Thread: Home Repairs

PO,

I should go back to school and take a reading lesson or two...

Anyway, I just tested my LED dimmer setup. You are right, it did not appear to dim as far as what my very dim memory of dimming incandescents did. It is a very dim memory because I tried the dimmable CFLs - which was an absolute flicking and humming misery. I ended up never dimming those dumb bulbs. In fact, I consider myself a dim bulb for buying them. I think I am getting off topic.

All my LEDs are a year or less old so maybe they learned something in the three years since your lot was made. Other then not dimming to a sensual level with a very special someone I have had no problems. The light is good, the dimming is smooth, and my KillOWatt meter reads a real savings. By the way, I don't give a rats behind about green. I like the color but I can't stand the sanctimonious turds that appropriated it. They are about as green as their personal jets...

As far as Kalefornea, what can I say. Our bureaucrats force oddball rate structures to try to get everyone to save energy. They refuse to allow power generation to be developed in our bucolic state so we pull it from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington - but also from smoking behemoths in Mexico. Then we tax it. So our feeble minded politicians pretend our power don't stink. And the green is my money flowing to them. Why am I still here. I view it like an investment - you know 'Blood in the Streets'. The next economic downturn will drive this state to its knees...

Originally Posted by Boghie

PO,

I should go back to school and take a reading lesson or two...

Anyway, I just tested my LED dimmer setup. You are right, it did not appear to dim as far as what my very dim memory of dimming incandescents did. It is a very dim memory because I tried the dimmable CFLs - which was an absolute flicking and humming misery. I ended up never dimming those dumb bulbs. In fact, I consider myself a dim bulb for buying them. I think I am getting off topic.[IMG]file:///C:\Users\D\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip _image001.gif[/IMG]

All my LEDs are a year or less old so maybe they learned something in the three years since your lot was made. Other then not dimming to a sensual level with a very special someone I have had no problems. The light is good, the dimming is smooth, and my KillOWatt meter reads a real savings. By the way, I don't give a rats behind about green. I like the color but I can't stand the sanctimonious turds that appropriated it. They are about as green as their personal jets...[IMG]file:///C:\Users\D\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip _image002.gif[/IMG]

As far as Kalefornea, what can I say. Our bureaucrats force oddball rate structures to try to get everyone to save energy. They refuse to allow power generation to be developed in our bucolic state so we pull it from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington - but also from smoking behemoths in Mexico. Then we tax it. So our feeble minded politicians pretend our power don't stink. And the green is my money flowing to them. Why am I still here. I view it like an investment - you know 'Blood in the Streets'. The next economic downturn will drive this state to its knees...

Oh gosh. No, no worries about the claims and warrantee. Who actually reads that stuff? The first is hype and the second reality. Besides I tried that guarantee thing years ago on CFLs and got a polite e-mail stating I had misused the bulbs.

No self-recrimination about trying something new. We do it if we care about the bill and at some level the usage. Some experiments were better than others.

I do believe that LEDs have gotten much better in the last few years. Even the hot ones from 2012 are still working. I retrieved the one from the ceiling can and will repurpose it. The patio one hasn’t burned anything down yet so will keep using it and it may well outlast me.

I love your statement about “the sanctimonious turds that appropriated it”. Pretty much sums up my thoughts.

The CA stuff…I probably shouldn’t have said that outside the political threads. Just threw it in because I know some CA residents who believe they are completely self-sufficient in all things and provide the whole world with union grown lettuce.

Apparently I just like to complain about things. Both of us should keep on keeping on the way we are. We do what we do. I try to live in a house at the side of the road and not pi*s anyone off. Sometimes I break that rule.

PO

Todays topic shall be screws. Very useful things, screws. A little customer cervix thrown in.

Trouble report was loose arm pad on a chair. Diagnosis=front screw missing, rear screw loose. As usual I looked around on the floor for a screw. Why do I do that? If that screw ever appears it will be long after I procure another screw.

I tightened the loose one. I then removed one from the other arm. User told me that was not where the problem was. I told user I needed to see what size the screw was. User asked what if they are not the same size. Good question so I demonstrated that the screw fit the vacant hole. Then I removed it and was asked why since the arm was now fixed…

So what size is this thing? At one time I could eyeball them. This was a 10-32. The most common past screw size for pre-drilled and threaded 19” equipment racks. I must have dealt with thousands of them in the last 40 years. Still, I was not sure. So I took it to the big store that is blue. Because it is closer than the one that is orange.

At the big store I found where they had moved the screw aisle and it is arranged by…no known system. After looking around I found they had a panel between racks with threaded rods and tubes sticking out, each one for a different size/thread bolt/nut. Very cool since asking an employee will only alarm them as they are not sure what hardware is? So determine what you need and then look at each rack, top to bottom until you find it. It may be in a bin, may be hanging in a bag. My requirement was found in a bag of six with nuts. Just buy em, a real hardware store is hard to find. I will put them in the home screw department where I will not be able to find them later.

One caution applicable to 10-32 machine screws. They are very close in size to MM5 and will fit in to the tube and will work in a pinch but will not have the strength needed for most applications.

And that’s all I got to say about screws for now. Chair arm is fixed now and need expressed to replace chair not an issue at present.

PO

Today’s subject is drilling holes in drywall. Always mark locations carefully. Measure twice. This is the important part, drill a small pilot hole and gently insert a probe at least as long as the wall is deep to see if there are any pipes, wires or other obstructions. Then drill the required size hole. Plan the job and each step and do not take shortcuts.

I am at the hospital visiting right now so project is HIA. I need to think about it some now.

During the final stages of drilling the first hole I was interrupted a couple of times by phone calls and texts, the final call from the visitee wondering about where I was with the clean laundry. I had everything marked at that time and was determined to drill one hole before I left and did so. I did not insert the probe first. Now I have a very neat looking ¾” hole in the wall right on the edge of a 3” ABS vent stack. No harm to the stack just no room for the anchor as there is about ¼” between the near wall and the pipe. Now what? Unnecessary hole, compromised integrity of the dry wall for installing additional anchors… Always probe first, a 1/8” hole is much easier to patch than a ¾” hole.

More later perhaps after a cold beverage.

PO

I studied on this while doing chores, driving to/from rehab center and sitting at rehab center. Rehab center is 44 miles away BTW but you got to go with what’s best for the patient.

Since I had a nice ¾” hole already and ¼” plus between the drywall and the stack, I realized a toggle bolt would work. I happened to have some toggle bolts around that I could actually find. Not wanting to cut the bolt shorter I looked in my stuff and found a 1” bolt of the proper size and thread. A hardened hex head bolt but who cares. Tied some sturdy string around the toggle and inserted it through the hole. Always tie something too big to fit through the hole to the other end of the string. That way you won’t lose it when Murphy comes by.

I drilled another 3/4 “ hole at about 5 o’clock on the grab bar flange to clear the stack pipe. Inserted the wingit ADA approved anchor in the wall and screw through the flange. After a lot of finessing I got the bolt to screw in to the toggle and one side is mounted. The other side just screws in to a stud. FWIW your stud finder will lie to you about the edge of the stud.

I couldn’t find the wall patching stuff but more than likely it would be no good after several summers in a Phoenix area garage. Off to a hardware store tomorrow. I like using locally owned hardware stores when I can.

Two more grab rails to go but they will wait as the big box chain stores do not have the proper anchors for grab bars in spite of claims on the internet. The employees of these stores are little help. Show them what you got from the web site and they say “we never carry that, I’ll let my manager know”. Right. Bless those workers, no training and no knowledge of how to fix anything. Most I have ever dealt with are willing to learn about their products.

I ordered the proper anchors on Amazon after much research. The house will be ready when SO returns. Will I be?

PO

It depends how much weight the anchors need to support. For sheet rock toggle bolts are the best but others can be used for lesser support. You could use others that expand and work but might be necessary to cut off the attaching screws also. What are you hanging a big screen TV?

300 Lbs according to Americans with Disabilities Act publications. I am hanging bathroom grab bars for SOs pending return to home. Wingits are recommended but I bet toggle bolts will be fine. I screwed up the first hole by not following the probe all holes first rule. It's all good and I just need to fill a larger than necessary hole in the drywall not covered by the grab bar flange cover.
thanks for the input.
PO

Originally Posted by PessOptimist

300 Lbs according to Americans with Disabilities Act publications. I am hanging bathroom grab bars for SOs pending return to home. Wingits are recommended but I bet toggle bolts will be fine. I screwed up the first hole by not following the probe all holes first rule. It's all good and I just need to fill a larger than necessary hole in the drywall not covered by the grab bar flange cover.
thanks for the input.
PO

I come in peace.
But regardless of the recommendations: Most certainly grab bars need to secured to studs.

Originally Posted by nnuut

... What are you hanging a big screen TV?

Another thing I'd only secure to studs.

Are you guys still watching Bob Villa or something

(j/k nnuut)

fyi

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news...ng-020813.html

The devil, as always, is in the details. The bar needs to be mounted properly -- and that means attaching it to the studs behind the wall. Thanks to DuckDuckGo, a search engine that is not just shopping effluvia, we found an excellent set of step-by-step instructions on the Natural Handyman site.

The site doesn't sugar-coat the situation and notes that the proper mounting method depends on the anticipated use. If a very heavy person is going to be putting his or her full weight on the bar routinely, simply screwing the bar to the wall studs may not be adequate and some reinforcement may be needed, the site cautions.

Anyone who has seen a grab bar pulled out of a wall will appreciate this caution.

It should also be noted that there may be local building code regulations in your area covering grab bars. It's important to comply with these regulations, for insurance reasons if nothing else.

Emphasis added.

Just sayin' I'd hate for someone to get hurt.

Back in the day I used to work on new construction and rework. I did most home improvement things (framing, plumbing, sheetrock, flooring, smart-homes, etc.) but later became a licensed Supervising Electrician.

I also enjoyed the cable series "Weeds." (Highly recommend: Weeds (TV Series 2005 ) The Weeds theme song was "Little Boxes" (made of ticky-tacky). I never appreciated the song until I saw actual ticky-tacky new construction in a middle-class tornado prone area. Couldn't believe my eyes. I think of it when I see news reports of areas flattened by a tornado except a couple of (I suppose) well-/properly-built homes.

Here's the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoXtddNPAM