The Cellar » Adventures of Home Ownership

bbro · 3/19/2022 8:21 pm

The start of two projects

1. I got different legs for the table/desk, but I'm having trouble getting some of the other wood off of the table. I haven't attached them, but I need to try them out to make sure they can still work with the apron on the table

2. The well house needs a door cause things keep getting in there. I am trying to spend very little money on it because I want to knock it down and seal the well. I put this up today just to make sure it works. I'm either just gonna leave it as is, but with hinges. I also have some wood that I think I can cover the gaps with.

3. No pictures, but I've bought some frames for some things and I'm planning on hanging art around the house. How fancy!! I've also been trying to get myself to do some other things: hanging blinds, hanging the laundry room rail

Finished item from the list
I finally moved the shelves into the closet in the craft room. And I managed to put a shelf in above it. It's not very accessible because of the angle, I didn't want anything that I would need often, so old board games it is!

I left the bar in cause I thought it would be helpful at some point. Turns out, I used it right away to hang the ironing board

My glorious shelf

xoxoxoBruce · 3/20/2022 10:26 am

The well house, why does it need hinges, how often do you plan going in there? Take that piece you have, attach a piece on each side to cover the gaps and hold it in place with a latch on each side.

Tear it down and seal the well? Where is your pump, most are submersible pumps down the well pushing the water out. When they go bad they have to be pulled up and replaced which means access to the well. Plus when you don't have water you don't want any delays in getting it back on.

bbro · 3/21/2022 5:52 pm

Update: the shelf fell down. Even though I found the stud, apparently I didn't put the screws in it on the right (facepalm). I'm debating on using anchors or trying to find the stud again

@Bruce - It needs hinges because the first time I have to go in there, I'm gonna be pissed off that I have to fiddle with it to be "closed" again. I have leftover hinges from the creepy house I tore down. It'll be nice to have something like that completed, too. Just leaving the wood in there is something my parents would have done.
The pump is laying on the ground inside the well house. This area is on city water now, so the well isn't used. My neighbor said the water in the wells are bad, so I wouldn't be able to use it.

xoxoxoBruce · 3/21/2022 7:29 pm

Ah, it's not is use. Must not get cold enough there to freeze the pump. So unless you're going to use it for car washing and garden watering to reduce your water bill you can seal it with no problem.

Oh, a project is done when all you intend to do is done, nobodies criteria but your own.

bbro · 3/22/2022 8:40 am

I think it's more that the former owners didn't care and just left it there. I don't think it's supposed to be there. They were not great at maintaining. They still had an old ass water softener that hadn't been used in decades in the house. My water bill is only about $20 right now. I'm hoping to attach gutters and rain barrels to the garage/gym and use that for watering (if I ever plant something that needs watering)

My definition of done is not half assing it

xoxoxoBruce · 3/26/2022 6:04 pm

Not half-assing it is good policy as long as you're doing the job to your liking and not someone else's expectations.
It's your property and you only answer to the puppies. ;o)

bbro · 3/27/2022 12:02 pm

I finally hung up some of my adulting art!

I'm trying to figure out something to put in the bottom corner so it doesn't look like crap

I have 3 more to hang up, I'm just not sure where. 2 drawings and 1 Geiger print

I'm also discovering the joy of yard work. Normally, I wouldn't bother, but there's a bunch of sweet gum seeds form the neighbor's trashy area and the dogs keep stepping on them. It also makes it a bit tricky to play catch because they can easily include a seed with the ball. It's gonna take some time, though, cause I got a big yard. I'm not even bothering with the other side - just where the dogs run

I've also got some flowers I'm going to plant in the front planter. It's an experiment to see if I can keep things living - lol. Also, poisoning of ants and grubs will commence soon.

bbro · 4/07/2022 7:38 am

I planted my first flowers

bbro · 4/07/2022 4:57 pm

Undertoad wrote:
bee bro

That legitimately made me chuckle.

My friend is gonna be giving me a lily to put in the middle and I'm going to add some petunias flowing over the side. Fancy

bbro · 4/09/2022 6:20 pm

FINALLY - hung the bar in the laundry room for hangers/clothes

No picture, but I rehung the shelf support that came out of the wall in the craft room closet.

I also hung some more art. I only have one more existing print to hang
Yes, I know these need adjusted, but at least they're up

The frame was originally a dark honey color. Awful. I was going to paint it black, but my paint had gone green. Instead, I just put a light layer on it and I think it worked out well

I also set up the garage sound system - lol

Last edited by bbro (4/09/2022 6:21 pm)

xoxoxoBruce · 4/10/2022 4:44 pm

Looking like a real lived in comfy home, well done.
I planted impatiens in a raised bed for a couple years but had to water them at least every other day and the day in between they'd look wilted. I guess the soil drained too well because when I watered I could hear them slurping..

bbro · 4/10/2022 9:40 pm

I just checked them earlier today and they're still looking pretty good. We've had a decent amount of rain, though. And the planter is all sand and pebbles, so I think it retains moisture better.

bbro · 4/10/2022 9:50 pm

So, the desk project has been abandoned. The same thing happening multiple times is just killing the groove/excitement I had about it. I'm just gonna put the regular legs back on. Maybe I can do something to them to make them look better.

I also tried to use a door as a table in the garage to put the sound system on, but the supports were too short, so there was no chance it was staying up. I need to get some wood to make legs in the front.

I DID have one success. I built a stand for my portable grill out of scrap wood. I'll just be using it for a year or so until I get a real grill. I realized that I wanted to put that money to other things rather than the grill this time.

BigV · 4/11/2022 7:05 pm

bbro wrote:
I just checked them earlier today and they're still looking pretty good. We've had a decent amount of rain, though. And the planter is all sand and pebbles, so I think it retains moisture better.

Mulch retains moisture better. Sand and pebbles drain better. Think about it, what holds the water in? Spongy stuff, the opposite of sand and pebbles.

bbro · 4/11/2022 9:09 pm

BigV wrote:
bbro wrote:
I just checked them earlier today and they're still looking pretty good. We've had a decent amount of rain, though. And the planter is all sand and pebbles, so I think it retains moisture better.
Mulch retains moisture better. Sand and pebbles drain better. Think about it, what holds the water in? Spongy stuff, the opposite of sand and pebbles.

Gotcha - I actually checked them today and they were NOT looking good. I watered them, but I might've been too late for some. I really need a watering can

bbro · 4/12/2022 2:28 pm

So, I just realized I was getting super excited about the prospect of new shutters. I'm looking at colors and being like "OOOOOO". I'm doing google searches for colors that go with red brick. I still don't know what color/style I'm getting (except not fucking louvered), but I'm 98% sure my shutters aren't going to match the doors

bbro · 4/15/2022 12:16 pm

I used my table :D

xoxoxoBruce · 4/16/2022 10:09 pm

It works, but be careful of sideloads.
So you're saying the shutters won't match the doors. Not uncommon these days, nobody will be offended.
You seem to be vehemently opposed to louvered shutters, I've never heard someone say that before.
Probably others have felt that way but didn't express it. You're making leaps and bounds.

bbro · 4/17/2022 8:01 am

xoxoxoBruce wrote:
It works, but be careful of sideloads..

There's more support underneath than you can see. There's a 2x4 between each front/back pair under the top. And there's a piece of plywood that goes across the back connecting the back legs and supports the top.

If that's not what you mean, can you elaborate.

xoxoxoBruce wrote:
You seem to be vehemently opposed to louvered shutters, I've never heard someone say that before.

I think it comes from the overuse of shitty louvered closet doors in 20 yrs of renting. I also have the damn bifold ones on every closet here.

monster · 4/17/2022 9:41 am

I also hate louvered shutters. tbh, I hate all fake shutters ick

xoxoxoBruce · 4/17/2022 6:20 pm

bbro wrote:
xoxoxoBruce wrote:
It works, but be careful of sideloads..
There's more support underneath than you can see. There's a 2x4 between each front/back pair under the top. And there's a piece of plywood that goes across the back connecting the back legs and supports the top.
If that's not what you mean, can you elaborate.

I saw the front to back pieces which would stop wiggling but a with a sideways force if the bottom doesn't move the length of the leg is a lever multiplying the force on the top. I couldn't see the plywood across the back. That's a excellent move, the wider the better.
I realize this is a temporary set up but it only takes one accident to ruin your day by dumping supper on the ground.

There are cheaper and easier ways to feed the dogs..LoL

bbro · 4/18/2022 8:45 am

xoxoxoBruce wrote:
I realize this is a temporary set up but it only takes one accident to ruin your day by dumping supper on the ground.

There are cheaper and easier ways to feed the dogs..LoL

AGREED!

The back support is the wide piece in the pic below. The legs are made of the 2x6 pieces shown. And the old mailbox support is still there

bbro · 4/26/2022 8:46 am

Whelp - interesting thing happened last night that has moved the redo of the gym to a higher priority......

Here it is checking out my form between the plates

I did my workout and kept an eye on it, but I'd prefer not to have an audience

xoxoxoBruce · 4/29/2022 9:09 pm

Doesn't look like he had a camera so not paparazzi just a pervert.
He could be a jump rope with a little work.
Probably dog toy is not a good idea either
45 pound weights? Doesn't take many of them to hernia.

Last edited by xoxoxoBruce (4/29/2022 9:10 pm)

bbro · 4/29/2022 9:30 pm

I managed to change the blinds in the office. I didn't think that 2 inches vs 1 inches was going to be that much of a different, but I love it (old ones here https://cellar.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?pid=16298#p16298 )

I finally hung the bar in the laundry area. I misplaced the third support when I was hanging them, but it still works. I think I need to add a shelf on top to make it more stable, eventually

Now, on to the not good thing.
So, I had big plans to replace the florescent lights in the gym. I got a new one up, but had some trouble with the old light. I finally got it down today. It took a fucking half hour to get the last screw out. I don't know if it was because it was a flathead, but it was stupid.
Then, I go to the other light thinking "just a quick unplug and remove the light - no biggie. BIG BIGGIE. They fucking hardwired it in!! One plugged in, one hardwired. What the fuck?? I could just leave it, but look at the state of the one I took down

Yes, it's melted. I feel like I really have to get the other one down. I'm planning on capping the electrical wires and putting them in a box. I have a contractor coming to look at how we can make the gym better, so I'll have a long term plan then.

Last edited by bbro (4/29/2022 9:32 pm)