Finishing things up.

The weekend felt super productive, though most of it was just completing things already in progress.  The first thing I did was finish the kitchen faucet.

This is the weird feature it has.   I didn't realize it when I took this video, but it also has a timeout of around 2 minutes, so it means to turn the faucet on after being away from the sink you have to turn it on, and activate the sensor, which is really friggin annoying, and I can't fathom why anyone thought that was a good idea.  It will likely get unplugged soon.

I also finished rearranging and vacuuming the living room.  So far it was successful, I actually used the bike (I don't have the batteries needed for the little walking pad thing) over the weekend.  

I might have a small problem.  All these bags are filled with random stuff I bought at Home Depot or Harbor Freight, plus some tools that really ought to be in the shed.  I will sort through it (I started it this weekend) soon.  

I also tested the little battery bank I got for Christmas with my cooler.  It didn't like it (serious voltage droop when the compressor is running), but it ran it for four hours and only used about half the battery bank, which is more than adequate.  The plan for this is that the Jackery is will run everything, but is only 2kWh, and if I am camping might run out, so basically I am using it to make sure I have lights and my cooler still runs in that case.  On some trips I might not even have to bring the Jackery, which would be nice.

I might make a new harness for it if I can find one of these connectors, hopefully taking 10feet of spare cord out of the connection will lower the voltage drop.

I attempted to fix the broken barstool.

 

On Sunday I tried it and the first go round didn't work though, all the glue just ran out.  So I reglued it again and actually clamped it. 

I did notice as I disassembled it though that there appear to be a few bearings missing from the swivel base, so I ordered a new one.

It was nice out Sunday.  You could literally watch the snow and everything melt off my truck, it was nice after the cold the last couple of weeks.  I went out for a bit in the afternoon.  I stopped in at the Ford Dealer since they were running a giveaway (free food and a scratch off ticket) and I wanted to ask them a few questions about the E-series (mostly to confirm it is a 1-ton frame and stuff like that), and the salesman didn't even know what they were.  Way to go Brattleboro Ford.

 This is a short timelapse of the snow melting on my truck.

I did get all the pieces cut and started assembly on the spice racks.  

I also started cleaning out the third room a little bit.  I think I will be bringing these cabinets down for the girl's kitchen, since i need to shift the bookcase to finish assembling it.  I have the next shelf marked and ready to be installed, but it it hasn't been glued and nailed in yet.

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.

Some little things

I couldn't find the Lime Away that Heather and Aunt mentioned in the previous post about deep cleaning the tub, but CLR looked like the same kind of stuff.  I thought I had tried it before once upon a time, but at any rate, it appeared to work better.  I had to use it full strength, not diluted, but it still saved me a ton of scrubbing.

My shopping came across three days this week.  Monday I went to Home Depot and got the lumber for some lumber to build some spice racks for Jess and Heather.  They are all marked and ready to cut.  I will cut them this weekend when it isn't arctic outside. 

Tuesday I went to do my normal grocery shopping, and forgot my wallet.  Funny how grocery stores want to be paid for the groceries...  Wednesday I actually finished up the shopping.  I also got a charger for my flashlight that uses regular lithium cells.  

I started to rearrange the living room and prepare for its deep cleaning, but that isn't finished yet.

I also finished up the formal comparison of long term options.  I have to admit that the results were a bit surprising.  Going with a trailer scored significantly better than expected, whereas things like the truck house scored more poorly than expected.  As expected, the box truck scored well, but the trailer scored well enough that I have been poking around on it a bit.  After all, I have lots of experience building on a trailer.  

The whole spreadsheet with all the criteria and scores can be found at: Travel House Comparisons
I am also started to get a rough calculation of how much the conversion costs.  I am working with a 30k estimate because it was an average number I heard from the internet, but these conversions can cost as much or as little depending on what you do/how you do it.

A couple further notes on trailers - I would go with an all-aluminum trailer for this because I expect weight will be an issue, but the nice thing about a trailer is that I can let the floorplan dictate the size, the single parking spot size restriction is gone.  I would have to look into new construction methods (traditional framing is just too heavy for it), but I also have a 24' trailer that could be reused...  I have read about an alternative construction method where they basically sandwich thin plywood and foam board (laminate them) to create structural board, but I would want to test its strength and weight before I commit to that style of construction.

I picked up the parts needed to finish the kitchen faucet, but haven't done it yet.  I need to run the dishwasher again though, so it will be high on the list for this weekend.  

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.

My plumbing tools were in hiding

I felt dreadful most of the day Saturday, and didn't really do much most of the day.  I played some games, napped, tested my septic system, and napped.  It was on the chillier side and the wind was howling most of the day too.  I did hear back from the scrapper, and he was too far away.  Not sure why he was advertising in my area (he was over an hour and a half from Keene), but I understand not coming out for dead snowblowers.

Sunday I felt a bit better, and while it was colder and still windy, I got the back of my truck cleaned out, got the paneling and whatnot out so I can make a dump run today. 

I started on the kitchen faucet as well.  The old one looks to be really nice, there is no crud in it like there was the bathroom sink, which I find odd.  Maybe that was leftover crud from before he installed the water filter and he used the master bath sink to test it?  Not sure.  But at any rate, I have a spare kitchen faucet if anyone needs one.  It is a cheap plastic one but worked fine.  I mostly wanted a sprayer and one that had more rise to it.

This is what the new one will look like.  

It is attached to the sink, but that is all.  This faucet uses 3/8" fittings though, the old had straight 1/2" pex threaded fittings (MPT), so I will need an adapter.  The biggest problem though was I couldn't find all my plumbing tools.  They weren't with the faucets, in the plumbing closet, nor in the plumbing tote in the shed.  I did eventually find them though, in my electrical tote (???).  Not sure why I would have put them in there.  So if I have time after shopping tonight (I am out of 1/2" pex rings), that should be finished up, otherwise it will be tomorrow.

While I was unable to find the pex tools, I took a quick stab at mounting the rings under the cabinet.  This is what I wanted to do.  

I am debating whether I want to rip off the drywall installed underneath the cabinets though.  I might be able to get the front rings installed without it, but I still have not found a way to install the back set.  I did pick up some vases for them, and I have some concerns about the larger utensils fitting in them too.  

I have also started to do a more formal comparison of the post-Markem options.  The spreadsheet isn't ready for primetime though.  Mostly looking at costs, traveling costs, feature trade-offs, additional requirements it forces, stuff like that.  And I decided to give trailers more of a fair shake this time.

The plumbing stuff can be done anytime, so hopefully I can finish that up this week.

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.

The great cleanse. Okay, not really.

Not too much exciting the last couple of days, I have mostly been working on a deep clean for the house since clutter is everywhere.  

I started with a head to head vacuum.  I picked up my mom's old Kirby at Christmas, as well as my Aunt's old Dyson.  Someone came to pick up the big monstrous elliptical last night, so I had carpet that needed it.  The results: 

The Kirby got about 5 feet and tore the belt.

The Dyson was pretty disappointing with what it picked up.  I think it needs its filter replaced (it is a bagless), but I ran over the area with the Eureka I have been using since I moved in, and it did a very visibly better job (even though it has gotten so loud that you almost need earplugs to use it now).  

I also started in on the shower in the master bath.  I tried a more aggressive way to clean it this time, but still not great.  The shower seems to collect what I assume is rust in the water (I know that I still have metals in the water even with the filter).  Last time I cleaned it I used scrubbing bubbles, a stiff brush, and a ton of elbow grease.  And it literally took at least 6 hours to get it all off.  This time I tried using a pumice stick.

It didn't work great, but it looks a ton better than it did.  

The biggest problem is that it didn't get into the texturing on the tub.  

If anyone has any better ideas, I am all ears.  I am considering dousing it in toilet bowl cleaner, which is more aggressive than scrubbing bubbles and takes the stains out of the toilets without too much hassle.  I don't think it would hurt a shower. 

I contacted a scrapper about taking the old dead snowblowers and the trailer off my hands, we will see if that goes anywhere (I am not holding my breath).  I am thinking of rearranging the living room, but I think I need to finish the shelving since the lumber pile for it is  all but blocking the entrance to the third bedroom.  It is supposed to be cold but dry the next several days.  I doubt dry truly means dry (like last night we got an inch of snow), but the evenings should be good enough to cut pieces if needbe.  I obviously can't finish it; it is too cold out for stain, but oh well.  They are just shelves.

I ran out of time and didn't get the kitchen faucet done, but that should be easy to finish up this weekend. I might try to do the whole house filter too, especially after seeing the tub and the crud in the bathroom faucet I already replaced.  I have an indoor shut off for the main I am about 90% sure.

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.

More snowblower ugh.

The temperature hadn't yet fallen off a cliff on New Year's Eve, so I decided to go out and do some of the maintenance I had neglected.  I kinda wish I had neglected it though.  I got the tractor greased up for the winter, and thankfully I did the tractor before the snowblower.  I got about halfway through the snowblower and then this happened.  I tried to get it back in, but it wouldn't go.  Ugh.

After I got the fitting out of the grease gun, I got another two fittings in and another chunk broke off.  I couldn't get it out, and I am pretty sure I destroyed the end on my grease gun trying.  

I did remember to do one thing that I forgot last year, I put the feet down.  

I also got the PTO shaft connected.  What a major pain in the neck that was.  It took me almost an hour to figure out how things had to aligned, and to get it set up correctly with no level ground was a major pain.  I did eventually figure it out though.  

I had enough of outdoor stuff at this point and it was nearing the end of daylight, so I shifted to indoor stuff.  I started with the bathroom faucet.  I had previously wrecked the aerator screen when attempting to clean it, so it shot sideways out of the faucet.  The new one is installed.  It was kind of a pain getting the drain lever to work (which is normally the case if you don't replace the drain, they are all ever so slightly different and only kind of compatible), but a few "tweaks" later everything works.  

I was surprised at the amount of dirt in the pipes.  This looks like sediment, which makes me wonder if my water filter isn't doing so great anymore.

I pulled out the kitchen faucet.  I apparently bought one with more bells and whistles than I thought.  I was surprised to see batteries and all that in there.  It has a proximity sensor so you can turn it on without touching it or something like that.  I got ready to install it, but then realized that I had started the dishwasher which branches off the kitchen sink.  Oops.  

Today is back to the drudgery at work unfortunately.  I really need to make a dump run, I have a pile of boxes that is taking over my living room, but I need to clean out the back of the truck first, so maybe that will be tonight's project, so I can go to the dump tomorrow on my lunch break.

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.

Christmas trip.

Merry Christmas everyone!  

 

I didn't get to make the final post before I left on vacation, the last day at work was rough, and then just never got around to it after I took off.  I did notice when I made another trip to Home Depot to get some stabilizer and mechanic in a bottle for the snowblower since the one I bought ran a little rough from sitting, that there finally exists an electric weed wacker that can use a metal blade.  Milwaukee is an expensive system to get into though, though Northern frequently runs what at least appear to be decent sales on them.  

I also got my wrapping all finished up.  

I tried to dig a channel to drain out some of the water in the trench since ice is a really poor insulator, but the ground was frozen solid.  

On the 18th I worked a half-ish day.  We got a bunch of precipitation we weren't supposed to though.  It actually looked kind of pretty though. 

Some random tracks, my failed construction hasn't scared everything away.

I got home with a couple hours of daylight left, so I tried one of my siphon bulbs.  It didn't work either.

Since I was running short on time at this point, I kind of just said to hell with it and tossed the sand bags in anyways. 

Literally.  Oops, I soaked myself too.  I had to do laundry before taking off the following morning anyways though.  

The drive down wasn't bad, though I did hit a deer.  Fortunately it didn't do much damage to the truck.  It looks like it just popped off some clips on the fenderwell.  The Subaru behind me took the brunt of it. 

As is frequently the case, I worked on a bunch of projects while I was down there.  I helped dad and Benny (neighbor) attach the drains to the house, added a handrail to the steps, I replaced the paneling in the living and re-laid the carpet down (admittedly poorly), swapped out an exterior light and fixed the wiring for it, and helped Bill work on the hot water that had the top element in it cooked.  Hopefully those pictures make it up onto other blogs (notably my dad's and sister's) but here is a couple of pictures just in case.  

A nice sunrise while I was down there, even despite Google's best efforts to make the picture look terrible.  

I came back to my Aunt's and Uncle's on the 27th and stayed there.  Christmas Part 2. Along with the supervisor who later shredded all the tissue paper.

The Christmas trip was 2029 miles, and I averaged just under 20mpg (the computer is a bit optimistic).  

Thinking about this, my Aunt is going to be selling her car when they trade in my Uncle's car.  Her car is in good shape, only a few minor dings which I don't care about, but it has less than 100k on it.  I checked while I was out there, and it is large enough I could set up my sleeping bag in the back and sleep in it for a night if needed.  This would be an excellent mileage sponge for my truck, which as you can see above is already well north of 62k, and is only a little over two years old, so I will be buying that when it becomes available.  It would also be really nice to be able to drive fast again without my gas mileage falling off a cliff; when I take the truck to KY I normally don't go faster than 65-67mph, since just below 70 is where the mileage starts declining quickly.  The CR-V won't have that problem, or at the very least it is a lot faster than 67mph before it drops (I have driven that car to KY before). 

I got back home Sunday evening and it appears that the sand bags worked; I had no apparent split pipes or mud in my water, and everything was in working order, despite the frigid temperatures while I was gone.  I really didn't do much yesterday, mostly napped.  Ate some, caught up on videos from while I was gone, and napped some more.  It rained all day and I didn't feel any particular motivation to do anything.   

Today though I got a bit more restless.  I finished my unpacking, and went out for a walk.  It is the last time for a while that we will be up in the 40s, another colder air mass is moving in.  I also decided to go out and see if I could do something for the drainage ditch in the back.  It was full again.

 

The ground wasn't frozen, so I dug a little channel.  It is still draining as I write this.

I still have another day off before I have to go back to work, so I might try to start some of the winter projects; I can at least do the easy ones like changing the faucets.

Winter Projects:

• Build shelving for second room
  
• Design deck
• Eliminate cap
• Install whole house filter.
• Install new faucet in kitchen
• Install new faucet in master bath
  
• Access panel upgrades in master closet
• Cut trails, or at least mark paths.

2025 Projects

• Insulate the water lines
• Take scrap metal to Buffum.  Clean up trash.
• Storm doors
• Gravel the driveway
• Side yard drainage
• Build Deck
• Add the roof over to rocks
• Move carport up hill
• Smooth grade to shed.