Curb Appeal - Part 1

So - Lynda and I were finally fed up of the way the Blue Spruce has managed to kill off all the grass from beneath it. This is on account of the falling needles turning the soil acidic. My initial solution for this space was to widen the circle and then cover the area with mulch.

However last Sunday while browsing through some old scans of our once favourite Domino, we happened upon a layout that was truly us. This involved removing the grass directly in front of the door, extending the porch till the end of the house, dropping in pressure treated planters flush with the soil, and covering the areas with various mulches.

We really got a lot of work done on Sunday and Monday and after that it was rain, rain, rain and more rain. Hopefully we get started back on this by the weekend. Here's a basic rendering of what we envision it to look like on completion.

Saying Goodbye in Style

The following week is Finale week. 24 - which we follow religiously has a two hour finale on Monday (will Jack survive the effects of the biological weapon??? Will Kim Bauer be killed once and for all - already????!!!!!) Then on Tuesday, the final two will perform for the last time before Judges and Jury followed by a two hour finale of American Idol on Wednesday. This year we are not as rabid as we were about David Cook and while we think that Adam is a shoe-in, would not be surprised to see Kris emerge as the winner.

To celebrate the Season finale, we finally went out and got ourselves an LCD TV. It's still CFL backlit as opposed to the newer LED backlit models. I also opted for the 60Hz model as opposed to the 120Hz as I do not plan to be watching too much sports.

I bought the Samsung LN46A550 as it was rated as Best Buy on numerous forums. Even Consumer Reports gave this TV their nod of approval. Amazon's consumers gave this TV 5 star reviews and this was also one of CNET's editor's choices. I really wanted to get the smaller LN40A630, but it would've cost me $400 more. So I opted for the bigger unit.

First impressions. This TV is big - especially when you see it alone without the bigger units to dwarf it. The screen is non reflective, this is great as it will not reflect the white bookcases that will be behind us. I powered it on and within a few minutes tuned it in to all the OTA HD channels. The reception with 1080i broadcast is nothing short of stunning. This is especially evident in live programming such as news etc. The image is sharp and the clarity is stunning.

I did not think that sports would be so good on the set but this afternoon's broadcast of Ice Hockey on CBC and Basketball on Sun TV proved me wrong. There was little or no blurring with the high speed action and am convinced that manufacturers touting 120Hz as a requirement for sports channels is a load of c&%k

I am in the process of painting the niche where the TV will hang and I will post pictures of the install in a later post.

AI Finale is going to be fun!!!!!

Ice Ice Baby

We woke up this morning to dark skies and distant thunderclaps followed instantly by rain and hail. As soon as the 'storm' subsided, I headed out to the back as the creek looked like it was going to overflow it's banks. It was quite amazing to see the sheer force of the water rushing by.

Ground level picture showing the water level with the road

I like this pic

Poor tree taking a beating

View from the bridge

Hail!!!

A video of the creek

"1" too Many!!!

Lynda's call centre had recently completed one year at the new place just across the road. To celebrate the day, we (I) cut 15" high "1" from 1/8 hardboard, sanded the cut edges and painted them a metallic red. These were then placed on every pillar in the Call Centre and they looked good!!!!

Just Horsing Around

On the way back, we took Charleston Sideroad West and then Heart Lake Road South. A few minutes after the turn off we came upon a ranch with a Mare and her Foal. It was just the most amazing sight. What was more amazing was how Layla tried to sneak up to the Foal....

The Mare with her Foal

Layla sneaking up to the Foal

Almost there!!!

Methinks that the Foal was curious about Layla as well

Barnstorming

Last Saturday saw us resuming our trips into the Country. Thankfully 'the country' is a mere 10 minutes drive North. Lynda wanted to sketch some barns, so we set out in search of stereotypical barns on Airport Road north of Mayfield road. We did find a few which I photographed and the ladies attempted to sketch. We got some strange looks from the Farmhands as we attempted to capture the scene in our various media...........

Nice. We could smell the dung!!

This looked idyllic!!

50 Tools Every Man Needs

The May 09 issue of Popular Mechanics has as one of it's cover stories, the 50 tools that every man needs and how to use them like a pro. I decided to run through the list and see if I was indeed MAN (according to Popular Mechanics) and this is how I fared.

1. Sledgehammer - No. Strangely enough I have never needed one and when I did, Mike lent me his...

2. Centre Punch - Yes. A requisite for drilling in metal and essential when attempting to drill where needed

3. Putty Knife - Yes. So many - in various materials

4. Safety Glasses - Yes. And I should really be using them more often

5. Adjustable Wrench - Yes. Ranging from a 4 incher all the way to a 12 incher

6. Pipe Wrench - No. But in my defence, my 12" BAHCO adjustable wrench has a reversible jaw that functions as a Pipe Wrench

7. Socket Wrench Set - Yes. In Imperial and Metric

8. Metal Files - Yes. Regular sized, Needle Sized and Needle sized in Diamond

9. Combination Square - Yes. Gifted to me by Lynda's uncle. This set is a pristine 1960 Starett set with a Combination Square, Protractor & Centre Finder

10. Combination Wrench - Yes. In Imperial & Metric

11. Bow Saw - No. And don't think that I will need one anytime soon

12. Jigsaw - Yes. Have an old Craftsman that is due for an update

13. Coping Saw - Yes. Two

14. Side Cutting Pliers - Yes

15. Hacksaw - Yes. Full Size and Baby

16. Crosscut Saw - Yes

17. Snips - Yes

18. Roundnose Shovel - Yes. Bought this at a garage sale for a Dollar

19. Needle Nose Plier - Yes

20. Drill - Yes. Corded and Cordless

21. Drill Bits - Yes. In Metric from 1mm to 13mm in 0.5mm increments. Got to get me an Imperial Set soon

22. Locking Pliers - Yes

23. Level - Yes. Three. A 6" Torpedo Level, a 2' and a 4'

24. Circular Saw - Yes. Three. A corded one from the Garage Sale, One Cordless Ryobi 18V and one cordless DeWalt 14V whose battery has given up the ghost

25. Spray Lube - Yes. WD-40 & Lithium Grease

26. Tape Rule - Yes. Many. I keep losing them, buying a new one and then finding the old one

27. Hammer - Yes. Many

28. Dust Mask - Yes. Should start using them

29. Nail Set - Yes

30. Machinist Vise - Yes

31. Wood Chisel - Yes. A Set of 4

32. Chalk Line - Yes

33. Allen Wrench - Yes. Metric & Imperial

34. Earmuffs - No

35. Flashlight - Yes. Many

36. Bow Rake - No

37. Volt/Ohmmeter - Yes. But I have a Multimeter, so I'm one up on that

38. Cold Chisel - No

39. Ball-Peen Hammer - No. And I find that very strange

40. Multibit Screwdriver - Yes. Too Many, and I have a use for all of themdiv>

41. Gooseneck Bar - Yes

42. Utility Knife - Yes

43. Pry Bar - Yes

44. Squarenose Shovel - Yes. Again bought at a garage sale

45. Extension Ladder - Yes. An articulated one

46. Tongue and Groove Pliers - Yes

47. Pick - No

48. Stepladder - Yes

49. Rope - ?????

50. Extension Cord - Yes

So. How did I fare??? Out of the 50 listed tools, I do not have 7. That's pretty decent.

Therefore I am 86% man!!!!!!!!!

Gate Painted

Last Saturday with the temperature hovering around the 18 mark and with a nice cloud cover to block out the sun, we decided to tackle the painting of the side gate and the fence.

Dad had wanted to do this last September prior to his departure, but the nature of Pressure Treated Wood requires the wood to weather an entire season prior to staining.

We chose a color called "Pinto White" from Behr.

The Fence and Gate required two coats of the Stain to ensure consistency in the color as painted on the new wood and the existing brown sections from the old gate.

Methinks it came out quite well as evidenced by the people stopping to look at the gate as well as people from Lynda's office having noticed it.

Many thanks to Avinash who came over to assist and flipped some burgers for our lunch.

Painting. Yes - I did need the shades!!!

The gate painted!!!!

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 6

As of this afternoon, I've completed 90% of the framing.

I have to yet frame the one washroom wall, but decided to do all the framing of the outside walls and get the place in some sort of order prior to Layla's First Holy Communion.

I spent a whole lot of time deliberating what sort of door I should have, to lead to the Laundry Room and finally decided that I would go with a Bi-Fold closet door. This enabled me to avoid a lot of problems that I would have encountered with a conventional door.

I re framed the wall that will finally hold the LCD TV and also extended it to the HVAC bulkhead in Lynda's studio area. The old bulkhead just twisted off in my hands without the need. The new bulkhead (like the rest of my framing) well..... you'll see in the pictures that follow.

Looking in from the TV area - The Washer & Dryer will be replaced by the Hot Water Tank and the Laundry Sink

From the outside looking at the alcove for the TV and Media Components

In Lynda's Studio. Eventually the entire wall will be replaced by bookcases

The chase that I made for the Structured Wiring components.

Later on I will have Audio, Video, Data & Telecom

Just to prove a point that I can indeed do Pull Ups.

Also that my Framing is Frikkin Bulletproof!!!!!!!

My Most Eggciting Project Yet!!!

Where do you get an egg holder with a 90 egg capacity? Not in your refrigerator for sure!!!

This is in response to Lynda's need to display eggs that her staff will be decorating for an Easter competition. As with everything that we do, we decided to stretch the limits on this project and made the biggest egg stand that the shelving cabinets could accommodate.

It measures 90 inches long, has three steps and is affixed with labels for the participants names to be written.

I would've liked it to be in a darker stain, but keeping with the theme of Easter and freshness, I decided to apply a clear varnish instead.

I constructed this from pine boards using 3 pcs. of 1x4x8', 2 pcs. of 1x2x8' and 2 pcs. of 1x2x6' as risers. I used a 1.25" Forstner bit to bore the holes which are 3" apart. The 3" came from the label size and worked in my favour as 90" was equally divisible by 3"

I assembled the unit using screws and completed the entire task along with the sanding, the 3 coats of varnish and the sanding between coats in two days. It took me two and a half hours to affix the individual labels in a perfect line - a task I completed by midnight last night.

Drilling the holes outdoors with the Forstner Bit

Assembled

Varnished & Labelled

Close-up showing details

One Flu Over

Well it looks like whatever I had last week - has gone. Not sure if it was the Flu - no body ache or fever. I was sneezing a lot especially after demo-ing Lynda's ceiling studio. I really should get myself a mask and that's something I intend to do tomorrow.

Lynda claims that it must be exhaustion and I am trying to do less but I do feel the pressure to get the basement in some sense of order. 

The work on the washroom has slowed down to a crawl and I intend to be back on track by next week.

On Getting a Great Deal

I constantly scour Craigslist, especially for tools - and I've scored some amazing deals in the past year. Recently, I've got good deals on books for both myself and the girls as well. However, this weekend I scored the most amazing faucet for the main washroom - It's for future use, but I could not resist snapping it up for the price of CAD 339.00. What makes the deal sweeter?? Home Depot's Spring Dreambook (in the mail this morning) lists the very same faucet at CAD 558.00 (excluding tax)

The faucet came BNIB (brand new in the box) and was heavy. Real jewellery for the Chedworth Claw foot Tub that it plans to adorn.

Opening Pandora's Box

With due respect to Pandora and her box!!!!

The Ceiling in Lynda's Studio was of the wood panelling type. I wanted to access the ceiling ever since I found out that the HVAC ducting that let to our rooms outlet had come apart. I also wanted to increase the light in Lynda's area by installing pot lights in the ceiling. Since the ceiling had to be pulled down in strips, I enlisted the help of the entire family and they all really got into the spirit of things, especially Layla who donned my Hard Hat and wielded the pry bay from the get go.

What I did find, when pulling down the ceiling was fairly disturbing. 5 junction boxes in less than 40 square feet. The Ontario Building Code does not allow junction boxes to be covered up or made inaccessible by a finished ceiling.

The wiring itself was a complete mess and I'm glad that I will be doing up the entire basement walls this summer as they were put up without any insulation.

Layla getting into the swing of things

The duct leading to our bedroom

One, Two-Three, Four, Five

Small Living - Really Small Living

We spotted this residence on Highway 27, while driving to a Consignment store in Nobleton. This is/was a railway guard's caboose. I had to stop and snap some pics. It seems that the owners have everything. There is a chimney, so they have heat - the antenna tells us that they have TV. There is no evidence of running water and/or indoor plumbing unless, the run between the caboose and the ground is well insulated to protect from freezing during the winter months. It would be amazing to see how the interior is arranged. Small spaces challenge me. I'm officially intrigued.

They even have a bit of landscaping going on

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 5

Here are pictures with the concrete poured and done 

The clean outs and drain came level with the floor after all

Water drains into the drain when poured anywhere on the floor

The pipe for the Toilet Flange. The collar around the pipe is 

merely a spacer (my very own conceptualisation) that Mike 

said that I needed in order for the Toilet Flange to be glued 

flush with the floor.

More on my Music Box

I got down to taking apart my 'Gaytone' and decided to try out the existing amplifier. Having removed the turntable, I connected my 'Sansa' directly to the tonearm cable. We got sound, but just a peep. Not good enough, so the amp section goes as well. I took apart the PC speakers and separated the main parts to plan for placement within the box. The length of the amplifier box requires me to build out an angle. This sort of works out as I will have a rest against which I can make the Sansa stand up. I've done a conceptual drawing and I actually think that it works. 

Trial & Error

The Parts ready for reconstructive surgery

Conceptual drawing of the 'Gaytone'

Washroom & Laundry Room Build - Part 4

Last week Mike came over and completed the balance of the rough-in plumbing. We managed to get everything according to plan and I now have the task of filling in and cementing the entire thing over. I also put in the clean outs and the drain and tried to get them level with the floor. That was an absolute pain, but it turned out OK.

The typo 'colset' is unfortunate and difficult to correct!! 

This is the end for the Shower Pan

Thrifted Gaiety

This morning saw us driving to Kitchener to collect some parts to repair Layla's Laptop. Derek had initially quoted me CAD 40 for his old Compaq, but on meeting me lowered the price to CAD 20. Hey. I'm not complaining.

After spending close to 2 hours at the Waterloo Regional Children's Museum, Lynda and I decided to hit some Thrift Store on the way home.

I'm always on the lookout for Vintage tech that I can hack. It is generally quite difficult to get anything really vintage as these seem to get a better price on Ebay. However this morning, I struck gold.

I happened upon a Portable Turntable in a wooden case covered in a faux leather material. I thought that it would be perfect to use as a Summer sound system for the picnics that Lynda and I have planned with the girls. I will hack a pair of amplified computer speakers that can accept dual (12V DC or 110V AC) and connect them to my Sansa MP3 player for tunes.

I may (or may not) throw in a Rechargeable Battery Pack to make for true portability. Here are pics of the unit.

What is that number??? Telephone?? Inmate??

Clamshell Case Opened

Try making Components with that name these days!!!

16 RPM. Just how old is this???

Easel Hack

Last night after American Idol - Yes we are Idolaters!! - Lynda was painting and commented that she did not have anywhere to set her wet brushes down.

That set my mind in motion and set about to create something for her brushes that also looked good. A quick trip to the Thrift Store gave me a narrow vase. I used some old pine that I bored, cut and drilled to my specification. I sanded it down and gave it a quick coat of lacquer and attached it to the easel. It's a bit crude and I'm sure I could have done better if I wanted to spend more time on it.

The Easel as it was prior to the hack

Cheap Brush Holder...

Plan on Having a Plan

While I sometimes let a lot of my projects take the organic route, building a washroom needs a firm plan. Eveything must be just right. So it helps to have drawing at my finger tips for dimensional reference.

And so, here, without further ado is my very own Tactical Command Centre.

The One Dollar Hoe

Sometimes your best tool is also your cheapest one. (That just does not sound good)

I had to get some trenches done for the plumbing and this hoe from Dollarama was the best tool that I could find.

Cheap Hoe!!!