Halfapint Got Some Land

[RoneKiln]

That doesn't look too deep. We had a freakish bad freeze up here that froze some of the underground pipes until it finally snowed. Did that hit as far south as you?

[Halfapint]

That doesn't look too deep. We had a freakish bad freeze up here that froze some of the underground pipes until it finally snowed. Did that hit as far south as you?

Nope, we didn't get much cold recently. And it's about 2' down it doesn't look that deep in the pictures. I actually used some flex seal on it and it worked! 🤣 at Lowe's currently to get a coupler

[Tony D Tiger]

That doesn't look too deep. We had a freakish bad freeze up here that froze some of the underground pipes until it finally snowed. Did that hit as far south as you?

Nope, we didn't get much cold recently. And it's about 2' down it doesn't look that deep in the pictures. I actually used some flex seal on it and it worked! 🤣 at Lowe's currently to get a coupler

Flex Seal - like JB Weld - has its uses. Handy stuff to keep around.

[Halfapint]

Flex Seal - like JB Weld - has its uses. Handy stuff to keep around.

JB Weld and I go a LONG ways back. I just found flex seal when it was recommended to me as a good tractor seat repair. And I just found the roll of stuff and holy crap. It legit worked better than I could have expected. It didn't stop the crack but it did cut it down by more than half. When I did the repair my plumber neighbor laughed then saw it and was impressed himself.

Anyways I got the coupler and then realized that I couldn't get the old coupler off, so I went back and got a bone fitting. It's a coupler that allows you to cut the old one out, and slide
This one around the pipes and tighten it down. It has rubber gaskets on either end to seal it off. Works a real treat!

[Halfapint]

Today (well technically yesterday), wife and I woke up and said, eff it! Road trip! Drive down to Portland OR, there's a woodmizer store down there and we wanted to see what a wood mill would cost and actually play with one. Tested out a model up from what we were looking at, full hydraulics, nothing done by hand on this one. Cool let's talk numbers

$35,000 even the model down from the one we tested was like 26k. We can't justify that price. The real kicker, 47 week waiting period. Possibly longer. Eesh

Driving back and I suggest seeing if we can find a used one. She finds on Craigslist a company selling sawmills. Many of the features of woodmizer, but this one has a remote, you stand back adjust the height and forward and back motion via remote. Best part? All the options we want, comes in at like 12k. So we might be taking a trip to Spokane to check them out.

Once back home I canned up some veggie stock I made on a whim yesterday and pour myself a drink, phone call from grandma. "There's a leak in the bathroom" wall down there ana the bathroom is flooded. It's cleared out into the bedroom, the separate sink area, and I to the hall way. Go down stairs to her shopvac. Down stairs is WORSE! Literal puddles of water on the floor. The water leaked into the HVAC vents and is pouring out of the vents.

The cause? The toilet float valve isn't adjusted properly, it was filing up to the handle and pouring water out of the handle. We sucked up probably 20 gallons of water from the carpets and then our shop vac started acting up. Going to check in AM and try to asses damage. May need to call professionals. Make sure things aren't worse on the inside of the walls. Downstairs carpet I'm not too worried about. It's on concrete. Upstairs though. Oh that could be bad. Oh did I mention WALL TO WALL carpet. Yes, even in the bathrooms.

Off to bed.

[RoneKiln]

Damn Halfapint, that REALLY sucks.

It's probably not much consolation, but luckily we're going into our drought season. I hope that helps everything dry out over the summer and prevents rot and mold issues. This would be 20 times worse rolling into rain season.

I know there are dehydrators for sucking moisture out of buildings, but all I'm finding via google is food dehydrators. Even when I type in "building dehydrator," I get how to build a food dehydrator.

Anyone else know of good...

Duh, dehumidifier. That's the word I was looking for. I see tons of options online. I bet some local equipment rental places have them as well. I hooe you can suck all that moisture out before real damage sets in.

[Halfapint]

We have a large one in the trailer that we run in the winter. It's down there along with all the fans and windows open. We are suppose to get a bunch of hot weather so hopefully that'll help.

I spent 10 hours down there running the shop vac. It's moist, I'm going to call the insurance company tomorrow, honestly didn't even THINK about that until about 2000. So up tomorrow and making a call.

In the plus side the carpets have FINALLY been cleaned. Grandpa was bragging that they look so good because they don't wasn't hem because that ruins carpets and..... well the BLACK liquid coming out tells a different story.

Oh and before I knew what was causing the leak, I shut off all the water from the pressure tank to the house. Well now that valve is leaking. It's just a slow drip but man, can a guy get a win around here?!?

The leak was caused by the float valve not adjusted properly, but years and years of the iron in our water collecting in it made it heavier. It just got so heavy it started pouring out. Simple things, so I've replaced the float valves, in both toilets to make sure that doesn't happen again.

[MPMalloy]

HP:  This thread is the Grade A+ meat of any forum.  Awesome.  Just f'ing awesome.

You are truly living the dream!

[Halfapint]

HP:  This thread is the Grade A+ meat of any forum.  Awesome.  Just f'ing awesome.

You are truly living the dream!

Keep reminding me that it's the dream as I'm vacuuming water out of carpets for 11 hours, then find a valve by the pressure tank started leaking because I turned it off when I didn't know where the bathroom leak was, then find out that my temp fix on our supply line blew while we were having fathers (or grandfathers) day dinner. Luckily I had bought 4 if the temp replacements when I was at Lowe's. So I was able to have it fixed in about 10 minutes!

It's funny it's the our 1st anniversary today but neither is us wanted to do anything. So we cleaned out the carport. The grand parents built this before the house was built so they could store wood. So this has been standing for 45+ years. But being on a hill they had to dig it into the hillside. So 2 of the 3 supports on the right side are completely rotten because the hill had collapsed and buried them. So our job this week is replace the rotting 4x4's. Bonus points because the 4x4's we got for free a couple weeks ago are perfect!

Anywho. I'm wishing all the fathers out there a FANTASTIC day!

Perhaps this time next year there will be a little Halfapint terrorizing the world. But you guys will be along for the ride so buckle up!

[Halfapint]

Probably going to be long post, so I apologize. After the water line break, and the flood, I replaced the float valves in the toilets. Then grandma mentioned that all the facets are leaking. So off to Lowe's I go, I bought 1 kitchen faucet, 3 bathroom faucets, and 2 complete overhauls for the toilets.

The kitchen was a pain because a plumber has come in and redone some fittings and shut off valves. So it took a few trips down to local hardware store. (Tangent) around here you go to Lowe's or HD for most stuff, but if you need real help, by people who probably have more than a 15 minute course in the department they are working, you go to McClendon's. So 8 trips that day to MC's and I finally got the kitchen faucet replaced.

Now, the bathrooms. The shut off valves in here were original from when they built the house, and I tried as I might not to shut off the water to the house, but finally told them I had to because nothing fit. After an hour of listening to grandpa complain that he might need this or that with water I said, well I'll just leave the one bathroom faucet shut off and the water can remain on. Well apparently having to share a bathroom sink was a no go more than having the water off for an hour or two.

Went down to MC's and we searched every fitting, every thread type they had in plumbing, and after having no less than 6 associates all now wondering what this shut off valve fitting was, we couldn't find it even in the nuts/bolt section. It's a smaller than half inch, but bigger than 7/16th and wasn't metric. So everyone gave up and I bought new shut off valves, adaptors, braided hose. Two hundred and fiddy doll hairs later, I'm back at the house and replacing the sinks. First sink goes great, start working on second and realize the box is missing one of the compression valves that comes with it.

After a few profanities and almost throwing things though a wall, I decided I was done for the day, and would pick it up tomorrow. Just going to exchange the faucet tomorrow and put a new one in.

Fun fact, the plumber who did the shut off valve to faucet connection, made his own adaptor. It was literally just copper tubing, with a braided on thread that had MAYBE 2 threads on it. The other side was some of lock washer, with a molded putty that hardened to form threads. Now this lasted 40 years without a leak? I'll never know. Oh, and lastly, grandma has ALWAYS complained that her sink didn't have the pressure that grandpas did. Well after taking the faucet out, the copper line had 2 full twists on it. Didn't fully close it off, but definitely reduced flow.

That's all for now.

Tried using the attachment to post pictures but. Internet here sucks too badly that it times out me thinks. Nothing wrong with the forum, just my internets.

[RoneKiln]

I've always found doing the actual plumbing work is easy. But getting all the right parts together is a nightmare and sometimes makes it worth just hiring the plumber.

Next month my Dad and I replace all the water lines on my parents place. So if I mysteriously vanish next month... Someone come bust me out of the asylum.

[Halfapint]

I've always found doing the actual plumbing work is easy. But getting all the right parts together is a nightmare and sometimes makes it worth just hiring the plumber.

Next month my Dad and I replace all the water lines on my parents place. So if I mysteriously vanish next month... Someone come bust me out of the asylum.

100% get it! I was going insane! Ugh. I don't like doing this stupid stuff, I just want to play on the land! 😩

[EBuff75]

I've always found doing the actual plumbing work is easy. But getting all the right parts together is a nightmare and sometimes makes it worth just hiring the plumber.

Next month my Dad and I replace all the water lines on my parents place. So if I mysteriously vanish next month... Someone come bust me out of the asylum.

I would rather rewire a breaker box than have to do most plumbing jobs - particularly on older houses where nothing is standard/done properly (like mine)...

[Halfapint]

I've always found doing the actual plumbing work is easy. But getting all the right parts together is a nightmare and sometimes makes it worth just hiring the plumber.

Next month my Dad and I replace all the water lines on my parents place. So if I mysteriously vanish next month... Someone come bust me out of the asylum.

I would rather rewire a breaker box than have to do most plumbing jobs - particularly on older houses where nothing is standard/done properly (like mine)...

I feel that in my bones. I finally got the rest of the faucets done just in time for the weather to decide WA is the new AZ. Installed some window  AC units down at the house so the grandparents didn't die. Checked on all the older neighbors to see how they are doing, everyone is doing good. Only one doesn't have any AC, she's going to call me if she needs to cool off.

[MPMalloy]

I've always found doing the actual plumbing work is easy. But getting all the right parts together is a nightmare and sometimes makes it worth just hiring the plumber.  Next month my Dad and I replace all the water lines on my parents place. So if I mysteriously vanish next month... Someone come bust me out of the asylum.

I would rather rewire a breaker box than have to do most plumbing jobs - particularly on older houses where nothing is standard/done properly (like mine)...

I feel that in my bones. I finally got the rest of the faucets done just in time for the weather to decide WA is the new AZ. Installed some window  AC units down at the house so the grandparents didn't die. Checked on all the older neighbors to see how they are doing, everyone is doing good. Only one doesn't have any AC, she's going to call me if she needs to cool off.

What are the reasons that "joe/jane on the street" say are behind/causing this?

[Halfapint]

What are the reasons that "joe/jane on the street" say are behind/causing this?

Sorry MP didn't see this, reasons for causing the heat wave? Honestly not sure. The trade winds went way WAY north. And we just got this pocket of stale are floating above us.

[Halfapint]

Summer is here and projects are a callin! Sadly we haven't been doing much. I cleaned the garage and made myself a little rolling weld table bought a cheap harbor freight cart. Welded on a Stella plate and now it holds most of my stuff and I can roll it to where the light if better. I wanted to clean it up because it was a mess, and because I've got some car projects to do on the rides car. Why do it on gravel when you have a nice flat floor?!

Other than that it's been slow going. Work changed my schedule and I'm having a hard time waking up earlier than like 10-11am when I'm used to being up at 7 or so.

Think I'm going to try and get more of the Ferguson projects done. I got some of the parts back from my buddy they were going to paint them but they've been so busy they hadn't had time to do it. So I'll rattle can then satin black and get it rolling then replace the clutch. Rather have a working tractor then a pretty one!

[Halfapint]

This summer has been a bust as it comes to projects around the property. Grandma was in hospital for 2 weeks, she's fine now, in fact she's back to her old self so that's great news. Bur in those two weeks it was me taking care of grandpa and working. No complaints about that that's why we moved up here in the first place was to help them out.

Though yesterday when working o had a lightbulb moment. We've been supplying the RV with water via a hose because the valve that I was going to connect to for water was leaking and in a weird spot. I bought a new valve for it but when we had the well supply line issue I couldn't for the life of me get that old valve out, so I kinda just gave up and moved on. Well yesterday I was looking at
The valve I bought and realized there are no gaskets so if something is leaking, you tighten it. Ran down and tightened the top but and presto. No more leak. Two years. It took me 2 years to figure that out... I r smrt

So now I want to figure out where the hoses run and see if we can get water up to the trailer via the the underground system.

Other than that we may have some exciting news coming up but we are waiting a couple months to make sure.

[Tony D Tiger]

This summer has been a bust as it comes to projects around the property. Grandma was in hospital for 2 weeks, she's fine now, in fact she's back to her old self so that's great news. Bur in those two weeks it was me taking care of grandpa and working. No complaints about that that's why we moved up here in the first place was to help them out.

Though yesterday when working o had a lightbulb moment. We've been supplying the RV with water via a hose because the valve that I was going to connect to for water was leaking and in a weird spot. I bought a new valve for it but when we had the well supply line issue I couldn't for the life of me get that old valve out, so I kinda just gave up and moved on. Well yesterday I was looking at
The valve I bought and realized there are no gaskets so if something is leaking, you tighten it. Ran down and tightened the top but and presto. No more leak. Two years. It took me 2 years to figure that out... I r smrt

So now I want to figure out where the hoses run and see if we can get water up to the trailer via the the underground system.

Other than that we may have some exciting news coming up but we are waiting a couple months to make sure.

sometimes, that's all it takes. Other times... "tink! 'F@ck!!"
Glad it worked out for ya'. 

[Halfapint]

Hey all! Sorry love had been hectic. The ride and I welcomed our first born in March, I took the 12 weeks paid paterinity leave and was busier in those 12 weeks than I was/am while working.

Just came here to post and update

I've started reclaiming our land, it started in fall last year. I bought a second weed eater and just went to town. Had the metal blade on one the string line on the other and just started beating back nature.

During winter we got ready for baby, got things organized, bought a golf cart, 2002 EZGO so the wife has a better way to transport the crotchgoblin and get laundry up and down from the house to our trailer. We really didn't do much other than just get ourselves ready.

Last fall the mine that surrounds us cut down all the trees to the south we'll one day our neighbor came down and said let's walk to the bottom (it's quite a hike 800 feet but about 120' of elevation difference. We got down there and realized that, holy shit, this is the perfect garden area! So we bought a bulldozer in the spring and have. Been clearing land down there so this next spring we can have a massive garden.

The dozer is a 1960 Case 310D flt it for a song. She's a strong runner but needs some work. I pushed a 500' long road down to the bottom of the property and then started leveling and clearing land. I ripped up 4 builders about half the size of the half cart and have been working on getting things to a manageable level. I'm going to have to terrace the land and out in some huglekulture mounds come this fall.

I've got one last project I'm trying to get done which is a massive 40'x18' woodshed.I'm hoping after Labor Day I can finally get it started.

Hope everyone has been grand, let me know if you want more updates