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Big upcoming project in our new old home. Knob and tube remediation! Yay... A new 200 amp service was added in 2014, and at some point before that most of the devices were re-wired and fished into the crawl space and attic. This leaves section of the old K&T between sections of good wire. The...

Just bought a new old house and the siding needs cleaned. Dry climate, so it’s not mold, or algae, or mildew. Mostly just plain old dirt. Siding is a mix of older metal, and some type of Hardi board. I have a small 1750 psi electric pressure washer. Should I just get after it with that, or is...

Hey gang, I posted a bit ago about moving my shop long distance. I wound up selling some of the larger stuff including my 60 gallon compressor. My new home has a smaller shop, and a large compressor may not be the best choice. In the very near future I will need to spray a pile of cabinet doors...

Getting ready to move to a new state, and of course I’ve collected more than my share of good stuff as well as some junk. I’ve been fortunate to score some sweet deals along the way, so my first reaction is to keep it all. My realistic side says “sell that compressor, and just buy another used...

I have a peculiar situation. I have an aluminum window frame which has weep holes across the bottom to drain any water that collects in the track. I happened to be standing under it, and noticed that it was full, yet wasn’t draining. The surface tension of the water was creating it’s own seal...

Hey gang, I have my last big design challenge on the travel trailer I’m building. I need to build a huge drawer under the bed. 40” wide, 24” deep, 24” tall. The slide part I can handle. My challenge is that I need to have it latch securely so it won’t roll open underway. I think it will be far...

This is causing us serious safety concerns! We have a bank of 4 welding tables, all in a row, all with independent circuits for the welders, and all with independent circuits for a 110v cord reel beneath each table. The reels are metal housing, and attached directly to the metal tables, but the...

Got a problem that is confusing me. I have an inverter that sees more than 12v when the vehicle is running, so it’s output voltage is higher than it should be. This is causing the GFCI receptacles to shut down. Is there an AC regulator that can be used to settle the voltage, WITHOUT causing it...

Curiously looking for opinions on stepping up from a 7mm x 1 threaded hole to an 8mm x 1.25 threaded hole. I have I believe a Starret tap drill chart which shows the “close fit” clearance drill size for 7mm is 7.4mm, and the tap drill for 8mm as 7.2mm. I’m afraid since the threads are already...

Hey guys, awhile back I got several great recommendations for a wire type that I require, and tray cable tops the list. My only additional question is why does it seem to be much more readily available in a Red/Black/Blue color scheme rather than Black/White/Green? I can find it, but not...

I inherited a generator that came with a large fuel tank that's nearly full. Around 25 gallons. It is non ethanol fuel, but it's a couple years old. It doesn't smell bad like you'd expect I'd like to not just get rid of it, but make use of it somehow. My old 89 Suburban would have never missed...

Hi gang, I’m setting a 6.5 kw genset for backup power in a permanent installation. The gen will be located outside the garage on the opposite side from the panel. There is an existing pass through in the garage wall which I will use to route the cord. I have plenty of cord to reach across. I am...

I’m looking to design and fab a table leg set, or prop to hold the end of a platform. (Think supporting the end of a bedslide). It will need to hold maybe 80-100lbs. Trouble spot is that it will be camp trailer, so It will need to be able to quickly adjust to uneven ground. A simple...

Hoping to find a stranded 12/2 w/ ground NMB type wire. My application is construction of truck bodies and trailers. We often rough in both our 120/208 as well as 12v buried in the walls. Wire is routed through the furring, then walls are insulated with often up to 4” of expanding urethane...

I haven’t painted anything in a long time, but I have a pain in the neck problem. I have two different frames left in the garage, so I bought a selection of covers. 9” frames, 9” covers. They don’t fit! I have several brands of covers and all are about 3/4” too short. Oddly, the project...

Hey gang, hoping to lean on the collective knowledge base. I’m building an ultra light (as possible) travel trailer, and I have to make a decision on my roof. The span is just under 8’. I need to come up with a roof joist/ truss/ stringer..., to keep it from sagging. This will *never* be walked...

Hey gang, this group seems to be the best go-to spot for all things, as we have a broad talent pool here. I don’t know if I should be looking to different forum, but I need some help with my WiFi setup, so I can get back into my shop. I previously had a small netgear extender. One end plugged...

I built a vending trailer for my wife out of a harbor freight trailer, and yes, the hub failed. :bounce: I replaced the entire axle assembly fairly easily with an off the shelf unit from Tractor Supply. At the time, I did the work on it in the fairgrounds, right where she was operating just so...

I know there are lots of options and brands, so I’m not so much looking for a style. I’m hoping to lean on personal experience here. We have a need to use a cable tie mounting bases at times in our shop when we can’t penetrate a surface. Maybe it’s only one layer thick and can’t have a...

I have an ongoing issue at work. We build truck bodies, and as the electrician, I’m constantly mounting lights, fixtures, etc with sheet metal screws, usually stainless. Trouble is, often I’m going into either 1/8” aluminum, or 1/8” or 10gauge satin coat galvaneal steel. Not thick enough to tap...