The Tool, Equipment, and Project Thread

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Marcm157

That's a great looking cube for a first try!! My dad taught me to weld when I was a kid - Made a cube at least 20 times before I finally passed his test of it holding water with no leaks!!!

Thanks. I like the cube project for the fact that she gets to practice both inside and outside welds. It seems to be the standard for a beginner.

We are welding flux core outside, so there is a lot of splatter. But, that gives her good practice with the grinder.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by Marcm157

Just finished a wall mounted boiler / water heater combo. Took 2 full days of no hot water but pretty happy with the way it came out. Used a pro press tool for the first time for some of the main manifold work. I am typically old school in everything I do, but damn, that tool was nice. Soldered most of the rest of the job though...

Here I thought I was hot stuff when I soldered my copper shower fittings in my old house. That looks awesome, nice work.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Marcm157

Just finished a wall mounted boiler / water heater combo. Took 2 full days of no hot water but pretty happy with the way it came out. Used a pro press tool for the first time for some of the main manifold work. I am typically old school in everything I do, but damn, that tool was nice. Soldered most of the rest of the job though...

Looks great. I would love to get a combo unit like that. We have an electric hot water heater and an oil fired boiler for our heat. We just don't have access to natural gas here in our area.

[1SGPETE]

We took the time that we are not on the road this year to add on to our garage, I took one half of one side of the garage ( the other side is my wood shop) and extended it out side to make a 15 my 20 room for my wife's exercise equipment and her sewing projects, plus what ever else she decides to put out there. The last picture shows two of the three windows framed in, they are installed now. and the picture of the outside with the door open will have a wooden walkway to the building and a small porch with an over hang on it.
And, yes, our Motor Home is in the drive way and we spend evenings out there once in a while, especially when it rains. AS we came out of it the other morning, my neighbors waved at us, and I said, " we spent last night in Colorado". of course, we never left the drive way in Texas, but with the curtains closed at night, you can be any where.

1SG Pete

[1SGPETE]

When you start one of these projects, no one comes to visit, they are afraid to be put to work. Good way to practice social distancing.

1SG Pete

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Looks great. I would love to get a combo unit like that. We have an electric hot water heater and an oil fired boiler for our heat. We just don't have access to natural gas here in our area.

It seems to be pretty good. We had a Natural Gas Floor mounted boiler with a stand alone hot water heater. The fire box developed a large crack and we decided on the wall mounted unit basically because the laundry / utility room is very small. Hoping we made the right decision... I'm skeptical of its ability to heat my entire home... Fingers Crossed.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Marcm157

It seems to be pretty good. We had a Natural Gas Floor mounted boiler with a stand alone hot water heater. The fire box developed a large crack and we decided on the wall mounted unit basically because the laundry / utility room is very small. Hoping we made the right decision... I'm skeptical of its ability to heat my entire home... Fingers Crossed.

I will be interested to hear your thoughts next heating season. I had the fire box replaced in our oil boiler a few years ago due to a crack. It is still OK, but I know that a new furnace is in the future. There are both electric on demand hot water heaters and electric boilers on the market. I haven't come across a combo unit however.

[RetiredOne]

Well, if we're talking about home projects and playing with our tools, I guess my backyard project would count. I was looking for a project to keep me occupied (and not having to do wifey's projects) and maybe even make me a few dollars for lunch money, so I decided to build a tiny house on a trailer.

So, when I told wifey I was going to build a tiny house, she immediately said she needed to take me to get a CAT scan, as there must be something wrong with my brain...

Anyway, this started out as a flatbed equipment trailer, and this is what it ended up as:

[Midnightmoon]

Wow. Very nice. Do you have any pics of the build in progress?

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Wow. Very nice. Do you have any pics of the build in progress?

Plenty... what do you want to see? And.. every step was approved by my Project Supervisor!!

[Midnightmoon]

I'm most interested to see how you started the framing off of the trailer deck and worked around the fenders, etc.

[tinlizzie23]

Don't have any readily available photos yet, but my stay-at-home project is the complete restoration of my parent's 1957 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Sedan. It is currently completely apart, and spread all over my shop. Have finished rebuilding the hydramatic tranny and rear axle, working on the engine and body work, including replacing rusted metal. It will be restored exactly as it came from the factory in March 1957, including same Sapphire Mist metallic paint, except that I am adding the factory J2 option, which features triple two-barrel carbs.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

I'm most interested to see how you started the framing off of the trailer deck and worked around the fenders, etc.

You know, those are trade secrets... if I tell ya, I might have to kill ya... LOL

I framed the floor flat off the trailer and extended it out to the end of the fenders (for maximum floor space inside). Then framed the walls over the wheel wells, and boxed them in on the inside.

Then for the exterior siding, I scribed around the curve of the wheel wells to fit.

[Midnightmoon]

Thank you. That is exactly what I wanted to see. I've always wanted to know how those were framed.

[RetiredOne]

I've seen a bunch of guys just frame inside of the wheel well to save time, but then lose the floor space on the inside. Plus, when they build that way, you see the wheel wells sticking outside the house. It's more time consuming my way, but makes for a better outcome.

[Midnightmoon]

I agree with you. It looks great.

[mercman]

I'm living in my 264 BHW while I'm building an earth sheltered home. As I'll be in my TT for the next year I want to make it a comfortable as possible.

I had a septic system installed for the new home and recently hooked up my TT to it.

I installed a 320 Amp meterbase with two runs of 350MCM, one to an existing barn and one to my earth home site. I just got the meter set by the local utility and had run a 4 wire set of conductors to my trailer site. I just installed a plug in for the TT and hooked up to it. No more generators!! Now I can run the microwave and air conditioner (for my GSD's)

I also just got the lumber that I need to build an enclosure to install a 1000 gallon water tank. I had a well drilled (1100') but due to changes in how the project is going I won't be running water to the barn as I'd planned.

I'm also building a small deck on the TT with a ramp for my oldest GSD. I did build a ramp and have it attached to the stairs but its only temporary.

Of course, to do all this I have a large assortment of construction tools both for my build and the TT.

Incidentally, I've installed full sized medicine cabinet, a Camco vent cover and a water jug stand for the TT.

Before winter I'll be installing skirting on the TT and a heat source to keep my pipes from freezing at it got down to -20 degrees last winter here in the mountains.

[dbvano]

Nice job, that looks awesome

[Midnightmoon]

New toy...I mean tool arrived today. Forney 20P plasma cutter.

[Midnightmoon]

My youngest daughter helping me assemble a cheap WEN drill press I purchased off of Amazon. I have to admit, it isn't a bad little tool for the sub $100 price point.