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

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

I was staying at a place called Lizard Island in Queensland, Australia, and they had a arborist called Chile who just climbed the palms and cut the coconuts and unwanted branches off by hand. I guess he had spikes in his boots. It sure was impressive seeing him climb the trees.

Lizard Island.....ha....that's a great name!

I remain impressed with the folks who can climb trees.

I've always had a phobia of heights, myself.

[Jolly Amaranto]

When I was in the 8th and 9th grades, my family lived on Guam. I used to shinny up coconut trees to harvest the coconuts. Was rough on the legs and arms but I did have my tennies on. The native kids in the neighborhood did it bare foot. In this shot I am somewhere up in the palm fronds. I think I can see my sneakers.

[Baz]

Fortunately......the coconuts on my 3 trees are low enough for me not to need a ladder - or to climb - yet.......

[oldE]

Tomorrow I start a project for an old friend. Her house is nothing fancy and when she had to get a new fridge, she saw the need for some repairs and a new custom made food storage. I worked out the materials list and cost yesterday and she is happy with that, so I will begin. Over the years I have made a couple of other cupboards and a set of stairs for her.
I thought I was done with that sort of thing, but I guess not.

Best
Les

[Baz]

Originally Posted by oldE

Tomorrow I start a project for an old friend. Her house is nothing fancy and when she had to get a new fridge, she saw the need for some repairs and a new custom made food storage. I worked out the materials list and cost yesterday and she is happy with that, so I will begin. Over the years I have made a couple of other cupboards and a set of stairs for her.
I thought I was done with that sort of thing, but I guess not.

Best
Les

That's interesting, Les. Good luck with your project.

FWIW, I plan to install drawers in several areas of my house. Under both kitchen and bathroom sinks. In my lower kitchen cupboards. And in my pantry.

I've always admired how efficient they are, compared to just a static shelf.

I was going to make my own custom drawers, something I've never done. But watching some YT videos, along with getting the right tools, it doesn't look like that big a deal.

Please keep us posted on your project!

[URY914]

Not really fixin' anything but built this planter from some left over 5/4" deck boards. About 14" square and the thing weighs a ton. I need to stain it. It should last about 20 years.

[john70t]

Tenant said the drywall was soft in a spot. It was practically caved in when I got there a day later. Gallons. A hundred year old house but that apartment had been rebuilt and was on the newer side.

It rained very heavy this last week. Roof is older but has a good slope and no defects. Cleaned the gutters and found the 8-10yo plastic gutter-guard had turned into a lumpy mass of dirt. Only the plastic top mesh remained recognizable. I will replace with the wire mesh type probably. The gutters are a foot lower than the walls and there would have had to be tremendous water to fill them up completely and not drain out the soffits. That was not a probably source.

Next thought I had was that the tenant upstairs had a spill accident and didn't tell me. He's a great guy and I'd done quite right by him many times. Rule that out as well.

Opened the wall. Ran the water upstairs and there it was. A vertical 14-16" split in the cast iron stack which happened overnight. Plumber said lightning can do that. There was zero evidence of any surface mold. I still sprayed it with 10% bleach and ran the ozone machine a few times. Finished removing all drywall and cellulose for the plumbers to work clean. A couple dozen trip to the dumpster. The mystery of the slow sink drain upstairs has been solved. Cast iron is pretty good but it does de-laminate and peel inside. I'd gotten the main roto-rootered a few years ago as a precaution but didn't think about the verticals.

All tenants have other options and are happy with the place, so it worked out okay for what it is.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by URY914

Not really fixin' anything but built this planter from some left over 5/4" deck boards. About 14" square and the thing weighs a ton. I need to stain it. It should last about 20 years.

I hope you belt sanded the ends of those 5/4 deck boards after cutting, Paul!

[URY914]

Originally Posted by Baz

I hope you belt sanded the ends of those 5/4 deck boards after cutting, Paul!

You're trying to make a joke there aren't you, Baz.

[Evans, Marv]

Rewiring the instruments on my Kubota tractor. It's the second time I've had to do this. The rats eat the soy based insulation off the wires. This time I used PVC insulated wire (thanks to a suggestion from a poster on here), but obviously I wasn't able to buy the coded, colored wires - only black & red. Hense all the tags. Plus I put in the mesh to keep the rats out. Hope that helps.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Rewiring the instruments on my Kubota tractor. It's the second time I've had to do this. The rats eat the soy based insulation off the wires. This time I used PVC insulated wire (thanks to a suggestion from a poster on here), but obviously I wasn't able to buy the coded, colored wires - only black & red. Hence all the tags. Plus I put in the mesh to keep the rats out. Hope that helps.

I hope you made a schematic drawing for yourself, as well, Marv.

I hate wiring stuff myself and don't trust my memory of "what goes to what".

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Ayles

Helped a neighborhood college kid fix the brakes on his car. He posted on our neighborhood FB page that he wanted to learn how and didn't have the space or all of the required tools. Knocked it out in a few hours and didn't even have to get dirty! He had been told by a local shop that he needed front and rear brakes, I think he was getting scammed as there was plenty of pad material in the rear and everything was very clean. He left pretty happy and confident about taking on future repairs to his vehicle.

In a single word…………”Bravo!”

Very cool of you to help him out and teach him a skill. We all should take page of of your book.

Cheers

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by Baz

Fortunately......the coconuts on my 3 trees are low enough for me not to need a ladder - or to climb - yet.......

Isn't that a Samoan coconut tree?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

Isn't that a Samoan coconut tree?

Malayan Dwarf - reaches only 30-60' in height.

Most of the ones in Hawaii, I believe, are the Jamaican Tall - which can reach 100' in height or more.

[Evans, Marv]

Originally Posted by Baz

I hope you made a schematic drawing for yourself, as well, Marv.

I hate wiring stuff myself and don't trust my memory of "what goes to what".

Baz. I have the repair manual for the tractor, so have a good schematic. Plus. I made tags on each side of the connectors in case the rats are able to attack again for some reason. I hate having to repair wiring too.

[Cdnone1]

[A930Rocket]

Installed the engine under tray, installed the Bluetooth OBD reader for engine specs for the track and washed the 330ci.

Still need to modify and install the transmission crossmember spacers. I need this because the spec e46 race exhaust hangs down lower than the stock exhaust.

[pete3799]

Rewiring a Bobcat soil conditioner so it will work on a Cat skidsteer.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by pete3799

Rewiring a Bobcat soil conditioner so it will work on a Cat skidsteer.

2 cylinders to fix on a Bobcat mini-excavator, and regular maintenance, filters, etc.

Yesterday I did one on my Kubota Tractor.

Gas pipe and plumbing a new pool heater.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

This............
Is what I would rather be fixing. But alas, our 911 still awaits the caress of our hands. LOL

Used my new lil Harbor Freight 2 gal compressor to texture some repair patches before work. Ran the mud through the hopper just fine for what I needed. Had it been a room, I would have used my big compressor.

This lil guy is insanely quiet with a twin cylinder pump. Cats walk right by it and looked at it as it was running.