Do you do it yourself ???

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Yep.  Basin wrench for reaching up under (and blindly behind) basin to tighten or loosen basin nut.  Without it, it's almost impossible to do, a total muthaphu...er.  

 

LoL... I have vivid memories of my old man hollering it up before he got one.  LoL

 

These were the pre-Chinese, Harbor Freight days when tools went for an arm and leg AND first born Son!  Ha!  MAGA!

 

Now... MOST faucets eliminate that nut, snap in, etc... But handy to have.  Neighbor went to change his father in law's faucet many miles away.  I told him to take it just in case.  He almost didn't take it!  He came back, thanked me... Said he had to use it.  It saved day!!!

 

 

 

I had to replace the drain in our tub.  I could not, for the life of me, get the old drain out.  Turns out, there's a special tool built specifically for this purpose.  I went to Lowe's, bought one for about $10, carefully opened it, used it, repackaged it, then returned it.  I've owned a home for about 20 years and have only had to use it once.  I'll take my 10 bucks back, thanks.

 

EDIT:  Here is the tool ... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-Dumbbell-Wrench-45089/205807859?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D26P|26-7_PLUMBING_REPAIR_%26_REPLAC|NA|PLA|71700000033850300|58700003919643946|92700031584469550&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-JXiBRCpARIsAGqF8wXZYvGsRzyiaam9lNdiVVlkQDf-dp6KynYOhZXOMMRHEIlCaDtqKe4aAiQlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Gugny

[DC Tom]

2 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

Try changing a radio in a car.  

 

Some of them you do have to tear the whole interior out.  

 

Used to have an '84 Saab, turning off the warning light was a 3-hour job tearing out the dashboard. 

[Misterbluesky]

8 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I had to replace the drain in our tub.  I could not, for the life of me, get the old drain out.  Turns out, there's a special tool built specifically for this purpose.  I went to Lowe's, bought one for about $10, carefully opened it, used it, repackaged it, then returned it.  I've owned a home for about 20 years and have only had to use it once.  I'll take my 10 bucks back, thanks.

 

EDIT:  Here is the tool ... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-Dumbbell-Wrench-45089/205807859?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D26P|26-7_PLUMBING_REPAIR_%26_REPLAC|NA|PLA|71700000033850300|58700003919643946|92700031584469550&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-JXiBRCpARIsAGqF8wXZYvGsRzyiaam9lNdiVVlkQDf-dp6KynYOhZXOMMRHEIlCaDtqKe4aAiQlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

That's a three way peace pipe...great for parties.

[Just Jack]

1 hour ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Battery on the 2014 MINI Cooper (F56)... I never seen anything like it!  Totally enclosed under hood.  Have to remove part of the hood molding... Total P.I.T.A. But it looks pretty all hidden and insulated in there.  I guess it's the heat and humidity that destroy batteries the most. Better damn work, extend the life of battery.

 

I dread changing it, probably throw a damn code or something! /smh

 

 

 

I had to remove the inner wheel well plastic to change the bulbs in my driving lights on my RAV4. 

 

Like most here, I know what I can do, and what tools I have, so I can choose my battles, or pay someone. Like when I moved in with my then GF, now wife, the cold water would not shut off when it was running, so she would run downstairs and shut it off manually when she heard the washer go into the spin cycle. No way was I doing that. Looked it up, and it was the valve in the washer itself. $40 for the part and about 20 minutes of my time. She also had a ceiling fan in the kitchen with a light that would not shut off, it worked off a remote, not the traditional pull chains. Looked it up, and found others had the same issue, the receiving unit in the fan was bad. Bought a new unit and viola! Fixed. 

[GoBills808]

Going to buy a 350 hp Steiger/International with an engine oil leak...probably going to try to fix that myself too. Will let you folks know how it goes. GD thing pulls a 14' offset disc...what a monster. 

 

 

No electronics to mess with but still a bear of a job getting into an engine that's 8 feet off the ground. And nobody wants to help...go figure.

[ExiledInIllinois]

18 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I had to replace the drain in our tub.  I could not, for the life of me, get the old drain out.  Turns out, there's a special tool built specifically for this purpose.  I went to Lowe's, bought one for about $10, carefully opened it, used it, repackaged it, then returned it.  I've owned a home for about 20 years and have only had to use it once.  I'll take my 10 bucks back, thanks.

 

EDIT:  Here is the tool ... https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-Dumbbell-Wrench-45089/205807859?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D26P|26-7_PLUMBING_REPAIR_%26_REPLAC|NA|PLA|71700000033850300|58700003919643946|92700031584469550&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-JXiBRCpARIsAGqF8wXZYvGsRzyiaam9lNdiVVlkQDf-dp6KynYOhZXOMMRHEIlCaDtqKe4aAiQlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

Dishonorable cheapskate! ?

 

LoL...

[Augie]

13 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Dishonorable cheapskate! ?

 

LoL...

 

He almost got me arrested! I went ballistic when I realized my new purchase was “pre-owned” and they refused to accept my return! They said the package had been opened. “Well, NOT by ME!”, I said. Then it got ugly..... 

 

I almost ended up in the Big House over a $10 tool. Some people.....

 

 

.

Edited January 22, 2019 by Augie

[Gugny]

4 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

He almost got me arrested! I went ballistic when I realized my new purchase was “pre-owned” and they refused to accept my return! They said the package had been opened. “Well, NOT by ME!”, I said. Then it got ugly..... 

 

I almost ended up in the Big House over a $10 tool. Some people.....

 

 

.

 

Sorry, Augs!!!

 

I bought a screw extractor bit at Lowe's today.  When I got home and opened it, it was clearly bought/returned, but I didn't care.  It didn't do the job for this particular problem (one of my son's guitars ... ugh ...), but I'm sure it'll come in handy someday.

[WhoTom]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

I almost ended up in the Big House over a $10 tool.

 

 

That's what she said.

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

That's what she said.

 

She got angry when I threw her tool onto the field. We’ve made up since. 

[DC Tom]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

Sorry, Augs!!!

 

I bought a screw extractor bit at Lowe's today.  When I got home and opened it, it was clearly bought/returned, but I didn't care.  It didn't do the job for this particular problem (one of my son's guitars ... ugh ...), but I'm sure it'll come in handy someday.

 

That makes me cringe.  Why are you using a Lowe's screw extractor bit on a guitar?  Tell your son to get some real luthier's tools.  Or get a real guitar, and not some knock-off piece of crap that can be repaired with tools from Lowe's. 

[Gugny]

1 minute ago, DC Tom said:

 

That makes me cringe.  Why are you using a Lowe's screw extractor bit on a guitar?  Tell your son to get some real luthier's tools.  Or get a real guitar, and not some knock-off piece of crap that can be repaired with tools from Lowe's. 

 

It's the string stopper screw on the low E string of his floating tremolo (Edge 3) on his Ibanez RG-370-DXL (he's a lefty).  It's not one of his higher quality guitars, but it means a lot to him.  When he was changing his strings, he over tightened it and it snapped off.  Not enough room to dremel a slot, so I had to try to drill it out.  Even tried to epoxy a small screwdriver in there.  No dice.  We can order an entire saddle for that string for about $30, which we'll do this week.  In the meantime, the string is secure and the guitar is perfectly playable.

[Augie]

15 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

It's the string stopper screw on the low E string of his floating tremolo (Edge 3) on his Ibanez RG-370-DXL (he's a lefty).  It's not one of his higher quality guitars, but it means a lot to him.  When he was changing his strings, he over tightened it and it snapped off.  Not enough room to dremel a slot, so I had to try to drill it out.  Even tried to epoxy a small screwdriver in there.  No dice.  We can order an entire saddle for that string for about $30, which we'll do this week.  In the meantime, the string is secure and the guitar is perfectly playable.

 

You lost me in the first sentence, but we will pray for your low E string floating tremolo recovery. 

 

 

I think. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

16 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

It's the string stopper screw on the low E string of his floating tremolo (Edge 3) on his Ibanez RG-370-DXL (he's a lefty).  It's not one of his higher quality guitars, but it means a lot to him.  When he was changing his strings, he over tightened it and it snapped off.  Not enough room to dremel a slot, so I had to try to drill it out.  Even tried to epoxy a small screwdriver in there.  No dice.  We can order an entire saddle for that string for about $30, which we'll do this week.  In the meantime, the string is secure and the guitar is perfectly playable.

 

Get a set of "EZ-Outs"

 

https://www.amazon.com/ATE-Tool-piece-Screw-Extractor/dp/B0002UJNWE

 

24 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

That makes me cringe.  Why are you using a Lowe's screw extractor bit on a guitar?  Tell your son to get some real luthier's tools.  Or get a real guitar, and not some knock-off piece of crap that can be repaired with tools from Lowe's. 

Not sure what size... But why would it damage it if you are careful and using right size extractor?

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

Sorry, Augs!!!

 

I bought a screw extractor bit at Lowe's today.  When I got home and opened it, it was clearly bought/returned, but I didn't care.  It didn't do the job for this particular problem (one of my son's guitars ... ugh ...), but I'm sure it'll come in handy someday.

Ooops, just saw this!

 

LoL...

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

10 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

Used to have an '84 Saab, turning off the warning light was a 3-hour job tearing out the dashboard. 

wouldn't getting it serviced have been quicker ???   LOL 

 

[DC Tom]

1 hour ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

wouldn't getting it serviced have been quicker ???   LOL 

 

 

That's after it was serviced.  Light was wired to the odometer to go off every 30k miles to remind you to change an oxygen sensor.  I changed the sensor - $20 and 10 minutes - then had to take it to a mechanic to have the light turned off.

[seregil42]

Stuff around the house:  Mostly do it myself or with the help of my father-in-law.  If it's a big job (mainly electrical) (ex.  Had to have my circuit breaker panel and service replaced earlier this year), I'll outsource it.  Fixing roof, installing/fixing appliances, yardwork (tough to find time to do much other than mow/weed, though), snowblow, plumbing, etc, all falls to me.  I'm too cheap to hire someone else to do it.

 

As for my car, I tend to let a mechanic mess with those things.  I know next to nothing about cars.

[Uncle Joe]

13 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

I had to replace the drain in our tub.  I could not, for the life of me, get the old drain out.  Turns out, there's a special tool built specifically for this purpose.  I went to Lowe's, bought one for about $10, carefully opened it, used it, repackaged it, then returned it.  I've owned a home for about 20 years and have only had to use it once.  I'll take my 10 bucks back, thanks.

 

and some said Ralph was cheap...

[Gugny]

11 minutes ago, Uncle Joe said:

 

and some said Ralph was cheap...

 

I will never deny my cheapness.

[apuszczalowski]

12 hours ago, Augie said:

 

You lost me in the first sentence, but we will pray for your low E string floating tremolo recovery. 

 

 

I think. 

Just be glad it wasnt his G string that snapped.......

 

 

[apuszczalowski]

I try to do most things myself, but I know my limits and things i wouldnt do myself.

 

Just last year I had a new roof put on the house, I could have done it but it's a 2 story house and for safety thought I would leave it to a pro to go up there. Had a boiler and water heater replaced, again, better a pro do that. The exterior walls of my house are concrete block, I let someone install a patio door in the back where there was no opening instead of attempting it myself, but this spring i will replace my existing front and side door myself.

 

I have done gardens and decks outside, ran new wiring and plugs, changed fixtures, ran plumbing, drywalled, etc all before on my own. I like doing that kind of work.

 

I used to work on my vehicles myself too, rebuilt a motor, replaced transmissions and other parts, but mostly because I owned older cars. When I bought my new truck I have had it serviced at shops, but mostly because of not wanting to void any warranties. 

[Augie]

20 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

Just be glad it wasnt his G string that snapped.......

 

 

 

I’m even happier that I don’t have to SEE HIM in a G string! 

 

 

 

My wife and I got a buddy (who happened to be about 60 pounds overweight) a little red speedo as a joke when he said he was going to swim for exercise to drop the weight. To his family’s horror, he actually wears it in the spa at home! I had no way of knowing how my actions would scar that poor family!  ?

 

He liked that it didn’t fill up with bubbles, he said. 

[WhoTom]

29 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

Just be glad it wasnt his G string that snapped.......

 

 

 

I change my G string every six months.

 

While I'm at it, I also change my e, B, D, A, and E strings.

 

 

[CookieG]

23 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

I try to do most things myself, but I know my limits and things i wouldnt do myself.

 

Just last year I had a new roof put on the house, I could have done it but it's a 2 story house and for safety thought I would leave it to a pro to go up there. Had a boiler and water heater replaced, again, better a pro do that. The exterior walls of my house are concrete block, I let someone install a patio door in the back where there was no opening instead of attempting it myself, but this spring i will replace my existing front and side door myself.

 

I have done gardens and decks outside, ran new wiring and plugs, changed fixtures, ran plumbing, drywalled, etc all before on my own. I like doing that kind of work.

 

I used to work on my vehicles myself too, rebuilt a motor, replaced transmissions and other parts, but mostly because I owned older cars. When I bought my new truck I have had it serviced at shops, but mostly because of not wanting to void any warranties. 

Our roof could use replacing and I'm tempted to do it myself but don't trust my back. When it tightens up, my legs turn to jello, and that's not a good thing when you're on a roof. I suppose I could use a safety harness but I'd probably be up there a week before being rescued.

 

I replaced our hot water heater a year ago. When the old one went 10 years ago, I had a client who owed me money install it. But this was New Year's day and I didn't want to ruin his New Year. I don't like messing with natural gas fittings and I'd never sweated a copper line before.

 

If any plumber, contractor, service tech, handyman or anyone who has ever sweated a copper joint would look at it, they'd laugh. I probably used a half spool of solder on it. But it held and is still holding.

[DC Tom]

It's pretty clear to me now that few of you read my posts, since no one so much as blinked at "set my own broken ankle."  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

On 1/21/2019 at 12:02 AM, Gugny said:

Around the house, I do pretty much everything myself.  Plumbing, electrical, painting, staining, gutters, snow removal, lawn maintenance.

 

The only thing I do with my car is change the air filter, put air in the tires and fill the windshield washer fluid.  It's not even close to cost effective to change my own oil.  I pay $20 every 5-7 thousand miles.  I don't trust myself to do brakes or anything else, so I'm fine paying the pros.

 

Pads and rotors on a car is an easy job and you'll save HUNDRED$.

 

if *i* can do it, you can do it.

 

2 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

It's pretty clear to me now that few of you read my posts, since no one so much as blinked at "set my own broken ankle."  

 

Can you really blame us?

 

[DC Tom]

30 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Can you really blame us?

 

 

For which, not reading my posts, or not being surprised I set my own broken ankle?

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, DC Tom said:

 

For which, not reading my posts, or not being surprised I set my own broken ankle?

Not reading your posts

 

[DC Tom]

1 minute ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Not reading your posts

 

 

No, not really.

 

Though you clearly read them.  

[ExiledInIllinois]

I won't mess with the garage door torsion spring.  Those things scare the Bejesus out of me!

 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

I installed a garage door opener (twice) 

 

 

Genie screw drives 

[Misterbluesky]

5 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I won't mess with the garage door torsion spring.  Those things scare the Bejesus out of me!

 

 

Even DC Tom wouldn't go there.

[Uncle Joe]

52 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I won't mess with the garage door torsion spring.  Those things scare the Bejesus out of me!

 

43 minutes ago, Misterbluesky said:

Even DC Tom wouldn't go there.

 

I think this is how he broke his ankle.

[DC Tom]

15 minutes ago, Uncle Joe said:

 

I think this is how he broke his ankle.

 

It's what I set it with...

[apuszczalowski]

6 hours ago, CookieG said:

Our roof could use replacing and I'm tempted to do it myself but don't trust my back. When it tightens up, my legs turn to jello, and that's not a good thing when you're on a roof. I suppose I could use a safety harness but I'd probably be up there a week before being rescued.

 

I replaced our hot water heater a year ago. When the old one went 10 years ago, I had a client who owed me money install it. But this was New Year's day and I didn't want to ruin his New Year. I don't like messing with natural gas fittings and I'd never sweated a copper line before.

 

If any plumber, contractor, service tech, handyman or anyone who has ever sweated a copper joint would look at it, they'd laugh. I probably used a half spool of solder on it. But it held and is still holding.

I have soldered electrical connections Nd copper pipes, not that difficult. I just would be hesitant doing a HWT because of the natural gas connection. I'm sure I could do it, just rather not risk a potential leak or issue.....We had the boiler and water heater replaced with a combo unit/instant hot water

 

The only thing I have not wanted to do on my own vehicle was installing a remote start. Too much wiring and potential risk to mess up.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

For the Do It Yourselfers    Buy a Home for  €1

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/one-dollar-home-sambuca-sicily-italy/index.html  

 

 

The new owners must commit to refurbish their choice of the crumbling 40 to 150-square meter dwellings within three years, at a cost starting from €15,000 (about $17,200). 

 

They'll also need to cough up a €5,000 security deposit that will be returned once the restyle is complete. 

 

The small town of Sambuca on Sicily

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

7 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

For the Do It Yourselfers    Buy a Home for  €1

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/one-dollar-home-sambuca-sicily-italy/index.html  

 

 

The new owners must commit to refurbish their choice of the crumbling 40 to 150-square meter dwellings within three years, at a cost starting from €15,000 (about $17,200). 

 

They'll also need to cough up a €5,000 security deposit that will be returned once the restyle is complete. 

 

The small town of Sambuca on Sicily

 

Now that's freaking SWEET. I wonder what the barriers would be to an american doing that

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

13 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Now that's freaking SWEET. I wonder what the barriers would be to an american doing that

 

I don’t know. 

 

My gramps came over from Sicily so I’m not that far removed from a native.  

 

 

Americans buy property overseas so I don’t see it as a show stopper 

 

 

A winter villa and summer rental 

 

[apuszczalowski]

5 hours ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

I don’t know. 

 

My gramps came over from Sicily so I’m not that far removed from a native.  

 

 

Americans buy property overseas so I don’t see it as a show stopper 

 

 

A winter villa and summer rental 

 

I have heard of some of these before and some put in restrictions, like they must be used as a full time residence, they don't want to just have them turned into vacation rentals.

[CoudyBills]

Plumbing, HVAC, windows, decks, lawn, auto, snow, electrical, house remodel including kitchen...all me while working way too much.  Only ended up in the hospital once hahah.  Grew up in a family of mechanics but I prefer to drop my vehicles off at a buddy's shop to have them fixed. Laying on concrete or a creeper in my garage sucks a little more with each passing year.  I'm about ready to start paying a house keeper, and I will hang myself before I do any more roofing.  I went to college to stop doing hard work. 

Edited January 28, 2019 by CoudyBills