What non automotive projects and repairs are you doing?

[matthew1]

Does nannying two tiny grandkids for two weeks count as non-automotive projects?

Their maintenance might be messy, but they have no replaceable parts.

[volvolugnut]

YOU CAN'T BLOW OUT SPRINKLERS WITH A 6-GALLON AIR COMPRESSOR! they said. Oh yea?

Being one who often can't accept common wisdom, I got a Craftsman 6-gallon "pancake" air compressor and went ahead and... did it.

It takes about 3 cycles per zone, so this would not remotely work for commercial blowout services, but for me the lower cost and small size of a 6-gal makes sense.

I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I figured it out.

I rate this job a 2-sparkplug (out of 5) difficulty.

I have same compressor, but branded Porter-Cable (I think). It is handy. Small enough to carry where you need it, but enough air to inflate several tires that are low (not flat).
volvolugnut

[xHeart]

xHeart, if you have time/inclination to take and post photos of this equipment and resulting installation, I'd love to see. I don't follow much of what you wrote, but I think it would come together if I could see photos. Just a little request, don't take the time if you can't. :)

Here is a picture of our very old TEMCO natural gas wall furnace with manual pilot lighting. It was upgraded to Williams -- pix coming...

MVS_HeaterUpgrade_4129.jpg (128.18 KiB) Viewed 398 times

[SOURDOUGHJIM]

Scavenged a couple of small bookcases to get service manuals put up. (Have you ever seen a more obsolete collection of info before?)

[volvolugnut]

I am still not finished with the garage walk in door replacement. I need to finish paint touchup and the inside trim, and seal under the sill.
I have also returned to broken brick replacement for the brick walls. Mortar work must wait until next week after a few days of cold front and first frost.
After the frost I will also clean up the garden and begin to cut down bamboo again. The seasons change and I change outdoor work.
volvolugnut

[xHeart]

I am still not finished with the garage walk in door replacement. I need to finish paint touchup and the inside trim, and seal under the sill.
I have also returned to broken brick replacement for the brick walls. Mortar work must wait until next week after a few days of cold front and first frost.
After the frost I will also clean up the garden and begin to cut down bamboo again. The seasons change and I change outdoor work.
volvolugnut

You're not alone; this guy is close to wrapping up but drowning with anxiety...

MVS_HeaterUpgrade_4242.jpg (96.48 KiB) Viewed 382 times

B-Vent upgrade to 4" oval to meet 1" of air around the vent, i.e 1" to combustible rule for recessed mounting inside the wall.

MVS_HeaterUpgrade_4244.jpg (142.74 KiB) Viewed 382 times

Upgraded gas line to meet city code - the shutoff valve with plug for gas pressure tester.

MVS_HeaterUpgrade_4246.jpg (96.13 KiB) Viewed 382 times

The Williams furnace is working; the wood work may take another week.

[abscate]

I conquered a Navien Condensing Boiler problem this weekend NCB 240

Sudden loss of hot domestic water.

Beautiful unit. COndensing boiler heats 180F water to heat house, then shunts boiler water to an exhanger when hot water is requested. The 3 way valve that shunts boiler water between house and domestic had frozen up.

All the parts were bayonet and o-ring connections, no fighting with frozen unions and crap like that.

You tubes were awful. Plumbers mumbling while they video themselves turning pages in manuals, then asking me to subscribe.

"If you get an error code, make sure the unit is plugged in."

Online documentation good, but no troubleshooting of much use.

[Blacklab467]

YOU CAN'T BLOW OUT SPRINKLERS WITH A 6-GALLON AIR COMPRESSOR! they said. Oh yea?

Being one who often can't accept common wisdom, I got a Craftsman 6-gallon "pancake" air compressor and went ahead and... did it.

It takes about 3 cycles per zone, so this would not remotely work for commercial blowout services, but for me the lower cost and small size of a 6-gal makes sense.

I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I figured it out.

I rate this job a 2-sparkplug (out of 5) difficulty.

HaHa, that's exactly how I do it, same Craftsman compressor too! No problems after 8 years of having the sprinkler system and thats with a 1 inch feed to the manifold and 5 zones. Good job, you just saved $75!

IMG_7260.jpeg

[Blacklab467]

Maintaining the basement arcade takes up a lot of my time in the winter. There's always lots of soldering and troubleshooting to be done on these aging machines and parts supplies are becoming rare and scarce.

Arcade.jpg (398.98 KiB) Viewed 360 times

[volvolugnut]

Maintaining the basement arcade takes up a lot of my time in the winter. There's always lots of soldering and troubleshooting to be done on these aging machines and parts supplies are becoming rare and scarce.
Arcade.jpg

WOW!
volvolugnut