MY HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS - (OR 'PRACTICAL USES FOR THAT MODEL FOO')

[bucketfoot-al]

PROJECT #2 Report:

The circular saw drill bit wasn't catching on the drywall, so I just drilled a circle of holes and used the hand cutting tool to open up a 6" hole in the interior garage wall.

Then I repeated it with the interior insulation. The metal vent connector pipe fit perfectly, and is now butting up against the limestone siding.

And that's as far as I can go because I am still waiting for a Hammer Drill I ordered from Amazon on recommendation of my machine engineer son-in-law Michael. Hope to have it by the weekend. If it gets here, and its complete (I had to return one yesterday because it came with the drill bits missing from the box), I will start trying to drill some holes ... using Michael's recommendations on grip and force ... stay tuned. The hard part is what comes next.

[tay666]

[bucketfoot-al]

MAJOR UPDATE TO Project 2 Incoming!!!

You thought I was done with that Camo Desert Sand spray paint, didn't you? No sir - I used it to turn a white AC vent cover to .... *INVISIBLE*

Then - the drilling started - first a center hole drilled out from the inside - the circular holes were then marked on the stone, and drilled ... and drilled ... and drilled ... til I was completely covered with sweat and it seemed every muscle was tired ... you need to PUSH on that drill with your body weight ... the mortar went fairly easily, but the limestone ... there were a few holes that I could not push through ...

... dejected and tired, I went - to the Hammer and Chisel ... angling the strikes at the edges, I found the limestone easily gave way ... eventually a had a (somewhat) circular hole, but 'good enough' ... as you can see the basic assembly is done ... I will need to chisel some stone edges to push it even to the wall, then use spray filler for the gaps ... a long way to go yet!

[tay666]

Congrats!
I know exactly how hard that kind of work can be.

[bucketfoot-al]

Congrats!
I know exactly how hard that kind of work can be.

[bucketfoot-al]

Another Update Incoming:

Using a finer chisel I managed to widen the edges of the hole so the vent cover would be flush with the wall ... THEN ... I sprayed the gooky sealer around the cracks (and through the hole on the inside to make sure the exterior hole around the vent is 100% sealed ... currently the foam is curing ... the hardest part of the job is now FINITO!!!!! More to come the next few days ... now to clear out some space in the garage for the vent funnels ...

[tay666]

Congrats on getting the hard stuff done.

[bucketfoot-al]

Congrats on getting the hard stuff done.

Thank you Trevor!!!

[bucketfoot-al]

Spent about an hour today - attached the first vent funnel to the pipe in the wall with a screw-down strap; started culling and throwing out some stored stuff; moved a few boxed resin kits into the inside master closet stash area; moved boxes around to readjust the shelving to make the bottom shelf just wide enough for the funnel ... more to come this weekend ...

[bucketfoot-al]

This morning, using the metal size adjustment piece (from 6" down to 5" I hooked up the metal dryer vent hose with the plastic AC hose using insulation tape and another one of those metal screw-down clamps ... the extra length allows for the combined hose to make two "90-degree turns" to better stay out of the way and run through the modified bottom shelf ...

... now the 64$ question: After the AC is plugged in and the directions for onboarding are implemented ... WILL IT WORK?????

STAY TUNED ....

[bucketfoot-al]

Testing and adjusting is continuing (you didn't think it would be easy, didya???? ) ... probably Monday we'll have a further update!

[bucketfoot-al]

Initial tests showed some venting problems due to the extra long "double funnel". Closer reading of the directions of the AC disclosed that the vent funnel should NOT go under the level of the opening on the back of the unit (presumably because it would have to work harder to then push the air up.)

What to do? Remove the extension and pray that the AC vent was ... long enough ... (omitting the obvious 'low hanging fruit'-type Monty Python 'sailors stranded in lifeboat' joke that comes to mind at this point )

Turns out - it was long enough - just barely. The hose configuration was moved to the upper shelf which kept the air moving ... UP towards the vent hole in the wall.

Temperature by late afternoon gets to 87-90 in the garage as the outside temps creep closer to 100 ... and the cool air venting seemed to diffuse up in the air and then dissipate ... not sufficiently reaching the work area ... hmmmm ...

BUT THEN - I remembered that if you engage the "swing" function you can stop the cool air vent opening at a lower angle so that it shoots direct at the chair and bench area instead of up ... then, I added some "Legacy Hi Tech" I already had, to "Boost the signal" ... err ... project the cool AIR towards the area needing it. Call it the "AC's little helper" .... WHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! - your basic Amazon standing fan

This morning's test gave VERY satisfactory results (but it was only 82 in the garage). Will re-run test when temps are closer to 90 in there. I am optimistic about the results being positive (ie allowing the work zone temps to be tolerable for longer periods). Will make final report. Oh, and I had to put a container behind the AC for the water hose to go into (because it takes H20 out of the air as it cools, so that way it doesn't run down the floor.). Now the obligatory collage "so far".

[bucketfoot-al]

Worked for a half hour painting this PM, til I started feeling warm ... Then I turned on "the system" described above ... and the work area ... returned to temperate!!!

SUCCESS!!!

[tay666]

Congrats!

[bucketfoot-al]

Congrats!

Thank you! I must admit that your bathroom project was the impetus for me getting the confidence to attempt this project!!!

[bucketfoot-al]

Not much work today so - lots of time for projects.

And this may be THE most important "home improvement" project I've ever done on our home!

For 4 years Missy has complained that the AC blows on her face at night when it turns on. (She can't sleep if air is blowing on her face).

Well, first I got one of those magnetic clear acrylic re-direction parts that fits onto the vent - and all it did was blow the air away from the bed, into the wall, where it bounced off .... aaaand went down onto the bed and on her face again.

Finally, after using some MAJOR LEAGUE "Search Foo", I located ONE manufacturer that made a "straight down" vent in the correct size. [BUILDMART standard air slot diffuser - link here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N4F66QP?re ... asin_title ]

Installed it today, and - after a brief test - "no more air blowing on face" was reported!!!!!

On L: The old vent; On R: The new Buildmart Standard Air Slot Diffuser

[tay666]

[barad_dur]

Happy wife, happy life

[bucketfoot-al]

Happy wife, happy life

TRUE DAT!!!

[bucketfoot-al]

Bedroom AC vent, Round 2:

So the vent fell out last night (the remnants of the silicone around the opening finally gave way - there was no way to screw it in).

Today I got a ladder and some Plumber's 2-part epoxy putty for metal at Home Depot. I put putty on the sides (the vent sides are metal too), and pushed it in.

But ... its HEAVY ... needed it to stay in for the 1/2 hour curing period ... hmmmmm.......

Then I grabbed a Tripod (a more useful one than the crappy one Lycos has online - see what I did there? ) and extended it til it pinned the vent cover in.

An hour later I removed it - and its still holding.

If there need be a "Round 3" we are going the "Original Gorilla Glue" route, which 110%, no-doubt-about-it, WILL work - but be a bit messy in the application.

Fingers crossed I don't need to go that route.