The Home Improvement Thread

[Fuzz]

One of the time wasters on this job was that the counter is 5'4" x 12'3". Laminate comes in 5'x12' sheets...leaving me to have 2 joints. Same with the board material. 4'x8'. I also REALLY didn't want to re-do the tile backsplash, so removing the old countertop that was under the tile was tricky, and getting the new one square(against un-square walls) was another pain. I also couldn't raise the counter up to create a proper lip as it would be above the tile, so we made edge strips, also a pain...

I only had to run to Rona twice though(after the initial run) so that's pretty good! Though didn't have an opportunity to buy a new tool, as is compulsory when you do a job. Between my dad and I ,we already had everything we needed!

[mrkajz44]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

One of the time wasters on this job was that the counter is 5'4" x 12'3". Laminate comes in 5'x12' sheets...leaving me to have 2 joints. Same with the board material. 4'x8'. I also REALLY didn't want to re-do the tile backsplash, so removing the old countertop that was under the tile was tricky, and getting the new one square(against un-square walls) was another pain. I also couldn't raise the counter up to create a proper lip as it would be above the tile, so we made edge strips, also a pain...

I only had to run to Rona twice though(after the initial run) so that's pretty good! Though didn't have an opportunity to buy a new tool, as is compulsory when you do a job. Between my dad and I ,we already had everything we needed!

Haha - forgot about that part too. It seems every project I do, there is some tool that I don't have and I end up buying it.

[Hockeyguy15]

Speaking of a new tool, what would you guys suggest for a voltage tester? I don't need anything fancy, but I should probably get one before I start playing with wires.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Speaking of a new tool, what would you guys suggest for a voltage tester? I don't need anything fancy, but I should probably get one before I start playing with wires.

Just don't touch the white and black wires at the same time.

Don't need no fancy voltamage tester.

[Fuzz]

It's handy to have a no contact one like this:
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.1000664603.html
just to make sure you turned the right breaker off, or your house wasn't wired by handyman Fred and his handy jumper wires.

[photon]

Yeah always good to double check with that tool, never make assumptions.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Speaking of a new tool, what would you guys suggest for a voltage tester? I don't need anything fancy, but I should probably get one before I start playing with wires.

I have this Fluke and find it pretty handy.
http://www.amazon.ca/Fluke-1AC-A1-II...1-II+VoltAlert

One thing I got when working with anything electrical was some insulated screwdrivers.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,43411,70372

I find the Wera screwdrivers in general to be really awesome. Beats all the cheap chinese crap at home depot.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Haha - forgot about that part too. It seems every project I do, there is some tool that I don't have and I end up buying it.

Klein or Fluke brand and nothing else. Cheaper volticks can and do pick up induced voltages (maybe 2-3 volts) and tell you a wire is live when it isn't. Don't cheap out (at $20-$30, it's not worth saving $10).

[Table 5]

Yeah, electrical stuff is definitely not something you want to cheap out on or take short-cuts with. Especially when you're an amateur (like me!).

[puffnstuff]

I use a Fluke meter, great to have.
I took a tip from an electrician I knew when he did some work on an old house for me. What he said was, "Plumbing, you can see the water, hear the water, and feel the water to know if you have issues. Electricity, not so much. Be careful." He actually said for DIY guys, work during the day if possible (so you can see) and then, turn the whole house off, just like you do with the water when doing plumbing.

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Haha - forgot about that part too. It seems every project I do, there is some tool that I don't have and I end up buying it.

The excuse to buy a new tool is the best part of a new project/job at home!

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by photon

Yeah always good to double check with that tool, never make assumptions.

Yeah, you can't necessarily trust the breaker being off if somebody added a new outlet by daisy chaining off somewhere on another circuit. If I am just testing the outlet though before going in, a lamp is also a pretty good indicator.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I guess that really depends on the specific situation. I've done both ways. Always choose the path of least resistance first. I get a confidence boost each time I pull one through the wall, so do the easiest ones first.

And like another guy said, cutting an extra hole in the wall is not the worst thing in the world. It can be patched easily enough. Obviously avoid it if you can, but if you are seriously running into a huge issue, just cut an extra hole for access.

Yeah, I have resigned myself to having to cut a few holes for some exploratory work. I am pretty sure I will run into an issue trying to blindly route cable 50ish feet from where I want to terminate them. Not so much the cutting and patching drywall that I mind, it's the matching the paint on the wall so it doesn't look obvious.

On the bright side, I got my order in for cable, keystone, and wall plates so I am committed. Hopefully can start on Friday.

Didn't even know cat6a cable was available. Wonder if I should have splurged the extra $175 and gone with that over cat6. C'est la vie.

[GreenLantern]

So I was getting ready to put my insulation up in the garage and I noticed some mouse poop, so I set a few of those old school Viktor traps last night, he cleaned all four off. Any tips on how to remove the pesky buggers? I checked the house over I can't see any evidence that they have made it inside yet, brand new house it should be sealed up pretty good, but they definitely have a presence in the garage.

It is my own fault, I always leave the garage door open while I am doing stuff in there, but who doesn't?

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Yeah, I have resigned myself to having to cut a few holes for some exploratory work. I am pretty sure I will run into an issue trying to blindly route cable 50ish feet from where I want to terminate them. Not so much the cutting and patching drywall that I mind, it's the matching the paint on the wall so it doesn't look obvious.

On the bright side, I got my order in for cable, keystone, and wall plates so I am committed. Hopefully can start on Friday.

Didn't even know cat6a cable was available. Wonder if I should have splurged the extra $175 and gone with that over cat6. C'est la vie.

If you still have the paint for the wall - repaint the entire wall for the best result. If you do not have the paint - take one of your pieces you cut out to Rona and have them colour match it - then repaint the entire wall for the best result.

Also to save yourself time - make sure to cut nice holes in the wall and save the pieces and use them when patching.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

So I was getting ready to put my insulation up in the garage and I noticed some mouse poop, so I set a few of those old school Viktor traps last night, he cleaned all four off. Any tips on how to remove the pesky buggers? I checked the house over I can't see any evidence that they have made it inside yet, brand new house it should be sealed up pretty good, but they definitely have a presence in the garage.

It is my own fault, I always leave the garage door open while I am doing stuff in there, but who doesn't?

You mean he took the food off the trap without triggering it? I used peanut butter. Got him first try.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Yeah, I have resigned myself to having to cut a few holes for some exploratory work. I am pretty sure I will run into an issue trying to blindly route cable 50ish feet from where I want to terminate them. Not so much the cutting and patching drywall that I mind, it's the matching the paint on the wall so it doesn't look obvious.

On the bright side, I got my order in for cable, keystone, and wall plates so I am committed. Hopefully can start on Friday.

Didn't even know cat6a cable was available. Wonder if I should have splurged the extra $175 and gone with that over cat6. C'est la vie.

Another story from my experience....

For whatever reason, I've only been successful at attaching an RJ45 (the male terminal) once. I just can't get it to work ever. I'm no sparky, but I've watched a million videos and such how to do it, but could never get it right (except once). I consider myself pretty handy. Maybe my crimpers were crap? I don't think I bought the cheap one.

Anyhow, my work around was to terminate the ethernet cable with the female ends (those were easy) and then I bought just little 1, 2 or 3 foot patch cables (have the RJ45 male end on both ends) to connect from the cable in the walls to the router on one end and the computer on the other end.

Hopefully you have better luck, but for whatever reason, attaching the male ends did not work for me. As a side note, I even went to a Fry's Electronics (huge, huge electronics place in the US) and went to their geek squad equivalent desk and offered the guys cash if they would put a male RJ45 end on a length of bulk cable for me. Those nerds actually refused saying that they could never figure it out either!

So beware of that issue that might pop up for you.

[speede5]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Anyone know where to get the 4 or 5x12 sheets of laminate for countertops from? Rona only has 4x8.

Thanks

You should be able to order them in at any building supply store. When you pick your sample they can order 4x8 or 5x12. That's what Iv'e always done.

I doubt they stock 5x12 anywhere.

[Fuzz]

Job already done! I got 5x12 at Formations Inc. http://formationswood.com/

They stock almost all of Formica's line, and for only a bit more than a 4x8 sheet costs at Rona.

[Muffins]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Another story from my experience....

For whatever reason, I've only been successful at attaching an RJ45 (the male terminal) once. I just can't get it to work ever. I'm no sparky, but I've watched a million videos and such how to do it, but could never get it right (except once). I consider myself pretty handy. Maybe my crimpers were crap? I don't think I bought the cheap one.

If the issue is it's always too loose, or the teeth don't really go through the wires much, then it's either a bad crimper or you're not squeezing hard enough.

I've done hundreds of them and never had an issue with a decent crimper.

If the Fry's "Geek Squad" equivalent can't mange doing it, then they're just as useless as the actual Geek Squad.