Our Diy Corner

Discussion in 'Home Improvement' started by Von Jones, Nov 11, 2019.

  1. Von Jones

    Von Jones Supreme Member
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    What does this mean?
     
    #121
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  2. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    It means a place to get a firm grip.

    This is the classic use of the word:
    -The rear wheels of the truck spun, trying to gain a purchase in the mud.

    I also use it in this sense, but I'm not certain it's grammatically correct:
    -The citizen flailed in her conversation with the politician, unable to find a place to get an honest purchase.

    I might be taking liberties with the language on that second one. Maybe others can chime in.
     
    #122
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  3. Ed Wilson

    Ed Wilson Veteran Member
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    I have read "purchase" used in that way but never used it. You could get a grip on yourself or you could get a purchase on yourself.
     
    #123
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  4. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I use it to make a point when referring to deceitful people..."No place to get an honest purchase."
    I find it to be a better descriptor of what they are rather than how they behave.
     
    #124
  5. Ed Wilson

    Ed Wilson Veteran Member
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    The grab handle you constructed reminds me of the grab bar in my shower, and it would be appropriate for a church since that is where people go to wash away their sins.
     
    #125
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  6. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    That's pretty funny.

    I avoided the stuff that looked like it belonged in a shower, but it might have been the more appropriate choice.
     
    #126
  7. Silvia Benoit

    Silvia Benoit Veteran Member
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    Nice job. Congratssss...
     
    #127
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  8. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I finally got around to building some firewood racks.

    I've got one row finished...32 liner feet.

    Firewood Rack 3.jpg

    This was supposed to be an easy design, and I had planned on installing supports (cinder blocks) every 8 feet rather that every 16 feet. But the ground slopes so much I could not just set the blocks on the yard as I had planned. The right-hand block is sitting on the surface, while the far left one is buried so only 2" is above ground to make the thing level. I'll figure out a way to cut some 6x6s or 4x4s to slide under the mid-points. I've got some bricks that will suffice for the one spot it's so low to the ground.

    I used 8' landscape ties for the uprights and cut them to 6' because they were less than $5 each. I made cross-braces with the end cuts. A like-length of 4x4 would have cost nearly 3 times that, and these look less "utilitarian."

    This is row #1. I'm going to build another row parallel to it (to stack the wood 2 courses deep), and likely build some smaller racks behind it for kindling & stuff. The digging was the worse (and most time consuming) part. This is at the edge of the driveway, so I'm digging through compacted gravel. The racks further back will be on dirt, so any digging will be easier. And I've got some assembly experience under my belt. And I might orient them so they are not on sloping ground. But being parallel to the driveway works best for receiving deliveries and for routine access.

    I'm glad to finally get this done. It will allow me to buy next year's firewood now (and stack it properly) so I have a supply of seasoned wood when next winter hits. I should have done this a long time ago...
     
    #128
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2021
  9. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    I have about 4 or 5 cord that I’ll Give ya.......Hackberry, Sassafras and Cedar.
    Plus, I have about 20 more Hackberry trees to drop in about 2 weeks (before they get into producing leaves) so that’ll be ready for you to tote back.

    Uh.....I have an extra chainsaw if you’ve a mind to ......
     
    #129
  10. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    Amazon pays freight if I spend $25. ;)

    Around here I get about 90% red oak & white oak with the occasional hickory tossed in. One guy claimed there was some chestnut in the last batch I bought, but I struggle enough identifying trees with their leaves on...I got no idea what I've got just by looking at the bark. (I'm better at indoor plants.)

    We don't have true cedars, but there are a ton of juniper trees. I had a small one taken down when I had my garage built, and I've been using the shavings for kindling. I don't burn whole logs because it's so daggone hot.
     
    #130
  11. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    #131
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  12. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    Interesting. I had no idea the bark had medicinal uses.

    There's a farm across the street that gives classes in natural remedies. I really gotta sign up for one.
     
    #132
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  13. Bobby Cole

    Bobby Cole Supreme Member
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    Okay, yesterday I built a fence. The reed / bamboo fence was falling apart so I replaced it with wood. Looks nice.

    Now that that’s out of the way, here’s something I was playing with the other day.
    I went carbide instead of conventional with my lathe tools (gouges, points etc) but some of the better shafts do not come with a handle. So, I made one.
    Dark Walnut + wood lathe =
    39E581D9-666A-4A4B-8559-930267630251.jpeg

    I didn’t apply any finish to the handle because I do not want any chance of it getting slippery and besides, the oil in my hand will put a nice, sort of patina to the wood.
    Yeah, I know the grooves in the grip are uneven but hey, if one doesn’t mark where the point is going and once the point hits the wood it’s a done deal.
     
    #133
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
  14. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I wish I knew how to do that kind of work.

    A friend's husband does that type of woodworking. He's from Michigan (still has family there), and travels back there every once in a while to buy old hardwoods that fell off of barges back in the day and have been salvaged. Apparently being submerged is an anaerobic environment, so it preserves them.

    He made this for me:

    Pen.jpg

    I don't know what kind of wood it is.
     
    #134
  15. Silvia Benoit

    Silvia Benoit Veteran Member
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    Try the "yerba mate".........is good for alertness, full of anti-oxidants, good for digestive conditions.....and cheap.
     
    #135
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