a little and the weather consistently hits a low of 50, Im probably getting a new paved 24' wide driveway. I am not looking forward to the additional snowblowing, but at least I will have more room to work. Your newly widened work patio is inviting.

Hope you got to enjoy running through that lawn barefoot as a kid. I had a similar lawn growing up. My yard now seems to be like St. Augustine with narrower blades, but it sure does take me a while to fight it back with a Dewalt string trimmer. It yellows for the winter and turns green in the summer. I need to regrade my property after the driveway, but I am hopeful the displaced dirt from the driveway will help.

That is a mighty big miter saw you habe there. O.O

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[Toothaker]

Edit: deleted post that was a feeble attempt at humor. In re-reading it, it got less funny every time I read it. Back to the humor drawing board. Apologies if I offended anyone.

 

[shortykorte]

Bob, I just realize that we missed out on a bunch of Palm Beach Co. voting jokes. I’ll try but I’ll probably Bucher it.


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[oldironfarmer]

Sadly I spend time every time I go to a store restocking for them. Seems their help doesn't know...

 

[wasfast]

Sadly I spend time every time I go to a store restocking for them. Seems their help doesn't know...

I do the same thing as my OCD just can't handle things in the wrong bin. Same with magazines at the book store. Thankfully I don't go to the bookstore much anymore

 

[drivesitfar]

Bob: so did you throw an extension cord over the fence and tell yourself (or your bride) that you helped put up his Christmas lights?

or are you going to put up some yourself?

I used to light up the front of our home when the kids were here and always hated the search for the bad bulb. I'm guessing the new strings of lights don't have that issue and maybe buying some with LED might be on my to do list next year after I GET ORGANIZED.

looks like you are maybe making some walking room in your shed?

carry on!!

 

[timbitca]

Bob, just caught up to the last few pages and I'm sorta envious, especially today. It's currently -13C (feels like -21C) outside. Every two years we holiday in the Orlando area with SWMBO's volleyball team she coaches (more specifically in Championsgate) and we went last year from December 25th to January 7th. Which obviously means we aren't going this year

I don't hate winter, but I'm slowly starting to dislike the cold more and more every year (and I'm only 32, should be fun in another 30 years).

 

[cbacres]

Bob, I enjoyed my visit yesterday and meeting Mrs. Heine.

We had great discussions about a little of everything it seemed, never made it to garage.

When I was leaving, Bob was telling the story of buying his three car garage, I commented that he had enough room to extend a full car length out front to make it a six car and sung sissor trusses, have room for a lift.

As I was pulling out, Mrs. Heine was whispering into his ear, what I'm sure was " that'd be great honey"

Thanks again for having me!

 

[BBChevro]

Bob, I enjoyed my visit yesterday and meeting Mrs. Heine.

We had great discussions about a little of everything it seemed, never made it to garage.

When I was leaving, Bob was telling the story of buying his three car garage, I commented that he had enough room to extend a full car length out front to make it a six car and sung sissor trusses, have room for a lift.

As I was pulling out, Mrs. Heine was whispering into his ear, what I'm sure was " that'd be great honey"

Thanks again for having me!

Looking forward to following the new build Bob. [emoji1]

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[Bob Heine]

Bob I do like the idea of an outdoor work area I use my carport to do exactly the same..

Steve, I may have to do something a little fancier because I like it too. At the moment there's a wagon full of dirt and it is staying dry.

Bret, I do try to move at least two items to the appropriate container or location. It's unfortunate they don't give me an employee's discount.

Bob, my wife told me my driveway needs to be bigger so we can park our cars off the street and not move one to get another out. Once I can save up a little and the weather consistently hits a low of 50, Im probably getting a new paved 24' wide driveway. I am not looking forward to the additional snowblowing, but at least I will have more room to work. Your newly widened work patio is inviting.

Hope you got to enjoy running through that lawn barefoot as a kid. I had a similar lawn growing up. My yard now seems to be like St. Augustine with narrower blades, but it sure does take me a while to fight it back with a Dewalt string trimmer. It yellows for the winter and turns green in the summer. I need to regrade my property after the driveway, but I am hopeful the displaced dirt from the driveway will help.

That is a mighty big miter saw you habe there. O.O

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Eugene, I worked in retail stores in my youth and learned it was important to keep things lined up and in their proper place. In my searches at Home Depot, the spot on the shelf often contains stuff other than what's on the label -- I move stuff around just to find what I need but have to put things back where they belong. Soup was on sale at Publix and I was re-arranging the cans without even realizing I was doing it. It bugs Liane when I do that -- she says she's creating employment when she puts stuff back in a different aisle (and I walk it back to where we got it).

I like having a big driveway so I can turn the car around and pull out into traffic (or back it into the garage.

The lawn didn't seem like a big deal growing up. I had no idea anyone would cultivate crab grass. I liked going barefoot when I was a kid but they frowned on it at school. It also upset my mother that I wasn't proudly wearing my brown and white saddle shoes.

I lived with a plain 10-inch miter saw for many years but it was annoying. I couldn't cut anything wider than a 1"x6" and had to make multiple passes to cut a 4"x4". Harbor Freight had that 12" compound sliding miter on sale for around $100 and it will cut a 1"x12" no problem. It's a heavy hunk to lift and even mounted on the stand it's a handfull. The outside location is perfect for it.

Edit: deleted post that was a feeble attempt at humor. In re-reading it, it got less funny every time I read it. Back to the humor drawing board. Apologies if I offended anyone.

Mick, we're reviewing your application and with Andy's approval you are welcome to join the Feeble Brothers and play backup comedian. We need all the help we can get.

Bob, I just realize that we missed out on a bunch of Palm Beach Co. voting jokes. I’ll try but I’ll probably Bucher it.

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Stewart, it's a standing joke -- Palm Beach County and Voting -- needs no punch line (or hanging chad).

Sadly I spend time every time I go to a store restocking for them. Seems their help doesn't know...

Andy, it's a disease from our childhood. Clean Plate Club and A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place are ruining our lives.

I do the same thing as my OCD just can't handle things in the wrong bin. Same with magazines at the book store. Thankfully I don't go to the bookstore much anymore

Wasfast, it used to take me forever to buy the latest issues of Hot Rod and Car Craft. There are criminal elements that put those behind Road&Track or Car&Driver and are surprised when they end up in prison. I can live with shoplifters but magazine shufflers need to pay the ultimate price.

Bob: so did you throw an extension cord over the fence and tell yourself (or your bride) that you helped put up his Christmas lights?

or are you going to put up some yourself?

I used to light up the front of our home when the kids were here and always hated the search for the bad bulb. I'm guessing the new strings of lights don't have that issue and maybe buying some with LED might be on my to do list next year after I GET ORGANIZED.

looks like you are maybe making some walking room in your shed?

carry on!!

Drives, I offered to loan my neighbor some 10-3 and 12-3 extensions but he already had them. I may be helping him with some post-holiday LED outdoor lighting (his wife loves ours).

I was ready to go in the attic and get down the lights, wreaths and trees but SWMBO reminded me that no one was coming to our house for Christmas (we don't even get trick-or-treaters on Haloween).

I have walking room in the shed but there are a fair number of things on wheels that can quickly turn the place into a dance hall now that there's shelter from our flash showers (I hate drying stuff off or de-rusting tools and equipment).

Bob, just caught up to the last few pages and I'm sorta envious, especially today. It's currently -13C (feels like -21C) outside. Every two years we holiday in the Orlando area with SWMBO's volleyball team she coaches (more specifically in Championsgate) and we went last year from December 25th to January 7th. Which obviously means we aren't going this year

I don't hate winter, but I'm slowly starting to dislike the cold more and more every year (and I'm only 32, should be fun in another 30 years).

Timbitca, it's funny that we moved from the Hudson Valley to South Florida when I was 33 and it wasn't the cold that bothered me. I just hated working on the cars in the freezing cold. They run fine in the warm weather. Waiting for a AAA tow on a warm evening is almost pleasant and not life-threatening like waiting in a dead car when it's -30*F.

Bob, I enjoyed my visit yesterday and meeting Mrs. Heine.

We had great discussions about a little of everything it seemed, never made it to garage.

When I was leaving, Bob was telling the story of buying his three car garage, I commented that he had enough room to extend a full car length out front to make it a six car and sung sissor trusses, have room for a lift.

As I was pulling out, Mrs. Heine was whispering into his ear, what I'm sure was " that'd be great honey"

Thanks again for having me!

Craig, it was my pleasure and I hope you'll do it again. Next time I won't be in my fancy Doctor-Visit outfit and we can hang out in the garage or shed. I'll even make lunch.

It was a very short discussion with Mrs. Heine. When I mentioned the 4-post lift solution to the 4-cars in a 3-car garage problem, she whispered "NO" and "Finish the '72, sell the '87 and get a new Corvette." Heartless! I say Heartless!

 

[Bob Heine]

Looking forward to following the new build Bob. [emoji1]

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Mark, I believe the new build plan involves my dead body.

 

[BBChevro]

Where's your sense of adventure Bob.[emoji4]

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[Lyndon]

Bob

You make me laugh, even though I'm as busy as a nine tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs..... I don't ever miss looking in on your antics, and defense mechanisms.

A garage extension? Mmmmm Go on - live dangerously.....

I agree with Mark.....

I'm constantly reminding Irene that when we downsize the house we are upsizing the garage. AND I KEEP GETTING THAT LOOK - I'm sure you know the one.

Anyway, Merry Yuletide greetings to you, Liane, and the associated hanger-oners!

Lyndon
Yep - still here!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Mark, I believe the new build plan involves my dead body.

Unreal

 

[driftpin]

I always enjoy seeing what the Boca Brigade has going on, from my vantage point to your south, about 60 miles.

I like doing the grass myself. I have a Snapper riding lawnmower that makes quick work of it (12,700 sq ft). That is, until it quit on me last time, just as I did the majority of the yard, and I had to push it back to its storage. I tried removing the carb, and found some crystallized yellow residue in the gas of the float bowl, but after a thorough spritzing of the carb passages with carb cleaner, a blasting of the float bowl interior with my soda blaster, a new sparkplug and a new fuel filter, I couldn't get more than a mediocre idle and no capacity to rev to a useful range, so I bit the bullet and took it to the Snapper dealer who just called with an estimate to rebuild the carb and a new blade, which should help the quality of appearance of my prized St. Augustine lawn. I'm so tacano-insert the tilde over the 'n' when I gave it to them, I had the new sparkplug in it, and I asked for them to please return it to me, as it's never been used to run the engine to cut grass. I should've installed the old plug when I gave the lawnmower to them. I bought the Snapper used, and this is the first time I had to have it in for service, so I am not disappointed, except with my inability to fix it myself. Later in life, I've found that sometimes you just have to let the pros do it.

I have a split-shaft ECHO line trimmer, w/attachments for edging, hedge trimming, and a horizontal rotary blade, which I've never found a good use for, except at Halloween, when it makes a scary display. I don't have acres of saplings to fell, so it's never seen much-use. I keep thinking I would get more-use out of the chainsaw on a pole attachment, but I've not spent the $, as I already have multiple chainsaws. The ECHO works great.

Speaking of-which, I just took delivery of parts to hopefully-address the recalcitrant function of a couple of chainsaws I have. The first one is an old no safety device clutch Craftsman 16" gas saw. The carb kit came in an envelope labelled 'Husqvarna,' so I guess that's who made it for Sears. I bought it from a friend who had an acre in Ft. Lauderdale, he bought it after Hurricane Andrew to clear all the fallen trees on his property, after-which it sat on a shelf in his garage until I bought it for the price of a Burger King Whopper meal. I've used it sporadically, but last time I dug it out, it wouldn't stay-running when placed under load. I cleaned the carb, replaced the fuel lines, installed a new in-tank filter, a new foam air filter and again, it won't pull under load, I'm suspecting the fuel delivery diaphragm isn't feeding gas, though I cannot see any holes in the diaphragm. We'll see.

My next chain saw is a 'road-find,' I call it my, 'Jai-Alai' chainsaw, because I found it in the road by Dania Beach Jai-Alai where it apparently decided to part-company with a lawn-service business which was mistreating it, by jumping-off the truck, in a bid for freedom. It's an ECHO CS-300 which isn't a big-capacity one, but when it's worked, it did a good job. Like the Craftsman chainsaw, I found it to be a bit temperamental. The saws I always run-out the gas (run them until they stop, after emptying the gas tank) and store them dry. This most-recent time I couldn't get a sneeze out of it, and in troubleshooting, I've discovered no spark whatsoever, so after swapping-in a new sparkplug and still no spark, and checking the plug cap and the high-tension lead, I ordered a new ignition coil. I've yet to install it, I hope to do that today. I also checked the function of the killswitch, which appears to be operating properly, checking continuity with a multi-meter. Besides the ignition coil, I got a carb kit, it was cheap if I bought it with the ignition coil. Buying it by itself, 'shipping & handling' is half the cost of the carb kit. I could order one from the ECHO dealer, which is the same place as the Snapper dealer, but I like to get 'presents' in the mail, or from FedEx or UPS. If I spot any 'porch pirates,' (been a victim) I can unleash the 'Trunk Monkey.' https://www.suburbanautogroup.com/trunk-monkey-videos/

I just got the final inspection on a detached 10' x 20' Hardi-Board siding, metal roofed and galvanized steel-frame building set onto a concrete slab. The building was craned into-place. The slab is the floor. It quickly filled-up. I have multiple 120/240 V outlets and a below-grade electrical run in conduit to the building, and a run for data cable.

it has LED lighting inside and out, from Costco, and is a pleasant place to work. I have my Craftsman stacking chests, a Gladiator 2,000 lbs/shelf steel shelving unit, and a Craftsman workbench I put an aluminum top above the MDF stock top it came-with. There is a roll-up garage door at one end, and I spec'ed it with a rough-in so I could hang my own exterior 36" door, which I did, an impact-rated (HVHZ) fiberglass one. I also had a friend weld-up some 1/2" solid steel bar denial-of-entry devices for the two single-hung windows which provide cross-flow ventilation. The building is rated for at-least 150 MPH winds, it has the oh-so-valuable Miami-Dade County Product Approval for our HVHZ (high-velocity hurricane zone) natural disaster instead of earthquakes as-in CA,TX, and TN, or sub-zero degrees F ice storms of the Rust Belt and midwest/Rockies areas.

 

[sawduststeve]

I'll even make lunch.
CBACRES, don't bother with the menu, have the roast beef sandwich followed with apple pie and ice cream afters.

Bob, you do what you want with your cars and don't let anyone tell you any different, said the man 5000 miles away.

I got a telling off yesterday for sitting in the lounge but forgetting to turn the kitchen lights off, I thought it wise not to mention I also forgot to turn the 500+
lights in the front garden off.

Steve

 

[HOTFR8]

Mark, I believe the new build plan involves my dead body.

Unreal

Sounds like a strong foundation.

 

[Bob Heine]

Where's your sense of adventure Bob.[emoji4]

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Mark, I think I left it on a railroad track a while back. Just kidding, I still have it but the scope is limited to safe ones.

Bob

You make me laugh, even though I'm as busy as a nine tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs..... I don't ever miss looking in on your antics, and defense mechanisms.

A garage extension? Mmmmm Go on - live dangerously.....

I agree with Mark.....

I'm constantly reminding Irene that when we downsize the house we are upsizing the garage. AND I KEEP GETTING THAT LOOK - I'm sure you know the one.

Anyway, Merry Yuletide greetings to you, Liane, and the associated hanger-oners!

Lyndon
Yep - still here!

Lyndon, Merry Christmas to you and Irene! I miss those long days and empty roads.

I do a lot of looking down so I don't have to see that heart-stopping look. I'm not afraid of most things that will kill me but that look....

Unreal

Thanks Steve!

I always enjoy seeing what the Boca Brigade has going on, from my vantage point to your south, about 60 miles.

I like doing the grass myself. I have a Snapper riding lawnmower that makes quick work of it (12,700 sq ft). That is, until it quit on me last time, just as I did the majority of the yard, and I had to push it back to its storage. I tried removing the carb, and found some crystallized yellow residue in the gas of the float bowl, but after a thorough spritzing of the carb passages with carb cleaner, a blasting of the float bowl interior with my soda blaster, a new sparkplug and a new fuel filter, I couldn't get more than a mediocre idle and no capacity to rev to a useful range, so I bit the bullet and took it to the Snapper dealer who just called with an estimate to rebuild the carb and a new blade, which should help the quality of appearance of my prized St. Augustine lawn. I'm so tacano-insert the tilde over the 'n' when I gave it to them, I had the new sparkplug in it, and I asked for them to please return it to me, as it's never been used to run the engine to cut grass. I should've installed the old plug when I gave the lawnmower to them. I bought the Snapper used, and this is the first time I had to have it in for service, so I am not disappointed, except with my inability to fix it myself. Later in life, I've found that sometimes you just have to let the pros do it.

I have a split-shaft ECHO line trimmer, w/attachments for edging, hedge trimming, and a horizontal rotary blade, which I've never found a good use for, except at Halloween, when it makes a scary display. I don't have acres of saplings to fell, so it's never seen much-use. I keep thinking I would get more-use out of the chainsaw on a pole attachment, but I've not spent the $, as I already have multiple chainsaws. The ECHO works great.

Speaking of-which, I just took delivery of parts to hopefully-address the recalcitrant function of a couple of chainsaws I have. The first one is an old no safety device clutch Craftsman 16" gas saw. The carb kit came in an envelope labelled 'Husqvarna,' so I guess that's who made it for Sears. I bought it from a friend who had an acre in Ft. Lauderdale, he bought it after Hurricane Andrew to clear all the fallen trees on his property, after-which it sat on a shelf in his garage until I bought it for the price of a Burger King Whopper meal. I've used it sporadically, but last time I dug it out, it wouldn't stay-running when placed under load. I cleaned the carb, replaced the fuel lines, installed a new in-tank filter, a new foam air filter and again, it won't pull under load, I'm suspecting the fuel delivery diaphragm isn't feeding gas, though I cannot see any holes in the diaphragm. We'll see.

My next chain saw is a 'road-find,' I call it my, 'Jai-Alai' chainsaw, because I found it in the road by Dania Beach Jai-Alai where it apparently decided to part-company with a lawn-service business which was mistreating it, by jumping-off the truck, in a bid for freedom. It's an ECHO CS-300 which isn't a big-capacity one, but when it's worked, it did a good job. Like the Craftsman chainsaw, I found it to be a bit temperamental. The saws I always run-out the gas (run them until they stop, after emptying the gas tank) and store them dry. This most-recent time I couldn't get a sneeze out of it, and in troubleshooting, I've discovered no spark whatsoever, so after swapping-in a new sparkplug and still no spark, and checking the plug cap and the high-tension lead, I ordered a new ignition coil. I've yet to install it, I hope to do that today. I also checked the function of the killswitch, which appears to be operating properly, checking continuity with a multi-meter. Besides the ignition coil, I got a carb kit, it was cheap if I bought it with the ignition coil. Buying it by itself, 'shipping & handling' is half the cost of the carb kit. I could order one from the ECHO dealer, which is the same place as the Snapper dealer, but I like to get 'presents' in the mail, or from FedEx or UPS. If I spot any 'porch pirates,' (been a victim) I can unleash the 'Trunk Monkey.' https://www.suburbanautogroup.com/trunk-monkey-videos/

I just got the final inspection on a detached 10' x 20' Hardi-Board siding, metal roofed and galvanized steel-frame building set onto a concrete slab. The building was craned into-place. The slab is the floor. It quickly filled-up. I have multiple 120/240 V outlets and a below-grade electrical run in conduit to the building, and a run for data cable.

it has LED lighting inside and out, from Costco, and is a pleasant place to work. I have my Craftsman stacking chests, a Gladiator 2,000 lbs/shelf steel shelving unit, and a Craftsman workbench I put an aluminum top above the MDF stock top it came-with. There is a roll-up garage door at one end, and I spec'ed it with a rough-in so I could hang my own exterior 36" door, which I did, an impact-rated (HVHZ) fiberglass one. I also had a friend weld-up some 1/2" solid steel bar denial-of-entry devices for the two single-hung windows which provide cross-flow ventilation. The building is rated for at-least 150 MPH winds, it has the oh-so-valuable Miami-Dade County Product Approval for our HVHZ (high-velocity hurricane zone) natural disaster instead of earthquakes as-in CA,TX, and TN, or sub-zero degrees F ice storms of the Rust Belt and midwest/Rockies areas.

Philip, I don't mind the grass mowing, I just hate giving up precious garage or shop space to store all the equipment. To me, paying for the lawn service means I save money on a storage unit for the stuff that equipment would displace.

My first chainsaw was a cheap electric one from a traveling tool show at the local Shriner lodge. It worked OK but I had no idea where to get parts so I bought a Remington electric 16" (the other one became the underground root cutting saw). I also bought a Black & Decker battery powered pole saw. When Wilma hit in 2005 we were without electricity for quite a while but we had a lot of fallen trees and hanging limbs that needed to go so I bought a gas powered mower and a generator. FEMA reimbursed me more than I paid so I bought a gas-powered pole chain saw with the surplus. I put SST-BIL in the gas and run the two-strokes dry but the generator sits for years with gas in the tank (I shut off the fuel and run the carb dry) but I still expect to clean the carb before using it.

I tend to buy new rather than go to a repair shop when I can't fix my stuff. I fixed the washing machine twice but when the electronic board failed, I bought a new washer. I can argue with their decisions or charges so I'd rather start over. I especially dislike the extended warranty companies. When the really expensive part goes bad, they refund your premium rather than fix it. I suppose I could do the insurance plan for everything in the house but those premiums add up to a new appliance price pretty quick.

Your steel framed workshop thread hasn't popped up for quite a while. Last I remember you were having a split heat pump-A/C unit installed. Any progress to post?

Sounds like a strong foundation.

Simon, with as much fiber as I eat, it should be.

 

[Bob Heine]

Not much going on.

After the last load of concrete squares, I took a little break from lifting stuff and dragged out that 12-inch miter saw. Cut the sides and ends for the storage drawer in the table saw cabinet. That kept a couple of handfuls of sawdust out of the workshop. I had a good time making half-blind dovetail joints on the router cabinet drawer so I decided to make the one for the saw cabinet the same way. Because the dovetail jig mounts to the edge of one of the workbenches, the workshop got its fair share of wood chips. The bigger chips drop to the floor but the dust sticks to the front of my pants and shirt. Finished two corners pretty quickly.

Before I could get back to the drawer project, Liane needed some plant therapy. She likes to buy the near-death plants on clearance at Home Depot. We bring them home, re-pot them and humanely euthanize them. While she shopped, I filled the Cruiser with another load of concrete squares. I had a momentary thought of renting the Home Depot truck so I could bring home all the squares needed to finish the project. My back voted to keep the load to 24 squares.

I have a very smart back. It knew I would be relieved to quit before I was disabled.

Based on some of the expert detailers on the GJ, I ordered a gallon of Bead Maker paint protectant. Because the PT Cruiser sits outside in the Florida Sun much of the time (when I'm too lazy to put the cover on it) I thought it could use some extra care. They included a spray bottle in the kit along with a tape measure/level/keyring. I have a handy little funnel that screws tightly to the spray bottle so there's more liquid in the bottle and less on the counter. It's especially handy when I overfill the quart bottle because I can pour the overflow back into the gallon jug.

The company that shipped the Bead Maker was in California and they included peanuts in the package. As I was about to get out the lacquer thinner I realized they were the water soluble kind. Threw them in the sink and turned on the hot water. They didn't all instantly melt but eventually I flushed them all into the drain. The sewage treatment plant should love me.

While waiting for the peanuts to melt, I looked down the bench and it seemed darker than usual. Looked up and sure enough one of the fluorescent fixtures was out. Pulled the cover and replaced one of the bulbs. Still didn't light so I replaced the other. Still doesn't light. I bought 48" T-8 LED replacement bulbs a while back (for the workshop) but didn't convert the second 4-bulb fixture. I wanted to see if the LEDs would hold up but I guess two of the replacement bulbs are going in this fixture after I remove the ballast.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob what brand of Dove Tail jig do you have and are you happy with it?

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob what brand of Dove Tail jig do you have and are you happy with it?

Steve, I bought the Porter Cable dovetail jig. It's available with one, two or three templates. They include the appropriate dovetail bit, bushing and locknut as well as the wrench. So far I have only used the half-blind template but it has worked perfectly. It has its limits, with maximum 12" board width and 1/4" to 1-1/8" board thickness. I would recommend buying the complete kit with all three templates and associated bits because you'll spend more to add the other templates later. Here's Porter-Cable's write-up:

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob thank you very much for the information.

The Porter and Cable look like a real quality unit unlike some of the ones I have looked at.

 

[Finallygotit]

.........Before I could get back to the drawer project, Liane needed some plant therapy. She likes to buy the near-death plants on clearance at Home Depot. We bring them home, re-pot them and humanely euthanize them.......

Bob, my lovely wife does a similar plant procedure. The only difference with my wife is the following.....
1) Buy dilapidated plants
2) Re-pot dilapidated plants
3) Torture dilapidated plants by over watering them then not watering them at all
4) Euthanize said plants by throwing them in the trash bin.


She calls it recycling.

 

[Toothaker]

Bob, my lovely wife does a similar plant procedure. The only difference with my wife is the following.....
1) Buy dilapidated plants
2) Re-pot dilapidated plants
3) Torture dilapidated plants by over watering them then not watering them at all
4) Euthanize said plants by throwing them in the trash bin.


She calls it recycling.

Your wife must be related to my wife.

 

[bj383ss]

Bob you know I always enjoy your updates. But once again you have shown me something that I have to have. A screw on funnel? Found one on Amazon. And something creepy. When I put it on my wish list the Bead Maker you just showed popped up as something other people bought with the screw on funnel. I need my TIN HAT!!!!!

I like where you are headed with the concrete pavers. I plan to do something in front of my shed here soon but my ground is not level. I plan to level it out and then use pea gravel and some round up. The grass in front of the shed gets beat down pretty good in the summer when I am in full swing out there working on it all the time.

Bret

 

[oldironfarmer]

It's a tough crowd, Mick. I just don't think you're ready to go on the road with the Feeble Brothers until you quit second guessing your comments. So man up and just let it all hang out. without your comments I'm looking bad.

One other thing, you need to display your aluminum hammer to feed my ego.

 

[Toothaker]

It's a tough crowd, Mick. I just don't think you're ready to go on the road with the Feeble Brothers until you quit second guessing your comments. So man up and just let it all hang out. without your comments I'm looking bad.

One other thing, you need to display your aluminum hammer to feed my ego.

I have an image in my head where Andy is sitting in his car outside my house and he says to his buddy, "watch this. I can make him go around and look all over his front porch. Next, he'll walk to the mailbox even though he already got his mail today, just a few hours ago."

 

[HOTFR8]

Simon, with as much fiber as I eat, it should be.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob thank you very much for the information.

The Porter and Cable look like a real quality unit unlike some of the ones I have looked at.

Steve, I bought this jig set because it was so much better than the one I destroyed. I haven't seen a better setup for the price.

Bob, my lovely wife does a similar plant procedure. The only difference with my wife is the following.....
1) Buy dilapidated plants
2) Re-pot dilapidated plants
3) Torture dilapidated plants by over watering them then not watering them at all
4) Euthanize said plants by throwing them in the trash bin.


She calls it recycling.

Dan, we're moving into some sensitive areas. It's GARDENING and it's an important hobby that puts oxygen back in the air. I say this knowing that our oxygen can be cut off so easily.

Your wife must be related to my wife.

Mick, I assume you and Dan have up-to-date wills. Mine specifically mentions the importance of gardening in my life. I also have a clause that says my will is void if we move to Oregon where assisted suicide is legal.

Bob you know I always enjoy your updates. But once again you have shown me something that I have to have. A screw on funnel? Found one on Amazon. And something creepy. When I put it on my wish list the Bead Maker you just showed popped up as something other people bought with the screw on funnel. I need my TIN HAT!!!!!

I like where you are headed with the concrete pavers. I plan to do something in front of my shed here soon but my ground is not level. I plan to level it out and then use pea gravel and some round up. The grass in front of the shed gets beat down pretty good in the summer when I am in full swing out there working on it all the time.

Bret

Bret, I found those funnels on the US Plastics site. They fit the two most common spray and squeeze bottle threads (24mm and 28mm) and have that neat little split ring to hang it on one of the spray bottles. I splurged and bought two of them (in white) when I bought a bunch of spray bottles and sprayers. I know there are more annoying things than sprayers that don't work but I managed to buy a couple of dozen different kinds from USP that have worked great. Some of the sprayers on their site can handle some nasty chemicals. They also sell sprayers that squirt foam instead of a mist. Very handy for the pet stain carpet cleaner when you have an old pet with embarrassing incontinence (refuses to wear Depend undergarments). Pay no attention to Liane -- those stains are from the Ellie (our Pug) -- and those smelly farts are hers as well.

https://www.usplastic.com/search/?it=item&keyword=funnel%20for%2024mm%20and%2028mm%20neck

It's a tough crowd, Mick. I just don't think you're ready to go on the road with the Feeble Brothers until you quit second guessing your comments. So man up and just let it all hang out. without your comments I'm looking bad.

One other thing, you need to display your aluminum hammer to feed my ego.

Andy, this would be a really short thread if I deleted all my unfunny, tasteless, or off-topic posts.

So you're saying Mick has an Andy Hammer?

If I had a hammer
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening
All over this land
I'd hammer out danger
I'd hammer out a warning
I'd hammer out love between
My brothers and my sisters
All over this land, uh

I have an image in my head where Andy is sitting in his car outside my house and he says to his buddy, "watch this. I can make him go around and look all over his front porch. Next, he'll walk to the mailbox even though he already got his mail today, just a few hours ago."

Mick, I check my USPS account whenever I'm expecting a package (or important letter). The postal carriers sometimes forget to go to the back of the truck and just deliver flyers and envelopes. Long after I get the mail, I check the USPS site and it says the package was left in the box (or at the door) an hour or two later. The UPS guy always rings the doorbell so I know there's a package (or prankster) next to the door. Andy is old school and always uses the door knocker.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I like the screw on funnel concept but cost always holds me back.

 

[drivesitfar]

Bob: yep that screw on funnel is COOL. nice find!!!

how many more concrete squares are you putting under your new "SO CALLED" temporary shelter?

looks like you are getting them pretty level too so nice work!!

i'm starting to wish everybody a happy holiday season so here's to you and Liane and hope you have a very merry Christmas and a great 2019.

 

[driftpin]

Bob, you have a good memory about the shed/'garage.' The building is in an area where the zoning code says, "a parking space in a garage is a minimum 10-1/2 ft. X 19 ft." (interior dimensions). However, their zoning regulations for a modular building (commonly-referred-to as a 'shed') limit the overall size to 10 ft. X 20 ft. exterior dimensions. So, by their own code, you cannot have a legal parking space in a modular building/'shed,' though it has a gable end vehicle-sized garage door.

I had my HVAC contractor contact, about installing the mini-split, already purchased, and when he can arrive, we'll get it in, not-much need this time of year. I'm planning to mount the compressor unit above grade, and have made aluminum brackets to do that.

Is your spouse sure that the dog is responsible for the 'aromatic' flatulence?

One of my fire-rescue co-workers was a bodybuilder. He consumed egg whites and boiled skinless chicken breasts regularly on-duty. One of the unfortunate effects was malodorous flatulence. It was a problem in the close confines of a fire truck or the fire-rescue ambulance, and in the station, he was warned by his officer to 'take it outside' when he felt pressure building, to spare his co-workers the stench. Evidently, he was tainting the atmosphere at home too (he still lived with his parents, saving $ for a home), where he blamed the elderly canine for producing his farts. The dog died, the farts continued, and his father gave him a week to leave the household.

 

[Bob Heine]

I like the screw on funnel concept but cost always holds me back.

Andy, I held off for quite a while. Then I found a dollar in my jacket pocket so it went into the funnel fund.

Bob: yep that screw on funnel is COOL. nice find!!!

how many more concrete squares are you putting under your new "SO CALLED" temporary shelter?

looks like you are getting them pretty level too so nice work!!

i'm starting to wish everybody a happy holiday season so here's to you and Liane and hope you have a very merry Christmas and a great 2019.

Drives, before I forget, I wish you and your wife a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as well!

I plan on putting down another 72 concrete squares in front of the workshop. Liane complained about all the work the back yard gardens require and suggested we rip everything out and fill the spaces with sod. I suggested the pavers because they only need a little roundup to control the weeds in the joints. She's happy with a little smaller garden footprint and I get an outdoor work area. The temporary shelter gets replaced when it blows down in a thunderstorm (for $100). In the event a hurricane is forecast, I'll take it down as part of the normal storm preparations.

Bob, you have a good memory about the shed/'garage.' The building is in an area where the zoning code says, "a parking space in a garage is a minimum 10-1/2 ft. X 19 ft." (interior dimensions). However, their zoning regulations for a modular building (commonly-referred-to as a 'shed') limit the overall size to 10 ft. X 20 ft. exterior dimensions. So, by their own code, you cannot have a legal parking space in a modular building/'shed,' though it has a gable end vehicle-sized garage door.

I had my HVAC contractor contact, about installing the mini-split, already purchased, and when he can arrive, we'll get it in, not-much need this time of year. I'm planning to mount the compressor unit above grade, and have made aluminum brackets to do that.

Is your spouse sure that the dog is responsible for the 'aromatic' flatulence?

One of my fire-rescue co-workers was a bodybuilder. He consumed egg whites and boiled skinless chicken breasts regularly on-duty. One of the unfortunate effects was malodorous flatulence. It was a problem in the close confines of a fire truck or the fire-rescue ambulance, and in the station, he was warned by his officer to 'take it outside' when he felt pressure building, to spare his co-workers the stench. Evidently, he was tainting the atmosphere at home too (he still lived with his parents, saving $ for a home), where he blamed the elderly canine for producing his farts. The dog died, the farts continued, and his father gave him a week to leave the household.

Philip, we have more than our fair share of weird rules in the Florida Building Code and Broward County's are a notch above that. I replaced the three overhead doors on the garage with Post-Andrew wind code models and the last time Citizens Insurance inspected them I was told they didn't meet the latest impact resistance standard. When I asked if I had to replace them, they said no but I wouldn't get the full discount on my premium. If I put up $1,800 worth of new doors I could save $29 a year.

I understand the delay -- even if you need heat in the shed, one of those little electric heaters would work fine. In a few months you'll want the A/C -- or you'll avoid going out to work in the shed.

You really only get to blame the dog once or twice. You also only get to blame the sewage treatment plant once or twice as well (it's two miles from the house). The jig is up when you are together in the car in the middle of nowhere and the dog is at home. Even "no honey, that's the county dump" doesn't work after a time or two. I stuck one of those Fabreeze cubes in her A/C vent and it helps a lot -- I think those things can cover the smell of decomposition.