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Is there a good way to keep a lag bolt from backing out or getting loose? I’m bolting a right angle piece of steel to a double LVL. I can’t through bolt due to the Simpson bracket on the other side. Or I’d have to drill a hole of the Simpson bracket which might not be the end of the world...

What’s the best material to use to run a tie down from a top plate or rafter all the way down to the foundation? I think the choices are cable, chain, or threaded rod. I’m leaning towards threaded rod. But in some areas, a cable or chain would be easier. Some added insurance against uplift...

I’d appreciate your thoughts on a retaining wall question. There’s a retaining wall on the uphill side of my property. It’s 3 to 4 feet on my side of the property line. The existing concrete retaining wall tilts. Maybe 20 degrees out of plumb. They have recently almost finished a large new...

I’d like to pour a concrete pier on top of this one. To bring the pier top level up to ground level. What’s the best way to seal this cold joint against water intrusion? It’s located about 5 feet underground. I’ll be placing a sonotube on top of this and pouring concrete. Ideally, something...

There is a long backstory. But the quick version is one of four peers got poured short. Years past. Photos below may help where my explanation falls short. I spent many hours digging out to the pier so I could expose the top of the concrete column. It’s about 5.5 feet down. I had to dig the...

My first Milwaukee cordless drill lasted about 10 years. I worked the thing to death. When it died, I bought another just like it. This one lasted six years. It had one trip back to the factory for a repair. And yesterday it died. I really appreciated the power of the drill. Reliability...

I’ve got a bunch of these sort of commercial parking lot lights. A Restore find. I’m pretty pleased with the color of the light. And they don’t draw much power which is helpful because I’m running on solar. I’d like to mount them on the side of my workshop. I’ve mocked one up just to see...

I need to attach some steel brackets to a concrete wall. These will hold a shelf that I would use to mount two or three mini split compressors. The concrete wall was 10 inches thick and adequate for this purpose. There’ll be some vibration. What’s the correct type of concrete anchor...

Is anyone a fan of the self dust extracting masonry bits? Trying to decide if they are worth the expense and hassle. They are a little hard to find in shorter lengths. I didn’t know if they held up or were a fad. I wouldn’t mind less dust. And I read somewhere, I think the Simpson...

Does anyone have a problem with cheap thread locker like below? I find myself looking for more reasonable prices more and more.

Do you guys have any experience with this? I can’t tell if it’s refurbished by the seller or by EBay. Says it was refurbished by a ”qualified refurbisher”. What do you think?

I’m going to rough in the plumbing at my place. The plan is to come up from the existing pex 3/4 stub in the workshop and run a main 3/4 copper lines to the ceiling with stubs for the second floor kitchen and bathroom (toilet, sink) and separate bathtub. A simple 24’ run and a 10’ right angle...

I don’t do much work with tanks or cylinders. These were on the scrap pile at Restore. One is full with the cap still on. The other two feel empty. I know some people use CO2 for airing up their jeep tires. And I’ve got a regulator I could use for that purpose. If I’m reading these...

Do you guys think it’s better to let a tool cool off on its own or run it unloaded to cool it off? Specifically, my big Milwaukee cordless drill. I’m running 2 1/2 inch Simpson SDS screws into LVL. The bracket takes 26 screws. By the time I finish, the exhaust is too hot to handle. I could...

What do you guys think I should do with this? This is the 4 inch waste line from my workshop to the septic tank. The building is set on nine 20’ deep concrete piers. The septic tank is set about 6 feet down on undisturbed soil and a bed of gravel. The soil of that depth is sand with clay...

For whatever reason, I’ve ended up with a bunch of quarter inch bolts. And a hundred or so quarter inch strut nuts. The bolts are ungraded. At least they’re not marked with the lines that would tell me they were grade 5 or grade 8. I was hanging a couple of inverters off some unistrut at the...

I’m putting in some diagonal strapping on the inside of some exterior walls before I close them in. Setting aside any concerns about the ultimate finished surface, is there a way to pull this stuff tight? Every time I do this, it comes out a little wonky. I’d like to stretch it tight...

Since the heat is lingering down here, I’m taking on some inside projects. The stars of aligned and I found motivation, my tools, my parts and some free time. I’m sure I’ve replaced these since I moved in this place in 1991 but I can’t remember when. I don’t doubt it’s been 20 years. Is...

I have about 3-4 acres out at the place I‘d like to keep cleared. I’m done trying with the push mower. Temped to go pick up a used tractor and pto operated mower. And a loader would be helpful around the place. I think I can pick up something that I can keep running for about $10 grand...

Over the last couple of days, I’ve seriously toyed with the idea of buying an ego mower or lawn tractor. I know there are a lot of downsides and they are very expensive compared to a gas mower. But the quiet and absence of exhaust appeal to me. I would like to think I rebuilt my last...