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Sub Par posted:I needed to install a door to our basement utility room in a hurry (we needed to cat sit for an extended period on short notice for a friend, and the utility room was too dangerous for the cat), but the left side of the opening was not plumb. The bottom of the opening was 1.75 inches wider than the top, and I didn't have a lot of time, so just kind of made it work: Put shims along the opening ONLY where you will be driving screws, along with one large/long enough to accomodate the latch/striker. It does not need to be solid from top to bottom. Once it's functioning well, then yes, trim out both faces. Going to be fun working with the stair skirt, though. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 16:52 on Jan 27, 2021 |
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Jan 27, 2021 16:46
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PainterofCrap posted:Put shims along the opening ONLY where you will be driving screws, along with one large/long enough to accomodate the latch/striker. It does not need to be solid from top to bottom. Most excellent, thank you. Edit: Yes the stair skirt is going to be super annoying. I currently hate myself for not putting in like 3 extra hours of work to do this right from the get-go, so that part is probably going to stay looking ugly. Oh well. Sub Par fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Jan 27, 2021 |
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Jan 27, 2021 16:47
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Sub Par posted:Most excellent, thank you. If you use flat 5/8" thick trim stock (rather than the typical ornamental door trim) you should be able to trim it into the skirt, which is probably 5/8" as well. I would trim off a little of the Philadelphia molding (ornamental cap at the top of the skirt) and butt the trim right to the actual skirt material, and letting the Philadelphia molding butt up against the edge of the door trim for a clean look.
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Jan 27, 2021 16:52
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PainterofCrap posted:If you use flat 5/8" thick trim stock (rather than the typical ornamental door trim) you should be able to trim it into the skirt, which is probably 5/8" as well. I would trim off a little of the Philadelphia molding (ornamental cap at the top of the skirt) and butt the trim right to the actual skirt material, and letting the Philadelphia molding butt up against the edge of the door trim for a clean look. That's a good idea. Let's see how good I am at making things look nice.
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Jan 27, 2021 17:30
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How do you remove whitewash from sandstone, in an interior space? We bought a house with sandstone as the decorative stonework on the outside of the fireplace / hearth /etc. The sandstone has been whitewashed. I think it's whitewash and not paint because it still retains the original stone texture. We want to restore the original sandstone. We're having floors redone at the same time (same room) so while the flooring is out, our flooring guy (who is also a GC) said he'd sandblast it. Well, he's using a sandblaster with a walnut shell material, which is apparently common. Today he got it all set up and tried blasting and said it didn't work, nothing at all. He went at it with a rotary wire brush and got a little bit off but said it was slow going and would take a million years to do the whole thing that way. He's not a masonry or paint guy though he's a GC so he's seen a lot, but this is his first time trying something like this. So, any tips on how to remove whitewash from sandstone? Help
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Jan 27, 2021 20:17
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alnilam posted:How do you remove whitewash from sandstone, in an interior space? 1) Wire brush 2) Sandblast...or, since it's inside: frozen CO2 blast. No matter what, it's gonna be a poo poo-show.
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Jan 27, 2021 23:22
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I was looking up getting some security film for my exterior door windows. Why yes my $200 smart lock can be defeated with a rock. Do window films work in terms of these lofty claims of better heat retention in the winter and heat rejection in the summer? Is that something that I should look into applying to my windows as a cheaper alternative to replacing it, with a double pane window?
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Jan 27, 2021 23:36
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Chillyrabbit posted:I was looking up getting some security film for my exterior door windows. Why yes my $200 smart lock can be defeated with a rock. I cannot say how well it would work compared to replacing the windows themselves but my office got dramatically cooler in the summer when I put window tinting on my windows. I got a very dark tint, I’ll see if I can dig up what kind it was. I did end up pulling the tint off of one of the windows because my plants were dying due to lack of sun. I think this is what I got: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gila-36-in-x-180-in-Titanium-Heat-Control-Window-Film-HRT361/100616385 AFewBricksShy fucked around with this message at 16:19 on Jan 28, 2021 |
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Jan 28, 2021 15:50
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I have an old recessed can light (halo J can I think it's called) that flops out of the ceiling. The retention clips around the perimeter are broken. If I have to replace the can is there any reason to not get an LED "canless" light? The can in question is at the end of a string of retrofits the PO put in and I don't want any flickering or wierdness. Alternatively since I have to spend money is there any benefit in replacing all the 4 cans with LED? They already have those screw in led retrofits.
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Jan 28, 2021 16:01
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xposting from the woodworking thread I'm making a bar out of three 24" Ikea Cabinet frames. Two of the cabinets will be together and wrapped with 3/4" plywood, and the 3rd will be on it's own (also wrapped with 3/4" plywood) I want to be able to access the cabinets from behind so I won't be using the hardboard in the back. I plan on adding 3/4" plywood triangles to the corners to provide lateral stability. How small can I make the triangles without the bar collapsing laterally if someone puts weight on it? The bigger the triangles the harder it will be to access the bottles and glasses in the cabinet. 
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Jan 28, 2021 17:34
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I am trying to figure out how to get my shower door to latch again. When I moved into my place in mid 2019, the shower door magnetic latch worked fine. In the winter, it no longer worked, and in the spring of 2020 it worked again. I'm fairly certain this is due to minor foundation movement (I live in an area with highly expansive clay and the house has a subdrain around the perimeter and I get very little seasonal movement as a result, but this has been driving us crazy). When I put my level up against both door jambs, they appear to both be plumb. However, something is tweaking the shower door, because the magnets no longer touch. I was hoping to remove the latch and install a thicker magnet. Alas, the latch is held on to the glass door via adhesive or pressure from the part and I don't want to take it off and the magnet slips into the metal bracket so I can't really install another magnet. I believe my shower door is this model: https://cwdoors.com/products-item/5400h/. Any advice on what to do? Should I just buy some magnetic cabinet latch material and adhere it to the existing magnetic strip?
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Jan 28, 2021 20:40
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TurdBurgles posted:I have an old recessed can light (halo J can I think it's called) that flops out of the ceiling. The retention clips around the perimeter are broken. If I have to replace the can is there any reason to not get an LED "canless" light? The can in question is at the end of a string of retrofits the PO put in and I don't want any flickering or wierdness. Are all of the lights controlled by the same switch? Is there a dimmer?
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Jan 28, 2021 22:03
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TurdBurgles posted:I have an old recessed can light (halo J can I think it's called) that flops out of the ceiling. The retention clips around the perimeter are broken. If I have to replace the can is there any reason to not get an LED "canless" light? The can in question is at the end of a string of retrofits the PO put in and I don't want any flickering or wierdness. If you don't do all of them it's gonna look weird.
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Jan 28, 2021 22:41
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Same switch, no dimmer. Excellent point about it looking weird, I'll probably go all or nothing for LED then. For my education what could happen mixing led/non LEDs?
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Jan 29, 2021 02:31
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Mixing LEDs with non LEDs on a regular switch would be fine (aside from the aforementioned weirdness) if you put both on a dimmer they're not going to dim at the same rate and it's gonna look even weirderer. Nothing bad would happen though.
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Jan 29, 2021 02:42
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TurdBurgles posted:Same switch, no dimmer. Excellent point about it looking weird, I'll probably go all or nothing for LED then. I don't know what form factor of bulb is in your existing cans, but, if they're standard US light bulbs, it's really just the bulbs that you're changing out - any can will do. Should you decide to change the switch to a dimmer, just be sure it's an LED-compatible dimmer. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:26 on Jan 29, 2021 |
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Jan 29, 2021 03:05
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Thanks all!
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Jan 29, 2021 03:08
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Elviscat posted:Ummm, with that level of initial construction I'd certainly go hog wild with whatever you want, screws, nails, bolts, glue skies the limit on poo poo you're gonna have to replace later anyways. I'm afraid a picture would pale in comparison to your house of horrors. Also, I would have to get off the couch and that would disturb my cat who is sleeping on me. The shoddy construction ironically is why the closet still exists. Because if we're going to rebuild it, why not add 8-12", push the machines against the opposite wall and put in a half-bath since we only have one bath currently. And if we're doing that, I think we should fix the kitchen at the same time. No more mystery wires/twine sticking out of the walls, no more royal blue laminate countertops, and no more textured bar made out of I don't even know because it's impossible to clean. Everything in the house that I can't fix by myself is done in one fell swoop. Then my husband starts muttering about money and how he wanted a new build, which is why we've been having this conversation for the better part of two years. 
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Jan 29, 2021 07:05
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Cross posting this from the Electronics thread: Hey, I recently ran into a problem with my fancy headphones, and I was wondering if you guys can help me out with fixing it. When the headphones are plugged in using an inline 3.5mm audio cable, the speaker in the left ear cup only plays a flat monotone sound. However, when the headphones are connected via bluetooth instead of an aux cable, the speaker operates just fine. Using different cables and different audio jacks across multiple devices causes the same problem. I think the issue might be a short somewhere around the female 3.5mm audio connector, but I'm not entirely sure if I have properly diagnosed the problem, or how to fix it. Based on all of your experiences, does this sound like a short? If so, what would be the best way to fix it?
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Jan 29, 2021 17:02
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I think a short would either sound like nothing or exactly like the right channel, but it could be shorting to something random inside the headphones. Have you tried multiple cables and/or plugging in to multiple things?
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Jan 29, 2021 17:25
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Tenik posted:Cross posting this from the Electronics thread: sounds like your input jack on your headphones is broken, it's either not making contact to each "side" or it's broken and jumping across the 2 separations on the post.
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Jan 29, 2021 17:29
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Corla Plankun posted:I think a short would either sound like nothing or exactly like the right channel, but it could be shorting to something random inside the headphones. Have you tried multiple cables and/or plugging in to multiple things? Yep. I have a couple different cables and devices that all cause the same issue. Someone in the electronics thread suggested that it might be an open caused by some worn out solder, which would make sense considering how often I unplug the cables for that jack. tater_salad posted:sounds like your input jack on your headphones is broken, it's either not making contact to each "side" or it's broken and jumping across the 2 separations on the post. Alright, this is in line with what other people have said, so it sounds like this is likely the issue. Thanks for the help, everyone! Now I just need to figure out how to safely open up the headphones, dig into where the wires for that particular input jack is, and try to fix the connection. Tenik fucked around with this message at 17:33 on Jan 29, 2021 |
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Jan 29, 2021 17:31
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I just installed wood mini-blinds for my patio door. They included these optional hold-down pieces so that when you open the door it doesn't fly around. But the instructions were confusing. My blinds came with the little pieces in the left image, and since it's a patio door I'd be doing the one on the right side. But it looks like there is supposed to be a hole in the bottom blind, but mine doesn't have one, and it doesn't say anything about making one... so I just drill a little nub in there for the hook to hold onto? obviously the other part of the piece gets screwed into the door.
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Jan 29, 2021 22:55
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Is it worthwhile to buy a FLIR camera for home projects? Asking because I have an old century home with plaster and lathe and I'm doing all sorts of work that requires finding the studs. Stud finders and rare earth magnets haven't been helpful. I know that FLIR cams help find wall studs in drywall but I'm wondering if it will do the same with plaster and lathe.
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Jan 30, 2021 19:59
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melon cat posted:Is it worthwhile to buy a FLIR camera for home projects? Asking because I have an old century home with plaster and lathe and I'm doing all sorts of work that requires finding the studs. Stud finders and rare earth magnets haven't been helpful. I know that FLIR cams help find wall studs in drywall but I'm wondering if it will do the same with plaster and lathe. My house for some reason has 2 layers of drywall everywhere. Spent three months trying to find studs to hang things with 2 different stud finders before my dad and I figured out it was double drywall and neither studfinder I have could detect through that thickness. Cue 16 1” spaced pilot holes trying to find studs for the TV wall mount, which I obviously couldn’t afford to drywall mount.
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Jan 30, 2021 20:06
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melon cat posted:Is it worthwhile to buy a FLIR camera for home projects? Asking because I have an old century home with plaster and lathe and I'm doing all sorts of work that requires finding the studs. Stud finders and rare earth magnets haven't been helpful. I know that FLIR cams help find wall studs in drywall but I'm wondering if it will do the same with plaster and lathe. If all you are trying to do is find studs, buy a couple cheap drill bits in the smallest size available at your hardware store and just drill holes to find them. Like, 1/16 inch or thinner. With a couple of test holes you'll be able to determine the lath and plaster thickness and then mark the drill bits. Anything that encounters resistance beyond that depth is a stud (or.... something you really don't want to drill in, so I guess that's one of the hazards here).
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Jan 30, 2021 20:48
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Two of the windows in my living room are drafty as gently caress. They're thin and not very well weather sealed, and even hovering my hand over them makes me feel like I'm freezing to death. I'm pretty sure they're contributing to the majority of the cold in the apartment. Is it worth it to install some plastic insulating film on them, or should I go straight to installing some thermal curtains? How good is that film stuff, really?
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Jan 30, 2021 23:55
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Are they actually drafty or just poorly-insulated? "Drafty" implies that there's free exchange of air between the inside and outside of the apartment. If that's the case, then films and stuff that cover the glass can only have a very limited impact. Figure out where the draft is and patch that first.
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Jan 31, 2021 00:03
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My house has a couple crappy windows a previous owner put in that are freezing in the winter; the plastic shrink wrap stuff does wonders. Definitely seal up any air leaks first though.
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Jan 31, 2021 00:14
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So the toilet in this house has some bolts which look rusted -- up until now I've been covering them up with bolt caps, but I figure if I can replace them with something without too much trouble it might look less gross. Here are some pics: (sorry for the gross hairs, I need to clean) Am I right in that the bolt itself doesn't look like its rusting, since it's brass? If so, where's the rust coming from? Would it be possible to replace everything but the bolt without having to move the toilet? If so, what parts do I need? It seems like the left and the right side have different parts. Also, I had to get extra large bolt caps that only barely fit on these -- would it be a good idea to cut these bolts to be smaller? Is that what the notch is for? Thanks!
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Jan 31, 2021 03:35
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The bolts, nuts and especially the washers may not be brass, but cadmium-plated. They tend to rust given the harshness of the environment. And yes, the divots are for snapping off the excess. I use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel anyway. One solution to the corrosion is to slather Vaseline on the nut & bolt before you put the cap on.
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Jan 31, 2021 03:44
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You can certainly put new hardware on those bolts, I give you about a 5% chance of getting that 2nd picture's nut off without the bolt spinning in the retaining ring though. I'd hit 'em with a wire brush, then slather the whole mess in vaseline, grease, silicone caulking whatever you have that'll keep water and bleach away from them.
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Jan 31, 2021 03:50
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any recommendations for chemicals to get paint off a tile shower floor? on some tiles that are less worn, it scrapes right off in big chunks. on other tiles, it's like there are these tiny bits trapped in the tile and i can scrape all day and it won't come off e: just to be clear this is not a case of "whoops i just spilled some paint on the tile", it's more like "motherfuckers PAINTED THE TILE and it's been there for years" DELETE CASCADE fucked around with this message at 19:40 on Jan 31, 2021 |
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Jan 31, 2021 19:32
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DELETE CASCADE posted:any recommendations for chemicals to get paint off a tile shower floor? on some tiles that are less worn, it scrapes right off in big chunks. on other tiles, it's like there are these tiny bits trapped in the tile and i can scrape all day and it won't come off Aircraft grade paint stripper.
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Jan 31, 2021 19:43
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can water cause damage to powder coated steel if it's not wiped up immediately?
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Jan 31, 2021 20:19
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The water can dry and leave mineral deposits from the water droplets themselves--but that shouldn't be damaging/permanent unless there is something caustic involved to get through the powder coating. tl:dr think drying your car after washing it...
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Jan 31, 2021 20:41
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DELETE CASCADE posted:any recommendations for chemicals to get paint off a tile shower floor? on some tiles that are less worn, it scrapes right off in big chunks. on other tiles, it's like there are these tiny bits trapped in the tile and i can scrape all day and it won't come off Demolition hammer? Sounds like the tile was at least slightly porous, I don't think you'll ever get it all out. You could do something terrible like this. It's certainly not ideal to go over existing tile, but it's probably fine if it's in good shape already.
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Jan 31, 2021 22:08
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PainterofCrap posted:The bolts, nuts and especially the washers may not be brass, but cadmium-plated. They tend to rust given the harshness of the environment. Elviscat posted:You can certainly put new hardware on those bolts, I give you about a 5% chance of getting that 2nd picture's nut off without the bolt spinning in the retaining ring though. Cool thanks, wire brush and Vaseline sounds like what I want! Follow up question: re. "getting that 2nd picture's nut off without the bolt spinning in the retaining ring", would it help to grip the bolt with something (vise grip, etc.) while trying to get the nut off? I can see that loving up the threading, but maybe I can just grip the top part which I'd snap off anyway...
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Jan 31, 2021 23:48
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So I hung up a somewhat heavy framed picture with a 3m command hook and it fell.  Fortunately, the glass didn't break, but the frame suffered a bit of damage. In particular, some of these L-shaped metal things holding the edges together were broken off.  I first tried wood glue and corner clamps, but the clamps couldn't get a good grip, and it seems like the corners aren't really meant to lie flush. Could regular-rear end wood staples just take the place of those L-shaped things? Or should I try something else? (I looked around and couldn't really find what those L-shaped metal things are...)
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Feb 1, 2021 00:43
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floWenoL posted:Could regular-rear end wood staples just take the place of those L-shaped things? Or should I try something else? (I looked around and couldn't really find what those L-shaped metal things are...) Those look like V-nails, which are often used for framing. If you want it to stay together long-term, you probably want to put it back together with v-nails and glue (or have a framer do it). Staples aren't going to do a lot. Wallet fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Feb 1, 2021 |
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Feb 1, 2021 01:02
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