Above 1200 Sq/FT Garage Refurb®

[NUTTSGT]

I'm also going to replace the switch, outlet and box.



While we're doing this, there's one more thing to do, replace the plexiglass.

 

[NUTTSGT]

After pulling down the strip light under the cabinets, I had to rewire an outlet. Granted, this draws it's power and is on the same breaker as the lights above the bench. Normally, I would prefer to have lights and outlets on different circuits but I generally only plug in a phone charger or light charger.... minimal usage.




So.... I got the other light strip mounted in the light box for the blast cabinet.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Ohhhh.... I guess I forgot to mention something...I wired this wrong...the outlet should be a switched outlet for the blast cabinet vac.

Swap a couple of wires around...


Switch off...

Switch on...

Next up, mount the box and cut a new window for the cabinet.

 

[NUTTSGT]

New glass installed and light box bolted back on. Ready to go .



I bought a piece of plexiglass big enough to make 2 replacement panes. Where do you store the extra so it doesn't get screwed up ? How about on the wall above the cabinet ?

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice job on the blasting cabinet Eric. Rather than a spare lexan sheet, I ordered a bunch of replacement thin disposable sheets that go under the clear lexan, more of a sacrificial sheet that gets beat up and then tossed and replaced. I cannot remember where I bought them last, but I ordered a box of 50 and they last pretty good if I'm cautious about angles when blasting. They really do a great job of protecting the lexan. In fact, my lexan is the original from when I bought my cabinet in the late 80's, I've only replaced the disposable sheets as needed. I have also found the longevitiy of them really is dependent on the angle of blasting components. If you blast at a glancing angle where the beads go off and away from you as the operator, the sacrificial sheet lasts much, much longer. If I blast into a corner and it blows back towards me, that will dull a sheet in a hurry.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Freaking Internet.....

 

[NUTTSGT]

Nice job on the blasting cabinet Eric. Rather than a spare lexan sheet, I ordered a bunch of replacement thin disposable sheets that go under the clear lexan, more of a sacrificial sheet that gets beat up and then tossed and replaced. I cannot remember where I bought them last, but I ordered a box of 50 and they last pretty good if I'm cautious about angles when blasting. They really do a great job of protecting the lexan. In fact, my lexan is the original from when I bought my cabinet in the late 80's, I've only replaced the disposable sheets as needed. I have also found the longevitiy of them really is dependent on the angle of blasting components. If you blast at a glancing angle where the beads go off and away from you as the operator, the sacrificial sheet lasts much, much longer. If I blast into a corner and it blows back towards me, that will dull a sheet in a hurry.

When I was doing research on Econoline or Skat blast cabinets, one of them stated they use plexiglass sheets and just replace as needed.


The old cabinet I had, used the sheet protectors. I figured I would try just plexiglass and if they don't last long, I can get some protector sheets.

I can easily road trip to TP Tools to get a package of them with the wife.


I don't use the cabinet alot so we'll see how it works out.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I found out last duty day,(Wednesday) that the time frame of next Summer is going to be wrong. The Capt that is due to be retiring June-August time frame isn't retiring at that time.


He's actually moving his date up and will be done in January. He's basically running out his accumulated leave that he has on the books. His last day on shift will be November 14th. I will get my second bugle in January rather than Summertime. Chief said he was ordering my shield and badge this past week.

Fortunately for the young guys, Firefighters, that means two of them will be getting promoted to Lt in January after their promotional exam. For those guys, he has to wait to see scores what on the exam before he orders badges/shields. We have our badge number incorporated on them.

I knew this was going to happen.

Yesterday, this same individual came in, and sheepishly said "had a little bit of a hiccup." His plan is to wait a little bit longer.... I'm not sure when he's leaving... I don't think he knows either....

The union had a little open house for him planned and he told tons of people he was leaving. He had several of them stop by throughout the day.

A few of the guys were pissed at him and let him know it...I just shook my head... typical him ..

 

[NUTTSGT]

So I got some time in the garage yesterday and wanted to mark a couple of things off the list.... "new" to me lathe and mill do power on...so looks like that purchase and road trip wasn't a bust. They are down on the list to get set up.

On the list for a bit have been the angle blocks. Now the blast cabinet is up and running properly I got them blasted enough for a clean up.


A quick wipe down and some primer.


Yes, only on the back side and it'll get some Rustoleum black over the primer.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Now that I have used the cabinet after making some changes, I am going to do a few mods. I'm going to run the airline to other side, via hard line and swap out the old air hoses for some new ones.

It's also amazing how well the LED fluorescent bulbs work and being able to see through a clear window helps too

 

[NUTTSGT]

Got some black paint on the angle blocks.. drying today and tomorrow while I am at work.



Then a trip to the embroidery shop for some new long sleeve shirts for work and while that close, on to Menards.

I picked up some pieces that I thought I would need or extra because having spare parts is cheap. A few other goodies came home to... Scoop is to scoop media in and around the blast cabinet.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Pulled apart the inlet connection I made up a few weeks ago..part of it was repurposed. Utilizing a piece of 1/2" black pipe 48" long, this stretched across the back of the cabinet.


Once assembled, it was cleaned, primed and hung up to dry.... paint shortly.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I ordered a new set of hoses. The new ones will match the rest of the garage in that Flexzilla shade of green.

I also picked up a pair of 3/8" swivels for each hose end from TSC.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Oh, I'll throw this picture in as well. A few months back when to wife and I went to Amish country, she bought some rugs.... life happens ..dogs get diarrhea and **** all over in the middle of the night...old rugs got tossed. The rugs from Amish country went down.....Holy Fuddddddgggggeee...... there's no rubber backer on them and mix with a laminate floor. I about busted my *** coming in the house.

So I ordered some new rugs with a rubber backer and confiscated these for the shop bathroom.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

It's all fun and games until you fall and bust your ***!...I've apparently reached the age where it's no longer funny and people show actual concern when I go down

 

[madison069]

It's all fun and games until you fall and bust your ***!...I've apparently reached the age where it's no longer funny and people show actual concern when I go down

You're not that older than me.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

You're not that older than me.

I'm not saying they don't laugh after checking if I'm okay first...just that the initial reaction is "you okay?!", not "you jackass".

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's all fun and games until you fall and bust your ***!...I've apparently reached the age where it's no longer funny and people show actual concern when I go down

I call it job security.





The black paint is now drying and the Flexzilla hoses are "enroute" per The Jungle website.

 

[Jgaz]

I call it job security.

You fall, we haul

 

[NUTTSGT]

I noticed a couple of broken fire bricks in the wood burner last week and knew there was probably more. Saturday project was to clean out and replace all the fire bricks.


Well Saturday came and the shower door decided to give up the ghost. So that day was spent replacing a shower door.

So when I came home from work, it was time for me to get it done.


Pulled the grate, removed the bricks and tossed them in the bucket of the JD which was sitting right there... yeah more bricks broke as I tossed them in.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I also found a broken weld on the inside. This is merely a cover for the draft control.

Now this was a treat trying to do this. First, drag welder back over and hope the cord will reach the outlet. Check.


Next, how in the "f" do I weld this ??? I could stick my head in the door but not with a helmet on.... I can reach inside but can't see ****.... The lead has to be draped inside for the mig gun to be straight... mirror, yeah well...

It is what it is and it's not pretty but in place.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If the weld breaks again this winter, I will wait for nice weather and take more time to try it again. I needed to get a fire going.... then a shower.... toss clothes in the washer after pretreatment and yeah, get to Kroger to pick up the order the wife placed for Thanksgiving dinner.....

 

[68400BIRD]

Not sure if my bricks are thicker. But, I have been using the same bricks for 23 years and they were in a 1970's fireplace insert that I moved into our basement.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Not sure if my bricks are thicker. But, I have been using the same bricks for 23 years and they were in a 1970's fireplace insert that I moved into our basement.

Probably still have the asbestos in them, definitely made bricks and asphalt last longer!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Not sure if my bricks are thicker. But, I have been using the same bricks for 23 years and they were in a 1970's fireplace insert that I moved into our basement.

I've been told that the newer firebricks are not as hard as the older stuff and won't last as long. These new ones I just bought aren't even "yellow" like the ones I had replaced about 4 years ago. The ones I just bought are more of an orange in color.

I know the ones at the rear of the wood burner do get hit when I toss wood into it. So those I can see not lasting for years.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Probably still have the asbestos in them, definitely made bricks and asphalt last longer!

Quite possibly.

I went back and looked when I first installed this wood burner, Feb 2016. That's about 10 years and without looking, I'm sure this is the second time I have replaced the fire brick. Looks like I'm getting about 5 years out of the bricks and they cost $40 for both boxes. I guess a small expense in grand scheme of heating the garage for the winter.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Quite possibly.

I went back and looked when I first installed this wood burner, Feb 2016. That's about 10 years and without looking, I'm sure this is the second time I have replaced the fire brick. Looks like I'm getting about 5 years out of the bricks and they cost $40 for both boxes. I guess a small expense in grand scheme of heating the garage for the winter.

$80 a decade to not get mesothelioma...sounds like a fair trade to me

 

[NUTTSGT]

Finally got time to get back to the blast cabinet. . . I bolted the 1/2" hard-line across the back.



Then moved back to the work bench to assemble the new Flexzilla air hoses. It may not have been necessary but I did use some tape on the threads.

Then back to the cabinet and work off the floor.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Everything plumbed up and I found the black pipe hard line made a good place to zip tie the vac hose to. This keeps it out of the way of the buckets of abrasive.

Done...
until I buy a cabinet ******** for it

 

[NUTTSGT]

Another quick project for the day. I have a wood crate for my kindling. Years ago, I added a corner to split on. It's been used and abused.



Time for an updated improvement. I added some additional blocking underneath and a new piece of plywood for the top.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Old one compared to the larger new one.



Test run.

. . . and we're good to go on that one too.

 

[NUTTSGT]

For those with a keen eye or wondering about the "hatchet." Yes, it's a PLUMB.

 

[casmurbax]

nice update on the blast cabinet.

Am I wrong, or does that cabinet in your bathroom have a lock on it?

 

[LXCam]

Done...
until I buy a cabinet ******** for it

Eh, those vibratos are overrated Eric. Once the cabinet conforms to the shape of your knee, it stops hurting



As much

 

[NUTTSGT]

nice update on the blast cabinet.

Am I wrong, or does that cabinet in your bathroom have a lock on it?

It does have a pad lock and hasp. Some ammo nothing more. It's nothing fancy, trust me.

It, in it's previous life, sat in an Armory for a law enforcement agency. When the electronic lock failed, it became extrication practice for a certain fire dept. In doing so, it got bent and twisted to the point of not being useful and was disposed of. With the help of a JD 1025 FEL, it got bent back to "usable" condition for personal use.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Eh, those vibratos are overrated Eric. Once the cabinet conforms to the shape of your knee, it stops hurting



As much

Dunno know about that Cam, this isn't like the flimsy red one it replaced.

 

[jbmatth]

Mirror welds are no fun whatsoever, I am not the person to make them, but have been around some welders that seem to be able to weld as good with a mirror as right in front of them. Good to see the stove is going to be back in service and providing heat for another season.

JB

 

[zmotorsports]

Eric, your latest blasting cabinet is nearly identical to mine, right down to the wing nuts holding the frame and window in place as well as the spring loaded door for the abrasive material at the bottom of the chute/collector. I like how you added the rigid line, I merely drilled a hole through one of the front legs and threaded the fitting onto the hose to create a rigid mount as I got tired of having to reach for the hose connection.

 

[SamYoung]

Been there, done that with the unbacked rug turning into an old sack slide. We have these under our big dining room rug and they work great. Dog still folds it up when she goes barreling in and does a 180 while playing catch, but great for foot traffic safety.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Eric, your latest blasting cabinet is nearly identical to mine, right down to the wing nuts holding the frame and window in place as well as the spring loaded door for the abrasive material at the bottom of the chute/collector. I like how you added the rigid line, I merely drilled a hole through one of the front legs and threaded the fitting onto the hose to create a rigid mount as I got tired of having to reach for the hose connection.

I thought about that Mike. I was just leery of drilling a single larger hole in of the legs.

My luck, the leg would collapse and fall on me as I was blasting something.