Category: Self reliance

helping a buddy – push mower repair

I have spent time with 3 organic growers in the area and hope to expand my circle when I am able to participate in the local Saturday morning markets.  I visit often with one grower who, tho good at growing, is less interested in repairing equipment.  His riding mower and his push mower are both out of action.  Though I use a scythe in the hilly and restricted areas, I also make frequent use of a riding mower (see my posts on various repairs) so I sympathized with him.  I tried starting his push Read more [...]

remote surveillance – DIY is hugely frustrating

I had a break in and theft a couple years ago and so installed a home security system with a very powerful siren, camera system and dawn to dusk lights.  Being a DIYer I installed them myself.  The programming of the Ademco Vista 20p was challenging.  They work fine but I did not have remote access, which means if the alarm was triggered when I was away, then I depended on my neighbors to call me.  Which they did when the alarm went off last week for the first time in 2 years.  It was a false Read more [...]

wood stove – details completed

In March 2014 I dedicated two posts to the process of removing the old fireplace and installing a new, efficient wood stove.  In the last post the stove was fully functional but looked "bleh". I had a lot of work to do - on the exterior the wood siding had deteriorated and had to be replaced and caulked.  And then on the inside the question was to either replace the sheetrock, not a real skill of mine, or do something extra.  I decided to tile the wall behind the stove, since the tiling Read more [...]

repairing a bathroom exhaust fan

In the past, when a bathroom fan failed, I simply removed the cover, unscrewed and unplugged the insert and installed a replacement - this was the NuTone brand and the replacement cost <$15.  However, at the log cabin it was not so simple.  The fan was manufactured in Canada and a replacement blower assembly was not available locally or at Amazon.  It could be purchased from the manufacturer but the cost plus shipping was greater than the $70 cost for a complete unit from Amazon. Since the Read more [...]

tale of 2 destroyed desktops

In addition to my nu trac life north of Atlanta, we also have a house in Atlanta.  The gas company decided to install new gas lines in the subdivision where our house is located.  They called in the "locators" who with different colored sprays identified the electricity, water, telephone, sewage and gas lines.  Then with a sophisticated omni-directional drilling machine they bored small diameter tunnels underground from one excavated point to another.  When the drill bit reached its destination Read more [...]

2 gravity feed tanks with 9 valves

All my irrigation is from harvested rainwater collected from impermeable surfaces, stored in large tanks at the bottom of the hill and then pumped to 2 tanks at the top of the hill for gravity feeding to the orchard and crops.  Today I added my 9th valve to the pipe system for the 2 gravity feed tanks.  Are 9 valves used and are they necessary?  I have concluded - yes. Here is a 'photo of the 2 tanks: And here is a schematic of the pipe system: You can see the 9 numbered valves.  Read more [...]

replacing IBC tote valve

My rainwater harvesting system includes 5 IBC (intermediate bulk container) totes, each with a 1,000 litre (280 gal) capacity.  It was inevitable that the valve at the bottom of one would misfunction - in this case a crack developed at the handle shaft housing and water came out steadily. This meant I had to study up on how to replace a tote valve.  The valve is removed by turning anti clockwise the ridges on the metal coupler shown below. There are ibc valve spanner wrenches Read more [...]

quick, cheap loudspeaker repair

During my working days I owned a luxury used car which I purchased with 28k miles on the clock and traded in at 140k miles 10 years later - a decision I regret, since it had character (a big wrestler looking badge for the front grill) and I should have kept and nurtured it.  At about 110k the Bose sound system deteriorated and I arranged for an audioshop to replace the tuner/CD player and, since they said the Bose speakers were incompatible with the new system, the speakers as well.  But I requested Read more [...]

2 construction slips = much aggravation

The log cabin was built in 2002.  I call it "the log cabin" actually its a house with basement and two levels and the exterior is "D" siding which makes it look like it is constructed from logs.  An attractive finish but it requires annual care with repainting flaking spots and replacing bits of siding which have deteriorated.  I purchased it in 2008 and have maintained it and upgraded it such as the wood stove recently installed.  It appears well constructed but there are tells that some of Read more [...]

2 simple fixes

Hand tools I use several hand tools for my weeding and mulching operations.  They are easily misplaced in the high grass and surrounding weeds and not discovered until, accidentally, days later.  It occurred to me that a cause was their lack of distinctiveness (blame the tools not the workman).  Their handles are either natural wood color, yellow or, the logic for this beats me, green.  So, easily camouflaged.  The solution was a small pot of cherry red paint and now, with their distinctive Read more [...]