Category: Projects

August 17, 2022 – Forget the Projects, There are Car Problems

August 17, 2022 /

Just because I haven’t posted about my project in the last two weeks, doesn’t mean I am not working on it. The siding is done, I am working on the rake board and that is about done so this is finally wrapped up. Check out YouTube for more on that.

My niece was having some issues with her car. She asked me to take a look at things. One was an obnoxious clicking noise (even when the car was off) and the other was a headlight that wasn’t working. She bought the actuator after watching some YouTube videos. I took a look at the headlight.

It turns out that there are two actuators in the glove box area. after swapping the closest one, it was still making the clicking noise. Fortunately, the second one was the exact same part, so I took the old one from the front and put it in the back. Problem solved. You can see from the picture that the culprit is broken teeth on the plastic gear inside the housing.

Supposedly, my nephew changed the headlight bulb a couple months ago. I suspected that the problem was bigger than the bulb. Well, it didn’t take long to identify the problem. One wire was broken and the connector was burned (and the bulb was ruined). The wiring harness was snaked through the headlight assembly. I was hoping that I could just purchase the piece that I needed without replacing the entire assembly.

After a trip to the parts store, they gave me the idea of simply splicing a new connector onto the existing wiring. The only problem was that the new connector was much bulkier than the original so I ended up cutting the plastic structure so I could fit the bulb and connector in the space properly.

The whole thing took about three hours. The first was messing with the actuators trying to determine the problem and how to get to it. Then it was two hours to get the things put back together and get replacement parts. Considering the scope of what needed to get done, I think the time was pretty reasonable and they are now fixed.

End Your Programming Routine: Admittedly, if I was a mechanic, I probably wouldn’t have approached the project in the same way. However, I didn’t do anything that I wouldn’t have done to my own car. Despite the fact that I had to do some modifications to make it work, I still believe that the work was quality and this should be a permanent fix.

August 10, 2022 – Speaking of Throwbacks

August 10, 2022 /

How about some video from 2020? I filmed 90% of this video and I never finished it because I got busy and forgot when I was roofing. At the time, I thought it was worthless because I didn’t get everything I wanted and so the videos just sat. That being said, last week I was watching it to see if I could cut it into segments and I decided I just needed a little more that I could do after the fact. So I did.

Is it my best work? No, I could probably added five minutes more and made it more comprehensive. But, I don’t think it is that bad.

I spent a lot of time trying to edit this. Something seems to happen and I am not sure if it is the 10 minute mark or the 1GB size. I tried everything I could from saving in lower resolution to different programs. There are still some glitches in the video that I don’t see in the raw video. I suppose for what it is worth, I need to be mindful of keeping things shorter because this was too much work.

End Your Programming Routine: Filming something while you work is difficult (or at least takes some practice). I find that if I focus on my work, then I forget to film what I had intended. If I am focused on filming, I make mistakes with my work. Maybe this really requires an outline or script? I don’t know but I am sure practice helps too. That is what I am doing.

August 3, 2022 – YouTube Blast

August 3, 2022 /

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I have been creating very short videos with tips on siding. I don’t know what it is going to amount to, but I was looking and my nail gun repair video got 41 views in the last 24 hours (when I am writing this). So, that platform is getting some degree of engagement. That means I am taking the cheap route here and linking to my recent YouTube work.

I think that you get the idea. All of them I am putting into a single playlist. You can find that here if you want to keep up or watch them all at once.

End Your Programming Routine: There is that saying ‘the heart wants what the heart wants’. I have often thought that if something that I work on ever takes off, I would need to shift from writing or doing whatever I want to something more focused (more like a job). I know that siding tips are not everyone’s cup of tea but it makes sense to foster something that is getting engagement like YouTube.

July 27, 2022 – What Does Mind the Details Mean?

July 27, 2022 /

Fortunately, I had a good weekend for project work. I will say that I strongly believe that details are almost never executed properly. It costs too much money to do so. So, that is what I am going to explore today.

1. Painting all six sides. This is the one that is the most frequently skipped and the one that takes the most time. I like to get two coats on the exposed face of the parts before installation. Then I come back and fill holes and do a final touch up. To put more simply, I prime all six sides. Then I paint the exposed faces twice.

2. Caulk is not a building material, it is more like gap insurance. It is there to prevent water from getting to a properly detailed assembly and for aesthetic uniformity. In theory, caulk should be unnecessary. From my informal observation, I have only seen one caulk remain flexible and intact after five years of exposure. That is OSI Quad. Be aware, this product is not easy to tool as it is solvent based which is why I rarely use it. This caulk joint shown below has failed. I know for a fact that it is not flashed behind the trim.

3. Flashing has a proper order and should be used more frequently. Flashing is what mitigates caulk failures. Today’s installation guidelines for Hardi plank or LP call for a 3/16″ gap between adjacent edges. Those gaps must be flashed for proper water protection. Caulk if you choose, but expect failure and consistent maintenance. Notice that the z flash is on top of the trim flashing.

4. Fix your mistakes a you go. Here, I miscalculated my board length because of the offset from the corner trim. The truth is the board wasn’t even a true 12 feet, it was actually 12′ 1 3/8″, so it would have never lined up properly. What is the harm? Not having joints line up on studs leaves them susceptible to eventual warping because there is not enough structure to nail the trim and secure them adequately.

5. Building materials are expensive, do the best job you can with the best possible materials. As the saying goes, 80% the work in painting is in the prep. Sure, good paint is $90 a gallon but after you have spent hundreds of hours getting ready, don’t cheap out on something less than adequate. It just shows that you don’t actually value your time.

6. There is a time and place for shortcuts. That place is not while the project is happening. Think about this, you probably don’t need to rebuild your car’s engine because the air conditioning stopped working. However, if you do want to rebuild the engine replace all of the wear parts whether they need it or not. I am talking about things like bearings and seals. Shortcuts are for eliminating or delaying the need for the project.

7. Finally, I want to say that we all make mistakes. The difference between a professional and an amateur is how to recover and not get derailed.

End Your Programming Routine: I have been thinking about making some Tik-Tok length videos with one tip per video. With everything that is going on outside of my project, I have a difficult time actually scheduling something extra. It’s weird but my YouTube subscribers keep growing despite the fact I am hardly active. It might be worth putting a little more effort into it.

July 20, 2022 – Project Slowing Down

July 20, 2022 /

This has been a tough week. I am going to get into it with my podcast on Monday. Needless to say I have not made near the progress I had hoped to. From my work so far, I don’t think this is going to take that long to do, it is just that I can’t make the opportunity to work.

So, I did decide that I would repurpose the old siding instead of replacing with 5/8″ drywall. T1-11 is 5/8 inch thick and it saves it from the landfill (and money). So, Win/Win in my opinion.

With the tips and tricks portion of the show, I am sure everyone is probably aware of this gotcha but nevertheless I will mention it. When taking something apart, be able to put it back together. Take a picture or make a drawing or note or something so that it is easy to reassemble.

I needed to disconnect the sprinkler wire from the controller because I want a nice penetration for the new siding. Anticipating that it will be some time before I turn it back on, I took a picture of the wiring for ease of hooking back up properly.

There are a few small things I can still do but the reality is that I need to go purchase the remainder of the siding and trim. This is what is preventing me moving forward as much as time.

End Your Programming Routine: Life doesn’t always go the way that you anticipate. I think that is pretty well known. It is difficult to build project plans with catastrophic contingency or said a better way anticipate the unimaginable. Fortunately, if this is the only project I get done this summer, it is the most important and there is still plenty of time.

July 13, 2022 – Screw Sickness, Let’s Get to Work

July 13, 2022 /

At some point, I am going to write an article about dealing with siding penetrations and other unforeseen problems. To be effective, I would like to have pictures (or video) to go along with it. Since I do not have that yet, it definitely doesn’t make sense to do today.

In lieu of actual content, I will fill space with worthless words (just kidding). I am on the mend, no fever the last couple of days and energy feels good. I still have junk in the throat but the show must go on. Monday, I got back to work and in two hours I had all of the siding off. Yesterday’s goal was to cut the compromised drywall and remove portions of the panels.

I cut the bottom four feet off the offending panels. That should allow me to slap up new ones with the minimum of cuts. After that, I am going to add a Water Resistant Barrier (WRB in the lingo) which will actually be tar paper because that is what I have.

The key to fixing this failure is the details. Normally, T1-11 would not necessarily need a WRB between the panel and the sheetrock. But, because the HardiPlank was applied over the T1-11, water went between the two and stayed wet for an extended time which in turn rotted the T1-11 behind the lap siding. Proper products and flashing will resolve this permanently.

Before I do this, I have a couple of reservations. The first is I am not completely convinced that fire protection (the purpose of the drywall) is necessary. When nailing the HardiPlank back on, the only way to secure it is nailing through the studs. I have inspected the corner construction and there is no structure to nail the edges of the siding. This has me thinking that I should change the backing from drywall to sheathing.

Looking at the cost between OSB and drywall, they are nearly the same. And, HardiPlank is also fireproof. It will be the structure for nailing the lap that will help me decided how to proceed.

End Your Programming Routine: When this garage was built, I think it was done properly. I am pretty sure the lap siding was added later which is why the details were wrong. Or, at least that is what I want to tell myself. I guess we will all see as I go along, stay tuned for the proper way of doing things.

July 6, 2022 – My Project Begins In Earnest

July 6, 2022 /

I spent a couple hours on Sunday doing some demo. I was dragging my feet a bit because I was waiting for driveway work to be done. The reason being is that I have stuff in my trailer that I just want to move out of the way and I didn’t want to pile garbage on top of it. Nevertheless, I cannot wait any longer to start. I am going to have to work around the other things and focus on what I can control. That is my project.

I got the lap siding off. Most of it came off in one piece so I am thinking that I can re-use it and save myself some money. The T1-11 siding that was under the lap siding was nearly completely rotten. I also found what I suspected, there is 5/8″ drywall as sheeting. I have some pictures below.

What is that all about? It is definitely not structural. Based on what I was reading, it seems that sometimes drywall is used on the exterior when the setback (distance) between two buildings is too close. In case of fire, it is less likely to spread between the two buildings because of the hour burn drywall.

I think I am going to have to cut the bottom 4 feet off. It has been wet too long and no longer has any integrity to it. Due to the fact that I am changing the construction on the siding, I need to make sure that it doesn’t get wet again. So, I am mulling about how to protect the new drywall and whether building paper will be enough or do I need to go to a rain screen.

Yesterday and today there is rain so that is crimping my plans. This was the weather that was suppose to be here on the 4th, so I guess I can be thankful for that. It does look like summer is coming after this short rain spell. It is dry and temps in the 80’s and 90’s. To top it off, my wife has Covid and I am starting to feel like I have caught some of it too. I hope this doesn’t derail my week.

End Your Programming Routine: I am not saying that I am going to drag this out. But, I might have built up how much work it will be in my head. I still have a couple of sheets T1-11 to remove but I got what I needed to see which was the extent of the damage. I am confident that a couple good weeks of deliberate focus will get this project done.

July 5, 2022 – My Antenna Fetish Continues

July 5, 2022 /

In my quest to get better AM reception, I ran across this very affordable antenna setup. First, I am going to beta test this versus the traditional loop antenna (the one that came with the receiver). If all goes well, I will permanently mount this outside. If this setup doesn’t work, I have one more play, there is another antenna available from CCrane that I might try.

I actually didn’t really realize this, but the AM band is the same frequency of some shortwave bands. Signals on the AM band range from 530 – 1710 kHz. This antenna is rated for 0.5 – 30 mHz (or 500 – 30,000 kHz) so it should work beautifully. This antenna is specifically intended for shortwave reception, conveniently AM radio is in the appropriate range.

My first test was to simply assemble the antenna and connect it. I did a quick scan through the spectrum and picked up 20 or so channels. That was a positive sign.

Now that I knew it was going to work, I started researching cable extensions. This particular antenna is built with a 10m (33ish feet) of cable. I haven’t measured anything, but I am probably going to need 100 feet or more. In this case, my preference would be to build my own cable but I need the proper tools to do that. The connection is called an RJ-476 which looks like a miniature TV cable end.

Another problem that I had to solve for is my radio has two wire connector input, not an RJ-476. As you might know, with a cable there is a conductor and a ground. The conductor is the center wire but the ground comes off the shielding. Typically, the ground connection is made when you screw the connector in place. Now we are talking about solder and other things. Fortunately I found a cable that splits for appropriate use. The lesson is know how your are going to connect to your radio.

It’s going to be awhile before my priorities are going to align and I actually mount this antenna on the roof. I would hope to get it done before the end of summer. Regardless, I built a frame for the antenna because the loop is so floppy. Since AM signals are directional, the frame allows for a much easier ‘tuning’ of the antenna since it is so floppy.

My hope is that I get the antenna out of the basement and up on the roof I won’t have as much as a need for directional tuning. If that turns out to not be the case, then I have a couple stations in mind that I have not been able to get with any current antenna setup and I will be happy.

End Your Programming Routine: It must be that nobody listens to AM radio through their stereo tuner. I am speculating that the majority of AM listening must be in the car. I am rather surprised by the lack of antenna choices (or information) anywhere. Maybe there is a business opportunity here? I will be happy to eventually tune into the local university sports though.

June 22, 2022 – Time to Look Ahead

June 22, 2022 /

Wasn’t that great? We are a couple days from the end of our time here in Spain. I will spend time next week unpacking the important items from the trip. Today, I am starting to change my mindset into looking forward beyond vacation. And boy, there is work to be done.

  1. My summer project. It is time to start ripping off siding and fixing the rotten siding. In theory, I think that it is going to take a couple of weeks. Those ideas always get waylaid by everything else going on. I am going to estimate that this is going to take all summer.
  2. Fourth of July. Since the fourth is on Monday, this will be an entire weekend fireworks, parades, barbeques and carnivals. I don’t mind a fireworks display or drinking some beer. But, I have to say that one day is enough for me.
  3. Chess in the Park. When my son has a dream, it quickly becomes my dream (responsibility). My son has created eight Saturdays where he is running chess in the park. Basically every Saturday between the Fourth and Labor day has a commitment of several hours in the park to run this event.
  4. Of the age of Summer Jobs. My other son will be driving tractor for five weeks. This entire time will be before having a drivers license and therefore we will have to drop off and pick up every day.
  5. Birthday week. The last week in July is birthday week for my wife and son. This is usually the most hectic week of the summer with activities.

That is just July (mostly). What happened to camping and fishing? I don’t foresee this happening this year. August starts to look ahead to the next school year, harvest time and finishing what we started for the summer. Hopefully, I can sneak some respite and recreation in there before the summer is over.

I do have some other expectations for the summer. My wife wants the lattice replaced on the deck. Now that my son’s car is in the garage, I need to block off some time to see if I can help him get it working. This isn’t mentioning things that I want to do like take my dad out for belated Father’s day and restart my range trips that have fallen off in recent months. Culinary book club has restarted and I am planning on an AltF4 series on Atlas Shrugged. Plus, I wanted to put some time into making Adirondack chairs while we can still enjoy them.

End Your Programming Routine: In many ways, I have put my life on hold for the sake of this vacation. To be clear, I did have a good time but I am glad to be moving on. I am anxious to get my project started that I have been putting off for months. It’s a beautiful country with lovely food and people. It is not just me to live my life as a party and lay on the beach, even on vacation.

June 14, 2022 – In the Storm

June 14, 2022 /

I talked about the appearance remodel that began Monday of last week. We survived nearly a week without a kitchen. As I predicted, there will be a host of changes as a result. The floor is going to get painted as well as the cabinets. Not all of the the cabinets are going back up. And, I will have to build some shelves to replace the corner unit. The ceiling is going to be torn out with new lights and so on and so forth.

I am not upset, there is no point. But I am not totally happy. I think that it is wasteful to get rid of the cabinets and I think that we are adding less functional shelving to replace it. I am not a fan of painting wood for the most part either. The only thing that I can kind of understand is painting the floor. I will be interested to see how that works out.

There are some things that I just cannot care too much about. And this is going to be one of them. I think that it will be nice when it is done, I just don’t think that it is necessary. This is one of my not going to die on hills.

I think the other issue that I had is that this is going to keep the kitchen in disarray for some unknown time. Enough of that though. I have my own projects to worry about. plus we have deck work starting this week and the fence and now driveway soon.

End Your Programming Routine: After the kitchen is done, there will be one room remaining that hasn’t been touched since we moved in. That is what is the master bathroom. I wouldn’t be surprised if that is next on the list as it is 90’s ugly. Just like I like my furniture buy once cry once, I hope that removing the paneling and adding tile is one of those changes.