What non automotive projects and repairs are you doing?

[abscate]

4/5 of the way of collapsing 5 households into 1 on Long Island

Uhaul makes the best boxes. Don’t buy Lowe’s or Home Depot
Small box excellent for books. Loaded weighs 15 kg /30 pounds. Average person can carry one, strong 2-3.
Medium boxes for gear. They stack well and tight
Large boxes only for pillows and bulk light items. Otherwise they get quickly too heavy.

You must tape boxes top and bottom to get move integrity. No four cornering them. Use the brown Uhaul tape, much cheaper that plastic

Our move was 200 boxes total , furniture comes this week

The Uhaul 26 foot bed truck is a beast, it’s F650 chassis. Drive it carefully and remember it’s 12 feet clearance, Clarence

[volvolugnut]

When breaking down moving or other boxes you want to reuse, cut the tape at the seams and fold them on the original fold lines. They will now lay flat for storage. You can tape over the old tape when you make up new boxes. Commercial type tape guns are great tools.
volvolugnut

[xHeart]

Part of the great bamboo war is to cut down the largest bamboo stalks (as large as 2 inch diameter) and many dead trees. This made a running chain saw necessary. I have had an old Homelite XL chain saw for many years. In recent years it has run poorly. Over time I have gathered a couple similar Homelite saws for parts.

volvolugnut

Homelite and chainsaw are in my mind. Our old Homelite is a 1700psi HydroSurge 1.4GPM pressure washer; it is used a dozen time each year to wash patio, driveway, walk, gutters, masonry and around windows. It is an electric unit; excellent in our situation but now leak water at seals, cracked hose, etc. Replacement parts are no longer available.

The sound of gas powered chainsaw is unique -- revving is like cutting through the air -- STIHL, Husqvarna. It have 2 electric Remington chainsaws -- 10" with pole and 18" for yard work; cleaned and oiled. I'm hoping these replacement Oregon chainsaw chains will last more than few seasons.

Any experience with using chainsaw sharpening tool?

[volvolugnut]

The round chainsaw files work well to sharpen chains. Just be careful to hold the file steady at the same angle as the original edge. You can sharpen a chain by hand with the little effort in just a few minutes. The electric rotary file is not needed.
volvolugnut

[BlackBart]

I have a little jig that’s supposed to hold the file at the right angle. I worked at it quite a while and either the wood was really hard or I wasn’t doing it right (old dull file?).

[abscate]

More learned knowledge

Three marks for boxes

Delicate , nothing on top RED
Heavy..warning for mover, don’t stack on top ORANGE
Light. Easy to move, maybe two, and can go on top of Stack BLUE

[volvolugnut]

The seed starting indoors was a success. Yesterday I planted outside seedings for Okra, Spinach, Lettuce , and three kinds of peppers. Today they are not dead yet. I hardened off the seedings by taking them outside in the afternoons for increasing time over about a week.
volvolugnut

[volvolugnut]

In the last two weeks I moved all of the parts of my John Deere riding mower to my home shop. The heaviest part was the cast iron block Kohler engine. Other heavy parts are the frame, transaxle, and front axle.
I have the axles, engine, and most other parts assembled now. A test crank of the motor was not successful. I have some wiring corrosion problems to fix. I am also cleaning old gas deposits out of the gas tank.
This mower is really heavy built. I think it could work another couple decades if the motor was rebuilt.
volvolugnut

[xHeart]

Easter is a good time to get out in the yard; sun is been out for 4 days and looks good through the Orthodox Easter - a full 10 days. Winter equipments were emptied, cleaned, and put away.

Spot filling and leveling of lawn is my project for this season; spring and then fall. 20 50lb bags of medium grit sand mixed with 10 bags of Miracle gro potting soil are in works for spot repair. Reel mover is getting ready.

I repaired my Homelite 1700psi HydroSurge hose using 3/16" barb fitting and placed two Oetikar clamps to keep it working till I find the replacement hose.

Awesome weather around here.

[volvolugnut]

John Deere 212 riding mower update:
Today I fixed a bad electrical connection in the starter wiring. The engine will now crank over. No carb or fuel system yet so there is no chance of starting.
volvolugnut