Tales of Chateau Merde [Jay Guevara

by Your ~~Raving~~ Roving Science Correspondent Jay Guevara

I was asked to provide some DIY anecdotes instead of continuing the series on my favorite YouTube channels. I immediately thought of the previous house I unaffectionately dubbed "Chateau Merde," which had endured countless outrages from the previous owner, who was a totally feckless DIYer.

That previous owner, we found out later, was a complete dirtbag who made his living conning retirees out of their savings, and who chiseled all and sundry he encountered, including us. For example, he dithered so long on making the repairs on the punch list that the realtor paid to have them done, just to get the deal to go through.

He also did everything on the cheap, apparently using illegal aliens as labor, although we didn't know that at the time. The house passed inspection by Stevie Wonder and Associates, who confirmed that it was in fact a house. Superficially, it looked great, but on closer inspection ...

An early tip off was that the hot and cold taps on the master bathroom shower were reversed. They'd lived with that for ten years; it took me maybe ten minutes to take it apart and fix that. No biggie, but symptomatic.

Next up we started seeing rust appearing in the water supply to the refrigerator. On tracing the line, I found the culprit: Einstein had joined an iron pipe directly to a copper pipe, in effect creating a shorted electrochemical cell that drove corrosion of the iron. Einstein had addressed this problem by putting a filter downstream of the coupling. I took that apart, too, and installed a dielectric coupling between the iron and copper pipes, and threw the filter away. Problem solved.

He'd had the kitchen counters tiled with Mexican floor tiles, which were uneven on the top, so glasses, etc. placed on the counter were perched precariously. A special treat was the kitchen sink. Apparently thinking that the phrase "drop-in sink" was some sort of marketing name, he'd had it installed from underneath the counter, so there was a gap between the top of the sink and the bottom of the counter that used to catch all manner of crud in it, and which could not be caulked effectively.

Next up, the water heater was accessed from outside, and Einstein had cleverly put an interior door over the compartment. He'd apparently not realized that interior doors are cheap because they are hollow, so when he cut an opening in it to allow air in, rain could - and did - then fall into the interior of the door, making it explode when the glue gave out.

I could go on and talk about the beautiful patio-like balcony that provided a great ocean view, but featured a drain that unfortunately was not in the lowest point, necessitating Herculean efforts to get the water out of Lake Merde after a rainstorm. Or I could talk about the retaining wall that did not feature any weep holes, so that after a rain the stucco covering the wall was forced off by the water behind the wall. I'll scarcely bother to mention the fun of trying to put new hoses on a sink, only to find after half an hour upside under the sink, with much heartfelt Anglo-Saxon commentary, that one fitting was one-quarter inch, and the other was three-eighths, which is why I couldn't connect the second hose until I swapped out one of the fittings.

These things were all a nuisance, but did not pose any serious threat, unlike some of this guy's handicraft. A metal plate on a wall covered a length of Romex hanging in the air, with bare copper wires splayed out from it. Inactive circuit, I thought. Nope. Those wires were hot, and totally unprotected. Wire nuts are pretty expensive, you know.

My favorite, however, was the distribution panel. I'd put in a GFCI in the garage, but couldn't get it to reset. I removed the GFCI, splayed the wires, and checked the voltage on the line side: 120 V. OK. But as a scientist, I'd learned not to assume things, and so out of habit checked the voltage on the load side: 60 V. Sixty volts?? WTF? I knew I was over my head then, and called in an electrician. Turned out there was an open neutral that was backfeeding the load side.

The electrician called me over to the distribution panel and said, "Look at this! BUT DON'T TOUCH IT!" Einstein had apparently had Juan and Miguel scrounge up a cover plate from a junkyard. The cover plate did not fit in the distribution panel, so they basically just jammed it in and called it good. The hot lead from the mains bringing in our 200 amp service terminated in a bare copper wire about a quarter of an inch behind the cover plate. Anyone bumping the cover plate would have energized it and gotten fried to a crisp by providing a route to ground through his butt. Somehow Stevie Wonder and Associates had missed this small detail in their "inspection." Needless to say, I had the electrician rip all of this out and do it over properly.

Long story short, I was never happier than the day we moved out of Chateau Merde, because I always had trepidation about what I would find ...

Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 What?

Posted by: Blutarski, Gradually then Suddenly at January 22, 2022 07:36 PM (rz+/y)

2 First?

Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 07:37 PM (axyOa)

3 I don't do much in the way of DIY projects, in recognition of my general incompetence.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 22, 2022 07:37 PM (3YVs3)

4 3 I don't do much in the way of DIY projects, in recognition of my general incompetence.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 22, 2022 07:37 PM (3YVs3)
------------------
It's an acquired skill! No one's born knowing how to do DIY stuff.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 07:39 PM (YqDXo)

5 Oh the irony. I just came from le Chateau Merde.
I learned at an early age I was not a DIY kinda guy. Best job? Poured my own patio. Cement turned out ok.
Worst job? My first (and only) fence. Looked like alcohol was involved. HINT: It was.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 07:41 PM (axyOa)

6 Have been incredibly lucky. Last 4 homes have had minimal issues. Of course we custom built 3 of the 4 and one was built by family members. No money pits. Of course we only made a profit on one when selling.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at January 22, 2022 07:42 PM (2NHgQ)

7 But in my defense, I also learned early on there is no substitute for not using the right tool. Some things you can't cheat on.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 07:43 PM (axyOa)

8 You and I must have had the same previous owner. An 80yo house needs a delicate expert hand but the previous owners bodged everything. You know, in a way I can't complain too much because I wouldn't have been able to afford to move into the neighborhood otherwise. And since my house has shot up 150K in value in four years from all the NY CA transplants into the SE. A little work here and there and we could easily get a quarter mil over what we paid for it. But everything is screwball and unprofessional.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 22, 2022 07:44 PM (hRl/Q)

9 7 But in my defense, I also learned early on there is no substitute for not using the right tool. Some things you can't cheat on.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 07:43 PM (axyOa)
---------------
Absolutely. I eventually learned the same thing. It's worth the bucks to buy the right tool; you do the job faster, and better. And afterwards, you still have the tool for the next time.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 07:45 PM (YqDXo)

10 It's an acquired skill! No one's born knowing how to do DIY stuff.

I don't disagree about knowledge. But there is an aptitude issue too. My father was a DYI guy. Mechanically inclined, picked up on that kind of stuff quickly. That's not me.

There's also an attitude issue. My father enjoyed DYI projects. Figuring out what was wrong was like working a puzzle for him, which he liked. It makes me angry.

The interwebs make a lot of DYI more accessible, and I sometimes use it. Everyone in the house knows when I am doing so by the continuous stream of profanities.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 22, 2022 07:45 PM (3YVs3)

11 My only involvement in DIY comes as a spectator, watching it on TV and yootoob. I'm into the paint colors, curtains, pictures to hang, etc. All the fun stuff.

Posted by: JuJuBee at January 22, 2022 07:45 PM (mNhhD)

12 Parents bought a house when I was in 1st or 2nd grade where the previous owners had decided newspaper was good insulation.

Posted by: Bete at January 22, 2022 07:46 PM (Ojki1)

13 I grew up in a house that was built in 1898, and before we moved in was last remodeled during the Truman administration.

I think it took Mom one trip to the back of the house to replace a screw-in fuse in the middle of a dark rainy night to decide that a full remodel was needed.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 07:46 PM (ZMraq)

14 There are visible DIY failings at Casa Z of the Sheetrock persuasion.

Posted by: Zeera at January 22, 2022 07:47 PM (eFR3E)

15 I was clerking a job, and the super would send me out to compile punch lists. He had a novel idea. Let's scrutinize the plumbers and electricians before the drywall went up. You wouldn't believe the jobs where it's " look around, see if anything stands out and let's get out of here ". I was on a job, bunch of bum windows. Reply was "hey, seniors only, they'll just be running heat or ac".

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at January 22, 2022 07:48 PM (lz5hY)

16 You and I must have had the same previous owner.
--------------

My condolences. On the bright side, we sold Chateau Merde to someone who is every bit as incompetent as the guy we bought it from. For example, he asked how to operate the sump pump I'd put in the yard to pump rainwater out to the street. Uh ... it's got a float switch? Blank expression. I had to explain that to him. He also asked how to turn on the irrigation system. I reached over, flipped the switch to "on." Enlightenment dawned. "Oh, I guess there's a manual, too."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 07:48 PM (YqDXo)

17 the problem with sheetrock is if the studs warp or the foundation shifts, the sheetrock is going to crack or the joints are going to start to flake.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 07:49 PM (ZMraq)

18 There were the aftermarket towing mirrors I put on my previous pickup. The cheap bastid manufacturer just had a single nut to hold the mirror frame at the correct angle on the bracket that provided the extension to allow seeing the trailer. I hated those things. Driving would loosen the thing and get mirror out of proper alignment. I ended up using bungee cords to counteract the air pressure from driving.

I ADORE the built in extendable mirrors on my F350 that replaced the old pickup.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at January 22, 2022 07:49 PM (3cGpq)

19 There's also an attitude issue. My father enjoyed DYI projects. Figuring out what was wrong was like working a puzzle for him, which he liked.
---------------

I started out not liking DIY stuff, but now thoroughly enjoy it. The right tools, plus YouTube, plus some basic physics, went a long way in effecting that transformation.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 07:51 PM (YqDXo)

20 Well, there was the time when I changed the trap on the sink in the bathroom. Not real hard, right? Loosen two nuts replace and done.

Dad had left me his pipe wrenches, so I used them.

Well, one nut refused to loosen, and I jerked it a few times and...done.

Except it was the down pipe into the floor. Which cracked the cast iron drain to the main drain.

We ended up going into arbitration with the insurance co. They tried to REALLY low ball us. We won. Got a new bathroom out of it.

Posted by: TANSTAAFL at January 22, 2022 07:53 PM (fBtlL)

21 Heh. Do I have a story. Sit your butts down and listen a spell.

My first house, bout when I was twenty eight. Rented before then. Made a lowball offer on the place, a nice looking three bed, two bath, two story with detached garage. It was a foreclosure, so the bank had it. I figure, sure it has some problems, but I can handle a few things, contract out for the rest.

Fast forward thirteen months, I get a call from the bank (finally), and I'm thinking counter offer? Nope. Accepted my lowball, thankyouverymuch haveaniceday. Boom. Got me a house.

Inspection pulled up a few things. Leaky roof (no problemo, I can do roofing), some missing fixtures. Missing fixtures? ALL the doors, absent the front and back doors, to include the pocket doors. All the baseboards, save one room. Every faucet, gone. They ripped the guts out of the old furnace, only to leave it in the basement (too large to get it out without cutting it up with a torch). Doorframes? Gone, save one on the second floor. They even tried to take the bannister, as it was solid red oak hardwood, but left it loose. Multiple other issues, some of which I forget.

That ain't the half of it.

Posted by: wrenchtape at January 22, 2022 07:53 PM (jqCfy)

22 So all in all plumbing and myself are like nitro and glycerine

Posted by: TANSTAAFL at January 22, 2022 07:54 PM (fBtlL)

23 Pex pipe is of the devil.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at January 22, 2022 07:54 PM (yQpMk)

24 Casa Refugee had a section of exterior wall covered in cultured stone. When removed, we (third owners, but apparently first who could smell mold)found the only wall prep that had been done was a layer of tyvek. The OSB had literally disintegrated in place. Window was ruined.

Rebuilt without the stone, covered it with vinyl to match rest of house.

Lesson learned: be very very wary of cultured stone.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 22, 2022 07:56 PM (QPaDe)

25 Hm.

I live in a basement, and the owners of the hundred year old house house above it are amenable to me doing stuff to it.

The worst thing I've found (so far) was that the plumbers cut completely through the main beam of the house to install a sewer drain for the upstairs toilet. They kept the house from collapsing by putting another chunk of beam under this cut, and supported the load with a single post (that had several voids in it) that wasn't quite long enough to reach the floor, and about 6 inches of shims to bring the load to the ground.

I had to call in help to fix it, but long story short, there's now a proper post on both sides of the cut.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at January 22, 2022 07:56 PM (KYPSL)

26 I generally stay away from plumbing, electricity, and anything having to do with measuring and cutting

I can paint walls
I have refinished a few pieces of furniture
I planted a tree once and it thrived (acer rubrum)
I actually built a small deck once- forgot about that one
anything else, I hire a pro

Posted by: DB - the king is a fink! at January 22, 2022 07:56 PM (geLO8)

27 Well, there was the time when I changed the trap on the sink in the bathroom. Not real hard, right? Loosen two nuts replace and done.

Dad had left me his pipe wrenches, so I used them.

Well, one nut refused to loosen, and I jerked it a few times and...done.
--------------
Pro tip, from Leah at seejanedrill: frozen nuts (?), usually caused by the build up of scale yield quickly to the application of CLR with a Q-tip. Let it work for 5-10 minutes, and then prepare to be amazed.

It's occurred to me - before doing anything drastic - to consider whether the solution to a problem lies in the field of physics/engineering, or chemistry.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 07:57 PM (YqDXo)

28 Doing a major remodeling now. I have a couple thousand words in correspondence back and forth with the contractor, who started out very well but seems to have taken GFY attitude since the third major milestone was passed. Turned out to it wasn't so much a milestone as it was a freakin' kidney stone. Crew scheduling has gone south on vacation somewhere, and now it's catch-as-catch-can, with the subs showing up whenever, and subsequent subs having to work around what the earlier ones did. Exactly the circumstance / situation that I had tried to guard against.

Is every building contractor the same all over the world? Geez.

Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at January 22, 2022 07:58 PM (K58O6)

29 Girl928's latest house has two screwjacks under a beam in the basement. No one knows why they are there.
They really don't appear to be necessary, but no one has the nerve to remove them.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at January 22, 2022 07:58 PM (yQpMk)

30 Our house was built in 1900 and has hot water heat, those lovely old iron radiators. Sadly, though, there is no duct work for central air. When we moved in, money was very, very tight, so we endured several air conditioner free summers. When I was finally able to go back to work full time (with four small kids, I would have owed the day care center more than I could earn), we could finally afford both a window air conditioner and the electric bill that would accompany it. We installed it, plugged it in, turned it on, and blew every fuse in the upstairs. Replace the fuse, try again, same thing. Our next door neighbor was an apprentice electrician. He came over to look at the situation and started laughing, saying that fuse boxes like ours hadn't been used since before WW II. Then he wired us for 220.

A couple years back, we were experiencing plumbing issues. The XO called a local plumber. He looked at the piping in the basement and told us his grandfather had probably installed it.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 07:59 PM (N86eO)

31
All you Boomers survived licking all that lead paint, too.

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 07:59 PM (W+vQq)

32 Is every building contractor the same all over the world? Geez.
Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at January 22, 2022 07:58 PM (K58O6)
-------------

Horse, barn, and all that, but check out The Honest Carpenter's video on how to deal with a general contractor.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:00 PM (YqDXo)

33 Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

I do but I've embarrassed myself enough here these past 48 hours, or so. Heh.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at January 22, 2022 08:00 PM (Xrfse)

34
They really don't appear to be necessary, but no one has the nerve to remove them.
Posted by: G'rump928(c)

"Leave well enough alone."
--Shih Tzu

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:00 PM (W+vQq)

35 Okay, power and water. Power was initially good- brand new breaker panel! ...Okay, that was the extend of the good. We had everything from knob and tube to aluminum wire to romex 12/3, grounded outlets with nary a ground wire to be seen ANYWHERE... Let's just call it a fire hazard waiting to happen and use your imagination. It was worse than that. I've seen Brazilian phone tangles that made more sense than this house's wiring.

You want water? Little kids in Africa want ice water, as my grandma used to say. Shattered PVC everywhere. Copper so corrupted I half expected it to run for office (as a democrat of course). Let's just say "rip out and plumb everydamned thing" and call it good. The only good thing was the sewer drain from the second floor. That, I didn't have to fix- I mean replace. I will not be mentioning the sewer drain on the 1F. At all

That leak? This house had *three* chimneys. THREE. One of which had rotten mortar and was in danger of coming down in a moderate windstorm. Thing *swayed* and separated from the roof, allowing water in. Which promptly ran down an interior wall and started rotting everything from there down. Not. Fun.

Posted by: wrenchtape at January 22, 2022 08:02 PM (jqCfy)

36 All you Boomers survived licking all that lead paint, too.
Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 07:59 PM (W+vQq)
--------------

You laugh, but in the 70s owing to leaded gasoline everybody had ~ 30 mcg of Pb/deciliter (100 mL) of blood.

Nowadays if you have more than 10 mcg/dL of Pb in your blood, you're hospitalized and treated through chelation therapy.

Yet are people any brighter now than they were then? Seems like quite the contrary to me.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:02 PM (YqDXo)

37 22 So all in all plumbing and myself are like nitro and glycerine
----
That's me to a tee. Something always turns out more complicated than in youtube or other instructions.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:03 PM (qfLjt)

38 Yet are people any brighter now than they were then? Seems like quite the contrary to me.

Asked and answered.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at January 22, 2022 08:03 PM (Xrfse)

39 Funny home improvement story from recent days..... my oldest and his wife bought a house in the spring. During the first cold snap of this winter, their furnace kept shutting off. No furnace when it's -16 outside with -30 windchill is no bueno. They got a HVAC tech out there that night and he found that the previous owners had wired the power for the new furnace up to a peak use meter from the power company instead of the main meter. A peak use meter means the power company can shut it off during periods of peak use. And that's why their furnace was turning off. You never hook mission critical items like furnaces, freezers, etc to a peak use meter. Pure stupidity, distilled down to 200 proof idiocy.

Posted by: Muad'dib at January 22, 2022 08:03 PM (ikXZL)

40 Okay, that was the extend of the good. We had everything from knob and tube to aluminum wire to romex 12/3, grounded outlets with nary a ground wire to be seen ANYWHERE... Let's just call it a fire hazard waiting to happen and use your imagination.
-----------------
Replace the ungrounded outlets with GFCIs. That'll at least mitigate some of the risk.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:05 PM (YqDXo)

41 I should have sold that house after I set foot in it one damned time, at a loss, and found something better. Say, a cardboard box downtown behind a Denny's. Or a tent somewhere in Alaska. In the winter. Crackheads must have lived there before me. Or maybe it was democrat staffers. Tough to tell.

Posted by: wrenchtape at January 22, 2022 08:05 PM (jqCfy)

42 I'm not much of a DIY person, though I can do some basics, I suppose. I successfully painted the walls when I bought my house and over 10 years later they still look great. I was pretty proud of myself recently when I was able to replace a circuit breaker in my electrical panel without electrocuting myself.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at January 22, 2022 08:06 PM (K5n5d)

43 From previous thread:

182 Requests or no, everyone here is on my daily rosary, whether you are nice or an asshole, decent or indecent, fapper or non-fapper, kinky or straight.

Everyone. No one gets left behind.
Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at January 22, 2022 07:20 PM (eKvjl)

tcn - if you are here - sincerely appreciated. Even if you don't think of me by name.

Posted by: Anonymous Guy in Kalifornia at January 22, 2022 08:07 PM (7SwmH)

44 I did a lot of DIY and made mistakes, but they were all on me. A guy that hunts on my place also happens to install well pumps, and we redid mine together on my property he hunts, where I built my own house, did everything except installing septic and drilling the well, and digging the foundation (and had a crew do the concrete after I did the forms).

Problem was just a twist in the wires down the well, rubbed on the casing enough to eventually short it out, since every time the pump starts there is a little torque.
(torque arrestors didn't fit in the telescoped lower casing, a bad practice by the driller ... another issue, but would probably not have solved the problem anyway)

YouTube has info on everything now, and DIY is much improved because of it, but I wish those that make videos would also post them on the other platforms, so commie YouTube would die in a fire for their censorship.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 08:07 PM (Cus5s)

45 An early tip off was that the hot and cold taps on the master bathroom shower were reversed.

Maybe he was left handed.

Posted by: Caveat Emptor Miklos at January 22, 2022 08:08 PM (QzkSJ)

46 Two things I will NOT work on: distribution panels (you need to be licensed anyway, but I wouldn't touch them in any case), and garage door springs.

Nein, danke. I've seen the YouTube videos, and while it looks doable ... no dice.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:08 PM (YqDXo)

47 >
Nein, danke. I've seen the YouTube videos, and while it looks doable ... no dice.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:08 PM (YqDXo)

Ja bestimmt. The potential energy there is considerable.

Posted by: Muad'dib at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (ikXZL)

48 Maybe he was left handed.
Posted by: Caveat Emptor Miklos at January 22, 2022 08:08 PM (QzkSJ)
--------------
Hey, I'M left-handed. Maybe Juan or Miguel was too.

The amazing thing to me is that they put up with this for TEN YEARS. I thought maybe the hot water had been shut off, and was looking for a valve, when it suddenly occurred to me to turn the control the other way.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (YqDXo)

49 Jay all I can say is the house must have been in a super prime location.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (z8oRC)

50 Buncha non nooding bastids!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (eA1RV)

51 I was pretty proud of myself recently when I was able to replace a circuit breaker in my electrical panel without electrocuting myself.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

=====

During the time you were typing that comment, the national electrical code had 3 revisions, and your circuit breaker is now 3 revs out of date. To get up to date, do a cash out refi, and then go to your local big box. You may be able to buy 2 or 3. Or a new car. Price is about the same.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (8AONa)

52 "Oh, I guess there's a manual, too."
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Si

I fix

Posted by: Manuel at January 22, 2022 08:11 PM (QzkSJ)

53 Ja bestimmt. The potential energy there is considerable.
Posted by: Muad'dib at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (ikXZL)
------------

Yep. It's a risk/benefit calculation. What's the benefit? I save a few bucks. What's the risk? I'm dead. My first mistake on either would be my last.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:11 PM (YqDXo)

54 Mostly no worse than started with, do kick myself for cutting the OSB sheathing for windows in my outbuilding with a long Sawzall blade from inside and forgot my 6 foot latter was leaning in on outside. Put a good slice in the fiberglass ladder, replaced it but of course repaired the broken so at least have 2 around house. Would never take it to work.

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:12 PM (2JoB8)

55 49 Jay all I can say is the house must have been in a super prime location.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:10 PM (z8oRC)
--------------
It was - less than a mile from the ocean, with an ocean view, and a few doors down from my parents' house after we'd moved back to CA. Also the house LOOKED great. Only after living in it a while did we find the problems.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:13 PM (YqDXo)

56 Buncha non nooding bastids!
Posted by: Duke Lowell

I accept only the "bastid" portion of the allegation.

Posted by: Miklos, who just got here, jeez at January 22, 2022 08:14 PM (QzkSJ)

57 I always loved DIY. Too old now. Just hire it done and hope for the best.

Posted by: Ronster at January 22, 2022 08:14 PM (ZKak0)

58 52 "Oh, I guess there's a manual, too."
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Si

I fix
Posted by: Manuel at January 22, 2022 08:11 PM (QzkSJ)
---------------
The funny part is that I'd programmed the irrigation controller years before, and the yard looked great. There was no need to mess with the programming. Just ensure you haven't turned off the controller, and everything will work just fine.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:15 PM (YqDXo)

59 Damn that girl on The Replacements is on my top hot list. Hottest combo of Susanna Hoffs and Dorthy Hamill.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:15 PM (z8oRC)

60 I used to be a big time do it yourselfer. Now my toolbox contains a phone book and a credit card.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at January 22, 2022 08:16 PM (eA1RV)

61 Mostly no worse than started with, do kick myself for cutting the OSB sheathing for windows in my outbuilding with a long Sawzall blade from inside and forgot my 6 foot latter was leaning in on outside. Put a good slice in the fiberglass ladder, replaced it but of course repaired the broken so at least have 2 around house. Would never take it to work.
Posted by: Skip

The possibility that Skip could make such error is hereby DENIED

Posted by: Miklos, refusing to accept disinformation at January 22, 2022 08:16 PM (QzkSJ)

62 59 Damn that girl on The Replacements is on my top hot list. Hottest combo of Susanna Hoffs and Dorthy Hamill.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:15 PM (z8oRC)

She wasn't in much that I recall. The Replacements and then I think a TV version of that Sandra Bullock Net movie?

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (f4mjo)

63 >>> Posted by: Muad'dib at January 22, 2022 08:03 PM (ikXZL)

I keep getting notices from the power company to connect my Nest unit up to them so they can adjust my energy use to help them. Now the previous owner put that thing in, not me, I've been meaning to replace it with a dumb thermostat, maybe this summer. But no way would I allow a power company to adjust my usage. But I imagine plenty of people do.

The unit sucks, it was designed by nerds up in Seattle WA who do not understand the SE and humidity. In "energy savings/ when you're away" mode in the summer it wants to wait until the house gets up to 76 before it will turn on. It's default is to just stay off. But on the cold side you can have it keep the house minimum 70. 76 here in the summer would cause structural deformation, moisture and rot problems and forever to cool back down. Obviously a PNW mindset.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (hRl/Q)

64 My dad was a stonemason who could do most anything related to construction and household repairs ( he left major electrical up to the pros.) and he did it all WELL! Most of my family is in construction. Point of story: I never had to worry about any kind of repair or contracting work. I knew it would be done by someone competent, and affordable.

I just escaped the NY/NJ metro area to move to a southern Red State and now I have to source contractors and repairmen. Holy smokes! I get loads of estimates, and when I find someone who is a gem, I hang on and get them to tell me who all their contacts are/who they use on their homes. The first two months I was here, lots of them saw my yankee license plates and immediately went: CHA-CHING$$$ with the estimates. The contractors are so busy down here that many will NOT take on any job under 30K! It's like living in the Twilight Zone.

Posted by: RondinellaMamma Donald J Trump is our duly elected President at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (l0Cy4)

65 46 Two things I will NOT work on: distribution panels (you need to be licensed anyway, but I wouldn't touch them in any case), and garage door springs.
----
Is there a problem with garage door springs? One of mine broke so I bought a kit, followed the enclosed instructions, and looked at the other side of the door, and it was done. Did I, unwittingly, lead a charmed moment?

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (qfLjt)

66 My current abode was built by a contractor in the neighborhood, with the assistance of the soon-to-be owner/occupier of the house, an electrical engineer.

Every time here I think I've seen the worst or stupidest wiring I'll come across, something else makes the list. Electricians I've mentioned this to all nod knowingly and emphatically.

Electrical engineers are not well though of by electricians.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (a3Q+t)

67 Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:13 PM (YqDXo

Roger that. After seeing so many bad flips where the cosmetics look great but underneath it's a nightmare, I get an engineer to do my inspections.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (z8oRC)

68 The funny part is that I'd programmed the Biden controller years before, and the election looked great. Just ensure you haven't turned off the controller, and everything will work just fine.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Hmmm

Posted by: Barack and Big Boss Mike at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (QzkSJ)

69 Posted by: RondinellaMamma Donald J Trump is our duly elected President at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (l0Cy4)
------------

Again, check out The Honest Carpenter's video on dealing with general contractors. It's a gold mine of information.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:20 PM (YqDXo)

70 I have many of these, but my favorite I hope will always be pinching drywall mud to try to mask where a roof leak ruined the drywall covered with popcorn. I can kinda understand not wanting to cut six square feet of drywall out of a ceiling, but good grief that sucked to fix.

Posted by: Catherine at January 22, 2022 08:20 PM (ZSsrh)

71 The day I found telescoping joints for 2" PVC I rejoiced.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 22, 2022 08:20 PM (uGA8n)

72 Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (qfL

You must be talking about side springs.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:21 PM (z8oRC)

73 You must have bought from the same guy I did. So far: two roof leaks, one I've fixed. The other I need to fix properly when I get some decent weather and materials, but I've got it mitigated.

Terrible sheet rock seam work as well, which was painted over and didn't become apparent until about 8 eight months after I bought.

The light fixture globes had so much cigarette tar on them that I initially thought they were 70s yellow. Nope. I had to use Easy Off to get them completely clean.

And then there was the sewer line. Again, I've mitigated for now, but eventually I'm going to have to trench the yard.

Posted by: Bert G at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (fHydr)

74 Roger that. After seeing so many bad flips where the cosmetics look great but underneath it's a nightmare, I get an engineer to do my inspections.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (z8oRC)
-----------------

Our present house is wonderful; everything that was wrong with Chateau Merde is great here. But if we ever move, I'm going to eyeball the new place myself, now that I know what to look for, just to make sure the house inspector didn't romance the canine.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (YqDXo)

75 69 Posted by: RondinellaMamma Donald J Trump is our duly elected President at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (l0Cy4)
------------

Again, check out The Honest Carpenter's video on dealing with general contractors. It's a gold mine of information.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:20 PM (YqDXo)

Thanks, Jay! I just pulled up his youtube page now...

Posted by: RondinellaMamma Donald J Trump is our duly elected President at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (l0Cy4)

76 Is there a problem with garage door springs? One of mine broke so I bought a kit, followed the enclosed instructions, and looked at the other side of the door, and it was done. Did I, unwittingly, lead a charmed moment?

Posted by: Ciampino

====

If the door is heavy, them springs have lots of stored energy. When they break, you hear it. If it's a hollow door with foam, not quite the same risk.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (8AONa)

77 I built my house. Dug the basement w/ dad's backhoe. Did the wiring and plumbing myself. poured most of the concrete. Hired the drywall and flooring.
Put in a hot water furnace with the copper plumbing. Forgot to sweat one connection. Turned the water to it and what a surprise. I had seen a trick where you put a little bit of white bread in the pipe to hold the water back so I could sweat the fitting. It worked.

Posted by: Ronster at January 22, 2022 08:23 PM (ZKak0)

78 Pretty easy for the Pack.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (eA1RV)

79 Last DYI job I participated in was putting up a bead board ceiling in the kitchen. My brother-in-law did the nailing while I held the boards in place with my cane. Came out really nice.

Posted by: Javems at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (AmoqO)

80 Spackle dissolves in water even after hardening

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (2JoB8)

81 My solar panels put out 280 to 500 volts ... I had to read up on common ground and a few other things, but the risk of death motivates/excites me. lol

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (Cus5s)

82 If the door is heavy, them springs have lots of stored energy. When they break, you hear it. If it's a hollow door with foam, not quite the same risk.
Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (8AONa)

Yes . Also when installing you need to put the energy back in by turning the springs. Most dangerous part of the installation.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (z8oRC)

83 My house is fine, for a House of a Certain Age, in the environment to which it has become accustomed. All the electrical stuff is even up to code as of when it was installed (ca. 1990).

Figuring out which object(s) on the wall* will need to be manipulated, in what order, to turn on a light in a room (any light in the room, because you don't get to be picky about which light) is like something from Myst. It's the damn Winchester Mystery wiring.

* there are only four or so things that are recognizable as switches, everything else is a flat rocker switch or something with a toggle switch and a slider, or a rocker switch with an LED that goes from one end to the other.

Posted by: hogmartin at January 22, 2022 08:24 PM (P4LRL)

84 I got rid of those problems the easy way. A foot of water no the house in 2018 and that half of the house got torn off and rebuilt new up above flood plain height. Insurance helped pay for some of that.

Posted by: Clutch at January 22, 2022 08:25 PM (9UmRs)

85 59 Damn that girl on The Replacements is on my top hot list. Hottest combo of Susanna Hoffs and Dorthy Hamill.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:15 PM (z8oRC)

Name, if you please...

Posted by: browndog Official Mascot of Team Gizzard at January 22, 2022 08:25 PM (BgMrQ)

86 I'd have to buy a couple of new keyboards as the word count would approach numbers normally reseved to astronomy and the wear and tear upon them would exceed the QC testing for each.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 22, 2022 08:25 PM (Mij+d)

87 Brooke Langton

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at January 22, 2022 08:26 PM (f4mjo)

88 pinching drywall mud
Posted by: Catherine at January 22, 2022 08:20 PM (ZSsrh)

That sounds like a creative euphemism for pooping.

Posted by: hogmartin at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (P4LRL)

89 Just watched Green Bay do a 1989 49ers dink and dunk touchdown

Posted by: JEM at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (uTDRi)

90 72 Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (qfL

You must be talking about side springs.
----
Yes, are there other designs?

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (qfLjt)

91 She was also evidently in the Last Ship back in 2018.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (f4mjo)

92 And then there was the sewer line. Again, I've mitigated for now, but eventually I'm going to have to trench the yard.
Posted by: Bert G at January 22, 2022 08:22 PM (fHydr)
----------------

Ah, the sewer line. Another delightful feature of Chateau Merde. Several palm trees were between the house and the street, and their roots had obviously grown into the outfall pipe, leading to sewage backing up, invariably on national holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day), or when we were going to have people over for a BBQ. "Just ignore the first floor bathtub full of what was last night's dinner, OK?"

Getting tired of paying holiday rates for roto-rooters, I bought my own power augur. Not cheap, but worth every penny. Then whenever the sewage outfall backed up (typically about twice a year), I'd be out there auguring out the cleanout.

You might be surprised to learn that the most delightful sound in the universe is the gurgling sound when you've penetrated the blockage, and the pipe drains to the street.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (YqDXo)

93 Is there a problem with garage door springs? One of mine broke so I bought a kit, followed the enclosed instructions, and looked at the other side of the door, and it was done. Did I, unwittingly, lead a charmed moment?
Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 08:17 PM (qfLjt)

Twin springs, one on each side of the door, are easy. All you need to do is prop the door up while you replace the spring. The ones that are dangerous if you don't know what you are doing and don't have the proper tools are torsion springs. Leave those to a pro.

Posted by: moon_over_vermont at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM (SvIdH)

94 My sister moved into a house in Fort Smith, 200 years old, and there weren't many of those down there.

It hed been through 2 attempted incomplete renovations.

The guy who sold it to them was named Ron Ponder. While my sister was touring the place, his wife said" "Ron never picked up a hammer before, can you believe that?"

Oh, yes, yes I can.

Everything in the house had been "Ponderized". It became a euphemism for FUBAR between us.

I went down there for a marathon fix up event & managed to make the place livable and securable, but that was a story unto itself.

Posted by: West at January 22, 2022 08:28 PM (QY+6a)

95 I have not done any major DIY jobs on Casa Gref. I successfully completed all of my minor electrical, plumbing, shelving, and other types of tasks. But some battles went down to my last last at-bat, Gref versus The Inanimate Objects. Sometimes my tools joined the other side for a time during the fight, and a number of electrical and plumbing jobs needed three or more trips to the hardware store after work commenced.

So far, I am undefeated against The Inanimate Objects on minor DYI tasks. So far. Those DYI battles taught me my limitations - I hire pros to do all big tasks at home.

Posted by: Gref at January 22, 2022 08:28 PM (AMIL/)

96 I'd love to be the assistant to a DiYer.

Folks who can fix stuff are freaking awesome.

Posted by: nurse ratched at January 22, 2022 08:28 PM (U2p+3)

97 Our house had polybutylene plumbing. Also the 600' main from the road. The inspector said nothing. I learned all about it pretty quick. Most of it has now been replaced with PVC or Pex.
Did I mention I hate plumbing?.

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 08:29 PM (vrz2I)

98 I put new kitchen cabinet doors on instead of replacing the cabinets. Saved 20k.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:29 PM (z8oRC)

99 66 Electrical engineers are not well though of by electricians.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (a3Q+t)

Speaking as an engineer (not an EE) - totally different skill sets

Posted by: Anonymous Guy in Kalifornia at January 22, 2022 08:29 PM (7SwmH)

100 23 Pex pipe is of the devil.
Posted by: G'rump928(c) at January 22, 2022 07:54 PM (yQpMk)

You prefer copper?

Posted by: Clutch at January 22, 2022 08:29 PM (9UmRs)

101 Well.

I have just completed about four (4) gallons of Brunswick stew.

It has been pronounced "just like we used to make it at the church".

If desirous, Brunswick Stew Virgins to the right, Brunswick Stew non-virgins to the left.

Posted by: Miklos hears good things at January 22, 2022 08:30 PM (QzkSJ)

102 Somewhat related, we are in the process of selling and buying. Both houses at this time are under contract, and inspections have been done. My current house has damn near nothing that needs work, the "new" house has plenty, most of which we are NOT going to ask the sellers to fix.

However, after all the other paperwork is done, I get the "disclosure" statement to peruse and sign.

Lots of shitty little things on that statement, so I ask the question of my realtor, why didn't I see this BEFORE we signed? Her response? Well, that's just not how it works.

So in other words, go F yourself, you already signed the contract.

I hate real estate transactions. These people are useless, and the system has been over-lawyered.

Posted by: BurtTC at January 22, 2022 08:30 PM (4GFH7)

103 Is there a problem with garage door springs? One of mine broke so I bought a kit, followed the enclosed instructions, and looked at the other side of the door, and it was done. Did I, unwittingly, lead a charmed moment?

Posted by: Ciampino
-------------------------
My advice: don't buy a kit with enclosed instructions on how to milk rattlesnakes, or jerk off tarantulas.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:31 PM (YqDXo)

104 Dad's an electrical engineer. Give him a circuit board to diagnose and repair or some soldering to do, and he is your man. He will not touch wiring. Never has.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at January 22, 2022 08:31 PM (f4mjo)

105
Last week we got a quick 6" of snow and then it warmed up and began pouring rain. My driveway became a swimming pool, with water encroaching into my garage.

My driveway has very little pitch to the street, but I never get flooded...normally. Luckily I didn't get a lot of water in the garage. It taught me a valuable lesson: Be better prepared for a flood!

-- Wet Vac is an absolute must
-- Make sure gutter downspouts are on-point
-- Absorbent Socks (Sausage Booms) and Water Diverter apparatus.
-- 1" electric submersible pump is nice to have, too

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:31 PM (W+vQq)

106 Is there a problem with garage door springs?
--------
My dad had me stretch the spring that broke with a big bar he had. Always when it's cold as shit.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 08:31 PM (+ya+t)

107 > Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

Every fucking time I pick up a tool.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 08:31 PM (BFigT)

108 Miklos, I've got 3 lbs of diced rump roast mulling in Guiness until tomorrow,

Posted by: Ben Had at January 22, 2022 08:32 PM (uGA8n)

109 TCN, thanks very much -- I appreciate that, as I need all the prayers anyone is willing to direct my way.

I don't remember a request from you, but if you want a rosary, just let me know what you'd like, and I'll be happy to send it to you, as long as I have the correct materials.

Posted by: Ann Wilson, aka Empire 1 at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (JJatH)

110 Leave those to a pro.
Posted by: moon_over_vermont

If you don't handle those just right, they'll decapitate you in a fraction of a second.

Just pay.

Posted by: West at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (QY+6a)

111 Then whenever the sewage outfall backed up (typically about twice a year), I'd be out there auguring out the cleanout.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Every fuckin' day

What circles around, come around

Posted by: J. Psaki at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (QzkSJ)

112 Damn that girl on The Replacements is on my top hot list. Hottest combo of Susanna Hoffs and Dorthy Hamill.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:15 PM (z8oRC)

Name, if you please...
Posted by: browndog Official Mascot of Team Gizzard at January 22, 2022 08:25 PM (BgMrQ)

Year 2000 Brooke Langton.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (z8oRC)

113 You might be surprised to learn that the most delightful sound in the universe is the gurgling sound when you've penetrated the blockage, and the pipe drains to the street.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:27 PM

Very familiar with it! In my case, it's a sweet gum tree's roots. Periodic use of root killer is keeping things in check for now.

Posted by: Bert G at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (fHydr)

114 Every time I fail at the first attempt at DIY I learn something so I'm good.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (uGA8n)

115 If you don't handle those just right, they'll decapitate you in a fraction of a second.

Posted by: West at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (QY+6a)
------------
If you're lucky. If you're not lucky, you might be cut in half in less time than it takes to sneeze.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (YqDXo)

116 Miklos, I've got 3 lbs of diced rump roast mulling in Guiness until tomorrow,
Posted by: Ben Had

Tell Cannibal Bob I said Hi

Posted by: Miklos, respectfully declining at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (QzkSJ)

117 I think I mentioned this in a previous thread. We had a circuit breaker start tripping late last year. I had assumed it was because we had started using an electric heater in the room, and it was overloading the circuit (15 amps on the outlets). Happened a couple times. Then suddenly a handful of the outlets in the room went out, while others still worked.

I pulled the first outlet in the series that went out, and lo and behold! the side of the outlet had melted. You see, the outlets had not been wired using pigtails. The circuit ran straight through the outlets. Now, some people say that's no problem, and it might not have been, had it been wired correctly. However, whoever wired it exposed far too much of the wire (about an inch and a half), and left it exposed, and sticking out from the screw it was wrapped around.

I don't know if the draw from the heater (which was downstream of the bad outlet) melted it, or if it was slowly melting over time. I'm just glad I found it before a fire started.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 08:35 PM (CAJOC)

118
Also, I have several of those Water Alarms -- you set them on the floor to detect water. For example, you put one next to your water heater.

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:35 PM (W+vQq)

119 Nothing beats having your septic tank 6 feet from the back door.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 08:36 PM (BFigT)

120 Dad's an electrical engineer. Give him a circuit board to diagnose and repair or some soldering to do, and he is your man. He will not touch wiring. Never has.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop

=====

Somewhere in the basement there is a piece of paper saying I are a EE. Ironically, I'm now a better electrician. Couldn't troubleshoot a board to save my life.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at January 22, 2022 08:36 PM (8AONa)

121 Very familiar with it! In my case, it's a sweet gum tree's roots. Periodic use of root killer is keeping things in check for now.
Posted by: Bert G at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (fHydr)
-----------------

That would explain why California bans root killers.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:36 PM (YqDXo)

122 I've got an old family recipe for Brunswick stew that starts with "one hogs head".

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 08:36 PM (vrz2I)

123 I loved this article. Sarcasm is a science.

Posted by: TXBoilermaker at January 22, 2022 08:37 PM (wTgxM)

124 Speaking as an engineer (not an EE) - totally different skill sets
Posted by: Anonymous Guy in Kalifornia at January 22, 2022 08:29 PM

I think that's the point, and that the EEs think not.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 22, 2022 08:37 PM (a3Q+t)

125 My wife has turned into a pretty good diesel mechanic. I read the manual and she does the work. Her hands fit where mine won't.

Posted by: Javems at January 22, 2022 08:38 PM (AmoqO)

126 Bought my house from a couple that wanted a forever home. Until the call of grandkids, and somewhat impractical stairs for the elderly.

The guy was an electrical engineer with ideas of home automation. Which is another story. There is a switch for bedroom lighting, and a walk-in shower room, with two shower nozzles with separate temp controllers. And much uch more. Which I do not use.

My biggest peeve is he did not label the three breaker boxes.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 08:38 PM (u82oZ)

127 I pulled the first outlet in the series that went out, and lo and behold! the side of the outlet had melted. You see, the outlets had not been wired using pigtails
------------
On the GFCI mentioned above, I'd used pigtails. The electrician who checked it out semi-jocularly offered me a job!

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:38 PM (YqDXo)

128 I found out the hard way not to put DrainX into clogged drains. $1200 later and new pipe from the sink to the main in the basement floor. Pipe crumbled in my hands.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 08:38 PM (+ya+t)

129 Electrical engineers are not well though of by electricians.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at January 22, 2022 08:19 PM (a3Q+t)

No. They are not.

And they are difficult to work for because they "know" more about your job than you do.

Just sayin'.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 08:39 PM (RU4sa)

130 I've installed 4 garage doors that used the horizontal springs. Not a big deal if you pay attention.
The last 2 garage doors I installed were very easy. You could use a drill to tighten the springs. Can't remember the brand, but it was a godsend.

Posted by: Ronster at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (ZKak0)

131 114 Every time I fail at the first attempt at DIY I learn something so I'm good.
Posted by: Ben Had at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (uGA8n)

Same here, and that is my current problem. About two weeks ago the water feed valve to our boiler started leaking all over the floor. Tried to get a plumber out and first available date was Feb 9th. Finally found another that can do it on next Friday (1/29). I'm fairly handy but I've never sweated copper pipes before and I don't want to learn while working on the heater, in January, in Vermont. It was -20 last night so collecting the water in buckets and emptying them out twice a day works for me. Been doing it for 2 weeks and have bit less than one to go.

Posted by: moon_over_vermont at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (SvIdH)

132 My biggest peeve is he did not label the three breaker boxes.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 08:38 PM (u82oZ)
--------------
I have a circuit tracer that you plug into an outlet. It places a beeping signal on the line, which you can then identify on the breaker panel. Saves a LOT of circumfornication with flipping breakers and seeing which circuits are now dead.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (YqDXo)

133 My garage door springs go every few years, I reconnect by opening door all the way so hardly any tension is on then, wind the eye bolt on and let door down.

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (2JoB8)

134
btw, when's the last time any of you cleaned the coils on the back of your Refrigerators?

Or dumped out that little water pan that's filled with disgusting water?

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (W+vQq)

135 Ex-ex

As almost a journeyman electrician, you must have ... stories.

Change the town, and tell us tales to make our hair curl. Please.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (u82oZ)

136 Electrical engineers are not well though of by electricians.

Like tax lawyers and accountants?

Posted by: Miklos, regretfully aware at January 22, 2022 08:41 PM (QzkSJ)

137 One of our garage doors had extension springs (before we replaced the doors). The wire on one side broke free, because the plate it was attached to on the door rusted away. That was an easy fix.

I don't go near the torsion springs.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 08:41 PM (CAJOC)

138 Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

Taking a plumbing fitting or valve installed by the builder to the hardware store and finding nothing that matches it one-to-one. Then figuring out what the store has that's closest to the original, along with thread adapters and other stuff I can buy to let me gin-up and install a replacement fitting or valve.

Posted by: Gref at January 22, 2022 08:41 PM (AMIL/)

139 Deplorable Jay Guevara

I did it by having my wife in a room, and shouting at each other.

Your way sounds better. And I have a circuit sounder. Now.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 08:42 PM (u82oZ)

140 I'm fairly handy but I've never sweated copper pipes before and I don't want to learn while working on the heater, in January, in Vermont. It was -20 last night so collecting the water in buckets and emptying them out twice a day works for me. Been doing it for 2 weeks and have bit less than one to go.
Posted by: moon_over_vermont at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (SvIdH)
---------------
Sweating copper pipes is an art form. Practice on a dummied-up joint to get the idea. Check out the videos on the "Got2Learn" channel for tips on how to do it correctly. Once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard. Getting the hang of it, another story.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:42 PM (YqDXo)

141 As said here before if trying a task unsure of it can't hurt to watch s video on it. Couple weeks ago my Paslode trim nail gut wasn't working, watched a video and took it apart, cleaned it a little but lubed as the video said, put it together and works fine.

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:43 PM (2JoB8)

142 I've got an old family recipe for Brunswick stew that starts with "one hogs head".
Posted by: fd

Look carefully.

They scratched out "28 squirrels"

Posted by: Organic Free-Range Heirloom Miklos at January 22, 2022 08:43 PM (QzkSJ)

143 I fixed my tractor and replaced the blades by watching videos. It was different when I started out.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 08:44 PM (u82oZ)

144 I fear nothing but underground plumbong

Posted by: JEM at January 22, 2022 08:44 PM (uTDRi)

145 My wife has turned into a pretty good diesel mechanic. I read the manual and she does the work. Her hands fit where mine won't.

My grandson is a diesel mechanic. He's making good money. Struggled for a few years but I told him when he decided to do this.. you will not regret it.

Posted by: Jewells45 deplorablethug#FJB at January 22, 2022 08:44 PM (nxdel)

146 Agree with Jay, even in a emergency if it's not perfect it could save a big headache.

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:44 PM (2JoB8)

147 119 Nothing beats having your septic tank 6 feet from the back door.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 08:36 PM (BFigT)

This is not DYI but septic tank related. I was working in the office at a trucking company terminal. I went out back one day to do something and I fell though the top of a septic tank. I was agile enough at the time to only submerge one leg. They had a shower in the office fortunately. The secretary hand washed my pants and they gave me the rest of the day off. With pay.

Posted by: Javems at January 22, 2022 08:45 PM (AmoqO)

148 "and it was overloading the circuit (15 amps on the outlets)

The outlets also have amp ratings, so if the first outlet was was 15 amp, maybe it melted since it was carrying more than 15 amps ... before the breaker tripped. idk ... but recently learned those limits are to protect the wiring, you want the breaker to trip before wiring or the outlet overload. ... maybe older outlets were lower amp ratings ... I have an old house and have run a lot of new runs, not so sure about some of the old stuff.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 08:45 PM (Cus5s)

149 btw, when's the last time any of you cleaned the coils on the back of your Refrigerators?

Or dumped out that little water pan that's filled with disgusting water?
Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (W+vQq)
--------------

Or replaced the sacrificial anode on your water heater? Or drained the crap out of your water heater?

Our water heater is 17 years old, and apparently going strong. But then I drain it every year, and replace the sacrificial anode every two years. Our water here in SD is awful, as evidenced by the incredibly decrepit state of the old sacrificial anode. Let's just say, it would be a closed casket funeral.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:46 PM (YqDXo)

150 I'm pretty good at the DYI, but I don't play in the Romex world.

Good news is, my next door neighbor is a USCG Master Electrican's Mate (Chief). Next project, wiring the garage for 220vac.

Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at January 22, 2022 08:46 PM (QzJWU)

151 I've got a couple of three-way switches that I've needed to work on for some time now. I've looked at the switches, and the rat's nest of wires in the junction box. It's going to take some time to unravel it all.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 08:46 PM (CAJOC)

152 Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

Well, that time at Band Camp when we decided to make IUDs as our Crafts Project

Posted by: hold my trombone at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (QzkSJ)

153 The day we moved into our current house I realized that the previous owner was a world-class slapdick.

We had our brand-new washer and dryer set delivered and hooked up. We ran a load through the washer fine. Into the dryer it went, where after 90 minutes I returned to the laundry room to find a room heated to approximately 140 degrees and a load of wet clothes.

Upon pulling the dryer away from the wall, I reached into the vent pipe and pulled out a wad of lint. Then another, then another, and pretty soon I couldn't reach in any further. I went to the attic space above, pulled the pipe apart at a seam and lint fell out everywhere.

The dryer vent pipe was packed, PACKED, from the floor behind the dryer to the roof vent 20 feet above, with lint. The house was 20 years old at that point and he was the only owner. How it hadn't yet burned to the damn ground is beyond me.

Posted by: ballistic at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (oXNqT)

154 I have a circuit tracer that you plug into an outlet. It places a beeping signal on the line, which you can then identify on the breaker panel. Saves a LOT of circumfornication with flipping breakers and seeing which circuits are now dead.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (YqDXo)

I have one of those made by Klein (I think). Picked it up at Home Depot for $40 or so.

Works pretty good... unless the circuits are on aluminum wires. Doesn't always work with knob and tube, either.

On a side note: Klein tweeters will give you false positives on aluminum wires whereas Ideal tweeters tend not to.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (RU4sa)

155 146 Agree with Jay, even in a emergency if it's not perfect it could save a big headache.
Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:44 PM (2JoB

----------------

Pretty is nice, but the sweated joint will be in a wall. As long as it doesn't leak, I call it good.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (YqDXo)

156 I wonder what was underground? The work I've seen down there.... and that's where it's real expensive to fix.

Posted by: Fozzy at January 22, 2022 08:48 PM (lNDdS)

157 Better turn this off and get back to schedule, or as British say seadule.
Goodnight horde

Posted by: Skip at January 22, 2022 08:48 PM (2JoB8)

158 I have galvanized water pipes. Old but fortunately not the Chinese made piping. I've been prepared to do emergency leak repairs for 14 years now . Knock on wood. ( don't feel like dropping 15k right now to have replaced)

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:48 PM (z8oRC)

159 Once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard. Getting the hang of it, another story.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:42 PM (YqDXo)

I've heard many times it is easy but you just need to know how, and been saying for years I should learn when there is no pressure to do so, but somehow life always has something else it wants me to do instead. The once a decade or so when the need arises I never know how to do it. Sure the same thing will happen this time around also.

Posted by: moon_over_vermont at January 22, 2022 08:49 PM (SvIdH)

160 The house hubby and I bought back in 1980 had the cheapest ass "wood" paneling ever in the living room. (They didn't want to fix the plaster underneath). Dark, gloomy. But the 'accent" wall made up for all that.

It had Z-brick from the floor to about 4 foot height. From there to the ceiling they glued on brown cork panels, except for the middle of the cork where they installed a rectangle of some 36 mirror tiles.

Hideous does not describe it justly. However it was 1980, and interest rates were through the roof and we were able to buy in for a $1000 down payment and an incredibly low (at that time) 7 percent mortgage.

Yeah, one day hubby came home and found all the paneling in the front yard where I threw it. Took a lot longer to chisel that Z brick off.

Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 08:49 PM (Q8bDL)

161 On a side note: Klein tweeters will give you false positives on aluminum wires whereas Ideal tweeters tend not to.
Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (RU4sa)
--------------

Turn down the sensitivity as far as possible, then gradually turn up the sensitivity until you get ONE signal. The problem with circuit tracers is that they're subject to cross talk with nearby energized circuits inducing some current in them.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:49 PM (YqDXo)

162
17 years is great for a water heater.

The units they make today are Junk. They expect 5-10 years, at most.

Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:49 PM (W+vQq)

163 Agree with Jay, even in a emergency if it's not perfect it could save a big headache.
Posted by: Skip

"Darling-But it's an emergency!"

Wife-"I have a headache"

Posted by: Rodney Miklos-Dangerfield at January 22, 2022 08:50 PM (QzkSJ)

164 I sweated a few copper pipes but did most of my place with PEX ... easy peasy, feel more confident with the PEX ... and it handles a freeze better, as I understand it. Longer term idk ... copper has nostalgic value.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 08:50 PM (Cus5s)

165 Again, check out The Honest Carpenter's video on dealing with general contractors. It's a gold mine of information.

There was a good show with Adam Carolla probably 7 or 8 years ago called "To Catch A Contractor" where he'd show up at really fucked up home renovations and either force the contractor to re-do it to code under 24/7 supervision or just humiliate them on TV and then do the work with his own crew.

I strongly suspect it was cancelled (it ran 2 or 3 years) because the vast majority of the shitty contractors were Mexicans who didn't speak much English, and that offended PC sensibilities.

Posted by: Ian S. at January 22, 2022 08:50 PM (Aqf1y)

166 The dryer vent pipe was packed, PACKED, from the floor behind the dryer to the roof vent 20 feet above, with lint. The house was 20 years old at that point and he was the only owner. How it hadn't yet burned to the damn ground is beyond me.
Posted by: ballistic at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (oXNqT)
--------------
There are brushes you can run through dryer lines, but (looks around sheepishly) I find blasting the line with a leaf blower works like a champ, and blows all the crap out the line.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:52 PM (YqDXo)

167 Chateau Merde, there may have been gold or guns hidden in the walls or something large and dehydrated.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 08:52 PM (MS9b1)

168 I find blasting the line with a leaf blower works like a champ, and blows all the crap out the line.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Worked to get the global warmening off my car this morning.

Posted by: Miklos, in a snow-averse area at January 22, 2022 08:54 PM (QzkSJ)

169 166 The dryer vent pipe was packed, PACKED, from the floor behind the dryer to the roof vent 20 feet above, with lint. The house was 20 years old at that point and he was the only owner. How it hadn't yet burned to the damn ground is beyond me.
Posted by: ballistic at January 22, 2022 08:47 PM (oXNqT)
--------------
There are brushes you can run through dryer lines, but (looks around sheepishly) I find blasting the line with a leaf blower works like a champ, and blows all the crap out the line.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:52 PM (YqDXo)

-----------------------

That's how my wife cleans leaves out of the gutters. She walks along the edge of the roof with a leaf blower, and gets all the crud out of there. Makes me nervous, even though the roof isn't very steep or high.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (CAJOC)

170 Every time I have hired a home inspector prior to purchase, I have been screwed.

There is no penalty for missing problems.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (t3/qz)

171 17 years is great for a water heater.

The units they make today are Junk. They expect 5-10 years, at most.
Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:49 PM (W+vQq)
-----------------
I'm very much into maintenance, and have imbued my sons with the same ethos. After doing water heater maintenance - maybe 30 minutes' worth, plus ~$25 bucks for a new sacrificial anode - I turned to them and said, "Now, would you rather do THAT, or drop $1000 to have a new water heater installed?"

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (YqDXo)

172 When we moved into our 100-yo house in Kenosha, there were some DIY stuff that needed to be fixed, mainly plumbing and wiring. Fortunately, we had some cash left over from the sale of our old place, so we just hired pros and told them to make the magic happen. Which they did.

Fortunately, the power was terminated at a nice modern breaker box. However, I did have to map every electrical outlet - and there's more than 100 altogether - to its breaker. All I had from the previous owner were some scribbled notes, mostly illegible.

Posted by: Nemo at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (S6ArX)

173 btw, when's the last time any of you cleaned the coils on the back of your Refrigerators?
Or dumped out that little water pan that's filled with disgusting water?
Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate Tales at January 22, 2022 08:40 PM (W+vQq)

My goal was to wheel the major appliances into the driveway and detail and clean them like my car.

So, five years I think.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (ZMraq)

174 You should totally sue the inspector. That is straight up negligence.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (h2pVH)

175 There are brushes you can run through dryer lines, but (looks around sheepishly) I find blasting the line with a leaf blower works like a champ, and blows all the crap out the line.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:52 PM (YqDXo)

----

Took at least an hour with just the flexible fiberglass pole poking at the logjam of lint just to break it up enough that it would fall out.

Unreal.

Posted by: ballistic at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (oXNqT)

176 Hey, Che Blake #1 - original builder, in order to make up for the hot water connection being a bit short for a bathroom faucet, installed a galvanized fitting on the copper line feeding the sink. I didn't find it until I replaced all of our faucets. What a corroded mess. Fortunately, I'd already bought new lines for everything.

A concrete patio was poured in the backyard, prior to my arrival at Che Blake. The contractor poured the concrete above the weep on the edge of the stucco. Bonded, insured and highly recommended contractor, too!

Friend of mine, oddly enough, found the exact same type of romex line hidden in a wall in his place. Just hanging there, live circuit, whole nine yards. Been that way since the seventies, which considering the drug scene in the area, probably explains the live power hidden in the wall

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 08:57 PM (5pTK/)

177 In 86 I bought my first house. While at work we had a 100 year flood that put 15 inches of water in my basement. Nothing compared to a lot of people but it put the pilot light out on my dryer and the safety didn't kick the gas off. Came home from work and opened the door to a house full of gas as my buddy flicked a smoke. I don't buy lottery tickets.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 08:57 PM (+ya+t)

178 I live in a house that is 130 years old. I knew what I was getting into so shit is constantly in need of repair. But love the house and the neighborhood so worth it.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at January 22, 2022 08:58 PM (h2pVH)

179 Fortunately, the power was terminated at a nice modern breaker box. However, I did have to map every electrical outlet - and there's more than 100 altogether - to its breaker. All I had from the previous owner were some scribbled notes, mostly illegible.
Posted by: Nemo at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (S6ArX)

-------------------------

Previous owners had a nice typed-out map of the circuit breakers, which unfortunately wasn't entirely accurate.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 08:58 PM (CAJOC)

180 You should totally sue the inspector. That is straight up negligence.
Posted by: Joe XiDen

Read their fine print. They make no guarantees. If they see it, they see it. If not, that is your fuckin problem. It seems like there are protections, but there are enough asterisks and exceptions that you will never encounter a scenario where a home inspector is liable for missing a problem. I went through all of this with a house I bought in IN. Had serious structural problems and an inch of bat shit in the attic. Oh, well, buddy. Fine print.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 22, 2022 08:59 PM (t3/qz)

181 Home inspector said two of the circuits had aluminum wiring but that it was no problem. Not for him but it was the straw for me.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 08:59 PM (MS9b1)

182 167 Chateau Merde, there may have been gold or guns hidden in the walls or something large and dehydrated.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 08:52 PM (MS9b1)
-------------

"Say, did they ever find the previous owner's first wife?"

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:59 PM (YqDXo)

183 Don't want to jinx myself, water heater is the one that is probably next to go. Thinking of a tankless. No matter what you do, it's costly.

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 08:59 PM (qpolg)

184 We once, many moons ago, leased a big house with option to buy.
Noticed in the living room, there was a ceiling leak below an upstairs bathroom.
Owner sent a guy over, cut out the sheet rock, pulled a pan out from the ceiling, emptied it and reinstalled the pan and fixed the sheetrock. Did a beautiful job. We moved.

Posted by: MkY at January 22, 2022 09:00 PM (cPGH3)

185 "Now, would you rather do THAT, or drop $1000 to have a new water heater installed?"
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:55 PM (YqDXo)
------------

Hey, hey hey, it's only $700 if you do it yourself! (according a friend, anyway)

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:00 PM (5pTK/)

186 The units they make today are Junk. They expect 5-10 years, at most.
Posted by: Soothsayer's Untrue But Accurate

Who needs hot water?

Bathing is unhealthy and an offense to Gaia.

Posted by: Modern Medievalist Miklos at January 22, 2022 09:01 PM (QzkSJ)

187 {{{cfo mom}}}

Well, you swapped houses and hopefully got a good, low maintenance one.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:02 PM (u82oZ)

188 Hey, hey hey, it's only $700 if you do it yourself! (according a friend, anyway)
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:00 PM (5pTK/)
--------------

Question: what do you do with the old one? Put stamps on it and hope the USPS delivers it somewhere?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:02 PM (YqDXo)

189 Deplorable Jay Guevara

Brick houses only, I assume.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:03 PM (u82oZ)

190
When we were looking at our current house before purchase, the owner (a dentist by trade, which only matters in that he had a good income and was educated), was very proud of the Spanish tile roof he'd had installed. You know, those ceramic orange half-cylinder things. It was the only house in the development that had them.

1. Could not walk on the roof without cracking the tiles unless padding and boards were laid down to distribute the weight. Especially me (around 200 pounds).

2. Weight of the tiles exceeded the design limits of the structure. Sliding glass doors and windows tended to bind due to the excess weight pushing the house frame out of true.

Eventually replaced the tiles with high tech, lightweight, fire-resistant, infrared-reflecting shingles. Great. Weight removed. Had to service the roof anyway because the felt layer was deteriorated.

He was so proud...

2. Weight of

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at January 22, 2022 09:03 PM (2iDSr)

191 Question: what do you do with the old one? Put stamps on it and hope the USPS delivers it somewhere?
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

If you have scrappers in your area, put it at the curb. It will be gone in minutes.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 22, 2022 09:03 PM (t3/qz)

192 Remodeler contractor set untreated sills and floor joists on the fcuking ground. Time for another drink.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:03 PM (0OP+5)

193 My house is from 1924 and still has fuses. I need to get breakers.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:04 PM (+ya+t)

194 Question: what do you do with the old one? Put stamps on it and hope the USPS delivers it somewhere?
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:02 PM (YqDXo)
----------------

Hmm, good question. I either hauled it to the dump or tossed it in the dumpster at work. (I was friends with the lead custodian)

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:04 PM (5pTK/)

195 Hey, hey hey, it's only $700 if you do it yourself! (according a friend, anyway)
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:00 PM (5pTK/)

-------------------------------

Many years ago, the DIY channel had a show called Renovation Realities. It was people who tried their hand at DIY, but got in over their heads. One memorable episode had the entire crew evacuate when the homeowner disconnected a gas line.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 09:04 PM (CAJOC)

196 -------------- Question: what do you do with the old one? Put stamps on it and hope the USPS delivers it somewhere?
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara
-------------

Out here in free America you set it next to the curb and pickers take it and sell it for scrap.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (MS9b1)

197 Luckily the contractors I have used over the years have all been great. All came as referrals. Only way to go. Otherwise it is a big crapshoot. And as luck would have it I have a plumber down the street, who is the unofficial plumber of our street. Dude knows pipes!! Any time I have an issue I text him and he comes and fixes it.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (h2pVH)

198 There is an art teacher at KSU that turns toilets into planters. She makes chicken coops and egg rooms out of cut in half water heaters.

Seems like art gone mad, but people do talk about her.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (u82oZ)

199 "Home inspector said two of the circuits had aluminum wiring but that it was no problem. Not for him but it was the straw for me." Posted by: Braenyard

the main feed is usually 4-0 aluminum afaik, but all the rest is copper, mostly 12-2 except for the 220 stuff. 8ga for the stove or dryer, 10 gauge for the water heater. I've never seen the aluminum inside, but I guess it was done for awhile ... cost cutting in fast build suburbs maybe?

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (Cus5s)

200 I have a circuit tracer that you plug into an outlet. It places a beeping signal on the line, which you can then identify on the breaker panel. Saves a LOT of circumfornication with flipping breakers and seeing which circuits are now dead.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

Best $$ on tools I've spent in a long time.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (mD/uy)

201 2. Weight of the tiles exceeded the design limits of the structure. Sliding glass doors and windows tended to bind due to the excess weight pushing the house frame out of true.

Eventually replaced the tiles with high tech, lightweight, fire-resistant, infrared-reflecting shingles. Great. Weight removed. Had to service the roof anyway because the felt layer was deteriorated.

He was so proud...

2. Weight of
Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at January 22, 2022 09:03 PM (2iDSr)
--------------

There is a reason why houses with concrete tile roofs have 2x6 trusses.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (5pTK/)

202 Setting out a refrigerator had to take the doors off.
The body was gone before I carried out the doors.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:06 PM (MS9b1)

203 Does the Horde have any good DIY horror stories?

This house. The previous owner's FIL was, according to the story I was told, a "contractor" who put on a new master bedroom as an addition. For heating and cooling he tapped into the existing ductwork and ran a flex vent to the bedroom. I don't think it's insulated as it blows cold in winter and hot in summer. Not just for a minute, but pretty much the whole time the main fan is on. Guess the baseboard heater should have been clue that not everything was right.

Then there's this room. Walls were lined with built in bookshelves. Normally a couple of hits with a hammer and those are down, right? But not these. Nails, screws, caulking, metal angle brackets, and shelves that were built in interlocking layers. Took most of a day to clear a single wall, and tore the hell out of the drywall in the process. That's why I learned how to redo texturing.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com. Not insurgents, counterrevolutionaries. at January 22, 2022 09:06 PM (SchxB)

204 I turned to them and said, "Now, would you rather do THAT, or drop $1000 to have a new water heater installed?"
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

"But Dad, California will give us free solar water heaters"

"That's how they power the High-Speed Rail"

Posted by: Cali-Millenial Miklos at January 22, 2022 09:06 PM (QzkSJ)

205 Braenyard

Never put something on the curb with a sign saying free.

Put a price on it, with an address. It goes a lot faster that way.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:06 PM (u82oZ)

206 My house is from 1924 and still has fuses. I need to get breakers.
Posted by: dartist

Don't forget - if you don't have the correct size replacement fuses you can use pennies!

/s

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:07 PM (mD/uy)

207 Out here in free America you set it next to the curb and pickers take it and sell it for scrap.
Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (MS9b1)
------------

Or, you can do what I did: Buy the exact same model as the one being replaced.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:07 PM (5pTK/)

208 I tried growing pot years ago. Yeah, it grows easily. Yes, it contained THC. It's best attribute was as a testament to free enterprise: if i wanted quality bud, the easiest way for me to obtain it was to exchange some of what i do well for fungibilium which i could exchange for some of what an experienced pot grower could do well. And i did. And everybody was happy.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 22, 2022 09:07 PM (KAi1n)

209 Mexicans are scrappers around here. Put something out and it's gone before the next time you look.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (+ya+t)

210 well, shoot, that answer really didn't got with the copy and paste.

Maybe I need to start drinking again.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (5pTK/)

211 "My house is from 1924 and still has fuses. I need to get breakers."

you can buy screw in "fuses" that have breakers in them ... 15 or 20 amp I think. Box stores have them.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (Cus5s)

212 >>>I've never seen the aluminum inside, but I guess it was done for awhile ... cost cutting in fast build suburbs maybe?
Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (Cus5s)
----------

It was a builders fad for about two years. I think it's illegal now.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (MS9b1)

213 NaCly, I've written about some of the stuff I've found.

Just Another Day at the Office
https://tinyurl.com/4zeucjne

Catastrophic Failure (What happens when the capacitor overheats and explodes inside an HID fixture)
https://tinyurl.com/44en98zx

I have a few more. Don't read them if you don't want to, but at least look at the pics.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:09 PM (RU4sa)

214 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW. It's winter, with snow on the ground and this asshole does it all year long. Tempted to try my skills, but they have children.

rant off/ thx

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:09 PM (qpolg)

215 My neighbor was going to put 600+ pounds of fencing in the dump. I had a friend with a pick up truck, and we got a pittance in cash from it. But it was recycled.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:09 PM (u82oZ)

216 209 Mexicans are scrappers around here. Put something out and it's gone before the next time you look.
Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (+ya+t)
Well, who dumps the furniture, mattresses, and tires by rural roads?

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:10 PM (0OP+5)

217 216 209 Mexicans are scrappers around here. Put something out and it's gone before the next time you look.
Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (+ya+t)
Well, who dumps the furniture, mattresses, and tires by rural roads?
Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:10 PM (0OP+5)

----------------------------

Nobody. They just spontaneously generate.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at January 22, 2022 09:11 PM (CAJOC)

218 Never put something on the curb with a sign saying free.

Put a price on it, with an address. It goes a lot faster that way.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:06 PM (u82oZ)
--------------
In a History Guy video on potatoes I found that to encourage Europeans to adopt them, someone (Frederick the Great?) put guards around a potato field during the day, but removed them at night.

The local peasantry figured the potatoes must be valuable, and came at night to "steal" them.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:11 PM (YqDXo)

219 66 -- my twins' godfather was an electrical engineer. David would wire up the most godawful stuff, then ask why the rest of us scattered whenever he turned whatever it was on. We ran because we fully expected it and everything near it would explode. There is something wrong in the minds of electrical engineers.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 09:11 PM (N86eO)

220 Thanks, Ex-ex.

Yikes on underground arcing.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:11 PM (u82oZ)

221 Water coming down the fireplace chimney is never "good."

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 09:12 PM (BFigT)

222 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW. It's winter, with snow on the ground and this asshole does it all year long. Tempted to try my skills, but they have children.

rant off/ thx
Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:09 PM (qpolg)
-----------------
We had that with a neighbor whose klieg light lit up our bedroom like Yankee Stadium. I had a word with him, and problem solved.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:13 PM (YqDXo)

223 There is an art teacher at KSU that turns toilets into planters. She makes chicken coops and egg rooms out of cut in half water heaters.
[ . . . ]
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (u82oZ)

when I was young it was not unusual to find flower planters and watering troughs made out of old water heater tanks cut in half long-ways

Dad had a contractor put in a gravel driveway and he put in a culvert made out of three tanks with the ends beaten in, welded together to divert seasonal run-off.
Eventually it rusted out and started collapsing so we dug it up and put in ABS culvert instead.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 09:13 PM (ZMraq)

224 you can buy screw in "fuses" that have breakers in them ... 15 or 20 amp I think. Box stores have them.
-------
Thanks, I'll look. Just the advice I need not to spend another grand or two for breakers.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:13 PM (+ya+t)

225 rant off/ thx
Posted by: Infidel

Big IR bulb focused over THERE.

Fucks up a lot of remotes

Posted by: Miklos, consulting the Deplorable Anarchist's Cookbook at January 22, 2022 09:13 PM (QzkSJ)

226 "However, after all the other paperwork is done, I get the "disclosure" statement to peruse and sign." ~BurtTC
Having JUST closed on a house in PA, I have larnt a thing or two. There in PA the sellers agent is required by law to provide that disclosure after the buyer makes an offer. OR, alternatively, the buyer can ask for it prior to touring the home in the first place. Which we learned to do. And if you request it, it is handed over. Now, does that mean the seller is being honest? Hahaha. AND if it is an estate, or some other situation where the seller wasn't an occupant or caretaker of the property, they can just check all of the "don't know" boxes - annnnd it's the same as having no disclosure at all. I advise my friends to ask for that disclosure before setting foot in any property.

Posted by: GrandeMe at January 22, 2022 09:14 PM (ytutJ)

227 Deplorable Jay Guevara

Good thinking. One of my favorite Chris Anvil SF short stories does something similar.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:14 PM (u82oZ)

228 It was a builders fad for about two years. I think it's illegal now.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:08 PM (MS9b1)
----------------
Copper became really expensive for a while, prompting the shift to aluminum.

Btw, in case has aluminum, be careful about connecting aluminum to copper.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:14 PM (YqDXo)

229 214 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW. It's winter, with snow on the ground and this asshole does it all year long. Tempted to try my skills, but they have children.

rant off/ thx
Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022

Have you tried to talk with them about angling it differently before you go full Cosmo Kramer?

Posted by: Buzzion at January 22, 2022 09:15 PM (hTjRm)

230 I had a word with him, and problem solved.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

I will try that tomorrow. I don't mind it sometimes, but every day night is getting old.

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (qpolg)

231 I had a word with him, and problem solved.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara

I'm going with "Words of one syllable", Art

Posted by: Miklos, whocan associate name and face of Art Fleming at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (QzkSJ)

232 Copper became really expensive for a while, prompting the shift to aluminum.

Btw, in case has aluminum, be careful about connecting aluminum to copper.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:14 PM (YqDXo)
------------

Yep, plus, aluminum Romex was a lot easier to work with than copper. What wasn't known at the time, if I remember correctly, is aluminum "flows" away from pressure, so, over time, connections become loose, leading to arcing. Buddy of mine had a computer lab go up in smoke due to an aluminum feed going bad.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (5pTK/)

233 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW.
-----
Pellet rifles with a scope are pretty quiet.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (+ya+t)

234 The best show to see some shoddy work being repaired is Holmes on Holmes. Probably 1 out of 100 contractors are like him.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (z8oRC)

235 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW.

Ask them to realign it. If they won't, hang up a mirror.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (yQpMk)

236 A happy DIY story - when remodeling the master bath, I had to run a new electric line from the bath to the panel. Easy access in the bath as all the drywall was down. But, to get the conductor to the panel was going to be a bear. There was an cavity formed by the floor joists of the basement ceiling beneath the bath and it ran to directly in front of the panel. About 20 feet. Okay, good so far. But, there was only a 6x6 notch cut into the joist at the top of the panel and no way to stick my fingers or hand from the panel up into the joist cavity. It was choked up with other wire and cable. Ugh.

Using my fish tape I pushed the wire down the cavity and flipped the take up reel of the tape over a few times and miraculously it flopped through the notch and protruded far enough to be grabbed by a long handled needle nose set of pliers.

Oh Happy Day!!

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (mD/uy)

237 Deplorable Jay Guevara

I has a Treasurer on my Board that had a telescope looking at a neighbor's house 50 feet away. Turns out she undressed, then pulled the curtains.

Gave him grief, I did.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (u82oZ)

238 Big IR bulb focused over THERE.

Fucks up a lot of remotes

Posted by: Miklos

What's IR?

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (qpolg)

239 We had the main panel and switches replaced in our 65 year old house for $6K. Since then I have done all the electrical work required.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (0OP+5)

240 I has a Treasurer on my Board that had a telescope looking at a neighbor's house 50 feet away. Turns out she undressed, then pulled the curtains.

Gave him grief, I did.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (u82oZ)
-----------

Yeah, she was putting on a show and he was taking advantage.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:19 PM (5pTK/)

241 I had our water heater replaced last year. $700. It's under the house and the old one was going to be such a pain to get out I told them to leave it there. The new one is in a more accessable area.

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:19 PM (vrz2I)

242 There is no penalty for missing problems.

Tell me about it. Our inspector missed so much and we ended up paying big time. This house was a money pit the first few years.

Posted by: Jewells45 deplorablethug#FJB at January 22, 2022 09:19 PM (nxdel)

243 Yep, plus, aluminum Romex was a lot easier to work with than copper. What wasn't known at the time, if I remember correctly, is aluminum "flows" away from pressure, so, over time, connections become loose, leading to arcing. Buddy of mine had a computer lab go up in smoke due to an aluminum feed going bad.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (5pTK/)

Yes that can be the case but weird to a lay person that power lines aluminum.

Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 09:19 PM (z8oRC)

244 Infidel

Infra Red, used by remotes.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:20 PM (u82oZ)

245

Infrared

Posted by: Soothsayer at January 22, 2022 09:20 PM (vXLpE)

246 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW. It's winter, with snow on the ground and this asshole does it all year long. Tempted to try my skills, but they have children.

rant off/ thx
Posted by

I'd be happy to help.

Posted by: nurse ratched at January 22, 2022 09:20 PM (U2p+3)

247 Gave him grief, I did.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (u82oZ)

His was just trying to look at heavenly bodies...hardly a sin if you bought a telescope.

Posted by: Boswell at January 22, 2022 09:20 PM (5iUNf)

248 Have you tried to talk with them about angling it differently before you go full Cosmo Kramer?
Posted by: Buzzion

It attracts UFOs...actually they are here,,,you don't Know?

That light....they come, in different shapes and forms...are you one of them?

Posted by: Crazy neighbor Miklos, not as crazy as they say at January 22, 2022 09:20 PM (QzkSJ)

249 Using my fish tape I pushed the wire down the cavity and flipped the take up reel of the tape over a few times and miraculously it flopped through the notch and protruded far enough to be grabbed by a long handled needle nose set of pliers.

Oh Happy Day!!
Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:18 PM (mD/uy)
------------

I've pulled thousands of feet of CAT5 and CAT6 cable, so, yeah, I feel not only your triumph, but, also know the pain.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:21 PM (5pTK/)

250 Holmes on Holmes, wish I could find that show again. I enjoyed it. So much stupidity.

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:21 PM (qpolg)

251
How does Infrared heat work, anyway?

Remember the Quartz Heater fad? They were Garbage.

Posted by: Soothsayer at January 22, 2022 09:21 PM (vXLpE)

252 We had the main panel and switches replaced in our 65 year old house for $6K. Since then I have done all the electrical work required.
---------
Oh boy, I'm in for some serious coin.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:21 PM (+ya+t)

253 blake - semi lurker in marginal standing

Pore structure from a telescope. A good 7 x 50 binocular would be a better choice. That was what I gave him grief on. She was a former stewardess, and FINE.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:22 PM (u82oZ)

254 Infidel, if the talk doesn't work, try putting a placard on the fenceline to block the light.
If that doesn't work put a mirror up

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 09:22 PM (ZMraq)

255 I will try that tomorrow. I don't mind it sometimes, but every day night is getting old.
Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (qpolg)
--------------
It does get old. I just nicely asked if he could possibly just angle the fixture downward by a few degrees, so it doesn't shine on the windows. He apologized, and hasn't turned the light on since.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:22 PM (YqDXo)

256 I've seen 15A receptacles that were completely melted on the neutral side. I found one that had the prong of a cord welded into it.

Air splices with no wire nuts.

Knob and tube with bare wire in ceiling joists.

I don't know how many breakers I've found that the screws had not been tightened down.

Some of the stuff I see is down right scary.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:23 PM (RU4sa)

257 253 blake - semi lurker in marginal standing

Pore structure from a telescope. A good 7 x 50 binocular would be a better choice. That was what I gave him grief on. She was a former stewardess, and FINE.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:22 PM (u82oZ)
Salty, I had my picture taked with Miss Texas today.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (0OP+5)

258 115 If you don't handle those just right, they'll decapitate you in a fraction of a second.

Posted by: West at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (QY+6a)
------------
If you're lucky. If you're not lucky, you might be cut in half in less time than it takes to sneeze.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (YqDXo)

Yeah, I actually did change mine. One side broke from age and it sounded like a gunshot. I didn't have the $$ to hire someone since at the time they all seemed busy with 'big' jobs. Bought a kit, saw some YT videos, and did the job INCREDIBLY SLOW. I could've crapped a diamond I tell ya. But I did get it done.

Posted by: WinLinBSDAdmin at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (Hh3y4)

259 I had a neighbor with a really bright flood light too. Asked him to please angle it away from my window. He said yeah no problem.

Unless the neighbor in question is a real dick these issues get resolved easily.

Posted by: Joe XiDen - I miss Delta Variant at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (h2pVH)

260 Infidel, if the talk doesn't work, try putting a placard on the fenceline to block the light.

Posted by: Kindltot

A repurposed TRUMP 2020 sign might do the trick

Posted by: Mind Game Jedi Miklos at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (QzkSJ)

261 They used to put Aluminum wiring in mobile home trailers. I was told they stopped doing it when the trailers started burning down.

Posted by: Kindltot at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (ZMraq)

262 199 "Home inspector said two of the circuits had aluminum wiring but that it was no problem. Not for him but it was the straw for me." Posted by: Braenyard
----
Educate me. House was built in the 1950s. I installed a dimmer a long time ago and also replaced the light/fan switch in the main bathroom. The wiring appeared to be iron. Is that normal? What is the problem with aluminum?
I'm used to Africa where contractors used insulated copper wiring in PVC conduit.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:24 PM (qfLjt)

263 Salty Dog: If you're still here, shoot me an email if you please I was going to email you earlier today and discovered that your addy got lost somewhere in the last two Kindle Fire shuffles. Thanks!

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 09:25 PM (N86eO)

264 Eromero

Way to go!

My first deployment, I had a friend send me pictures of him with two Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. He has a sign saying this was for me. Riiight.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:26 PM (u82oZ)

265 We worked on some apartments about a year ago that had caught fire because it had aluminum wire.

Guy went to heat something up in his microwave and bzzzz... whoosh!

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:26 PM (RU4sa)

266 I'm not sure, but I think the problem with Cu-Al joints comes because Al has more resistance than Cu, and so tends to heat up faster with a given current.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 09:27 PM (YqDXo)

267 {{{Captain Josepha Sabin }}}

With pleasure. I sure enjoyed that visit to the art gallery we made.

I may have time to give some of your books a new home, but this is a busy year.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:27 PM (u82oZ)

268 NaCly - Ha ha. Jokes on me. We just put a roof on the boy's house this summer (where we are living) We put a roof on our house (where the boy'and family are living) 5 years ago.

2 roofs in 5 years is exceedingly expensive. It's always something. At least both homes have new furnaces and windows.

Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 09:28 PM (Q8bDL)

269 Bless you nurse, I will try the civilized approach first.

I had our water heater replaced last year. $700. It's under the house and the old one was going to be such a pain to get out I told them to leave it there. The new one is in a more accessable area.
Posted by: fd at J

Had to have the furnace replaced at the old place. Built in 1961. They must have put the furnace in before the subfloor. It would not fit thru the crawl space exit. The new one wouldn't fit either. I used a fkn sledghammer and tore out the concrete wings and told the guys, ok, it will fit now. They wanted to leave the old one there. Nope, haul that away. Had the crawl space entry re poured much larger.

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:28 PM (qpolg)

270 206 My house is from 1924 and still has fuses. I need to get breakers.
Posted by: dartist

Don't forget - if you don't have the correct size replacement fuses you can use pennies!

/s
----
I was told to always use piano wire .....
LOL

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:28 PM (qfLjt)

271 265 We worked on some apartments about a year ago that had caught fire because it had aluminum wire.
Guy went to heat something up in his microwave and bzzzz... whoosh!
Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:26 PM (RU4sa)
Way I work, I kill the main and work with a headlight with Mrs. E at the panel and both of us on our phones. Tricity scary for me, Ex-Ex.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:29 PM (0OP+5)

272 Way I work, I kill the main and work with a headlight with Mrs. E at the panel and both of us on our phones. Tricity scary for me, Ex-Ex.
Posted by: Eromero

Me stuttering/hollering to the lovely Mrs. down by the panel --

"TURNNNNNNNN ITTTTTTT OFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!"

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:31 PM (mD/uy)

273 I don't mind replacing receptacles, adding a dimmer switch, etc.

Anything beyond that, well, I'm calling one of ex-exe's compadres.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:31 PM (5pTK/)

274 They used to put Aluminum wiring in mobile home trailers. I was told they stopped doing it when the trailers started burning down.
Posted by: Kindltot

Yikes, that brings back bad juju. Kidlet was only 5 weeks old when that happened.

I'm out.

Posted by: Infidel at January 22, 2022 09:33 PM (qpolg)

275 cfo mom

Wow. Two new roofs. And no damage from storms for insurance to help.

I talked to the underwriters at USAA before buying in Kansas. My deductible for roof damage was half what the rest of the house was. Came in handy when we had a very focused hail storm trash my roof, and those of my neighbors. Very little out of pocket at the time, and I got stronger tiles.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:33 PM (u82oZ)

276 I cut a saw cord with the actual saw. Dumbass.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:34 PM (0OP+5)

277 > Never put something on the curb with a sign saying free.

Reposting from the other day cuz' funny....

Last summer we had a bumper crop of cucumbers. I took an old, ratty card table down to the end of the driveway and put about 3 dozen cucumbers on it with a "FREE" sign.

Some dickhead took the table and left all the cucumbers.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 09:34 PM (BFigT)

278 I figure if I get desperate enough I'll drag that old water heater out from under the house and take it to the scrapyard.

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:34 PM (vrz2I)

279 Two things I will NOT work on: distribution panels (you need to be licensed anyway, but I wouldn't touch them in any case), and garage door springs.

Nein, danke. I've seen the YouTube videos, and while it looks doable ... no dice.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 08:08 PM (YqDXo)

I had the electrician install my main panel and sub-panel here in AJ, and then I ran and connected most of the branch circuits myself. Passed inspection, too.

Pro tip: when working in a live panel, keep one hand in your pocket whenever possible.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 22, 2022 09:35 PM (P3gRi)

280 We bought our house from the estate of the previous owner who made a lot of amateur modifications over the 40 years he was here. We had a staircase like Windsor Mystery House.

Of course, there were no plans or permits for any of it on file so we had a challenging time at the Department of Building Inspection when we wanted to fix it all.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 22, 2022 09:35 PM (EZebt)

281 Star Trek space hippies episode in a half hour on MeTV.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at January 22, 2022 09:35 PM (ufFY8)

282 Martini Farmer

Back in the late 70's, if I did not lock my car door, a friendly neighbor would put a bag full of zucchini in it. I dislike zucchini.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:36 PM (u82oZ)

283 277 > Never put something on the curb with a sign saying free.

Reposting from the other day cuz' funny....

Last summer we had a bumper crop of cucumbers. I took an old, ratty card table down to the end of the driveway and put about 3 dozen cucumbers on it with a "FREE" sign.
Some dickhead took the table and left all the cucumbers.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 09:34 PM (BFigT)
Should have put them on a nightstand.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:36 PM (0OP+5)

284 Worst job? My first (and only) fence. Looked like alcohol was involved. HINT: It was.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 07:41 PM (axyOa)
-------------

When I was replacing all of our fence posts, I came up with a method to do the job, without tearing out a whole section of the fence in the process. I honestly got better at it as I went around the perimeter. But, one could certainly tell where I started!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:36 PM (5pTK/)

285 Another new thing around here is storm damage replacement. Roof guys cruising around to give me a new roof. Sent guys from the INSURANCE company to inspect and sure enough, I got a new roof with a slight increase in payments. Buddy got $23,000 in new siding. What's the scam here?

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:36 PM (+ya+t)

286 193 My house is from 1924 and still has fuses. I need to get breakers.
Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:04 PM (+ya+t)

Mine has the glass bulb fuses

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 22, 2022 09:36 PM (9mPbX)

287 " I cut a saw cord with the actual saw. Dumbass."

Oh I've done that with a saw and yard maintenance tools. Call myself the same thing too.

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:37 PM (vrz2I)

288 Last summer we had a bumper crop of cucumbers. I took an old, ratty card table down to the end of the driveway and put about 3 dozen cucumbers on it with a "FREE" sign.

Some dickhead took the table and left all the cucumbers.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 09:34 PM (BFigT)
------------

I'm a bad person, I laughed.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:37 PM (5pTK/)

289 Pro tip: when working in a live panel, keep one hand in your pocket whenever possible.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 22, 2022 09:35 PM (P3gRi)

Learn to use your strippers as an extension of your hand.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:38 PM (RU4sa)

290 Alberta Oil Peon

You are the most handy person I know. I hired all the breaker work out. My electrician is like the Mozart of electricians. His wiring is very organized and crisp. But he is scheduled two years out.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:38 PM (u82oZ)

291 Oh I've done that with a saw and yard maintenance tools. Call myself the same thing too.
Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:37 PM (vrz2I)
-------------

It's how my first circular saw went from a 6' cord to a 6" cord.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:39 PM (5pTK/)

292 " I cut a saw cord with the actual saw. Dumbass."

Oh I've done that with a saw and yard maintenance tools. Call myself the same thing too.
Posted by: fd

Guilty

Restarts the heart though

Posted by: Miklos leapt about 11 feet at January 22, 2022 09:39 PM (QzkSJ)

293 fd

I've lost not one, not two, but three extension cords to my hedge trimmer. I'm hopefully smarter now.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:40 PM (u82oZ)

294 I never cut myself with a circular saw but did touch my kneecap with a chainsaw. Scairt the peewater outta me and ruined a new pair of overalls.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:40 PM (0OP+5)

295 Learn to use your strippers as an extension of your hand.
Posted by: Ex-ex

You take your strippers home? Wow Ex-Ex - boldly done!

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (mD/uy)

296 >>> 233 Okay, need to vent. I am sick and fucking tired of the asshoe behind me shining a fucking FLOOD LIGHT in his back yard that shines into MY KITCHEN FUCKING WINDOW.
-----
Pellet rifles with a scope are pretty quiet.
Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:17 PM (+ya+t)

Slingshot with an ice cube.

What? It was in a short story.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (llON8)

297 "Learn to use your strippers as an extension of your hand.
Posted by: Ex-ex

Uhhhh.

Well, what your favorite kind of stripper?

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (vrz2I)

298 I've put all sorts of shit an the end of our driveway. An old microwave, a torn up chair, a tire, some scrap wood... it all disappears. Yet... my trash can stays unemptied when the weather is bad.

The microwave BTW was arcing inside and I noted that with a taped on piece of paper.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (BFigT)

299 Mine has the glass bulb fuses
-------
Mine are glass too but flat on top. I don't even like screwing the things in, lol.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (+ya+t)

300 Eromero

I am scared of chain saws. I use other tools.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (u82oZ)

301 Year 2000 Brooke Langton.
Posted by: Anti doesn't matter at January 22, 2022 08:34 PM (z8oRC)

Looks good in the blue choker!

Posted by: browndog Official Mascot of Team Gizzard at January 22, 2022 09:42 PM (BgMrQ)

302 His wiring is very organized and crisp. But he is scheduled two years out.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:38 PM (u82oZ)

Truly an artist.

I worked with 'wiremen' in a steel mill who were very skilled in running conduit/wiring panels. I can appreciate their work

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at January 22, 2022 09:42 PM (ufFY8)

303 I never cut myself with a circular saw but did touch my kneecap with a chainsaw. Scairt the peewater outta me and ruined a new pair of overalls.
Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:40 PM (0OP+5)

-------------------

I have a glove with a hole in it courtesy of a table saw. Yeah, it was close. Still can't believe I didn't get my thumb, too.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:42 PM (5pTK/)

304 Tonypete

Ex-Ex is much man. Having SMH mad at me would give me pause.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:42 PM (u82oZ)

305 266 I'm not sure, but I think the problem with Cu-Al joints comes because Al has more resistance than Cu, and so tends to heat up faster with a given current.
----
Also aluminum becomes the sacrificial metal and corrodes particularly fast with current flowing through.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:43 PM (qfLjt)

306 When I put something out at the end of the driveway I usually attach a small sign that says "Take me, I'm yours!"

The stuff does disappear and also has the added benefit of getting some chuckles from the folks that stop.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 09:43 PM (mD/uy)

307 Well, what your favorite kind of stripper?
Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (vrz2I)

-------------

Klean Strip.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:44 PM (5pTK/)

308 Posted by: Ann Wilson, aka Empire 1 at January 22, 2022 08:33 PM (JJatH)
Ann, the rosary arrived today, and it's absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much!

Posted by: Toni at January 22, 2022 09:44 PM (PgM6e)

309 I have a glove with a hole in it courtesy of a table saw. Yeah, it was close. Still can't believe I didn't get my thumb, too.
Posted by: blake -
----
My husband tripped the brake on his SawStop table saw a few months ago. $100 replacement cartridge....worth. Every. Penny.

Posted by: lin-duh at January 22, 2022 09:44 PM (UUBmN)

310 NaCly , you sure get the wind out there. Not too bad here except once in a while. We oughta be good for the rest of my life on roofes now, thank goodness.

Did you see Jewells and Duke on the earlier thread talking about a possible MoMoMe? I can see me getting on the Southwest Chief and the River Runner to go to that. I know you'd be in if the time frame was right.

Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 09:45 PM (Q8bDL)

311 Deplorable Ian Galt

I set up my start-up lab myself, but that is not real work to me. I've set up 4 synthesis labs now.

But electrical work -- no.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:45 PM (u82oZ)

312 My husband tripped the brake on his SawStop table saw a few months ago. $100 replacement cartridge....worth. Every. Penny.
Posted by: lin-duh at January 22, 2022 09:44 PM (UUBmN)
-------------

If I could afford a saw stop, I'd get one. But, I'm not sure the wife would agree to a second mortgage.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 09:47 PM (5pTK/)

313 Ciampino, I don't think there is such a thing as iron wiring. Alum wiring has to be a bigger gauge than copper to carry the equivalent current. Also most if not all sw/, receptacles have copper connections. Cu and Al don't like each other.

Posted by: Ronster at January 22, 2022 09:47 PM (9YOCz)

314 300 Eromero

I am scared of chain saws. I use other tools.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (u82oZ)
Well, of course I'd really rather have a mini-trackhoe with all the attachments but such is life.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:48 PM (0OP+5)

315 If I could afford a saw stop, I'd get one. But, I'm not sure the wife would agree to a second mortgage.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker

That's when you talk to the second wife.

Posted by: Miklos just reporting what Darleen is yelling at me at January 22, 2022 09:49 PM (QzkSJ)

316 cfo mom

Did you see my tornado warning at school story? The winds continues to my house, and my lighting arrestor assembly, good for up to 85 mph winds, is at an angle. Need to hire out the fix. Cause I'm not going on that part of the roof.

And yes, I would be delighted to attend, or even help, with a local MoMe. I'll send an email to Jewells45, as I had not heard this.

Thanks.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:49 PM (u82oZ)

317 Salty: I hauled four large cartons of books out of the bedroom, and there are still some left. We're rearranging the bedroom because I'm switching from hemodialysis to peritoneal dialysis, so I need room for the equipment. Now I have to find somewhere to stash a month's worth of dialysis solution and the necessary tubing. Hopefully, I'll unload a bunch of stuff from the front room at a yard sale. And as soon as I can see my laptop screen again post cataract surgery, I will start selling the stuff left over from the bookstore on Ebay.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 09:50 PM (N86eO)

318 If I could afford a saw stop, I'd get one. But, I'm not sure the wife would agree to a second mortgage.
-----
DeWalt battery circular saws come with it.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 09:50 PM (+ya+t)

319 I've lost not one, not two, but three extension cords to my hedge trimmer. I'm hopefully smarter now.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:40 PM (u82oZ)

--------------

I laughed. Sorry.

Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 09:51 PM (Q8bDL)

320 Well, what your favorite kind of stripper?

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (vrz2I)

Southwire is my first choice. Commercial Electric is my second.

Can't stand Milwaukee or Klein.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:51 PM (RU4sa)

321 "Also aluminum becomes the sacrificial metal and corrodes particularly fast with current flowing through."
Posted by: Ciampino

interesting ... I don't know much, but have run four aluminum 4-0 main feeds recently ... I add that blackish goo (Noalox?) to reduce the problem. But I think the main boxes are made to handle it, and the aluminum is not directly in contact with the copper.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (Cus5s)

322 CFO mom-- Count me in on a MoMeMo!

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (N86eO)

323 Table saw got the tip of a finger just short of the bone.
It looked like hamburger.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (MS9b1)

324 I am scared of chain saws. I use other tools.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (u82oZ)

Back in junior high we had to read a poem by Robert Frost about a Vermont farmer that injured himself with a saw and the poem was about him bleeding to death by himself in the field. After reading that I would not ever touch a chain saw for any reason. One day into my 30's or 40's I was helping my brother in law cut some wood. He is a real Vermont farm boy, went into the Army after college, Ranger and Airborne qualified, the whole nine yards. I would help move and stack but would not touch the saw and told him why. He told me no, he had to read the same poem at about the same grade in school and the saw was not a chain saw but was a giant unguarded circular saw blade mounted to the back of a farm tractor. His dad had one and after reading that poem he would never go anywhere near that thing on his dad's farm. Cured my fear of chainsaws but to this day neither of us will go anywhere near a tractor mounted saw.

Posted by: moon_over_vermont at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (SvIdH)

325 At the mill, I also worked with high voltage (138kv). We had a tool that was basically a telescoping stick with a neon bulb that was used to test whether the line was hot.

I was told a story about the guy who did NOT extend the stick far enough out for the voltage to test. He moved the stick towards the line, and the next thing he knew he was flat on his back ten feet away.

Don't know if it was true, but the moral of the story is that high voltage will 'reach out and touch you'.

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (ufFY8)

326 Captain Josepha Sabin

Well, your husband is very strong, but if you need help I can dash up on a non-school day.

I've hauled a number of books to the public library for their annual sale. Still have over 20 boxes, crates, and plastic tubs of books left out of the bookcases.

With that new set up, you can travel, right? Maybe we can host you two turtledoves.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:53 PM (u82oZ)

327 Eromero

I am scared of chain saws. I use other tools.

So, like, what and where?

I'm an eager beaver

Posted by: Alexandria Donkey-Chompers at January 22, 2022 09:54 PM (QzkSJ)

328 Salty, yes send me an email. Would love to do it but I need a lot of guidance since I've never done one.

Posted by: Jewells45 deplorablethug#FJB at January 22, 2022 09:54 PM (nxdel)

329 Your ~~Raving~~ Roving Science Correspondent

So...forever following the science! awesome.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 22, 2022 09:55 PM (axyOa)

330 319 I've lost not one, not two, but three extension cords to my hedge trimmer. I'm hopefully smarter now.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:40 PM (u82oZ)
--------------
I laughed. Sorry.
Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 09:51 PM (Q8bDL)

Let he who has not cut a cord or two, trim the first hedge...

My cords look like the electrical equivalent of Gerry Cheever's goalie mask.

Posted by: browndog Official Mascot of Team Gizzard at January 22, 2022 09:56 PM (BgMrQ)

331 moon_over_vermont

Any power takeoff tool from a tractor is a potential killer.

One of my students at schoool was life-flighted to Kansas City for a head wound from a power take off accident. He is doing well, now. His Dad had a tough time after that.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:56 PM (u82oZ)

332 313 Ciampino, I don't think there is such a thing as iron wiring. Alum wiring has to be a bigger gauge than copper to carry the equivalent current.
----
Thanks for the note. I assumed iron as I had read that it was used a long time ago and this wire was thick, dark and very stiff to bend.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:56 PM (qfLjt)

333 The only thing I won't fix in my house is the drywall... I hate doing drywall.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at January 22, 2022 09:56 PM (flINI)

334 Can't stand Milwaukee or Klein.
Posted by: Ex-ex

Actual expert

Posted by: Miklos respects Actual Experts, not the TV kind at January 22, 2022 09:57 PM (QzkSJ)

335 Salty: those are books I'm not parting with, but thank you for the offer.

The XO does not travel. His knees are shot and he can't sit very long. He'll have a screaming buddy fit at the idea of me driving by myself to a MoMeMo, so I may have to drag a sulky kid with me in case of disaster. But, yes, the new dialysis system will allow me to get more than five miles from Omaha.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- bitterly clinging to the deplorable life '70s style! at January 22, 2022 09:58 PM (N86eO)

336 {{ Jewells45}}

Will do. Probably tomorrow. I'll do what I can to help.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 09:58 PM (u82oZ)

337 interesting ... I don't know much, but have run four aluminum 4-0 main feeds recently ... I add that blackish goo (Noalox?) to reduce the problem. But I think the main boxes are made to handle it, and the aluminum is not directly in contact with the copper.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:52 PM (Cus5s)

In IL, service wires are copper. In MO, they're aluminum.

Aluminum is easier to bend for service and much lighter.

Panels are rated for Al/Cu, so either is acceptable, but you have to use an anti-ox compound (NoAlox) for aluminum.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 09:58 PM (RU4sa)

338 Tractor PTO attachments are mr. painful death waiting for human limbs to come near.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 09:58 PM (0OP+5)

339 320 Well, what your favorite kind of stripper?

Posted by: fd at January 22, 2022 09:41 PM (vrz2I)

Southwire is my first choice. Commercial Electric is my second.

Can't stand Milwaukee or Klein.
----
Redhead, 36-24-36

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:59 PM (qfLjt)

340 Putting a plug in for Ryobi 1+ battery operated tools.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 10:00 PM (MS9b1)

341 Cured my fear of chainsaws but to this day neither of us will go anywhere near a tractor mounted saw.
Posted by: moon_over_vermont

The family of an old workmate of mine had kin that got bit by one of those tractor saws. He lived - the family was shunned (in the Amish sense of the word) though by their community as they had a neighbor with a car get him to the hospital.

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 10:00 PM (mD/uy)

342 Hey.

Posted by: COMountainMarie at January 22, 2022 10:00 PM (JfNvZ)

343 Thanks for the note. I assumed iron as I had read that it was used a long time ago and this wire was thick, dark and very stiff to bend.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 09:56 PM (qfLjt)

That sounds like knob and tube. It's a hard copper.

Posted by: Ex-ex at January 22, 2022 10:00 PM (RU4sa)

344 Panels are rated for Al/Cu, so either is acceptable, but you have to use an anti-ox compound (NoAlox) for aluminum.
Posted by: Ex-ex

Sir, this is a Wendy's

Posted by: Miklos could not resist at January 22, 2022 10:00 PM (QzkSJ)

345 Cotton picker header will take off an arm too. And don get me started on round balers, or bush hogs.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 10:01 PM (0OP+5)

346 Hey Jay, thanks for the fun Post.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 10:01 PM (MS9b1)

347 ONT up

Posted by: Tonypete at January 22, 2022 10:02 PM (mD/uy)

348 Captain Josepha Sabin

Maybe I can drive you. I do shuttles at the Texas MoMeet. So I am not always a kamikaze driver.

Perchance we can put an air mattress in the back for the XO.

And I'm glad you are upgrading your treatments. I remember you talking about it. Good luck.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 10:02 PM (u82oZ)

349 Hey.
Posted by: COMountainMarie

Insufficient

HEY HEY HEY HEY, Child

Posted by: John Lee Miklos-Hooker at January 22, 2022 10:02 PM (QzkSJ)

350 I sweated a few copper pipes but did most of my place with PEX ... easy peasy, feel more confident with the PEX ... and it handles a freeze better, as I understand it. Longer term idk ... copper has nostalgic value.
Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 08:50 PM (Cus5s)

Copper is very expensive now, and thieves will steal it if they can. Thieves don't bother with stealing PEX; no scrap value.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 22, 2022 10:02 PM (P3gRi)

351 + 1000 on tractor PTO's

Bad things can happen in short order. And if it's just you, it's likely you can't reach the controls in time.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at January 22, 2022 10:02 PM (BFigT)

352 Kirk should have let the hippies blow up.

Lol

Posted by: Deplorable Ian Galt at January 22, 2022 10:03 PM (ufFY8)

353 346 Hey Jay, thanks for the fun Post.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 22, 2022 10:01 PM (MS9b1)
-----------

My pleasure. Thanks for your appreciation!

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 10:03 PM (YqDXo)

354 NaCly, did see that when you had those tornadoes. We got bad winds out of that storm system, but nothing like what you and my grandson's *other grandparents* got.

Our two new roofs came thru unscathed luckily. How backed up are they on fixing things out there? So many people with damage, I imagine the contractors are still very busy.

Posted by: cfo mom at January 22, 2022 10:03 PM (Q8bDL)

355 Yeah Jay, you da man.

Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 10:03 PM (0OP+5)

356 330 My cords look like the electrical equivalent of Gerry Cheever's goalie mask.

----
I wonder how many of us here got that reference.

Posted by: Ciampino at January 22, 2022 10:04 PM (qfLjt)

357 On an electrical note: Former boss at temp job was the IT/Electrical manager at a refinery. He regaled me with a story about how their co-gen plant was down for maintenance, so, they were using power from the grid to run the refinery. Naturally, a drunk hit a pole, took it out, and, in the process, knocked out the power to the refinery.

His exact words to me about the incident were: "A refinery without power is a scary place, because you lose control."

He got tired of the pressure and call outs on holidays and left.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 10:04 PM (5pTK/)

358 {{{COMountainMarie }}}

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 10:04 PM (u82oZ)

359 We bought our first house in 1990 for $34k and it was built by vandals. When we were having the foundation worked on 14 years later so we could sell it, turned out there were lots of things that were supposed to be made from 4x4s that were two 2x4s fastened together. Apparently this is not the same in terms of strength. Also they took out a piece of plywood separating two sections of the crawl space, and in my contractor's words, "snakes poured out. " Oh, there were some snakes? "No, ma'am, it was like that Indiana Jones movie." Which did explain why the cat was always bringing in snakes.

Posted by: MammaB at January 22, 2022 10:04 PM (HkGDB)

360 Jay Guevara

Thank you for a great thread.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 10:05 PM (u82oZ)

361 Toni --

I'm glad it arrived safely, and even happier that you like it! It was my first attempt at a three-color one with all the colors alternating, and I wasn't sure how anyone would like it. It's now called my USA rosary, and I've diagrammed how to make it in short segments so the cat doesn't try to play with it except in final assembly!

Posted by: Ann Wilson, aka Empire 1 at January 22, 2022 10:05 PM (JJatH)

362 "In IL, service wires are copper. In MO, they're aluminum." Posted by: Ex-ex

thx ... at least from the transformer to the meter, I'm fairly certain they rain aluminum 4-0, at my current house, and at my other house. ... I was watching. But idk exactly what you mean by service wires ... does that mean wires to the transformer?

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 10:06 PM (Cus5s)

363 There's roosters laying chickens and chickens layin' eggs,
Farm machinery eating peoples arms and legs.

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 10:07 PM (+ya+t)

364 Nood

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 22, 2022 10:07 PM (EZebt)

365 This kind of work is why I don't laugh at "git-er-done" jokes. It's not cute. These kind of "handymen" are ignorant, lazy assholes. They don't pay attention to detail and the pass their screw-ups on to the trusting and unsuspecting.

Posted by: Minuteman at January 22, 2022 10:08 PM (LaNzR)

366 355 Yeah Jay, you da man.
Posted by: Eromero at January 22, 2022 10:03 PM (0OP+5)

360 Jay Guevara

Thank you for a great thread.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at January 22, 2022 10:05 PM (u82oZ)
------------
Thanks, guys!

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 22, 2022 10:08 PM (YqDXo)

367 the main feed is usually 4-0 aluminum afaik, but all the rest is copper, mostly 12-2 except for the 220 stuff. 8ga for the stove or dryer, 10 gauge for the water heater. I've never seen the aluminum inside, but I guess it was done for awhile ... cost cutting in fast build suburbs maybe?
Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 09:05 PM (Cus5s)

Aluminum got a big boost back in the 1970's (?) when copper prices spiked. Installed properly, aluminum wire is OK. You have to use special techniques with the connections.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 22, 2022 10:09 PM (P3gRi)

368 Late to to this, but, yes, fun thread. Thanks, Jay.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/)) at January 22, 2022 10:09 PM (5pTK/)

369 Thanks Jay!

Posted by: dartist at January 22, 2022 10:10 PM (+ya+t)

370 "Cured my fear of chainsaws but to this day neither of us will go anywhere near a tractor mounted saw."

Well chainsaws are still dangerous, but probably less so than that tractor bland, and the operator can mitigate most of the issues.

Posted by: goodluckduck at January 22, 2022 10:20 PM (pCXlW)

371 blade not bland

Posted by: goodluckduck at January 22, 2022 10:20 PM (pCXlW)

372 cleaner version of "You Send Me"

https://is.gd/tPh3Bh

Posted by: illiniwek at January 22, 2022 10:27 PM (Cus5s)

373 We bought a home with vase fountain that had the pump in a niche in the fountain base. The pump of course sat in the pool below. The switch for the fountain was 20 feet away.
The vase was barely dribbling, so I went to see if the pump was clogged or if the flow regulator needed to be opened
When I tugged on the pump, I got a little tingle of a shock.
Turned everything off.
At some pump the pump was changed out and someone forgot to order the pump with a cord that would reach the switch and had bought a 3' cord and used "waterproof wire nuts"... you know, the type you use for low voltage irrigation or lighting and had additionally gooped them with silicone and tape. Asshole. So I get a new pump, 25 foot cord. Get some guys to help me pull the fountain vase to access the conduit back to the switch area. I redo that to 2.5 feet above water level. I look at the cord going into the conduit below the vase. There is a hole drilled into a 1" plug that is siliconed into the fitting and gooped with silcone around the drilled hole where the cord goes..
I tug on it and it comes loose. regular wire nuts 1 inch above water level. MF'er.

Posted by: steveg at January 22, 2022 11:39 PM (WRVIg)

374 When we bought our first house in '92, I put in a whole house water filter due to the hard Chelmsford Massachusetts water. Cut the pipe and mounted the filter as per instructions no problem, but it kept leaking! After a few days the Tax Guy at work (of all people) said "You gotta sweat the pipes!" Took me a few questions to figure out I had to heat 'em up to suck in the solder. Mrs. B never let me do another plumbing job again. She claims when I change out a light fixture and you turn it on the toilet flushes and the garage door opens...

Posted by: Rodent at January 22, 2022 11:59 PM (A3Tmb)

375 Got nothin' on Chateau Merde, although ...

The homeowner who ran used conduit to a light switch .. but only as far as the ceiling (just pulled the wires through the joist bay) was fun.

Same homeowner had a neutral vinyl wallpaper on the kitchen walls and ceiling .. we didn't figure out why (some people have weird taste?) until the 2nd floor laundry overflowed (because the drain was undersized, different problem) and the kitchen ceiling turned into a water balloon ...

Yeah, don't miss that house either.

Mew

Posted by: acat at January 23, 2022 01:36 AM (uM0j5)

376 Rented a house once that had previously been leased by the manager of our local training school for various vocations. Apparently, he thought he was skilled via osmosis.

My first project was to take down the ceiling fan he installed in the living room; a 50 lb unit which he didnt bother balancing the blades on and he supported with a couple of sheetrock screws through 100 yr old plaster lathe. It was like a wobbly overhead guillotine when turned on.

In winter, it was a constant struggle to keep the oil burner firing, a unit supported by a series of wood scraps and a dozen or so nails wedged in around the porthole that shoots the flame into the boiler.

Come spring and the first thaw, I went to the basement to find the sump not working and a few inches of water across the floor. After being told by the landlord to just hit the pump with a hammer to jar it to life, I traced the main source of the influx of water to a stream pouring through a hole in the stone foundation, sending a rivulet of water right onto the fuse box for the house.

And then there was the upper floor wiring that I discovered was simply hidden in unkempt random loops atop the downstairs drop ceiling.

Posted by: red speck at January 23, 2022 11:00 AM (gS3OW)

377 Sounds like the house my Wife's step father built.
Nightmare Nook.

Posted by: obsidian at January 23, 2022 12:22 PM (KkTg1)

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