The DIY thread

[Tricycle Rider]

Right, so sometimes a haircut with your latest dog clippers doesn't go quite right - may I demonstrate...

But that's a'ight, dog, we'll fix it. Once the hair grows back we'll fix it. (Tried them on my own hair today, think I've almost got the hang of them now.)

 

[JayKosta]

Get a 'comb' that snaps over the clippers - the largest I've found is 1 inch (25mm).
You'll probably need to go to a specialty 'beauty supply' shop, and take the clippers with you, or at least the make and model number.

Jay

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

Get a 'comb' that snaps over the clippers - the largest I've found is 1 inch (25mm).
You'll probably need to go to a specialty 'beauty supply' shop, and take the clippers with you, or at least the make and model number.

Jay

Hi ya, Jay, the clippers did come with several guide combs of various lengths, but I've just always had this moronic inability of operating the clippers correctly.

Ah well, the dog is still a jolly fat little fella, he's completely unaware of how badly his hair looks right now. Thankfully his hair will grow back, but in the meantime...

I have a lawnmower to fix, evidently the self-propeller belt is broken. Have never had to replace it before, so have to do a lot of research on how to do it.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Ta-daa!

Okay, as I mentioned in my prior post I had a lawnmower drive belt to fix, turns out it wasn't broken, it was merely off its tracks. (And thank goodness for that, if I had had to replace it it would have been a much more daunting task seeing as I've never done this before.) Anyhoo, I just had to remove the belt guide and put the belt back in its place - as usual, thank goodness for youtube DIY vids!

Kinda feel like I should have lubed something while I was in there, just for *** and giggles, but that can wait till next time.

So anyhoo, there's my completed DIY project for today.

 

[JayKosta]

We had a bad thunderstorm around here on Monday night, and a lot of trees got blown down - luckily we didn't have any trouble.
Anyway, while mowing today there was noise of many chainsaws and I got to thinking of the 2 most important rules when doing serious 'tree work' -
1) Never 'sneek-up' on anyone running a chainsaw, or any other heavy tools. Always approach them from a position and distance where they will see you.
2) Never wrap a rope or chain around any part of your body - wear heavy gloves and hold it tightly, but NEVER wrap.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

We had a bad thunderstorm around here on Monday night, and a lot of trees got blown down - luckily we didn't have any trouble.
Anyway, while mowing today there was noise of many chainsaws and I got to thinking of the 2 most important rules when doing serious 'tree work' -
1) Never 'sneek-up' on anyone running a chainsaw, or any other heavy tools. Always approach them from a position and distance where they will see you.
2) Never wrap a rope or chain around any part of your body - wear heavy gloves and hold it tightly, but NEVER wrap.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Nope, you most definitely won't want to mess with Ash! (Sorry, first thing that came to mind when you mentioned chainsaws.)

But seriously, both are very prudent pieces of advice that I hadn't thought of... I have a very restless, busybody neighbor who likes to work with all kinds of heavy machinery on his lawn and backyard, so I'll have to keep your advice in mind the next time he breaks out the chainsaw.

PS - Glad you and yours are okay after that thunderstorm!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

You know it's time to replace those cheap lawn sprinkler heads when something like this happens...

(I like a nice mud beauty mask thingy as much as any gal, but this is most definitely NOT what I had in mind! So off to Home Depot then...)

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Don't know how much demand there is for this DIY seeing as I don't know if we have any kayakers amongst us, but here's some freestanding kayak racks you can fashion yourself in case you don't want to pay $70 for those "specialized" racks I found on the interwebs.

Just buy a couple of camping chairs ($10 each), get a hold of some scissors for the fabric you don't need, and a hacksaw (which you hopefully already have in your artillery of tools) for some tubes you won't need.

Ta-daa! (The basic principle and purpose is the same, but I saved $50 on this DIY project.)

EDIT: Just took another looky, whoa - they actually want almost $130 for a couple of these! https://www.storeyourboard.com/free-standing-kayak-storage-portable-kayak-rack/

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Need some help with this DIY, it has to do with tree branch cutting. (Paging Jay Kosta.)

Due to the ice storm we had last winter some branches in the backyard way up high had broken, but they don't want to quite come off. Here's a piccy...

Seeing as I don't want to pay big money to hire someone to do it for me, how do I cut them all the way up there? Or, should I even bother? Will they dry up enough and eventually fall off all on their own? (It's some kind of a fir tree, unfortunately this is as best as I can describe it.)

 

[JayKosta]

Really high branches are best done by an insured pro.

I do use a 'pole saw' that reaches up about 10 feet and has a large 'pruner blade' and a saw blade. It works fine for branches up to about 15 feet but not more. They are somewhat annoying to use because my head & neck is twisted upwards to see, and rope for the pruner gets jammed, and the saw dust always seems to blow in my face. Plus there's a danger of whatever you're cutting to fall and hit me. I've seen powered versions advertised, but don't have any experience with them.
If a ladder can safely be used to reach the branches, that's a possibility, but you need something secure to hold onto while cutting, and need to make sure that whatever falls doesn't hit the ladder or you.

If you can't DIY, and having the branches fall would do expensive damage, then hire a pro to handle it.
I've had some high branch hang for years, and then during a storm just fall when they've finally gotten dried and brittle.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

Really high branches are best done by an insured pro.

I do use a 'pole saw' that reaches up about 10 feet and has a large 'pruner blade' and a saw blade. It works fine for branches up to about 15 feet but not more. They are somewhat annoying to use because my head & neck is twisted upwards to see, and rope for the pruner gets jammed, and the saw dust always seems to blow in my face. Plus there's a danger of whatever you're cutting to fall and hit me. I've seen powered versions advertised, but don't have any experience with them.
If a ladder can safely be used to reach the branches, that's a possibility, but you need something secure to hold onto while cutting, and need to make sure that whatever falls doesn't hit the ladder or you.

If you can't DIY, and having the branches fall would do expensive damage, then hire a pro to handle it.
I've had some high branch hang for years, and then during a storm just fall when they've finally gotten dried and brittle.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Thank you for bringing me back to my senses, Jay, it wouldn't have been a very clever idea to try and climb that tree on my own. (Essentially, I know how/where to cut the branches, but I just don't have the proper equipment to do it.)

The branches aren't disturbing anything crucial, so I'll just have to wait till they wither and die on their own. (Still feel like climbing up there and cutting them, though.)

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Update on the tree branch cutting (cause I know you guys are just dying for it)...

I just couldn't let it go, while the broken branches weren't going to hurt anything they were an eyesore. (Don't mind the rope, my dad likes to climb it for exercise. And if I had any fitness level at all I'd also be able to climb it.)

I already had one of those 14ft. Fiskars tree pruners, being I had never used it in the past it's a minor miracle I had found the detachable saw the pruner came with.

The result:

The casualties: (I cut as high up as I safely could, it was actually remarkably hard work because the branches were bending and moving while sawing from the ground, and the pole was bending as well. But at least the branches didn't fall on my head, they were surprisingly heavy.)

Now I'll let the branches dry, and I'll just let my dad cut them up into firewood. (I've had my cardio for the day.)

 

[JayKosta]

I understand the DIY 'urge' and am glad it went ok with those branches - they look like about the limit with a pole saw.
Another gotcha that I forgot (and am glad didn't happen) is that the partially cut branch can twist onto the blade and prevent it from moving.

Jay

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

I understand the DIY 'urge' and am glad it went ok with those branches - they look like about the limit with a pole saw.
Another gotcha that I forgot (and am glad didn't happen) is that the partially cut branch can twist onto the blade and prevent it from moving.

Jay

It would be great if I could get the numerous local squirrels to chew through the rest of the branch stumps, or maybe train a beaver to climb up there and gnaw them off. Alas...

It's funny to watch the squirrels climb dad's rope though, at first they'll only climb halfway up, then come back down, halfway up, and on and on it goes. But then they finally make it all the way up, I always feel like cheering for them because it's so cute.

Anyhoo, next DIY is changing the car oil again, I just don't feel like dealing with that mess right now. But I don't feel like paying someone to do it either, so changing the oil myself I must .

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Not sure if I've posted about this DIY before (at my advancing age my memory is failing me and am too lazy to check), but this has to do with car tire pressure.

Upon checking today I learned I was almost 10psi under on all of my car tires, so for checking the pressure and blowing the tires back up to the car manufacturer's specifications I just used one these Slimeball tire gauges and tire inflators.

Had to borrow my dad's Subaru cigarette lighter to operate the inflator because the ole '67 Bug doesn't come with such luxuries, but so far the inflator has served me well.

And now my drive should be more comfortable as well as more economical, so I think it's a good thing for everyone to keep an eye on their car tire pressure. (I'm sure we all already do this with our bike tires. )

 

[JayKosta]

I've got a small inflator like that, but I don't trust its pressure gage.

And yes, it's tough doing the 'thumb test' on a car tire ....

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

I've got a small inflator like that, but I don't trust its pressure gage.

And yes, it's tough doing the 'thumb test' on a car tire ....

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Agreed, the gauge on the inflators can be inaccurate, which is why I have the separate gauge thingy to measure the pressure with. It, at least, purports to be more accurate.

It's interesting how at some tire places they don't even check the recommended car manufacturer's specifications, they just blow the tires up till they're really hard. I don't know if it's because they're in a rush or they just don't care, but it doesn't seem to be the best way of doing things.

What do you think of tire pressure sensors on newer cars? (My ole '67 doesn't come with such luxuries.)

I have a client who had to buy all four new tires because that's what you apparently have to do with newer cars with sensors, even though it may be only a couple of tires they may be worn. I think it's a ripoff. As are the sensors, they're not exactly cheap to replace. (Think it's something outrageous like $70 w/labor per sensor on Subarus anyway, how did we ever survive all those decades without tire pressure sensors?)

 

[JayKosta]

The mfg tire pressure number is usually a compromise between handling, noise, ride comfort, treadwear, etc.
If you're primarily interested in treadwear, then I think that higher pressure is better.

I don't have experience with the pressure sensors. They are probably helpful because it's difficult to notice slightly low pressure on radial tires. But the cost is a concern ...
They work by measuring the rotational speed of the tires, not by the pressure. That's why replacing 1 tire with a new one causes the sensor to show a problem - since it will rotate at a slightly different rate.

And another rant about cars ... I think the console video displays are ugly! Yeah, I know they're helpful for GPS. I guess I'm 'old & set-in-my-ways', but I like mechanical knobs & buttons that actually DO what I want them to.
I don't want the console to look like an old nintendo video game.

My current car is a 2001, but I imagine the next one will have all the 'modern' features - sad ...

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

And another rant about cars ... I think the console video displays are ugly! Yeah, I know they're helpful for GPS. I guess I'm 'old & set-in-my-ways', but I like mechanical knobs & buttons that actually DO what I want them to.
I don't want the console to look like an old nintendo video game.

My current car is a 2001, but I imagine the next one will have all the 'modern' features - sad ...

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

I think as long as we're not too backwards it's fine.

On the occasion I get to drive my client's or my dad's modern Subarus I'm at a loss as to what to do with all those buttons, don't even know how to operate the GPS. I do like dad's seat warmers though, they're nice in the winter when your butt is all frozen.

I like my dashboard, it's simple and to the point. (Though, defoggers and defrosters would have been nice, don't know how Volkswagen missed those features back in '67.)

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Need some help from my fellow gardeners, can you identify this plant/bush/tree? I have no idea what this is, but it grows like weed around here. (Fortunately I don't appear to be allergic to it, but even if I do have some kind of an unfortunate reaction I've got enough prednisone in my stash to get me through the worst of it.)

Other than that (because I know you guys are just dying for an update)...

The Lilies of the Valley I had planted a while back have bitten the dust, so no longer have to worry about frogs getting poisoned in case they decided to make a home of the hanging basket I had planted the lilies in.

The poppy seedlings I had planted a while back were mostly eaten by slugs and snails, the only ones that are left are these. (Along with the chrysanthemum in the center, which I never thought would survive for another season.)

Tomato plants are doing well so far, but my pride and joy are always the roses. (They're getting a bit top-heavy with the blooms, so if any of you gents are getting married anytime in the very immediate future I've got some very nice, fragrant, fresh breast pocket/lapel flowers for your wedding tuxes. )

 

[jmdirt]

Has anyone ever used cyanoacylate (super glue) to repair plastic headlight lenses? My wife's Clubman lens has a crack, and the replacement unit is $500 ish! Several on-line forums have suggestions for cyano. I've never used it for headlight cracks, but in my experience it gets brittle pretty quickly especially with UV exposure.

Has anyone used clear lens repair tape?

http://www.gorillatough.com/gorilla-clear-repair-duct-tape
http://3mauto.com/3m-high-strength-lens-repair-film-clear-03343.html

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

Has anyone ever used cyanoacylate (super glue) to repair plastic headlight lenses? My wife's Clubman lens has a crack, and the replacement unit is $500 ish! Several on-line forums have suggestions for cyano. I've never used it for headlight cracks, but in my experience it gets brittle pretty quickly especially with UV exposure.

Has anyone used clear lens repair tape?

http://www.gorillatough.com/gorilla-clear-repair-duct-tape
http://3mauto.com/3m-high-strength-lens-repair-film-clear-03343.html

Anyone?

What are these lenses made of? (Sorry I don't know, but mine are always glass.)

 

[python]

tri, he did mention clearly the lenses were plastic...

fwiw, i cant speak of the super glue effect but i did use (more than once) a clear scotch tape to fix mine and my f & f various (much less expansive) bike lights, including the beam projecting, transparent parts.

w/o actually being familiar with your lenses, i would give it a try, taking care particularly to wrapping the tape around 360 with slightly overlapping ends, not just sticking to cracked side. for strength. if necessary, it is not difficult to carefully trim/tailor the tape to conform o the surface curvature...i dont think a perfectly transparent, well applied tape (that is, w/o excessive folds) will decrease the translucent qualities...

just pondering from far away w/o actually knowing what is your lenses...

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re:

tri, he did mention clearly the lenses were plastic...

fwiw, i cant speak of the super glue effect but i did use (more than once) a clear scotch tape to fix mine and my f & f various (much less expansive) bike lights, including the beam projecting, transparent parts.

w/o actually being familiar with your lenses, i would give it a try, taking care particularly to wrapping the tape around 360 with slightly overlapping ends, not just sticking to cracked side. for strength. if necessary, it is not difficult to carefully trim/tailor the tape to conform o the surface curvature...i dont think a perfectly transparent, well applied tape (that is, w/o excessive folds) will decrease the translucent qualities...

just pondering from far away w/o actually knowing what is your lenses...

Apologies I wasn't being more descriptive, but to me glass is glass.

But not every plastic is the same type of plastic.

 

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

Has anyone ever used cyanoacylate (super glue) to repair plastic headlight lenses? My wife's Clubman lens has a crack, and the replacement unit is $500 ish! Several on-line forums have suggestions for cyano. I've never used it for headlight cracks, but in my experience it gets brittle pretty quickly especially with UV exposure.

Has anyone used clear lens repair tape?

http://www.gorillatough.com/gorilla-clear-repair-duct-tape
http://3mauto.com/3m-high-strength-lens-repair-film-clear-03343.html

Anyone?

What are these lenses made of? (Sorry I don't know, but mine are always glass.)

Some variation of plastic.