What Do You Fix?

[clean]

today I changed the hood lifts on my car!  It didnt take too much effort, thanks to watching a youtube about it first!! 

I had thought that it would help the hood pop up better, but I suppose that is another problem!  However, as earlier today I was doing something else and the hood hit me on the back of my head, I suppose that the lifts needed fixed too! 

[apl68]

You could trying what I guy I used to know did.  He kept a length of broomstick to prop the hood open whenever he opened it.

[ergative]

1. I have recaulked the window frames. These are windows we had put in last fall, and I love them so much (MASSIVE improvement on the old ones), but the window guy used a very shrinky caulk to seal them, and boy did it shrink shrinkily! Anyway so I scraped out the old caulk and recaulked the worst of the gaps (at least, the ones that don't require me to get on a ladder), and I'm quite pleased with that. I must confess that I'm getting to be rather a dab hand with a caulk gun! (she foreshadowed, overconfidently.)

2. I had two screws that kept coming unscrewed. I have now applied loctite threadlocker to them, and they are not budging. I'm also pleased with that.

3. I repainted the baseboards in my office. I am--hmm--less well pleased with that job, but fortunately I had the self-awareness to start on the baseboards destined to go behind a couch and some bookcases and an art supply cabinet, so the bits that are actually visible are the ones I did after I'd mostly got the hang of things.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Awesome fixin' guys! SO uses a piece of wood to prop up the hood of his beater car. :)

Today, we fixed the 25 year old washing machine AGAIN, but this time, we did a more extensive repair. Saturday, we heard it make a clunking noise and discovered that it was not spinning or draining. So, after we used the shop vac to empty the water (that was fun- not!), we took it apart.

We tested the pump. Pump was fine. We then tested the motor with the pump off and heard that sound again. Unplugged everything and removed the motor. As soon as SO removed it he said, "I think I found the problem!" The motor coupler was in pieces! Granted, this is a 25 year old washer and it wasn't exactly balanced. So, we removed the bits, researched the part (less than 9 bucks online), ordered the part and installed it TODAY! We now have a working washer. Yay!!!

[ergative]

Awesome fixin' guys! SO uses a piece of wood to prop up the hood of his beater car. :)

Today, we fixed the 25 year old washing machine AGAIN, but this time, we did a more extensive repair. Saturday, we heard it make a clunking noise and discovered that it was not spinning or draining. So, after we used the shop vac to empty the water (that was fun- not!), we took it apart.

We tested the pump. Pump was fine. We then tested the motor with the pump off and heard that sound again. Unplugged everything and removed the motor. As soon as SO removed it he said, "I think I found the problem!" The motor coupler was in pieces! Granted, this is a 25 year old washer and it wasn't exactly balanced. So, we removed the bits, researched the part (less than 9 bucks online), ordered the part and installed it TODAY! We now have a working washer. Yay!!!

You operate on an entirely different level of fixitiveness from me. I bow before you.

[apl68]

Awesome fixin' guys! SO uses a piece of wood to prop up the hood of his beater car. :)

Today, we fixed the 25 year old washing machine AGAIN, but this time, we did a more extensive repair. Saturday, we heard it make a clunking noise and discovered that it was not spinning or draining. So, after we used the shop vac to empty the water (that was fun- not!), we took it apart.

We tested the pump. Pump was fine. We then tested the motor with the pump off and heard that sound again. Unplugged everything and removed the motor. As soon as SO removed it he said, "I think I found the problem!" The motor coupler was in pieces! Granted, this is a 25 year old washer and it wasn't exactly balanced. So, we removed the bits, researched the part (less than 9 bucks online), ordered the part and installed it TODAY! We now have a working washer. Yay!!!

You operate on an entirely different level of fixitiveness from me. I bow before you.

I'd have to make the same confession.

[FishProf]

I finally found the source of the leak in my shower.  It was so stupid that I didn't consider it or notice it.

The shower stall glass door had a plastic threshold sweep.  It was installed backwards, so that the capillary action that should draw water back to the inside, was instead directing it to the outside.  The threshold itself was ever so slightly not level, so water ran to the corner, then seeped along the seam before running down and the under the baseboard.  Several months of sealing grout, testing the drain pan and testing for other sources, didn't find the issue.  So now, with a $5 strip of a bulb seal, some silicon sealant, and installing the sweep correctly, the problem is completely resolved.

[apl68]

I finally found the source of the leak in my shower.  It was so stupid that I didn't consider it or notice it.

The shower stall glass door had a plastic threshold sweep.  It was installed backwards, so that the capillary action that should draw water back to the inside, was instead directing it to the outside.  The threshold itself was ever so slightly not level, so water ran to the corner, then seeped along the seam before running down and the under the baseboard.  Several months of sealing grout, testing the drain pan and testing for other sources, didn't find the issue.  So now, with a $5 strip of a bulb seal, some silicon sealant, and installing the sweep correctly, the problem is completely resolved.

A much easier fix than the floor of our public men's restroom at work.  The builders somehow managed to make the room's floor drain the highest part of the floor.  Having become tired of mopping up occasional minor floods due to overflowing urinals, I once asked for an estimate of how much it would take to redo the floor to have a functioning floor drain.  The estimate ran to several thousand dollars.  So we still ply the mop whenever we have a wet floor in there.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Awesome fixin' guys! SO uses a piece of wood to prop up the hood of his beater car. :)

Today, we fixed the 25 year old washing machine AGAIN, but this time, we did a more extensive repair. Saturday, we heard it make a clunking noise and discovered that it was not spinning or draining. So, after we used the shop vac to empty the water (that was fun- not!), we took it apart.

We tested the pump. Pump was fine. We then tested the motor with the pump off and heard that sound again. Unplugged everything and removed the motor. As soon as SO removed it he said, "I think I found the problem!" The motor coupler was in pieces! Granted, this is a 25 year old washer and it wasn't exactly balanced. So, we removed the bits, researched the part (less than 9 bucks online), ordered the part and installed it TODAY! We now have a working washer. Yay!!!

You operate on an entirely different level of fixitiveness from me. I bow before you.

I'd have to make the same confession.

You're feeding my ego too much. Lol.

There is a DIY spectrum. All I know is that I am too stubborn and frugal to buy a new washer. Here's to maybe another 25 years.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I finally found the source of the leak in my shower.  It was so stupid that I didn't consider it or notice it.

The shower stall glass door had a plastic threshold sweep.  It was installed backwards, so that the capillary action that should draw water back to the inside, was instead directing it to the outside.  The threshold itself was ever so slightly not level, so water ran to the corner, then seeped along the seam before running down and the under the baseboard.  Several months of sealing grout, testing the drain pan and testing for other sources, didn't find the issue.  So now, with a $5 strip of a bulb seal, some silicon sealant, and installing the sweep correctly, the problem is completely resolved.

A much easier fix than the floor of our public men's restroom at work.  The builders somehow managed to make the room's floor drain the highest part of the floor.  Having become tired of mopping up occasional minor floods due to overflowing urinals, I once asked for an estimate of how much it would take to redo the floor to have a functioning floor drain.  The estimate ran to several thousand dollars.  So we still ply the mop whenever we have a wet floor in there.

If it's a few grand, then it may be worth it. Maybe?

Good fix FishProf! A five buck fix is a great thing!

[Parasaurolophus]

I braved the heat to make a sandbox. It turned out surprisingly well.

[FishProf]

I fixed a flat on my riding lawnmower.

I didn't you know, mow the lawn or anything.  But I could.....

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Yay for fixing things! We're Ludites over here when it comes to lawnmowers (just kidding- I love tech!) and we use an old-fashioned reel mower. It's a pain in the ass, but we also have a 'small' lawn. :)

[larryc]

I recently built a new hatch cover for our basement entrance. I didn't like the huge heave metal bulkhead doors at Lowe's and couldn't find plans or even photos online that I liked so I kind of invented it as I went along. To keep it light I used poplar 1X3s for the frame. Painted it black and covered it with grey tinted polycarbonate greenhouse panels. I made it up as I went along and am thrilled with how great it looks. Next I want to add some gas struts so it opens with one hand. I haven't used struts before so I am a little unsure what to order.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I recently built a new hatch cover for our basement entrance. I didn't like the huge heave metal bulkhead doors at Lowe's and couldn't find plans or even photos online that I liked so I kind of invented it as I went along. To keep it light I used poplar 1X3s for the frame. Painted it black and covered it with grey tinted polycarbonate greenhouse panels. I made it up as I went along and am thrilled with how great it looks. Next I want to add some gas struts so it opens with one hand. I haven't used struts before so I am a little unsure what to order.

Sounds nice. I don't have any advice about the gas struts. How heavy is the door? I'm assuming it's one door- or are there two?

Over here, our 25 year old dryer has started working intermittently and I suspect the motor is going out (we already cleaned out the lint bomb in the back and the vent). We'll probably replace it, but I'm not in a big hurry.