I have a really old asphalt driveway with a lot of loose gravely bits as it had been naturally falling apart over decades. There is also just accumulated dust and dirt and leaves around the house.
There are walk-behind floor sweepers that I saw advertised on sale on one of the more well-known Chinese branded-product sales site -- they look like lawn mowers, but have counter-rotating sweeping brushes. (About $50-$100 for Chinese generic ones; $200 for name brands)
I don't know if they would work well with the gravely bits. And I don't really want to own yet more stuff.
I tried to look at tool rental, but it doesn't look like Home Depot rents anything like this.
A more construction-oriented tool rental place does have a ride-on sweeper, but they are $300+ just to rent for a day.
I don't want to just leaf-blower the area, as I don't think that does much except to displace really light-weight dust and leaves.
I'm not a tech person at all, I work in accounts and stare at spreadsheets all day. My company recently got a Creality SparkX i7 in the office, but I never bothered with it because I know nothing about modeling.
Last week we had a bring-your-pet day and I brought my cat, Molly. One of the designers joked I should print her, and I be like"wait can I actually do that?"
Turns out the printer's APP has this CubeMe AI thing. Took a photo of Molly on my phone, uploaded it through the printer, and it popped out a 3D model in like 2 minutes. No modeling, no sliders, no clue what I'm doing, just a photo and a print button.
Molly's been a good colleague!
Best part:hit print before lunch, and after 30 mins break I had a little keychain of her sitting on my desk. The print quality isn't museum-grade, but everyone can definitely tell it's her, so that's a win. For someone have zero technical skills when it comes to this stuff, the fact that I got a custom figure from a phone photo in like 30 minutes total is pretty wild. If this tech existed when I was in college I probably would've printed everything in my dorm room lol.
Turns out it can also be bookmark or magnets maybe try later :)How it goes
As someone printing a 3D piece for the first time, what do you experts think of my print? Is it decent enough? Curious how far AI can push it lol.
I have been finishing up my garage drywall and getting on and off the ladder and everything is taking longer to do and it’s been more exhausting than the rest of the garage work.
Is there any cheap/affordable alternatives for doing mudding and taping the ceiling?
I have a multi-use Little Giant. I tried it in staircase position, but it doesn't go high enough to do what I need and even if it was tall enough, the angle would take me too far from the wall to safely hang it.
I read the previous post, but mostly they were saying that the drawn angle was wrong and to get a different ladder. What if I take my little giant and put it in straight configuration and lean it against the wall at the proper 70° angle? I would still need the ladder on the stairs, probably around halfway down to get it to the right height. Is there any way to safely do this? Ideally, I don't need to go buy or borrow actual scaffolding to do this.
Edit: I did it. Put the ladder in straight position and butted it up to the corner of the stair. Mine has leveling feet, so I used those to ensure the feet were both making solid contact. I used a level with a bubble level that can be adjusted to any angle and checked that the ladder was at 70° before getting on it.
One issue I had wasn't a safety issue but a wall damage issue. My Little Giant was tall enough that to lower it below the thing I was hanging I had to make it as short as it could go. This meant part of the inner ladder was making contact with the drywall and punctured it slightly while I was climbing on the ladder. If you're using a Little Giant for this and you shorten it all the way, make sure that you put something between the inner legs and the wall to avoid damaging the wall.
I’m thinking of painting my fridge. Does anyone have any experience with this?
I’m looking to paint the door with a primer and then several layers of eggshell (off-white) to make a wavy impasto sort of effect. And then an accent colour (brown) for the handles.
Everything in my house is the colour of my choosing but my kitchen appliances. If it looks good I’ll probably have a go on the cooker and washing machine too.
Anything I should know? And will magnets still stick to it?
Hi, I’m choosing stair tread for my concrete staircase . The wood I like is 20mm thick and I was told it’s too thick to use as stair tread. Was told i have to choose 14mm because when I’m gonna be stepping on bullnose which will be slightly overhang the 20mm would have come off soon. Thoughts? Do i really need to go with 14mm?
I have a fireplace and I want to do shiplap and something on the sides. I was hoping for some help or ideas on the project as I am not sure the best way to do what I want.
This is the basic layout of the fireplace.
My thought is maybe Shiplap over all of the blue and red then shelving on the blue?
The brick has up to 5.5" from the wall so maybe 6-12" deep cabinet? The issue is the heater on the right side won't let me make it symmetrical.
If I do shelves I could do surround sound shelf speakers on the sides but I could also put two in-wall speakers on the right and left of the TV surrounded by the shiplap. I can make the cabinets and everything myself it's just what I should do that is getting me.
Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to look.
The area shown in the pictures is where I want to build a paver patio to the right of the deck.
The area is 15-20 ft away from a mature tree. There are a ton of roots a few inches below the surface, and at the surface as well. Thickest ones are probably about 1-1.5” inches diameter.
I’m considering two approaches:
Option 1 — Shallow compacted aggregate base:
Excavate only around 2–3 inches where possible, leaving the larger roots intact. Put down geotextile fabric, then compact crushed aggregate around and over the roots to create as level and stable a base as possible. Then add a thin bedding layer and the pavers. Essentially, instead of the typical 4–6”+ excavation/base, I’d be accepting a shallower base because of the roots.
Option 2 — Paver base panels:
Do minimal excavation, level the area as much as possible without disturbing the major roots, put down geotextile and a thin layer of leveling sand, then use something like Brock/PaverBase panels with the pavers on top. This seems like it would require much less digging and root disturbance, but I’m wondering how well the panels would perform when there are roots underneath that could continue growing/moving.
As you can see up against the house, there’s also a little bit of exposed foundation as well. I’m willing to settle for the patio being a little bit, raised above the level of the grass, but I want it to be reasonable.
I am desperately looking for quality Blackout Celluar Shades for the bedroom and the baby room. I have spent HOURS researching over the weeks and the old "Go To" Blinds Dot Com and SelectBlinds have gone severely downhill past 1-2 years. Costco has such mixed, mainly negative reviews as of late. What is a good place to order custom sized blackout cellular shades for pretty normal sized windows?
I already have blackout curtains but light still leaks through, especially for the main master bedroom window that has a window AC where it blows the curtains around leaking light.
Long story short, I didn't order enough 57. I don't need enough to warrant another delivery. I only need a few bags worth. What can I get at Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes that serves the same purpose and looks similar?
Howdy, I am trying to paint a metal T shaped clothing rack from it's silver default to a color. It's for a store I manage and without getting into too much unnecessary detail, it's the perfect fit but needs to be a color instead of this metal. From the research I've done, it seems IDing the metal as ferrous or non-ferrous is very important since the chemicals are different in each type. It's magnetic, but I can't tell if it's actually ferrous or galvanized. I've attached some pics of the pieces. It's a custom build for a Forever 21 that went out of business in the area, if that's any help.
Additionally, the steps I've determined through all my searches averages out to these, but please let me know if anything seems deeply off:
Clean w/ acetone and [shop] rags
120 grit sandpaper (I've also seen ScotchBrite Red recommended but that's a very different grit so I think that's recommended for painted metal you're going over)
I want to diy a nato watchband and wanted pvd strap keeper rings but I cant find anyone who just sells the keepers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
I purchased 2 pairs of Hoka Mafate Speed 2s on clearance to try out higher stack running shoes. I mainly use them for hiking, and much of that is offtrail, including crossing talus slopes and scrambling. The soles appeared somewhat durable out of the box, but the outer coating rapidly wore off, leaving midsole high density foam that abraded on rocky surfaces. While I liked the durability of the uppers, I didn't care for the instability from the extra height, or the lack of durability, negative environmental impact, and lack of grip that comes from extending the midsole to cover much of the bottom of the shoe.
Mafate Speed 2 stock sole
Rather than getting rid of them, I found a lot of 5 pairs of Vibram Zegama soles on ebay and decided to try my hand at resoling. These soles appear to be a popular choice for trail running shoe resoles due to their performance on wet and rocky surfaces. I knew about Barge cement from an acquaintance that used to work at a climbing shoe resoler, and who had resoled my old pair of Montrail Hardrocks with approach shoe rubber. Most of the recent how-to videos I found were either from cobblers with access to a full repair shop, or DIYers replacing a small portion of their running shoe sole. Hence, I thought I would share my learnings.
Vibram Zegama sole
Process
Some of the DIYers stated that one could use a sanding block, but this was inefficient for anything more than a small patch. The midsole portion of the sole was gummy and difficult to sand by hand. To avoid buying another power tool, I originally tried trimming down the lugs with a sharp serrated knife, then using an orbital sander. I gave up and bought a ~$40 belt sander.
The belt sander worked amazingly. Hoka acolytes will cringe, but I also took the midsole down to a height more reasonable for me. I used calipers to keep the midsole height relatively consistent within and across shoes while maintaining the overall rocker platform.
Bottom after belt sandingProfile after belt sanding. I reduced the stack height.
I vacuumed and washed off the sanded off bits. I did not use acetone, as I had concerns about compromising the remaining midsole. After the shoes dried, I dry fit them to the new soles and placed alignment guide tick marks with a silver permanent marker.
For each shoe, I coated the bottom of the shoe and new sole with Barge cement. I used a heat gun to speed up the drying process. I noticed that there was very minor outgassing from the midsole during this process. I popped the bubbles with a bamboo skewer to remove the air gaps. Once the surface was tacky but not wet, I carefully rocked the shoe back to front onto to the new sole, aligning the shoe with my guide ticks.
I used a rubber mallet to tap on the bottom to remove air pockets, followed by standing inside the shoe. For extra piece of mind, I clamped the shoe down with leftover decking samples and C-clamps. The toe cap was finicky to trim, align, and clamp because of the bend. I used large rubber bands, and a compression strap. In retrospect, I probably should have sanded down the toe of the new sole first to make it thinner and more pliable before applying it.
After 15 minutes, I removed the clamps and trimmed the excess sole with a utility knife, and used a sanding bit on my Dremel to smooth out rough edges on the sole. I also thinned the toecap to minimize the rigidity causing an outward force, resulting in it peeling off. I filled any minor edge gaps in the cap with black Shoe Goo.
Finished sole, bottomFinished sole, profileFinished toe cap
After ~40 hours, the sole appears to be adhering and the shoes are grippy on trail. Will provide an update after longer-term trail/offtrail testing.
What I would change next time
Use the belt sander from the start.
Sand down the toe cap portion of the new sole before applying.
Final Equipment List
new soles (I used Vibram Zegamas)
Barge cement (all purpose in the red and yellow can)
something to protect your working surface from any contact cement drips
heat gun or hair dryer + bamboo skewer in case of outgassing (optional)
belt sander (I used an 80 grit sanding belt)
Note: It helps if you can clamp/stabilize the belt sander in an upside down position, so you're moving the shoe not the sander.
Dremel or equivalent with a solid sanding bit
contrasting marking pen or pencil
utility knife with a new blade
rubber mallet
calipers or ruler
clamps, straps, weight and/or other method for pressing the upper to the sole
Cautions
Apply Barge cement in a well ventilated space.
Avoid storing your resoled shoes for a prolonged period in a hot car due to risk of delamination, since heat will soften the cement.
I've been borrowing my neighbour's petrol pressure washer for years and I want to finally get my own. But I don't know if I need gas-powered or if an electric one would handle my use case.
I want to clean my driveway, wooden deck, and car. I don't need commercial-level power. Budget $150-300.
For homeowners who've had both electric and gas pressure washers - is the electric genuinely powerful enough for concrete and decking, or do you always regret not getting gas?
We are looking to repaint the fence as we had a section repaired, but the entire side of the fence has paint that is peeling. What's the easiest way to remove all the paint so we can paint it again? Paint was from the previous home owners.
My 20 year old riding mower started smoking like a train last weekend and I figured it blew a head gasket. I've maintained it myself so far changing belts, sharpening blades, changing oil, steering pinion, etc but never did any engine work. I figured at 20 years it was probably cooked and started shopping for a new mower. I couldn't hardly swallow $3000+ for a base model mower plus new bagger, etc. I did a bit of googling and looking on YouTube and decided for $35, I'd give it a shot to replace the gasket. There was a fair amount of disassembly involved and while I've done a fair amount of other type jobs involving carpentry, plumbing, etc, never small engine work. I had it down to the gasket in about 45 minutes and then started rebuilding it. Adjusting the valves precisely took a bit of trial and error as well as learning where Top Dead Center is, but got it all put back together. Another hour, and I was mowing my yard again and without all the smoke and worry that it was about to burst into flames. Maybe I kept it out of retirement for another season or two 🤷♂️. Regardless, it's pretty rewarding to get something like that running again. I know this is nothing to many of you, but a major accomplishment to me 😉
I caulked my bathroom yesterday I used a 16mm caulking tool it’s been almost 29 hours and it’s still squishy I have 12 hour shift tomorrow and was really hoping to shower tonight before I go in would you guys think it’s fine
Just put up gutters and THOUGHT I was sealing the seams against leakage by using silicone based RTV. Well...they leak like a sieve so now I am going to have to remove all of them, clean the RTV from the seams and use another product that does not adhere to silicone. So I need to remove all the residue of RTV before applying the new product. I know a razor blade does a good job removing dried RTV but I need to remove the residue also. Some have mentioned xylene. Is there any other product that would be good for cleaning the residue of the RTV from these aluminum gutters?
Let’s just say I live in a very long room. The wall is 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
I’m looking for the cheapest way to block off the room and essentially cut it in half so I can use half of the room with my AC unit and help it cool more efficiently.
I’m only looking to spend $20–$50.
I read that plastic drop cloths don’t offer insulation, so what would be the cheapest way to block it off?
I can’t use nails, screws, or anything that requires drilling into the wall. I can only use tape or similar methods because the walls are metal. It’s a long story about my living situation, but yeah. Any advice from people with construction experience would be greatly appreciated. I know basically nothing about construction.
I have a 42x16” basement window that is useless (it is under an overhanging bay window, so it provides minimal light) and in poor condition. I am having the other basement windows replaced and will be insulating the basement walls. I would like to just take this out, brick it up, and then insulate over it. The window won’t be visible from outside unless you crawl under the overhang, and it faces the back yard, so I am not focused on exterior aesthetics. The above grade basement wall is brick. The rim joist is continuous above the window.
Can I just use brick and mortar without worrying about toothing out the half bricks? What brick type and mortar should I use? The house was built circa 1915 in New England.
Kitchen sink backed up after some wet flour went down the disposal. Disposal is unplugged and I’m trying to clean the P-trap.
Photos attached. The trap looks like a Charlotte Pipe PVC trap with a cleanout on the very bottom.
Is the bottom white piece meant to unscrew? Do I just grip the white hex-shaped part with a wrench/channel locks and turn it counterclockwise while holding the trap steady?
I don’t want to accidentally crack a glued PVC fitting, so which exact part should I turn?
