geekhouse23's "LIFE'S WAITING TO BEGIN" Overland & Home build and all the Adventures in between!

When in New England you have an outside access crawlspace under the bathroom, you proceed to put the bathroom faucet on an outside wall and run pipe along about 7 feet of the foundation (including that access) knowing it gets to freezing here..look I'm no plumber but if I can see it's a bad idea, the person who ran that shouldn't be touching the stuff except to be beaten with it.

 

Unbelievable. We have used YouTube as a tool to learn how to do a bunch of new things to save so much money; let alone the time and back and forth trying to get someone out to do something.

Granted we have left a few projects for the professionals, but even then, I feel like we got lucky. Right place at the right time type of thing.

 

One of the things I miss about my old 5 drawer cart is the rubber mat. It was a door mat from Lowe's, but I wanted something a bit better that could potentially hold smaller screws etc but also protect the work surfaces. Picked up a jegs mat from Amazon:



Also received the ratchet straps and d rings for the RTT hoist. Hoping to get that done this weekend.

Probably will pick up the supplies I need for expanding one of the outlets in the garage, too.

 

Next golf cart project: Next step of registering the cart as a LSV.



Have a DOT AS4 approved windshield coming. You also need a windshield wiper for registration purposes. I didn't see the benefit of having to drill into an expensive piece of plastic for a wiper blade. A clip on wiper is $89 on Amazon. A wiper that you mount via the hole drilled into the windshield is $19 and a company sells a bracket for $25 that bolts onto the windshield frame for the wiper to mount. Much better pricing for today and future proofing.

Waiting on the windshield to show up, but, I want to remove the windshield frame and have the holes filled that the previous owner drilled into because it looks like swiss cheese.

I might reach out to my neighbor for help with that to start my welding career. Just want a cleaner look and use rivnuts for mounting the side mirrors and wiper bracket.

 

I've been blessed as well. I could pound a nail and carry heavy stuff when we moved in. My wife has forgotten more than I could ever learn about how to work on a house when she was in her 20s. Even if it's a job she can't physically do she can instruct me.

I won't touch anything involving water or electric given my choice. I've replaced the cartridge on my kitchen faucet and light switches, in that order. One big hobby of mine is playing darts and I've met several tradesfolk through te years which has been huge, one example is the guy who has rewired my house one room at a time.

 

Just saved $200 this morning replacing the UV light bulb in my HVAC. The bulb was $30 from daddy besos overnighted and took less than 10 minutes.

Some asshole would have charged $250 for the service call and bulb and they would have come next Friday between 10am and "fuck you".

 

I figured the washing machine fix out myself and replaced the part, bet that was $200 or more for a $30 part that was 5 minutes of labor. Shift switch went and i found a how to for getting into the codes.

 

For the labor price of most things, id rather learn to do it myself. I still wont add electrical things though. If its replacing a switch or changing a light fixture, ill do it myself over paying someone.


This is so accurate with me:

 

Abso-fucking-lutely.

All about building that resume.

 

Windshield update for the golf cart:

Well, in traditional aftermarket golf cart fashion, placing an order for something in stock on the website turned out to be back ordered 5 days after placing the order.

So, what should have arrived by now, is now shipping at the end of the month. Just so sick of these sites saying something is in stock, so I place the order and then magically it isn't. I guess these vendors drop ship from the manufacturer's warehouse and don't keep many items in hand. Which is fine but don't lie on the website.

Anyway, it's fine because I want to remove the roof, remove the roof support brackets, clean them up and repaint them. But the front support bracket is really in bad shape from what I can only guess what an enclosure for the golf cart. There's about 12 holes on each side that I would like to have filled in. There is also residue fromthe Velcro from the enclosure that was installed at one point. Then, when I go to install the side mirrors and wiper bracket, I'll use rivnuts.

I'm going to message my neighbor later tonight and see if he's willing to assist with it. I'm at his availability at that point. Still have a few weekends before the windshield will even ship. Hopefully convince him to get a golf cart now that the cart does 35 mph.

I have PLENTY of other projects around the house and garage and even the golf cart to keep me busy until my windshield arrives.



Projects in the meantime (for my memory mostly):

First and foremost - addressing security

1) electrical outlet upgrades in the garage - this weekend
2) hang the RTT - this weekend
3) install bike rack mounts once the RTT is on the ceiling - this weekend
4) more wiring cleanup on the golf cart
5) put the 12v reducer on a relay and run it to the key switch
6) put all the Christmas decorations away around the house (interior and exterior) and the golf cart - exterior this weekend
7) finish trim and paint on built ins
8) receive my Prinsu final light for roof rack handles and swap them out
9) wire up old roof rack lights and swap out for the light bar from the previous owner on the golf cart..
10) water softener system repairs; the clack(?) head is not working and the pick up tube isn't sucking up the brine

 

I got lucky,

I worked for a plumber for a little over a year.
One friend that just passed was a master carpenter,
another is an electrician,
an one is good at all including wrenching on my truck.

 

I was spoiled with a lot in the Midwest. Forced to learn in order to make it happen here.

Haven't done much on the truck that's needed a shop but hoping to change that soon. Need to start emptying bins on the shelves to free up storage space.

Side note: neighbor confirmed he can assist this weekend. Going to be removing and cleaning up the windshield frame for him starting tomorrow.

 

This thing looks hilarious, now.



Going to be actually cleaning up the front bracket and preparing for this weekend, tomorrow. I was able to get the leftover pieces of rivets drilled out of the holes and the snap buttons for the enclosure the previous owner must have had on it.

Also will be grabbing new hardware to replace the old hardware from the Titanic on this thing..

 

Cleaned up and ready. 11 holes on each side..22 all together.



Gonna get the entire thing cleaned up and painted after the welding work is done. Rear roof support brackets, too. Going to have a hard time putting the shitty old windshield back on until the new one arrives.

Also shaving some weight in these ridiculously long seat belt bracket bolts:



Grabbing the supplies for this weekend's projects tomorrow after work.

 

You know what would be a fun project? Paint the golf cart the same color as the truck

 

I definitely want to paint it. I still have plans to take it all apart, repair the frame and clean up a lot of things.

Just not sure on the color, yet. It's kind of been dubbed "Swamp Thing". I might keep it the same shade of green and maybe raptor liner.

 

Met up with my neighbor on Saturday afternoon. Took him up and down the block to show him the new motor upgrade. I think he's looking for a golf cart, now.

Got home and I got all the welds knocked down, cleaned up and then laid down a fresh coat of paint. The front support bracket was a lot worse than the rears for whatever reason, but I got the rust off on the rear supports.



Previous owner use to park the golf cart under a pine tree and sap got all over the roof. I was able to get it all removed this weekend and cleaned up.

Before (about halfway through):



After:



Paint dried overnight and I got everything assembled today:



Pretty happy considering a new roof support kit is like $175:



It pained me to put the old windshield back on..



Lastly was getting this outlet upgraded..why someone thought a single outlet along this wall was good enough is beyond me..

 

CBI's shipping is shit.

Ordered the handles and one light 12/13. Handles arrived 1/8 and the single light arrived today (1/21).

 

Are those the handles or the lites cause I see two of each?

 

Finally received everything that I ordered. Took way too long. Nothing shipped together.

I think @ABA180 said that when he placed his order for TWSS, he wasn't sure if it would arrive in time.