So, the long break is upon us and we, like many, are going nowhere.

 

So what amazing DIY have you done??

 

Yes, I know it's only Wednesday, but think of all those little tasks just asking to be sorted. Earn yourself that beer ???? 

 

For me, as usual I have a list provided by Madam, loads of those little things that seem to get left until I get a round-tuit

• Noted the swimming pool pump wasn't - It's had many bearing sets over the years but this time the windings are open - Probably the overheat switch but that's buried deep inside the beast! New unit on order, $$ and of course nowhere is operating until next week - FAIL ???? 
• Hung one of our fire extinguishers on the wall - It's been sat on the floor for ages and the proper hanger has wandered off. Made a new hanger. Madam happy - PASS ???? 
• Replaced the circulation pump in the goose pond - It's been iffy for ages and the spare has been gathering dust. The beast finally failed so the new one was installed. Madam happy - PASS ???? 
• Replaced the fried speed controller of one of the ceiling fans with a simple on/off switch (they always run on max anyway). Madam happy - PASS ???? 
• Managed to do something for ME! Hooked up the solar battery monitor to the web! Software still at the work-in-progress stage. The intention is for it to talk to my ThingSpeak channel so I can see what's going on with the solar second by second! (sad I know) ???? ????  

 

 

Just spent 2 days replacing all the door insect screens. Were not that bad, just little nicks and rips from dogs and kids. SWMBO has hinted that I do the windows as well as they are 10 years old too and a slightly different colour.

1 minute ago, Mister T said:

SWMBO has hinted that I do the windows as well as they are 10 years old too and a slightly different colour.

 

A SWMBO "hint" is as good as an instruction, better start looking at paint colours ???? 

Got the house build going, and the wife, not me, has been busy everyday.  Following up and fixing some of their work, that's embarrassing.  But adding things not in the contract.  

 

The ongoing compost

Herb garden, pre-tiling, planting of, now actually finished

 

Under front porch thingy ... seems a good place for the air compressor.

finished also, though can't find completed photo of either.

 

Me, all I did lately was ziptie a new, bigger battery (blue) to my ebike.  That tuckered me out enough.  I might have mentioned once or 10 times, I'm a LPOS

 

I changed a blown light bulb on one of the fence lights in the day it was 40 degrees.

 

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

I changed a blown light bulb on one of the fence lights in the day it was 40 degrees.

 

Better get that beer then!

Chopped some branches off a tree that was overhanging my neighbours house. No other plans at the moment. 

1 minute ago, GarryP said:

Chopped some branches off a tree that was overhanging my neighbours house. No other plans at the moment. 

 

Now you need to look at those branches and decide what you are going to make, picnic table, bird feeder or what?

7 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Chopped some branches off a tree that was overhanging my neighbours house. No other plans at the moment. 

I do have to break out the chainsaw soon, and cut down a neighbor's dead mango tree before it falls our way.   Can't get a hold of him, and he never came out when surveyors were there, couple years ago, so he won't miss it.  Should send him the bill for services rendered ... ????

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I do have to break out the chainsaw soon, and cut down a neighbor's dead mango tree before it falls our way.   Can't get a hold of him, and he never came out when surveyors were there, couple years ago, so he won't miss it.  Should send him the bill for services rendered ... ????

 

I've got the trunk of a magnolia we took down earlier this year seasoning, not sure what it's going to be yet we really have enough garden furniture. Could turn up some fruit bowls I suppose.

I have to admmit that the branches weren't that big. Couldn't really use them for anything apart from staking a few plants. 

3 minutes ago, GarryP said:

I have to admmit that the branches weren't that big. Couldn't really use them for anything apart from staking a few plants. 

 

There you go, next task plant staking ???? 

Started fitting smart boards to a light frame wall in a basement I started some time ago.

3 minutes ago, itsari said:

Started fitting smart boards to a light frame wall in a basement I started some time ago.

 

Now that's going to be a Man Cave to rival @sometimewoodworker nice!

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Now that's going to be a Man Cave to rival @sometimewoodworker nice!

Eventually it will be a two bedroom apartment ,three bathrooms , kitchen and living room .

 

2 minutes ago, itsari said:

Eventually it will be a two bedroom apartment ,three bathrooms , kitchen and living room .

 

Plans can be "adjusted" to meet changing demand!

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

 

Plans can be "adjusted" to meet changing demand!

Can indeed be changed . Buti had a long time to plan what to do with the area as i was digging out the clay 

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

I've got the trunk of a magnolia we took down earlier this year seasoning, not sure what it's going to be yet we really have enough garden furniture. Could turn up some fruit bowls I suppose.

Old house we had a trunk,  really couldn't take out, as a bit close to the house, so made a top for it.  Turned it into my helipad for my toys

 

 

 

Mrs O  has been complaining for a while about the state of the of the front gate. I think the straw that broke the camel's back was a recent trip to the  paint and panel shop/rug doctor's (beutiician/hairdresser) for a special occasion and on returning home had to hop out of the car to open the gate in the rain, not so bad except the gate jammed, which it does once in a while and she ended up soaked.

Anyway latest project has been  a refurbishment and upgrade.  Removed all the existing garden from the area where the gate slides into and new section of track installed. Roughed in conduits with draw cables and concreted the area with a matching sandwash . Purchased a gate motor segmented track,  some angle iron and nuts and bolts. Had a bit of straightening to do with the angle iron and base of existing gate that also had a slight bow in it  (car jack and chain worked well.)  Mounted track and angle on the gate and set motor up on adjustable bolts so it is clear from the ground and will set the base plinth when finished. Mrs O wanted to be able to open the gate if we were away for deliveries and maintenance have already set up a camera with bi directional audio so we can talk with anyone at the gate via mobile from either here or Oz.  Have added a wifi self locking module to the gate motor and an app on the phones  No problem to operate the gate now when we are away.  Still have a few more things to add IR beam/sensor + reflector so I don't have to supply power to the adjacent gate pillar  (yes had to order the bits from OS)  Hopefully have the project finished in the next week or two depending on deliveries.  Electrical has been set up with independent circuit breaker and ELCB . Will probably add a uninterruptible power  supply (UPS) sometime in the future.

Having only a rudimentary compliment of tools most of the work was done with an angle grinder, drill, tape string line and spirit level. along with a borrowed stick welder which was a bit challenging as I hadn't used one in the 30 years!   

Fist stage is operational and my compliment of Brownie points has increased quit dramatically

 

Went out this morning and lazada turned up Mrs O did everything on the phone and the parcel was left in the carport so no rush home or re scheduling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

3 minutes ago, Outbackoz said:

.... and she ended up soaked.

 

Hmmm, somehow it always seems to be me that gets soaked when something goes wrong with the gate ???? 

Gate is on the 'to do' list, before the end of the year.

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Gate is on the 'to do' list, before the end of the year.

 

Tomorrow is "before the end of the year", no time like the present!

9 minutes ago, Outbackoz said:

 

     

Nowhere near as capable as you lot. I would have had to hire someone to do that for me. 

3 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Nowhere near as capable as you lot. I would have had to hire someone to do that for me. 

 

It's never too late to learn a new skill!

16 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

It's never too late to learn a new skill!

The skill I learned from the gate episode that ended up with my getting a hernia op in Thai hospital was this: pay someone else to do it.

Nevertheless I am totally amazed at how ept you people are.

Inept, me.

50 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

It's never too late to learn a new skill!

My dream was to make a stitch-and-glue kayak when I retire, but then I'd have all kinds of trouble getting it to the dam so I am thinking of other things to do instead. 

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

Hung one of our fire extinguishers on the wall - It's been sat on the floor for ages and the proper hanger has wandered off. Made a new hanger. Madam happy - PASS ???? 

I did the same, though the hanger was with it.

 

I did manage to get my extension application submitted, book my return flights to the U.K. and have been ordering stuff to pickup there that I can’t get here so I’m getting several Amazon notifications daily now, but I slipped into an Amazon prime free month so I’ve been looking at the available movies.
 

I am soldering a couple of boards together for my LED lights.

 

I still have to get used to SMD technology. For most parts it works fine but for some tiny components this is not so easy.

I finished already one board completely which works. Now I work on 4 more.

This is one with only the SMD parts which I did today.

 

 

Here is a long video about that project. The guy has also a website with great information about all kind of LED lights.

 

 

 

 

 

Today's "mini jobs":-

• Re-attached one of the irrigation pipes where it had "fallen off" the wall, needed new clips.
• Similarly replaced the pipe clip on an outside tap.
• Moved Madam's mop-stand to a more convenient location (it's bolted down so not just a pick up and move it job).

I'm sure someone is building up for more tasks ???? 

Up with the lark this morning to get some stuff done before it got too hot!

 

The list is getting shorter!

• Fixed another irrigation pipe back to the wall (2 places, 8 clips - at least I could re-use the existing screws and plugs).
• Adjusted the TV antenna which was pointing towards the ground after someting pretty large decided to perch on it (TV was working fine).
• "Assisted" Madam moving more of her container plants around (she directed, I moved!).

It's too darn hot now and too early for a beer, so I have zero-sugar Coke!