OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Sounds like my kind of song, yeah. 
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
Below 265 SQ/FT Nobody’s tool storage, maintenance & recreation lair.
- Thread starter Nobody-named-Olli
- Start date
All workspaces below 265 squarefeet.
captain14
Well-known member
To update my post, I added this to the contractors punch list. He is getting my mother’s house ready to sell since she had to move into a retirement home. He replaced the missing bricks with similiar sized bricks.
Attachments
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
That looks really good, well done by the contractor.
All the best for your mother!
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.5 Another headache once spring comes around.
For 0.5.1 -> #147 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11350126
For 0.5.2 -> #156 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11391802
0.5.3 Halfway there.
I contacted the manufacturer again after my discovery in 0.5.2 . My e-mail did not get replied to, so after about week I called them. Well, my e-mail went to the rep who contacted me after my initial inquiry, turns out he is on leave/vacation until the new year. Well, auto-responders are a great feature, if you enable them … lol. The rep I had on the phone now made it very clear he wasn’t the guy to talk to about this, but said he thought the circuit board (and therefore the whole switch box) was trash now.
I then contacted my buddy with some high-res images as well, wrote him what the manufacturer determined/said - he called me back almost instantly and said to send it to him.
He replaced the capacitor (which was indeed dead), a duo-diode that fought back pretty hard and did some testing. Then he called me again to explain all of that and shipped it back.
The shipping gods eventually demanded a sacrifice, so when I unwrapped the circuit board, a tiny little something called optocoupler just laid there in the bubble wrap.
Called him to ask if that was maybe intentional, but no, it was the angry shipping gods. …
But gladly he re-assured me it was still safe to try it on line voltage and see a) if the switch box completes the boot cycle, and b) which functions work/ which don’t.
Circuit board, both sides, and the culprit that decided to leave the ship early.
Cutting off the feed wires label.
Installing the circuit board and connecting feed wires. Everything else WAGO’ed up to not risk shorting something on that board.
And it boots up
A bit of testing
So the really good news is, it completes the boot cycle, circuits 3 - 5 function, remote control works. What doesn’t work are dimmable circuits 1 - 2. If I understand my buddies explanation correctly, the two triacs in those dimmable circuits need the signal from the missing optocoupler to work.
So once the gift for my buddy I had planned on giving him arrives, I’ll ship him the circuit board & gift, he get’s the optocoupler back on - and the whole switch box should be back up and running properly - which would be amazing. So let’s see how that goes. Maybe the shipping gods have some mercy the second time.
And now for something completely different.
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.7 Silicone lube sponge applicator.
We’re expecting the first night frost over next week’s weekend. So besides draining the two outdoor water pipes, I also got our lovely French kangaroo winter ready. Tires were already done earlier, when it was at the shop. But I always use the winter prep to lube up all seat belts and door seals with silicone lube, as well as change over from summer washing fluid to winter washing/ antifreeze fluid. Really nothing spectacular, but I wanted to show this applicator that I really like for applying the silicone lube to the door seals - as there is no overspray with this. For the seat belts I still use spray.
Oh, and one “trick” I use for the washing fluid change over, I remove the hose at the Y connection to the jets, and then use the car’s washing fluid pump to empty the tank back into the corresponding fluid’s container. Re-connect, and ten just fill with the other fluid. Pump some through so the correct fluid is already in the jets, and they don’t freeze on the first frost, because there is still a bit of summer washing fluid inside the jets/ system. But this being GJ, I guess I’m not actually telling anyone anything new in that regard. I picked this method up from Germany’s most famous? Television & Youtube prof. car mechanics.
Kind regards,
Olli
0.5 Another headache once spring comes around.
For 0.5.1 -> #147 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11350126
For 0.5.2 -> #156 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11391802
0.5.3 Halfway there.
I contacted the manufacturer again after my discovery in 0.5.2 . My e-mail did not get replied to, so after about week I called them. Well, my e-mail went to the rep who contacted me after my initial inquiry, turns out he is on leave/vacation until the new year. Well, auto-responders are a great feature, if you enable them … lol. The rep I had on the phone now made it very clear he wasn’t the guy to talk to about this, but said he thought the circuit board (and therefore the whole switch box) was trash now.
I then contacted my buddy with some high-res images as well, wrote him what the manufacturer determined/said - he called me back almost instantly and said to send it to him.
He replaced the capacitor (which was indeed dead), a duo-diode that fought back pretty hard and did some testing. Then he called me again to explain all of that and shipped it back.
The shipping gods eventually demanded a sacrifice, so when I unwrapped the circuit board, a tiny little something called optocoupler just laid there in the bubble wrap.
Called him to ask if that was maybe intentional, but no, it was the angry shipping gods. …
But gladly he re-assured me it was still safe to try it on line voltage and see a) if the switch box completes the boot cycle, and b) which functions work/ which don’t.
Circuit board, both sides, and the culprit that decided to leave the ship early.
Cutting off the feed wires label.
Installing the circuit board and connecting feed wires. Everything else WAGO’ed up to not risk shorting something on that board.
And it boots up
A bit of testing
So the really good news is, it completes the boot cycle, circuits 3 - 5 function, remote control works. What doesn’t work are dimmable circuits 1 - 2. If I understand my buddies explanation correctly, the two triacs in those dimmable circuits need the signal from the missing optocoupler to work.
So once the gift for my buddy I had planned on giving him arrives, I’ll ship him the circuit board & gift, he get’s the optocoupler back on - and the whole switch box should be back up and running properly - which would be amazing. So let’s see how that goes.
Maybe the shipping gods have some mercy the second time. And now for something completely different.
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.7 Silicone lube sponge applicator.
We’re expecting the first night frost over next week’s weekend. So besides draining the two outdoor water pipes, I also got our lovely French kangaroo winter ready. Tires were already done earlier, when it was at the shop. But I always use the winter prep to lube up all seat belts and door seals with silicone lube, as well as change over from summer washing fluid to winter washing/ antifreeze fluid. Really nothing spectacular, but I wanted to show this applicator that I really like for applying the silicone lube to the door seals - as there is no overspray with this. For the seat belts I still use spray.
Oh, and one “trick” I use for the washing fluid change over, I remove the hose at the Y connection to the jets, and then use the car’s washing fluid pump to empty the tank back into the corresponding fluid’s container. Re-connect, and ten just fill with the other fluid. Pump some through so the correct fluid is already in the jets, and they don’t freeze on the first frost, because there is still a bit of summer washing fluid inside the jets/ system. But this being GJ, I guess I’m not actually telling anyone anything new in that regard. I picked this method up from Germany’s most famous? Television & Youtube prof. car mechanics.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.5 Another headache once spring comes around.
For 0.5.1 -> #147 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11350126
For 0.5.2 -> #156 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11391802
For 0.5.3 -> #164 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-5#post-11410714
0.5.4 It is working again, switch box has been saved and is up and running.
So the gift for my buddy had arrived and I shipped it to him together with the circuit board. He received it and went to work. Re-installed the optocoupler on the circuit board, made a link/ connection and epoxied everything in place. Did a long-er term temperature check just to be sure - and shipped the circuit board back to me.
I received it yesterday, I did not take a picture of the circuit board alone as I was far to excited to try it.
While installing/ reconnecting everything, I checked all the wires and their crimped on end ferrules, found two that I didn’t like. Checked the wire length, it was long enough to redo the crimps.
Here’s why
Now there would have been enough “meat” left for what these circuits power, but I really don’t like right-before-crimp broken wires. …
Everything went together smoothly.
Time to prepare for next day’s install.
Setting up a small ”spray booth” to zinc coat the safety bracket I keep over the lid that covers the 5 outlets.
Since the old bolts were perfect for the install, I gave them a quick once-over.
A fairly wet day today, but I wanted to get it installed & running.
Trying to keep tools dry.
Installed & running. Just need to set time and date, but that can be done via remote control from inside.
Win!
Hope you enjoyed the journey of yet another successfully completed project & thank you for your continued interest! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday!
Kind regards,
Olli
0.5 Another headache once spring comes around.
For 0.5.1 -> #147 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11350126
For 0.5.2 -> #156 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-4#post-11391802
For 0.5.3 -> #164 https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-5#post-11410714
0.5.4 It is working again, switch box has been saved and is up and running.
So the gift for my buddy had arrived and I shipped it to him together with the circuit board. He received it and went to work. Re-installed the optocoupler on the circuit board, made a link/ connection and epoxied everything in place. Did a long-er term temperature check just to be sure - and shipped the circuit board back to me.
I received it yesterday, I did not take a picture of the circuit board alone as I was far to excited to try it.
While installing/ reconnecting everything, I checked all the wires and their crimped on end ferrules, found two that I didn’t like. Checked the wire length, it was long enough to redo the crimps.
Here’s why
Now there would have been enough “meat” left for what these circuits power, but I really don’t like right-before-crimp broken wires. …
Everything went together smoothly.
Time to prepare for next day’s install.
Setting up a small ”spray booth” to zinc coat the safety bracket I keep over the lid that covers the 5 outlets.
Since the old bolts were perfect for the install, I gave them a quick once-over.
A fairly wet day today, but I wanted to get it installed & running.
Trying to keep tools dry.
Installed & running. Just need to set time and date, but that can be done via remote control from inside.
Win!
Hope you enjoyed the journey of yet another successfully completed project & thank you for your continued interest! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday!
Kind regards,
Olli
Last edited:
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 770
always interesting following your projects - especially the clear how and why write ups
larry4406
Well-known member
Nice repair!
I had a chuckle reading the spray can.....
I had a chuckle reading the spray can.....
Nice repair!
I had a chuckle reading the spray can.....
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
I introduced the oil absorbent mat for my workbench in post #45 ( https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-2#post-11013010 )
Here’s why I really like that mat and can’t imagine going back to anything else.
Used chainsaw on.
Clean.
Aftermath.
Sweep it all up.
And all that is left is a few stains that are absorbed & dry out in no time and will not transfer.
Reassemble.
Kind regards,
Olli
Here’s why I really like that mat and can’t imagine going back to anything else.
Used chainsaw on.
Clean.
Aftermath.
Sweep it all up.
And all that is left is a few stains that are absorbed & dry out in no time and will not transfer.
Reassemble.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.7 müba - The wheelbarrow to rule all wheelbarrows.
Handmade in my home state‘s beautiful Sauerland region ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauerland ) with locally sourced materials, where possible, since 1960. müba -> https://www.mueba.de/about
Neat brochure, sadly German language only: https://api.mueba.de/attachment/Die_Karre_2024.pdf
This morning a fairly local trucking company delivered my new wheelbarrow to my door.
With the upcoming paving project on our primary residence/property, and two additionally upcoming construction projects on other sites, I decided it was time to finally upgrade my wheelbarrow.
Delivered, ready to use. No assembly required.
I always knew I wanted a müba wheelbarrow when I would upgrade from my big box store wheelbarrow - and after conversing with both my buddy (and sales rep.) from my #1 tool supplier as well as the sales rep for my region from müba itself, I decided to get what is called “Betonkarre” (concrete cart) with a volume of 90l (23.8 gal) and maximum capacity of 200kg (441 lb). Tubeless air tire & nylon bearings. (You can have classic ball bearings with air tire, or classic ball bearings with polymer/ airless tire as well.)
The nylon bearings are generally recommended for stables, I opted to have them because this wheelbarrow is going to be stored outside 24/7/365. Technically, they won’t be as durable as ball bearings, but that is nitpicking - and I can always change the tire if I want or need to.
müba wheelbarrows are found on all construction sites, they have stood the test of time and are the “gold standard” when it comes to manually operated wheelbarrows.
I opted for the “Betonkarre” because of its measurements/ size. It easily fits between standard doorjambs with the operator’s hands on the handles. No change of grip or overly careful maneuvering required. The mold is deeper instead of wide on these. That makes them a little harder to dig out of but to me the size is the more important factor.
The mold is made from 1.25mm thick galvanized sheet metal (16 ga). The long skid portion is reinforced by a bracket. The rolled edges and corners of the front portion of the mold are reinforced with inlaid round bar.
A problem with my old wheelbarrow after many years of use and being stored outside 24/7/365 has been the frame’s tubing. On this wheelbarrow this will never become a problem because it is reinforced in those spots/ sacrificial plates are welded on. They are drilled so no water can accumulate in between.
Also it can sit like this on it’s own/ fully stable.
Bolts recessed inside mold.
Can’t wait to put it to use.
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & “ramblings”, hope you’re having a good time!
Kind regards,
Olli
0.7 müba - The wheelbarrow to rule all wheelbarrows.
Handmade in my home state‘s beautiful Sauerland region ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauerland ) with locally sourced materials, where possible, since 1960. müba -> https://www.mueba.de/about
Neat brochure, sadly German language only: https://api.mueba.de/attachment/Die_Karre_2024.pdf
This morning a fairly local trucking company delivered my new wheelbarrow to my door.
With the upcoming paving project on our primary residence/property, and two additionally upcoming construction projects on other sites, I decided it was time to finally upgrade my wheelbarrow.
Delivered, ready to use. No assembly required.
I always knew I wanted a müba wheelbarrow when I would upgrade from my big box store wheelbarrow - and after conversing with both my buddy (and sales rep.) from my #1 tool supplier as well as the sales rep for my region from müba itself, I decided to get what is called “Betonkarre” (concrete cart) with a volume of 90l (23.8 gal) and maximum capacity of 200kg (441 lb). Tubeless air tire & nylon bearings. (You can have classic ball bearings with air tire, or classic ball bearings with polymer/ airless tire as well.)
The nylon bearings are generally recommended for stables, I opted to have them because this wheelbarrow is going to be stored outside 24/7/365. Technically, they won’t be as durable as ball bearings, but that is nitpicking - and I can always change the tire if I want or need to.
müba wheelbarrows are found on all construction sites, they have stood the test of time and are the “gold standard” when it comes to manually operated wheelbarrows.
I opted for the “Betonkarre” because of its measurements/ size. It easily fits between standard doorjambs with the operator’s hands on the handles. No change of grip or overly careful maneuvering required. The mold is deeper instead of wide on these. That makes them a little harder to dig out of but to me the size is the more important factor.
The mold is made from 1.25mm thick galvanized sheet metal (16 ga). The long skid portion is reinforced by a bracket. The rolled edges and corners of the front portion of the mold are reinforced with inlaid round bar.
A problem with my old wheelbarrow after many years of use and being stored outside 24/7/365 has been the frame’s tubing. On this wheelbarrow this will never become a problem because it is reinforced in those spots/ sacrificial plates are welded on. They are drilled so no water can accumulate in between.
Also it can sit like this on it’s own/ fully stable.
Bolts recessed inside mold.
Can’t wait to put it to use.
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & “ramblings”, hope you’re having a good time!
Kind regards,
Olli
larry4406
Well-known member
Ollie that looks like a well made wheelbarrow! I like the details.
Our contractors at work mostly use Jackson wheelbarrows on this side of the pond.
jacksonwheelbarrow.com
Our contractors at work mostly use Jackson wheelbarrows on this side of the pond.
Jackson Website - Premium Wheelbarrows
Discover the durability and efficiency of Jackson Wheelbarrows. Perfect for all your gardening and landscaping needs. Explore our range today!
jacksonwheelbarrow.com
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Those Jacksons look really nice, love the heritage/legacy vibe the wooden handles give!
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
Looks like an excellent wheelbarrow.
I especially like that the front frame is above the wheel axle. Most users would never run into an issue but when we use wheelbarrows doing hiking trail work the front end digs into the uphill grade unless the handles are lowered way down.
The drain holes are a nice touch. We’ve handles rust out from the inside even here in the desert of AZ.
I especially like that the front frame is above the wheel axle. Most users would never run into an issue but when we use wheelbarrows doing hiking trail work the front end digs into the uphill grade unless the handles are lowered way down.
The drain holes are a nice touch. We’ve handles rust out from the inside even here in the desert of AZ.
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
That’s a great observation! I would be lying if I said I had thought about that before your comment. Makes total sense!
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
#Nobody’s Project Workshop
#Currently on the workbench picture; February 14th, 2026.
Kind regards,
Olli
#Currently on the workbench picture; February 14th, 2026.
Kind regards,
Olli
jblnut
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Hello Olli !! I’ve read through your thread this morning and have to say I wish I had half the motivation to be as thorough as you are !! Your projects look amazing once completed and should last a long time.I introduced the oil absorbent mat for my workbench in post #45 ( https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-2#post-11013010 )
Here’s why I really like that mat and can’t imagine going back to anything else.
Used chainsaw on.
Clean.
Aftermath.
Sweep it all up.
And all that is left is a few stains that are absorbed & dry out in no time and will not transfer.
Reassemble.
Kind regards,
Olli
The electrical work you’re doing looks quite different than the stuff I’m used to using here in the states. I’ve worked with some of the same brands as you on equipment that has come in from Germany and Austria and will agree that it’s top notch stuff.
The “little” water intrusion repairs you’ve done are quite impressive. Do it right the first time and hopefully never need to look at it again.
I’ll be following along for the journey for sure !!
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Your tool selection is always top notch and maybe it’s a bit helpful to have friends in the tool biz. That said I’ve never bought a wheelbarrow new but I do love yours. I might have six wheelbarrows in my small backyard at the minute to mix concrete in, haul soil or plants, bricks or rocks or just junk ready for my next dump run.
Maybe when I’m 75 I’ll have a pristine backyard if I’m still around (70 currently) so my bride (if she’s still around) won’t have mess to deal with. Obviously I’d like to finish up my projects by the end of next summer (rebuilt deck and new shop built) so I can use them before I can’t.
Anyway just wanted to pop in and say best of luck with all the projects and I hope that moisture issue in your basement is behind you.
Maybe when I’m 75 I’ll have a pristine backyard if I’m still around (70 currently) so my bride (if she’s still around) won’t have mess to deal with. Obviously I’d like to finish up my projects by the end of next summer (rebuilt deck and new shop built) so I can use them before I can’t.
Anyway just wanted to pop in and say best of luck with all the projects and I hope that moisture issue in your basement is behind you.
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
@drivesitfar Thank you very much! Sounds like you have it all sorted & a plan. I’m sure that’ll work out, I’ve seen how busy you are over in your thread.
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
#Nobody’s tool storage, maintenance & recreation lair
#Currently on the desk picture; February 16th, 2026.
So today I went into detailed planning of my electrical overhaul of the “big shed”. Originally I wanted to have that done and buttoned up in October of last year, but then the whole ‘switch box saga’ kind of foiled that.
On the other hand, maybe it was also a good reminder that that switch box won’t be around forever and my electrical overhaul of the “big shed” should reflect on that/ offer some kind of upgradability/ enough room for future upgrades.
Made my list, got a picture of how it’s gonna go together in my head and now I need to get some quotes for the materials & order.
I also spent quite a bit of time on the phone with the supplier of that foiled shipment/ the damaged water meter I wrote about here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...-yourself-today.445359/page-574#post-11526521
They finally contacted me after receiving my e-mail and are obviously taking the damaged unit back on their dime - I wouldn’t have accepted anything else anyway.
But they also provided new to me information on the certification and new laws that took effect January 1st, 2026 and some further changes taking effect January 1st, 2027. I’m not going into the details here, as I still have to read through the full thing, and not just the AI summary, but in essence it seems I’m better off with the ‘24 certified unit and re-asses in 2030 if it’s still worth it getting a law/rule-abiding secondary water meter to essentially just save waste water/sewer fees for water used in the garden/ for irrigation.
(This whole “process” only makes sense because our city allows you to install these secondary water meters & register them with them via e-mail yourself - and these secondary water meters are quite cheap so there is a ROI to be had. However, with the new rules and regs these meters will become a lot pricier so depending on water usage, it won’t make sense for us - as we also have the rain water collection & pump in place.)
Packed the damaged unit up and it’s going back tomorrow.
What I also did today was to sort through my left over cables, labeled them - so I know what I have and won’t have to buy for the “big shed” electrical overhaul - except the cable I bought last week, which I already knew I would need anyway.
Winter has made a comeback last night, which is not good for the overall schedule of my paving project. But we’ll see. Cold isn’t an issue for me. But snow, rain washing it away the next day, only to snow again and basically all unstable conditions is not exactly what I want for “tree” and bush removal - that I need to get buttoned up before February 28th. And that is a vital part to be able to put the pavers down at some point in future. After excavating and all the other stuff to be done.
Can’t wait to spring into action.
Kind regards,
Olli
#Currently on the desk picture; February 16th, 2026.
So today I went into detailed planning of my electrical overhaul of the “big shed”. Originally I wanted to have that done and buttoned up in October of last year, but then the whole ‘switch box saga’ kind of foiled that.
On the other hand, maybe it was also a good reminder that that switch box won’t be around forever and my electrical overhaul of the “big shed” should reflect on that/ offer some kind of upgradability/ enough room for future upgrades.
Made my list, got a picture of how it’s gonna go together in my head and now I need to get some quotes for the materials & order.
I also spent quite a bit of time on the phone with the supplier of that foiled shipment/ the damaged water meter I wrote about here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...-yourself-today.445359/page-574#post-11526521
They finally contacted me after receiving my e-mail and are obviously taking the damaged unit back on their dime - I wouldn’t have accepted anything else anyway.
But they also provided new to me information on the certification and new laws that took effect January 1st, 2026 and some further changes taking effect January 1st, 2027. I’m not going into the details here, as I still have to read through the full thing, and not just the AI summary, but in essence it seems I’m better off with the ‘24 certified unit and re-asses in 2030 if it’s still worth it getting a law/rule-abiding secondary water meter to essentially just save waste water/sewer fees for water used in the garden/ for irrigation.
(This whole “process” only makes sense because our city allows you to install these secondary water meters & register them with them via e-mail yourself - and these secondary water meters are quite cheap so there is a ROI to be had. However, with the new rules and regs these meters will become a lot pricier so depending on water usage, it won’t make sense for us - as we also have the rain water collection & pump in place.)
Packed the damaged unit up and it’s going back tomorrow.
What I also did today was to sort through my left over cables, labeled them - so I know what I have and won’t have to buy for the “big shed” electrical overhaul - except the cable I bought last week, which I already knew I would need anyway.
Winter has made a comeback last night, which is not good for the overall schedule of my paving project. But we’ll see. Cold isn’t an issue for me. But snow, rain washing it away the next day, only to snow again and basically all unstable conditions is not exactly what I want for “tree” and bush removal - that I need to get buttoned up before February 28th. And that is a vital part to be able to put the pavers down at some point in future. After excavating and all the other stuff to be done.
Can’t wait to spring into action.
Kind regards,
Olli
Last edited:
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
#Nobody’s tool storage, maintenance & recreation lair
#Currently on the workbench picture; February 18th, 2026.
This was the “aftermath” in the afternoon.
No snow, no rain - even the sun was supposed to come out for a bit later in the day. That was my signal to start the “tree” removal in the front garden & re-planting in the back garden.
Loaded up ’n truckin.
First the magnolia, as this is the one going to be re-planted. This should be seen as experiment, I needed to keep the weight manageable so I needed to cut the roots far shorter and transfer far less soil than one normally would using a machine. In about 45 minutes, I had it moving.
Then it was a matter of minutes to load it.
And starting my journey on the front walkway around all neighbors & over the “small farm road” into our garden. (No more pictures, I don’t want to show that route …)
After that, time to remove the 2nd “tree”.
A bit of cutting and hand excavating later, this one was also out.
Cleaning out the bar before switching to a new chain.
Front garden done. (For now.)
And the magnolia in her new spot in the back garden.
That’s the first step of the paving project completed. Perfectly in time, as it is one day later now, and it’s already snowing and raining again. Now I can just sit the snow and rain out, before hand excavating in the front garden for the pavers.
Total time was from roughly 10:45 AM to 15:15 PM without interruptions. And after taking a shower & having early dinner, another 30 minutes for the cleanup/ chain saw maintenance. And in case someone is interested, while working outside I had Apple Music’s “Country Caffeine” playing, and later in the lair for cleanup/maintenance it was Apple Music’s “Jazz Soul Café”
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & have a great day!
Kind regards,
Olli
#Currently on the workbench picture; February 18th, 2026.
This was the “aftermath” in the afternoon.
No snow, no rain - even the sun was supposed to come out for a bit later in the day. That was my signal to start the “tree” removal in the front garden & re-planting in the back garden.
Loaded up ’n truckin.
First the magnolia, as this is the one going to be re-planted. This should be seen as experiment, I needed to keep the weight manageable so I needed to cut the roots far shorter and transfer far less soil than one normally would using a machine. In about 45 minutes, I had it moving.
Then it was a matter of minutes to load it.
And starting my journey on the front walkway around all neighbors & over the “small farm road” into our garden. (No more pictures, I don’t want to show that route …)
After that, time to remove the 2nd “tree”.
A bit of cutting and hand excavating later, this one was also out.
Cleaning out the bar before switching to a new chain.
Front garden done. (For now.)
And the magnolia in her new spot in the back garden.
That’s the first step of the paving project completed. Perfectly in time, as it is one day later now, and it’s already snowing and raining again. Now I can just sit the snow and rain out, before hand excavating in the front garden for the pavers.
Total time was from roughly 10:45 AM to 15:15 PM without interruptions. And after taking a shower & having early dinner, another 30 minutes for the cleanup/ chain saw maintenance. And in case someone is interested, while working outside I had Apple Music’s “Country Caffeine” playing, and later in the lair for cleanup/maintenance it was Apple Music’s “Jazz Soul Café”
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & have a great day!
Kind regards,
Olli
Last edited:
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 770
think I'll have to look that one up
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Nothing gets put on the ground if I can avoid it. I try to “setup shop” when & wherever I can.
- Sitting on my knees, only possible with hard/ non flexible outer surface kneepads that are gel-cushioned on the inside. (Klein TradesmenPro from years ago.) Otherwise I couldn’t last for a second on my knees.
I’m really trying to limit having to pick up stuff from the ground. You probably noticed that I try to keep shovels, spades, rakes, (…) upright as well. Trying to make my life for me & my body/health I have to deal with everyday as easy as possible. All self-inflicted though, so it is what it is.
Kind regards,
Olli
- Sitting on my knees, only possible with hard/ non flexible outer surface kneepads that are gel-cushioned on the inside. (Klein TradesmenPro from years ago.) Otherwise I couldn’t last for a second on my knees.
I’m really trying to limit having to pick up stuff from the ground. You probably noticed that I try to keep shovels, spades, rakes, (…) upright as well. Trying to make my life for me & my body/health I have to deal with everyday as easy as possible. All self-inflicted though, so it is what it is.
Kind regards,
Olli
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 770
definitely echoing this, good idea
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.8 Repairing bird damage to grout/mortar between clinker brick.
Maybe needs some explanation: So for as long as that Magnolia tree stood in front of the house, we could regularly see birds going into it, not just randomly but regularly. At first we didn’t really understand why, after removing the Magnolia, a whole line of grout/mortar behind it was pretty much gone. Some google-fu later, we now understand that our little feathered friends utilize grout/mortar to take lime and other minerals in, they also use the joints to clean/shape/grind their peckers and - and that I found really fascinating - they “eat” it and inside their little stomachs it helps breaking down hard seeds and other stuff they eat. So who could be mad at these little fellas doing bird stuff.
Still, it needs to be repaired. And yes, the white strip will be repaired & painted as well, at a later date. I’m not 100% sure yet how deep into the rabbit hole I want to go on that.
After checking, accepting & signing for deliveries on site #1 this morning, I had the forenoon to tackle this little project at the main property.
As usual, set up shop and went to work.
The first step was using the rotary hammer to remove loose grout and “cut” back to stable/solid grout/mortar. This was quick work. Then use my vac, first to vacuum the whole joint and then switch the hose onto the exhaust and blow out the remaining fine debris from the joint. In between those two steps I attached some frog tape to help with clean up later on.
“Locked ‘n loaded”
“Meet me halfway”.
After filling comes skimming.
And with the removal of the frog tape it’s done. Once it has cured you will barely notice the new joint.
Another step closer to the paving project.
Kind regards & thank you for your continued interest in my projects.
Olli
0.8 Repairing bird damage to grout/mortar between clinker brick.
Maybe needs some explanation: So for as long as that Magnolia tree stood in front of the house, we could regularly see birds going into it, not just randomly but regularly. At first we didn’t really understand why, after removing the Magnolia, a whole line of grout/mortar behind it was pretty much gone. Some google-fu later, we now understand that our little feathered friends utilize grout/mortar to take lime and other minerals in, they also use the joints to clean/shape/grind their peckers and - and that I found really fascinating - they “eat” it and inside their little stomachs it helps breaking down hard seeds and other stuff they eat. So who could be mad at these little fellas doing bird stuff.
Still, it needs to be repaired. And yes, the white strip will be repaired & painted as well, at a later date. I’m not 100% sure yet how deep into the rabbit hole I want to go on that.
After checking, accepting & signing for deliveries on site #1 this morning, I had the forenoon to tackle this little project at the main property.
As usual, set up shop and went to work.
The first step was using the rotary hammer to remove loose grout and “cut” back to stable/solid grout/mortar. This was quick work. Then use my vac, first to vacuum the whole joint and then switch the hose onto the exhaust and blow out the remaining fine debris from the joint. In between those two steps I attached some frog tape to help with clean up later on.
“Locked ‘n loaded”
“Meet me halfway”.
After filling comes skimming.
And with the removal of the frog tape it’s done. Once it has cured you will barely notice the new joint.
Another step closer to the paving project.
Kind regards & thank you for your continued interest in my projects.
Olli
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Nice work!!
Are you filling old cleaned out mortar gaps with caulk or do tell?
I always love your setups to work and your methods of repairs!!
It appears you are having a somewhat mild winter like we are this year? I think it’s supposed to hit 60 degrees this weekend here in Seattle. There have been some years where we’ve had snow and ice and temps in the teens this time of year.
My parents owned a 1928 brick Tudor for over 60 years and I think I recall my dad hiring a professional to tuck point most of it about 20 years before they sold it. They had ivy growing on theirs for years that looked great but didn’t do any favors to the brickwork but I’ve never heard that about the birds.
All birds or what kinds are mortar eating?
Are you filling old cleaned out mortar gaps with caulk or do tell?
I always love your setups to work and your methods of repairs!!
It appears you are having a somewhat mild winter like we are this year? I think it’s supposed to hit 60 degrees this weekend here in Seattle. There have been some years where we’ve had snow and ice and temps in the teens this time of year.
My parents owned a 1928 brick Tudor for over 60 years and I think I recall my dad hiring a professional to tuck point most of it about 20 years before they sold it. They had ivy growing on theirs for years that looked great but didn’t do any favors to the brickwork but I’ve never heard that about the birds.
All birds or what kinds are mortar eating?
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Thank you very much @drivesitfar !
Birds: From our research it’s especially sparrows, **** & nuthatches. Especially of the first two we have very many around here.
Winter/ weather: It’s the second day with a high temperature of 18 °C/ 64.4 °F and the last two nights have been double digit as well. Low was 10 °C/ 50 °F.
It’s going to fall very little during the next days, everything is popping in both front and back garden, the air has changed from that crisp winter air to a more “loaded” spring/summer air. It’s not impossible for winter to make a full blown comeback for a day or three, we had one year with a “white easter“ … But as far as I’m concerned, spring has started around here.
December ‘25 and January ‘26 were actually really cold, colder than we normally get. But I think we better get used to these incredible swings.
Now for the product I used. It’s ready to use 1k/ single component mortar in a cartridge, especially made for mortar joint repairs & filling cracks. It’s not for any structural application/ this is not your 2k/ two components injection mortar/cement aka resin anchor. The product can be used in- as well as outdoor. A couple of hours after application its “weathertight“ and continues to cure. It’s not “elastic”.
There are multiple manufacturers offering a product like this, I decided to buy Fischer.
As usual with stuff like this, I start my research with the technical data sheets & safety information and take it from there. Typically it tells you pretty much everything you need to do, what the product can and can’t do.
With products like this the expiration date is of highest importance. It has a shelf life of 12 months, ideally you want to buy & use the product when it has at least another 6 months of shelf life left. Best case is obviously getting fresh stock from within the month that you’re purchasing it, but that rarely works out when buying this by the cartridge off the shelf. It’s also one of the many products that need a powerful press, and you absolutely want to keep all the threads for the nozzle intact when opening, as it requires some real pressure. Slow and steady, I run my Milwaukee M12 caulk gun not higher than “3” for stuff like this. It’s also a good example of where that cartridge knife I have shown before really shines.
Product information in English: https://www.fischer-international.c...ir-ac/534474-repair-ac-dec-cement-grey-310-ml
The big factor here is time. With a product like this a repair like the one I did is a fairly quick and straight forward job. Very clean, easy to do.
I mentioned this before on a different project, I do actually have a mortar press aka grout gun. If I was using that, I would have to first mix the mortar to a suitable consistency, then fill the gun, apply the mortar, and then have an hour of cleaning ahead of me. Mixer, bucket(s), grout gun, spatula for filling grout gun …)
Using such a grout gun makes sense for large jobs or, in case of the lair, were the adhesive/“mortar” product does not exist in cartridges, and if, would also be far too expensive in such small quantities at scale.
One cartridge of the Fischer Repair AC runs ten bucks all incl. - It’s a no brainer for a repair like this.
All that said, in modern buildings you can find very different products for such joints, even paired with classic clinker brick there are plastic/ resin based sealants available that are supposedly more durable and obviously elastic compared to classic mortar.
Kind regards,
Olli
Birds: From our research it’s especially sparrows, **** & nuthatches. Especially of the first two we have very many around here.
Winter/ weather: It’s the second day with a high temperature of 18 °C/ 64.4 °F and the last two nights have been double digit as well. Low was 10 °C/ 50 °F.
It’s going to fall very little during the next days, everything is popping in both front and back garden, the air has changed from that crisp winter air to a more “loaded” spring/summer air. It’s not impossible for winter to make a full blown comeback for a day or three, we had one year with a “white easter“ … But as far as I’m concerned, spring has started around here.
December ‘25 and January ‘26 were actually really cold, colder than we normally get. But I think we better get used to these incredible swings.
Now for the product I used. It’s ready to use 1k/ single component mortar in a cartridge, especially made for mortar joint repairs & filling cracks. It’s not for any structural application/ this is not your 2k/ two components injection mortar/cement aka resin anchor. The product can be used in- as well as outdoor. A couple of hours after application its “weathertight“ and continues to cure. It’s not “elastic”.
There are multiple manufacturers offering a product like this, I decided to buy Fischer.
As usual with stuff like this, I start my research with the technical data sheets & safety information and take it from there. Typically it tells you pretty much everything you need to do, what the product can and can’t do.
With products like this the expiration date is of highest importance. It has a shelf life of 12 months, ideally you want to buy & use the product when it has at least another 6 months of shelf life left. Best case is obviously getting fresh stock from within the month that you’re purchasing it, but that rarely works out when buying this by the cartridge off the shelf. It’s also one of the many products that need a powerful press, and you absolutely want to keep all the threads for the nozzle intact when opening, as it requires some real pressure. Slow and steady, I run my Milwaukee M12 caulk gun not higher than “3” for stuff like this. It’s also a good example of where that cartridge knife I have shown before really shines.
Product information in English: https://www.fischer-international.c...ir-ac/534474-repair-ac-dec-cement-grey-310-ml
The big factor here is time. With a product like this a repair like the one I did is a fairly quick and straight forward job. Very clean, easy to do.
I mentioned this before on a different project, I do actually have a mortar press aka grout gun. If I was using that, I would have to first mix the mortar to a suitable consistency, then fill the gun, apply the mortar, and then have an hour of cleaning ahead of me. Mixer, bucket(s), grout gun, spatula for filling grout gun …)
Using such a grout gun makes sense for large jobs or, in case of the lair, were the adhesive/“mortar” product does not exist in cartridges, and if, would also be far too expensive in such small quantities at scale.
One cartridge of the Fischer Repair AC runs ten bucks all incl. - It’s a no brainer for a repair like this.
All that said, in modern buildings you can find very different products for such joints, even paired with classic clinker brick there are plastic/ resin based sealants available that are supposedly more durable and obviously elastic compared to classic mortar.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.9 WISKA junction boxes “Combi”
So I’m very partial to Hensel Electric as I laid out here a while ago: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-2#post-11048275 but I’m always looking left and right as well and I have come across WISKA on multiple occasions.
WISKA is probably best known for their reefer container sockets and CCTV offerings for maritime/ container ship use. But they also make a wide range of electrical installation materials. WISKA is also available through some of the big box stores and industrial suppliers here.
I found their junction boxes “Combi” to be interesting, especially when compared to the Hensel junction boxes that I generally use. And they are doing things a little different.
To keep it comparable to the Hensel DK 0404 W we’re looking at the WISKA Combi 407 LG 3-221-413. For once, size doesn’t matter because both manufacturers offer multiple sizes and size will always be determined by use case/ how many conductors/ terminations are needed.
So here’s the WISKA Combi 407 LG 3-221-413.
Arrows on the cover’s/ lid’s screws pointing towards 0 means unlocked. Unlocking and unlocking via a quarter turn (which is not that uncommon nowadays, it’s the same on the Hensel DK 0404). The bulge in the cover/ lid accounts for 10% more space available inside the sealed area. Cover/ lid pushed on will remain in place even when unlocked. The cover/ lid of the DK 0404 will “stick” when unlocked but not lock/ positively engage like the 407 Combi’s cover/ lid. Hensel’s DK series comes with a cover/ lid retainer that can be installed.
That brings us to the first interesting feature, the side entries.
This is a single entry offering three options: Push through membrane, M20 thread for cable gland, M25 knock-out for use with cable gland and counter nut.
Other sides feature double entries with two options: Push through membrane & M20 thread for cable gland.
This is very interesting as it eliminates the need of counter nuts for most use cases. Simply screw the M20 cable gland in - done. Saves time, single tool instead of two.
IP rating is 66 when push through membranes are used, with cable glands used it is IP 67 rated.
Backside view.
Two more push through membranes and WISKA’s unique mounting clip option. More on that later.
Once the cover/ lid comes off, it reveals it’s scope of supply:
A unqiue Wago terminal holder by WISKA, three WAGO 221-413 and the also unique to WISKA mounting clip.
With both the Hensel and WISKA boxes, cover/ lid screws stay on and can’t be accidentally dropped/ lost. Removal is possible on purpose only.
Let’s take a look at the mounting clip.
As you can see, the clip can be attached to any surface with two screws and the junction box is simply pushed on and held securely. Another option is to use the classic mounting holes which are located outside the sealed chamber. (This is a big difference to the Hensel DK series, as there the sealed chamber is penetrated and re-sealed with caps over the screws after the junction box is installed. Or you utilize the supplied installation material for external installation, which are basically clip-on latches.)
Let’s take a look at WISKA’s own Wago terminal block.
It’s basically a two part design, were one part is holding the WAGO 221-413 connectors, up to 5 - and has a universal 15mm connector on the back which will work with either 15mm DIN rail - or the supplied holder for installing inside the Combi 407. (This is another big difference to the Hensel DK series, which is meant to be used with 35mm DIN rail and fully relies on WAGO’s own DIN rail adaptors.)
Let’s see how the terminal block can be placed inside the WISKA Combi 407.
The Combi 407 is injection molded from different type plastics which allows for the push through membranes and this brace/ mount to friction fit/ hold the terminal block.
And closed/ locked. Arrows on the cover’s/ lid’s screws pointing to 1.
Personally I find these WISKA boxes very interesting because of the threaded entries, the unique mounting clip that is completely hidden/ doesn’t enlarge the boxe’s footprint and leaves the sealed chamber fully intact/ no screw caps needed and I think I will use them when I get to do another conduit install. I’m definitely sold on the threaded entries.
Here’s a direct link to the manufacturer’s data sheet of the WISKA Combi 407: https://www.wiska.com/en/30/pov/1665/combi-407.html
I know that US electrics are fairly different in requirements, materials used and that for my US based readers this is probably not very interesting/ useful. But I do know that WISKA is available & used in the UK, so maybe some of my UK based readers find this interesting/ useful enugh.
And in case you ever wondered, it‘s stuff like this I can truly “geek out” on.
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & general ramblings.
Kind regards,
Olli
0.9 WISKA junction boxes “Combi”
So I’m very partial to Hensel Electric as I laid out here a while ago: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...e-recreation-lair.542090/page-2#post-11048275 but I’m always looking left and right as well and I have come across WISKA on multiple occasions.
WISKA is probably best known for their reefer container sockets and CCTV offerings for maritime/ container ship use. But they also make a wide range of electrical installation materials. WISKA is also available through some of the big box stores and industrial suppliers here.
I found their junction boxes “Combi” to be interesting, especially when compared to the Hensel junction boxes that I generally use. And they are doing things a little different.
To keep it comparable to the Hensel DK 0404 W we’re looking at the WISKA Combi 407 LG 3-221-413. For once, size doesn’t matter because both manufacturers offer multiple sizes and size will always be determined by use case/ how many conductors/ terminations are needed.
So here’s the WISKA Combi 407 LG 3-221-413.
Arrows on the cover’s/ lid’s screws pointing towards 0 means unlocked. Unlocking and unlocking via a quarter turn (which is not that uncommon nowadays, it’s the same on the Hensel DK 0404). The bulge in the cover/ lid accounts for 10% more space available inside the sealed area. Cover/ lid pushed on will remain in place even when unlocked. The cover/ lid of the DK 0404 will “stick” when unlocked but not lock/ positively engage like the 407 Combi’s cover/ lid. Hensel’s DK series comes with a cover/ lid retainer that can be installed.
That brings us to the first interesting feature, the side entries.
This is a single entry offering three options: Push through membrane, M20 thread for cable gland, M25 knock-out for use with cable gland and counter nut.
Other sides feature double entries with two options: Push through membrane & M20 thread for cable gland.
This is very interesting as it eliminates the need of counter nuts for most use cases. Simply screw the M20 cable gland in - done. Saves time, single tool instead of two.
IP rating is 66 when push through membranes are used, with cable glands used it is IP 67 rated.
Backside view.
Two more push through membranes and WISKA’s unique mounting clip option. More on that later.
Once the cover/ lid comes off, it reveals it’s scope of supply:
A unqiue Wago terminal holder by WISKA, three WAGO 221-413 and the also unique to WISKA mounting clip.
With both the Hensel and WISKA boxes, cover/ lid screws stay on and can’t be accidentally dropped/ lost. Removal is possible on purpose only.
Let’s take a look at the mounting clip.
As you can see, the clip can be attached to any surface with two screws and the junction box is simply pushed on and held securely. Another option is to use the classic mounting holes which are located outside the sealed chamber. (This is a big difference to the Hensel DK series, as there the sealed chamber is penetrated and re-sealed with caps over the screws after the junction box is installed. Or you utilize the supplied installation material for external installation, which are basically clip-on latches.)
Let’s take a look at WISKA’s own Wago terminal block.
It’s basically a two part design, were one part is holding the WAGO 221-413 connectors, up to 5 - and has a universal 15mm connector on the back which will work with either 15mm DIN rail - or the supplied holder for installing inside the Combi 407. (This is another big difference to the Hensel DK series, which is meant to be used with 35mm DIN rail and fully relies on WAGO’s own DIN rail adaptors.)
Let’s see how the terminal block can be placed inside the WISKA Combi 407.
The Combi 407 is injection molded from different type plastics which allows for the push through membranes and this brace/ mount to friction fit/ hold the terminal block.
And closed/ locked. Arrows on the cover’s/ lid’s screws pointing to 1.
Personally I find these WISKA boxes very interesting because of the threaded entries, the unique mounting clip that is completely hidden/ doesn’t enlarge the boxe’s footprint and leaves the sealed chamber fully intact/ no screw caps needed and I think I will use them when I get to do another conduit install. I’m definitely sold on the threaded entries.
Here’s a direct link to the manufacturer’s data sheet of the WISKA Combi 407: https://www.wiska.com/en/30/pov/1665/combi-407.html
I know that US electrics are fairly different in requirements, materials used and that for my US based readers this is probably not very interesting/ useful. But I do know that WISKA is available & used in the UK, so maybe some of my UK based readers find this interesting/ useful enugh.
And in case you ever wondered, it‘s stuff like this I can truly “geek out” on.
Thank you for your continued interest in my projects & general ramblings.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Wow. I had absolutely no idea!
Kind regards,
Olli
Kind regards,
Olli
Cris B
Well-known member
Just finished ready the thread from start to date, Really impressive work, you've been transforming the property inside and out. What is the latest on the blocked shared gutter?
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Thank you very much @Cris B !
The latest on the shared gutter, the neighbor is keeping tabs on it. He checks it every now and then with the community ladder and asks if I noticed anything after heavy/ torrential rain. We shouldn’t have any issues from blockings going forward.
Still, there is definitely water going between the two houses at the basement/ foundation level - but that is not his fault. I’m still researching options, and also I don’t want to be “that” neighbor, so we will see. I have zero interest in excavating down to the foundation to be honest. That would be a major project if I did it.
I’m monitoring that spot in the storage/boiler room.
Kind regards,
Olli
The latest on the shared gutter, the neighbor is keeping tabs on it. He checks it every now and then with the community ladder and asks if I noticed anything after heavy/ torrential rain. We shouldn’t have any issues from blockings going forward.
Still, there is definitely water going between the two houses at the basement/ foundation level - but that is not his fault. I’m still researching options, and also I don’t want to be “that” neighbor, so we will see. I have zero interest in excavating down to the foundation to be honest. That would be a major project if I did it.
I’m monitoring that spot in the storage/boiler room.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
Thank you very much @drivesitfar !
Birds: From our research it’s especially sparrows, **** & nuthatches. Especially of the first two we have very many around here.
Winter/ weather: It’s the second day with a high temperature of 18 °C/ 64.4 °F and the last two nights have been double digit as well. Low was 10 °C/ 50 °F.
It’s going to fall very little during the next days, everything is popping in both front and back garden, the air has changed from that crisp winter air to a more “loaded” spring/summer air. It’s not impossible for winter to make a full blown comeback for a day or three, we had one year with a “white easter“ … But as far as I’m concerned, spring has started around here.
December ‘25 and January ‘26 were actually really cold, colder than we normally get. But I think we better get used to these incredible swings.
Now for the product I used. It’s ready to use 1k/ single component mortar in a cartridge, especially made for mortar joint repairs & filling cracks. It’s not for any structural application/ this is not your 2k/ two components injection mortar/cement aka resin anchor. The product can be used in- as well as outdoor. A couple of hours after application its “weathertight“ and continues to cure. It’s not “elastic”.
There are multiple manufacturers offering a product like this, I decided to buy Fischer.
As usual with stuff like this, I start my research with the technical data sheets & safety information and take it from there. Typically it tells you pretty much everything you need to do, what the product can and can’t do.
With products like this the expiration date is of highest importance. It has a shelf life of 12 months, ideally you want to buy & use the product when it has at least another 6 months of shelf life left. Best case is obviously getting fresh stock from within the month that you’re purchasing it, but that rarely works out when buying this by the cartridge off the shelf. It’s also one of the many products that need a powerful press, and you absolutely want to keep all the threads for the nozzle intact when opening, as it requires some real pressure. Slow and steady, I run my Milwaukee M12 caulk gun not higher than “3” for stuff like this. It’s also a good example of where that cartridge knife I have shown before really shines.
Product information in English: https://www.fischer-international.c...ir-ac/534474-repair-ac-dec-cement-grey-310-ml
The big factor here is time. With a product like this a repair like the one I did is a fairly quick and straight forward job. Very clean, easy to do.
I mentioned this before on a different project, I do actually have a mortar press aka grout gun. If I was using that, I would have to first mix the mortar to a suitable consistency, then fill the gun, apply the mortar, and then have an hour of cleaning ahead of me. Mixer, bucket(s), grout gun, spatula for filling grout gun …)
Using such a grout gun makes sense for large jobs or, in case of the lair, were the adhesive/“mortar” product does not exist in cartridges, and if, would also be far too expensive in such small quantities at scale.
One cartridge of the Fischer Repair AC runs ten bucks all incl. - It’s a no brainer for a repair like this.
All that said, in modern buildings you can find very different products for such joints, even paired with classic clinker brick there are plastic/ resin based sealants available that are supposedly more durable and obviously elastic compared to classic mortar.
Kind regards,
Olli
Hey @drivesitfar , a little addition that I thought of the other night to visualize the difference in product.
Here’s a regular caulk cartridge vs. the mortar cartridge on a scale. Both with nominally the same content of 310ml/ 10.48 fl oz.
Kind regards,
Olli
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
Mid march I bought the Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw and I would like to give some rather extensive feedback on it - starting with unboxing and first impressions. All of this will take me a while since I have no date as of yet when I will actually be cutting pavers with this. My almost shot rotator cuff on my left doesn’t really help with any of this right now, and if I can help it I don’t want to get a cortisone shot for my shoulder - just to get stuff done - as that increases the risk for more substantial damage in the long run and making surgery necessary.
So why Vevor? I’ve been meaning to try one of their mains powered tools for quite some time, and when I budgeted the paving project I did allocate funds to buy a 9” angle grinder, 9” diamond blade & matching dust extraction shroud/guard with depth stop & rollers. Now basic 9” angle grinders from typical brands like Bosch and Makita can be had quite cheap as there is almost always one on promotion & sometimes will even include a diamond blade.
A good, fully enclosed, dust extraction shroud/ guard with rollers and depth stop adds quite a bit to that - and will never be as efficient as using water for dust suppression & cooling, especially when the “mess” the water will cause doesn’t matter because it is being used outdoors and can be contained within a designated cutting area & with some skirting.
So I started to look into concrete/ demo wet saws and was intrigued by this offering from Vevor. I paid 113,- Euro (about 130,- USD) for the DC235. To put this into perspective, that is - depending on model - between 20,- and 50,- Euro less than just the dust extraction shroud/guard I had originally budgeted for. It is also in the ballpark of about 65,- Euro less than I paid years ago for an commercial/industrial grade extension cord with in-line PRCD-S. (This will actually play a role later on as I get on with the first impressions & at some point in future the actual review.)
The only “research” I did in regard to Vevor’s line of concrete/ demo wet saws was watching a YT short or two and that was only to confirm that you can cut with these.
0.10.1 Unboxing
As usual, product is shipped in its box, no extra/ outer box.
Description fits order.
Using the Vevor multitool to get in.
Accessories & blade on top.
Water pump & hose.
Manual, tool/key and hose clips.
Lifting out the styrofoam tray, we finally get a first peak at the saw.
Out the box, onto the workbench.
With blade installed.
Will continue in 0.10.2
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
Mid march I bought the Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw and I would like to give some rather extensive feedback on it - starting with unboxing and first impressions. All of this will take me a while since I have no date as of yet when I will actually be cutting pavers with this. My almost shot rotator cuff on my left doesn’t really help with any of this right now, and if I can help it I don’t want to get a cortisone shot for my shoulder - just to get stuff done - as that increases the risk for more substantial damage in the long run and making surgery necessary.
So why Vevor? I’ve been meaning to try one of their mains powered tools for quite some time, and when I budgeted the paving project I did allocate funds to buy a 9” angle grinder, 9” diamond blade & matching dust extraction shroud/guard with depth stop & rollers. Now basic 9” angle grinders from typical brands like Bosch and Makita can be had quite cheap as there is almost always one on promotion & sometimes will even include a diamond blade.
A good, fully enclosed, dust extraction shroud/ guard with rollers and depth stop adds quite a bit to that - and will never be as efficient as using water for dust suppression & cooling, especially when the “mess” the water will cause doesn’t matter because it is being used outdoors and can be contained within a designated cutting area & with some skirting.
So I started to look into concrete/ demo wet saws and was intrigued by this offering from Vevor. I paid 113,- Euro (about 130,- USD) for the DC235. To put this into perspective, that is - depending on model - between 20,- and 50,- Euro less than just the dust extraction shroud/guard I had originally budgeted for. It is also in the ballpark of about 65,- Euro less than I paid years ago for an commercial/industrial grade extension cord with in-line PRCD-S. (This will actually play a role later on as I get on with the first impressions & at some point in future the actual review.)
The only “research” I did in regard to Vevor’s line of concrete/ demo wet saws was watching a YT short or two and that was only to confirm that you can cut with these.
0.10.1 Unboxing
As usual, product is shipped in its box, no extra/ outer box.
Description fits order.
Using the Vevor multitool to get in.
Accessories & blade on top.
Water pump & hose.
Manual, tool/key and hose clips.
Lifting out the styrofoam tray, we finally get a first peak at the saw.
Out the box, onto the workbench.
With blade installed.
Will continue in 0.10.2
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
0.10.1 Unboxing
0.10.2 The diamond blade.
The first thing I noticed was that it had “dry cutting” printed on it. Which I would consider one of the typical quirks of buying such a product.
Also it is pretty crude looking and my initial concern was about the bonding of cutting segments and potential risk of not fully bonded particles becoming “shrapnels”.
So I took a screwdriver to these areas, the particles are not coming off. Which is good.
Satisfied that these won’t be going anywhere, it’s time to look at the water pump.
0.10.3 Water pump.
The scope of delivery includes a standalone 12V water pump with switch and transformer. Looking at it, it’s just another one of these typical quirks. It’s meant well but in the end just an incredible cheaply made gadget that, 12V behind the transformer or not, has absolutely zero business of being in any construction environment let alone a wet environment. They should have simply included a typical garden hose connector.
And while they do have a warning sticker on the saw that this is obviously not water tight.
They make the grave mistake on their website to label that little “light”-switch GFCI. … Which it is obviously not.
0.10.4 And that brings us to the actual inline PRCD of the wet saw.
So the wet saw is equipped with this PRCD, which at a first glance and by using the test and reset buttons works. I am going to test this after the paving project is completed. Meaning I will remove the power cord from the machine and test if that PRCD will in fact trip and if I get a chance, I will do that with an actual installation tester so I get to see actual numbers and can confirm that PRCD meets the actual specs.
Will continue in 0.10.5
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
0.10.1 Unboxing
0.10.2 The diamond blade.
The first thing I noticed was that it had “dry cutting” printed on it. Which I would consider one of the typical quirks of buying such a product.
Also it is pretty crude looking and my initial concern was about the bonding of cutting segments and potential risk of not fully bonded particles becoming “shrapnels”.
So I took a screwdriver to these areas, the particles are not coming off. Which is good.
Satisfied that these won’t be going anywhere, it’s time to look at the water pump.
0.10.3 Water pump.
The scope of delivery includes a standalone 12V water pump with switch and transformer. Looking at it, it’s just another one of these typical quirks. It’s meant well but in the end just an incredible cheaply made gadget that, 12V behind the transformer or not, has absolutely zero business of being in any construction environment let alone a wet environment. They should have simply included a typical garden hose connector.
And while they do have a warning sticker on the saw that this is obviously not water tight.
They make the grave mistake on their website to label that little “light”-switch GFCI. … Which it is obviously not.
0.10.4 And that brings us to the actual inline PRCD of the wet saw.
So the wet saw is equipped with this PRCD, which at a first glance and by using the test and reset buttons works. I am going to test this after the paving project is completed. Meaning I will remove the power cord from the machine and test if that PRCD will in fact trip and if I get a chance, I will do that with an actual installation tester so I get to see actual numbers and can confirm that PRCD meets the actual specs.
Will continue in 0.10.5
OP
Nobody-named-Olli
Well-known member
0. Miscellaneous Stuff
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
0.10.1 Unboxing
0.10.2 The diamond blade
0.10.3 Water pump
0.10.4 PRCD
0.10.5 Hooking the wet saw up to a water supply/ garden hose.
As I stated in 0.10.3, I won’t be using that supplied water pump. Which is not entirely true, for the sake of the review I will make one cut hooked up to that pump when time comes as I want to check flow and actual dust suppression compared to being hooked up to regular water supply. I am fortunate that a long time ago one of my first major PPE purchases had been a commercial/industrial extension lead with in-line PRCD-S I can trust. Using that to power the transformer as well as the saw will be my fail-safe during this little experiment.
But how to hook up the wet saw to a garden hose/ water supply? The hose on the saw as well as the supplied feed hose have about a 10mm OD and about a 6mm ID. I did find a couple of different connectors/options that could work and ultimately decided to buy a “Gardena”/ garden hose quick-connect male to 6.4mm stub off Temu.
Obviously there had to be a quirk with this as well. While all pictures I saw - and if I didn’t overlook one - showed one-piece, I received it in two pieces and with a tiny roll of teflon tape, I got a good laugh out of it and then assembled my little connector.
I did give it a quick test on its own and I think it will provide sufficient flow.
0.10.6 Initial impressions
It’s a robust & heavy machine. It does soft start & sounds pretty powerful when ramped up to full speed. The power cord is of decent quality, the grommets on the PRCD are a little wide for the cord they used - I might open that up once the paving project is completed to check if that is just an cosmetic issue or if ingress of dust and water would indeed be possible. The metal blade guard is easily adjustable by turning a large knob that can be operated while wearing gloves.
Out of the plastic bag there was a little oily residue on housing and handle, once wiped off it didn’t return. The front handle is pretty heavy duty and leaves nothing to be desired. Also has a shield right down to the rollers which should take care of most of the spray.
That is all I have for now on this and I honestly can’t wait to cut some pavers with this saw and see how it fares.
Kind regards,
Olli
0.10 Vevor DC235 9” concrete/ demo (wet) saw
0.10.1 Unboxing
0.10.2 The diamond blade
0.10.3 Water pump
0.10.4 PRCD
0.10.5 Hooking the wet saw up to a water supply/ garden hose.
As I stated in 0.10.3, I won’t be using that supplied water pump. Which is not entirely true, for the sake of the review I will make one cut hooked up to that pump when time comes as I want to check flow and actual dust suppression compared to being hooked up to regular water supply. I am fortunate that a long time ago one of my first major PPE purchases had been a commercial/industrial extension lead with in-line PRCD-S I can trust. Using that to power the transformer as well as the saw will be my fail-safe during this little experiment.
But how to hook up the wet saw to a garden hose/ water supply? The hose on the saw as well as the supplied feed hose have about a 10mm OD and about a 6mm ID. I did find a couple of different connectors/options that could work and ultimately decided to buy a “Gardena”/ garden hose quick-connect male to 6.4mm stub off Temu.
Obviously there had to be a quirk with this as well. While all pictures I saw - and if I didn’t overlook one - showed one-piece, I received it in two pieces and with a tiny roll of teflon tape, I got a good laugh out of it and then assembled my little connector.
I did give it a quick test on its own and I think it will provide sufficient flow.
0.10.6 Initial impressions
It’s a robust & heavy machine. It does soft start & sounds pretty powerful when ramped up to full speed. The power cord is of decent quality, the grommets on the PRCD are a little wide for the cord they used - I might open that up once the paving project is completed to check if that is just an cosmetic issue or if ingress of dust and water would indeed be possible. The metal blade guard is easily adjustable by turning a large knob that can be operated while wearing gloves.
Out of the plastic bag there was a little oily residue on housing and handle, once wiped off it didn’t return. The front handle is pretty heavy duty and leaves nothing to be desired. Also has a shield right down to the rollers which should take care of most of the spray.
That is all I have for now on this and I honestly can’t wait to cut some pavers with this saw and see how it fares.
Kind regards,
Olli
Ford52PU
Well-known member
Good luck with this tool. Quite the through concise review.
I have a Vevor air powered car Jack that I’m very happy with.
Enjoy the tool and be careful.
Sorry about your shoulder and I have the scars to prove it.
Dennis
I have a Vevor air powered car Jack that I’m very happy with.
Enjoy the tool and be careful.
Sorry about your shoulder and I have the scars to prove it.
Dennis