The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Do it Yourself Discussion! => Topic started by: Russ on February 16, 2014, 03:06:03 PM
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So there's the table thread already, but I'm pretty sure people build things other than tables sometimes too. Feel free to leave tablechat over there, or bring it here, or doublepost, or whatever. I just want to see your projects.
ETA: not just woodworking! building computer code? sure! metalwork? ok! all the things!
For instance, I'm working on a sofa/daybed sort of thing. This is what my living room looks like right now:
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-%28aka-the-%27what-are-you-building-right-now%27-thread%29/?action=dlattach;attach=3012;image)
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Oh, fun!
Long front porch at the moment, though my better half is on construction and I'm on life maintenance/ KP / side hustle / whatever else duty.
Now, how do I post pictures? Do I need external hosting?
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Finishing up an inlayed veneer sign for someone. I sell a bit of stuff to pay for tools.
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/12472323024_740678458c_b.jpg)
I also have a flag case that I'm building for a charity that donates flag cases to spouses/family of soliders who were killed in action.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/12261265403_9b4161a96b_b.jpg)
Other than that, I'm in the general process of building storage/jigs for my shop
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I have built my own home. We moved in downstairs just over a year ago and I've been working on other parts since. Right now I am finishing up one of my children's rooms. Needs one more coat of mud tonight with the finish coat (hopefully) tomorrow. Normally I hire out mudding but this time, partly out of desire to be more MMM, I decided to do it myself with some limited help from friends.
Later this week it is prime, paint, finish electrical, then install closet shelves, and doors.
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I've been working on a bathroom remodel for longer than I care to admit. Ok not really a remodel more like build a new bathroom. Moved the walls around and made it a lot more user friendly. The old one I had to sit on the toilet sideways cause my knees would hit the vanity. I see the light at the end of the tunnel now
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I'm always up to something... This weekend I cut down a stool so my daughter could use it at her desk, and the leftover part got me thinking... so I took an odd round scrap of Paperstone countertop I had and made another stool. The scrap had a small hole drilled through it near the outside edge so I designed it to do away with that bit. The idea was to make it look like a peach or lily pad but my daughter thinks it looks like a butt. It's a very low stool, like a milking stool, makes a good foot rest/ottoman.
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g243/budgetzagato/IMG_20140216_202633628_zpscf026d68.jpg)
I used a grinder to give the groove some shape, a router around the edges and lots of quality time with a random orbit sander and hand sinding, finishing with 600 grit and some tile sealer/enhancer. Paperstone is cool stuff, you can work it with wood tools just barely. I used dowels and wood glue to attach the leg assembly to the bottom.
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Threw this together in an hour or so earlier tonight. Drawer utensil organizer out of some red oak I had laying around.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/12581728623_d4c119f94a_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3728/12581736853_0e19826d2c_b.jpg)
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@Arctica your inlaid sign is amazing! Would love to see this in person.
We are embarking on another reno project in Sicily - it's what we do together during our holidays. This is more terrifying than our first one: there's no sewer or electrics or ANYthing yet (we'll get them connected fall 2014 after DH flies over to sign the papers). We hope to turn it into an art studio/rental flat by spring 2014, doing some intensive renovations over xmas/new years.
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In the interests of being more energy efficient and keeping the original wood windows, I'm working on interior storm windows with acrylic sheets and weatherstripping for use in winter and summer.
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In the same boat as Hedge_87, hoping to finally finish up a bathroom remodel in the next few weeks. Actually, I would have been done by now except that I decided to take a good look under the sink and found all that black crap that looked suspiciously like mold. And then once I ripped out that, and the drywall, and the subfloor, I decided that I might as well put a nicer bathtub in while I was at it...
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I'm building kitchen cabinets, as part of a super-budget, whole-house remodel. $10K for the whole place didn't allow room for store-bought cabinets. I've built 5 drawer bases and a sink base so far. It's my first time doing drawers.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3853_zps95fcab5f.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3852_zpsf7b25970.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3903_zps8fa720b3.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3901_zpsaf557c7d.jpg)
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All right, how many bathrooms do we have under renovation?! I'm doing the master bathroom in my old house. Inspired by MMM, I gutted it and I'm doing my first shower pan from scratch. Here's what it looked like when I left earlier tonight:
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5526/12600669095_455017a31e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26276815@N07/12600669095/)
And here are more photos of progress along the way.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26276815@N07/sets/72157641137716393/
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A lot of great projects here!
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I'm building kitchen cabinets, as part of a super-budget, whole-house remodel. $10K for the whole place didn't allow room for store-bought cabinets. I've built 5 drawer bases and a sink base so far. It's my first time doing drawers.
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3853_zps95fcab5f.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3852_zpsf7b25970.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3903_zps8fa720b3.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/AllisonAllgaier/Little%20Beau/101_3901_zpsaf557c7d.jpg)
I have plans to build my own kitchen cabinets as well (I will probably purchase pre-made doors). I have some cabinet making experience back when I worked for a contractor but he had his shop all set up with the proper router bits etc I was just the guy that ran all the material through. He also built the drawers with some sort of dovetail jig. I was wondering how you were joining those drawers? I don't think I'll have the patience to learn how to dovetail.
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I'll post mine, even though the workmanship is embarrassingly bad, because the result has been many more hours of exercise time on the trainer this winter. Last year I was reduced to watching movies and stuff when I would ride and I really hated that and, as a result, didn't ride much. Since I built the desk for the bike I've been on the trainer 38 days out of the last 40. Reading this forum and working on my finance spreadsheets is LOTS more interesting than a movie.
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I'm also building a sofa/daybed, mostly using wood from our old couch...I stripped it down to the frame, then took that apart.
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I have plans to build my own kitchen cabinets as well (I will probably purchase pre-made doors). I have some cabinet making experience back when I worked for a contractor but he had his shop all set up with the proper router bits etc I was just the guy that ran all the material through. He also built the drawers with some sort of dovetail jig. I was wondering how you were joining those drawers? I don't think I'll have the patience to learn how to dovetail.
If you don't want to dovetail, you can use box/finger joints with a super simple jig, or you can also do a locking rabbet joint. Additionally, if you have a router, you can get a lock miter router bit and use that as well.
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I have plans to build my own kitchen cabinets as well (I will probably purchase pre-made doors). I have some cabinet making experience back when I worked for a contractor but he had his shop all set up with the proper router bits etc I was just the guy that ran all the material through. He also built the drawers with some sort of dovetail jig. I was wondering how you were joining those drawers? I don't think I'll have the patience to learn how to dovetail.
I'm buying the doors and drawer fronts as well. When I was researching drawers, I found multiple options, and people said that with today's glue, dovetail wasn't necessarily the gold standard. So i went for a simple rabbet joint that seems very solid (we've got some of them loaded down with glass pans). I posted more details and closer-up photos here: http://littlebeau.weebly.com/cabinets.html
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I have plans to build my own kitchen cabinets as well (I will probably purchase pre-made doors). I have some cabinet making experience back when I worked for a contractor but he had his shop all set up with the proper router bits etc I was just the guy that ran all the material through. He also built the drawers with some sort of dovetail jig. I was wondering how you were joining those drawers? I don't think I'll have the patience to learn how to dovetail.
I'm buying the doors and drawer fronts as well. When I was researching drawers, I found multiple options, and people said that with today's glue, dovetail wasn't necessarily the gold standard. So i went for a simple rabbet joint that seems very solid (we've got some of them loaded down with glass pans). I posted more details and closer-up photos here: http://littlebeau.weebly.com/cabinets.html
Modern glue is stronger than the surrounding wood when applied correctly. The biggest difference comes many years down the line, particularly if it ever gets introduced to water and or heat. For those situations you would want an additional mechanical interlock. Hence the dovetails.
You can also do what you did with the rabbet joint, but by sending dowels through the sides into the front and rear panels which adds a mechanical interlock in addition to the glue joint. The person in the photo below basically made a dovetailed rabbet, but the same principle applies to a standard rabbet.
(http://cdn1.thewoodwhisperer.com/wp-content/uploads/reinforced_rabbet.jpg)
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I love woodworking threads. I really need to get started on my deck furniture for the summer. Has anyone built an exterior sofa and sewed the cushions?
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Now I need a stationary bike stand and a desk on top - love that!
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Oh! what a fun thread. I have been working on making an end table. The top is made out of concrete with some shards of glass from broken wine bottles and the bottom is made out of 2x4's and stained black. I got the design for the table off of Ana White's diy page. Next I am going to make a showcase wine table the same way, but done a little better.
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I've been building a tiny house for the past year. I only have the outside done. I need to get started on the inside. I am so tired of construction that I want to cry. This was fun for a while but working full time and tiny house on the weekends was just pushing way to hard.
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I was just going to paint the bathroom and do a few face upgrades, but then I found suspicious wiring (hot wired to neutral) and a bit of mold, so demo is on!
...I do plan to put it back together, though. Just have to learn more than I expected for a "small" project.
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Soon there will have to be a thread dedicated to Shower remodels inspired by MMM's DIY post. I have it in my hopper of things to do. Hopefully I will be able to add pics for it soon!
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I'm doing finish work on my upstairs. (When we built the house, we left it unfinished.)
So far (completed part):
* built out a soffit in one upstairs room (to run a new HVAC return from downstairs near the wood stove)
* drywall, tape, texture the last of the rooms
* painted upstairs
* installed a V-groove wooden ceiling in one room
* tub/shower surround (backer board + subway tile)
* tile bathroom floor
Still to go:
* wood floor. (I have a pile of old gym flooring in fairly rough shape. I'm trying to rehab it and floor the stairs and upstairs.)
* trim and doors and closet buildouts
* paint trim
At the rate I'm moving, I should easily be done by 2032.
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Does anyone have plans or has built a Murphy bed before? I'm planning to do that in one of the smaller bedrooms so it can still be used as an arts and crafts room.
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Does anyone have plans or has built a Murphy bed before? I'm planning to do that in one of the smaller bedrooms so it can still be used as an arts and crafts room.
I'd love to see those, too. That is on my (very long term) plan. I have seen hardware kits for them ... you just have to design the cabinetry around them.
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You guys are impressive. Here's my latest creation:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/rosethornil/Homer_Simpson_Spice.jpg)
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You guys are impressive. Here's my latest creation:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/rosethornil/Homer_Simpson_Spice.jpg)
Nice! Is that mahogany?
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Another evening, another bit of mud:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7346/12682493213_5c0d95d8b9_c.jpg) (http://flic.kr/p/kjH6o6)
Tomorrow I hope to get a top on the curb and start on the back wall.
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Hoping to get started on a computer desk to match my coffee table this weekend. It will be solid walnut, and I bought a real nice piece of 2" thick stuff for the legs. This will be my first time making solid wood panels instead of using ply within a solid wood frame.
This is the end goal, but imagine it in a chocolate brown.
(http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz306/arcticamt6/Desk_zps5a92ee97.jpg)
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yay, table finished and in the house! My SO really likes it; that was the biggest thing I was concerned about. Only thing I might have to do is take the foot pads off and trim maybe an inch off the bottom as it is slightly higher than the couch .
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Moving a 32x16 above ground pool and large pressure treated deck from my neighbours to my backyard.
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bathroom demo! working towards complete renovation
it's been FAR overdue for a LONG time
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Moving a 32x16 above ground pool and large pressure treated deck from my neighbours to my backyard.
Do you plan to move it while they're on vacation? Won't they notice that it's missing?
;)
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Moving a 32x16 above ground pool and large pressure treated deck from my neighbours to my backyard.
Do you plan to move it while they're on vacation? Won't they notice that it's missing?
;)
Just take some spray paint and throw some gang signs on the fence. Should keep them off your trail
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Well, I decided to hold off on my computer desk. Not 100% sure where I want it to go anymore, and I'm considering integrating it into the kitchen if/when we re-do it (stock builder grade cabinets are falling apart).
So, I'm building a pair of end tables instead. Got a bunch of wood planed down tonight. I'll try and remember to post updates so people here see alternatives to pocket holes (which I really don't care for).
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/12961731605_929db20f40_b.jpg)
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And after another solid weekend of working on the bathroom, all of the tile is up in the new shower surround.
And I now see why people like bigger tiles - less tiles to set and less joints to grout!
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And after another solid weekend of working on the bathroom, all of the tile is up in the new shower surround.
And I now see why people like bigger tiles - less tiles to set and less joints to grout!
Just curious--any reason you went with/prefer smaller tiles? I have to pick out tiles for my new bath so I'm curious.
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And after another solid weekend of working on the bathroom, all of the tile is up in the new shower surround.
And I now see why people like bigger tiles - less tiles to set and less joints to grout!
Not just that, but wider sanded grout lines are much more forgiving. Little errors here and there don't show up nearly as much as with lots of small tiles and tight lines.
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Well, I decided to hold off on my computer desk. Not 100% sure where I want it to go anymore, and I'm considering integrating it into the kitchen if/when we re-do it (stock builder grade cabinets are falling apart).
So, I'm building a pair of end tables instead. Got a bunch of wood planed down tonight. I'll try and remember to post updates so people here see alternatives to pocket holes (which I really don't care for).
Oh I'd like to see the alternative to pocket holes. My first end table I didn't put much thought into where the screws were going (other than just holding the wood together) so I switched to pocket screws for the 2nd table...it looks much better. I would love to see even another option.
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Oh I'd like to see the alternative to pocket holes. My first end table I didn't put much thought into where the screws were going (other than just holding the wood together) so I switched to pocket screws for the 2nd table...it looks much better. I would love to see even another option.
What I will be using is going to be mostly Mortise & Tenon joints. Here's a photo that shows what I'm talking about:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Mortise_tenon.png)
The minimum you will need is a hand saw, a drill, and a chisel, though I will be using my tablesaw and a router.
Basically the idea is you cut the tenon, and slip it into the mortise. You want a pretty snug fit. It shouldn't fall apart when you hold it up by one piece without any glue in it. This joint has a much larger glue surface area so it is a lot stronger than pocket screws or simply butt joints glued together.
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Oh gotcha. I will try doing that on my murphy bed as it needs to be stronger. Also...no one has given me murphy bed schematics yet...what is up with that?
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the daybed as she stands:
finished the base
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-%28aka-the-%27what-are-you-building-right-now%27-thread%29/?action=dlattach;attach=3294;image)
up close of the legs I designed/made: sandblasted aluminum with white acetal feet (nonmarring, also look hella fly)
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-%28aka-the-%27what-are-you-building-right-now%27-thread%29/?action=dlattach;attach=3296;image)
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the daybed as she stands:
That looks great! Extra points for custom metalwork.
Here's what I'm working on; a fancy "shed" for friends/clients:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1966762_10151913550175974_1612189810_n.jpg)
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just demolded a 36x18 concrete slab for a tabletop aaaaaand it's uneven by .5" corner to corner :/
good thing I bought an extra bag!
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Basement Redo. Turned out much better than I had hoped. Slim to nill construction experience.
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Nothing as interesting as all of your projects, but I'm very happy to have finished this piece of fencing, which hides our nasty-ass weed lot from the street:
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p153/AQHAHunter/P1030990_zps22053139.jpg)
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just demolded a 36x18 concrete slab for a tabletop aaaaaand it's uneven by .5" corner to corner :/
good thing I bought an extra bag!
I'll be doing this next weekend.
Do you know why it came out uneven? Was it due to your mold or an uneven surface?
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probs nonlevel surface + uneven shoveling/spreading. definitely not the mold. I didn't want to buy a level and that wouldn't fix shovel error anyway, so this time I checked the depth with a toothpick in a bunch of spots and adjusted until it looked pretty even. I'll let you know Thurs. how it turns out.
spedleysam, any secret tips? yours looks pretty darn good
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probs nonlevel surface + uneven shoveling/spreading. definitely not the mold. I didn't want to buy a level and that wouldn't fix shovel error anyway, so this time I checked the depth with a toothpick in a bunch of spots and adjusted until it looked pretty even. I'll let you know Thurs. how it turns out.
spedleysam, any secret tips? yours looks pretty darn good
Are you able to reuse the mold or do you have to rebuild it each time?
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probs nonlevel surface + uneven shoveling/spreading. definitely not the mold. I didn't want to buy a level and that wouldn't fix shovel error anyway, so this time I checked the depth with a toothpick in a bunch of spots and adjusted until it looked pretty even. I'll let you know Thurs. how it turns out.
spedleysam, any secret tips? yours looks pretty darn good
I made my mold (height) exactly the thickness I wanted the table top to be. So for me if the concrete wasn't overflowing from the mold and screed off, then that would mean I would have had diff thicknesses around the table. I could have also gotten lucky and placed it on the one level surface in my garage (on top of my huge cooler....haha).
Also Crocmaster - it is possible to reuse the mold I am using (it is melamine board). If you are careful about drilling pilot holes before putting screws in through the sides re-usability goes up...otherwise it chips very easily and then won't be reusable. I am able to use the big base of mold again if I were to clean it. The sides require a little more cleaning as when I pull mine apart all the caulk sticks to the bottom of the sides, but I plan to just turn them over.
I am unmolding my 2nd one sometime this week as I am almost done with the base for this one. It is going to be a longer table that I am using to put a wine rack below. Honestly...I got lucky with this second table as it was actually level and all the legs touch the ground! at the same time! My first table I had to buy one of those systems were the foot pegs change heights.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Beige-Round-Felt-Threaded-1-in-Stem-Glides-4-Pack-49908/203661113
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probs nonlevel surface + uneven shoveling/spreading. definitely not the mold. I didn't want to buy a level and that wouldn't fix shovel error anyway, so this time I checked the depth with a toothpick in a bunch of spots and adjusted until it looked pretty even. I'll let you know Thurs. how it turns out.
spedleysam, any secret tips? yours looks pretty darn good
I made my mold (height) exactly the thickness I wanted the table top to be. So for me if the concrete wasn't overflowing from the mold and screed off, then that would mean I would have had diff thicknesses around the table. I could have also gotten lucky and placed it on the one level surface in my garage (on top of my huge cooler....haha).
Also Crocmaster - it is possible to reuse the mold I am using (it is melamine board). If you are careful about drilling pilot holes before putting screws in through the sides re-usability goes up...otherwise it chips very easily and then won't be reusable. I am able to use the big base of mold again if I were to clean it. The sides require a little more cleaning as when I pull mine apart all the caulk sticks to the bottom of the sides, but I plan to just turn them over.
aha that's clever. I wanted to just use one bag and be happy with whatever height I got so I made my sides way taller than necessary, but if I wanted to control height and levelness better I think your method would definitely be the way to go
+1 for reusing the melamine. Drilling pilot holes is essential, and after that I'm guessing you could put screws in/out quite a few times. In between uses I scraped off the residue caulk and concrete with my kitchen dough scraper and recaulked.
good thing, 'cause bags on bags of concrete is still pretty cheap and it takes just a bit of time to mix and pour a new one, whereas rebuilding the mold every time would be like an extra $30 and an entire afternoon
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I have another little side project as well now. I bought a little 50cc scooter off craigslist and while it works very well (all the inside parts) the outside looks like shiiiiit. So I am planning on doing some plastic repairs and then sanding down all the plastic and repainting it. Here is what it looks like now
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^ fiberglassin'?
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^ fiberglassin'?
dang should I? I was just going to try for the quick and cheap: http://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8237-Kwik-Plastic/dp/B003S2E4UE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395149181&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+kwik
With lots of sanding and spray painting.... lol.
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When I was into modding computer cases I would use this stuff:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/151045475300?lpid=82 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/151045475300?lpid=82)
With the proper finishing work and some time you can get it to shine like a new car...or scooter.
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Yea I'm looking at the fiberglass stuff now. only have a couple cracks. I saw this too:
http://www.amazon.com/Bondo-420-Fiberglass-Resin-Repair/dp/B000BO9NOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395149283&sr=8-2&keywords=fiberglass
(if anyone has noticed I like buying things from amazon because they are free with my CC reward pts...teehee).
Jeese MMM forum...asking me to spend more money....JK. I think I will spring for the fiberglass though. I guess if you do it right the first time, you won't have to do it again (hopefully!)
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I'm converting my dad's mountain bike to a commuter for his new downtown lifestyle. I switched out the handlebars to north road bars, changed his rapid fire shifters to grip shifters (easier on his arthritis) and put some slickish 1.5 inch tires on it. Unfortunately, I forgot to order more cable housing and the current stuff just doesn't fit. So I'll be done with it in 5-7 days.
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^ fiberglassin'?
dang should I? I was just going to try for the quick and cheap: http://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8237-Kwik-Plastic/dp/B003S2E4UE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395149181&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+kwik
With lots of sanding and spray painting.... lol.
I'd fiberglass, with the rationale that it already broke there once... probably means you should add strength rather than just try to get it back to how it was before.
I demolded my tabletop after poker night tonight and oh my does it look good. Perfectly level. I should have time to upload some pics tomorrow.
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stuff and things!
daybed w/ cushions
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3407;image)
table
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3409;image)
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About to rebuild my kitchen. Demolition stage is finally complete.
Floors (tile), cabinets (ikea), moving some plumbing fixtures around (thank you, PEX!), moved some electrical boxes around to fit the new design as well.
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stuff and things!
daybed w/ cushions
table
These turned out really cool. How much does that badboy table weigh?
edit: bad quoteyness
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the top is about 85 pounds, so just under 100 for the whole thing?
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stuff and things!
daybed w/ cushions
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3407;image)
table
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3409;image)
That's really cool. I have a couple of questions because I'm about to embark on two similar projects.
1. What kind of foam did you use? That looks like the thickness I'd like to use for my part time camper conversion I'm making for my minivan.
2. What kind of support does a concrete table need underneath? I remember from my construction days that when we would lay slabs of marble in bathrooms (very high end houses) we basically needed continuous support as the marble was prone to breaking like glass.
I'm going to make an island on castors for my patio that I'd like to put a concrete top on. I figure that fact that it will move will mean that it needs to be extra thick and well supported. Do you think I can get away with 1x every 12" or so underneath or should I got with continuous support? I'm also assuming that you just attached the top with construction adhesive, or did you use tapcons?
Thanks in advance.
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That's really cool. I have a couple of questions because I'm about to embark on two similar projects.
1. What kind of foam did you use? That looks like the thickness I'd like to use for my part time camper conversion I'm making for my minivan.
HD36 firm, high density upholstery foam, 6" thick. it was very very expensive, even on sale, but has a life expectancy of 15 years as opposed to 5ish for the cheaper stuff. Not pictured, but before I cover them they'll be wrapped in polyester fiberfill for better looks & softness. TBH the thickness is probably overkill for this firmness; I only sink down about halfway & can't feel the hard bottom at all. If you went with anything softer and didn't have a webbed/spring bottom (as furniture usually does, but van conversions usually don't), 6" is probably necessary to not feel like you're bottoming out.
2. What kind of support does a concrete table need underneath? I remember from my construction days that when we would lay slabs of marble in bathrooms (very high end houses) we basically needed continuous support as the marble was prone to breaking like glass.
I'm going to make an island on castors for my patio that I'd like to put a concrete top on. I figure that fact that it will move will mean that it needs to be extra thick and well supported. Do you think I can get away with 1x every 12" or so underneath or should I got with continuous support? I'm also assuming that you just attached the top with construction adhesive, or did you use tapcons?
The only supports are the two 2x2's running down the length, so it has a 16" unsupported gap all the way along. no internal support (rebar/wire mesh) either. I jumped around on it to make sure it was solid and nothing broke, so I guess it's good. Based on this, the 1x every 12" would work (assuming thickness >1", which is where I'm at). Probably the thinner you go the more support is needed?? I'd love to be able to give you advice on how much support is actually right, but I'd really just be guessing.
The top is just sitting on the base right now, no fasteners/adhesives, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. It's heavy enough that it's definitely not going anywhere, and being able to move the top separately makes the weight a lot less awkward to carry by myself.
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The top is just sitting on the base right now, no fasteners/adhesives, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. It's heavy enough that it's definitely not going anywhere, and being able to move the top separately makes the weight a lot less awkward to carry by myself.
Like you: I doubt it's going anywhere. But if it becomes a problem, I bet a dot of silicone on all 4 corners would make it immovable and would be easy to break loose if you really wanted to move it. (That's how most heavy counter tops are held down.)
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The top is just sitting on the base right now, no fasteners/adhesives, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. It's heavy enough that it's definitely not going anywhere, and being able to move the top separately makes the weight a lot less awkward to carry by myself.
Like you: I doubt it's going anywhere. But if it becomes a problem, I bet a dot of silicone on all 4 corners would make it immovable and would be easy to break loose if you really wanted to move it. (That's how most heavy counter tops are held down.)
oh cool, I never would have thought of that, and I already have some too! thanks for the tip!
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Thanks for the reply Russ.
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I may have gone a bit overboard with my table...I concrete mortared the hell out of it. I don't think it is ever coming off that base except by means of fire. This weekend I did a lot to my scooter but didn't get to anything cosmetic. Motor oil and gear oil changed. bled the brake line after replacing the front brake pads. And of course I may be altering it to go a bit faster.
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(sorry! oversized pictures fixed now!)
My 9-year-old son liked to maintain a "collection" of things in his bed--things that are special to him. Unfortunately, that tended to include a large quantity of balloons with Angry Birds faces drawn on them, various origami creations, Pinewood Derby cars, and so much other stuff that he had barely any room left for himself! So I made him a shelf, with new rules: 1) nothing in his bed other than him, and 2) his collection can only grow to the size of that shelf.
(http://zolotiyeruki.com/IMG_0412_sm.jpg)
Sure, it only took me about 45 min to make, including sanding, but I think it looks alright. Of course, his younger brother (who had no collection at all), then had to have his own shelf. So yesterday came shelf #2:
(http://zolotiyeruki.com/IMG_0413_sm.jpg)
Total materials: about 9' of 1x10 pine, plus a little glue and a couple dozen drywall screws
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stuff and things!
daybed w/ cushions
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3407;image)
table
(https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/do-it-yourself-forum!/conspicuous-construction-(aka-the-'what-are-you-building-right-now'-thread)/?action=dlattach;attach=3409;image)
These look awesome! What color and type of fabric are you going to use for the cushions on the day bed? And how do you plan to upholster them? I have 2 chairs with cushions I'd like to reupholster and am hoping to DIY it.
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(https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Camera%20Uploads/Cabinet.jpg?_subject_uid=195239913&w=AABZ7-87PW0MnP7NtjySLIhBM8jRRWtl3PApWn9qKtXSpg)
Made this over the weekend. Still needs a lot of finish work. Some trim, sanding, staining, and a concrete top. Planning to finish it next weekend. Overall I'm happy with how it turned out, although I feel it may be a bit to large for the space.
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Still working on our custom RV (flatbed truck camper)
This weekend we built supports for the stove, furnace and refrigerator.
(http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s435/IGBT/paint3.jpg)
(http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s435/IGBT/headboard1.jpg)
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This isn't construction per se, but I figure this is the best place to put this. A neighbor asked me several months ago to help him replace the battery in his wife's car. As a token of appreciation, he gave me his old 12V Dewalt cordless drill, complete with dead battery packs.
Fast forward to this past weekend. I purchased some hobby LiPo battery packs (yay hobbyking!), did a bunch of soldering and gluing, and now I have a working Dewalt cordless drill with two battery packs, each with 1.5 to 2 times the capacity of the originals, for about $50 worth of parts.
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This isn't construction per se, but I figure this is the best place to put this. A neighbor asked me several months ago to help him replace the battery in his wife's car. As a token of appreciation, he gave me his old 12V Dewalt cordless drill, complete with dead battery packs.
Fast forward to this past weekend. I purchased some hobby LiPo battery packs (yay hobbyking!), did a bunch of soldering and gluing, and now I have a working Dewalt cordless drill with two battery packs, each with 1.5 to 2 times the capacity of the originals, for about $50 worth of parts.
Be very careful there. It may be the battery chemistry in the Dewalt packs was slightly different (they could have been Lithium Manganese cells, for example). I wouldn't want you to burn your house down with your new drill. Most or all of the danger will be during the charging, so if you are able to charge the rebuilt packs on a concrete floor in your garage, that would be best.
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Still working on our custom RV (flatbed truck camper)
This weekend we built supports for the stove, furnace and refrigerator.
That is amazing! May I ask what you project it will cost you?
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Wine table is done! This took a little longer than I thought it would...mostly because I was procrastinating.
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Still working on our custom RV (flatbed truck camper)
This weekend we built supports for the stove, furnace and refrigerator.
That is amazing! May I ask what you project it will cost you?
I am quite embarrassed to say it will probably end up costing us around $50,000. We didn't cut any corners and I built it to last. I had a lot of tools but had to buy things like a good Miller MIG welder which I will take with us because it is so damn fun. We didn't cut corners and built to last, which is part of the reason it costs so much. We used a steel frame instead of wood, aluminum siding bonded to the steel with Sikaflex, so no galvanic action and no leaky rivets. The roof is a continuous sheet of 0.040 aluminum over 1/2" marine plywood with a Tyvek layer between. We folded the edges of the aluminum over the sides and Sikaflex glued them (we did use a few screws there because it was impossible to clamp). After that we coated the entire aluminum roof with truck bed liner.
Most truck camper roofs are rubber (TPO or EPDM) and have vent openings and other things you have to seal. I have confidence you could place our camper outside for 15 or 20 years and not have one leak, even if you did no maintenance.
Was it worth $50K? It was a lot of work and that is a lot of money. I have learned a great deal and know I would never buy a traditional RV (or if I did, I now know how to fix everything and what to look for before buying, problem wise). I also became a half decent welder, which is a good skill.
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Be very careful there. It may be the battery chemistry in the Dewalt packs was slightly different (they could have been Lithium Manganese cells, for example). I wouldn't want you to burn your house down with your new drill. Most or all of the danger will be during the charging, so if you are able to charge the rebuilt packs on a concrete floor in your garage, that would be best.
Heh--the battery chemistry isn't *slightly* different, it's *totally* different--the original battery packs were NiCd, new ones are LiPo. :D Charging with the original charger is out of the question--I bought a 2-4S LiPo charger. The biggest danger is that I may run the cells too low, or that someone may borrow it and attempt to charge them.
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Wine table is done! This took a little longer than I thought it would...mostly because I was procrastinating.
sweeeeet! love the animatronic cat statue
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Wine table is done! This took a little longer than I thought it would...mostly because I was procrastinating.
sweeeeet! love the animatronic cat statue
lol, he didn't like my clamp placement.
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Just started my greenhouse today. It will be made primarily from salvaged windows that i got for free. Pics when I get more done.
Today I got the foundation blocks placed in the ground and leveled and the basic perimeter frame.
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Finally started on my Murphy bed. I have 2 pictures of the initial setup. Still have to put in the legs, a latching mechanism for when it is up, some kind of slow downward release, and elastic to hold the mattress in place.
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some kind of slow downward release
garage door spring
ball governor + pulleys + friction plate
airbags that deploy as the bed falls
diet Coke + Mentos rockets
Rube Goldberg bed
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haha - I just ordered some gas springs with some brackets to attach to the wall and the bottom where it hinges.
Altho I like the diet coke + mentos rockets method....lol
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041EBSX4/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is what I'm trying first. good amount of load and in a pair for 25 bucks. other sites had them at like 40 dollars a piece...
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We ripped up carpet and installed solid bamboo flooring in our living room this weekend!
It was a pretty small project (just over 200 sq ft), but it was still a LOT of work (and I still need to do the trim). No more carpet, yay! ;-)
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It has legs!!! Well part of the legs for now. I am building sort of a box structure with 4 vertical supports that will hold across the bottom of the bed and then hinge above the bed (hope this part works). And the gas springs should be coming in today! Hope it is ready for my sister to beta test this Saturday (haha)
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Fence building in progress.
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Is it true that fences make the best neighbors?
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On this forum, I expected a preference for hedges.
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Is it true that fences make the best neighbors?
I dont know, but it keeps the kids in.
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Started building kitchen cabinets. I'm just in the layout/drawing stage right now, but should be building by this coming weekend. They'll be hung by french-cleats.
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I posted a couple of pics months ago of my bathroom renovation. Took me a while to finish but here are a couple of pictures of the completed job. I gutted the room and did everything from breaking out the slab to fix the drain, pouring a preslope and liner, doing the tile, and re-texturing the ceiling. Fairly low cost job all in all ($500ish) but a lot of labor.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3873/14596312241_063dc38d10_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oePV6T)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/14596310951_2e54286c11_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/oePUHD)
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nice! my sofa is still incomplete, but the upholstery fabric will be here Wednesday!
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That bathroom looks awesome, nice job!
Last weekend my dad helped me build some fancy raised beds; I'd originally planned to make a sort of self-watering system, but didn't want to spend a ton on the extra materials for it, so we ended up doing huglekultur beds instead - lots of nasty old wood thrown in pits under the beds, which will eventually become waterlogged and break down, providing a natural moisture reservoir. Plus, it ate up some shitty old wood we had laying around that wasn't going to be very good for burning anyway.
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p153/AQHAHunter/DSC02060_zps23abec70.jpg) (http://s127.photobucket.com/user/AQHAHunter/media/DSC02060_zps23abec70.jpg.html)
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p153/AQHAHunter/P1040087_zpsdd402d4c.jpg) (http://s127.photobucket.com/user/AQHAHunter/media/P1040087_zpsdd402d4c.jpg.html)
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That bathroom looks awesome, nice job!
Last weekend my dad helped me build some fancy raised beds; I'd originally planned to make a sort of self-watering system, but didn't want to spend a ton on the extra materials for it, so we ended up doing huglekultur beds instead - lots of nasty old wood thrown in pits under the beds, which will eventually become waterlogged and break down, providing a natural moisture reservoir. Plus, it ate up some shitty old wood we had laying around that wasn't going to be very good for burning anyway.
Awesome beds! I like the look of the metal siding. I'm going to be building my own this coming weekend using leftover cedar planks I have from building a fence. I think it should turn out well, maybe not as fancy as yours :)
I too am planning on doing the hugelkultur method. I am somewhat skeptical of how well it actually works on a small scale. I have only heard/seen it done on a large scale where it ends up being 5 ft tall (or higher) and really long. With a lot of woody material underneath. I can imagine that amount of wood could help retain a substanial amount of moisture to endure longer dry periods. Whereas on a small scale I just don't see it being able to retain enough moisture to really impact the planter bed during dryspells. Or I am missing the point completely and its to provide nutrients for the soil rather than helping to retain moisture.
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No, it is for moisture more than nutrients. From what I've read, a 6' tall bed can go without irrigation all summer in a hot, dry environment. I'm not expecting those kinds of results, but I do think that it will act as an effective "sponge" once the wood starts to decompose, so it should be easier to keep the beds from drying out so quickly between waterings. I did dig a trench down deeper than the bed sides (about 18" below the soil surface) and filled with wood, so there is about 2' of big wood chunks in there, with smaller stuff on top of it.
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I like the planter beds! Galvanized panels for the sides?
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I like the planter beds! Galvanized panels for the sides?
Yep, the "economy" galvanized roofing - comes in 8' lengths, so each piece makes 4 24" panels. I didn't have time to scrounge materials because I wanted to build these while my dad was here to help me, but it would probably be pretty easy to find some roofing from an old shed or something for free. The blade to cut it with a circular saw was only like $4.
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I'm on to the next project -- more deconstruction right now than construction. I just gutted our old house's kitchen yesterday, preparing for a total kitchen re-do. I'm looking for used cabinets, I've been eyeing the 'builder grade' new stuff at Home Depot-- not sure what I'm going to do yet.
Anyway, here's a 'before' pic. Somebody, somewhere (in the 70s?) thought this fake brick was a good idea.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/14433558050_61e5b5f8b1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nZrKX9)
And here's what it looked like after a hard day's work yesterday. I pulled the upper cabinets down by myself, thinking I'd either possibly re-use them or donate them. I probably shouldn't have bothered.
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14618122874_5a073eb449_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ogKGDh)
Yes, the drywall is coming down also, as well as the remnants of the fake brick wall.
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I like the planter beds! Galvanized panels for the sides?
Yep, the "economy" galvanized roofing - comes in 8' lengths, so each piece makes 4 24" panels. I didn't have time to scrounge materials because I wanted to build these while my dad was here to help me, but it would probably be pretty easy to find some roofing from an old shed or something for free. The blade to cut it with a circular saw was only like $4.
Old roofers trick is to use an old circular saw blade turned around. Ruins the blade for anything else (so only sacrifice an old one). Make sure to wear hearing and eye protection it gets really loud.
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^ what the fuck. metalworker russ says please do not do this
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^ what the fuck. metalworker russ says please do not do this
Why not lol its worked for me for years. I guess I should put a legal disclaimer... do not do what I do lol
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Bike Rack for my apartment complex