What kind of projects can you do around your house?

RedDenver said:
Black locust is notoriously difficult to cut. Good luck.

FYI, black locust is extremely weather resistant, and I highly recommend using it for fence posts and it'll last for many years without any treatments/coatings/repainting. I haven't tried it for sheds, decking, or chairs/stumps for sitting, but I imagine it'll be really good at those uses as well.
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Ha ha!  Fence posts?  I live in a town, not a farm.  Also, I got this wood already cut up into 3 to 5 foot logs by a tree contractor.  It came from a friend's yard a few blocks away.  I just had to load it in my truck and haul it home.  Firewood for a year!  But I might save a few sticks back from some project or other.   lol :)

 
NUance said:
Ha ha!  Fence posts?  I live in a town, not a farm.  Also, I got this wood already cut up into 3 to 5 foot logs by a tree contractor.  It came from a friend's yard a few blocks away.  I just had to load it in my truck and haul it home.  Firewood for a year!  But I might save a few sticks back from some project or other.   lol :)
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I don't know your living situation and was just offering what I think is a better use of black locust than burning it. But it's really dense, so it should burn hot and provide a lot of heat.

 
NUance said:
Anyone here have experience using a corded electric chainsaw?  I have a gas engine Poulan Pro 20 that I use, but it's so loud I feel like I'm bugging the neighbors with noise when I use it.  (They've never complained.  But still...)   So anyway I ordered a Worx 16 inch corded chainsaw.  It has a 14.5 amp motor which I guess is okay.  (Most corded chainsaws have 10 to 12 amp motors.)  I guess what I'm wondering is how well this thing will cut wood, and how long can I expect it to last.  I ordered it yesterday on-line, and will get it in a couple of days.  
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Update:  That corded electric chainsaw was delivered yesterday.  Used it last night to make a dozen cuts through 10" to 14" logs.  It works great!  It's way more powerful than I expected. Sure, it's not quite as powerful as a gas engine chainsaw.  But almost.  And it's quiet enough that I can use it in my backyard in the evenings without driving the neighbors crazy.  I have a feeling I won't be using my old Poulan as much anymore.  

 
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Apparently I can also be a general contractor....

We had a bad hail storm so I am working with;

A roofer for new roof, gutters and downspouts.

A window guy for a couple replacements and some other repairs.

A garage door company for 2 garage door replacements.

A painter for the garage doors, gutters and some trim boards I plan to replace.

But that's not all, my AC and furnace also needs to be replaced (not due to hail) so I have been busy getting bids for that. Ouch by the way ...

Seems all I've been doing lately is getting bids and then contacting my insurance company for supplemental funds. I guess it's a good thing I kind of, half-a$$, know what I'm doing. It would be a super pain if I didn't have any understanding of what it takes to do these things. It's bad enough the way it is.

 
Today I put steering fluid in @Elaida's car 'cause he's out of town (and it needed steering fluid).

This is big for me 'cause I've never done anything at all that has anything to do with a car engine before. I popped the hood by myself 'n' everything.

 
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Moiraine said:
Today I put steering fluid in @Elaida's car 'cause he's out of town (and it needed steering fluid).

This is big for me 'cause I've never done anything at all that has anything to do with a car engine before. I popped the hood by myself 'n' everything.
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Do cars even still use steering fluid? I think the last time I had to put steering fluid in a car was my 64 Ford Custom 500 that I got rid of 38 years ago.

 
JJ Husker said:
Do cars even still use steering fluid? I think the last time I had to put steering fluid in a car was my 64 Ford Custom 500 that I got rid of 38 years ago.
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Yes but according to the googling I just did, you rarely/never have to change it. But his car has a leak in the steering system and the reservoir goes dry, at which point the wheel won’t turn and he has to add more fluid to it. The car is 22 years old and he’s driving it to death before buying a new one. And buying a $4 bottle of steering fluid every week will be cheaper than replacing the part(s) he’d need to replace.

 
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Moiraine said:
Yes but according to the googling I just did, you rarely/never have to change it. But his car has a leak in the steering system and the reservoir goes dry, at which point the wheel won’t turn and he has to add more fluid to it. The car is 22 years old and he’s driving it to death before buying a new one. And buying a $4 bottle of steering fluid every week will be cheaper than replacing the part(s) he’d need to replace.
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I have a 2000 Grand Prix that has a power steering fluid leak.  One time I accidentally grabbed a bottle of transmission fluid leak stopper and put some of it in before I realized it.  But after that it didn't leak nearly as much and I never had any problems with it.  Later I asked a mechanic friend of mine about it and he said  a lot of people use transmission fluid instead of power steering fluid because it's cheaper and works the same.  

So you might consider putting some transmission fluid leak stopper in to see if that helps.

 
Mavric said:
I have a 2000 Grand Prix that has a power steering fluid leak.  One time I accidentally grabbed a bottle of transmission fluid leak stopper and put some of it in before I realized it.  But after that it didn't leak nearly as much and I never had any problems with it.  Later I asked a mechanic friend of mine about it and he said  a lot of people use transmission fluid instead of power steering fluid because it's cheaper and works the same.  

So you might consider putting some transmission fluid leak stopper in to see if that helps.
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I’ll look into it, thanks. 

 
I can do just about all of it . I started breaking  the concrete to rough in plumbing for my basement bathroom this week . I’ll plumb it, wire it, install fixtures, tile the floor, drywall , hang doors and trim everything myself . Not great at drywall tape/mud or hanging doors, so those I’m dreading,  otherwise no problem . Next step would be laying carpet in the bedroom area , and adding a kitchen area down there . 

 
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Big Red 40 said:
I can do just about all of it . I started breaking  the concrete to rough in plumbing for my basement bathroom this week . I’ll plumb it, wire it, install fixtures, tile the floor, drywall , hang doors and trim everything myself . Not great at drywall tape/mud or hanging doors, so those I’m dreading,  otherwise no problem . Next step would be laying carpet in the bedroom area , and adding a kitchen area down there . 
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Good lord.  I would not even know where to begin with that stuff.

 
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