Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The "Glendora Garage"

[Dan in Pasadena]

I read all these posts about Rustoleum spray cans failing but so far I’ve never had a problem with them. Luck I suppose.

I think I may have glued that flap of vinyl over the hinge too tightly - DAMN! It’s limiting the opening of the hinge. I think I’ll try slicing between the vinyl and the hinge to loosen it - fingers crossed.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Before and After. Man, was it HOT!!!

Ran out of trash can space (thankfully!) or I'd have had to do the other one too.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

And the 2nd hedge done this morning with the help of my trusty assistants, Fifi & Max.

The pups are there to bark at anything up to and over the horizon that moves including zombies, ghosts, children riding bikes and walkers PARTICULARLY if they are walking a dog! Whew! It's good not to have to worry when my back is turned, ha ha.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Bought one of these (Kay or Bob's suggestion?) so I don't burn down my garage/house by forgetting to turn off the power strip my Milwaukee M18 batteries are on. It'll either save me or be THE reason it burns down.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Bought one of these (Kay or Bob's suggestion?) so I don't burn down my garage/house by forgetting to turn off the power strip my Milwaukee M18 batteries are on. It'll either save me or be THE reason it burns down.

Now you get to mount your chargers in a fireproof-ish case.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Is anyone else here using an electric screwdriver? I don't mean a drill/driver. I use my Milwaukee Fuel M18 al the time for driving screws. I mean a smaller one for assembling/disassembling things?

I just picked up this thing from Costco the other day. Charged it up but haven't used it for much. Has 3 torque setting but all the same speed. Come with like 16 bits varying from large and small Phillips, Torx, other stuff. Only $39 so I thought I'd give it a try.

Opinions? Yeah, I assume it's Chinese. If I'm lucky maybe Taiwanese which to me mean NOT always lightweight questionable junk.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Today's not-very-exciting activity was a lot more work and sweating than I imagined. My girlfriend and I put this sacrificial tarp over the fitted boat cover that's worth a helluva lot more than the tarp. The last one was on there 4-5 years and flaked off badly when I pulled it off. This new one will be on & off periodically now that we can use the boat again.

I needed a tarp that would cover the boat front-to-back over the windshield & rolled up foam "lily pad" thing stored under it so it had to be over 25 ft long. To get that size @ Harbor Freight it had to be 19 ft x 29 ft. Pretty oversized so we folded it in half and installed with a bunch of those plastic tarp clamps and bungees. Pain in the posterior.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Relating this story just for my record:

We were leaving on vacation this AM to Kauai. 8:55am flight, out of house @ 5:40

Arrived at parking garage only to find 2 huge suitcases we were bringing for my daughter - (she was traveling w/o husband but w/2 & 6 yr olds) - had been forgotten!! Holy ****!!

I decided to drive the 80 mi. round trip back to get them and catch a later flight. Ended up costing me the entire day hanging @ LAX, $1000 for a new ticket on another airline (HOLY MOTHER!!). Arrived here in Kauai at 8pm their time but after midnight to me.

Why’d I forget? I walked out of garage @ 5:30am to see these 2 coyotes walking in middle of street right in front of my house. I watched them awhile as I took a couple things out of truck bed. Then grabbed just our own suitcases and left w/o my daughter’s. DAMN! It’s their fault. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

 

[Bob Heine]

We were leaving on vacation this AM to Kauai. 8:55am flight, out of house @ 5:40

Arrived at parking garage only to find 2 huge suitcases we were bringing for my daughter - (she was traveling w/o husband but w/2 & 6 yr olds) - had been forgotten!! Holy ****!!

I decided to drive the 80 mi. round trip back to get them and catch a later flight. Ended up costing me the entire day hanging @ LAX, $1000 for a new ticket on another airline (HOLY MOTHER!!). Arrived here in Kauai at 8pm their time but after midnight to me.

Dan, don't feel bad. We booked a vacation to a Club Med. It was the fifth or six one we visited and all of them started on Sunday and ended on Saturday. Marked it on our calendar and arrived at the airport in plenty of time. One tiny problem -- that French Island club ran Saturday to Friday. It was my fault because I didn't double-check the date. The airline was kind enough to refund the airfare but we paid for two weeks at the Club Med.

Had the opposite problem to yours once. Our daughter got married at the courthouse but wanted a second wedding ceremony on the Scottish border the following year around their first anniversary. We packed an extra hanging bag with a Mother of the Bride dress and accessories for Liane and a suit, dress shoes, dress shirt and tie for me. Arranged a stretch white limo to take us to the airport. When we arrived at our daughter's house to pick up the bride and groom, she got in and told us they changed their mind and wouldn't be doing the ceremony. Every time we booked a B&B on that trip, Liane or I arranged for their room to be on an upper floor and made them take the hanging bag with them.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Finally back from the "Bataan Death March" that the return trip from Kauai was. On the whole the entire trip was beautiful but kind of a mess. All the people came in on a variety of flights from different places/times. Coordinating pickups and multiple rental cars ($$$) to accommodate people. UGH, we'll think hard before a large group trip again.

Because of my screwup on the flight over, my return flight started @ 11pm after the rest of my party had left at noon. Flew me to San Francisco then a layover til the flight to LAX and then took the Metro Flyaway (1st time) bus to Union Station where my girlfriend picked me up.

I didn't sleep at all for more than 24 hours so I was spacey as hell. I slept til almost 11 am this morning.

The lawns are taking over so I'll be on them today with my pups and I have a number of small projects to work on soon. I'll be posting about them so the boring trip details are over. Thanks you guys for tolerating it.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Summertime and St. Augustine gras - EEK! It grows like crazy in the heat and will regular watering because I think it is basically a weed. No idea why that one corner has browned out. It's not cinch bug and I've verified it is gettin water. But it does come back.

I mowed it the day before we left.

 

[kaymccampbell]

No idea why that one corner has browned out. It's not cinch bug and I've verified it is gettin water. But it does come back.

Here we look towards grubs for dead spots. Judy's uncle lives in Florida and his lawn looks much like that. He's got ants. Big, mean, biting ants. Millions of them. He spends serious money on poisoning them, and as soon as the poison wears out they're back in force.

 

[PugetDude]

Here we look towards grubs for dead spots. Judy's uncle lives in Florida and his lawn looks much like that. He's got ants. Big, mean, biting ants. Millions of them. He spends serious money on poisoning them, and as soon as the poison wears out they're back in force.

Straight Dawn dishwashing soap... best ant hill exterminator I have ever used.

 

[don long]

We see coyotes every night on my security cameras out by the shop. Also a bobcat on occasion. Skunks rabbits and raccoons set the cameras off often too

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

We see coyotes every night on my security cameras out by the shop. Also a bobcat on occasion. Skunks rabbits and raccoons set the cameras off often too

I'm sure we have them often too but I don't see them "in the flesh" all that often. They ended up costing me a grand! and a lot of travel hassle but that's ok. Live and learn.

Mowed and edged the front lawn today and believe it or not the back yard which I mowed yesterday already grew a literal inch!! Yes, I measured. We also have a Roma tomato plant we did NOT plant - a volunteer - that has grown higher than our kitchen window. It's out in a border that doesn't get intentional water. Just the leftovers from when I use a hose to wash cars.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

My latest little project: Repairing and repainting the little table & chairs we bought 10 years ago for our two then-newborn grand daughters. They've long since outgrown them of but the latest grandchild, Elder just turned 2 in June. We refer to him as Bam Bam because he's bruiser of a little kid. Big and strong and in his "terrible two's" - and he's good at it! One of the chairs had pretty much fallen apart. Nothing a little Titebond III and brad nails couldn't fix.



The other 3 chairs were ok. I just tightened them up a bit and sanded the flaking paint. Primered with Kilz (because I already had it) and applied the first coat after an hour. I'll give them a light sand and 2nd coat tomorrow. The seat and back rest are some kinda hardboard that shreds a bit when you sand it. You can see it along edges.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Here's the pic of the four chairs after their first coat of Rustoleum. I'm not sure how I will finish the table. It is natural but looks tired. Maybe I'll just sand and urethane it. Possibly stain or paint. I'll figure it out mañana!

 

[don long]

Lookin good there Grandpa

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sprayed the table legs satin black (I already had it). Sprayed Rustoleum texture finish to the table top. The finish was some printed stuff that buzzed right off with my sander to expose the same hardboard stuff the chair seats are. No bueno.

BUT....my girlfriend doesnt like EITHER the black legs or the textured top. Thinks it'll mar easily - which is probably true. So tomorrow it's all get buzzed off again! Legs will be a wood color - because I don't want to do the work it would take to truly strip them. The top will be an all-in-one stain/varnish finish I've used before. Oh well. Pics so you can see the texture. It sprays weird - like spraying dirt. Kinda clumpy but then levels on its own.

 

[rharman]

Perhaps a piece of melamine for the top is in your future. The white coated stuff can be written on with erasable markers.

 

[Jayman17]

How about a laminate remnant, contact cement on and buzz the edges with a flush cut router bit. Will hold up to kids abuse well.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Perhaps a piece of melamine for the top is in your future. The white coated stuff can be written on with erasable markers.

How about a laminate remnant, contact cement on and buzz the edges with a flush cut router bit. Will hold up to kids abuse well.

Both of these ideas would work of course but I'm going to avoid spending any more money on this. Just going to sand off this finish and paint with something I (likely) already have on the shelf. Something light in color and with a little shine.

 

[PugetDude]

Both of these ideas would work of course but I'm going to avoid spending any more money on this. Just going to sand off this finish and paint with something I (likely) already have on the shelf. Something light in color and with a little shine.

Just make sure you bolt it down when you're done.

 

[rharman]

Just make sure you bolt it down when you're done.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

You guys are merciless. Now I'm thinking I'll NEVER remove that one Tapcon because it seems to be on your minds more than mine! Lol

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Buzzed off the texture paint this morning. Blew off dust with my compressor and painted with some off white latex enamel I already had. I was going to do it with some chocolate brown I had but SWMBO nixed that idea so off white it is. I admit it looks better this way. 2nd coat later or tomorrow.
We’ll see how it holds up to Bam Bam!




Pic was maybe a month ago. Since then they cut his hair off for the summer and he’s grown! His legs look like tree trunks and the short hair makes him look like a little 2 year old football player.

 

[LeonardY]

Both of these ideas would work of course but I'm going to avoid spending any more money on this. Just going to sand off this finish and paint with something I (likely) already have on the shelf. Something light in color and with a little shine.

Chalk paint?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Chalk paint?

Nah because it will mar easily from the kids spilling on it, us wiping up after them. The best idea would have been melamine or laminate as was suggested above but I didn't want to spend any more money on it or the time.

The little man is already two and growing fast. He'll outgrow this thing shortly. Then maybe I'll make some blocks for the legs to sit on to give him more leg room but after that it's a giveaway. Appreciate the suggestion though.

Soon will be trimming those front lantana hedges AGAIN! I checked and I trimmed them July 21st. Sheesh, talk a bout growing fast!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

The “usual” - a monthly job in summer. Man, I’m getting tired of doing this.

We’ve been considering pulling out the Rosemary bushes that had been sheared into mounds before we moved in. Now I’m thinking of yanking out these lantana even though they bloom pretty.

In one month the lantana put on about 8-10” of growth as you can see in the pics.




The Milwaukee Quik-Lok hedge trimmer is really heavy at arm’s length. Clean up is labor intensive and then it’s a “hands & knees” job to cut the close-to-ground stragglers and pull cuttings that fall into the bushes scratching up my arms. 70 is coming up and maybe it’s a good excuse to cut down on anything requiring crawling! lol.

 

[don long]

You took all the pretty off that bush LOL

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

You took all the pretty off that bush LOL

That's actually very true. Every time I have to do it I think I should wait a few more days so we can enjoy the flowers. But the long I wait the bigger the clean up job is.

 

[don long]

That's actually very true. Every time I have to do it I think I should wait a few more days so we can enjoy the flowers. But the long I wait the bigger the clean up job is.

I understand I have a bush by the driveway gate that if we let it go it produces the prettiest flower but the flower is out on a 2' limb and it looks like yours only much bigger

 

[kaymccampbell]

The “usual” - a monthly job in summer. Man, I’m getting tired of doing this.

We’ve been considering pulling out the Rosemary bushes that had been sheared into mounds before we moved in. Now I’m thinking of yanking out these lantana even though they bloom pretty.

In one month the lantana put on about 8-10” of growth as you can see in the pics.




The Milwaukee Quik-Lok hedge trimmer is really heavy at arm’s length. Clean up is labor intensive and then it’s a “hands & knees” job to cut the close-to-ground stragglers and pull cuttings that fall into the bushes scratching up my arms. 70 is coming up and maybe it’s a good excuse to cut down on anything requiring crawling! lol.

There's edgers for the ground work, and weedblowers to clean up.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kay, the string trimmer probably would work for the close-to-ground stragglers that stick out - good suggestion. I'll try that next time.

I rake the majority of the clippings into piles then pick them up with big scoop shovel & rake. Then I use my blower to push the remaining debris off the walk and off the bare ground onto the lawn. But there is a lot of small debris that fall into the hedge and drop to the ground (after they dry out from the prior trim). I have to go under there with gloved hands and sweep them out manually.

And there are ALWAYS some weeds popping up through the hedge. We have nutsedge weeds which I've had no luck killing with herbicide even though they make one specifically for that weed. It yellows them out but they come back.

I just did a search on "nutsedge" and found some info I'll be trying. In the front it may work. In the back where it comes up through St. Augustine the herbicide for it may kill the grass

 

[losdudes]

Kay, the string trimmer probably would work for the close-to-ground stragglers that stick out - good suggestion. I'll try that next time.

I rake the majority of the clippings into piles then pick them up with big scoop shovel & rake. Then I use my blower to push the remaining debris off the walk and off the bare ground onto the lawn. But there is a lot of small debris that fall into the hedge and drop to the ground (after they dry out from the prior trim). I have to go under there with gloved hands and sweep them out manually.

And there are ALWAYS some weeds popping up through the hedge. We have nutsedge weeds which I've had no luck killing with herbicide even though they make one specifically for that weed. It yellows them out but they come back.

I just did a search on "nutsedge" and found some info I'll be trying. In the front it may work. In the back where it comes up through St. Augustine the herbicide for it may kill the grass

Lantana bushes are pretty, but they are a host plant for whiteflies, at least they were in Phoenix.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Lantana bushes are pretty, but they are a host plant for whiteflies, at least they were in Phoenix.

Had to look them up. We've not had any of them here.....so far. But thanks for the head's up.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Just stoopid hot at our house today. 113* and this thermometer is in the shade - Sheesh! I mowed the front lawn at about 11am and I shouldn't have. It was too hot then too. Maybe 108-109*. NOT going out there again until more like 5 or 6pm.

How are the rest of you guys doing?

 

[PugetDude]

Just stoopid hot at our house today. 113* and this thermometer is in the shade - Sheesh! I mowed the front lawn at about 11am and I shouldn't have. It was too hot then too. Maybe 108-109*. NOT going out there again until more like 5 or 6pm.

How are the rest of you guys doing?

Currently 84° here and not a cloud in the sky ..

 

[kaymccampbell]

Just stoopid hot at our house today. 113* and this thermometer is in the shade - Sheesh! I mowed the front lawn at about 11am and I shouldn't have. It was too hot then too. Maybe 108-109*. NOT going out there again until more like 5 or 6pm.

How are the rest of you guys doing?

The high at Halfassed was 81. Right now it's clear and 70. Supposed to be about 50 overnight. Lovely sleeping weather. Window open fan on.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Currently 84° here and not a cloud in the sky ..

84* here would be an ordinary September day. I barely remember them!

We went out for a late lunch here about 2pm and the truck thermometer is obviously exaggerating but even if it's way off the 125* it registered is just ridiculously hot. It's "check-the-cookies" hot like when you bend over and open the oven to see if they're done!