Home Improvement Today?

All my cordless tools with the exception of a Hitachi framing nailer are Makita but they are all 18V / 36V (18x2) , this is my first Makita 40V , its a 10" , guide rail compatible circular saw , bevels to 60 degrees

https://www.makita.ca/index2new.php?event=tool&id=3798&catid=2

 

By catching things on clearance I finally accumulated enough Makita LXT batteries to make buying more tools sensible.
This summer I got the smallest 18 volt weed eater (they have 3), man is that little thing handy! Even Mrs Green will use it occasionally.

Sure, for big jobs or taming the underbrush the gas power one is the better choice but for routine around the house use the electric is so much more convenient - and quiet too, no ear plugs required.

Next item on the wish list is a small chainsaw. I'm to lazy to jack with a gas saw for one lousy branch, with an electric one handy I will get more done. I will have one before next mowing season.

 

yeah I have the Makita 18x2 weedeater , 16" chainsaw and lawnmower

 

Decking done and all the rail parts cut to fit (in position and labeled) today. Those will be installed Monday. Existing frame wasn't square, so had to gradually cheat one side a little closer every few courses. New ledger flashing and trim along deck/under door. The 2 new posts in front of the hot tub will be a continuation of the deck rail/baluster (just 1x1 PT) system for privacy. Probably space those a little closer than those on the deck. Solar light caps going on all post tops. Made a little "get me up" with scraps for the owner as there was an old one in place before demo. She was thrilled.

 

Remember when everyone was telling me just to board over this wall? I should have listened. That was a bear to skim. Wallpaper should be outlawed unless you put it over removable boards!

Starting point (gore/trigger warning):






Day 1 sealed the paper as best I could and laid down a horrible coat. Used the old roller method.






Day 2 cut all of the damn blisters out, pre fill, and then do skim coat 2




Day 3 cut more blisters out. More prefill. Sand lightly and do the top coat.


Final


Time to ice my back . Just needs a very light sanding, texture, and primer. No wonder that wall had slats on it for 20 years… removal and repair was a MONSTER! Wouldn’t have been so bad if the wall wasn’t 13’ in the air over a flight of stairs. Onto overboarding the popcorn on the stair landing tomorrow.

 

I am already on the dark side, Congratulations

 

Damn! You did good.

Might have been easier to take it back to the studs and re-drywall, at that point.

 

I'm liking the lawnmower as well . You just have to keep on top mowing it. It struggles if the grass is long or damp. It also came with a duel battery blower which works great.

 

I find the only problem is that the design of the "port" that directs the grass into the bag tends to get clogged when the grass is both long and wet , when its dry that doesn't seem to be a problem . I also have the 2x18v blower and I agree , its awesome

 

Yeh if the grass is long or damp I dig out my old gas mower. The only other problem I found is it needs another setting for the handle height adjustment. One between the factory settings. Other then then that it works great. With four 6mah batteries I can get through my roughly 10000 sq ft of lawn

 

I have the same battery set up , 4 / 6ah batteries and a dual battery charger

 

My wife and I did a full remodel on our house (inside and out). New siding, eves, garage door, entry-way, and driveway outside and new finished in place hardwood floor throughout, dry wall “adjustments”, windows, doors, slider, fireplace, stucco, etc. on the inside.

 

Decided it was a good day to clean all of the windows today. To get the screens out we had to open the windows far more than we usually do. Not sure what this part is called but when we tried to close the window it caught on something and came out and bent all to hell.



The whole vertical piece came off and I had to jimmy the window with a scraper and grab it with pliers and pull it down just to be able to close the window. This is how it sits now - except we still cleaned it, of course.

Any idea if this can be repaired or will we have to replace the whole window?

 

It's trim bead. It snaps back in place. If one end is square cut, insert it first under the mitred end of the horizontal piece

 

Any advice on drilling through brick and block to add a receptacle to the front of the house? I've got a 5/8" x 18" masonry bit in my cart and I've got some 1/4" masonry bits for the pilot hole through the brick. GFCI, single gang box, and waterproof cover are on their way. I'll be using a corded RIDGID 1/2" drill, unless I can find someone who has a hammer drill that I can use. I need to check this evening if the conduit I have is 5/8" or smaller OD. I do not like drilling through the brick/block.

 

I've had good success with Milwaukee's shockwave carbide hammer drill bits and a regular 20v dewalt drill going through stucco for a floodlight/junction box install. You could rent a hammer drill from HD for cheap.

 

Drill through the mortar, not a brick. Not sure you can drill through a brick...

To attach the box to the wall, Tapcon makes screws for concrete - just drill a pilot hole. Or, you can use plastic expansion anchors, like Red Head. Either method works well.

As was mentioned, put a bead of silicon on the backside of the box to seal it to the wall. Leave a gap along the bottom edge, to allow moisture to escape (or skip the bottom edge altogether.)

Romex, especially 14-2, will fit through a 3/8" hole.