Advice The Home Improvement/Automation Thread

HipHugHer said:
Indoors where you'd want a smooth shiny floor the only way it doesn't absolutely suck is if they prepped for it when they poured the slab.
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Indoors they have usually worked the concrete to death so the surface is pretty tight - some people sandblast it(using a pressure tank) to get a more even staining. The folks making those hipster concrete counter-tops do that before surface staining.
 
HipHugHer said:
Yep. Outdoors where you want to keep some texture it's pretty easy.

Indoors where you'd want a smooth shiny floor the only way it doesn't absolutely suck is if they prepped for it when they poured the slab.
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You can always dress the floor with a diamond grinder, but that's a pain and a half.
 
wetwille said:
Indoors they have usually worked the concrete to death so the surface is pretty tight - some people sandblast it(using a pressure tank) to get a more even staining. The folks making those hipster concrete counter-tops do that before surface staining.
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The working to death part is the pain in the ass.
 
Jehannum said:
You can always dress the floor with a diamond grinder, but that's a pain and a half.
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That's what I was thinking of. Working it fine and slick like wood floor prep but worse.

Seen a lot of them here that weren't prepped good enough. Blotchy areas where the stain doesn't take evenly or even checkerboard pattern where tile used to be they thought they prepped good enough but didn't.


When it's in the plans for new construction you keep the concrete finishers riding the helicopters out there until that shit is smooth as glass.
 
HipHugHer said:
When it's in the plans for new construction you keep the concrete finishers riding the helicopters out there until that shit is smooth as glass.
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As long as they let it bleed(water rises through pour) well before they start working it. Working immediatly after a pour is #1 reason for concrete delamination and scabbing/blistering. Brings too many fines to the surface.
 
wetwille said:
As long as they let it bleed(water rises through pour) well before they start working it. Working immediatly after a pour is #1 reason for concrete delamination and scabbing/blistering. Brings too many fines to the surface.
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You do it as it's partially set up and while it finishes, not right after the pour.

Also we don't have that problem here, at least in the summer. It evaporates off faster than it rises.

You send them out there with water bottles at a minimum, splash a little here and there as the surface dries too fast. Once in a while you'll end up hosing down a whole slab or timing it to finish overnight when it's cooler and the sun is gone.

Concrete makes its own heat as it cures. Add the sun to that when it's 100+ in the shade and we have the opposite problem.
 
HipHugHer said:
You do it as it's partially set up and while it finishes, not right after the pour.

Also we don't have that problem here, at least in the summer. It evaporates off faster than it rises.

You send them out there with water bottles at a minimum, splash a little here and there as the surface dries too fast. Once in a while you'll end up hosing down a whole slab or timing it to finish overnight when it's cooler and the sun is gone.

Concrete makes its own heat as it cures. Add the sun to that when it's 100+ in the shade and we have the opposite problem.
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Good man! Yeah, so many people think concrete hardens through drying. I always make sure to keep it hydrated for at least first 6-8 hours.

Don't worry if the expert laypeople inspectors come along . . .
 
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wetwille said:
Good man! Yeah, so many people think concrete hardens through drying. I always make sure to keep it hydrated for at least first 6-8 hours.

Don't worry if the expert laypeople inspectors come along . . .
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I've seen guys who didn't carry their naught spend whole afternoons and evenings repeatedly hosing down and trying to tarp over and shade entire slabs in the hopes of saving them while the sample tubes sat in their truck running with the a/c on for hours.

Then have to pay whole crews a bunch of overtime to finish well into the night and hope certain people didn't notice what was happening.

All this while cellphones are ringing off the hook because every man on that crews wife was totally pissed.

"Uh, we fucked up guys. Nobody's going home today".
 
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There's a Walmart nearby that ripped up all of the fake floor tiles and polished the concrete floor. Actually looks nice. Somehow it isn't slick when it is wet from winter foot traffic.

Another spring project: paint the floor of my garage. Oh and another project: seal the driveway.
 
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Domon said:
a drill basically becomes obsolete for anything other than drilling when you have an impact driver. Theyre great. My gear is pretty old, 18v hitachi stuff from probably 2008 or so and it drives 3/8th lags through 2x6s with no problem.

the whole "fuck the drill clutch is slipping" or "fuck, the drill spun too fast and torqued outta the shitty phillips head" largely becomes a non issue with impact drivers too

Its not really the tool you're thinking of, which is a "put my lug nuts on" type tool.
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https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...-Ah-Batteries-Charger-and-Bag-R9602/205762719
What I have. Never used it for work which is what I purchased the set for. *shrugs*
 
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Going to make some frames for the new countertops on the shop.

Since the lumber here is all #2 and hot warped garbage for 2x4's, my plan is to buy 2x10's and rip them into what I need. I'll rip down to 2 - 1.5" x 3.5" and have the remainder as a cleat to put under the plywood tops. The tops will be flush with the framing umber and not just sitting on top.

To square the lumber up, my plan is o run my track saw down one side. Then I can use that one flat side up against the table saw fence rip down to the three pieces. Then I can cut to length on my miter saw.

Anyone see any issue with this?
 
Valve1138 said:
Going to make some frames for the new countertops on the shop.

Since the lumber here is all #2 and hot warped garbage for 2x4's, my plan is to buy 2x10's and rip them into what I need. I'll rip down to 2 - 1.5" x 3.5" and have the remainder as a cleat to put under the plywood tops. The tops will be flush with the framing umber and not just sitting on top.

To square the lumber up, my plan is o run my track saw down one side. Then I can use that one flat side up against the table saw fence rip down to the three pieces. Then I can cut to length on my miter saw.

Anyone see any issue with this?
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Depends on your lumber source, the condition of your shop, and the weather.

Here, and especially in the summer, you buy stuff that's "straight" that's been sitting inside a Lowe's or whatever, then work it outside or in a shop that isn't air conditioned it can warp or twist pretty damn quick anyway just due to the sudden temp and humidity change.

If you want straight and easy, climate controlled shop means get it from a climate controlled source and vice versa. At least if the differences are substantial.


If you can keep it straight through the build it'll stay that way as it's held together so many different ways.
 
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Valve1138 said:
Going to make some frames for the new countertops on the shop.

Since the lumber here is all #2 and hot warped garbage for 2x4's, my plan is to buy 2x10's and rip them into what I need. I'll rip down to 2 - 1.5" x 3.5" and have the remainder as a cleat to put under the plywood tops. The tops will be flush with the framing umber and not just sitting on top.

To square the lumber up, my plan is o run my track saw down one side. Then I can use that one flat side up against the table saw fence rip down to the three pieces. Then I can cut to length on my miter saw.

Anyone see any issue with this?
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yes, once you rip the 2x10, you'll be releasing a lot of internal stresses in the wood that may cause it to warp in the long run.

Either buy good lumber from the start, or stack and acclimate the wood you mill to see what it's going to do for a week or two after the milling.
 
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Jehannum said:
yes, once you rip the 2x10, you'll be releasing a lot of internal stresses in the wood that may cause it to warp in the long run.

Either buy good lumber from the start, or stack and acclimate the wood you mill to see what it's going to do for a week or two after the milling.
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This is what we got down here #2 lumber.

Which is bullshit. Up in New England when we got stuff for the FIL's shed it was all #1, and the only reason to pile pick was to get as few knots as possible.
 
Valve1138 said:
This is what we got down here #2 lumber.

Which is bullshit. Up in New England when we got stuff for the FIL's shed it was all #1, and the only reason to pile pick was to get as few knots as possible.
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So stack and acclimate the wood you rip (make sure you stack it so that all sides are exposed to air), or go to a better lumber yard and buy good stuff.
 
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