What non automotive projects and repairs are you doing?

Post by **BlackBart** » 03 May 2024, 12:21

Sveedy wrote: ↑03 May 2024, 08:19
BlackBart wrote: ↑02 May 2024, 16:39 Also....is it full of asbestos before you start cutting?

Good point. That lovely scenario never crossed my mind.
Looks like a deep hole is the best solution.

Is it worth it to take out the slab? And you still have to break it up to put it in the hole. What did people do when all those old octopus oil-burner furnaces got replaced? Or did they ignore asbestos and cut it up?

Post by **volvolugnut** » 04 May 2024, 08:05

There are businesses to remove asbestos safely. It is not cheap or fast. Full protective suits and respirators and plastic sheet enclosures.
Do not break up the furnace - 'just' make a hole in the floor big enough for the whole thing.
Push it in and bury it. Still not cheap or fast.
volvolugnut

Post by **Sveedy** » 04 May 2024, 08:49

Yep. Just a big hole. Wouldn't planning on breaking it up at that point. The existing slab is only about 2" thick at best, so no problem there.
But digging a 5' x 5' x 5' hole and hauling all of that out of a basement is a undertaking in itself.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 04 May 2024, 08:58

Sveedy wrote: ↑04 May 2024, 08:49 Yep. Just a big hole. Wouldn't planning on breaking it up at that point. The existing slab is only about 2" thick at best, so no problem there.
But digging a 5' x 5' x 5' hole and hauling all of that out of a basement is a undertaking in itself.

Is there a window or coal chute in any wall of the basement? Maybe use a conveyor to remove the debris. Jack hammer with spade tool for digging. Still easier in my opinion to move dirt and broken concrete than big iron. No big technical problems, just lots of labor.
Perhaps create a new window just to remove debris.
All of this still not cheap or easy.
volvolugnut

Post by **Sveedy** » 04 May 2024, 11:48

A conveyor, human or otherwise, is what we're going to be doing. I had the husband talked into changing an existing window into a exterior door. Would have been pretty easy, other than some more digging and additional concrete work. He has a home office down there so it would have been great. The basement would certainly be more usable in the long run, but the wife nixed it because she didn't feel secure with adding another exterior door.
Frankly I'm hoping they kind of forget about it.

Post by **Blacklab467** » 31 May 2024, 14:16

Finished up a restoration on one of my Lawnboys last week. It is a 1978 model 8237, mostly cosmetic restoration with the engine getting new NOS rings, crankcase seals and bearings. The bright work gets polished and I am experimenting with polishing plastic with moderate success. A new NOS bag and repro decal kit finish the job on what I would consider a 7.5 out of 10 restoration. This is my “daily driver” lawnmower so it will be used weekly. 2 other 8237’s are in the shed and one or both of them will undergo a 10 point restoration sometime this winter.
These are wonderful lawnmowers to operate being incredibly lightweight, self propelled and cutting a 21 inch swath with an F-140 two stroke motor. If you’re nostalgic and enjoy mowing your lawn I would encourage you to look for a vintage beauty like this in your local classifieds. They can be found often for less than $200 and there are still plenty of parts available.

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Post by **matthew1** » 31 May 2024, 14:27

Very good job. I love that 70s design.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 31 May 2024, 20:15

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The gutters were overflowing again a week or so ago during the down pour. It's a continuous U shaped on the second story with 4 down spouts. Only one didn't go into the ground. Took an electric blower and blew air up the one above ground. Huge mistake as water and debris blew up and over then down all over me but there was good flow so for now at least one down spout is flowing.

Going to Lowe's tomorrow for a 16' dryer flex hose to attached between the blower and gutter cleaning kit. I'll be on a ladder while the person at ground level will turn the blower on and off.
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Today, I cleaned a small section of gutter which I can reach half hanging out the second story window. Used a 5 foot 1 inch PVC pipe with a brush duct taped to the end to break loose, gather and pull the debris to my end near the window so I can physically remove them. The rest of the dust I used a blower. Was able to fill half a 5 gallon bucket with water and tossed it over on to the roof and drain down the gutter.

Had considered purchasing 2 - 10 foot sections of 3/4 PVC pipe with a U and reducer at the top and garden hose connection at the other end. The U shape would hook over the gutter as I drag it across with the water flowing to clean. If the dry cleaning doesn't work then will use this method.
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Post by **BlackBart** » 06 Jun 2024, 13:48

Amateur fan replacement - (Sveedy look away from non-professional construction!)

When I helped put a new roof on my nearly flat roof last summer, we discovered the bathroom fan blew up, not to a vent hood, but INTO THE ROOF VENT cavity! Smart! Someone on a previous re-roof must have capped off the outlet to make roofing easier. Crazy.

I tried to find a modern fan that would fit in the existing wall box and blow OUT. Couldn't find anything but impeller blades, nothing was compatible. So I bought this nice commercial grade Fantech brand exterior fan that sucks through the wall. I wanted to not take apart my interior wall and re-sheetrock, so I tried to use the existing box location, keep the inside grille.

Cut up the box, remove the old fan.

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Cut a hole through the back of the box and wall. Found the existing electrical. Then couldn't find a push-through fan that worked.

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Of course the new fan inlet hole is in a different spot.

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Cut the siding down to the sheathing with my friends Makita and Milwaukee....There are better tools for doing these cuts but these are what I have...and a wood chisel.

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Cut holes through two layers of board to make 1 1/4" flush platform at the upper trim band.

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Test fit, raised the hole, did some truly ragged jigsawing of the metal. I don't need the box itself, but it goes upwards inside the wall. I just need the rim that holds the interior grille clips. The pencil centerline is where the power needs to feed at the outside wall, so I cut up the box lid so I could drill a diagonal hole through the framing for wiring.