ONT 8/18/16 DIY edition [krakatoa]

So a couple days ago I pimped my brother's books here. The response was amazing, and he is very much appreciated. Thank you very much. Of course, if this is new information to the graveyard shift, check out that post, and see if you can't help his numbers.

One thing I didn't mention on that thread, because, well, I didn't know, was that any reviews on Amazon would be appreciated as well. According to him:

The reviews not only let people know that books were read and liked, but also very much help in the ranking system so when people do a general search, those pop up nearer to top. It's not the only thing that modifies the ranking, but it does have a significant impact.

On to the regular ONT content, which is less content than point your fingers and laugh at my cheapness and pain.

I sit here humbled once again in my ongoing travails as a DIY handiman. Home ownership is a hell of a thing, especially in the age of Obama. But it's mine in spirit, if not exactly in tax law, and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay anyone to do something I should be able to do myself.

The past few weeks have been busy. I had to replacing the pool pump. (I know, you weep already for the poverty of chez krakatoa). Built some raised beds. Am in the process of re-vamping the home network.

This week our 20 year old Maytag went south when the washing machine drum stopped spinning. I figure, how expensive can that be to fix? Well, I find to my delight it's just a basic 10 amp 250v glass fuse that has blown on the motor control board. Ok, sez I, I'm getting off real cheap. Then I notice the fuse is soldered in, and I decide to do a little interweb 'slootin.

Well, it turns out you can't just replace the fuse. The fuse blowing is an indicator you've got bigger problems, either on the board (250 bucks), or the motor (200 bucks). The recommended fix is a conversion to a new motor/control board combo for only 300 bucks.

My friend who works in HVAC (yes, the same crappy friend from the free book thread) tells me that in this scenario, technically, yes it's a fuse, but it's actually being used as a resister, and yes, soldering in a new fuse is a waste of time. He also called me a cheap bastard with a flinty heart and smelly feet.

Full disclosure: my feet don't stink that bad if I bathe regularly. Yes, I have a flinty heart, but I blame my friend for it, so I think we can call that a draw.

I am a cheap bastard though. Ask anyone. Yes, I live in a house with an indoor pool, but you wouldn't believe the deal we got on this place. The one repair that came up I didn't attack myself was when my HVAC went down. Leaking coolant somewhere. I'm under warranty, but still had to argue with them over whether a leaky coolant tube counted as "equipment" under their 10 year equipment warranty, and explain to them that I would not be paying for the 4 extra visits it took for them to actually show up with the right equipment and find the leak. You can understand why I am hesitant to bring in third parties for repairs.

So I gambled on a 50 dollar used controller board off Ebay instead of dealing w/ a repair man. I figured I had a 50/50 chance of it working. And for once, I lucked out. Got it in today, plugged it in with minimal effort, and the drum spins.

Then I decide to push my luck since its already partially disassembled, and figure I'll put on the nice door boot we ordered a couple months ago since the current one is pretty dirty.

How hard could that be, right?

Pretty got-damned impossible if you don't have a set of locking pliers, that's how hard.

One finger has a nasty blood blister. On another I bent the nail back on, and while not bleeding, it hurts. And the washing machine sits still disassembled and useless until I buy the right tool for the job.

The right tools, cursing you later regret, at least double the expected time, and real blood, sweat and tears are the hidden expenses involved with DIY.

So in the next couple weeks my brother comes down and we frame out my basement, re-floor the sunroom from the studs up, and maybe even work on a deck extension and a knock-sensor replacement for my 20 year old car. I'm a sucker for punishment. But it still beats the hell out of my day job.

Check my moron math then: 2 fingers down = 2 extra fingers of Scotch.

On second thought, don't check my math. Sweet oblivionousness beckons.

Oh, and re. the caption on the pic up there? A leak has sprung up in my garage roof. So... yeah. It could get that ugly.

For the rest of the DIY theme: Well, today was really busy and painful, both with paying work, and home repair work.

So you you'll just have to DIY some entertaining links.

If you are really hard up, you can always go check out the blog of a guy that really knows how to ONT.

This post brought to you by the final DYI solution.

posted by Open Blogger at 09:06 PM

| Access Comments