Home Improvement Thread

[SC_RedskinsFan]

Here is the final design for my deck! I submitted it today to the HOA, and will get it to the building department this week.

I am also going to be putting in a shrub privacy fence, and am thinking of using Emerald Green Thuja. Any landscape guru's have any experience with them?

View attachment deck overall look.pdf

View attachment deck measurements 2.pdf

 

[tshile]

I'm planning on doing a before and after when i'm finished, but here's the tile that took me 8 days to lay.

 

[SC_RedskinsFan]

Looks great Travis! I can't wait to see the before and after pictures. I think grouting tile is one of the worst things to do.

 

[Nobody]

Here is the final design for my deck! I submitted it today to the HOA, and will get it to the building department this week.

I am also going to be putting in a shrub privacy fence, and am thinking of using Emerald Green Thuja. Any landscape guru's have any experience with them?

View attachment 1261

View attachment 1262

Yeah, and it all depends on what the wind is like where you are. In windy conditions, they topple very easily. We're talking a 20+ mph breeze can bring them down easy, because their root system is extremely shallow. Also, like all plants in that family, if any piece of a branch or trunk or root gets damaged either by disease, bugs, animals, etc., the entire thing browns over large section after large section, and doesn't come back. You'll spend a lot of time and money replacing them, they just aren't worth the headache.

Of course, you can prevent all this if you get them trucked in near full size, but it's a hefty price increase form the $25-$30 you get them at hardware stores and local landscaping places for.

For a privacy fence, the best option depends on the purpose of the fence and the height you want it. If you want tall, thick, damage proof, and fast to fill in, then Ligustrums are the way to go. If you plant them spaced far apart, they shape out into large round bushes. But if you plant them about a foot apart, they will create a flat wall. I've trimmed ones as tall as 35 feet, so you can get them to whatever height you want and just top them out every year after they reach that height.

If you want one that will look good and keep people and animals from getting through, plant some Pyracantha. It has thorns about 4 inches long, and it's very dense. And they get bright red berries on them, so they look good most of the year.

 

[tshile]

Damn it. They say to open your cabinets when you get them to check for damage.

 

[Fear The Spear]

Can you H.I. experts help me out.
I just moved into a new apartment.
And like I normally do, in a new apartment, I remove the existing shower head, and put in my own, since it's adjustable, etc.
I go to remove it and it won't come off.
This caught me off guard, because every single other shower head I tried to remove, just came off 'by hand'.
But this one is bounded hellaciously tight, onto the pipe. I've used all kinds of hand pressure, and even used an adjustable wrench, which
failed as well.
Had to use an adjustable one, because the connection doesn't have typical "wrench grooves", just threaded grooves.
So any typical wrench or adjustable one, won't securely fit, hence it doesn't apply enough pressure.
I'm thinkin if I call the apartment to ask maintenance do it, that they won't do it for, since it's not a necessity, or a repair.
I tried googling the issue, but it keeps re-directing me to irrelevant issues.
Tried spraying WD40 around where the pipe connects to the shower head, hoping that would loosen the "inner workings" but that didn't work, either
So, what is the trick (or tool) for removing a super-tight, connection like this one ?
Poor quality, low-definition pic, but I think you guys will get the idea

 

[tshile]

So it's time for me to plug someone, because that's what you should do when someone takes care of you.

We ordered our cabinets from Cabinets To Go back in early July. Yeah... this project was put off for a while. Anyways, we were told by my boss, my parents, her parents, and the sales guy to open them up and check for damage. It also says, in clear english on the print out, that you have 30 days to make damage claims.

Well, I didn't open them until last night. Yeah, we're a good 9 months away from delivery. Anyways, they're sending me a replacement for the broken piece free of charge, all I had to do was email them a picture of the damage.

They didn't give me the run around or anything. Said the claim will be filed. I maybe spent a total of 5 minutes on the phone today and I called them twice, once after I sent the pictures to confirm they got them and figure out the next step.

The craftsmanship of the cabinets isn't top notch or anything (I'm sure they have much better product lines than the ones we bought), but their customer service is.

 

[Nobody]

Can you H.I. experts help me out.
I just moved into a new apartment.
And like I normally do, in a new apartment, I remove the existing shower head, and put in my own, since it's adjustable, etc.
I go to remove it and it won't come off.
This caught me off guard, because every single other shower head I tried to remove, just came off 'by hand'.
But this one is bounded hellaciously tight, onto the pipe. I've used all kinds of hand pressure, and even used an adjustable wrench, which
failed as well.
Had to use an adjustable one, because the connection doesn't have typical "wrench grooves", just threaded grooves.
So any typical wrench or adjustable one, won't securely fit, hence it doesn't apply enough pressure.
I'm thinkin if I call the apartment to ask maintenance do it, that they won't do it for, since it's not a necessity, or a repair.
I tried googling the issue, but it keeps re-directing me to irrelevant issues.
Tried spraying WD40 around where the pipe connects to the shower head, hoping that would loosen the "inner workings" but that didn't work, either
So, what is the trick (or tool) for removing a super-tight, connection like this one ?
Poor quality, low-definition pic, but I think you guys will get the idea

It's caused by a hard water problem. It's likely that head has been on there for years, and is essentially welded on with lime/calcium/etc. I had three connections in my house like this, and it was a different solution for all three. The first one I got off by spraying PB Blaster on it and letting it sit for a while, then giving it a couple of whacks with a hammer, than taking it off with a pipe wrench. The second one didn't go so well. I actually had to use a torch to heat it for a few minutes to get it off. The third one was worse than both. It was so bad I eventually had to cut the pipe off a couple of inches from the wall, and put on a new piece completely. The easiest thing to try first is let pure hot water run through it for about 10 minutes, then tap all the way around with a hammer pretty solidly, but not pounding the crap out of it, then try to take it off. If that doesn't work, move on to PB Blaster. (Actually, I would recommend the new penetrating WD40, fumes with PB are very harsh)

edit: for shits and giggles, it never hurts to look and see if it's reverse threaded. I've seen reverse threads on everything at some point in time.

 

[Fear The Spear]

The easiest thing to try first is let pure hot water run through it for about 10 minutes, then tap all the way around with a hammer pretty solidly, but not pounding the crap out of it, then try to take it off.

Dude, awesome.
This method worked like a charm !!
Was worried I'd have to buy some expensive tools, and/or breathe in toxic fumes from PB Blaster, etc, but didn't have to go to that extent.
Thanks so much.

 

[Nobody]

Damn, that's an awesome improvement, job well done.

 

[Nobody]

Dude, awesome.
This method worked like a charm !!
Was worried I'd have to buy some expensive tools, and/or breathe in toxic fumes from PB Blaster, etc, but didn't have to go to that extent.
Thanks so much.

Awesome. You gotta love those rare times where the method that causes the least amount of headache is the one that works

 

[Fear The Spear]

Next challenge - do any of you know a good place to get spare parts for washers and dryers ?
During the move, 3 different knobs broke off of the washers and dryers. One knob is broken,
and the stems that go inside the other 2 knobs are broken.
Checked around town at Lowes and Sears and none of them have them in stock, and it may be
because the machines are really old.
They are GE machines.
Any suggestions on where to find these parts ?

 

[Nobody]

Next challenge - do any of you know a good place to get spare parts for washers and dryers ?
During the move, 3 different knobs broke off of the washers and dryers. One knob is broken,
and the stems that go inside the other 2 knobs are broken.
Checked around town at Lowes and Sears and none of them have them in stock, and it may be
because the machines are really old.
They are GE machines.
Any suggestions on where to find these parts ?

Finding parts like that online can be a total chore. This place is down the street from me, I have the good fortune of being able to deal with them in person so it isn't a hassle. From my experience, they carry things as old as from the early 70s.

Cashwell Appliance Parts Inc

 

[tshile]

Next challenge - do any of you know a good place to get spare parts for washers and dryers ?
During the move, 3 different knobs broke off of the washers and dryers. One knob is broken,
and the stems that go inside the other 2 knobs are broken.
Checked around town at Lowes and Sears and none of them have them in stock, and it may be
because the machines are really old.
They are GE machines.
Any suggestions on where to find these parts ?

Go direct to GE and order the parts

https://www.geapplianceparts.com/store/?omni_key=NavGea

Punch in your model number. It should come up with exploded parts diagrams you can use to figure out what parts you need. Sometimes you think you need a part, and you realize you need an entire assembly.

If nothing else use that to get the part number, then go to google or whatever shopping search site you prefer and throw the part number in. You may be able to find it cheaper from someone other than GE. Though I honestly tend to just order directly from the manufacturer.

 

[Fear The Spear]

not to sound like a dick (because I dont mean to at all)

but have you googled your washer's brand, model, and put in parts?

I find a lot of stuff that I have used custom for my house by googling it and looking it up that way.

A relative of mine who helped me move, who therefore felt responsible for the breakage, already did the googling, but couldn't find anything. Therefore, I was looking for any new, fresh ideas

Finding parts like that online can be a total chore. This place is down the street from me, I have the good fortune of being able to deal with them in person so it isn't a hassle. From my experience, they carry things as old as from the early 70s.

Cashwell Appliance Parts Inc

Go direct to GE and order the parts

https://www.geapplianceparts.com/store/?omni_key=NavGea

Punch in your model number. It should come up with exploded parts diagrams you can use to figure out what parts you need. Sometimes you think you need a part, and you realize you need an entire assembly.

If nothing else use that to get the part number, then go to google or whatever shopping search site you prefer and throw the part number in. You may be able to find it cheaper from someone other than GE. Though I honestly tend to just order directly from the manufacturer.

Thanks, Nobody and tshile - cashwells.com and the ge appliance site were both helpful in identifying the part, but they did not have the part in stock, and a google search of the part number did not bring up any other sites or sources that had the part in stock. Thanks again, for the good suggestions

 

[tshile]

What's the make model and part number?

 

[Fear The Spear]

What's the make model and part number?

There are two parts that I cannot find

Make : GE
Model : DDE7200SBLWW
Part : WE04X0833

Make : GE
Model : WWA8620RBLWH
Part : WH12X893

 

[Fear The Spear]

do you have a local GE distributor or retail store that could order the part for you?

Its so hard to get specific parts it seems..makes no damn sense but it always seems like thats how it is.

I couldn't find anything local, but I found a GE Toll Free number for parts, and they said they longer make those parts

 

[Fear The Spear]

so, I looked up a site and tried to see if they had the parts.

looks like you will have to find someone who either can fabricate it or has that model already on site.

Thanks a lot for the effort you put into it.
That confirms it. I guess the best hope is a used appliance/parts store, but even that is probably a remote chance they will have it.

btw, I see you spoke with Danny. For a dude, he sure is pretty based on the picture on the right.
Although I guess there are probably females named Danny

 

[tshile]

There are two parts that I cannot find

Make : GE
Model : DDE7200SBLWW
Part : WE04X0833

Make : GE
Model : WWA8620RBLWH
Part : WH12X893

It looks like you're a victim of age :\ Guess they just don't make these parts anymore.

I did find your dryer switch on Ebay
Dryer Switch WE04X0833 | eBay

for $13 it might be worth seeing if you can snag it.

Couldn't find your washer part

Based on the part number it looks like a timer? You may be able to find a generic timer that fits and works with your washer machine. As long as it accepts all the wiring and fits into place there just can't be a whole lot going on and i have to think there's a generic part out there that would work, but who knows...