Continuing Thread: What Are You Fix-It'ing Today?

[Baz]

Redid the landscape island between my two driveways and with that removed two big Queen Palms which served to help support a shade cloth canopy over the driveway where I park my truck.

So I built a frame to support the canopy made of 4x4 posts attached to the concrete using Simpson Strong-tie brackets and 1x4 pieces running horizontally for support and to help attach the canopy.

This resulted in a much better system for my shade canopy. I have some reed fencing coming Wed. to line the frame with, which will give it a more finished appearance and also blend in with the existing tropical tiki island theme I have going.

I sprayed the brackets with cold galv zinc spray to add extra corrosion protection. My new/used Bosch Bulldog rotary hammer drilled the holes with very little effort!

The old configuration:


Demo work - pulling out the Queen Palm stumps:


The new palms....double trunk Piccabeens native to Australia!


Adding LED lighting and ran the Sunpatiens down the sides with Imperialis bromeliads in the center:


The Simpson Strong tie brackets - I bought a box of 10:


Coating them with the galv. spray:


Nice galvanized fasteners:


My Ryobi impact wrench kicked butt!:


Finished project - except for the reed siding:

[Baz]

Changed out an irrigation pump for a neighbor friend yesterday. I think this was a pump I installed for them back in '06 so they got 14 years out of it. Motor still ran but nothing pumping so might be the impeller/shaft. I will take apart later today.

Tight area - just enough room to work in. I was lucky and could re-use all the old PVC fittings. Just add a little more Permatex and re-do the wiring. I also cleaned out the gunk on that output fitting. It was nasty from the well water.

[porsche930dude]

I made a dauntless patch to put on a hat

[Gus Berges]

I researched how far Baz is from my parents (2-2.5 hour drive South) in case my old man needs to again do something that he should have not done by himself (taking down a couple of trees) and I'd want to be there!

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Gus Berges

I researched how far Baz is from my parents (2-2.5 hour drive South) in case my old man needs to again do something that he should have not done by himself (taking down a couple of trees) and I'd want to be there!

Feel free to send any inquiries if I can be of any help.

Continued work today on a new canopy structure. I ordered the gavalume panels (6) 3'x12' for the roof and will pick those up in Deland on Monday. Working on the frame right now.

Ran out of concrete anchors and post brackets. Amazon's next day delivery to the rescue!



Bought some less expensive brackets and they are almost identical to the Simpson's......





BTW - these work gloves are fantastic! I get them from eBay.....





The silver color is from the galv. spray.....the gloves are gray in colour......

[Baz]

Couple observations on the two different post brackets.

The cheaper one isn't as tight a fit as the Simpson and also the holes are larger so I had to use washers with my Deckmate screws.

I didn't mind the looser" fit so much because with the Simpsons I had to get up on a step ladder and pound the posts down into the brackets and it took a LOT of pounding to get them seated. Even with my mini-sledge. I will probably run a couple through bolts through these to 'double' secure them.

[Baz]

Canopy project coming along. I got the frame erected over the weekend. Then today picked up the Gavalume and got that installed. I still have some more fasteners to screw in and also need to squirt some sealant in a few places.

It's going to have some sides to it as well, which I will work on later this week. For now it's functional and with rain in the forecast, I'm interested in seeing how well it works.

[billybek]

Lube oil and filter on the old 2500hd.
I wish I had a lift.

[ckelly78z]

My son, and I spent the afternoon taking down brush, small trees, and overhanging limbs to create another 100-150 yards of ATV paths through our woods that run along the creek...lots of tractor FEL work. Now my muscles are sore.

[WPOZZZ]

Repaired the big curb gash the gf put into the X3 left rear wheel. Put the stock wheel on while I refinished the 19s. That Wurth Silver sure is a great match! I tried doing it on the car, and made a big mess, so I decided to do it the right way. Very hard to tell there was damage there. I just need to buff it out to make it really shiny. My 535i has black wheels on it and she scuffed them up good. Very easy to sand while on the car and shoot satin black. No problems with the paint match.

[gordner]

Originally Posted by billybek

Lube oil and filter on the old 2500hd.
I wish I had a lift.

You are always welcome to use mine, if you feel like a run out to Langdon!

[Baz]

Very small job (1 hour) this morning at one of my accounts freshening up the cypress chips.

This is in an area in the back where a large Oak was cut down and in the process a bunch of saw dust was left and when it was extracted along with it came the cypress chips. So I replanted two Foxtail Palms to replace some of their canopy and then today hit it with about 2 yards of chips.

This area in back of the property is called a utility area in landscape design terms.

The palms are small now but eventually will grow higher and fill out more.

[billybek]

Did you take the tables?



Looks good Baz.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by billybek

Did you take the tables?



Looks good Baz.

Ha ha ha.....that's pretty funny, Bill!

Did not take the tables.

Back to my canopy - I added a couple up lights for the White Birds of Paradise and also a temporary one for the inside. I will re-locate and use a different fixture but wanted to at least have something for now. I also have some on/off switches coming so I can control it easier.

I have some greenhouse grade visqueen coming so I can enclose the side facing the ocean but still have the light coming in and to be able to see my landscaping.

I also got a tarp today that is clear. It has gromments so will be easy to hang and that will go on the side with the gate to my driveway so I can open her up if I want.

Not a great photo but you can see the new lights anyway.....

[Ayles]

Started work on freshening up my teak table today.

Need to do a few more passes with finer sand paper before I hit it with teak oil.

[URY914]

^^^ Nice job!

[Baz]

Got a good head start on the back patio extension project.

I'm adding an additional 4' of decking from the raised concrete patio. In the past this space was used in a variety of ways including landscaping and also a just strip of turf, but it's just been mulch chips for a few years and it's time to extend my patio so I can utilize that space better.

I put the green privacy cloth up right after the new house was finished behind me and the owner only put in a 4' fence between us, despite the fact that I had a 6' one there previously and that was what he was supposed to put in. In any event - with the extended deck I will move my privacy cloth out to where the new 4x4 posts are but now it will only be a 4' high one positioned in concert with his 4' fence to afford what is needed on my end.

So far today I have my ledger board installed along the patio and (7) 4x4 posts along the outer fringe of where the new deck will extend to.

I'm thinking I will only need one more row of posts along the center to provide support to the 5/4 deck boards. Especially since they are only going to be 4' in length.

I also capped off two sprinkler heads and added a stub out on a third for future use.

Unfortunately I accidentally snapped my trusty 4' plastic level that I've had for so many years. I think I can glue it back together and am using a 2' one as backup for now. I bummed though I broke this wonderful old friend.

Couple progress pics......

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Fabricating stuff kicks a$$!!!!

Working on my Ford LGT 145's new dual exhaust. It was two peppercans. In the quest for something a bit quieter, this is more substantial. I welded up some leaks in my previous exhaust headers, and this is better.

Lots of progress. It clears the tires when turning, the mower deck, the rear wheels, and the rear 3-point lift. This also keeps a lot of the heat off the snowblower assembly. In the past, the exhaust would come out the front and melt the snow in the snowblower, which would refreeze to solid ice and jam everything. This will also be the coolest dual exhaust on a garden tractor in these parts.

Should be finished tomorrow. I think I will call it a day for today though!

[Baz]

Your teak restoration project looks great, Ayles!

Leaky - nice work on the old Ford. How old is that baby? Looks very vintage - in a good way!

Made a little more progress today and am about ready to finish with just the addition of the deck boards. These will be 8' long 5/4"x6" that are cut in half - each one to provide two 4' boards.

I will probably try to finish up tomorrow after I finish work at one of my monthly accounts.

So far it seems very sturdy and I'm looking forward to the increase in deck space!

I will be adding roof panels next and they will be approx. 13' long and extend from my back roof to the outer deck edge so everything will be under canopy.

[Superman]

I have a rental house. 1953 Craftsman. Workmanship, quality, engineering...top notch. I lived in it for several years. It has the best kitchen in which I have every prepared food. Galley shape. Over a dozen wide 2-door cabinets and 25 drawers, hand made thoughtfully, birch. Whose sections were made from a single sheet, so the wood grain flows across multiple drawers and cabinets. Tile countertops to die for. Oven and warming oven in the wall. No less than three burners in the stovetop stopped working properly. Repair guy flaked out on me. Not easy to find parts for an early-fifties Thermador. The island on which it sits was made for this stovetop. In order to have a stovetop that fits perfectly, to maintain originality and to save thousands, I was determined to get this thing back to spec. So I removed it, and it sits in my garage/shop. Renters have a working gas range downstairs in a bone dry basement. I am waiting for one more part, arriving this week, and I think it will be working properly. Here is the unit. It's really a nice stovetop. Not pictured is the hinged sheet metal cover for the grill: