Home Repairs

[burrocrat]

you can't even take a selfie with a tv,

well, that's not entirely true...

you can take a selfie with a tv. if you duct tape an old fashioned 35mm camara to the top of it and talk a squirrel into scurrying up there and pressing the shutter button for ya. do places still even develop film anymore? but you are going to look pretty silly hanging over the edge of the grand canyon with your clothes off holding up a big rca console and talking to squirrels. just trust me on this one.

 

[alevin]

Even I am not that reckless, burro.:bs2: If I were going to go to all that trouble, I'd have a buddy set up a belay for me first so I'd come back alive even if the crt didn't. :cheesy:

 

[PessOptimist]

Enough Donkey! We will be gone soon enough. Then you can get rid of all our CRTs.:smile:

 

[Scout333]

"Not actually repairs but replaced a 32”CRT TV and had a couple of smaller ones around I needed to get rid of. Neither I nor any of my “older adult” friends were really capable of moving this 120+lb monster from where it sat." Yikes thats definitely a two man lift maybe three! I tried moving one by myself (much younger then), dropped it. Amazing how many pieces they have! Hard to find a disposal site even then.:smile:

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: Home Repairs: CFL

CFL note for anyone who wants to read. Much discussion about these around earlier in this thread and others.

A CFL spotlight type woohoo. I had to replace two today in the kitchen track light. One had no date on it but the other was dated 6/13/08. No brand name on this bulb, just CF16EL. So apparently some of these mercury containing devices can actually live up to life claims. Eight years is not bad for any bulb living in a can on a track light and used daily.

PO

 

[DrDetroit]

Re: Home Repairs: how not to clean your laptop keyboard

I love doing work at my lakehouse in Michigan, just got a new electrical box, two ceiling fans, and did some deck repair.

Wish I felt the same about my primary residence, every time something needs to be done I am loathe to spend money on it. Need to tear out the carpeting in the basement and figure out a replacement (not carpet), and I am slow-rolling this project as long as possible. oof

 

[alevin]

Re: Home Repairs: how not to clean your laptop keyboard

I tore out the carpet in the former garage/den years ago. the former owners had done the garage conversion/carpet job. I had vinyl flooring put in over the concrete pad once the carpet was gone. I love it. especially in the summer time with the ac on-coolest place in the house.

The thing about an old house, (60 years old at this point), is that there is always something that needs attention to make it more liveable, new roof, leak repair, adding insulation that was never installed originally, new water heater after the old one breaks down, grounding outlets that were never grounded in the original construction, adding outlets, new electric panel to handle additional outlets, etc.

Thing that has helped me move forward with such things is noticing what I spend on average per year for one major repair/upgrade, and plan for that amount in my annual budget going forward. And plan ahead for the most essential repair/replacement/upgrade that I will spend that money on in the new budget for the new year. The new roof/insulation/skylights took 2 years worth of budget planning (and saving), but I got energy-efficiency tax credits for them the year I implemented my plan.

 

[PessOptimist]

Re: Home Repairs: how not to clean your laptop keyboard

Oh golly gee. No forums available. Good luck with the server upgrade Tom.


I do hope all the people posting non sequiters in the starred forums are dealing with it OK.

Obviously posting is restored. I wrote this in a text file while waiting and doing other stuff.

It's a great afternoon on the patio. Over 80 in the afternoon sun but in the 40s around sunrise. Great time of year to live here, temp wise.

I guess this goes under home repair. Always something broken around here. Or just suddenly lacking and needs relacement.

Recent project was replacing hallway light fixtures. Easy peasy but don't forget to shut off the breaker. Shutting off the switch is safe but you just never know who will do what when. Shutting off the breaker is cheaper than buying a LOTO kit. Unless you think someone in the house knows where the breaker panel is. Then you are on your own. Maybe buy a LOTO kit.

This week it was the pool pump motor. Damn thing only lasted 17 years. Damn pools anyway. A direct replacement would have been <$500 installed. BUT, the state has mandated all replacements must be variable speed eco friendly motors so add $1000 to that. Great news though, I get $100 rebate from my power company which means from a .gov program thus thank you all very much for this largess. I did not do this myself, paid someone who had to go back to the truck many times. I would have had to go back to the store many times. I hate plumbing anyway, especially PVC pipe.

I also chose to tackle the sliding screen door. All the stuff on the internet is great except that most doors do not have the type of roller shown. Most require replacing the door corner assembly. This will require removing the screen at least partly. It will also require time, dexterity and patience. Lacking here from me.

Most sliding screen doors do not use the top rollers. At least not the original ones. Getting one that actually has a top track will require a new door frame. Go for it if you wish.

Remove the screen door from the frame. Just lift up and out from the bottom.

Carefully pry out the spline holding the bottom of the screen to the door. You will also have to pry out a few inches of the spline on one side to give you room to work. Carefully pop the screen out of the door where you have removed the spline. If there are any screws holding the frame together remove them. Any roller adjustment screws will have to be backed out or removed. Now take that rubber hammer you have had for 40 years and carefully tap the bottom part of the door frame away from the side while holding the side. The door frame should start coming apart. If you are only replaceing one roller, usually the frame will flex enough to only seperate one corner. Maybe not. Be careful. If you kink the frame you need a new door.

A local hardware store will make me a new screen door for between $115 and $135. The parts were $10 and I suppose worth a shot if you want.


Once you get the corner seperated you will see the "L" bracket. Now gently remove the bracket from the bottom frame piece by the same gentle tapping on the L bracket while holding the bottom frame section. Now you will be able to see what is actually broken and can take it to your local big or small box hardware store. Or home improvement store. Or DIY store. Whatever it is called. I suggest the small box or if it still exists the mom and pop hardware store. There you will get to talk to someone who will know what part you need. Big box stores you will take a while to find anyone and then they will have to call someone who is not working that day and you will be on your own. You may get lucky and find an employee who knows where such hardware might be but will have to answer a text and suggest you go away. YMMV.

Once you get the "universal replacement parts" you can proceed to put it all back together. This may require some minor surgery to the bottom part of the door frame and will definitely require a lot of dexterity and patience. Gently tap the new bracket in to bottom frame piece and insert the new roller mechanism. Patience! Then connect the bottom frame piece to the sides. Then gently push the screen back in to the frame. Use the spline roller you have had for 30 years. Be certain to pull all wrinkes out of the screen. Replace the spline using the spline roller. It will seem to be longer than it was originally. Trim as necessary.

Replace the door into the frame. Adjust the roller height. Screws at the bottom corner of the door. At this point you should have a better rolling screen door than before. It will still not be easy. While it was out you should have cleaned the track and sprayed furniture wax on it. That way it will attract more dirt and maybe move easier for a few minutes.

Rest assured that anyone in the house who uses the process of lifting up and pushing out to open a sliding screen door will push it off it's track or maybe even cause it to fall on to the patio.

Happy home repairs.


PO

 

[burrocrat]

Re: Home Repairs: how not to clean your laptop keyboard

Or just suddenly lacking and needs relacement.

I hate plumbing anyway,

Lacking here from me.

Go for it if you wish.

Just lift up and out from the bottom.

I suppose worth a shot if you want.

You may get lucky

It will seem to be longer than it was originally.

sprayed furniture wax on it.

fall on to the patio.

dude, do you understand that the answer to every one of your conundrums listed above is "get a new wife"?

no offense, we all struggle with this issue sometimes, but some like the struggle. just trying to help.