The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[Kepler]

I need to meet the... person?... who did this.

[French Rage]

I need to meet the... person?... who did this.

"Which patterns do you want?" "Yes."

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

I need to meet the... person?... who did this.

It certainly has personality, I'll give it that.

[St. Clown]

I need to meet the... person?... who did this.

I would like the small slab table from the blue room pics, the one with the single flower vase on it. Everything else in that house looks expensive to correct the current owner’s misdeeds.

[Kepler]

Our local Pervert's Guide ranked our 8 most invasive species:

1. Barberry. Isn't this a store in Reston Town Center that sells overpriced raincoats? Actually, it's worse: it's an OUTLET in Loudoun County. Verdict: The factory seconds bin for them.

2. English Ivy. Let this climb the walls of an older Reston townhouse and you soften the Brutalist feel with some Ye Old Timey vibes. But do you think across the pond in Olde Blighty, the folks in Milton Keynes, or whatever they call their New Towns, get worked up over "Reston ivy?" Verdict: A full English breakfast.

3. Bamboo. Often used along property lines. Virtually indestructible. Verdict: Replace them with bollards.

4. Chinese and Japanese wisteria. Pretty enough, but Wisteria Lane was the name of a street in another plastic fantastic planned community—the one on Desperate Housewives. Verdict: Too much drama.

5. Oriental bittersweet. We'll tell you what's bittersweet—driving by the spot where the Macaroni Grill once stood. Verdict: No endless breadsticks for you.

6. Flowering pear tree species. Flowers are fine. Pears are fine—tasty, even. But together? Verdict: That ain't right.

7. Burning bush. Usually these are portents of unpleasant journeys, like having to wander in the desert for 40 years or drive to Tysons. Verdict: A fistful of pennies to pay the tolls.

8. Nonnative Bush honeysuckles. According to something we Googled on Bing dot com, their fruits are considered "junk food" for many animal species. Verdict: Let them grow around the McTacoNoLongerAHut and nowhere else, the end.

[Kepler]

I want to redecorate my room too

I recommend CCleaner.

[dxmnkd316]

I want to redecorate my room too

Alienware or something less gaudy?

[French Rage]

I want to redecorate my room too

They have some great ideas on the UNH DI thread. Go there.

[joecct]

Been following electrical panel videos on YT. They're fascinating and provide good hints if I have to add/replace a circuit.

[dxmnkd316]

Pancake air compressors? Yea or nay?

I've been looking at two from Home Depot the last few weeks because I need something to blow out our meager drip irrigation line (like 50-60 feet total). I know the cfm is low, but should still work. I also need it to inflate the snowblower tires and other various tires when needed.

That said, do I bite the bullet and get an oil-lubed version? I'm not really looking to spend more than like $300.

Does anyone have any experience with pancakes and their longevity? Because if I can buy three pancakes for the price of a nicer oil-lubed version, well...

Any brands I should seek out?

ETA: I should also mention that I designed the system to be able to be 100% gravity drained. So theoretically I could get by just opening it up, but I'd rather make sure.

[St. Clown]

I think most (all?) pancake compressors are just too small for a reliable irrigation system blowout. That said, with your gravity draining, I just don’t know.

it might be better to simply rent a larger hotdog compressor from Home Depot once per year if you don’t need a compressor for other tasks.

[burd]

I don't know shyt about irrigation system blowout, dx, but I've had a Campbell Hausfeld pancake for better than 25 years, and it's been good. I have done a lot of work on our home, built roofs, additions, cabinets, etc. and used it for framing and finish nailers, spray work, shop work, cleaning, etc. It can keep two roofing nailers going with no problem. I occasionally use it for a pressure pot for epoxy resin projects. The pancake was good for me for its portability. I now have it mounted on a wheeled cart with hose reel and some parts storage. 4 gal, 1hp, 125 max psi. It may not meet your needs, but it's been good for me.

[dxmnkd316]

Much obliged burd. Good info. Probably just going to use it as an inflator in the end if I go that route.


St Clown: I agree on the capacity. It's probably too small. I was thinking about a hot dog but wanted to get some opinions.

[Laura-4334]

Roof repair is not typically an easy task and should be handled by a professional contractor. However, if you are determined to repair your roof yourself, there are a few things you can do to make the job easier. First, make sure you have the right tools and materials for the job. This will vary depending on the type of roof you have and the extent of the damage, but at a minimum you will need a ladder, a roofing hammer, nails, shingles, and roofing cement. You should also make sure you have a helper to assist you with the repair and to keep you safe while working on the roof. Finally, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basic steps involved in roof repair before you begin, our roofing mclean va so that you know what to expect and can plan your work accordingly.

[St. Clown]

Dx posted, bot approved.